Semiconductor Deposition Reactor Manifolds

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to embodiments of a semiconductor deposition reactor manifold and a method of using the semiconductor deposition reactor manifold, which can be used to deposit semiconductor layers using processes such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). The semiconductor deposition reactor manifold has an aperture, a first supply channel, and a second supply channel. Advantageously, the first supply channel and the second supply channel merge with the aperture in an offset manner, which results in reduced cross contamination within the supply channels.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] Pursuant to 37 CFR §1.57, any and all applications for which foreign or domestic priority claims are identified in the Application Data Sheet filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The field generally relates to manifolds for vapor deposition, and in particular to manifolds for improving deposition quality in atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactors. Background Art

[0004] There are several vapor deposition methods for depositing thin films on substrate surfaces. These methods include vacuum evaporation deposition, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), different variations of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (including low pressure and organometallic CVD and plasma enhanced CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD).

[0005] In the ALD process, one or more substrates having at least one surface to be coated are introduced into a deposition chamber. The substrate is heated to a desired temperature, typically above the condensation temperature of the selected gas phase reactants and below their thermal decomposition temperature. One reactant is able to react with adsorbed species of the previous reactants to form the desired product on the substrate surface. Two, three or more reactants are typically provided to the substrate in pulses separated in space and time.

[0006] In one example, in a first pulse, a first reactant representing a precursor material is adsorbed substantially completely on the wafer in a self-limiting process. The process is self-limiting because a gas phase precursor cannot react with or adsorb on an adsorbed portion of the precursor. After any remaining first reactant is removed from the wafer or chamber, the adsorbed precursor material on the substrate reacts with subsequent reactant pulses to form no more than a single molecular layer of the desired material. Subsequent reactants may, for example, strip ligands from the adsorbed precursor material to make the surface reactive again, replace ligands and leave other materials of the compound, etc. In a pure ALD process, less than one monolayer is formed per cycle on average due to steric hindrance, where the size of the precursor molecules prevents access to adsorption sites on the substrate that may become available in subsequent cycles. Thicker films are produced by repeated growth cycles until the target thickness is reached. Growth rates are typically given in angstroms per cycle because, in theory, growth depends only on the number of cycles and does not depend on the mass or temperature supplied, as long as each pulse is saturating and the temperature is within the ideal ALD temperature window for those reactants (no thermal decomposition and no condensation).

[0007] Reactants and temperatures are typically selected to avoid condensation and thermal decomposition of the reactants during the process, so that the chemical reactions are responsible for growth through multiple cycles. However, in certain variations of ALD processing, by utilizing hybrid CVD and ALD reaction mechanisms, conditions can be selected to vary the growth rate per cycle, perhaps exceeding one molecular monolayer per cycle. Other variations can allow some spatial and / or temporal overlap between reactants. In ALD and other sequential vapor deposition variations, two, three, four or more reactants can be provided sequentially in a single cycle, and the contents of different cycles can be varied to adjust the composition.

[0008] During a typical ALD process, pulses of reactants (which are all in vapor form) are pulsed sequentially into a reaction space (e.g., a reaction chamber) with removal steps between reactant pulses to avoid direct interaction between reactants in the gas phase. For example, pulses of inert gas or "purge" pulses may be provided between reactant pulses. The inert gas purges one reactant pulse in the chamber before the next reactant pulse to avoid gas phase mixing. In order to obtain self-limiting growth, sufficient amounts of each precursor are provided to saturate the substrate. Since the growth rate in each cycle of a true ALD process is self-limiting, the growth rate is proportional to the repetition rate of the reaction sequence rather than the flow rate of the reactants. Summary of the invention

[0009] In one aspect, a semiconductor processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a manifold, the manifold comprising: a hole configured to deliver vaporized reactants to a reaction chamber, the hole extending along a longitudinal axis; an upper wall disposed at an upper portion of the manifold, the upper wall defining a capping surface along the longitudinal axis at a first end of the hole; an outlet disposed at a lower portion of the manifold along the longitudinal axis, the outlet configured to deliver a gas to a reactor; a first supply channel configured to supply a gas to the hole; and a second supply channel configured to supply a gas to the hole, wherein the first supply channel and the second supply channel merge with the hole at an offset position along the longitudinal axis.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cover surface is shaped to redirect upwardly directed gas downwardly through the apertures back to the outlet.

[0011] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing apparatus further comprises a first block mounted to the manifold, the first block and the manifold cooperating to at least partially define the first supply channel. In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing apparatus further comprises a second block mounted to the manifold, the second block and the manifold cooperating to at least partially define the second supply channel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first supply channel is in fluid communication with a first reactant source and is configured to deliver a first vaporized reactant to the aperture, and the second supply channel is in fluid communication with a second reactant source and is configured to deliver a second vaporized reactant to the aperture.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first supply channel is in fluid communication with a non-reactive gas to purge the aperture.

[0014] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing apparatus further includes a showerhead apparatus below the outlet, the showerhead apparatus being configured to disperse the gas flow from the outlet. The semiconductor processing apparatus may further include a reaction chamber below the showerhead apparatus and a substrate support configured to support the substrate in the reaction chamber.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first block includes a first gas phase inlet configured to input a first reactant into the first supply channel.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first block further comprises a second gas phase inlet and a third gas phase inlet. In some embodiments, the first block further comprises a fourth gas phase inlet, wherein the fourth gas phase inlet is located on a side of the first block opposite to the manifold.

[0017] In some embodiments, the fourth gas phase inlet is configured to input a purge gas to the manifold.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first supply channel is inclined toward the cover surface, the second supply channel is inclined toward the outlet, and the second supply channel is located downstream of the first supply channel.

[0019] In some embodiments, the manifold comprises a single unitary block.

[0020] In some embodiments, the aperture extends continuously along the longitudinal axis.

[0021] In another aspect, a semiconductor processing device is provided, comprising: a manifold, the manifold comprising a hole configured to deliver a gas to a reaction chamber, the hole being arranged along a longitudinal axis; an upper wall arranged at an upper portion of the manifold, the upper wall defining a sealing surface along the longitudinal axis at a first end of the hole; a first supply line configured to supply an inactive purge gas to the hole at a first position along the longitudinal axis downstream of the sealing surface; and a second supply line configured to supply a gas to the hole at a second position along the longitudinal axis, the second position being different from the first position.

[0022] In some embodiments, the supply line is connected to a source of non-reactive gas to purge the holes.

[0023] In some embodiments, the inert gas includes at least one of argon and nitrogen.

[0024] In another aspect, a deposition method is provided, the method comprising: supplying a first gas into a hole of a manifold through a first supply channel at a first position along a longitudinal axis of the hole, a capping surface being disposed at an upper end of the hole; supplying a second gas into the hole of the manifold through a second supply channel at a second position along the longitudinal axis of the hole, the second position being longitudinally offset from the first supply channel; and directing at least one of the first gas and the second gas downstream of an outlet of the hole along the longitudinal axis.

[0025] In some embodiments, supplying the first gas and the second gas includes supplying the first vaporized reactant and supplying the second vaporized reactant. In some embodiments, the method further includes purging the reaction chamber with an inactive gas after supplying the first vaporized reactant and before supplying the second vaporized reactant. The inactive gas may include at least one of nitrogen and argon. The first vaporized reactant may include at least one of H2, NH3, N2, O2 or O. The second vaporized reactant may include at least one of dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TCS), trisilane, organosilane, titanium chloride (TiCl4), ZrCl4 and HfCl4. The first vaporized reactant may include NH3, and the second vaporized reactant may include TiCl4. In some embodiments, the method includes vaporizing liquid TiCl4 to produce the second vaporized reactant. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of several embodiments which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the present invention.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor processing apparatus.

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing apparatus having an inert gas inlet at the upper portion of a manifold body.

[0029] Figure 3A -C is Figure 2 An image of various components of a semiconductor processing apparatus.

[0030] Figure 4A yes Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing apparatus.

[0031] Figure 4B yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a portion of a semiconductor processing apparatus.

[0032] Figure 5A yes Figure 2 A top view of a semiconductor processing device.

[0033] Figure 5B yes Figure 1 and 4B A top view of a semiconductor processing device.

[0034] Fig. 6A yes Figure 4A A top cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing device.

[0035] Figure 6B yes Figure 4B A top cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing device.

[0036] Fig. 7A is a perspective view of holes and supply channels of a semiconductor processing apparatus according to various embodiments.

[0037] Figure 7B yes Figure 4B , 5B and 6B are perspective views of holes and supply channels of a semiconductor processing device.

[0038] Fig. 8A and 8B yes Fig. 7A and 7B Velocity diagram of steam passing through the respective holes for two different supply channel designs.

[0039] Fig.9A and 9B yes Fig. 7A and 7B Figure 3. Mole fraction plot of ammonia (NH3) reactant for each pore of two different supply channel designs.

[0040] Fig. 10A and 10B They are Fig. 7A and 7B Mole fraction diagram of NH3 reactant in the supply channel and the position within the pore for two different supply channel designs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Embodiments disclosed herein can utilize semiconductor processing devices configured for any suitable gas or vapor deposition process, including processes (e.g., pulses) that alternately expose reactants to substrates. For example, the illustrated embodiments show various systems for depositing materials on substrates using atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques. In vapor deposition techniques, ALD has many advantages, including high conformality at low temperatures and fine control of components in the process. ALD type processes are based on controlled self-limiting surface reactions of precursor chemicals. Gas phase reactions are avoided by alternately and sequentially feeding precursors into the reaction chamber. For example, by removing excess reactants and / or reactant byproducts from the reaction chamber between reactant pulses, gas phase reactants are separated from each other in the reaction chamber. Removal can be accomplished by various techniques, including purifying and / or reducing the pressure between pulses. Pulses can be performed in a continuous flow sequence, or the reactor can be isolated and can be backfilled for each pulse. Of course, the apparatus disclosed herein may be used with other vapor deposition processes, particularly those requiring alternation of reactants, such that the process employed by the apparatus may include some degree of thermal decomposition and / or overlap of precursors in space or time.

[0042] Briefly, the substrate is loaded into the reaction chamber and heated to a suitable deposition temperature, usually at a relatively low pressure. The deposition temperature is usually kept below the precursor thermal decomposition temperature, but at a sufficiently high level to avoid condensation of the reactants and provide activation energy for the desired surface reaction. Of course, for any given ALD reaction, the appropriate temperature window will depend on the surface termination and reactant species involved, and processes that allow condensation or thermal decomposition can be performed with the apparatus described herein.

[0043] The first reactant can be conducted into the chamber in the form of a gas phase pulse and contacted with the surface of the substrate. Any suitable reactant vapor can be pulsed into the chamber. For example, in various embodiments, the first vaporized reactant can include ammonia (NH3). Conditions can be selected so that no more than about one monolayer of precursor is adsorbed on the substrate surface in a self-limiting manner. Excess first reactant and reaction byproducts (if any) are purged from the reaction chamber, typically with an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon.

[0044] Purging the reaction chamber means removing gaseous precursors and / or gaseous byproducts from the reaction chamber, for example by evacuating the chamber with a vacuum pump and / or replacing the gas inside the reactor with an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen. Typical purge times for single wafer reactors are about 0.05 to 20 seconds, particularly between about 1 and 10 seconds, and even more particularly between about 1 and 2 seconds. However, other purge times may be used if desired, for example when layers need to be deposited on extremely high aspect ratio structures or other structures with complex surface morphology are required, or when high capacity batch reactors are used. A skilled technician can easily determine the appropriate pulse time based on the specific situation.

[0045] The second gaseous reactant can be pulsed into the chamber, where it reacts with the first reactant bound to the surface. Any suitable reactant vapor can be pulsed into the chamber. For example, in various embodiments, the second vaporized reactant can include titanium chloride or TiCl4. Excess second reactant and gaseous byproducts of surface reaction are purged from the reaction chamber, preferably by means of an inert gas. Repeat the pulse and purge steps until a film of desired thickness is formed on the substrate, leaving no more than one molecular monolayer per cycle. Some ALD processes can have a more complex sequence, in which three or more precursor pulses are alternated, each of which contributes elements to the growing film. Reactants can also be supplied with their own pulses or precursor pulses to strip or adsorb attached ligands and / or free byproducts, rather than providing elements for the film. In addition, not all cycles must be the same. For example, a binary film can be doped with a third element by infrequently adding a third reactant pulse (e.g., every five cycles) to control the stoichiometry of the film, and the frequency can be changed during deposition to gradually adjust the film composition. Furthermore, although described as starting with an adsorbed reactant, some recipes may start with another reactant or with a separate surface processing, for example to ensure that there are maximum reactive sites for the ALD reaction to occur (e.g., for some recipes, a water pulse may provide hydroxyl groups on the substrate to enhance the reactivity of certain ALD precursors).

[0046] As described above, each pulse or phase of each cycle is preferably self-limiting for the ALD reaction. Excessive reactant precursors are supplied in each phase to saturate the susceptible structure surface. Surface saturation ensures that the reactants occupy all available reaction sites (for example, limited by physical size or steric hindrance), thereby ensuring excellent step coverage on any morphology on the substrate. In some arrangements, the degree of self-limiting behavior can be adjusted by, for example, allowing some overlaps of reactant pulses, thereby compromising between deposition rate (by allowing some CVD-type reactions) and conformality. The ideal ALD conditions in which the reactants are well separated in time and space provide near-perfect self-limiting behavior and therefore provide maximum conformality, but steric hindrance causes less than one molecular layer per cycle. Limited CVD reactions mixed with self-limiting ALD reactions can increase deposition rates. Although the embodiments described herein are particularly advantageous for sequential pulse deposition techniques (such as ALD and mixed mode ALD / CVD), manifolds can also be used for pulsed or continuous CVD processing. Many types of reactors capable of ALD growth of thin films can be used, including CVD reactors equipped with appropriate equipment and devices for pulse precursors. In some embodiments, a flow-type ALD reactor is used as opposed to a backfill reactor. In some embodiments, the manifold is upstream of an injector designed to distribute gas into the reaction space, particularly a distribution mechanism such as a showerhead assembly above the single wafer reaction space.

[0047] The ALD process can optionally be performed in a reaction chamber or space connected to a cluster tool. In a cluster tool, since each reaction space is dedicated to one type of process, the temperature of the reaction space in each module can be kept constant, which improves throughput compared to reactors that heat the substrate to the process temperature before each run. The independent reactors can be equipped with load locks. In this case, it is not necessary to cool the reaction chamber or space between each run. These methods can also be performed in reactors designed for processing multiple substrates simultaneously, such as small batch showerhead reactors.

[0048] Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to semiconductor devices, such as vapor deposition devices (e.g., ALD devices, CVD devices, etc.), which include a manifold for delivering reactant vapor to a reaction chamber. Regardless of the natural state of the chemical under standard conditions, the reactant vapor can be referred to as "gas". The embodiments disclosed herein can advantageously provide the first reactant and the second reactant through the first supply channel and the second supply channel that are offset from each other along the holes of the manifold. The first supply channel and the second supply channel can supply the first reactant vapor and the second reactant vapor to the manifold, respectively. In addition, the first supply channel and the second supply channel can also supply a purge gas (e.g., an inert carrier gas) to the manifold to purify the supply channel of the manifold and the reactant. As explained herein, the offset of the first supply channel and the second supply channel allows the first reactant to penetrate into the second supply channel and the second reactant to penetrate into the first supply channel. The first reactant penetrates into the second supply channel and the second reactant penetrates into the second supply channel, which may cause cross contamination of the reactants in the supply channel, thereby resulting in poor deposition quality. Increasing the offset between the supply channels can reduce the reactant from penetrating into the relative supply channel.

[0049] In addition, in various embodiments, the manifold includes a middle block surrounded by two valve blocks. A purge gas inlet is provided on a surface of the valve block opposite to a surface where the middle block and the two valve blocks meet.

[0050] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a semiconductor processing apparatus 10, which may include a manifold 100 to deliver gases to a reaction chamber (not shown). Figure 4B and 5B Description of the detailed description Figure 1 For example, the semiconductor processing device 10 may include a manifold 100 including a manifold body 120. A first valve block 110a and a second valve block 110b may be mounted to the manifold body 120 and may include one or more gas phase inlets to deliver reactant vapor and / or inert gas (e.g., purge gas) to the manifold body 120. The semiconductor processing device 10 may include a plurality of valves to control the delivery of reactant vapor and inert gas to the manifold body 120. For example, as described herein, the device 10 may include inert gas valves 132a, 132b to control the supply of inert gas to the manifold 100, reactant gas valves 134a, 134b to control the supply of reactant vapor to the manifold 100, and first valves 136a and second valves 136b to control the supply of etchant and coating vapor to the manifold 100.

[0051] In various arrangements, one of the first valve 136a and the second valve 136b can control the flow of an etchant from a remote plasma unit (RPU) to periodically clean the surfaces of the reaction chamber of deposits (e.g., after each wafer is processed, or after each set number of wafers are processed). The etchant can be activated in the RPU and supplied to the manifold 100 and the reaction chamber. In various arrangements, the other of the first valve 136a and the second valve 136b can control the flow of a coating precursor (e.g., trimethylaluminum or TMA), which, along with an oxygen source (e.g., water, remotely activated oxygen, ozone, etc.), can be used to periodically coat the chamber with a protective coating (e.g., aluminum oxide) to deactivate the chamber walls, reduce deposition on the chamber walls, and / or protect the chamber walls from other chemicals such as etchants.

[0052] Figure 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing apparatus 20, which may include a manifold 200 to deliver gases to a reaction chamber (not shown). Figure 2 The semiconductor processing apparatus 20 and manifold 200 shown in the drawings may be substantially similar to the semiconductor processing apparatus and manifold shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 9,574,268 and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2017-0350011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. The manifold and manifold described in U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2017-0350011 Figure 2 There may be various differences between the manifolds 200 of FIG. 1 , but the overall function and design may be similar to, for example, that of U.S. Patent Publication No. US2017-0350011. Fig. 6A -6J and / or Fig. 8A -8F. In addition, the manifold of the present disclosure can be used in conjunction with the manifold of U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2017-0350011. Figure 2 Valve combination; and / or with U.S. Patent Publication No. US2017-0350011 Figure 3A A reactant / inert gas source, a gas dispersion mechanism, a controller, a reaction chamber and a vacuum source combination.

[0053] The manifold 200 may include a manifold body 202 connected to valve blocks 212a, 212b, which are shown on opposite sides of the manifold body 202. Reactant valves and inert gas valves (not shown) are disposed on blocks 212a, 212b or other upstream blocks (not shown). An inert gas inlet 220 may supply inert gas to the manifold 200, for example, from an upper portion of the manifold 200. The manifold body 202 includes a plurality of blocks stacked on top of each other to at least partially define a hole 230 along which a gas flows, including, for example, an upper block 204, a middle block 206, and a lower block 208. Figure 2In the arrangement of, the middle block 206 includes a sub-block 206a and a sub-block 206b mechanically connected to the sub-block 206a. The lower block 208 includes a first sub-block 208a, a second sub-block 208b mechanically connected to the first sub-block 208a, and a third sub-block 208c mechanically connected to the second sub-block 208b. The use of multiple blocks and sub-blocks can achieve modular construction of the manifold 200, so that internal channels and other internal cavities with curved or inclined shapes can be used.

[0054] Figure 2 About U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2017-0350011 Fig. 6A -6J. Sub-blocks 208a-208c may define an extended mixing length passage 280 having a first lateral portion 280a, an offset axial portion 280b, and a second lateral portion 280b. Passage 280 may provide an extended mixing length downstream of the location where the supply gas is introduced into bore 230. Manifold 200 may include a plurality of gas distribution channels, including Figure 2 The gas distribution channel 236 is shown. The supply channels 238a-c deliver gas from the distribution channel 236 to the hole 230. As shown, the supply channels 238a-c include inclined supply channels that slope downward to connect to the hole 230, wherein the fluid also flows downward toward the outlet 232. Figure 2 In the arrangement of FIG. 2 , the gas flows through the holes 230, including along the extended mixing length passage 280, and exits the manifold 200 through the outlet 232. The outlet 232 can be disposed on a dispersion mechanism (e.g., a showerhead) that can disperse the gas over a substrate in a reaction chamber (not shown).

[0055] although Figure 2 The arrangement can advantageously provide an extended mixing length, but the extended mixing length passage 280 and other passages in the manifold 200 include curvatures and turns that may introduce dead volume, for example, during the purge of reactant gases. The formation of dead volume can reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of the deposition process. Figure 2 The curved and angled flow paths of the illustrated arrangement may also create a "throw" phenomenon onto the substrate. For example, the use of curved paths 280 may impart angular momentum to the gas, which may introduce non-uniformities onto the substrate.

[0056] In addition, if Figure 2As shown, manifold 200 utilizes a funnel-shaped structure as an inactive gas inlet 220 at the top of hole 230 to introduce a purge gas, thereby purging the system. However, during the injection of the first reactant and / or the second reactant, for some processes, the purge gas injected through the inactive gas inlet 220 may be insufficient, and there may be a dead volume at the top of the hole 230, so that the supplied reactant vapor can flow back into the funnel-shaped inlet 220. The use of an O-ring 237 between blocks 204 and 206 can further increase the dead volume within the inlet 220. These dead volumes may not be effectively purified by the purge gas introduced from the inactive gas inlet 220. During the injection of the first reactant and / or the second reactant, parasitic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of the reactant along the portion of the inlet 220 can reduce the performance of the device 20.

[0057] Figure 3A Depicted is the parasitic deposition of reactants along the portion of the inactive gas inlet 220 in the form of yellow adducts formed within the funnel 220. In addition, Figure 3B Block 222 is shown connected to the top of the funnel 220, which supplies purge gas into the funnel 220. Yellow adducts indicative of deposition reactants can be seen forming in the first inlet, which supplies the funnel 220 with an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon, or other inert gas). Figure 3C The other side of block 222 is shown, where a second inlet (e.g., an inlet for trimethylaluminum or TMA) is located. TMA can be supplied to the reactor to form a protective coating, such as a protective aluminum oxide coating, on the chamber wall. In some arrangements, TMA can be applied to the chamber after a set number of cleanings. It can be seen that a yellow adduct is formed in the second inlet supplying TMA to the system. It may be difficult to remove the illustrated adduct along inlet 220, which may contaminate the substrate and reduce the quality of the device. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the gas delivery to the reactor.

[0058] Figure 4A Another schematic side cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing apparatus 20 is shown. Figure 2 All components of the are identical and therefore will not be discussed further. Figure 4B yes Figure 1 A schematic side cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing apparatus 10 is presented in FIG. Figure 4B The device 10 may include a manifold 100 that defines a hole 126 through a manifold body 120. Figure 4A Likewise, in some embodiments, the manifold 100 may be constructed by mounting multiple blocks to one another. Figure 4BIn the illustrated embodiment of the manifold 100, the manifold 100 can be constructed from a single integral block that forms the manifold body 120. The integral block can improve the manifold body 120 by providing leak-proof holes 126, for example, by avoiding the use of O-rings and / or other interfaces. In various embodiments, dead spots that may lead to contamination can also be avoided. However, alternatively, as Figure 4A and 2 As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the manifold body 120 can alternatively be made of an upper block, an intermediate block, and a lower block. A skilled technician will recognize that multiple blocks and integral blocks are interchangeable based on cost and manufacturing trade-offs. The use of multiple blocks can achieve modular construction of modules, including curved, inclined or other complex geometries. The bottom of the manifold body 120 can include an outlet 130. The first valve block 110a and the second valve block 110b can also be mounted to the manifold body 120.

[0059] The holes 126 of the manifold body 120 can deliver reactants and / or inert gases to the reaction chamber 30 of the reactor 21 through the outlet 130 at the bottom of the manifold body 120. The dispersion device 35 (e.g., the showerhead shown) or the horizontal injection device in other embodiments may include a plenum 32 in fluid communication with the plurality of openings 19. The reactant vapor can pass through the openings 19 and be supplied to the reaction chamber 30. The substrate support 22 can be configured or sized and shaped to support a substrate 36, such as a wafer, within the reaction chamber 30. The dispersed reactant vapor can contact the substrate and react to form a layer (e.g., a monolayer) on the substrate. The dispersion device 35 can disperse the reactant vapor in a manner to form a uniform layer on the substrate.

[0060] Exhaust line 23 may be in fluid communication with reaction chamber 30. Vacuum pump 24 may apply suction to exhaust line 23 to exhaust steam and excess material from reaction chamber 30. Reactor 21 may include any suitable type of semiconductor reactor, such as an atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus, etc. In addition, apparatus 10 may include a control system 34 in electronic and data communication with reactor 21. Control system 34 may include one or more processors configured to control the operation of apparatus 10. Additional components may be provided to manage the operation of apparatus 10.

[0061] Supply channels 124a and 124b may be provided to supply gas from corresponding gas distribution channels to the bore 126. The first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b may be fluidly connected to the supply channels 122a and 122b located in the first valve block 110a and the second valve block 110b. The first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b may merge with the bore 126 at substantially the same region along the longitudinal axis L of the manifold body 120, but the inlet openings 127a, 127b into the bore 126 may be slightly offset along the longitudinal axis L. Figure 4B As shown, the hole 126 can extend continuously along the longitudinal axis L so that the hole 126 does not include any turns or curved paths, which is consistent with Figure 2 and 4A The arrangement in is different. The upper end of the hole 126 can be covered by an upper wall 123, which defines a cover surface 128 at the upper end of the hole 126. The first supply channel 124a can be inclined upward toward the cover surface 128, and the second supply channel 124b can be inclined downward toward the outlet 130. Alternatively, the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b can be manufactured to be at different levels and reach staggered positions of the hole 126. Therefore, the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel can be inclined upward, downward or straight, and can merge with the hole 126 at an offset position along the longitudinal axis L. In Figure 4B In some embodiments, the first valve block 110a and the second valve block 110b can be mechanically connected to the manifold body 120 without using O-rings. For example, in some embodiments, metal seals can be used between the manifold body 120 and the first valve block 110a and the second valve block 110b.

[0062] The inlet opening 127a of the first supply channel 124a can direct the gas upward to the cover surface 128, which can redirect the supplied gas downward through the hole 130. Alternatively, the first supply channel 124a can terminate well below the cover surface 128. The cover surface 128 can include a curved surface shaped to effectively direct the gas impinging on the surface 128 back down through the hole 126 at a certain angle. Figure 4B In the embodiment, the cover surface 128 and the outlet 130 can be arranged along the linear longitudinal axis L of the hole 126. Figure 4A Unlike the inert gas inlet 220 provided in the upper block 204, Figure 4B In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the uppermost portion of the manifold body 120 is capped so that supplied gases, including reactants and inert gases, are provided from the side of the manifold 100 .

[0063] Advantageously, when the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b meet the aperture 126 at staggered offset locations, permeation of the first reactant into the second supply channel is reduced. Figure 7B An illustration of where the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b meet the hole 126 at staggered offset positions is seen in FIG. Fig. 7A An arrangement is shown in which the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b meet the hole 126 at the same position. Fig. 7A7B will be described in more detail below. In addition, in some embodiments, the first reactant vapor (e.g., ammonia) can be supplied to the hole 126 along the first supply channel 124a. The second reactant vapor (e.g., titanium chloride) can be supplied to the hole 126 along the second supply channel 124b. Figure 4B As shown, the first supply channel 124 a and the second supply channel 124 b may be disposed opposite to each other with respect to the hole 126 .

[0064] If the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b are disposed directly opposite each other at the same position along the longitudinal axis L, the first reactant vapor (eg, ammonia) can be driven into the opposing second supply line 124b. An example of this effect is shown in FIG. Fig. 10A , and described in more detail below. Similarly, a second reactant vapor (e.g., titanium chloride) can be driven into the relative first supply line 124a. In some arrangements, a low flow of inert gas through the first supply line 124a and the second supply line 124b can be provided, which can serve as a barrier to the reactant vapor from the relative supply line. However, the reactant vapor can be directed at a sufficiently high pressure to overcome the low pressure of the inert gas. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the inlet openings 127a, 127b of the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b can be offset from each other along the longitudinal axis L. In addition, in some embodiments, the inlet openings 127a, 127b can be inclined relative to each other along the longitudinal axis L. For example, as Figure 4B As shown, the upstream first inlet opening 127a can be tilted to have a directional component toward the capping surface 128 of the upper wall 123. The downstream second inlet opening 127b can be tilted to have a directional component toward the outlet 130. Therefore, the orientation and / or positioning of the first supply channel 124a and the second supply channel 124b can reduce or eliminate the penetration of the first reactant into the second supply channel 124b and the second reactant into the first supply channel 124a, which can reduce the effects of cross contamination and improve the overall deposition quality. This example of reducing cross contamination is shown in FIG. Fig. 10B and described in more detail below.

[0065] In addition, Figure 4A Compared with the arrangement of Figure 4B The holes 126 may provide improved flow conductivity, for example, a higher flow rate may be provided due to the use of larger diameter holes 126. The larger diameter or major dimension may increase the flow rate of the gas flowing to the reactor 21.

[0066] In addition, Figure 4AUnlike the arrangement of the purge or inactive gas inlets 108 and 118, the purge or inactive gas inlets 108 and 118 may be located on the side opposite to the side where the valve block 110a / 110b meets the manifold body 120. Figure 4A Unlike the inlet 220 of FIG. 1 , the inactive purge gas is directed downwardly to the hole 230 through the funnel-shaped structure. Figure 4B In some embodiments, the inactive purge gas may be directed laterally to the hole 126 through a supply channel. In some embodiments, the inactive purge gas may be directed through a first supply channel 124a and a second supply channel 124b through which the first reactant vapor and the second reactant vapor are supplied to the hole 126. In other embodiments, the inactive purge gas may be directed through an additional supply channel that merges into the hole 126 from a side portion of the hole 126 instead of an upper portion of the hole 126. Advantageously, Figure 4B Embodiments may reduce or eliminate Figure 4A The dead volume and resulting parasitic deposition above the merging point of the reactant vapors that may occur in the device 20. In addition, the purge or inactive gas inlets 108 and 118 can be located at the last section of the supply channel so that the purge gas can directly enter the entire channel. Therefore, during the purge cycle, the entire supply channel can be purged, which can reduce or eliminate the dead volume.

[0067] Figure 5A Shows Figure 2 and 4A A top view of an embodiment of the present invention. Each valve block 212b and 212a includes a gas inlet. The first valve block 212b includes a gas phase inlet 220 for inputting a first gas or a gas-phase reactant. The first valve block 212b also includes a gas phase inlet 222 for inputting a low flow rate of inactive gas to bring the vaporized reactant into the reactor 21 and / or provide a buffer to prevent cross contamination from other reactants. The second valve block 212a includes a gas phase inlet 224 for inputting a second gas or a gas-phase reactant. The second valve block 212a also includes a gas phase inlet 222 for supplying an inactive gas to bring the vaporized reactant into the reactor 21 and / or provide a buffer to prevent cross contamination from other reactants. The manifold body 202 includes a funnel-shaped inlet 220, in which a high flow rate of inactive gas enters the system to purify the device 20. As described above in conjunction with Figure 2 and 4A As explained, the funnel-shaped inlet 220 can direct the non-reactive purge gas downward into the hole 230. In addition, additional etchant (eg, from the RPU) and coating agent (eg, TMA) can enter the hole 230 from the funnel-shaped inlet 220. Figure 5AAlso shown are reactant valves 214a, 214b mounted to respective valve blocks 212a, 212b. Reactant valves 214a, 214b may be used to regulate the flow of the first reactant vapor and the second reactant vapor, respectively.

[0068] Examples of inert gases include argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N2), although any suitable inert gas may be used. A mixture of two different inert gases may be used. An example of a first gas phase reactant is a natural gaseous ALD reactant, such as H2, NH3, N2, O2, or O. A second gas or gas phase reactant may be produced by a vaporizer (not shown) for vaporizing a solid or liquid reactant at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The vaporizer may include, for example, a liquid bubbler or a solid sublimation container. Examples of solid or liquid reactants that may be maintained and vaporized in a vaporizer include, but are not limited to, liquid organometallic precursors, such as trimethylaluminum (TMA), TEMAHf, or TEMAZr; liquid semiconductor precursors, such as dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TCS), trisilane, organosilane, or TiCl4; and powdered precursors, such as ZrCl4 or HfCl4. A skilled technician will appreciate that embodiments may include any desired combination and arrangement of natural gaseous, solid, or liquid reactant sources. In one embodiment, the first reactant vapor comprises NH3 and the second reactant vapor comprises TiCl4.

[0069] Figure 5B Shows Figure 1 and 4B A top view of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5A The first valve block 110b includes a gas phase inlet 116 for supplying a first gas or gas phase reactant and a gas phase inlet 114 for supplying an inactive gas to act as a carrier or buffer. The first valve block 110b includes an additional gas phase inlet 112 for supplying an etchant (e.g., RPU). It should be noted that the inlet 112 is provided on the side of the manifold body 120, for example, in the valve block 110b, rather than with Figure 5A 120 is connected to the funnel-shaped inlet 220 shown in FIG. Advantageously, locating the gas phase inlet 112 on the side of the manifold body results in a reduction in dead volume, thereby reducing the amount of parasitic deposition. In addition, the first valve block 110b also includes an additional non-active gas phase inlet 118, wherein a high flow rate non-active gas enters the hole 126 to purge the manifold 120. The gas phase inlet 118 can also be arranged on the side of the manifold body 120, for example, in the valve block 110b, instead of with Figure 5A The funnel-shaped inlet 220 shown in FIG. Figure 5B As shown, the inactive gas phase inlet 118 may be placed on a side opposite to the side where the first valve block 110 b is connected to the manifold body 120 .

[0070] In addition, similar to Figure 5A The second valve block 110a includes a gas phase inlet 106 for inputting a second gas or gas phase reactant and a gas phase inlet 104 for supplying a low flow rate inert gas to act as a carrier or buffer. The second valve block 110a includes an additional gas phase inlet 102 for inputting a coating material (e.g., TMA). It should be noted that the inlet 102 can be set on the side of the manifold body 120, for example, in the valve block 110a, instead of being connected to the manifold body 120. Figure 5A In addition, the second valve block 110a also includes an additional gas phase inlet 108, wherein a high flow rate of inactive gas enters the hole 126 to purge the manifold 120. The inactive vapor inlet 108 can also be set on the side of the manifold body 120, for example, in the valve block 110a, instead of with Figure 5A The funnel-shaped inlet 220 shown in FIG. Figure 5B As shown, the inactive gas phase inlet 108 may be placed on the side opposite to the side where the second valve block 110a is connected to the manifold body 120. Figure 5A similar, Figure 5B Also shown are reactant valves 134a, 134b mounted to respective valve blocks 110a, 110b. Figure 5B Also shown are inactive gas valves 132a, 132b and additional first and second valves 136a, 136b mounted to the respective valve blocks 110a / 110b. The inactive gas valves 132a, 132b control the inert gas entering from the additional gas phase inlets 108, 118. In addition, as explained above, the first valve 136a and the second valve 136b can control the coating material (e.g., TMA) entering from the gas phase inlet 102 and the etchant (e.g., etchant from the RPU) entering from the gas phase inlet 112, respectively. Figure 5A The description of the inert gas, the first reactant and the second example in the description of Figure 5B , no more repeating.

[0071] Fig. 6A and 6B They are Figure 5A and 5B A top view of the arrangement of FIG. 1 shows the internal passages within the manifold. Fig. 6A In FIG. 1 , the internal passages 220A, 222A, 224A, 226A correspond to the internal supply lines that deliver the respective steam from the gas phase inlets 220, 222, 224, 226, and the element symbols of the inlets are appended with the letter "A" to refer to the corresponding internal supply passages. Similarly, in FIG. Figure 6BIn FIG. 1 , internal passages 102A, 104A, 106A, 108A, 112A, 114A, 116A, 118A correspond to internal supply conduits for delivering respective steam from corresponding gas phase inlets 102, 104, 106, 108, 112, 114, 116, 118, and the element symbols of the inlets are appended with the letter "A" to refer to the corresponding internal supply passages. Fig. 6A In the embodiment, the internal passage is in fluid communication with reactant valves 214a, 214b, which regulate the flow of the first reactant and the second reactant into the reaction chamber. Figure 6B In the embodiment, the internal passage is also in fluid communication with reactant valves 134a, 134b, which regulate the flow of the first reactant and the second reactant. Figure 6B Inactive gas valves 132a, 132b and first and second valves 136a, 136b as described above are shown. Advantageously, the inactive gas from the inactive gas valves 132a, 132b can flow through the entire channel, which allows the reactants in the entire channel to be purged and creates reduced dead volume.

[0072] Fig. 7A and 7B are perspective views of the inner bore and supply channels for two different arrangements of first and second supply lines to the bores. Figure 7B yes Figure 4B The offset design shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the cover surface 128 is disposed above the aperture 126 and directs the steam downwardly through the outlet 130 of the aperture 126 . Fig. 7A A similar design is also shown, where the cover surface 506 directs the steam below the hole 502 through the outlet 508. Figure 7B In, with Figure 4B Similarly, supply channels 124a, 124b merge with hole 126 at a position offset relative to the longitudinal axis L. In contrast, in FIG. 7A , supply channels 504a, 504b meet at the same position along the longitudinal axis L as hole 126. As explained above, Figure 7B The arrangement can advantageously reduce cross contamination of reactants in supply channels 124a, 124b.

[0073] Fig. 8A and 8B Shows Fig. 7A and 7B Velocity diagrams of the respective holes for two different supply channel designs. Figure 8B In the experiment, little or no "throw" was observed, which means that the inhomogeneities due to the angular momentum of the vapor were reduced. Fig.9A and 9B They are shown respectively Fig. 7Aand 7B NH3 reactant mole fraction plots for the respective pores of the two different supply channel designs. Fig.9A The non-uniformity shown in Fig. 9B In addition, note that Figure 2 The pore heterogeneity of designs 4A, 5A, and 6A is significantly lower than that of designs Fig.9A and 9B The non-uniformity shown in Fig. 7A and 7B (and 4B) design, with Figure 4A Compared to designs with , the non-uniformity during the deposition of two reactants mixed may be higher, but in some embodiments, providing high flow rates or conductivity pulses may be more important, for example, to achieve high aspect ratio structures. In such processes, mixing non-uniformity may not be as important as high conductivity. Figure 4B A design may be preferred.

[0074] Fig. 10A and 10B They are shown for Fig. 7A and 7B Figure 10A shows the mole fraction of NH3 reactant at locations within the supply channel and the pore for two different supply channel designs. Region C to the left of the vertically extending yellow highlighted region depicts the location of the input NH3 reactant within the first supply channel. NH3 levels are high in both supply channel designs within region C. Region A within the vertically extending yellow highlighted region depicts the pore region. Compare Figure 10A and Fig. 10B The right edge of area A, Figure 7B In the offset design depicted in Figure 2, the NH3 level is Fig. 7A The straight T design tapers off faster. The area B to the right of the vertically extending yellow highlighted area depicts the area within the second supply line. The left edge of area B where the hole meets the second supply line is shown at Fig. 10A shows a high concentration of NH3, while Fig. 10B The concentration of NH3 in the same area is relatively low, which shows the Figure 7B With the offset design, the penetration of NH3 into the second supply line is significantly less. Figure 7B In the offset design, there is less unwanted penetration of NH 3 into the second supply line.

[0075] Although the foregoing has been described in detail with the aid of illustrations and examples for the sake of clarity and understanding, it is clear to those skilled in the art that certain variations and modifications may be practiced. Therefore, the description and examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention to the specific embodiments and examples described herein, but rather, all modifications and alternatives that are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention are also encompassed. In addition, all of the above features, aspects and advantages may not necessarily be required to practice the present invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing device, comprising: A manifold, the manifold comprising: an aperture configured to deliver vaporized reactants to the reaction chamber, the aperture comprising straight walls parallel to the longitudinal axis; an upper wall disposed at an upper portion of the manifold, the upper wall defining a capping surface along the longitudinal axis at a first end of the hole; an outlet at a lower portion of the manifold along the longitudinal axis, the outlet configured to deliver gas to a reactor; a first supply channel configured to supply gas to the hole; as well as a second supply channel configured to supply gas to the hole, wherein the first supply channel merges with the hole at an angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the length of the hole above the first supply channel, and the second supply channel merges with the hole at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the length of the hole above the second supply channel, wherein the inlet of the first supply channel merges with the hole at a first position along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the inlet of the second supply channel merges with the hole at a second position along the longitudinal axis, the first position being different from the second position.

2. The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover surface is shaped to redirect upwardly directed gas downwardly through the aperture back to the outlet.

3. The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first block mounted to the manifold, the first block and the manifold cooperating to at least partially define the first supply channel. 4 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a second block mounted to the manifold, the second block and the manifold cooperating to at least partially define the second supply channel.

5. The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first supply channel is in fluid communication with a first reactant source and is configured to deliver a first vaporized reactant to the aperture, and wherein the second supply channel is in fluid communication with a second reactant source and is configured to deliver a second vaporized reactant to the aperture. 6 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first supply channel is in fluid communication with an inactive gas to purge the hole. 7 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a showerhead apparatus below the outlet, the showerhead apparatus being configured to disperse a gas flow from the outlet. 8 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a reaction chamber below the showerhead apparatus and a substrate support configured to support a substrate in the reaction chamber. 9 . The semiconductor processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first block comprises a first gas-phase inlet configured to input a first reactant into the first supply channel. 10 . The semiconductor processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first block further comprises a second gas-phase inlet and a third gas-phase inlet. 11 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first block further comprises a fourth gas-phase inlet, wherein the fourth gas-phase inlet is located at a side of the first block opposite to the manifold. 12 . The semiconductor processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the fourth gas phase inlet is configured to input a purge gas into the manifold. 13 . The semiconductor processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first supply channel is inclined toward the cover surface, the second supply channel is inclined toward the outlet, and the second supply channel is located downstream of the first supply channel.

14. The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manifold comprises a single unitary block.

15. The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hole extends continuously along the longitudinal axis.

16. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising: a manifold comprising an aperture configured to deliver gas to the reaction chamber, the aperture comprising a straight wall parallel to the longitudinal axis; an upper wall disposed at an upper portion of the manifold, the upper wall defining a capping surface along the longitudinal axis at a first end of the hole; a first supply line configured to supply a non-reactive purge gas to the aperture at a first location along the longitudinal axis downstream of the cover surface, wherein the first supply line is connected to the aperture at an obtuse angle relative to an upper length of the aperture to direct the non-reactive purge gas toward the cover surface; a second supply line configured to supply gas to the aperture at a second location along the longitudinal axis, the second location being different from the first location, wherein the second supply line is connected to the aperture at an acute angle relative to an upper length of the aperture to direct gas toward an outlet at a lower portion of the manifold along the longitudinal axis; and wherein an inlet of each of said first and second supply lines merges with said aperture. 17 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first supply line is connected to a non-reactive purge gas source to purge the hole.

18. The semiconductor processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the inactive purge gas comprises at least one of argon gas and nitrogen gas.

19. A deposition method in a semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 16, the method comprising: A first gas is supplied to a bore of the manifold through a first supply passage at a first position along a longitudinal axis of the bore, the bore comprising a straight wall parallel to the longitudinal axis, a capping surface being disposed at an upper end of the bore, wherein the first supply channel being connected to the bore at an obtuse angle relative to an upper length of the bore; supplying a second gas into the bore of the manifold through a second supply passage at a second location along the longitudinal axis of the bore, the second location being longitudinally offset from the first supply passage, wherein the second supply passage connects to the bore at an acute angle relative to an upper length of the bore to direct the gas toward an outlet at a lower portion of the manifold along the longitudinal axis; At least one of the first gas and the second gas is directed along the longitudinal axis downstream of an outlet of the bore.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein supplying the first gas and the second gas comprises supplying a first vaporized reactant and supplying a second vaporized reactant.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising purging the reaction chamber with a non-reactive purge gas after supplying the first vaporized reactant and before supplying the second vaporized reactant.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the non-reactive purge gas comprises at least one of nitrogen and argon.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first vaporized reactant comprises at least one of H2, NH3, N2, or O2.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second vaporized reactant comprises at least one of dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TCS), trisilane, organosilane, titanium chloride (TiCl4), ZrCl4, and HfCl4.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first vaporized reactant comprises NH3 and the second vaporized reactant comprises titanium chloride (TiCl4).

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising vaporizing liquid titanium chloride (TiCl4) to produce the second vaporized reactant.

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