Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application includes a support plate, an antenna disposed parallel to one side of the support plate and having first to nth turns wound in one direction from an inner end, n being an integer greater than 3, and a distance adjusting unit that adjusts a distance between the first to nth turns.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus capable of adjusting a gap distance formed between antenna turns. BACKGROUND

[0002] As a plasma generating apparatus, a capacitively coupled plasma source (CCP), an inductively coupled plasma source (ICP), a helicon wave using a plasma wave, a microwave plasma source, and the like have been proposed. Among them, the inductively coupled plasma source is widely used because it can easily form a high-density plasma.

[0003] The ICP-type plasma generating apparatus has an antenna installed on an upper portion of a chamber. The antenna generates a magnetic field in an inner space of the chamber by radio frequency power applied from the outside, and an induced electric field is formed by the magnetic field. At this time, a reaction gas supplied to the inner portion of the chamber obtains sufficient energy required for ionization from the induced electric field to form a plasma, and the formed plasma moves to a substrate to process the substrate. SUMMARY

[0004] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of adjusting a plasma density distribution formed in an inner portion of a chamber.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving process uniformity on a substrate.

[0007] Other objects of the present invention will become more fully clear from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0008] SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

[0009] A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a support plate, an antenna disposed in parallel with one face of the support plate and having 1st to nth turns wound in one direction from an inner side end, n being an integer greater than 3, and a distance adjusting unit capable of adjusting a gap distance of the 1st to nth turns.

[0010] The outer side end of the antenna is fixed, and the distance adjusting unit can include a holder connected to the inner side end of the antenna, and a driving motor connected to the holder and capable of rotating the antenna in the one direction or a reverse direction of the one direction.

[0011] The distance adjustment unit may further include a plurality of support members, wherein the plurality of support members are fixed between the (m-1)th turn and the (m)th turn to restrict movement of the (m)th turn.

[0012] The support plate has a plurality of fixing grooves spaced apart from the center, and the plurality of support members can be respectively inserted and fixed in the plurality of fixing grooves.

[0013] The distance adjustment unit may further include a plurality of support members, wherein the plurality of support members are fixed between the (m-1)th turn and the (m)th turn to restrict movement of the (m)th turn.

[0014] The support plate has a plurality of fixing grooves spaced apart from the center, and the plurality of support members can be respectively inserted and fixed in the plurality of fixing grooves.

[0015] The substrate processing apparatus further includes: a chamber having an internal space for performing a process on a substrate and having an open top; and a base disposed in the chamber for placing a plurality of substrates; and the support plate can be disposed on the top of the chamber.

[0016] Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plasma density distribution formed inside the chamber can be adjusted by adjusting the antenna position. In addition, the electric field shape can be adjusted by adjusting the antenna position, thereby improving the process uniformity of the substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown.

[0019] Figure 2 express Figure 1 The antenna and distance adjustment unit are fixed on the support plate shown.

[0020] Figure 3 express Figure 2 The distance adjustment unit shown.

[0021] Figure 4 express Figure 2 The adjustment status of the antenna is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Below, refer to the attached Figures 1 to 4A preferred embodiment of the present application will be explained in more detail. Embodiments of the present application can be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present application should not be interpreted in a limited sense to the embodiments described below. The present embodiment is provided to explain the present application in more detail to those skilled in the art to which the present application pertains. Therefore, the shape of each element appearing in the drawings can be exaggerated to show a clearer explanation.

[0023] Figure 1 A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application is schematically shown. As shown in FIG. 1, a chamber 12 has an internal space 11, and the upper portion of the chamber 12 is in an open state. A support plate 14 is provided to the open upper portion of the chamber 12 to cut off the internal space 11 from the outside. Figure 1

[0024] The chamber 12 has a passage 12a formed in the side surface, and the substrate S can be loaded into or unloaded from the internal space 11 via the passage 12a. A susceptor 20 is provided to the lower portion of the internal space and is supported by a vertically arranged support shaft 22. The substrate 8 is placed on the upper surface of the susceptor 20 in a substantially horizontal state after being loaded via the passage 12a.

[0025] The antenna 16 is a coil type antenna provided substantially parallel to the upper surface of the support plate 14, and has 1st to nth turns (n = an integer greater than 3) wound in a counterclockwise direction from an inner end 16a as described later. The antenna 16 is connected to a radio frequency power source 19, and the radio frequency power source supplies power to the antenna. A matching device 18 is installed between the antenna 16 and the radio frequency power source 19, and the matching device 18 is used to achieve impedance matching between the antenna 16 and the radio frequency power source 19.

[0026] A reaction gas is supplied to the internal space 11 by a shower head (not shown) or a nozzle (not shown) provided to the internal space 11, and plasma is generated by an electric field as described later.

[0027] The antenna 16 generates a magnetic field in the internal space 11 using the power supplied from the radio frequency power source 19, and an induced electric field is formed by the magnetic field. For this reason, the support plate 14 can be a dielectric window. At this time, the reaction gas obtains sufficient energy required for ionization from the induced electric field to form plasma, and the formed plasma moves to the substrate to process the substrate.

[0028] Figure 2 An antenna fixed to a support plate and a distance adjustment unit are shown. Figure 1 An antenna fixed to a support plate and a distance adjustment unit are shown. Figure 3 A distance adjustment unit is shown. Figure 2 A distance adjustment unit is shown. Figure 2 A distance adjustment unit is shown. Figure 3 ​As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna 16 is disposed on the support plate 14, and the antenna 16 is a coil-type antenna disposed substantially parallel to the upper surface of the support plate 14. The antenna 16 has the first to nth turns (n is an integer greater than 3) spaced apart from each other in a state of being wound in a counterclockwise direction from the inner end 16a.

[0029] Meanwhile, as described above, the antenna 16 forms an electric field in the inner space 11 to generate plasma from the reaction gas supplied to the inner space 11, thereby processing the substrate. In this case, the generated plasma density distribution depends on the electric field pattern inductively generated by the antenna 16, and the electric field pattern inductively generated depends on the pattern of the antenna 16. Therefore, when the process uniformity is poor according to the result of the substrate processing process using plasma, the pattern of the antenna 16 can be adjusted to improve the process uniformity.

[0030] For example, when the film thickness deposited on the entire surface of the substrate is significantly non-uniform as a result of the deposition process, that is, the film thickness can be large in the center region of the substrate and small in the edge region. Such process non-uniformity can have various causes, among which the non-uniformity of plasma, that is, the high plasma density in the center region of the substrate and the low plasma density in the edge region of the substrate, can be one of the causes. The pattern of the antenna 16 can be adjusted to improve the non-uniformity of plasma. In addition, the appropriate plasma density distribution can be different depending on the process, and the method described below can be variously applied in addition to being necessary to improve the non-uniformity of plasma.

[0031] In the inner space 11, the plasma density distribution depends on the electric field distribution or the magnetic field distribution inductively generated by the antenna 16, and the distribution of the electric field / magnetic field depends on the pattern of the antenna 16. That is, as described above, the smaller the spacing distance formed between the turns of the antenna 16, the stronger the electric field / magnetic field, and the larger the plasma density. Conversely, the larger the spacing distance formed between the turns of the antenna 16, the weaker the electric field / magnetic field, and the smaller the plasma density.

[0032] Specifically, when the spacing distance between the turns in the center region of the antenna 16 is small, the electric field / magnetic field is strong in the center region of the inner space 11, and the plasma density is large, thereby increasing the process rate (or film thickness). Conversely, when the spacing distance between the turns in the center region of the antenna 16 is large, the electric field / magnetic field is weak in the center region of the inner space 11, and the plasma density is small, thereby decreasing the process rate. The same is true for the edge region of the antenna 16.

[0033] The spacing distance between the turns can be adjusted by winding or unwinding the inner end 16a of the antenna 16. Winding or unwinding the inner end 16a of the antenna 16 can be achieved by rotating the inner end 16a of the antenna 16 using the holder 42.

[0034] Specifically, asFigure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in FIG, when the antenna 16 is placed on the upper portion of the support plate 14, the outer end 16b of the antenna 16 is fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 14. The inner end 16a of the antenna 16 is inserted into the insertion groove of the holder 42 while being arranged in the central area of ​​the support plate 14.

[0035] The holder 42 has an insertion groove recessed from the bottom and is connected to the drive motor 44 via a rotation shaft 46. The holder 42 can be rotated in the forward or reverse direction by the drive motor 44, and can also rotate together with the inner end 16a.

[0036] Figure 4 express Figure 2 The adjustment status of the antenna is shown in the figure. Figure 4 As shown in the left figure, when the holder 42 rotates clockwise, the inner end 16a rotates in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the antenna 16, causing the antenna 16 to further wind and the distance between the turns in the center area to decrease. As a result, the electric and magnetic fields in the center area of ​​the internal space 11 become stronger, the plasma density increases, and the process rate (or film thickness) increases.

[0037] On the contrary, Figure 4 As shown in the center right figure, when gripper 42 rotates counterclockwise, inner end 16a rotates in the direction of the winding of antenna 16, thereby increasing the distance between the turns in the center area of ​​antenna 16 as it unwinds. Consequently, the electric and magnetic fields in the center area of ​​internal space 11 weaken, reducing plasma density and slowing the process rate (or film thickness).

[0038] The antenna 16 can be deformed by the above method, and the electric field / magnetic field distribution and plasma density distribution in the central area and the edge area of ​​the internal space 11 can be adjusted.

[0039] Meanwhile, support member 32 is fixed to support plate 14 and positioned between the turns of antenna 16. When inner end 16a rotates, support member 32 supports the turns of antenna 16 and restricts their movement. Support plate 14 has multiple fixing grooves 15 formed on its upper surface, spaced apart from the center of support plate 14. The lower ends of support member 32 are inserted into fixing grooves 15, restricting their movement due to external forces, thereby supporting the turns of antenna 16.

[0040] As described above, when the inner end 16a is rotated to adjust the spacing distance between the turns, the support member 32 acts as a boundary for dividing the adjustment area where the spacing distance is adjusted and the non-adjustment area where the spacing distance is not adjusted. Figure 4 Figure 4As shown, when the interval distance between the turns of the antenna 16 located inside the support 32 decreases, the movement of the turns of the antenna 16 located outside the support 32 is restricted by the support 32 so that the interval distance is maintained almost constant. Conversely, when the interval distance between the turns of the antenna 16 located inside the support 32 increases, the movement of the turns of the antenna 16 located immediately adjacent to the support 32 and the turns of the antenna 16 located outside the support 32 is restricted by the support 32 so that the interval distance is maintained almost constant.

[0041] Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, various modifications are possible. Therefore, the technical scope of the claims recited below is not limited to the preferred embodiments.

[0042] Industrial Applicability

[0043] The present application can be applied to various kinds of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses and manufacturing methods.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a support plate; an antenna disposed parallel to one side of the support plate and having 1st to nth turns spaced apart from each other and wound along a direction from an inner end thereof, n being an integer greater than 4; a plurality of support members fixed between an (m-1)th turn and an mth turn of the antenna to restrict movement of the (m-1)th turn and the mth turn, m being an integer greater than 3 and smaller than n; and a distance adjusting unit configured to adjust a spacing distance of the 1st to (m-1)th turns by rotating the inner end of the antenna in a direction or a reverse direction of the direction. The antenna includes: an inner portion having the 1st to (m-1)th turns, the inner portion being located inside the support members, the inner portion being movable toward the inner end of the antenna upon rotation of the antenna, so that the spacing distance formed between the 1st to (m-1)th turns is adjustable; an outer portion having the mth to nth turns, the outer portion being located outside the support members, movement of the outer portion toward the inner end of the antenna being restricted by the support members upon rotation of the antenna, so that the spacing distance formed between the mth to nth turns is maintained constant; and a connecting portion provided between the inner portion and the outer portion to connect the inner portion and the outer portion, the connecting portion having a linear shape, so that an angle formed by the connecting portion and the inner portion and the outer portion changes upon rotation of the antenna. The outward movement of the (m-1)th turn and the inward movement of the mth turn are restricted by the support members.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: an outer end of the antenna is fixed, the distance adjusting unit includes: a holder connected to the inner end of the antenna; and a drive motor connected to the holder to rotate the antenna.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the support plate has a plurality of fixing grooves arranged at intervals from a center thereof, the plurality of support members are respectively inserted and fixed in the plurality of fixing grooves.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a chamber having an inner space for performing a process on a substrate and being open at an upper portion thereof; and a susceptor provided in the chamber to place a plurality of substrates, the support plate is provided at the upper portion of the chamber. ​ ​

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