Shaped showerhead for edge plasma modulation

Abstract

An example semiconductor processing chamber can include a chamber body. The chamber can include a substrate support disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support can define a substrate support surface. The chamber can include a showerhead positioned support on top of the chamber body. A bottom surface of the substrate support and the showerhead can at least partially define a processing region within the semiconductor processing chamber. The showerhead can define a plurality of apertures through the showerhead. A bottom surface of the showerhead can define an annular groove or ridge positioned directly above at least a portion of the substrate support.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 371,575, filed July 9, 2021, entitled “SHAPED SHOWERHEAD FOR EDGE PLASMAMODULATION”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This technology relates to components and apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing. More specifically, this technology relates to processing chamber dispensing components and other semiconductor processing equipment. Background Technology

[0004] Integrated circuits are made possible through processes that create complex patterned material layers on a substrate surface. Creating patterned material on a substrate requires controlled methods for forming and removing the material. Chamber components typically deliver process gases to the substrate to deposit films or remove material. To promote symmetry and uniformity, many chamber components may include characteristic regular patterns to deliver material in a manner that can increase uniformity. However, this can limit the ability to tune formulations for on-wafer adjustments.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods to produce high-quality devices and structures. This technology addresses these and other needs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] An exemplary semiconductor processing chamber may include a chamber body. The chamber may include a substrate support disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support may define a substrate support surface. The chamber may include a nozzle positioned and supported on top of the chamber body. The bottom surfaces of the substrate support and the nozzle may at least partially define a processing area within the semiconductor processing chamber. The nozzle may define a plurality of orifices passing through it. The bottom surface of the nozzle may define an annular groove positioned directly above at least a portion of the substrate support.

[0007] In some embodiments, the substrate support may include a heater recess projecting upward from the upper surface of the substrate support. The annular groove may have a size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the heater recess. The chamber may include an RF grid embedded within the substrate support. The vertical distance between the RF grid and the bottom surface of the nozzle may vary across the length of the nozzle. The annular groove may be disposed radially outside the plurality of orifices. The bottom surface of the nozzle may define an annular ridge projecting downward from the bottom surface. The annular groove and the annular ridge may contact each other. The annular groove and the annular ridge may be spaced apart from each other. The inner and outer edges of the annular groove may gradually narrow. The depth of the groove may be between approximately 5 mils and 100 mils.

[0008] Some embodiments of this technology may cover a semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a chamber body. The chamber may include a substrate support disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support may define a substrate support surface. The chamber may include a nozzle positioned and supported on top of the chamber body. The bottom surfaces of the substrate support and the nozzle may at least partially define a processing area within the semiconductor processing chamber. The nozzle may define a plurality of orifices passing through it. The bottom surface of the nozzle may define an annular undulating feature.

[0009] In some embodiments, this annular undulation feature may include one or both of a groove and a ridge. At least a portion of this annular undulation feature may be disposed radially inside at least one of the plurality of holes. A subset of the plurality of holes may be disposed within this annular undulation feature. Each of the plurality of holes may include an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion may have a smaller diameter than the upper portion. The lower portion of each of the plurality of holes within this subset may have the same size as each of the plurality of holes not included in this subset. The depth or height of the undulation feature may be constant across the width of the undulation feature. The depth or height of the undulation feature may vary across the width of the undulation feature. The bottom surface of the nozzle may define additional annular undulation features.

[0010] Some embodiments of this technology may cover methods for processing a substrate. These methods may include introducing a precursor into a processing chamber. The processing chamber may include a nozzle and a substrate support, with the substrate disposed on the substrate support. A processing area of ​​the processing chamber may be at least partially defined between the nozzle and the substrate support. The nozzle may define a plurality of orifices passing through it. The bottom surface of the nozzle may define an annular undulating feature. These methods may include generating plasma of the precursor within the processing area of ​​the processing chamber. These methods may include depositing material on the substrate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the annular undulation feature may include one or both of grooves and ridges. The substrate support may include an RF mesh. The vertical distance between the RF mesh and the bottom surface of the nozzle may vary across the length of the nozzle.

[0012] The technology described herein offers advantages over conventional systems and techniques. For example, embodiments of this technology allow for controlled deposition in edge regions of a substrate. Furthermore, the component can maintain plasma generation in the edge regions to reduce the impact on plasma density and distribution. These and other embodiments, along with their many advantages and features, are described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0013] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed technology can be achieved by referring to the remainder of the specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0014] Figure 1 The figure shows a top view of an exemplary processing system according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0015] Figure 2A The figure shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0016] Figure 2B Illustration Figure 2A A partial schematic cross-sectional view of the nozzle.

[0017] Figure 2C The figure shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a nozzle according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0018] Figure 2D The figure shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a nozzle according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0019] Figure 3 The illustration shows the operation of an exemplary semiconductor processing method according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0020] Several accompanying drawings are included as illustrations. It should be understood that these drawings are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be drawn to scale unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, as illustrations, these drawings are provided to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to a realistic representation, and may include exaggerated material for illustrative purposes.

[0021] In the accompanying drawings, similar parts and / or features may have the same reference numerals. Furthermore, various parts of the same type may be distinguished by adding a letter after the reference numerals to differentiate them. If only the first reference numeral is used in the description, the description applies to any similar parts having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the letter. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Plasma-enhanced deposition processes can excite one or more component precursors to facilitate film formation on a substrate. Any number of material films can be produced to develop semiconductor structures, including conductive and dielectric films, as well as films that facilitate material transfer and removal. For example, hard mask films can be formed to facilitate substrate patterning while protecting the underlying material for additional retention. In numerous processing chambers, multiple precursors can be mixed in a gas panel and delivered to a processing region within the chamber where the substrate can be positioned. While the stacked components may affect the flow distribution into the processing chamber, many other process variables can similarly affect the uniformity of deposition.

[0023] As device feature sizes decrease, tolerances on the substrate surface can decrease, and differences in material properties across the film can affect device realization and uniformity. Many chambers include characteristic process signatures, which can introduce residual inhomogeneities on the substrate. Temperature differences, flow pattern uniformity, and other aspects of processing can affect the film on the substrate, resulting in cross-substrate film uniformity differences for the material being produced or removed. For example, turbulent deposition gas flow and / or misalignment of the baffle orifice and gas box panel can lead to uneven flow of the deposition gas. Furthermore, gas flow through the wafer can be uneven due to discontinuities near the wafer edge (e.g., gaps between the wafer edge and heater recesses), which can lead to uneven film deposition. In some cases, the baffle may not distribute the precursor flow uniformly to the edge regions of the substrate. Additionally, in some embodiments, the substrate support or heater on which the substrate is disposed may include one or more heating mechanisms to heat the substrate. Film deposition can be affected when heat is transferred or lost in different ways between regions of the substrate, where, for example, hotter portions of the substrate are characterized by thicker deposition or different film properties relative to colder portions. This temperature non-uniformity can be attributed to, for example, temperature fluctuations around the axis of the substrate support, and may particularly affect the edge regions of the substrate.

[0024] This technology overcomes these challenges by incorporating nozzles with one or more relief features, such as grooves and / or ridges. These relief features can alter the size of the inter-electrode gap formed between the nozzle and other electrodes in the RF mesh or substrate support. Increasing the inter-electrode gap can reduce plasma generation (and subsequent film deposition) in localized areas of the processing chamber, and / or decreasing the inter-electrode gap can increase plasma generation in localized areas. These relief features are typically annular to help address radial non-uniformity issues.

[0025] While the remainder of the disclosure will conventionally identify specific deposition processes utilizing the disclosed technology, it will be readily understood that the system and method are equally applicable to other deposition and cleaning chambers, and processes that may occur within said chambers. Therefore, this technology should not be considered limited to use with these specific deposition processes or chambers. Before describing additional variations and modifications to this system according to embodiments of the present technology, this disclosure will discuss a possible system and chamber that may include a cap stack component according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0026] Figure 1The figure illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology. This figure may illustrate an overview of a system incorporating one or more aspects of the present technology and / or capable of performing one or more operations according to embodiments of the present technology. Additional details of the chamber 100 or the methods performed may be further described below. According to some embodiments of the present technology, the chamber 100 may be used to form a film layer, but it should be understood that these methods may be similarly performed in any chamber in which film formation may occur. The processing chamber 100 may include a chamber body 102, a substrate support 104 disposed within the chamber body 102, and a cover assembly 106 coupled to the chamber body 102 and enclosing the substrate support 104 within a processing volume 120. A substrate 103 may be provided to the processing volume 120 through an opening 126, which may conventionally be sealed for processing using a slit valve or door. During processing, the substrate 103 may be placed on a surface 105 of the substrate support. As indicated by arrow 145, the substrate support 104 can be rotated along axis 147, and the axis 144 of the substrate support 104 can be located along this axis. Alternatively, the substrate support 104 can be rotated as needed during the deposition process.

[0027] A plasma distribution modulator 111 may be disposed in the processing chamber 100 to control the plasma distribution across the substrate 103 disposed on the substrate support 104. The plasma distribution modulator 111 may include a first electrode 108, which may be disposed adjacent to the chamber body 102 and may separate the chamber body 102 from other components of the cover assembly 106. The first electrode 108 may be part of the cover assembly 106 or may be a separate sidewall electrode. The first electrode 108 may be annular or ring-shaped, and may be an annular electrode. The first electrode 108 may be a continuous ring around the circumference of the processing chamber 100 surrounding the processing volume 120, or may be discontinuous at selected locations if necessary. The first electrode 108 may also be a perforated electrode, such as a perforated ring or mesh electrode; or may be a plate electrode, such as, for example, a secondary gas distributor.

[0028] One or more isolators 110a, 110b, which may be dielectric materials (such as ceramics or metal oxides, e.g., alumina and / or aluminum nitride), may contact the first electrode 108 and electrically and thermally decouple the first electrode 108 from the gas distributor 112 and the chamber body 102. The gas distributor 112 may define an orifice 118 for dispensing process precursors into the processing volume 120. The gas distributor 112 may be coupled to a first power source 142, such as a radio frequency (RF) generator, RF power source, DC power source, pulsed DC power source, pulsed RF power source, or any other power source that may be coupled to the processing chamber. In some embodiments, the first power source 142 may be an RF power source.

[0029] The gas distributor 112 can be a conductive gas distributor or a non-conductive gas distributor. The gas distributor 112 can also be formed from conductive and non-conductive components. For example, the body of the gas distributor 112 can be conductive, while the panel of the gas distributor 112 can be non-conductive. In some embodiments, the gas distributor 112 can be, for example, made of... Figure 1 The first power supply 142 shown is powered, or the gas distributor 112 can be coupled to ground.

[0030] The first electrode 108 may be coupled to a first tuning circuit 128 that controls the ground path of the processing chamber 100. The first tuning circuit 128 may include a first electronic sensor 130 and a first electronic controller 134. The first electronic controller 134 may be or include a variable capacitor or other circuit elements. The first tuning circuit 128 may be or include one or more inductors 132. The first tuning circuit 128 may be any circuit that implements variable or controllable impedance under plasma conditions present in the processing volume 120 during processing. In some embodiments shown, the first tuning circuit 128 may include a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch coupled in parallel between ground and the first electronic sensor 130. The first circuit branch may include a first inductor 132A. The second circuit branch may include a second inductor 132B coupled in series with the first electronic controller 134. The second inductor 132B may be disposed between the first electronic controller 134 and a node that connects both the first and second circuit branches to the first electronic sensor 130. The first electronic sensor 130 may be a voltage or current sensor and may be coupled to the first electronic controller 134, which may provide a certain degree of closed-loop control over the plasma conditions within the processing volume 120.

[0031] The second electrode 122 may be coupled to the substrate support 104. The second electrode 122 may be embedded within the substrate support 104 or coupled to the surface of the substrate support 104. The second electrode 122 may be any other distributed arrangement of a plate, perforated plate, mesh, wire mesh, or conductive component. The second electrode 122 may be a tuning electrode and may be coupled to a second tuning circuit 136 via a conduit 146, for example, a cable with a selected resistance (e.g., 50 ohms) disposed in the shaft 144 of the substrate support 104. The second tuning circuit 136 may have a second electronic sensor 138 and a second electronic controller 140, the second electronic controller being a second variable capacitor. The second electronic sensor 138 may be a voltage or current sensor and may be coupled to the second electronic controller 140 to provide further control over the plasma conditions in the processing volume 120.

[0032] A third electrode 124, which may be a bias electrode and / or an electrostatic adsorption electrode, may be coupled to a substrate support 104. The third electrode may be coupled to a second power supply 150 via a filter 148, which may be an impedance matching circuit. The second power supply 150 may be a DC power supply, a pulsed DC power supply, an RF bias power supply, a pulsed RF source, or a bias power supply, or a combination of these or other power supplies. In some embodiments, the second power supply 150 may be an RF bias power supply.

[0033] Figure 1 The cover assembly 106 and substrate support 104 can be used with any processing chamber for plasma or thermal processing. During operation, the processing chamber 100 provides real-time control of plasma conditions within the processing volume 120. A substrate 103 can be disposed on the substrate support 104, and process gases can flow through the cover assembly 106 via inlet 114 according to any desired flow pattern. Gases can exit the processing chamber 100 via outlet 152. Electrical power can be coupled to a gas distributor 112 to establish plasma within the processing volume 120. In some embodiments, a third electrode 124 can be used to subject the substrate to an electrical bias.

[0034] When the plasma in the processing volume 120 is excited, a potential difference can be established between the plasma and the first electrode 108. A potential difference can also be established between the plasma and the second electrode 122. Electronic controllers 134 and 140 can then be used to adjust the flow properties of the ground path represented by two tuning circuits 128 and 136. A setpoint can be transmitted to the first tuning circuit 128 and the second tuning circuit 136 to provide independent control over the deposition rate and the uniformity of plasma density from center to edge. In embodiments where the electronic controllers are both variable capacitors, electronic sensors can independently adjust the variable capacitors to maximize the deposition rate and minimize thickness non-uniformity.

[0035] Each of the tuning circuits 128 and 136 may have a variable impedance, which can be adjusted using its respective electronic controllers 134 and 140. When the electronic controllers 134 and 140 are variable capacitors, the capacitance range of each variable capacitor and the inductance of the first inductor 132A and the second inductor 132B can be selected to provide an impedance range. This range may depend on the frequency and voltage characteristics of the plasma and may have a minimum value within the capacitance range of each variable capacitor. Therefore, when the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 is at its minimum or maximum value, the impedance of the first tuning circuit 128 may be high, resulting in a plasma shape with minimal air or lateral coverage on the substrate support. When the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 approaches the value that minimizes the impedance of the first tuning circuit 128, the air coverage of the plasma may increase to its maximum, effectively covering the entire operating area of ​​the substrate support 104. As the capacitance of the first electronic controller 134 deviates from the minimum impedance setting, the plasma shape may shrink from the chamber wall and the air coverage of the substrate support may decrease. Since the capacitance of the second electronic controller 140 can be changed, the second electronic controller 140 can have a similar effect, increasing and decreasing the air coverage of plasma above the substrate support.

[0036] Electronic sensors 130 and 138 can be used to tune the corresponding circuits 128 and 136 in a closed loop. Depending on the type of sensor used, a setpoint for the current or voltage can be installed in each sensor, and the sensor can be equipped with control software that determines the adjustments to each respective electronic controller 134 and 140 to minimize deviations from the setpoint. Therefore, the plasma shape can be selected and dynamically controlled during processing. It should be understood that although the foregoing discussion is based on electronic controllers 134 and 140, which may be variable capacitors, any electronic component with adjustable characteristics can be used to provide adjustable impedance for tuning circuits 128 and 136.

[0037] Figure 2A The figure shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamber 200 according to some embodiments of the present technology. Figure 2A This may include the above regarding Figure 1One or more components are discussed, and further details relating to this chamber may be described. Chamber 200 can be used for semiconductor processing operations, including the deposition of dielectric material stacks as previously described. Chamber 200 may show a partial view of a processing region of a semiconductor processing system and may not include all components, such as the additional cover stack components described earlier, which are understood to be incorporated in some embodiments of chamber 200. Chamber 200 typically includes a chamber body 205 having sidewalls, a bottom wall, and an inner sidewall defining a processing region 210. Processing region 210 may include a substrate support 215 disposed within processing region 210. Substrate support 215 may provide a heater adapted to support substrate 220 on an exposed surface of substrate support, such as a body portion. For example, substrate support 215 may include a recess 217 defining an outer boundary of substrate support surface 219. Recess 217 may project upward from substrate support 215, wherein the top surface of recess 217 is substantially aligned with the top surface of substrate 220. For example, the top surface of the recess 217 may be within 3% or approximately 3% of the height of the top surface of the substrate 220, within 2% or approximately 2% of the height of the top surface of the substrate 220, or within 1% or approximately 1% of the height of the top surface of the substrate 220, within 0.5% or approximately 0.5% of the height of the top surface of the substrate 220, or less. For example, for a substrate 220 with a thickness of 1 mm, the height of the top surface of the recess 217 may be between 0.970 mm and 1.030 mm or approximately 0.970 mm and 1.030 mm, between 0.980 mm and 1.020 mm or approximately 0.980 mm and 1.020 mm, between 0.990 mm and 1.010 mm or approximately 0.990 mm and 1.010 mm, between 0.995 mm and 1.005 mm or approximately 0.995 mm and 1.005 mm, or approximately 1 mm. The substrate support 215 may include a heating element 225, such as a resistance heating element, which can heat the substrate temperature and control the substrate temperature at a desired process temperature. The substrate support 215 may also be heated by a remote heating element, such as a lamp assembly or any other heating device.

[0038] The main body of the substrate support 215 may be a rod 230. The rod 230 can electrically couple the substrate support 215 to a power socket or power supply box 235. The power supply box 235 may include a drive system that controls the raising and lowering of the substrate support 215 within the processing area 210. The rod 230 may also include an electrical power interface to provide electrical power to the substrate support 215. The power supply box 235 may also include interfaces for electrical power and temperature indicators, such as thermocouple interfaces. The precursor dispensing assembly 240 may be coupled to the top of the chamber body 205 and possibly to one or more intermediate components located therebetween. The precursor dispensing assembly 240 can deliver reactants and cleaning precursors into the processing area 210. The precursor dispensing assembly 240 may include a gas chamber 245, a baffle plate 250, and / or a nozzle 255. The gas chamber 245 may define or provide access to the processing chamber. The baffle plate 250 may be positioned between the gas chamber 245 and the substrate support 215. The barrier plate 250 may include or define a plurality of holes passing through the plate. In some embodiments, the barrier plate may be characterized by increased central conductivity. For example, in some embodiments, a subset of holes extending near or around a central region of the barrier plate may be characterized by a hole diameter larger than that of holes radially outward from the central region. In some embodiments, this may increase central conductivity. A radio frequency (“RF”) source (not shown) may be coupled to a gas distribution assembly 240, which may power the gas distribution assembly 240 to facilitate the generation of a plasma region between the nozzle 255 and the substrate support 215. In some embodiments, the RF source may be coupled to other portions of the chamber body 205, such as the substrate support 215, to facilitate plasma generation. For example, an RF grid or electrode 270 may be embedded within the body of the substrate support 215, which may be supplied with RF power to facilitate the generation of plasma within the processing region 210.

[0039] A nozzle 255 may be positioned within a chamber 200 between a barrier plate 250 and a substrate support 215, as previously described. The nozzle 255 may be characterized by a first surface 257 and a second surface 259, the second surface being opposite to the first surface 257. In some embodiments, the first surface 257 may face the barrier plate 250 and / or the gas chamber 245. The second surface 259 may be positioned facing the substrate support 215 within a processing region 210 of the chamber 200. For example, in some embodiments, the second surface 259 of the nozzle 255 and the substrate support 215 may at least partially define the processing region 210. The nozzle 255 may define a plurality of orifices 260 defined by the nozzle 255 and extending from the first surface 257 through the second surface 259. Each orifice 260 provides a fluid path through the nozzle 255 and provides a fluid passage to the processing region of the chamber. In some embodiments, the orifice 260 may have a generally cylindrical cross-section. As shown in the figure, each hole 260 may have a hole profile including a larger upper portion 262 and a smaller lower portion 264, although other hole profiles are possible in various embodiments.

[0040] Depending on the size of the nozzle 255 and the size of the orifice 260, the nozzle 255 may define any number of orifices 260 passing through the plate, such as more than or about 1,000 or more, more than or about 2,000 or more, more than or about 3,000 or more, more than or about 4,000 or more, more than or about 5,000 or more, more than or about 6,000 or more, or more. As described above, the orifices 260 may be included in a set of rings extending outward from the central axis of the nozzle 255, and may include any number of rings as described above. The rings may be characterized by any number of shapes, including circular or elliptical, and any other geometric pattern, such as rectangular, hexagonal, or any other geometric pattern that may include orifices distributed in a radially outward number of rings. The orifices may have uniform or staggered spacing and may be spaced apart from center to center by a distance less than or about 10 mm. The holes can also be spaced apart by distances of less than or about 9 mm, less than or about 8 mm, less than or about 7 mm, less than or about 6 mm, less than or about 5 mm, less than or about 4 mm, less than or about 3 mm or smaller.

[0041] The rings can be characterized by any geometry as described above, and in some embodiments, the holes can be characterized by a scaling function of the holes in each ring. For example, in some embodiments, the first hole can extend through the center of the panel, such as along the central axis shown. The first hole ring can extend around the central hole and can include any number of holes, such as between about 4 and about 10 holes, which can be equidistantly spaced around the geometry extending through the center of each hole. Any number of additional hole rings can extend radially outward from the first ring and can include multiple holes, which can be a function of the number of holes in the first ring. For example, the number of holes in each successive ring can be characterized by the number of holes in each corresponding ring according to the equation XR, where X is the basic number of holes and R is the corresponding ring number. The basic number of holes can be the number of holes in the first ring, and in some embodiments, it can be some other number, as will be further described below, where the first ring has an increasing number of holes. For example, for an exemplary panel having 5 holes distributed around a first ring, where 5 may be the basic number of holes, a second ring may be characterized by 10 holes ((5) × (2)), a third ring by 15 holes ((5) × (3)), and a 20th ring by 100 holes ((5) × (20)). As previously stated, this can continue to be used for any number of hole rings, such as up to, greater than, or about 50 rings. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of holes spanning the panel may be characterized by a hole profile, which may be the same or different in embodiments of the art.

[0042] like Figure 2B As best shown in the partial schematic cross-sectional view, the second surface 259 of the nozzle 255 may define one or more annular undulation features 275. The undulation features 275 may extend 360 degrees or less around the second surface 259. Each undulation feature 275 may be in the form of a ridge projecting downwards from the second surface 259 and / or a groove extending into the second surface 259. For example, as shown, undulation feature 275a is in the form of an annular groove extending around the second surface 259. The cross-section of the undulation feature 275 may be constant and / or vary along the length of the undulation feature 275. The undulation feature 275 may have any cross-sectional shape. For example, in some embodiments, the undulation feature 275 may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape such that the height (for a ridge) or depth (for a groove) across the width of the undulation feature 275 is constant. In other embodiments, the cross-section of the undulation feature 275 may be gradually narrowing and / or contoured, such that the height or depth of the undulation feature 275 varies across the width of the undulation feature 275.

[0043] By including grooves and / or protrusions / ridges (undulation features 275) within the nozzle 255, the deposition rate can be varied at a given location on the substrate 220. This may be due to the potential change between the second surface 259 of the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270 when RF power is supplied to the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270. This potential depends on the vertical distance between a portion of the second surface 259 of the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270. The presence of the ridge undulation feature 275 reduces the vertical distance between the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270, which increases the potential and deposition rate on the portion of the substrate 220 adjacent to the undulation feature 275. The presence of the groove undulation feature 275 increases the vertical distance between the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270, which decreases the potential and deposition rate on the portion of the substrate 220 adjacent to the undulation feature 275. In this way, any number of slots and / or ridges can be provided in the second surface 259 to vary the vertical distance between the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270 along the length of the nozzle 255, thereby controlling the deposition rate of one or more regions of the substrate 220.

[0044] As shown, the undulating feature 275a is in the form of an annular groove, the size and shape of which substantially correspond to the size and shape of the heater recess 217 (e.g., each dimension of the groove is within or approximately 10% of the corresponding dimension of the heater recess 217). The inner edge of the groove may have a tapered shape corresponding to the tapered shape of the inner edge of the heater recess 217, and the undulation of the outer edge of the groove may match the undulation of the outer edge of the heater recess 217. The upper surface of the groove may be substantially flat to match the top surface of the heater recess 217. By positioning the groove above the heater recess 217 (radially outward of the substrate 220), the effect of reduced potential can be seen in the edge regions of the substrate 220 (e.g., 85%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 99%, etc., outside the radius of the substrate 220).

[0045] The height and / or depth of the undulation feature 275 (and the final change in the spacing between the nozzle 255 and the RF grid 270) can correspond to a given change in film thickness. As an example only, a spacing change of 1 mil (or other distance) in a given direction can result in a film thickness correction of approximately 210 Å (or other thickness). For instance, a 10-mil trench undulation feature 275 can result in a film thickness reduction of approximately 2100 Å in the corresponding region of the substrate 220, while a 10-mil ridge undulation feature 275 can result in a film thickness increase of approximately 2100 Å in the corresponding region of the substrate 220. Based on the relationship between the height and / or depth of the undulation feature 275 and the film thickness, the size, location, and / or shape of each undulation feature 275 can be selected to alter the film thickness distribution of the substrate 220. For example, one or more ridge undulation features can be positioned on a region of the nozzle 255 corresponding to a low deposition region, while one or more trench undulation features can be positioned on a region of the nozzle 255 corresponding to a high deposition region. The height / depth of undulation feature 275 can be less than or about 200 mils, less than or about 150 mils, less than or about 100 mils, less than or about 90 mils, less than or about 80 mils, less than or about 70 mils, less than or about 60 mils, less than or about 50 mils, less than or about 40 mils, less than or about 30 mils, less than or about 20 mils, less than or about 10 mils, less than or about 5 mils, or less. Typically, the depth / height of each undulation feature 275 can be between 5 mils and 100 mils, or about 5 mils and 100 mils.

[0046] The height and / or depth of each undulation feature 275 across its width can be selected to correspond to a desired variation in film thickness within a given region of substrate 220. Therefore, the size and shape of each undulation feature 275 can substantially mimic peaks or valleys in the thickness distribution of known film chemistry using a flat nozzle, which may result in alterations in the film deposition rate to effectively reduce the amplitude of v and produce a more uniform film thickness across the surface of substrate 220. For example, if the film is too thick in a substrate region from approximately 75% to approximately 95% of the radius of substrate 220, a groove undulation feature 275 can be formed in nozzle 255 above and / or slightly outward of this region to help reduce the film thickness in this region. Similarly, if the film is too thin in a substrate region from approximately 95% to approximately 98% of the radius of substrate 220, a ridge undulation feature 275 can be formed in nozzle 255 above and / or slightly outward of this region to help increase the film thickness in this region.

[0047] The undulation feature 275 may be formed radially outward of the orifices 260 of the nozzle 255 and / or radially inward of the outermost edge of at least one of the orifices 260. For example, as shown, a subset of orifices 260a is disposed within the undulation feature 275a. In this case, to maintain uniform flow conduction across the nozzle 255, the lower portion 264 of each orifice 260 may remain constant. In the case of orifices 260a, this may result in a reduction in the length of the upper portion 262a, such that the lower portion 264 of each orifice 260a may have the same length as the lower portions 264 of orifices 260 not included in the subset.

[0048] Figure 2C The illustration shows a nozzle 255c that can be used in chamber 200. For example, nozzle 255b may include a ridge undulation feature 275c. The size, location, and / or shape of the undulation structure 275c may be determined to increase film deposition in one or more known low regions (this may be determined based on the deposition operation performed using different nozzles, such as flat nozzles). Although shown as a sharp transition point with undulation changes, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the transition point may be rounded and / or otherwise undulated. Such undulation helps prevent flow uniformity problems within chamber 200. Figure 2D The illustration shows a nozzle 255d that can be used in chamber 200. For example, nozzle 255d may include an undulating feature 275d, which includes grooves and ridges. The size, positioning, and / or shape of the groove portion 280 of the undulating feature 275d may be determined to reduce film deposition in one or more known high regions, while the size, positioning, and / or shape of the ridge portion 285 of the undulating feature 275d may be determined to increase film deposition in one or more known low regions. Although the groove portion 280 and the ridge portion 285 are shown here sharing a boundary and contacting each other, in some embodiments the groove portion 280 and the ridge portion 285 may be radially spaced from each other. Furthermore, although the groove portion 280 is shown radially inward of the ridge portion 285, it should be understood that this relative positioning may be reversed in various embodiments. Additionally, it should be understood that any number and / or combination of groove portions and / or ridge portions may be included in some embodiments.

[0049] Figure 3 The illustration depicts the operation of an exemplary method 300 for semiconductor processing according to some embodiments of the present technology. This method can be performed in various processing chambers, including the aforementioned processing chamber 200, which may include nozzles according to embodiments of the present technology, such as nozzle 255. Method 300 may include a number of optional operations, which may or may not be specifically associated with some embodiments of the method according to the present technology.

[0050] Method 300 may include a processing method that may include operations for forming a hard mask film or other deposition operations. This method may include optional operations prior to the commencement of method 300, or it may include additional operations. For example, method 300 may include operations performed in a different order than those shown. In some embodiments, method 300 may include introducing one or more precursors into a processing chamber at operation 305. For example, precursors may flow into a chamber (such as chamber 200), and may be passed through one or more of an air chamber, a baffle plate, or a nozzle before being delivered to the processing area of ​​the chamber.

[0051] In some embodiments, the nozzle may define one or more annular undulation features, such as grooves and / or ridges. The undulation features may alter the size of the inter-electrode gap formed between the nozzle and the RF grid disposed within the substrate support at discrete locations on the nozzle. This variation in gap size can result in a variation in the deposition rate on the substrate at the locations of the undulation features. At operation 310, a precursor plasma may be generated within the processing region, such as by providing RF power to the nozzle to generate plasma. At operation 315, material formed in the plasma may be deposited on the substrate. In some embodiments, the deposited material may be characterized by a thickness at the substrate edge that is substantially the same as the thickness in the central region of the substrate. For example, the deposited material may be characterized by a target uniformity of less than 1500 Å in thickness near the substrate edge.

[0052] Furthermore, the thickness at the substrate edge can be greater than the thickness of the middle or central region near the substrate radius but less than or about 9%, and can be less than or about 8%, less than or about 7%, less than or about 6%, less than or about 5%, less than or about 4%, less than or about 3%, less than or about 2%, less than or about 1%, or can be substantially similar or uniform along the substrate across various locations. Improved uniformity can be provided by utilizing a nozzle having one or more undulating features corresponding to known high and low film thickness regions.

[0053] In the foregoing description, numerous details have been set forth for purposes of explanation in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be practiced without some of these details or with additional details.

[0054] Several embodiments have been disclosed, and those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present technology, many well-known processes and elements have not been described. Therefore, the above description should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present technology.

[0055] Where a numerical range is provided, it should be understood that, unless the context explicitly specifies otherwise, the smallest portion of each intermediate value to the lower limit unit is also specifically disclosed between the upper and lower limits of this range. This encompasses any narrower range between any specified or unspecified intermediate value within the specified range and any other specified or intermediate value within this specified range. The upper and lower limits of these narrower ranges may independently include or exclude this range, and each range, whether one, none, or both limits are included within a narrower range, is also included in this technique, but is subject to any explicitly excluded limits within the specified range. When a specified range includes one or two limits, the range excluding one or both limits is also included.

[0056] As used herein and in the claims of the appended invention, the singular forms “a / an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a heater” includes a plurality of such heaters, and reference to “the protrusion” includes reference to one or more protrusions and their equivalents known to those skilled in the art, and so on.

[0057] Furthermore, when used in this specification and the following claims, the terms “comprise(s)”, “comprising”, “contain(s)”, “containing”, “include(s)”, and “including” are intended to describe the presence of the stated feature, integer, component, or operation, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, operations, actions, or groups.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing chamber, comprising: The main body of the chamber; A substrate support is disposed within the chamber body, and the substrate support defines a substrate support surface. as well as The nozzle is positioned and supported on top of the chamber body, wherein: The substrate support and the bottom surface of the nozzle at least partially define the processing area within the semiconductor processing chamber; The nozzle defines a plurality of orifices passing through the nozzle; and The bottom surface of the nozzle defines an annular groove, the annular groove being positioned directly above at least a portion of the substrate support, wherein the annular groove is disposed radially outside the plurality of holes.

2. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The substrate support includes a heater recess protruding upward from the upper surface of the substrate support; and The annular groove has a size and shape corresponding to the recess of the heater.

3. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, further comprising: An RF grid is embedded within the substrate support, wherein the vertical distance between the RF grid and the bottom surface of the nozzle varies across the length of the nozzle.

4. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The bottom surface of the nozzle defines an annular ridge that protrudes downward from the bottom surface.

5. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein: The annular groove is in contact with the annular ridge.

6. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein: The annular groove and the annular ridge are spaced apart from each other.

7. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein: The inner and outer edges of the annular groove gradually narrow.

8. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The depth of the groove is between 5 mils and 100 mils.

9. A semiconductor processing chamber, comprising: The main body of the chamber; A substrate support is disposed within the chamber body, and the substrate support defines a substrate support surface. The nozzle is positioned and supported on top of the chamber body, wherein: The substrate support and the bottom surface of the nozzle at least partially define the processing area within the semiconductor processing chamber; The nozzle defines a plurality of holes passing through it; as well as The bottom surface of the nozzle defines an annular undulation feature, wherein at least a portion of the annular undulation feature is disposed radially inside at least one of the plurality of holes.

10. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 9, wherein: The annular undulation feature includes one or both of grooves and ridges.

11. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 9, wherein: A subset of the plurality of holes is disposed within the annular undulation feature.

12. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 11, wherein: Each of the plurality of holes includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having a smaller diameter than the upper portion; and The lower portion of each of the plurality of holes within the subset has the same size as each of the plurality of holes not included in the subset.

13. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 9, wherein: The depth or height of the undulating feature is constant across the width of the undulating feature.

14. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 9, wherein: The depth or height of the undulating feature varies across the width of the undulating feature.

15. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 9, wherein: The bottom surface of the nozzle defines additional annular undulation features.

16. A method for processing a substrate, comprising: The precursor material is fed into the processing chamber, wherein: The processing chamber includes a nozzle and a substrate support, with the substrate disposed on the substrate support; The processing area of ​​the processing chamber is at least partially defined between the nozzle and the substrate support. The nozzle defines a plurality of orifices passing through the nozzle; and The bottom surface of the nozzle defines an annular undulation feature, wherein at least a portion of the annular undulation feature is disposed radially inside at least one of the plurality of holes. Plasma of the precursor is generated within the processing area of ​​the processing chamber; and Material is deposited on the substrate.

17. The method of processing a substrate as described in claim 16, wherein: The annular undulation feature includes one or both of grooves and ridges.

18. The method of processing a substrate as described in claim 16, wherein: The substrate support includes an RF grid; and The vertical distance between the RF grid and the bottom surface of the nozzle varies across the length of the nozzle.

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