Atomic layer deposition apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides atomic layer deposition equipment. The atomic layer deposition equipment comprises a deposition chamber; an inert gas source configured to supply an inert gas having an initial pressure greater than an atmospheric pressure; a heater configured to heat the inert gas from the inert gas source and having the initial gas pressure, where the heated inert gas is delivered to the deposition chamber to heat the deposition chamber; and a bypass line fluidly connected to the deposition chamber and configured to direct the inert gas within the deposition chamber out of the deposition chamber. Through the supply of the pressurized gas, the heating time of the deposition chamber can be shortened, and the productivity of the atomic layer deposition equipment is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of semiconductors, and more particularly, to an atomic layer deposition apparatus and method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology has become increasingly important in industrial applications outside of semiconductor manufacturing and processing, such as the manufacture of solar cells or OLED displays. For these industrial applications, the structure of ALD equipment is customized to process and manufacture large-size substrates (such as large display screens or solar cells). In addition, ALD equipment is combined with an automatic loading system to automatically load the substrate into the deposition chamber and remove it after processing. The use of an automatic loading system increases the attractiveness and productivity of ALD technology because it shortens the overall processing time, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing large-size substrates. Due to the increased productivity, ALD equipment has become a powerful alternative to existing deposition technologies (such as plasma CVD).

[0003] In the atomic layer deposition process, the substrate is positioned in a chamber and uniformly heated to the optimal deposition temperature, usually around 200°C. Thin film deposition is the coating of a film on a substrate, which can include various types of materials required, such as aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, polysilicon, and copper. However, there are still significant challenges when performing the atomic layer deposition process on some substrates containing sensitive materials such as copper or copper surfaces. These materials tend to oxidize rapidly at elevated temperatures. The oxidized surface will degrade the quality of the deposited layer, making the substrate unusable. Therefore, such substrates cannot be loaded into high-temperature deposition chambers with oxygen-rich conditions, and countermeasures need to be taken. Summary of the invention

[0004] An embodiment of the present application provides an atomic layer deposition system, which can quickly heat an easily oxidizable substrate in a deposition chamber by controlling the pressure and temperature of the deposition chamber without triggering oxidation, so as to improve the quality of vacuum coating and improve production efficiency.

[0005] Some embodiments of the present application provide an atomic layer deposition device, an atomic layer deposition device, comprising: a deposition chamber; an inert gas source, configured to supply an inert gas having an initial gas pressure greater than one atmospheric pressure; a heater, configured to heat the inert gas from the inert gas source and having the initial gas pressure, wherein the heated inert gas is transported to the deposition chamber to heat the deposition chamber; and a bypass line, fluidically connected to the deposition chamber and configured to guide the inert gas in the deposition chamber to flow out of the deposition chamber.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: an upstream input pipeline connected between the inert gas source and the heater, wherein a delivery gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is consistent with a gas pressure of the inert gas source.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: a downstream input pipeline connected between the heater and the deposition chamber; and a fluid regulating component configured to control the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas exhausted from the heater.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the fluid regulating assembly includes a pressure regulator and a gas mass flow controller.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition equipment further includes: a process gas source, which is configured to supply a gas-phase precursor; an exhaust pipeline, connected to the deposition chamber; and a negative pressure pump, connected to the exhaust pipeline and configured to generate a vacuum in the exhaust pipeline; wherein in a preheating mode, the atomic layer deposition equipment is controlled to supply the inert gas from the inert gas source and heated by the heater to the deposition chamber and exhaust it through the bypass line; and in a process mode, the atomic layer deposition equipment is controlled to supply the gas-phase precursor from the process gas source to the deposition chamber and exhaust it through the exhaust pipeline and the negative pressure pump.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition equipment further includes: a downstream input pipeline connected between the heater and the deposition chamber; and a circulation pipeline connected to the downstream input pipeline and configured to return the inert gas in the downstream input pipeline to the heater in the process mode.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition equipment further includes: a control valve, which is arranged in the circulation line; a branch pipeline, which is arranged in parallel with the circulation line; and a pressure relief valve, which is arranged in the branch pipeline and is configured to relieve the gas pressure of the downstream input pipeline when the control valve fails and cannot be opened.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes a recovery line connected to the bypass line and configured to return the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater.

[0013] Other embodiments of the present application provide an atomic layer deposition method, comprising: placing a substrate in a deposition chamber; generating a negative pressure in an exhaust line fluidically connected to the deposition chamber by a negative pressure pump to generate a vacuum in the deposition chamber; executing a preheating mode, in which the negative pressure pump is stopped, and an inert gas having an initial gas pressure greater than an atmospheric pressure is supplied from an inert gas source to a heater, and after the heater heats the inert gas, the inert gas is supplied to the deposition chamber to heat the substrate, and the inert gas leaves the deposition chamber through a bypass line; and executing a process mode after the preheating mode is completed, in which the supply of the inert gas is stopped, and a gaseous precursor is supplied from a process gas source to the deposition chamber, and the process gas is discharged from the deposition chamber through the exhaust line and the negative pressure pump.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the substrate includes a copper surface.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition method further includes supplying a buffer gas into the deposition chamber before executing the preheating mode to increase the pressure of the deposition chamber to a pressure state slightly lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, the inert gas is delivered from the inert gas source to the heater through an upstream input pipeline, wherein the delivery gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is kept consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the inert gas is delivered from the heater to the deposition chamber through a downstream input pipeline, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes controlling the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas through a fluid regulating component.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, the inert gas is transported from the heater to the deposition chamber via a downstream input pipeline, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes returning the inert gas in the downstream input pipeline to the heater via a circulation pipeline in the process mode.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, the circulation pipeline is opened or closed by a control valve, and when the control valve fails to open, the air pressure of the downstream input pipeline is discharged by a pressure relief valve arranged above a branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the circulation pipeline.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present application, the atomic layer deposition method further includes returning the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater through a recovery line in the preheating mode.

[0021] In the above embodiment, the deposition chamber is heated by high-pressure inert gas, which can effectively shorten the heating time. During the heating process, since the high-pressure inert gas is discharged through a bypass line instead of entering the vacuum pump, it will not cause continuous pressure on the vacuum pump, thereby extending the service life of the atomic layer deposition equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The following will briefly describe the drawings necessary for describing the embodiments of the present application or the prior art to facilitate the description of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some of the embodiments in the present application. For those skilled in the art, without the need for creative work, drawings of other embodiments can still be obtained based on the illustrations in these drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an atomic layer deposition device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a deposition chamber provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another atomic layer deposition device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 4 A flowchart of an atomic layer deposition method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to better understand the spirit of the present application, it is further described below in conjunction with some preferred embodiments of the present application.

[0028] Various embodiments of the present application are discussed in detail below. Although specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that these embodiments are only for illustrative purposes. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.

[0029] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an atomic layer deposition device 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 includes an inert gas source 11 , a deposition chamber 12 , a heater 13 , and a fluid regulating assembly 14 .

[0030] The inert gas source 11 is configured to supply an inert gas having an initial gas pressure greater than one atmosphere (1 atm or 1.01325 bar). In an exemplary embodiment, the initial gas pressure of the gas supplied by the inert gas source 11 is about one atmosphere to about 6 bar, about one atmosphere to about 5.75 bar, about one atmosphere to about 5.5 bar, about one atmosphere to about 5.25 bar, about one atmosphere to about 5 bar, about one atmosphere to about 4.75 bar, about one atmosphere to about 4.5 bar, about one atmosphere to about 4.25 bar, about one atmosphere to about 4 bar, about one atmosphere to about 3.75 bar, about one atmosphere to about 3.5 bar, about one atmosphere to about 3.25 bar, about one atmosphere to about 3 bar, and all ranges and sub-ranges therebetween. In another exemplary embodiment, the initial gas pressure of the gas supplied by the inert gas source 11 is greater than 6 bar. The gas supplied by the inert gas source 11 is supplied to the heater 13 via the upstream input line 21. The deposition chamber 12 is configured to accommodate one or more substrates (eg Figure 2 The substrate 123 is shown in the figure, so that a film layer is formed therein by an atomic layer deposition process. The heated gas from the heater 13 is transported to the deposition chamber 12 through the downstream input pipeline 22 to heat the deposition chamber 12.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present application, the upstream input pipeline 21 does not have a fluid control component (e.g., a pressure reducing valve) for regulating gas pressure, but only a first control valve 31 is provided to open or close the flow of fluid through the upstream input pipeline 21. That is, when the first control valve 31 is opened, the delivery gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source. The downstream input pipeline 22 is provided with a second control valve 32 to open or close the flow of fluid through the downstream input pipeline 22. In addition, the downstream input pipeline 22 can be selectively provided with a fluid regulating component 14 to adjust the gas pressure and / or gas flow rate before the heated gas is delivered to the deposition chamber 12.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, the fluid regulating assembly 14 includes a pressure regulator 141 and a gas mass flow controller (MFC) 142. The pressure regulator 141 is disposed on the side of the downstream input pipeline 22 close to the heater 13, and the gas mass flow controller 142 is disposed on the side of the downstream input pipeline 22 away from the heater 13. The heated gas from the heater 13 passes through the pressure regulator 141, the gas mass flow controller 142 and the second control valve 32 in sequence and enters the deposition chamber 12. The pressure regulator 141 is a device designed to maintain a constant output pressure, which can ensure that the downstream gas pressure is consistent regardless of changes in the input pressure and downstream flow requirements. The gas mass flow controller 142 is a device that measures and controls the gas flow entering the system at a specified flow rate, which can be controlled by an electrical signal. The gas mass flow controller 142 automatically adjusts to adapt to different pressures and temperatures to maintain the set flow rate. In an embodiment in which the fluid regulating assembly 14 has both a pressure regulator 141 and a gas mass flow controller 142, the pressure regulator 141 can ensure that the gas mass flow controller 142 operates within an optimal pressure range. The pressure regulator 141 and the gas mass flow controller 142 can protect each other when used together, thereby reducing the probability of damage to a single component, thereby enhancing the stability and accuracy of airflow delivery.

[0033] However, it should be understood that the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the fluid regulating assembly 14 only includes a pressure regulator 141 or only includes a gas mass flow controller 142. Before the heated gas is delivered to the deposition chamber 12, the pressure regulator 141 or the gas mass flow controller 142 can independently adjust the gas pressure and / or gas flow. In other embodiments, the fluid regulating assembly 14 is omitted, and the heated gas does not pass through the fluid regulating assembly before being delivered to the deposition chamber 12, and directly enters the deposition chamber 12 in a high pressure state.

[0034] refer to Figure 2 , the deposition chamber 12 may include an outer shell 121, an inner shell 122, and a heating element 124. The inner shell 122 defines a process environment to accommodate a plurality of substrates 123 in the deposition chamber 12. The outer shell 121 surrounds the inner shell 122, and the heating element 124 (e.g., a resistance coil) is disposed between the outer shell 121 and the inner shell 122. The heating element 124 heats the inner shell 122 and the gas disposed in the inner shell 122, the gas flowing in the inner shell 122, and the substrate 123 disposed in the inner shell 122 through the heat energy generated by the Joule effect of the current flowing through the conductor. In an exemplary embodiment, the deposition chamber 12 may accommodate a substrate carrier (not shown, such as a graphite boat) on which a plurality of substrates are disposed.

[0035] Reference again Figure 1, located downstream of the deposition chamber 12, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 includes an exhaust line 23 and a bypass line 24. One end of the exhaust line 23 and the bypass line 24 are connected to the deposition chamber 12, and the other ends of the exhaust line 23 and the bypass line 24 are fluidly connected to the first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42, respectively. The first plant exhaust pipe 41 can be connected to the second plant exhaust pipe 42. Alternatively, the first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 can be independent of each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 normally maintain a negative pressure environment to stably discharge the gas from the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10. The first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 can be connected to a filtration system, and the gas transported through the first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 can be processed by the filtration system and then discharged into the atmosphere.

[0036] The exhaust line 23 is configured to exhaust the reaction gas (e.g., gaseous precursor) deposited in the process mode or to exhaust the purge gas used to remove the reaction gas in the purge mode when the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 is in the process mode. In an exemplary embodiment, the exhaust line 23 includes a third control valve 33, a first cleaning device 16, and a negative pressure pump 15. The negative pressure pump 15 is connected to the exhaust line 23 and is configured to generate a vacuum in the exhaust line 23, thereby exhausting the material of the deposition chamber 12 during the process. The first cleaning device 16 is configured to remove part of the material in the gas passing through the exhaust line 23. The first cleaning device 16 allows the reaction and inert gas to leave the deposition chamber 12 to the exhaust line but prevents particulate matter from going out of the deposition chamber 12. The first cleaning device 16 may include a gas filter. The third control valve 33 is configured to open or close the flow of the fluid through the exhaust line 23.

[0037] The bypass line 24 is configured to exhaust the gas used to heat the deposition chamber 12 in the preheating mode of the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10. In an exemplary embodiment, a fourth control valve 34 is included on the bypass line 24. The fourth control valve 34 is configured to open or close the flow of the fluid through the bypass line 24. The upstream end of the bypass line 24 can be connected to the exhaust line 23, or directly connected to the deposition chamber 12.

[0038] like Figure 1As shown, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 may further include a process gas supply assembly 50. In some embodiments of the present application, the process gas supply assembly 50 is configured to supply a gaseous precursor for atomic layer deposition when the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 is operated in a process mode, and optionally to supply a purge gas for purging the deposition chamber 12 when the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 is operated in a purge procedure. The process gas supply assembly 50 may include a first process gas source 51, a second process gas source 52, and a purge gas source 53. The fifth control valve 351 controls the delivery of the process gas from the first process gas source 51. The sixth control valve 352 controls the delivery of the process gas from the second process gas source 52. The seventh control valve 353 controls the delivery of the inert gas from the purge gas source 53. The gases from the first process gas source 51, the second process gas source 52, and the purge gas source 53 are supplied to the deposition chamber 12 through the process gas supply line 25.

[0039] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an atomic layer deposition device 10a provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 In the embodiment, Figure 1 The same components in the embodiments will be marked with the same symbols, and their features will not be described again. Figure 1 Compared with the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 shown in the figure, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 a further includes a recovery line 26 , a circulation line 27 and a communication line 29 .

[0040] In some embodiments of the present application, one end of the recovery line 26 is connected to the bypass line 24, and the other end thereof is connected to the second clean treatment device 18. The eighth control valve 36 is arranged downstream of the junction of the recovery line 26 and the bypass line 24 to control the fluid flowing through the bypass line 24 to flow into the second plant exhaust pipe 42 or the recovery line 26. One end of the circulation line 27 is connected to the downstream input line 27, and the other end thereof is connected to the second clean treatment device 18. The ninth control valve 37 is arranged on the circulation line 27 to open or close the fluid flowing into the circulation line 27. The cooling device 17 is optionally arranged on the circulation line 27 to cool the fluid passing through the circulation line 27. The heated gas will naturally reduce pressure and temperature after entering the circulation line 27. The setting of the cooling device 17 can accelerate the cooling process and prevent excessive gas temperature from damaging the filter element and other components in the second clean treatment device 18. In some embodiments, when the circulation line 27 extends a sufficiently long length, the natural heat dissipation of the pipeline can be relied on without setting the cooling device 17. In addition, the branch line 28 can be arranged in parallel with the ninth control valve 37, and the pressure relief valve 38 is arranged on the branch line 28 and is configured to discharge the gas pressure of the downstream input line 27 when the ninth control valve 37 fails to open. One end of the connecting line 29 is connected to the second cleaning treatment device 18, and the other end thereof is connected to the upstream input line 21. Through the arrangement of the recovery line 26, the circulation line 27 and the connecting line 29, the gas in the bypass line 24 and the downstream input line 27 can be returned to the upstream input line 21 to reuse the inert gas required for heating the chamber or the substrate, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0041] Figure 4 A flowchart of a method S10 for performing atomic layer deposition using the aforementioned atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 or 10a is provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1-3 In different embodiments, some of the described steps may be replaced or eliminated.

[0042] Method S10 includes step S11, in which a substrate is placed in a deposition chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the substrate 123 includes a material that is easily oxidized. For example, the substrate 123 includes a copper material or at least a portion of the surface includes a copper material exposed to the outside. Therefore, it will oxidize rapidly during the process at a temperature higher than 100°C. The oxidized surface will cause the quality of the deposited layer to be poor and fail, making the substrate unusable. To avoid oxidation of the substrate 123, when the substrate 123 is placed in the deposition chamber 12, the deposition chamber 12 controls the temperature below 100°C. A plurality of substrates 123 can be first set in a substrate carrier and automatically placed in the deposition chamber 12 by a robot.

[0043] The method S10 further includes step S12, wherein a vacuum is generated in the deposition chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, after the substrate 123 is placed in the deposition chamber 12, the negative pressure pump 15 is started, so that the negative pressure pump 15 generates a negative pressure in the exhaust line 23, thereby exhausting the air in the deposition chamber 12 to form a near-vacuum environment in the deposition chamber 12, such as a rough vacuum environment with a pressure of mbar.

[0044] The method S10 further includes a step S13, wherein a buffer gas is supplied to the deposition chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the buffer gas (e.g., nitrogen) is supplied to the deposition chamber 12 after the step S12, so that the pressure of the deposition chamber 12 is raised to a pressure state slightly lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. For example, after the buffer gas is supplied to the deposition chamber 12, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is restored to about 0.65 bar to about 0.95 bar, about 0.7 bar to about 0.9 bar, about 0.75 bar to about 0.85 bar, and all ranges and sub-ranges therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is restored to about 0.8 bar. The buffer gas can be supplied by the purge gas source 53 of the process gas supply assembly 50. The purpose of the buffer gas supply is to first break the vacuum environment in the deposition chamber 12 to avoid damage to the equipment or substrate due to excessive pressure difference when the high-pressure and heated gas supply enters the deposition chamber 12 in the subsequent step S14. On the other hand, an environment slightly lower than the standard atmospheric pressure is created in the deposition chamber 12, thereby reducing the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the deposition chamber 12, preventing air in the environment from entering the deposition chamber 12 under a large pressure difference, and improving the sealing effect of the furnace door of the deposition chamber 12.

[0045] The method S10 further includes a step S14 (preheating mode), wherein a high-pressure inert gas is first supplied from an inert gas source to a heater for heating, and then the heated inert gas is supplied from the heater to a deposition chamber to heat the substrate. In an exemplary embodiment, the inert gas source 11 supplies an inert gas having an initial gas pressure greater than one atmospheric pressure to the heater 13 via an upstream input pipeline 21. The inert gas may be nitrogen, and its initial gas pressure may be about 5-6 bar. When the inert heated gas having a pressure greater than one atmospheric pressure is introduced, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is greater than the external standard atmospheric pressure to form a positive pressure environment, and air in the environment cannot enter the deposition chamber 12. Energy can be used more efficiently by heating the inert gas at high pressure. Since the gas has a higher density, less energy is required to reach the same temperature in the gas compared to heating a low-pressure (and thus lower-density) gas. In addition, since heating the gas at high pressure can reduce the volume occupied by the gas, a more compact system design can be achieved. In an exemplary embodiment, step S13 is omitted, and the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is directly pressurized by high-pressure inert gas from an inert gas source, so that the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is increased from a vacuum environment to the pressure of the inert gas, for example, 5-6 bar.

[0046] The inert gas heated by the heater 13 is sequentially regulated in pressure and flow by the pressure regulator 141 and the gas mass flow controller 142 of the fluid regulating assembly 14, and is then delivered into the deposition chamber 12 to heat the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 disposed inside the deposition chamber 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow rate of the inert gas regulated by the fluid regulating assembly 14 and delivered into the deposition chamber 12 is less than 500 liters / minute, for example, between about 100 liters / minute and about 300 liters / minute, and the pressure is slightly lower than the initial pressure when it leaves the inert gas source 11, for example, between about 5 bar and about 6 bar. The temperature is between about 180° C. and about 220° C.

[0047] Since the inert gas entering the deposition chamber 12 has a high-speed flow rate, a large amount of heat energy can be conducted into the deposition chamber 12, so that the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 are quickly heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 200° C.). In addition, since the inert gas entering the deposition chamber 12 has a higher pressure, the high-pressure gas exhibits a higher thermal conductivity compared to the low-pressure gas. This improved thermal conductivity allows heat energy to be transferred to the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 disposed in the deposition chamber 12 more quickly. In addition, since the deposition chamber 12 can be fully heated by the heated pressurized gas, the heating component 124 can be reduced or completely stopped from supplying energy to the deposition chamber 12 during the preheating stage to heat the deposition chamber 12.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present application, the inert gas for heating the deposition chamber 12 is moved out of the deposition chamber 12 through the bypass line 24. Since the bypass line 24 is not provided with a negative pressure pump or similar components to generate negative pressure for the bypass line 24, the disadvantage of reducing the life of the negative pressure pump due to stress exerted on the negative pressure pump by the high-pressure gas from the deposition chamber 12 can be avoided.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 3 As shown, the inert gas for heating the deposition chamber 12 is sequentially returned to the upstream input pipeline 21 through the recovery pipeline 26, the second cleaning treatment device 18 and the connecting pipeline 29, and is heated again by the heater 13 and then supplied to the deposition chamber 12 again, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0050] The method S10 further includes step S15 (process mode), supplying a gaseous precursor from a process gas source to the deposition chamber. In some embodiments of the present application, the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52 sequentially supply the gaseous precursor to the deposition chamber 12 to generate a film layer on the heated substrate 123.

[0051] The gaseous precursors supplied by the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52 may be any suitable gas that can form a film layer on the surface of the substrate 123 in the deposition chamber 12. For example, in an embodiment where the film layer to be formed on the surface of the substrate is a metal oxide film layer such as aluminum oxide, the first process gas source 51 supplies a first precursor, which is a gas containing TMA (trimethylaluminum). In addition, the second process gas source 52 supplies a second gaseous precursor, which contains water vapor.

[0052] During the process of the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52 supplying the gas-phase precursor, the negative pressure pump 15 is actuated to generate negative pressure on the exhaust pipeline 23, so that the gas in the deposition chamber 12 is discharged from the deposition chamber 12 through the exhaust pipeline 23. At this time, the fourth control valve 34 is closed and the third control valve 33 is opened, so as to quickly generate negative pressure on the deposition chamber 12.

[0053] In step S15, the deposition chamber 12 is purged between the steps of supplying the gaseous precursor from the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52. The purpose of the purging is to remove the excess precursor or reaction byproducts in the deposition chamber to prevent the excess substances from interfering with the next step. The gas used for the purging can be nitrogen or other gas that does not react with the precursor during the film preparation process.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present application, the deposition chamber 12 is purged by a purge gas from a purge gas source 53 to remove the precursor remaining in the deposition chamber 12. In other embodiments, the deposition chamber 12 is purged by a heated and high-pressure inert gas from an inert gas source 11 to remove the precursor remaining in the deposition chamber 12. Purging with a heated and high-pressure inert gas can not only more efficiently remove the excess precursor or reaction byproducts in the deposition chamber, but also maintain the temperature of the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 at the same time.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present application, while step S15 is being executed, the second control valve 32 is closed, the ninth control valve 37 is opened, the inert gas source 11 continues to supply high-pressure inert gas, and the heater 13 continues to operate. Therefore, the high-pressure inert gas heated by the heater 135 is returned to the upstream input pipeline 21 through the circulation pipeline 27, the cooling device 17, the second cleaning treatment device 18 and the connecting pipeline 29 in sequence, and enters the circulation pipeline 27 again after being heated by the heater 13. In this way, when the heated inert gas is needed, it can be supplied immediately to reduce waiting and improve production efficiency. In some embodiments of the present application, during the execution of the above-mentioned circulation procedure, if the ninth control valve 37 fails and cannot be opened, the pressure relief valve 38 set on the branch pipeline 28 can be used to remove the air pressure of the downstream input pipeline to prevent accidents.

[0056] The atomic layer deposition equipment of the embodiment of the present application utilizes heated inert gas to heat the deposition chamber and the substrate disposed in the deposition chamber, thereby preventing the oxidation-prone substrate from being oxidized at high temperature. In addition, since the inert gas is heated under high pressure, the energy required to heat the gas can be reduced.

[0057] In addition, since the heating gas flows through the deposition chamber at a relatively fast flow rate, a large amount of heat energy can be delivered to the deposition chamber in a short time, thereby reducing the time required for heating. The technical effects of the embodiments of the present application can be more clearly seen through the description of the first comparative embodiment and the second comparative embodiment below.

[0058] In the first comparative embodiment, the substrate in the deposition chamber is heated only by the heating element configured in the deposition chamber, and it takes about 3.9 hours to heat the substrate in the deposition chamber from room temperature to 200° C. In the second comparative embodiment, the inert gas from the inert gas source 11 is first depressurized to a normal pressure state (e.g., to a state of approximately one atmosphere) before passing through the heater, and is then supplied to the deposition chamber at a lower flow rate (e.g., about 15 liters / minute) after being heated by the heater to heat the substrate in the deposition chamber. In the second comparative embodiment, it takes about 3.65 hours to heat the substrate in the deposition chamber from room temperature to 200° C., which is not significantly different from the first comparative embodiment. This is because only a relatively small portion (e.g., less than 10%) of the heat energy used to heat the substrate to raise its temperature to the desired temperature comes from the heating gas, and the rest comes from the heating element originally configured in the deposition chamber. On the contrary, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inert gas from the inert gas source 11 is heated at a high pressure (e.g., about 5-6 bar) and supplied to the deposition chamber at a relatively high flow rate (e.g., between about 100 liters / minute and about 300 liters / minute) to heat the substrate in the deposition chamber. Since the heating gas passes through the heating chamber at a high pressure and high flow rate, only a relatively large portion (e.g., about 30%-40%) of the heat energy used to heat the substrate to increase its temperature to the desired temperature comes from the heating gas, so it only takes 2.6 hours to heat the substrate in the deposition chamber from room temperature to 200°C. Therefore, compared with the first or second comparative embodiments, heating the deposition chamber of the same volume with a high-pressure inert gas can significantly shorten the heating time by about 33% and about 28%, respectively. Since the heating time accounts for a considerable proportion of the overall atomic layer deposition process time, the atomic layer deposition equipment of the embodiment of the present application can effectively increase the production capacity while only adding a small amount of hardware cost to the existing machine. On the other hand, since the substrate is heated uniformly, the uniformity of the layer formed on the substrate using the atomic layer deposition process can be optimized, thereby improving product quality.

[0059] It should be noted that references to "an embodiment of the present application" or similar terms throughout this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described together with other embodiments is included in at least one embodiment and may not necessarily be present in all embodiments. Therefore, the corresponding appearances of the phrase "an embodiment of the present application" or similar terms throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any particular embodiment may be combined with one or more other embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0060] In addition, any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise described herein may be understood to represent a module, segment or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing the steps of a specific logical function or process, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of the present application includes additional implementations in which functions may not be performed in the order shown or discussed, including performing functions in a substantially simultaneous manner or in the reverse order depending on the functions involved, which should be understood by technicians in the technical field to which the embodiments of the present application belong.

[0061] The technical content and technical features of the present invention have been disclosed as above, but those skilled in the art may still make various substitutions and modifications based on the teachings and disclosures of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents disclosed in the embodiments, but should include various substitutions and modifications that do not depart from the present invention, and are covered by the claims of this patent application.

[0062] [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10.10a: Atomic layer deposition equipment

[0064] 11: Inert gas source

[0065] 12: Deposition chamber

[0066] 121: Outer shell

[0067] 122: Inner shell

[0068] 123:Substrate

[0069] 124: Heating component

[0070] 13: Heater

[0071] 14: Fluid regulating components

[0072] 141: Pressure regulator

[0073] 142: Gas Mass Flow Controller

[0074] 15: Negative pressure pump

[0075] 16: First cleaning device

[0076] 17: Cooling device

[0077] 18: Second cleaning device

[0078] 21: Upstream input pipeline

[0079] 22: Downstream input pipeline

[0080] 23: Exhaust line

[0081] 24: Bypass pipeline

[0082] 25: Process gas supply pipeline

[0083] 26: Recovery pipeline

[0084] 27: Circulation pipeline

[0085] 28:Branch pipeline

[0086] 29: Connecting pipeline

[0087] 31: First control valve

[0088] 32: Second control valve

[0089] 33: The third control valve

[0090] 34: Fourth control valve

[0091] 351: Fifth control valve

[0092] 352: Sixth control valve

[0093] 353: Seventh control valve

[0094] 36: Eighth control valve

[0095] 37: Ninth control valve

[0096] 38: Pressure relief valve

[0097] 41: First factory exhaust pipe

[0098] 42: Second factory exhaust pipe

[0099] 50: Process gas supply components

[0100] 51: First process gas source

[0101] 52: Second process gas source

[0102] 53: Purge gas source

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition device, characterized in that: include: a deposition chamber; an inert gas source configured to supply an inert gas having an initial gas pressure greater than atmospheric pressure; a heater configured to heat the inert gas having the initial gas pressure from the inert gas source, wherein the heated inert gas is delivered to the deposition chamber to heat the deposition chamber; and A bypass line is fluidically connected to the deposition chamber and is configured to guide the inert gas in the deposition chamber to flow out of the deposition chamber.

2. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: An upstream input pipeline is connected between the inert gas source and the heater, wherein the delivery gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source.

3. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: a downstream input line connected between the heater and the deposition chamber; and A fluid regulating assembly is configured to control the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas exhausted from the heater.

4. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fluid regulating assembly includes a pressure regulator and a gas mass flow controller.

5. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: a process gas source configured to supply a gas-phase precursor; an exhaust line connected to the deposition chamber; and a negative pressure pump connected to the exhaust line and configured to generate a vacuum in the exhaust line; In a preheating mode, the atomic layer deposition equipment is controlled to supply the inert gas from the inert gas source and heated by the heater to the deposition chamber and exhaust it through the bypass line; and in a process mode, the atomic layer deposition equipment is controlled to supply the gaseous precursor from the process gas source to the deposition chamber and exhaust it through the exhaust line and the negative pressure pump.

6. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: a downstream input line connected between the heater and the deposition chamber; and A circulation line is connected to the downstream input line and is configured to return the inert gas in the downstream input line to the heater in the process mode.

7. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: a control valve, which is arranged in the circulation pipeline; a branch pipeline, arranged in parallel with the circulation pipeline; and A pressure relief valve is disposed in the branch pipeline and is configured to release the gas pressure of the downstream input pipeline when the control valve fails to open.

8. The atomic layer deposition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition apparatus further comprises: A recovery line is connected to the bypass line and is configured to return the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater.

9. An atomic layer deposition method, characterized in that: include: placing a substrate into a deposition chamber; generating a negative pressure in an exhaust line fluidly connected to the deposition chamber by a negative pressure pump to generate a vacuum in the deposition chamber; executing a preheating mode, in which the negative pressure pump is stopped, and an inert gas having an initial pressure greater than an atmospheric pressure is supplied from an inert gas source to a heater, after the heater heats the inert gas, the inert gas is supplied to the deposition chamber to heat the substrate, and the inert gas leaves the deposition chamber through a bypass line; as well as After the preheating mode is completed, a process mode is executed, in which the supply of the inert gas is stopped, and a gaseous precursor is supplied to the deposition chamber from a process gas source, and the process gas is discharged from the deposition chamber through the exhaust line and the negative pressure pump.

10. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The substrate includes a copper surface.

11. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition method further includes supplying a buffer gas into the deposition chamber before executing the preheating mode to increase the pressure of the deposition chamber to a pressure state slightly lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

12. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inert gas is delivered from the inert gas source to the heater through an upstream input pipeline, wherein a delivery gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is consistent with a gas pressure of the inert gas source.

13. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inert gas is delivered from the heater to the deposition chamber through a downstream input pipeline, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes controlling the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas through a fluid regulating component.

14. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inert gas is transported from the heater to the deposition chamber through a downstream input line, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes returning the inert gas in the downstream input line to the heater through a circulation line in the process mode.

15. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The circulation pipeline is opened or closed by a control valve, and when the control valve fails to open, the air pressure of the downstream input pipeline is discharged through a pressure relief valve arranged above a branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the circulation pipeline.

16. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The atomic layer deposition method further includes returning the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater through a recovery line in the preheating mode.

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