Apparatus for single-wafer-processing type CVD

Abstract

A single-wafer-processing type CVD apparatus includes: (a) a reaction chamber including: (i) a susceptor having at least one gas discharge hole to flow a gas into the reaction chamber via a back side and a periphery of the wafer into the reaction chamber; (ii) a showerhead; (iii) an exhaust duct positioned in the vicinity of the showerhead and provided circularly along an inner wall of the reaction chamber; and (iv) a circular separation plate provided coaxially with the exhaust duct to form a clearance with the bottom of the exhaust duct; and (b) a temperature-controlling apparatus for regulating the temperature of the showerhead. The separation plate has a sealing portion to seal a periphery of the susceptor and to separate the reaction chamber from a wafer-handling chamber when the susceptor rises.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 403,179 filed Mar. 28, 2003 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 372,624, filed Apr. 12, 2002. The disclosure of the above applications is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to single-wafer-processing type CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) which forms a thin film on a semiconductor wafer, which is an object-to-be-processed. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART [0003] Due to high integration of a semiconductor apparatus, interconnects using Cu, which has lower electrical resistance than Al interconnects which were used in the past, have come into use. Additionally, when Cu is used for interconnects, it becomes necessary to form a metal film such as TiN, TaN, etc., which had not conventionally been used before, as a barrier metal for preventing diffusion of Cu. In the present circumstance...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] From the viewpoint of the susceptor construction, which may have a multiple number of wafer lift pins and in which the holes of wafer lift pins are used for gas discharge holes, gas discharge from the susceptor can be achieved easily. Gas discharge holes are not limited to the wafer lift pin holes, holes provided in the susceptor other than the gas discharge hoes can serve as the gas discharge holes.

[0008] According to another embodiment, in the above-mentioned apparatus, gas discharge holes are provided in the susceptor and can be also provided outside a position of placing the object-to-be-processed to make gas flow out into the reaction chamber through the periphery of the object-to-be-processed during deposition. In this case, a circumference portion on the inside of the sealing means of the separation plate bottom can be disposed in such a position that covers the gas discharge holes. This apparatus may further comprise a circular guard ring disposed for covering a non-deposition area at the periphery of the object-to-be-processed along the inner circumference of the separation plate. The circular guard ring can be disposed at the inner circumference portion of the separation plate in such a way that gas flowing out from the gas discharge holes can flow out into the reaction chamber through a clearance between the guard ring and the wafer. In the above-mentioned embodiment, gas discharging from the gas discharge hole(s) is discharged not passing through the back side of the object-to-be-processed but to an overlapping portion with the separation plate, and flows out into the reaction chamber through the wafer periphery. Also in this embodiment, deposition onto unnecessary portions can be effectively prevented.

[0011] As described in the above, according to another embodiment, in the above-mentioned method, in the process of discharging an inert gas, an inert gas can be discharged during deposition passing through at least one gas discharge hole, which is provided in the susceptor passing right through from the bottom to the top of the susceptor, from the wafer-handling chamber via a periphery of the wafer placed on the susceptor and an inner circumference end of the separation plate into the reaction chamber. In this case, by disposing a circular guard ring at an inner circumference portion of the separation plate, an inert gas can be discharged into the reaction chamber through the wafer periphery and a clearance between the circular guard ring and the wafer. Because the gas is emitted into the reaction chamber through the wafer periphery according to an embodiment without emitting the gas to the back side of the wafer, deposition onto unnecessary portions such as the back side of the wafer, etc. can be effectively prevented.

Problems solved by technology

If a metal film whose effects on these metal films or a semiconductor apparatus have not been known is deposited using a conventional CVD apparatus, contamination of semiconductor production lines is likely to be caused by metal contamination of the back side or an edge of objects-to-be-processed, lowering yield.

This method creates a different set of problems such as damaging semiconductor wafers and generating particles.

Additionally, with these metal films, because conventional methods cannot be used for cleaning inside a deposition apparatus, it is critical not to accumulate the metals inside a reaction chamber as much as possible to improve throughput.

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