Reactive sputtering chamber with gas distribution tubes

• US 8,574,411 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: White, John M., Ye, Yan, Hosokawa, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): BAND, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/270,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20120024693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 204/298.1, 204/298.07, 204/298.02, 118/715, 118/723.MP
• US Class Current: 204/298.07
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0063 characterised by means for introducing or removing gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/34 operating with cathodic sputtering H01J37/36 takes precedence ; methods of cathodic sputtering C23C14/34

Abstract

A sputtering apparatus for processing large area substrates is provided. By introducing gas across the entire target surface, a uniform composition film may be formed on the substrate. When the gas is introduced merely at the perimeter, the gas distribution is not uniform. By providing a gas introduction tube across the processing area, the reactive gas will uniformly distribute to the whole target. Also, providing the gas tube with multiple inner tubes provides a quick, effective gas dispersion capability.

Claims

1. A Plasma Vapor Deposition apparatus for depositing a layer on a substrate, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a substrate support positioned in the vacuum chamber; and

a plurality of gas introduction tubes extending across an internal volume of the vacuum chamber, the gas introduction tubes comprising;

a first inner tube having a plurality of first openings extending along a first center axis, the first openings occupying a first plurality of different angular positions on a circumference of the first inner tube, wherein the first plurality of different angular positions are defined with respect to the first center axis that extends along a flow direction of the first inner tube;

an outer tube surrounding the first inner tube and having a plurality of second openings extending along the first center axis which do not align with the first openings, the second openings occupying a second plurality of different angular positions on a circumference of the outer tube, wherein the second plurality of different angular positions are defined with respect to the first center axis; and

a second inner tube having a plurality of third openings extending along the first center axis which do not align with the first openings, the first inner tube surrounding the second inner tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first openings are about 5 to 10 times smaller than a diameter of the outer tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second openings are about 5 to 10 times smaller than a diameter of the first inner tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first openings occupy four different angular positions on the circumference of the first inner tube.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second openings occupy four different angular positions on the circumference of the outer tube.

6. A Plasma Vapor Deposition apparatus for depositing a layer on a substrate, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a substrate support positioned in the vacuum chamber; and

a plurality of gas introduction tubes extending across an internal volume of the vacuum chamber, the gas introduction tubes comprising;

a first inner tube having a plurality of first openings extending along a first center axis, the first openings occupying four different angular positions on a circumference of the first inner tube, wherein the first angular positions are defined with respect to the first center axis that extends along a flow direction of the first inner tube;

an outer tube surrounding the first inner tube and having a plurality of second openings extending along the first center axis which do not align with the first openings, the second openings occupying four different angular positions on a circumference of the outer tube, wherein the second plurality of different angular positions are defined with respect to the first center axis; and

a second inner tube having a plurality of third openings extending along the first center axis which do not align with the first openings, the first inner tube surrounding the second inner tube.