Integrated epitaxy and pre-clean system

Abstract

The present invention relates to integrated epitaxy and pre-clean systems. Embodiments of the present application generally relate to a transfer chamber coupled to at least one vapor phase epitaxy chamber and a plasma oxide removal chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, the plasma oxide removal chamber including a lid assembly having a mixing chamber and a gas distributor; a first gas inlet formed through a portion of the lid assembly and in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a second gas inlet formed through a portion of the lid assembly and in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a third gas inlet formed through a portion of the lid assembly and in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; and a substrate support having a substrate support surface; a lift member disposed in a recess of the substrate support surface and coupled to a lift actuator via the substrate support; and a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber.

Description

[0001] This invention application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with application number 201880056028.3, application date August 13, 2018, entitled "Integrated Epitaxial and Pre-cleaning System". Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of this application are generally related to apparatus and methods for cleaning substrate surfaces. Background Technology

[0003] Integrated circuits are formed in and on silicon and other semiconductor substrates. In the case of monocrystalline silicon, substrates are manufactured by growing ingots from a molten silicon bath and then sawing the solidified ingots into multiple substrates. An epitaxial silicon layer can then be formed on the monocrystalline silicon substrate to form a defect-free silicon layer, which may be doped or undoped. Semiconductor devices, such as transistors, can be manufactured from epitaxial silicon layers. The electrical characteristics of the formed epitaxial silicon layer are generally superior to those of the monocrystalline silicon substrate.

[0004] When exposed to the conditions of a typical substrate manufacturing facility, the surfaces of monocrystalline silicon and epitaxial silicon layers are susceptible to contamination. For example, a native oxide layer can form on the monocrystalline silicon surface before epitaxial layer deposition due to substrate processing and / or exposure to the surrounding environment within the substrate processing facility. Additionally, foreign contaminants present in the surrounding environment (such as carbon and oxygen) can deposit on the monocrystalline surface. The presence of a native oxide layer or contaminants on the monocrystalline silicon surface negatively impacts the quality of the epitaxial layer subsequently formed on the monocrystalline surface. Therefore, it is desirable to pre-clean the substrate to remove surface oxides and other contaminants before epitaxial layers are grown on it. However, pre-cleaning is typically performed in one or more separate vacuum processing chambers, which can increase substrate processing time and the opportunity to expose the substrate to the surrounding environment.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved substrate processing system for cleaning the surface of a substrate prior to performing epitaxial deposition, wherein the substrate processing system minimizes substrate processing time and exposure to the surrounding environment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application describes a processing system comprising a transfer chamber coupled to at least one film forming chamber; a plasma oxide removal chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, the plasma oxide removal chamber including a remote plasma source and a substrate support including a cooling channel and a heater; and a loading locking chamber connected to the transfer chamber.

[0007] This article also describes a method for processing a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: removing oxides from the substrate by means of a process including exposing the substrate to a process gas containing NH3, HF and free radicals; and forming a film on the substrate by a vapor phase epitaxy process.

[0008] This document also describes a processing apparatus comprising: a first transfer chamber coupled to at least one vapor phase epitaxy chamber; a plasma oxide removal chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, the plasma oxide removal chamber including a cover assembly having a mixing chamber and a gas distributor; a first gas inlet formed through a portion of the cover assembly and in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a second gas inlet formed through a portion of the cover assembly and in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a third gas inlet formed through a portion of the cover assembly and in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a substrate support having a substrate support surface; a cooling channel and one or more resistive heaters embedded in the substrate support; a lifting member disposed in a groove on the substrate support surface and coupled to a lifting actuator via the substrate support; and a loading locking chamber coupled to the transfer chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The embodiments of this application, which have been briefly summarized above and are discussed in more detail below, can be understood by referring to the illustrative embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings only show typical embodiments of this application and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this application, as other equally effective embodiments are permissible.

[0010] Figure 1 A processing column according to one embodiment of this application is shown.

[0011] Figure 2A For implementation according to one embodiment of this application Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the cleaning chamber during the cleaning process.

[0012] Figure 2B for Figure 2A An enlarged view of a portion of the processing chamber.

[0013] Figure 2C This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a substrate support according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 A single substrate chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor is shown for performing epitaxial deposition processes.

[0015] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of the back heat treatment chamber used to perform epitaxial deposition is shown.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a CVD chamber used to perform epitaxial deposition.

[0017] Figure 6 An exemplary vacuum processing system for performing the cleaning and deposition processes as described herein is shown.

[0018] For ease of understanding, the same component symbols are used as much as possible to represent common components in the figures. The figures are not drawn to scale, and simplified for clarity. It is anticipated that elements and features of one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments without further description. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Figure 1 A processing column 100 according to one embodiment of this application is shown. In block 102, a cleaning process is used to remove oxides from the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The substrate may include a silicon-containing material, and the surface may include a material such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), or a silicon-germanium alloy (SiGe). In some embodiments, the Si, Ge, or SiGe surface may have an oxide layer, such as a natural oxide layer, and contaminants disposed on the Si, Ge, or SiGe surface. Due to the sensitivity of epitaxial deposition processes to oxides and contaminants (such as carbonaceous contaminants), surface contaminants generated after several hours of exposure to most typical cleanroom environments may become large enough that the accumulated oxides and contaminants affect the quality of the subsequently formed epitaxial layer.

[0020] The substrate surface can be cleaned by performing oxide removal and contaminant removal processes. In one embodiment, a cleaning process is used to remove oxides (block 102) from the substrate surface, and (for example) a reduction process is used to remove contaminants (such as carbonaceous contaminants) from the substrate surface. The cleaning process may include plasma treatment. The plasma treatment may use plasma formed from a gas including hydrogen (H2), helium (He), argon (Ar), ammonia (NH3), and fluorine-containing gases (such as NF3, HF, or any combination of said gases). The plasma may be inductively coupled or capacitively coupled, or the plasma may be formed by a microwave source in a processing chamber. The processing chamber may be a remote plasma chamber that is spatially separated from the processing area where the substrate is disposed. The term "spatially separated" as described herein may refer to the separation of one or more chamber assemblies (such as...) Figure 2A The plasma forming region is separated from the substrate processing region by the baffle plate 228 and gas distributor 230 shown, or even the conduit between the remote plasma chamber and the substrate processing chamber.

[0021] In one embodiment, a capacitively coupled plasma source is used to generate plasma. Free radicals from the plasma can pass through a gas distribution plate disposed above a substrate, the gas distribution plate being positioned on a support at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius to about 100 degrees Celsius (e.g., about 5 degrees Celsius to about 75 degrees Celsius; for example, about 10 degrees Celsius). The processing pressure can be below atmospheric pressure (e.g., a pressure between about 500 mTott and about 20 Torr, such as a pressure between about 2 Torr and about 10 Torr). The free radicals reach the substrate and then react with the surface oxide. An exemplary processing chamber suitable for performing plasma etching includes SiCoNi, available from Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California. TM Or Selectra TM Chamber. Chambers from other manufacturers may also be used.

[0022] In one exemplary embodiment, the plasma cleaning process is a remote plasma-assisted dry cleaning process involving simultaneous exposure of a substrate to HF and NH3, optionally including plasma byproducts of one or more gases. Inert gases (such as argon and helium) may also be used. As described above, any one or a combination of three gases (inert / HF / NH3) can be exposed to energy to form plasma therein. The plasma is mixed with other gases to charge the processing chamber, or the plasma and other gases may be supplied to the processing chamber along different paths and mixed upon arrival. In one example, the plasma cleaning process may resemble or include SiCoNi available from Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California. TM deal with.

[0023] Remote plasma treatment is largely conformal and selective for oxide layers; therefore, silicon, germanium, or nitride layers are not easily etched, regardless of whether the layer is amorphous, crystalline, or polycrystalline. The selectivity of HF / NH3 plasma cleaning of oxides relative to silicon or germanium is at least about 3:1, typically 5:1 or better, and sometimes 10:1. HF / NH3 plasma cleaning is also highly selective for oxides and nitrides. The selectivity of HF / NH3 plasma cleaning relative to nitrides is at least about 3:1, typically 5:1 or better, and sometimes 10:1.

[0024] In some embodiments, a certain amount of heat energy may be applied to the treated substrate during or after remote plasma processing to help remove any generated byproducts. In some embodiments, the heat energy is provided via radiative, convective, and / or conductive heat transfer processes that cause unwanted byproducts found on the substrate surface to sublimate.

[0025] In optional block 103, a second cleaning process can be performed by removing carbon contaminants from the substrate surface. In block 106, an epitaxial layer is formed on the surface of the substrate. If the substrate surface has been cleaned as described above, it is uniformly oxidized and contaminant-free, which improves the quality of the layer subsequently formed on the substrate surface. An exemplary epitaxial process can be a selective epitaxial process performed at a temperature less than about 800 degrees Celsius (e.g., about 450 to 650 degrees Celsius). A high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process can be used to form the epitaxial layer. The epitaxial layer can be crystalline silicon, germanium, or silicon-germanium, or any suitable semiconductor material (such as a group III-V compound or a group II-VI compound). In an exemplary thermal CVD process, such as chlorosilane SiH... x Cl 4-x (Single, Di, Tri, Tetra), Silane Si x H 2X+2 (silane, ethsilane, and propsilane, etc.), germanane Ge x H 2x+2 Processing gases such as germane and digermane, hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine (Cl2), or combinations thereof are used to form the epitaxial layer. The processing temperature is below 800 degrees Celsius (e.g., from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 600 degrees Celsius, for example, about 450 degrees Celsius), and the processing pressure is between 5 Torr and 600 Torr. An exemplary processing chamber that can be used to perform epitaxial deposition is the Centura. TM Epi chamber, the Centura TM Epi chambers are available from Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California. Chambers from other manufacturers may also be used.

[0026] It can be in a processing system (such as Figure 6 Blocks 102, 103, and 106 are performed in the processing system shown, and are further described below. Optional heat treatment may also be performed between or after processes 102 and 103 prior to the layer-forming process of 106 to remove any residual byproducts or contaminants and to anneal the surface to remove any surface defects. This annealing may be performed in a hydrogen atmosphere, optionally including inert gases such as argon and helium, and at temperatures of 400 to 800 degrees Celsius and pressures of 1 to 300 Torr.

[0027] Figure 2A The processing chamber 200 is a cross-sectional view of the processing chamber 200, which is adapted to perform at least some of the processes found in block 102 and is therefore configured to remove contaminants (such as oxides) from the surface of the substrate. Figure 2B for Figure 2A An enlarged view of a portion of the processing chamber 200.

[0028] Processing chamber 200 is specifically designed for performing heat- or plasma-based cleaning processes and / or plasma-assisted dry etching processes. Processing chamber 200 includes a chamber body 212, a cover assembly 214, and a support assembly 216. The cover assembly 214 is disposed at the upper end of the chamber body 212, and the support assembly 216 is at least partially disposed within the chamber body 212. A vacuum system can be used to remove gases from the processing chamber 200. The vacuum system includes a vacuum pump 218 coupled to a vacuum port 221 disposed in the chamber body 212. Processing chamber 200 also includes a controller 202 for controlling the processing within the processing chamber 200.

[0029] The cover assembly 214 includes a plurality of stacked components configured to supply precursor gas and / or plasma to a processing region 222 within a chamber 200. A first plate 220 is coupled to a second plate 240. A third plate 244 is coupled to the second plate 240. The cover assembly 214 may be connected to a power supply 224 for supplying plasma to a conical chamber 242 formed in the cover assembly 214. The cover assembly 214 may also be connected to a remote plasma source that generates plasma upstream of the cover stack. A remote plasma chamber (e.g., Figures 2A to 2B Items 222, 220, and 240 in the diagram are coupled to a gas source 252 (or, in the absence of a remote plasma source 224, the gas source 252 is directly coupled to the cover assembly 214). The gas source 252 may include a gas source configured to provide helium, argon, or other inert gases. In some configurations, the gas provided by the gas source 252 may be excited into a plasma supplied to the cover assembly 214 using the remote plasma source 224. In an alternative embodiment, the gas source 252 may provide a process gas that can be excited by the remote plasma source 224 before being introduced onto the substrate surface disposed within the processing chamber 200. See also... Figure 2B The conical chamber 242 has an opening 246 that allows the formed plasma to flow from the remote plasma source 224 to a volume 248 formed in the fourth plate 250 of the cover assembly 214.

[0030] In some configurations of the cover assembly 214, plasma is generated within the conical chamber 242 by applying energy transferred from a plasma source. In one example, energy can be provided by biasing the cover assembly 214 to couple RF, VHF, and / or UHF energy capacitors to the gas located in the conical chamber 242. In this configuration of the cover assembly 214, the remote plasma source 224 within the cover assembly 214 may not be used, or the remote plasma source 224 may not be installed within the cover assembly 214.

[0031] A central conduit 270 formed in the fourth plate 250 is adapted to supply material generated from plasma supplied from volume 248 via the fifth plate 254 to a mixing chamber 266 formed in the sixth plate 268 of the cover assembly 214. The central conduit 270 communicates with the mixing chamber 266 through an opening 264 in the fifth plate 254. The diameter of the opening 264 may be less than, greater than, or equal to the diameter of the central conduit 270. Figure 2B In the embodiment shown, the diameter of the opening 264 is the same as the diameter of the central conduit 270.

[0032] The fourth plate 250 also includes a plurality of inlets 256 and 258 configured to supply gas to the mixing chamber 266. Inlet 256 is coupled to a first gas source 260, and inlet 258 is coupled to a second gas source 262. The first gas source 260 and the second gas source 262 may include a process gas and an inert gas, such as argon and / or helium as a carrier gas. The first gas source 260 may include ammonia (NH3) and argon. The second gas source 262 may contain a fluorine-containing gas, a hydrogen-containing gas, or a combination of the above gases. In one example, the second gas source 262 may contain hydrogen fluoride (HF) and argon.

[0033] like Figure 2B As shown, in some configurations, inlet 256 is coupled to mixing chamber 266 via cylindrical channel 259 (shown in dashed lines) and a plurality of holes 265 formed in plate 254. Inlet 258 is coupled to mixing chamber 266 via cylindrical channel 257 (shown in dashed lines) and a plurality of holes 267 formed in fifth plate 254. The holes 265 and 267 formed in plate 254 are typically sized to allow uniform flow of gas supplied from their respective gas sources 260 and 262 to mixing chamber 266. In one configuration, the diameter of hole 267 is smaller than the width of the opening defined by the opposing sidewalls of cylindrical channel 257 formed in fourth plate 250. Holes 267 are typically circumferentially distributed around the centerline of cylindrical channel 257 to provide uniform fluid inflow into mixing chamber 266. In one configuration, the diameter of the orifice 265 is smaller than the width of the opening defined by the opposing sidewalls of the cylindrical channel 259 formed in the fourth plate 250. The orifices 265 are generally distributed circumferentially around the centerline of the cylindrical channel 259 to provide uniform fluid flow into the mixing chamber 266.

[0034] Inlets 256 and 258 provide corresponding fluid flow paths laterally through the fourth plate 250, toward and through the fifth plate 254, to reach the mixing chamber 266. The cover assembly 214 also includes a seventh plate or a first gas distributor 272, which may be a gas distribution plate, such as a nozzle through which various gases mixed in the cover assembly 214 flow via perforations 274 formed in the nozzle. The perforations 274 are in fluid communication with the mixing chamber 266 to provide a flow path from the mixing chamber 266 through the first gas distributor 272. Figure 2A The baffle 228 of the gas distribution plate, such as the nozzle, and the gas distribution plate (such as the second gas distributor 230) are disposed below the cover assembly 214.

[0035] Alternatively, different cleaning processes can be used to clean the substrate surface. For example, a remote plasma containing He and NF3 can be introduced into the processing chamber 200 via the cover assembly 214, while NH3 can be directly injected into the processing chamber 200 via a separate gas inlet 225, which is located on the side of the chamber body 212 and coupled to a gas source (not shown).

[0036] Support assembly 216 may include substrate support 232 to support substrate 210 on substrate support 232 during processing. Substrate support 232 may be coupled to actuator 234 via shaft 236 extending through a central opening formed in the bottom of chamber body 212. Actuator 234 may be flexibly sealed to chamber body 212 via a bellows (not shown) to prevent vacuum leakage around shaft 236. Actuator 234 allows substrate support 232 to move vertically within chamber body 212 between a processing position and a loading position. The loading position is slightly below the opening of a channel (not shown) formed in the sidewall of chamber body 212.

[0037] The substrate support 232 has a flat (or substantially flat) substrate support surface to support the substrate to be processed on the substrate support surface. The substrate support 232 can be vertically moved within the chamber body 212 by an actuator 234 coupled to the substrate support 232 via a shaft 236. For some steps, the substrate support 232 can be raised to a position immediately adjacent to the cover assembly 214 to control the temperature of the substrate 210 being processed. In this way, the substrate 210 can be heated by radiation from the second gas distributor 230 or another radiation source, or by convection or conduction from the second gas distributor 230 via an intermediate gas. In some processing steps, the substrate can be positioned on the lifting rod 251 to perform additional heat treatment steps, such as annealing.

[0038] Figure 2C for Figure 2AAn enlarged cross-sectional view of the substrate support 232. The substrate support 232 includes a heat control chamber 235 in fluid communication with a fluid supply conduit 241 and a fluid return conduit 243, each of the conduits 241 and 243 being disposed through a shaft 236. The heat control chamber 235 may provide a cooling feature for the substrate support 232 by circulating cooling fluid through the fluid supply conduit 241, entering the heat control chamber 235, and exiting through the fluid return conduit 243.

[0039] The substrate support 232 may also include a plurality of heaters 237 and 239. In this embodiment, the plurality of heaters includes a first heater 237 and a second heater 239. The first heater 237 and the second heater 239 are disposed substantially coplanarly within the substrate support 232 to enable thermal coupling between the heaters and the substrate support surface. The first heater 237 is disposed on the periphery of the substrate support 232, and the second heater 239 is disposed in the central region of the substrate support 232 to provide regional temperature control. Each of the first heater 237 and the second heater 239 may be a resistance heater, which is coupled to a power source (not shown) via corresponding power conduits 249 and 247, each power conduit 249 and 247 being disposed through a shaft 236.

[0040] In operation, temperature control can be provided by the simultaneous operation of the thermal control chamber 235 and heaters 237 and 239. As described above, cooling fluid can be supplied to the thermal control chamber 235, and electricity can be supplied to the heaters 237 and 239 to function as resistance heaters. In this way, individual control circuits can be tuned to provide a fast response to one item (e.g., heaters 237 and 239) and a slower response to the thermal control chamber 235, and vice versa. At least, different control parameters can be applied to the thermal control chamber 235, the first heater 237, and the second heater 239 to achieve an optimized zone temperature control system.

[0041] like Figure 2C As shown, a separate lifting member 245 may be included in the support assembly 216. A groove may be provided in the substrate support surface to receive the lifting rod 251 of member 245 when the substrate is placed on the substrate support surface. The lifting member 245 may be coupled to a lifting actuator 255 via an extension of the lifting member 245 disposed through the shaft 236. The lifting actuator may vertically move the lifting member 245 to lift the substrate from the substrate support surface toward the first gas distributor 272. The lifting member 245 may be a hoop, such as an open hoop or a closed hoop, which may be U-shaped, circular, horseshoe-shaped, or any convenient shape. The lifting member 245 has a thickness that provides structural strength when lifting the substrate. In one example, the lifting member is made of ceramic material and has a thickness of about 1 mm.

[0042] Figure 3 A single-substrate chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor 300 according to one embodiment is shown. The single-substrate chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor 300 includes a quartz processing chamber or reaction chamber 305. The reactor 300 can be used for CVD of many different materials, including SiGe and Ge films as disclosed herein. Furthermore, the reactor 300 shown can perform multiple deposition steps in the same chamber 305; this will become apparent from the discussion below.

[0043] Reactor 300 may typically have a rectangular box shape. Multiple radiant heat sources are supported outside the processing chamber 305 to provide heat energy within the processing chamber 305 without significant absorption by the walls of the processing chamber 305. Although embodiments are described in the context of “cold-wall” CVD reactors for processing semiconductor substrates, it should be understood that the methods described herein can be used in conjunction with other heating / cooling systems, such as systems employing induction heating or resistance heating.

[0044] The radiant heat source includes an upper heating assembly comprising a plurality of elongated heating elements 310 (only one is shown in this view). The heating elements 310 are elongated tubular radiant heating elements, such as lamps. The heating elements 310 are arranged in a spaced-apart parallel relationship and are also substantially parallel to the flow path of the reactant gas through the processing chamber 305 (indicated by arrow 312). The lower heating assembly includes similar heating elements 315 (such as lamps) located below the processing chamber 305 and oriented transversely to the heating elements 310. A portion of the radiant heat is diffusely reflected into the processing chamber 305 by roughened specular reflectors (not shown) above and below the upper heating elements 310 and lower heating elements 315, respectively. Furthermore, a plurality of spotlights 320 concentrate heat supply to the underside of the substrate support structure (described below) to counteract the heat dissipation effect produced by the cold support structure extending through the bottom of the processing chamber 305. In some embodiments, each heating element 310 and 315 is a high-intensity tungsten filament lamp that generates radiant heat energy that is transmitted through the walls of the processing chamber 305 without significant absorption. As is known in the field of semiconductor processing equipment, the power of the various heating elements 310, 315, and 320 can be controlled independently or in a grouped area in response to a temperature sensor.

[0045] A workpiece, including a silicon substrate 325, is shown supported within a processing chamber 305 on a substrate support structure 330. The support structure 330 includes a substrate holder 332 (on which the substrate 325 rests) and a support spider 334. The spider 334 is mounted on a shaft 336 extending downward through a tube 338 extending through the lower wall of the chamber. The tube 338 communicates with a purge gas source that can flow during substrate processing. The purge gas can be used to suppress processing gas from entering the lower portion of the processing chamber 305. The purge gas can also flow horizontally below the substrate 325.

[0046] Multiple temperature sensors are positioned near the substrate 325. Various types of temperature sensors can be used, such as optical pyrometers or thermocouples. In the illustrated embodiment, the temperature sensors include thermocouples, including a first or central thermocouple 340, which is suspended below the substrate holder 332 in any suitable manner. The central thermocouple 340 passes through a support 334 near the substrate holder 332. The reactor 300 further includes multiple auxiliary or peripheral thermocouples also near the substrate 325, including a leading or front thermocouple 345, a trailing or rear thermocouple 350, and side thermocouples (not shown). Each peripheral thermocouple is housed within a slip ring 352 surrounding the substrate holder 332 and the substrate 325. Each of the central and peripheral thermocouples is connected to a temperature controller that responds to thermocouple readings to set the power of various heating elements 310, 315, and 320.

[0047] In addition to housing the peripheral thermocouple, the slip ring 352 absorbs and emits radiant heat during high-temperature processing. The slip ring 352 can be used to compensate for greater heat loss or absorption at the edges of the substrate, a phenomenon known to occur due to the larger surface area to volume ratio in the region near the substrate edges. By minimizing edge losses, the slip ring 352 reduces the risk of radial temperature non-uniformity across the substrate 325. The slip ring 352 can be suspended in any suitable manner. For example, the illustrated slip ring 352 is placed on a support member 354 extending from a front chamber divider 356 and a rear chamber divider 358. Dividers 356 and 358 are ideally formed of quartz. In some arrangements, the rear divider 358 may be omitted.

[0048] The illustrated processing chamber 305 includes an inlet port 360 for injecting reactants and carrier gas, and can also receive a substrate 325 through the inlet port 360. An outlet port 364 is located on the opposite side of the processing chamber 305, and a substrate support structure 330 is located between the inlet port 360 and the outlet port 364.

[0049] An inlet component 365 is fitted into a processing chamber 305 adapted to surround an inlet port 360, and the inlet component 365 includes a horizontally elongated slot 367 through which a substrate 325 can be inserted. A generally vertical inlet 368 receives gas from a gas source and communicates the gas with the slot 367 and the inlet port 360. Although not in Figure 3 Shown separately, but the gas source may include hydrogen, silicon, and germanium precursors, and a controller (e.g., a pre-programmed computer) for controlling a series of steps as described herein, including the inflow of a surfactant compound into the chamber during a cooling step prior to Si and / or Ge deposition. Inlet 368 may include a gas injector designed to maximize gas flow uniformity in the single-substrate reactor.

[0050] Similarly, the outlet component 370 is mounted to the processing chamber 305 such that the exhaust port 372 is aligned with the outlet port 364 and leads to the exhaust conduit 374. The conduit 374 is then connected to a suitable vacuum tool (not shown) for discharging the processed gas from the processing chamber 305. In one embodiment, the processed gas is drawn through the processing chamber 305 and a downstream scrubber (not shown). As described below, a pump or fan is preferably included to assist in drawing the processed gas through the processing chamber 305 and to perform depressurization treatment (i.e., below atmospheric pressure but above the ultra-high vacuum pressure range) by evacuating the chamber.

[0051] The illustrated reactor 300 also includes an excitation species source 376 located upstream of the reactor 300. The excitation species source 376 in the illustrated embodiment includes a remote plasma generator comprising a magnetron generator and an applicator along a gas line 378. In the illustrated embodiment, microwave energy from the magnetron is coupled along the gas line 378 to a flowing gas in the applicator. A precursor gas source 380 is coupled to the gas line 378 to introduce it into the excitation species source 376. A carrier gas source 382 is also coupled to the gas line 378. One or more branches 384 may also be provided for additional reactants. As known in the art, depending on the form and volatility of the reactants, gas sources 380 and 382 may include gas canisters and bubblers, etc. As shown, each gas line may be equipped with a separate mass flow controller (MFC) and valve to allow selection of the relative amounts of carrier and reactants introduced into the source 376 and thus into the processing chamber 305. Excitation source 376 can be used for plasma-enhanced deposition, but it can also be used to excite etchants to clean excess deposition in chamber 305 when there is no substrate in chamber 305.

[0052] For example, the total volumetric capacity of a single substrate processing chamber 305 designed for processing 200mm substrates is less than about 30 liters, such as less than about 20 liters, and in one embodiment less than about 10 liters. The illustrated chamber 305 has a capacity of about 7.5 liters. Because the illustrated processing chamber 305 is separated by separators 356 and 358, a substrate holder 332, a ring 352, and purge gas flowing from pipe 338, the effective volume through which the processing gas flows is approximately half of the total volume (e.g., about 3.77 liters in the illustrated embodiment). It should be understood that the volume of the single substrate processing chamber 305 can vary depending on the size of the substrate that the processing chamber 305 is designed to accommodate. For example, a single substrate processing chamber 305 for 300mm substrates has a capacity of less than about 100 liters, such as about 60 liters, and in one embodiment less than about 30 liters. In one example, a single substrate processing chamber 305 for processing 300mm substrates has a total volume of about 24 liters and an effective volume of about 12 liters.

[0053] The deposition temperature of the Ge-containing layer is typically in the range of about 250 degrees Celsius (C) to about 600 degrees Celsius, for example, about 300 degrees Celsius to about 450 degrees Celsius. Lower deposition temperatures may be more suitable, for example, due to reduced thermal stability of the precursor. The total pressure in the single-substrate processing chamber 305 is in the range of about 10⁻⁵ Torr to about 800 Torr. In some embodiments, the pressure is about 200 mTorr to about 760 Torr, such as about 1 Torr to about 200 Torr, for example, about 1 Torr to about 60 Torr.

[0054] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a back-side heated processing chamber 400 configured for low-pressure epitaxial deposition according to one embodiment is shown. The processing chamber 400 can be used to process one or more substrates, including depositing material on the upper surface of substrate 325. The processing chamber 400 may include an array of radiant heating lamps 402 for heating and, among other components, a back side 404 of a substrate support 406 disposed within the processing chamber 400. The substrate support 406 may be a disc-shaped substrate support 406 as shown, or an annular substrate support (with a central opening) supporting the substrate from its edge to expose it to the thermal radiation of the lamps 402.

[0055] The substrate support 406 is located within the processing chamber 400 between the upper dome 428 and the lower dome 414. The upper dome 428, the lower dome 414, and the base ring 436 disposed between the upper dome 428 and the lower dome 414 generally define the internal region of the processing chamber 400. The substrate 325 (not to scale) is transferred into the processing chamber 400 and positioned on the substrate support 406 through a loading port not shown in this view.

[0056] The substrate support 406 is supported by a central shaft 432, which moves the substrate 325 vertically 434 during loading and unloading (and in some cases during the handling of the substrate 325). Figure 4 The raised processing position shows the substrate support 406, but it can be vertically moved to a loading position below the processing position by an actuator (not shown) coupled to the central axis 432. When lowered below the processing position, a lifting rod (not shown) contacts the substrate 325 and raises the substrate 325 from the substrate support 406. A robot (not shown) can then enter the processing chamber 400 to engage through the loading port and remove the substrate 325 from the processing chamber 400. The substrate support 406 can then be actuated perpendicular to the processing position to place the substrate 325 (with the device side 416 of the substrate 325 facing upwards) on the front side 410 of the substrate support 406.

[0057] When the substrate support 406 is in the processing position, it divides the internal volume of the processing chamber 400 into a processing gas region 456 above the substrate 325 and a purified gas region 458 below the substrate support 406. During processing, the substrate support 406 rotates from the central axis 432 to minimize the impact of heat and abnormal airflow within the processing chamber 400, thereby promoting uniform processing of the substrate 325. The substrate support 406 may be formed of silicon carbide or graphite coated with silicon carbide to absorb radiant energy from the lamp 402 and conduct it to the substrate 325.

[0058] Generally, the central window portion of the upper dome 428 and the bottom of the lower dome 414 are formed of an optically transparent material such as quartz. The thickness and curvature of the upper dome 428 can be configured to provide a flatter geometry for uniform flow uniformity within the processing chamber.

[0059] An array of lamps 402 can be positioned adjacent to and below the lower dome 414 in a specified, optimal manner around the central axis 432 to independently control the temperature in individual areas of the substrate 325 as the process gas passes through, which facilitates material deposition onto the upper surface of the substrate 325. While not discussed in detail herein, the deposited material may include gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, or aluminum gallium nitride. In some embodiments, the array of radiant heating lamps (such as lamps 402) may be positioned above the upper dome 428.

[0060] Lamp 402 may be configured to include a bulb configured to heat substrate 325 to a temperature range of approximately 200 degrees Celsius to approximately 1600 degrees Celsius. Each lamp 402 is coupled to a power distribution board (not shown), through which power is supplied to each lamp 402. Lamp 402 is located within lamp head 445, which may be cooled during or after processing by, for example, cooling fluid introduced into channels 449 located between lamps 402. Partly due to the close proximity of lamp head 445 to lower dome 414, lamp head 445 electrically and radiatively cools lower dome 414. Lamp head 445 may also cool lamp walls and reflector walls (not shown) surrounding the lamp. Alternatively, lower dome 414 may be cooled by convection. Depending on the application, lamp head 445 may or may not be in contact with lower dome 414.

[0061] A circular shroud 467 may optionally be disposed around the substrate support 406 and surrounded by a gasket assembly 463. The shroud 467 prevents or minimizes leakage of heat / light noise from the lamp 402 to the device side 416 of the substrate 325, while providing a preheating zone for the process gases. The shroud 467 may be made of CVD SiC, SiC-coated sintered graphite, grown SiC, opaque quartz, coated quartz, or any similar suitable material that resists chemical decomposition by the process and purification gases.

[0062] The liner assembly 463 is sized to nest within or be surrounded by the inner circumference of the base ring 436. The liner assembly 463 shields the processing space (i.e., the processed gas region 456 and the purified gas region 458) from the metal walls of the processing chamber 400. The metal walls can react with precursors and cause contamination within the processing volume. Although the liner assembly 463 is shown as a single unit, it may comprise one or more liners with different configurations.

[0063] As a result of heating the back side of the substrate 325 by the substrate support 406, the optical pyrometer 418 can be used for temperature measurement / control on the substrate support. This temperature measurement by the optical pyrometer 418 can also be performed on the device side 416 of the substrate 325, which has an unknown emissivity (since heating the front side 410 of the substrate in this way is independent of emissivity). As a result, the optical pyrometer 418 can only sense radiation from the heated substrate 325, which conducts heat from the substrate support 406 and has minimal background radiation from the lamp 402 that directly reaches the optical pyrometer 418.

[0064] Reflector 422 may optionally be positioned outside upper dome 428 to reflect light radiated from substrate 325 back onto substrate 325. Clamping ring 430 may be used to secure reflector 422 to upper dome 428. Reflector 422 may be made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. Reflection efficiency can be improved by coating the reflector area with a high-reflectivity coating such as gold. Reflector 422 may have one or more channels 426 connected to a cooling source (not shown). Channel 426 is connected to a channel (not shown) formed on one side of reflector 422 for cooling reflector 422. The channel is configured to carry a fluid flow such as water, and the channel may extend horizontally along the side of reflector 422 in any desired pattern covering a portion or the entire surface of reflector 422.

[0065] Process gas supplied from process gas supply source 472 is introduced into process gas region 456 through process gas inlet 474 formed in the sidewall of base ring 436. Process gas inlet 474 is configured to guide the process gas in a generally radially inward direction. During the film formation process, substrate support 406 may be located in a processing position adjacent to and at approximately the same height as process gas inlet 474, thereby allowing the process gas to flow upward and around a flow path 473 through the upper surface of substrate 325 in a laminar flow manner. Process gas exits process gas region 456 through gas outlet 478 (along flow path 475), located on the side of processing chamber 400 opposite to process gas inlet 474. A vacuum pump 480 coupled to gas outlet 478 can be used to help remove the process gas through gas outlet 478. Because the gas inlet 474 and gas outlet 478 are aligned with each other and are positioned at approximately the same height, this parallel arrangement, when combined with the flatter upper dome 428, is believed to achieve a generally flat and uniform airflow through the substrate 325. Further radial uniformity can be provided by rotating the substrate 325 via the substrate support 406.

[0066] Purified gas can be supplied from purified gas source 462 to purified gas region 458 via an optional purified gas inlet 464 (or via process gas inlet 474) formed in the sidewall of base ring 436. Purified gas inlet 464 is positioned at a height below process gas inlet 474. If a circular shield 467 or preheating ring (not shown) is used, the circular shield or preheating ring can be positioned between process gas inlet 474 and purified gas inlet 464. In either case, purified gas inlet 464 is configured to guide purified gas in a generally radially inward direction. During the film formation process, substrate support 406 can be positioned such that purified gas flows in a laminar manner down and around a flow path 465 passing through and around the rear side 404 of substrate support 406. Without being bound by any particular theory, it is considered that the flow of purified gas prevents or substantially avoids the flow of process gas into purified gas region 458, or reduces the diffusion of process gas into purified gas region 458 (i.e., the region below substrate support 406). The purified gas (along the flow path 466) leaves the purified gas area 458 and is discharged from the processing chamber through the gas outlet 478, which is located on the side of the processing chamber 400 opposite to the purified gas inlet 464.

[0067] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a CVD or epitaxial deposition processing chamber 500, which may be available from Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California. Part of an integrated processing system. Processing chamber 500 includes a housing structure 501 made of a process-resistant material (such as aluminum or stainless steel, e.g., 316L stainless steel). Housing structure 501 surrounds various functional elements of processing chamber 500, such as quartz chamber 530, which includes an upper chamber 505 and a lower chamber 524 containing a processing volume 518. Reactive species are supplied to quartz chamber 530 via gas distribution assembly 550, and processing byproducts are removed from processing volume 518 via outlet port 538, which is typically connected to a vacuum source (not shown).

[0068] A substrate support 517 is adapted to receive a substrate 325 transferred to a processing volume 518. The substrate support 517 is disposed along the longitudinal axis 502 of the processing chamber 500. The substrate support 517 may be made of a ceramic material or a graphite material coated with silicon (such as silicon carbide or other process-resistant materials). Reactive species from the precursor reactant material are applied to a surface 516 of the substrate 325, and byproducts can subsequently be removed from the surface 516. Heating of the substrate 325 and / or the processing volume 518 may be provided by radiation sources such as an upper lamp module 510A and a lower lamp module 510B.

[0069] In one embodiment, the upper lamp module 510A and the lower lamp module 510B are infrared (IR) lamps. Non-thermal energy or radiation from lamp modules 510A and 510B passes through the upper quartz window 504 of the upper quartz chamber 505 and the lower quartz window 503 of the lower quartz chamber 524. If necessary, cooling gas in the upper quartz chamber 505 enters through inlet 512 and exits through outlet 513. Precursor reactant materials and diluents, purifying gases, and exhaust gases from the processing chamber 500 enter through gas distribution assembly 550 and exit through outlet port 538. Although the upper quartz window 504 is shown as curved or protruding, it can be flat or concave when the pressure on both sides of the upper quartz window 504 is substantially the same (i.e., atmospheric pressure).

[0070] Low-wavelength radiation in the treatment volume 518 used to stimulate reactive species and facilitate the adsorption of reactants and the desorption of treatment byproducts from the surface 516 of the substrate 325 is typically in the range of about 0.8 μm to about 1.2 μm (e.g., between about 0.95 μm and about 1.05 μm); various combinations of wavelengths are provided, depending on the composition of the epitaxially grown film, for example.

[0071] The component gases enter the processing volume 518 via the gas distribution assembly 550. As generally shown at 522, the gases exit from the gas distribution assembly 550 and exit through port 538. The combination of component gases used for cleaning / passivating substrate surfaces or forming epitaxially grown silicon and / or germanium-containing films is typically mixed before entering the processing volume. The total pressure in the processing volume 518 can be adjusted via a valve (not shown) on the outlet port 538. At least a portion of the inner surface of the processing volume 518 is covered by a liner 531. In one embodiment, the liner 531 comprises an opaque quartz material. In this way, the chamber walls are thermally insulated from the processing volume 518.

[0072] The surface temperature in the processing volume 518 can be controlled within a temperature range of approximately 200°C to approximately 600°C or higher by the flow of cooling gas and the combined radiation from the upper lamp module 510A located above the upper quartz window 504. The cooling gas enters through inlet 512 and exits through outlet 513. The temperature in the lower quartz chamber 524 can be controlled within a temperature range of approximately 200°C to approximately 600°C or higher by adjusting the speed of a blower unit (not shown) and the radiation from the lower lamp module 510B located below the lower quartz chamber 524. The pressure in the processing volume 518 can be between approximately 0.1 Torr and approximately 600 Torr, such as between approximately 5 Torr and approximately 30 Torr.

[0073] The temperature on the surface 516 of the substrate 325 can be controlled by adjusting the power of the lower lamp module 510B in the lower quartz chamber 524, or by adjusting the power of both the upper lamp module 510A covering the upper quartz window 504 and the lower lamp module 510B in the lower quartz chamber 524. The power density in the processing volume 518 can reach approximately 40 W / cm². 2 Approximately 400 W / cm 2 Between, such as approximately 80W / cm 2 Approximately 120W / cm 2 .

[0074] In one aspect, the gas distribution assembly 550 is disposed perpendicular to or radially 506 relative to the longitudinal axis 502 of the processing chamber 500 or the substrate 325. In this orientation, the gas distribution assembly 550 is adapted to flow the processing gas radially 506 across or parallel to the surface 516 of the substrate 325. In one processing application, the processing gas is preheated at the point of introduction into the processing chamber 500 to initiate preheating of the gas and / or break specific bonds in the gas before introduction into the processing volume 518. In this way, the surface reaction mechanism can be altered independently of the thermal temperature of the substrate 325.

[0075] In operation, precursors for forming Si and SiGe capping or selective films are supplied from one or more gas sources 540A and 540B to the gas distribution assembly 550. IR lamp 556 ( Figure 5 (Only one is shown in the diagram) can be used to heat the precursor within the gas distribution assembly 550 and along the flow path 522. Gas sources 540A and 540B can be coupled to the gas distribution assembly 550 in a manner configured to facilitate the introduction regions within the gas distribution assembly 550 (such as the radial outer region and radial inner region between the outer regions viewed from the top plan view). Gas sources 540A and 540B may include valves (not shown) to control the rate of introduction into the regions.

[0076] Gas sources 540A and 540B may include silicon precursors such as silanes, including silanes (SiH4), disilanes (Si2H6), dichlorosilanes (SiH2Cl2), hexachlorodisilanes (Si2Cl6), dibromosilanes (SiH2Br2), higher silanes, their derivatives, and combinations thereof. Gas sources 540A and 540B may also include germanium-containing precursors such as germananes (GeH4), digermananes (Ge2H6), germanium tetrachloride (GeCl4), dichlorogermananes (GeH2Cl2), their derivatives, and combinations thereof. Silicon- and / or germanium-containing precursors may be used in combination with hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine (Cl2), hydrogen bromide (HBr), and combinations thereof. Gas sources 540A and 540B may include one or more silicon- and germanium-containing precursors from one or both of gas sources 540A and 540B.

[0077] The precursor material passes through an opening or through multiple holes 558 in a perforated plate 554 in this excited state. Figure 5 (Only one is shown in the diagram) The material enters the processing volume 518. In one embodiment, the plurality of holes 558 are made of quartz material having holes 558 formed therein. The perforated plate 554 is transparent to IR energy and may be made of transparent quartz material. In other embodiments, the perforated plate 554 may be any material that is transparent to IR energy and resistant to process chemicals and other treatment chemicals. The excited precursor material passes through the plurality of holes 558 in the perforated plate 554 and through the plurality of channels 552. N ( Figure 5 Only one is shown in the diagram) flowing towards the processing volume 518. A portion of the photons and non-thermal energy from the IR lamp 556 also pass through the aperture 558, the perforated plate 554, and the channel 552 aided by reflective material and / or surfaces disposed on the inner surface of the gas distribution assembly 550. N This illuminates the flow path of the precursor material (e.g.) Figure 5 (As indicated by arrow 522 in the diagram). In this way, the vibrational energy of the precursor material can be retained from the point introduced along the flow path into the processing volume 518.

[0078] Figure 6 The embodiments of this application are shown and can be used to complete... Figure 1 An exemplary vacuum processing system 600 is shown, processing column 100. (As shown) Figure 6 As shown, multiple processing chambers 602a, 602b, 602c, and 602d are coupled to a first transfer chamber 604. Processing chambers 602a to 602d can be used to perform any substrate-related processing, such as annealing, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, epitaxial processing, etching, thermal oxidation or thermal nitriding processes, and degassing. In one embodiment, processing chamber 602a may be a film-forming chamber, such as a vapor-phase epitaxial deposition chamber, for example, an Epi chamber capable of forming crystalline silicon or silicon-germanium, available from Applied Materials, Santa Clara, California. In another embodiment, processing chamber 602a may be an epitaxial deposition chamber, such as a single-substrate processing chamber (e.g., combined with…). Figure 3 The reactor 300 described. In another embodiment, the processing chamber 602a may be combined with... Figure 4 The described processing chamber 400. In another embodiment, the processing chamber 602a may be combined with... Figure 5 The described processing chamber is 500.

[0079] Processing chamber 602b may be a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber. Processing chamber 602c may be a plasma etching chamber or a plasma cleaning chamber. For example, processing chamber 602c may be a bonding chamber. Figure 2A The described processing chamber 200 or combination Figure 3 The described processing chamber 300. Processing chamber 602d may be a degassing chamber. A first transfer chamber 604 is also coupled to at least one transition station, such as a pair of through stations 606 and 608. Through stations 606 and 608 maintain vacuum conditions while allowing the substrate to be transferred between the first transfer chamber 604 and the second transfer chamber 610. The first transfer chamber 604 has a robotic substrate handling mechanism (not shown) for transferring the substrate between through stations 606, 608, and any of the processing chambers 602a to 602d. Processing chambers 602a to 602d are shown as... Figure 6 The specific order configuration is not specified, but the processing chambers 602a to 602d can be configured in any desired order.

[0080] One end of direct stations 606 and 608 is coupled to the second transfer chamber 610. Therefore, direct stations 606 and 608 separate and connect the first transfer chamber 604 and the second transfer chamber 610. The second transfer chamber 610 is coupled to the first plasma cleaning chamber 614, which may be, for example, a processing chamber 200. Figure 2A The plasma chamber is adapted to perform at least some of the processes in block 602 for removing oxides from the substrate surface. In one embodiment, the first plasma cleaning chamber 614 is a Siconi plasma cleaning chamber available from Applied Materials, Santa Clara, California. TM Or Selectra TM A chamber. In another embodiment, the plasma cleaning chamber 614 may be combined with... Figure 2A The described processing chamber 200. In another embodiment, the plasma cleaning chamber 614 may be combined with... Figure 3 The described processing chamber 300.

[0081] In one embodiment, at least one transition station (e.g., one of through stations 606 and 608) is configured as a plasma cleaning chamber. Alternatively, the plasma cleaning chamber may be coupled to one of through stations 606 and 608 to remove contaminants from the substrate surface. Therefore, the processing system 600 may have a second plasma cleaning chamber, which is or is connected to one of through stations 606 and 608. Figure 6 In one embodiment shown, the through station 606 includes a second plasma cleaning chamber 616. The second plasma cleaning chamber 616 may be a form of processing chamber 300 adapted to perform at least some of the processes found in block 102 for removing contaminants from the substrate surface. Figure 3It should be noted that although only one plasma cleaning chamber 616 is shown coupled to a pass station (in this case, pass station 606), a plasma cleaning chamber (e.g., a form of processing chamber 300) may still be coupled to both pass stations 606 and 608.

[0082] The second transfer chamber 610 also has a robotic substrate handling mechanism (not shown) for transferring substrates between a set of loading locking chambers 612 and either the first plasma cleaning chamber 614 or the second plasma cleaning chamber 616. A factory interface 620 is connected to the second transfer chamber 610 via the loading locking chamber 612. The factory interface 620 is coupled to one or more containers 630 on the opposite side of the loading locking chamber 612. The containers 630 are typically front-opening wafer transfer cassettes (FOUPs) accessible from the cleaning chamber (not shown).

[0083] Although two transfer chambers are shown, it is contemplated that either transfer chamber may be omitted. In one embodiment where the second transfer chamber 610 is omitted, a second plasma cleaning chamber 616 may be disposed within or coupled to the first transfer chamber 604 at a location currently shown as being occupied by through stations 606 or 608. The first transfer chamber 604 may be coupled to one or more processing chambers, such as epitaxial chambers, capable of forming crystalline silicon or silicon-germanium, for example, those available from Centura, Applied Materials, Santa Clara, California. TM Epi chamber. Alternatively, the first transfer chamber 604 may be omitted, and the second plasma cleaning chamber 616 may be located within or coupled to the direct station 606, which is coupled to the second transfer chamber 610. In this case, the second transfer chamber 610 may be configured to be coupled to one or more processing chambers capable of forming crystalline silicon or silicon-germanium.

[0084] In operation, substrates are transported from container 630 to a vacuum processing system 600 in a transport box (not shown), which is located within one of the loading locking chambers 612. A robotic transfer mechanism within a second transfer chamber 610 transfers substrates one at a time from the loading locking chamber 612 to a first plasma cleaning chamber 614, where a cleaning process (e.g., the process found in block 102) is performed to remove oxides from the substrate surface. Once the oxides have been removed from the substrate surface, a robotic transfer mechanism located within the second transfer chamber 610 transfers the substrates from the first plasma cleaning chamber 614 to a second plasma cleaning chamber 616, where a reduction process (e.g., the process found in block 103) is performed to remove contaminants such as carbon or hydrocarbons from the substrate surface. It is conceivable that the steps contemplated herein can also be performed in reverse order; that is, using a robotic transfer mechanism to transfer substrates from the second plasma cleaning chamber 616 to the first plasma cleaning chamber 614. In either case, the cleaned substrate is then transferred from the second plasma cleaning chamber 616 (or the first plasma cleaning chamber 614) to one or more processing chambers 602a-602d via a robotic transfer mechanism disposed within the first transfer chamber 604. The one or more processing chambers 602a to 602d may include an epitaxial processing chamber in which layer formation processes (such as epitaxial deposition as described in block 106) are performed.

[0085] After processing in one or more processing chambers 602a to 602d is completed, a robotic transfer mechanism located in the first transfer chamber 604 moves the substrate from any of the processing chambers 602 to the pass station 608. The substrate is then removed from the pass station 608 by a robotic transfer mechanism located in the second transfer chamber 610 and transferred to another loading and locking chamber 612, through which the substrate is removed from the vacuum processing system 600.

[0086] Because it is performed within the same vacuum processing system 600 Figure 1 The processing of all three blocks 102, 103, and 106 ensures that the vacuum is not disrupted when the substrate is transferred between the chambers, reducing the possibility of contamination and improving the quality of the deposited epitaxial film. It should be understood that the movement of the substrate is described herein for illustrative purposes. A controller (not shown) can be used to schedule the movement of the substrate through the vacuum processing system 600 according to a desired sorting procedure, which can be varied depending on the application.

[0087] The benefits of this application include an improved vacuum processing system that integrates two different types of pre-cleaning chambers and epitaxial processing chambers onto the same vacuum processing system. The pre-cleaning chambers may include a first plasma cleaning chamber and a second plasma cleaning chamber. The coexistence of two types of surface material removal chambers on the same vacuum processing system allows the substrate to remain under vacuum between surface preparation and epitaxial deposition, reducing the time the substrate is exposed to the environment and eliminating the need to prepare the substrate in separate processing chambers or systems. Because the pass-through station between the two transfer chambers also serves as a pre-cleaning chamber (which also reduces the total substrate processing time), this structure also maximizes the number of processing chambers on the vacuum system.

[0088] Available Figure 2A The processing chamber 200 is executed Figure 1 An example of processing 102. Argon is guided via remote plasma unit 224, a first mixture of 5 to 10% HF in the argon is guided through inlet 256, and a second mixture of 25% NH3 in the argon is guided through inlet 258. Remote plasma is formed by applying 500 W of microwave or RF power to the argon flowing at 2 sLm. The first mixture flows through the first inlet 256 at 500 sccm, and the second mixture flows through the second inlet 258 at 500 sccm. The substrate is maintained at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius by guiding a temperature-controlled fluid through a thermally controlled gas chamber 235. The substrate support 232 can be powered to provide radial temperature control. The chamber is maintained at a pressure of 5 Torr, and the substrate is processed for a time, for example, 300 seconds, suitable for converting all desired oxides on the substrate surface into sublimable solids. The substrate is then moved close to a second gas distributor 230, which is heated to approximately 200 degrees Celsius to provide radiative or conductive heat to the substrate surface. The substrate is held near the heat radiated from the second gas distributor 230 for 1 to 5 minutes to allow the solids formed on the substrate surface to sublimate, leaving an oxygen-free surface. The substrate is then optionally heat-treated in an inert atmosphere to remove any residual species (such as fluorine-containing species) from the oxide removal process. The heat treatment may include placing the substrate in a heat treatment chamber and activating the heat treatment apparatus within the chamber to heat the substrate to a temperature of approximately 300 degrees Celsius for approximately 1 minute.

[0089] While the foregoing describes the implementation of this application, other and further implementations of this application may be designed without departing from the basic scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for processing a substrate, comprising: The substrate is disposed in the processing chamber; Plasma is formed by an inert gas in a conical chamber, which is disposed in a cover assembly of the processing chamber; The plasma flows from the conical chamber to a volume disposed in the cover assembly, the volume being upstream of the conduit; The plasma, along with NH3 and HF, is flowed into a mixing chamber disposed in the cap assembly through the conduit in fluid communication with the conical chamber to form a reaction mixture. The mixing chamber has sidewalls that are tapered inward from the conduit to the processing chamber. The reaction mixture is flowed into the processing chamber; The oxide is removed from the substrate by a process including exposing the substrate to the reaction mixture; and A film is formed on the substrate using a vapor phase epitaxy process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the substrate while removing oxide from the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a heat treatment process after removing the oxide from the substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the heat treatment process is performed in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius to 800 degrees Celsius.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: After removing the oxide from the substrate, a heat treatment process is performed on the substrate, including... The substrate is disposed in a heat treatment chamber; Inert gas is introduced into the heat treatment chamber; as well as The substrate is heated to a temperature of 400 to 800 degrees Celsius.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the formation of the film on the substrate is performed in the same chamber as the heat treatment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein performing the heat treatment process further comprises exposing the substrate to a hydrogen-containing gas.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter is a central catheter.

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