Substrate assembly for a plasma apparatus

Abstract

A pedestal assembly for a reactor system can provide various plasma control benefits. According to various embodiments, the pedestal assembly includes a body, a heater element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The body can have a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface, where the top surface is a substrate support surface. The heater element can be embedded within the body. The first and second electrodes can also be embedded within the body of the pedestal assembly, with the first electrode disposed between the heater element and the top surface of the body. The second electrode can generally be disposed proximate to at least one of the side surface and the bottom surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to semiconductor processing or reactor systems having a base assembly, and more particularly to capacitively coupled reactor systems having a base assembly that facilitates plasma control. Background Technology

[0002] The reaction chamber can be used to process a substrate (e.g., to deposit various material layers on a semiconductor substrate). For example, the substrate can be placed on a pedestal within the reaction chamber, and one or both of the substrate and the pedestal can be heated to a desired temperature setpoint. In an example substrate processing procedure, one or more reactant gases can pass through the heated substrate, resulting in the deposition of a thin film of material on the substrate surface. These layers can be fabricated into integrated circuits in subsequent deposition, doping, photolithography, etching, and other processes.

[0003] Semiconductor processing typically includes plasma processing (e.g., plasma cleaning, plasma etching, or plasma-enhanced deposition). Plasma processing generally involves generating plasmas that produce one or more reactant gases, which facilitate cleaning, film deposition, and / or etching. However, conventional plasma equipment often results in the unintentional generation of parasitic plasmas in unwanted locations within the reaction chamber. Such parasitic plasmas can have various adverse effects, such as reduced uniformity of deposited film thickness and / or film residue deposition on reactor surfaces / walls. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments disclosed. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] According to various embodiments, a base assembly for a reactor system is disclosed herein. According to various embodiments, the base assembly includes a body, a heater element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The body may have a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is a substrate support surface. The heater element may be embedded within the body. The first and second electrodes may also be embedded within the body of the base assembly, with the first electrode disposed between the heater element and the top surface of the body. The second electrode may typically be disposed close to at least one of the side and bottom surfaces.

[0006] In various embodiments, the second electrode comprises a mesh material. The bulk material of the base assembly body may be a ceramic material. According to various embodiments, the second electrode is configured to be electrically grounded to suppress parasitic plasma around at least one of the side and bottom surfaces, while the first electrode is configured to operably generate process plasma above the top surface. The second electrode may extend close to the bottom surface such that a heater element is disposed between the first and second electrodes.

[0007] According to various embodiments, a reactor system including a capacitively coupled plasma configuration is also disclosed herein. The reactor system may include a base assembly and a housing. The base assembly may include the features described above, and the housing may include an upper portion and a lower portion. The housing may also define a chamber in which the base assembly is disposed. The body of the base assembly typically divides the chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the upper chamber being defined between the upper portion of the housing and the top surface of the base assembly body, and the lower chamber being defined between the bottom surface of the base assembly body and the lower portion of the housing. The reactor system may also include a third electrode disposed above the top surface of the base assembly body.

[0008] The reactor system may also include an RF generator electrically coupled with RF power, which provides communication to one of the first and third electrodes, while the other of the first and third electrodes is electrically grounded, thereby operatively generating an electric field between the first and third electrodes to generate processed plasma above the top surface of the base assembly body. According to various embodiments, a second electrode is electrically grounded to operatively suppress parasitic plasma around at least one of the side and bottom surfaces. The third electrode may be electrically insulated from the lower part of the housing. In various embodiments, the RF generator is a first RF generator, and the reactor system also includes a second RF generator. The first electrode may include a first region and a second region, and the first RF generator may be electrically coupled with RF power to provide communication with the first region, while the second RF generator may be electrically coupled with RF power independently to provide communication with the second region.

[0009] In various embodiments, the second electrode extends close to the bottom surface, such that a heater element is disposed between the first and second electrodes. In such a configuration, the reactor system also includes an RF generator electrically coupled to RF power, providing communication to the second electrode, and the lower portion of the housing is electrically grounded, thereby operably generating an electric field between the second electrode and the lower portion of the housing to generate clean plasma below the bottom surface of the body of the base assembly. In various embodiments, the RF generator is a first RF generator, and the reactor system also includes a second RF generator. According to various embodiments, the second electrode includes a first region and a second region. According to various embodiments, the first RF generator is electrically coupled to RF power, providing communication with the first region, and the second RF generator is separately electrically coupled to RF power, providing communication with the second region.

[0010] In various embodiments, the reactor system includes a metal plate disposed in a lower chamber below the bottom surface of the base assembly body, wherein the metal plate includes a fourth electrode electrically insulated from the lower portion of the housing. A ceramic insulator may be disposed between the metal plate and the lower portion of the housing. The reactor system may include an RF generator electrically coupled to RF power, providing communication to one of the second and fourth electrodes, the other of which is electrically grounded, thereby operably generating an electric field between the second and fourth electrodes to generate clean plasma below the bottom surface of the base assembly body. The metal plate may include at least one of a protruding surface, an extruded surface, and a tapered extruded surface. In various embodiments, the bulk material of the base assembly is a metal (e.g., a metallic material).

[0011] According to various embodiments, a capacitively coupled plasma device is also disclosed herein. As described above, the capacitively coupled plasma device may include a base assembly, a housing, and a third electrode. The capacitively coupled plasma device may also include an RF generator electrically coupled with RF power to provide communication to a second electrode, and a lower portion of the housing electrically grounded, thereby operatively generating an electric field between the second electrode and the lower portion of the housing to generate clean plasma below the bottom surface of the base assembly body.

[0012] In order to summarize the advantages of this disclosure and its implementation relative to prior art, certain objects and advantages of this disclosure have been described above. It should be understood, of course, that not all of these objects or advantages may be achieved according to any particular embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented in a way that achieves or optimizes one or more advantages of the teachings or recommendations herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages of the teachings or recommendations herein.

[0013] All of these embodiments are within the scope of this disclosure. These and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. This disclosure is not limited to any particular embodiment discussed. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Although the specification concludes with claims, which specifically point out and clearly claim protection for what are considered embodiments of this disclosure, the advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure can be more readily determined from the description of certain examples of the embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Elements with the same element numbers in all the drawings are identical.

[0015] Figure 1 These are schematic diagrams of exemplary reactor systems according to various embodiments;

[0016] Figure 2AThis is a schematic diagram of an exemplary reaction chamber having a base disposed at a lower position, according to various embodiments;

[0017] Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary reaction chamber having a base disposed in an elevated position according to various embodiments;

[0018] Figure 3A This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a base assembly having a heater element and electrodes according to various embodiments;

[0019] Figure 3B This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reactor system with a base assembly and a capacitively coupled plasma configuration according to various embodiments;

[0020] Figure 4A This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a base assembly having a heater element, a first electrode, and a second electrode according to various embodiments;

[0021] Figure 4B This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a base assembly having a heater element, a first electrode, and a second electrode according to various embodiments;

[0022] Figure 5A This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reactor system with a base assembly according to various embodiments, the base assembly having a second electrode configured to operatively suppress parasitic plasma;

[0023] Figure 5B This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reactor system according to various embodiments, having a base assembly and a capacitively coupled plasma configuration for generating plasma below the base assembly.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reactor system according to various embodiments, having a base assembly, a metal plate, and a capacitively coupled plasma configuration for generating plasma below the base assembly.

[0025] Figure 7A , 7B 7C are schematic cross-sectional views of various surface features of metal plates of reactor systems according to various embodiments;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reactor system according to various embodiments, having a base assembly and a multi-region capacitively coupled plasma configuration for generating multiple plasma regions below the base assembly; and

[0027] Figure 9This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reactor system according to various embodiments, having a base assembly and a multi-region capacitively coupled plasma configuration for generating multiple plasma regions above the base assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure extends beyond the specific disclosed embodiments and / or the uses of this disclosure and its obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the specific embodiments described herein.

[0029] The illustrations presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular material, device, structure, or apparatus, but are merely representations for illustrating embodiments of this disclosure.

[0030] As used herein, the term “substrate” can refer to any underlying material that can be used, or a material on which devices, circuits or thin films can be formed.

[0031] As used herein, the term "atomic layer deposition" (ALD) can refer to a vapor-phase deposition process in which deposition cycles, preferably multiple consecutive cycles, are performed in a processing chamber. Typically, during each cycle, a precursor is chemisorbed onto the deposition surface (e.g., a substrate surface or a previously deposited underlayer surface, such as material from a previous ALD cycle), forming a monolayer or sub-monolayer that is not readily reactive with further precursors (i.e., a self-limiting reaction). Subsequently, if desired, a reactant (e.g., another precursor or reactant gas) can be introduced into the processing chamber to convert the chemisorbed precursor into the desired material on the deposition surface. Typically, this reactant is capable of further reacting with the precursor. Furthermore, a purging step can be used during each cycle to remove excess precursor from the processing chamber and / or excess reactant and / or reaction byproducts from the processing chamber after the conversion of the chemisorbed precursor. Furthermore, the term “atomic layer deposition” as used herein also means processes specified by related terms such as “chemical vapor deposition,” “atomic layer epitaxy” (ALE), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), gas-source MBE or organometallic MBE, and chemical beam epitaxy when performed with alternating pulses of precursor components, reactant gases, and purging (e.g., inert support) gases.

[0032] As used herein, the term “chemical vapor deposition” can refer to any process in which a substrate is exposed to one or more volatile precursors that react and / or decompose on the substrate surface to produce the desired deposition.

[0033] As used herein, the terms “membrane” and “thin film” can refer to any continuous or discontinuous structure and material deposited by the methods disclosed herein. For example, “membrane” and “thin film” can include 2D materials, nanorods, nanotubes, or nanoparticles, or even partial or complete molecular layers or partial or complete atomic layers or atomic and / or molecular clusters. “Membrane” and “thin film” can include materials or layers with pinholes, but still at least partially continuous.

[0034] As used herein, the term "contaminant" can refer to any unwanted material disposed within the reaction chamber that can affect the purity of the substrate disposed within the reaction chamber. The term "contaminant" can refer to, but is not limited to, unwanted deposits, metallic and non-metallic particles, impurities, parasitic plasma, and waste disposed within the reaction chamber.

[0035] According to various embodiments, a base assembly for a reactor system, typically configured to facilitate plasma control, is disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the reactor system is a plasma device, and the base assembly includes one or more electrodes that influence plasma generation to suppress parasitic plasma within the reaction chamber. As described in more detail below, the term "parasitic plasma" refers to plasma that adversely affects substrate processing. For example, "parasitic plasma" can refer to plasma generated at an undesirable location or region within the reaction chamber, such as below or to the side of the base. In various embodiments, the base assembly and associated reactor system disclosed herein are typically configured to facilitate the control of capacitively coupled plasma, as described in more detail below.

[0036] Reactor systems for ALD, CVD, etc., can be used in a variety of applications, including depositing and etching materials on substrate surfaces. In various embodiments, references are made to... Figure 1 The reactor system 50 may include a reaction chamber 4, a base 6 for holding the substrate 30 during processing, a fluid distribution system 8 (e.g., a nozzle) for dispensing one or more reactants onto the surface of the substrate 30, and one or more reactant sources 10, 12 and / or carriers and / or purge gas sources 14, which are fluidly connected to the reaction chamber 4 via lines 16-20 and valves or controllers 22-26. The system 50 may also include a vacuum source 28 fluidly connected to the reaction chamber 4.

[0037] As described in more detail below, various details and embodiments of this disclosure can be used in reaction chambers configured for a variety of deposition processes, including but not limited to ALD, CVD, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), physical vapor deposition (PVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and plasma etching. Embodiments of this disclosure can also be used in reaction chambers configured for treating substrates with reactive precursors, which may also include etching processes such as reactive ion etching (RIE), capacitively coupled plasma etching (CCP), and electron cyclotron resonance etching (ECR). In various embodiments, the reactor system has a plasma configuration, such as a capacitively coupled plasma configuration, which utilizes the application of radio frequency (RF) power to the atmosphere within the reaction chamber to generate plasma. Thus, the reactor system can be a capacitively coupled plasma reactor (also referred to herein as a capacitively coupled plasma device), as referenced below. Figure 3B Let's begin with a more detailed description.

[0038] Turning Figure 2A and 2B Embodiments of this disclosure may include reactor systems and methods for processing substrates within reactor system 100. In various embodiments, reactor system 100 may include a reaction chamber 110 for processing substrates. In various embodiments, reaction chamber 110 may include a reaction space 112 (i.e., an upper chamber) configured to process one or more substrates, and / or a lower chamber space 114 (i.e., a lower chamber). Lower chamber space 114 may be configured to load and unload substrates from and / or to provide a pressure differential between lower chamber space 114 and reaction space 112.

[0039] In various embodiments, the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114 can be separated by a base 130 disposed within the reaction chamber 110. In various embodiments, the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114 can be substantially fluidly separated or isolated from each other. For example, the base 130 can fluidly separate the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114 by forming at least a partial seal (i.e., at least restricting fluid flow) between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111 of the reaction chamber 110 disposed near the outer edge 132 of the base 130. That is, the space 108 between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111 can be minimized or eliminated, such that there is little or no fluid movement between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111.

[0040] In various embodiments, to prevent or reduce fluid flow between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111, one or more sealing members (e.g., sealing member 129) may extend from the base 130 (e.g., from the outer edge 132 of the base) and / or from the chamber sidewall 111 of the reaction chamber 110 to another, thereby creating at least a partial seal (i.e., restricting or preventing fluid flow) between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111. At least a partial seal between the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114 may be desirable to prevent or reduce the entry and / or contact of precursor gases and / or other fluids used in the processing of the substrate 150 into and / or with the lower chamber space 114 of the reaction chamber 110. For example, precursor gases used to process the substrate in the reaction space may include corrosive deposition precursors that can contact the lower chamber space 114, generating unwanted deposits / contaminants / particles that can be reintroduced into the reaction space 112, thereby providing a source of contamination for the substrate disposed in the reaction space.

[0041] In various embodiments, although the sealing member 129 extending between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111 of the reaction chamber 110, and / or the at least partial seal formed by the direct contact between the base 130 and the chamber sidewall 111 of the reaction chamber 110, can limit or substantially prevent fluid communication between the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114 through the space 108, a small amount of precursor gas may still diffuse into the lower chamber space 114, which may result in possible corrosion, unwanted deposits, and contaminants in the lower chamber of the reactor system's reaction chamber.

[0042] In various embodiments, the base 130 may include one or more pin holes 137. Each pin hole 137 extends from the top surface of the base 130 (e.g., a substrate support surface 135 on which the substrate 150 may be disposed for processing) across the base 130 to the bottom surface 136 of the base 130. The top surface of the base (e.g., the substrate support surface 135) may be the surface of the base 130 adjacent to the reaction space 112 of the reaction chamber 110. The bottom surface 136 of the base may be the surface of the base 130 adjacent to the lower chamber space 114 of the reaction chamber 110. Without a lifting pin in the pin hole 137, the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114 may be in fluid communication with each other through the pin hole 137. That is, the pin hole 137 may be in fluid communication with both the reaction space 112 and the lower chamber space 114.

[0043] A lift pin 140 (or other similar object) may be disposed in each pin hole 137. Each lift pin may include a lift pin body configured to span at least a portion of the pin hole 137 when disposed in the pin hole 137. The lift pin body may include a cross-sectional shape complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the pin hole 137. In various embodiments, the top surface of each lift pin may be configured to contact the substrate 150 to move the substrate 150 relative to the base 130. For example, the lift pin 140 may cause the substrate 150 to move up or down relative to the base 130 (i.e., increase or decrease the space between the substrate 150 and the base 130). Disposing the substrate on the lift pin may facilitate loading or unloading the substrate from the reaction chamber, for example, through an opening (e.g., opening 98) in the chamber sidewall.

[0044] As discussed, substrate 150 and base 130 can move relative to each other. For example, in various embodiments, one or more lift pins 140 can be configured to allow substrate 150 to separate from base 130 and to allow substrate 150 to be positioned in contact with (i.e., supported by) base 130. In various embodiments, base 130 can move up or down, for example via base lift 104, such that base 130 moves relative to substrate 150. In various embodiments, lift pin 140 can move up or down, for example via lift pin lift / platform 142, such that substrate 150 moves relative to base 130. In various embodiments, base 130 and / or lift pin 140 can be stationary while the other is moving. In various embodiments, base 130 and / or lift pin 140 can be configured to move relative to the other.

[0045] In various embodiments, the reactor system may include a base (e.g., base 130). A substrate (e.g., substrate 150) may be disposed directly on top of the base (e.g., on a substrate support surface 135 of base 130) for processing. In various embodiments, the top surface of the base may be disposed in the same plane as the substrate support surface 135. In various embodiments, the substrate support surface may be recessed into the base, such that there is a recess in the top surface of the base. The recess including the substrate support surface 135 may include a height such that at least a portion of the height of the substrate 150 is disposed within the recess. The recess may include a height such that when the substrate is disposed on the substrate support surface and within the recess, the top surface of the substrate is flush with the top surface of the base.

[0046] In various embodiments, once the substrate 150 is positioned on the lifting pin 140, the base 130 can move from the loading position 103 to the processing position 106, receiving the substrate 150 during this movement. In such embodiments, the pin tip and / or pin head or top surface of the lifting pin 140 can be received by the pin hole 137, thus allowing the substrate 150 to directly contact the base 130. In various embodiments, once the substrate 150 is positioned on the lifting pin 140, the lifting pin 140 can move downward into the base 130 such that the substrate 150 is received by the base 130 (i.e., the substrate 150 rests on the substrate support surface 135). In response, the pin tip can be flush with and / or below the substrate support surface 135. The substrate 150 can then be processed in the reaction chamber.

[0047] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 3A The base assembly 330 is provided with a heater element 339 and a first electrode 331 embedded within the body 335 of the base assembly 330. The base assembly 330 can be compared with the above-mentioned... Figure 1 , 2A The base assembly 330 may be identical or similar to the bases 6 and 130 described in 2B, or may include at least some or all of the features of the aforementioned bases 6 and 130. Typically, according to various embodiments, the body 335 of the base assembly 330 includes a top surface 336 (also referred to herein as a substrate support surface), a side surface 337, and a bottom surface 338 for supporting a substrate. A first electrode 331 may typically be disposed within the body 335 between the heater element 339 and the top surface 336. As described in more detail below, the first electrode 331 may typically be configured to operate as an electrode in a capacitively coupled circuit.

[0048] As used herein, when an electrode is referred to as being coupled to or embedded within a component, the electrode may occupy, span, or generally be disposed near at least some portion of said component. Thus, a reactor system including one or more electrodes may include multiple electrodes coupled to or contained within segments, sections, or portions of the reactor system. In various embodiments, the electrodes may span different portions of the base and / or different portions of the substrate support surface of the base, or be disposed at or near these different portions. The electrodes may span along the same plane (e.g., a plane approaching, adjacent to, parallel to, and / or adjacent to the substrate support surface of the substrate). The electrodes may be disposed within the base such that the electrodes are approximately 0.1 cm (in this document, "approximately") from the substrate support surface of the base within the base body along the plane they span.

[0049] In various embodiments, and with reference to Figure 3B The reactor system 300 is equipped with a source from Figure 3AThe base assembly 330 and the shell 310 that typically defines the reaction space or chamber disposed therein. The reactor system 300 can be compared with the above-mentioned reference. Figure 1 , 2A The reactor system 300 may be identical or similar to the reactor systems 50 and 100 described in 2B, or may include at least some or all of the features of the aforementioned reactor systems 50 and 100. For example, although the substrate is not shown in the remaining figures to avoid obscuring the various aspects depicted, it will be supported by the base assembly in operation. According to various embodiments, the body 335 of the base assembly 330 generally divides the chamber into an upper chamber 312 and a lower chamber 314, with the upper chamber 312 defined between the upper portion 316 of the housing 310 and the top surface 336 of the body 335 of the base assembly 330, and the lower chamber 314 defined between the bottom surface 338 of the body 335 of the base assembly 330 and the lower portion 318 of the housing 310.

[0050] In various embodiments, the body 335 of the base assembly 330 comprises a ceramic material. In other words, the bulk material of the body 335 of the base assembly 330 can be a ceramic material. For example, the material of the body 335 of the base assembly 330 can be selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride (AlN), alumina (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC), yttrium oxide (Y2O3), and boron nitride (BN). In various embodiments, the material of the body of the base assembly of this disclosure is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride (AlN), alumina (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC), yttrium oxide (Y2O3), and boron nitride (BN). The electrodes disclosed herein can be made of metallic materials. For example, the electrode material can be selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), and silicon (Si). In various embodiments, the electrode material of this disclosure is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), and silicon (Si).

[0051] The reactor system 300 may include two circuit elements 342 and 344, which are respectively coupled to two components of the reactor system 300 to operatively generate plasma in an atmosphere between the two components. Figure 3BThe overall description depicts the generation of processing plasma 322 above the top surface 336 of the base assembly 330 (e.g., within the upper chamber 312). As described above, parasitic plasma 325 may be undesirably generated at different locations within the housing 310, and this parasitic plasma 325 may have different negative impacts on substrate processing. For example, parasitic plasma 325 may be generated on the sides and / or below the body 335 of the base assembly. For example, parasitic plasma 325 may be unintentionally generated in response to wired power transfer to / from the heater element and / or the first electrode. That is, wires extending through the base assembly 330 to and from the first electrode 331 and / or the heater element 339 can generate an electric field that promotes the generation of parasitic plasma 325. Therefore, Figure 3B The processing conditions that this disclosure aims to mitigate can be described.

[0052] As described in more detail below, and for reference only. Figure 4A , 4B 5A and 5B, base assemblies 430A and 430B may include a second electrode 432 embedded within the body 335 near at least one of the side surface 337 and bottom surface 338, and the second electrode 432 may be configured to provide various plasma control benefits. For example, the second electrode 432 embedded within the base assembly body may be electrically grounded and therefore may be configured to operatively suppress parasitic plasma 325. Figure 3B ) and / or 2) the second electrode 432 can be used to generate clean plasma 324 below or to the side of the base assembly body (e.g., within the lower chamber 314). This configuration of two electrodes in the base assembly and its various benefits will be referenced below. Figure 4A Let's begin a more detailed description.

[0053] Return to reference Figure 3B This provides further details regarding the processing of plasma 322. As described above, the first electrode 331 may be disposed near the top surface 336 of the body 335 of the base assembly 330, and another electrode (referred to herein as the third electrode) may be disposed above the top surface 336 of the body 335 of the base assembly. For example, the third electrode may be coupled to or embedded within the upper portion 316 of the housing 310. For simplicity... Figure 3BThe schematic diagram shows the upper portion 316 typically electrically connected to circuit element 344, but in practice, the circuit element 344 may be coupled to an electrode embedded within the upper portion 316 or to the upper portion 316 within the upper chamber 312. In various embodiments, the upper portion 316 is a third electrode, and an electrical insulator 317 may be disposed between the upper portion 316 and the remaining section / part of the housing 310, thereby enabling the third electrode to be electrically insulated from the remaining portion of the housing 310. As used herein, the material of the electrically insulating portion disclosed herein may be selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and silicon carbide (SiC). In various embodiments, the material of the electrically insulating portion of this disclosure is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and silicon carbide (SiC).

[0054] In various embodiments, the terms "circuit element" 342, 344 generally refer to wires and other circuitry electrically connected to opposing electrodes and configured to generate capacitively coupled plasma. In other words, a circuit element may include means for current to flow to / from the electrodes. One or both of the circuit elements of a pair of electrodes may be electrically grounded. In various embodiments, one of the circuit elements (e.g., circuit element 342) includes a radio frequency (RF) generator 345, and the other circuit element (e.g., circuit element 344) is electrically grounded, thus operable to enable the generation of an electric field between the electrodes, thereby generating plasma. Thus, reactor system 300 may include an RF generator electrically coupled to RF power, providing communication to one of the first electrode 331 and the third electrode (e.g., upper portion 316), the other of which is electrically grounded, thereby enabling the generation of processed plasma 322 within upper chamber 312.

[0055] In various embodiments, the circuit elements may include tunable circuitry configured to provide an adjustable current, thereby enabling tuning of the resulting capacitively coupled plasma. For example, during substrate processing (e.g., during atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etc.), an electric field can be formed between the electrodes as electrons travel between them, and these electric fields can be controlled and tuned to provide the desired plasma generation parameters.

[0056] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4A The base assembly 430A includes a second electrode 432 embedded within the body 335 of the base assembly 430A. The second electrode 432 may be a solid plate / panel, or it may comprise a mesh material or have a mesh configuration. In other words, the second electrode 432 may have a mesh structure disposed near the bottom surface and / or side surface of the base assembly body. Figure 4AAs shown, the second electrode 432 can extend along the bottom surface 338 of the body 335 of the base assembly 430A. Therefore, the heater element 339 can be disposed between the first electrode 331 and the second electrode 432. Figure 4B As shown, the base assembly 430B may have a second electrode 432 disposed along the side surface 337 of the body 335. In various embodiments, the second electrode 432 is embedded within the body 335 so as to extend along and close to the bottom surface 338 and the side surface 337.

[0057] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5A and 5B This provides various benefits for integrating the second electrode 432 into the base assembly. Although in Figure 5A and 5B The reactor systems 500A and 500B show a second electrode with a location near the bottom surface 338. Figure 4A The base assembly 430A, but with a second electrode disposed near the side surface 337. Figure 4B The base assembly 430B can also be implemented in reactor systems 500A and 500B. As described above, the second electrode 432 can provide various benefits, including mitigating parasitic plasma and promoting the generation of clean plasma. Figure 5A A reactor system 500A with a second electrode 432 configured to provide the benefits of mitigating parasitic plasma is shown according to various embodiments, while Figure 5B A reactor system 500B with a second electrode configured to provide the benefits of clean plasma is shown according to various embodiments. These configurations are not mutually exclusive, so reactor systems 500A, 500B can be configured to operate according to multiple modes, such as parasitic plasma suppression mode and clean plasma mode.

[0058] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5A The second electrode 432 is configured to be electrically grounded via circuit element 544. Therefore, the second electrode 432 can be electrically grounded to suppress parasitic plasma around at least one of the bottom and side surfaces of the body of the base assembly. In various embodiments, this electrical grounding of the second electrode 432 can help isolate plasma generation to the upper chamber 312 (i.e., Figure 3B(for processing plasma 322). For example, the second electrode 432 can be configured to reduce the surface potential of the base assembly 430A, particularly the heater element 339, to suppress parasitic plasma. Therefore, the surface potential of the base assembly 430A is reduced, which is typically generated as a byproduct of RF power, heater power, or other electrical communications to / from the base assembly 430A. That is, with the second electrode 432 electrically grounded, the heater power and ESC voltage from the heater element 539 are cut off, and the potential of the heater element is reduced (e.g., becomes zero). When the surface potential of the ceramic heater is reduced, parasitic plasma is mitigated.

[0059] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 5B The reactor system 500B includes circuit elements 542, 544, one of which includes an RF generator 545. In various embodiments, the reactor system 500B includes another electrode (referred to herein as a fourth electrode) disposed below the bottom surface 338 of the body 335 of the base assembly 430A. For example, the fourth electrode may be coupled to, embedded in, or typically disposed near the lower surface of the lower portion 318 of the housing 310. For simplicity, the lower portion 318 of the housing 310 is typically shown as electrically connected to the circuit element 544, but in practice, the circuit element 544 may be coupled to an electrode embedded within the lower portion 318 or coupled to the lower portion 318 within the lower chamber 314 (see, for example, the lower portion 318 of the lower chamber 314). Figure 6 In various embodiments, when the lower portion 318 of the housing 310 is the fourth electrode, an electrically insulating material may be disposed between the lower portion 318 and the remaining section / part of the housing 310, thereby enabling the fourth electrode to be electrically insulated from the remaining portion of the housing 310.

[0060] An RF generator 545, one of the circuit elements 542, can be coupled to one of the second and fourth electrodes, while the other of the second and fourth electrodes is electrically grounded. This configuration enables the generation of a cleaning plasma 324 in the lower chamber 314. According to various benefits, the cleaning plasma 324 can be configured to rapidly clean / etch the lower chamber 314, thereby allowing the reactor system 500B to rapidly remove membrane residues or other contaminants from this region of the reactor, thus increasing the yield of conventional reactors (where cleaning this region of the reactor may take longer). Therefore, a method for cleaning a reactor is disclosed herein, comprising activating the generation of a cleaning plasma in the lower chamber using opposing electrodes, one electrode disposed in the lower region of the base and the other electrode disposed near the lower portion of the housing defining the lower chamber. For example, the RF generator 545 of the first circuit element 542 provides communication to the second electrode 432 via RF power electrical coupling, and the lower portion 318 of the housing 310 is electrically grounded, thereby operably generating an electric field between the second electrode 432 and the lower portion 318 of the housing 310 to generate a clean plasma 324 below the bottom surface 338 of the body 335 of the base assembly 430A.

[0061] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 6 The fourth electrode of the reactor system 600 can be a metal plate 650, which is disposed in the lower chamber 314 adjacent to the lower part 318 of the housing 310. That is, the metal plate 650 can be disposed below the bottom surface 338 of the base assembly 430A, such that a gap is defined between the metal plate 650 and the bottom surface 338 of the base assembly 430A, through which clean plasma 324 can be generated. The material of the metal plate 650 can be selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), stainless steel, titanium (Ti), and silicon (Si). In various embodiments, the material of the metal plate 650 can be selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), stainless steel, titanium (Ti), and silicon (Si).

[0062] In various embodiments, the RF generator 645 of the first circuit element 642 can be RF power electrically coupled to provide communication to one of the second electrode 432 and the fourth electrode (e.g., metal plate 650), the other of which is electrically grounded, thereby operatively generating an electric field between the second electrode 432 and the fourth electrode to generate clean plasma 324. In various embodiments, the reactor system 600 may include an electrically insulating layer 655 between the metal plate 650 and the lower portion 318 of the housing 310 to electrically insulate the metal plate 650 from the housing 310. This electrically insulating layer 655 may be a ceramic insulator.

[0063] When the fourth electrode is a metal plate 650, the body of the base assembly may include a metallic material (instead of a ceramic material). In other words, the bulk material of the base assembly body may be a metallic material. For example, the material of the base assembly body may be selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and titanium (Ti). In various embodiments, the material of the body of the base assembly of this disclosure is selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and titanium (Ti).

[0064] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 7A , 7B 7C provides various surface features for various embodiments of the metal plate 650. In various embodiments, the upper surface of the metal plate 650 has a series or pattern of protrusions ( Figure 7A This facilitates the generation of clean plasma 324. In other words, the metal plate 650 may have a protruding surface. In various embodiments, the upper surface of the metal plate 650 has a series or pattern of recesses ( Figure 7B and 7C The recess can be defined by cylindrical or straight sidewalls, giving it a flat bottom. Figure 7B Therefore, the metal plate 650 can have an extruded surface. In various embodiments, the recess can be conical, such that the sidewalls defining the recess are tapered / inclined, so the metal plate 650 can have a conical extruded surface.

[0065] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 8 The reactor system 800 includes a multi-region electrode configuration for generating clean plasmas 824A and 824B in multiple regions. The reactor system 800 may include two RF generators, such as a first RF generator 845A of a first circuit element 842A and a second RF generator 845B of a second circuit element 842B. The second electrode may include a first region 832A and a second region 832B. The first RF generator 845A can be RF power electrically coupled to provide communication with the first region 832A of the second electrode, and the second RF generator 845B can be RF power independently electrically coupled to provide communication with the second region 832B of the second electrode. Each RF power generator can be individually controlled to provide different electric fields, thereby tuning the clean plasma. Therefore, in this configuration, multiple clean plasma regions can be generated. For example, a first region 824A of clean plasma can be generated between a first region 832A of the second electrode and a fourth electrode (e.g., the lower part 318 of the housing 310, which can be electrically grounded via circuit element 844), while a second region 824B of clean plasma can be generated between a second region 832B of the second electrode and the fourth electrode.

[0066] In various embodiments, the first region 832A of the second electrode may be located at or near the outer (i.e., edge) portion of the lower region of the body of the base assembly, and the second region 832B of the second electrode may be located at or near the inner (i.e., central) portion of the base. As another example, the base may be divided into quadrants or portions, and the regions of the second electrode may be located at or near each quadrant or portion of the base, or may extend along it. Each electrode region may be individually coupled to its own circuit element (e.g., an RF generator).

[0067] In various embodiments, reference is made to Figure 9 The reactor system 900 includes a multi-region electrode configuration for generating multiple processed plasma regions 922A, 922B. The reactor system 900 may include two RF generators, such as a first RF generator 945A of a first circuit element 942A and a second RF generator 945B of a second circuit element 942B. The first electrode may include a first region 931A and a second region 931B. The first RF generator 945A can be RF power electrically coupled to provide communication with the first region 931A of the first electrode, and the second RF generator 945B can be RF power independently electrically coupled to provide communication with the second region 931B of the first electrode. Each RF power generator can be individually controlled to provide different electric fields, thereby tuning the processed plasma. Therefore, in this configuration, multiple processed plasma regions can be generated. For example, a first region 922A for processing plasma can be generated between a first region 921A of the first electrode and a third electrode (e.g., the upper part 316 of the housing 310, which can be electrically grounded via circuit element 944A), while a second region 922B for processing plasma can be generated between a second region 931B of the first electrode and the third electrode.

[0068] In various embodiments, a first region 931A of the first electrode may be located at or near the outer (i.e., edge) portion of the upper region of the body of the base assembly, and a second region 931B of the first electrode may be located at or near the inner (i.e., central) portion of the base. As another example, the base may be divided into quadrants or sections, and regions of the first electrode may be located at or near each quadrant or section of the base, or may extend along it. Each electrode region may be individually coupled to its own circuitry (e.g., an RF generator). In various embodiments, the reactor system 900 also includes another circuitry 944B configured to electrically ground the second electrode 932, thereby providing the aforementioned benefits of reducing parasitic plasma during the generation of the processed plasma region.

[0069] The benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with reference to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may lead to or make any benefit, advantage, or solution appear or become more significant should not be construed as key, essential, or necessary features or elements of this disclosure.

[0070] Throughout this specification, references to features, advantages, or similar language do not imply that all features and advantages achievable through this disclosure should be present in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language relating to features and advantages is to be understood as referring to a particular feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment that is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. Therefore, throughout this specification, discussions of features and advantages, and similar language, may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiments.

[0071] Furthermore, the features, advantages, and characteristics described in this disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the subject matter of this application may be practiced without one or more specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages that may not be present in all embodiments of this disclosure may be recognized in certain embodiments. Furthermore, in some instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the subject matter of this disclosure. No claim element is intended to invoke 35U.SC112(f) unless the element expressly states this using the phrase “means for…”.

[0072] Except as expressly stated herein, the scope of this disclosure is not limited in any way, and in the appended claims, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the singular form of an element does not mean “one and only one” but rather “one or more”. It should be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, “a,” “an,” and / or “the” can include one or more, and references to a singular item can also include plural items. Furthermore, the term “a plurality of” can be defined as “at least two.” As used herein, when used with a list of items, the phrase “at least one” means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and that only one item from the list may be required. An item can be a specific object, thing, or category. Furthermore, when phrases like “at least one of A, B, and C” are used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted as meaning that A may exist alone in one embodiment, B may exist alone in one embodiment, C may exist alone in one embodiment, or any combination of elements A, B, and C may exist in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B, and C. In some cases, "at least one of project A, project B and project C" can mean, for example, but not limited to, two projects A, one project B and ten projects C; four projects B and seven projects C; or some other suitable combination.

[0073] All scope and ratio limitations disclosed herein may be combined. Unless otherwise stated, the terms “first,” “second,” etc., are used herein only as labels and are not intended to impose any order, position, or ranking requirements on the items referred to by these terms. Furthermore, references to items such as “second” do not require or exclude the existence of items such as “first” or lower numbered items and / or items such as “third” or higher numbered items.

[0074] Any references to attachment, fixation, connection, etc., may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full, and / or any other possible attachment options. Furthermore, any mention of non-contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. Certain terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “upper part,” “lower part,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “left,” “right,” etc., may be used in the above description. Where applicable, these terms are used to provide a clear description when dealing with relative relationships. However, these terms do not imply absolute relationships, positions, and / or orientations. For example, a “upper” surface relative to an object can simply become a “lower” surface by flipping that object. Nevertheless, it remains the same object.

[0075] Furthermore, in this specification, the "coupling" of one element to another can include direct and indirect coupling. Direct coupling can be defined as one element coupling to another element and having some kind of contact with it. Indirect coupling can be defined as coupling between two elements that are not in direct contact with each other, but have one or more additional elements between the coupled elements. Additionally, as used herein, fixing one element to another can include direct fixing and indirect fixing. Furthermore, as used herein, "adjacent" does not necessarily mean contact. For example, one element can be adjacent to another element without contacting it.

[0076] While exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are set forth herein, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, although reactor systems are described in conjunction with various specific configurations, this disclosure is not necessarily limited to these examples. Various modifications, variations, and enhancements may be made to the systems and methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0077] The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems, components and configurations disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A reactor system including a capacitively coupled plasma configuration, the reactor system comprising: Base assembly, including: The main body includes a top surface, side surfaces, and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is the substrate support surface; Heater element embedded in the main body; A first electrode is embedded within the body, located between the heater element and the top surface; A second electrode embedded within the body, which is close to at least one of the side surface and the bottom surface; The device includes an upper and a lower housing, wherein the housing defines a chamber, and a base assembly is disposed in the chamber, wherein the body of the base assembly divides the chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the upper chamber being defined between the upper part of the housing and the top surface of the body of the base assembly, and the lower chamber being defined between the bottom surface of the body of the base assembly and the lower part of the housing. The third electrode is disposed above the top surface of the main body of the base assembly; A fourth electrode is disposed in a lower chamber below the bottom surface of the main body of the base assembly, wherein the fourth electrode is electrically insulated from the lower part of the housing; and An RF generator electrically coupled with RF power provides communication to one of the second and fourth electrodes, while the other of the second and fourth electrodes is electrically grounded, thereby operably generating an electric field between the second and fourth electrodes to generate clean plasma below the bottom surface of the body of the base assembly.

2. The reactor system of claim 1 further includes an RF generator electrically coupled to RF power, which provides communication to one of the first and third electrodes while the other of the first and third electrodes is electrically grounded, thereby operatively generating an electric field between the first and third electrodes to generate a process plasma above the top surface of the body of the base assembly.

3. The reactor system according to claim 2, wherein, The second electrode is electrically grounded to operatively suppress parasitic plasma around at least one of the side and bottom surfaces.

4. The reactor system according to claim 3, wherein, The second electrode includes a mesh configuration.

5. The reactor system according to claim 3, wherein, The third electrode is electrically insulated from the lower part of the housing.

6. The reactor system according to claim 3, wherein: The RF generator is a first RF generator, and the reactor system also includes a second RF generator; The first electrode includes a first region and a second region; and The first RF generator is electrically coupled with RF power to provide communication with the first region, and the second RF generator is electrically coupled separately with RF power to provide communication with the second region.

7. The reactor system according to claim 1, wherein, The second electrode extends close to the bottom surface, such that the heater element is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. The reactor system of claim 7 further includes an RF generator electrically coupled to RF power, which provides communication to the second electrode, and the lower portion of the housing is electrically grounded, thereby operatively generating an electric field between the second electrode and the lower portion of the housing to generate clean plasma below the bottom surface of the body of the base assembly.

9. The reactor system according to claim 3, wherein: The RF generator is a first RF generator, and the reactor system also includes a second RF generator; The second electrode includes a first region and a second region; and The first RF generator is electrically coupled with RF power to provide communication with the first region, and the second RF generator is electrically coupled separately with RF power to provide communication with the second region.

10. The reactor system according to claim 7, wherein, The fourth electrode is a metal plate.

11. The reactor system of claim 10, further comprising a ceramic insulator disposed between the lower portion of the metal plate and the shell.

12. The reactor system according to claim 10, wherein, The metal plate includes at least one of a protruding surface and an extruded surface.

13. The reactor system according to claim 12, wherein, The extrusion surface is a conical extrusion surface.

14. The reactor system according to claim 10, wherein, The bulk material of the base assembly includes metal.

Images