Gas injection system and semiconductor processing system including same

Abstract

A gas injection system and a semiconductor processing system including such a gas injection system are disclosed. The disclosed gas injection system includes an injector housing having a first series of injection ports and a separate second series of injection ports constructed and arranged to reduce parasitic deposits on an interior surface of a reaction chamber. Also disclosed is a method for forming a silicon-containing layer within a reaction chamber with reduced parasitic deposition on the inner surface of the reaction chamber.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of systems and apparatus employed in the fabrication of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a gas injection system configured to reduce parasitic deposition within a reaction chamber and related semiconductor processing systems. BACKGROUND

[0002] Semiconductor devices can be fabricated in semiconductor processing systems that include one or more reaction chambers. Deposition gases including precursors, dopants, and the like can be injected into the reaction chamber to form a silicon-containing layer on a substrate disposed within the reaction chamber. Additionally, additional gases such as etchants can also be injected into the reaction chamber during formation of the silicon-containing layer. For example, etchants can be used in deposition-etch type processes, and / or in processes to clean the interior walls of the reaction chamber in which deposition occurs.

[0003] Conventional gas injection systems employed in the injection of precursor gases and etchant gases into the reaction chamber can result in undesirable parasitic deposition of material on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber. Such parasitic deposition can negatively impact the quality of the deposited silicon-containing layer, as well as the operation and longevity of the semiconductor processing system. Accordingly, improved gas injection systems and related semiconductor processing systems are desired to reduce or prevent parasitic deposition in the reaction chamber. SUMMARY

[0004] The following presents a simplified summary of select concepts in order to provide a basic understanding of the innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter as encompassed by the claims.

[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a gas injection system, a semiconductor processing system including such a gas injection system, and a method for forming a silicon-containing layer within a reaction chamber with reduced parasitic deposition on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber.

[0006] According to examples of the present disclosure, a gas injection system for supplying gases into a reaction chamber is provided. In such examples, the gas injection system includes an injector housing including a front face and a back face; a substrate passageway extending through the injector housing from the front face to the back face; a first series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the first series of injection ports is positioned above the substrate passageway and in fluid communication with a first manifold, the first manifold including a plurality of first flow controllers configured to control a flow of a precursor gas from a precursor source to the first series of injection ports; and a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the second series of injection ports is positioned above the first series of injection ports and in fluid communication with a second manifold, the second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of a non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the second series of injection ports. The gas injection system can further include wherein the first series of injection ports includes a first plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another. The gas injection system can further include wherein each of the first series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers, and each of the second series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers. The gas injection system can further include wherein the precursor source includes a silicon precursor including at least one of disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ). The gas injection system can further include wherein the non-precursor source includes at least an etchant source including a halide etchant. Other technical features can be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims. The gas injection system can further include wherein each of the second series of injection ports includes a second plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another. The gas injection system can further include wherein the first series of injection ports is oriented parallel to the second series of injection ports. The gas injection system can further include a groove disposed in the front face of the injector housing, the groove surrounding the substrate passageway, wherein the second series of injection ports is positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the groove. The gas injection system can further include a third series of injection ports positioned between the substrate passageway and a lower surface of the groove, wherein the third series of injection ports is in fluid communication with the second manifold, the second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of the non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports. Other technical features can be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

[0007] According to examples of the present disclosure, a semiconductor processing system is provided. The semiconductor processing system includes: a reaction chamber including an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface; a support assembly for supporting a substrate within the reaction chamber; a gas injection system for supplying a gas into the reaction chamber, the gas injection system including: an injector housing including a front face and a back face; a substrate passageway extending through the injector housing from the front face to the back face; a first series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the first series of injection ports is positioned above the substrate passageway and in fluid communication with a first manifold, the first manifold including a plurality of first flow controllers configured to control a flow of a precursor gas from a precursor source to the first series of injection ports; and a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the second series of injection ports is positioned between the first series of injection ports and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber and in fluid communication with a second manifold, the second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of a non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the second series of injection ports; and an exhaust source positioned downstream of the gas injection system. The semiconductor processing system can further include wherein the first series of injection ports includes a first plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another. The semiconductor processing system can further include wherein each of the first series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers, and each of the second series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers. The semiconductor processing system can further include wherein the precursor source includes a silicon precursor including at least one of disilane (Si2H6), propylsilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ). Other technical features can be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims. The semiconductor processing system can further include wherein the second series of injection ports includes a second plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another. The semiconductor processing system can further include wherein the first series of injection ports is parallel to the second series of injection ports. The semiconductor processing system can further include a groove disposed in the front face of the injector housing, the groove surrounding the substrate passageway, wherein the second series of injection ports is positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the groove. The semiconductor processing system can further include a third series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing and positioned between the substrate passageway and a lower surface of the groove, wherein the third series of injection ports is in fluid communication with the second manifold, the second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of the non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports. Other technical features can be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

[0008] According to examples of the present disclosure, a method for forming a silicon-containing layer within a reaction chamber including an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface is provided. The method includes introducing a substrate into the reaction chamber through a substrate passage extending through an injector housing of a gas injection system and positioning the substrate on a support assembly, injecting a precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a first series of injection ports disposed in a front face of the injector housing, and injecting a non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing above the first series of injection ports, wherein the non-precursor gas provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface. The method can also include injecting an additional non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a third series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing below the substrate passage, wherein the additional non-precursor gas provides an additional gas curtain between the precursor gas and the lower interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the lower interior surface. The method can also include wherein the precursor gas includes at least one of disilane (Si2H6), propylsilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ), and the non-precursor gas includes a halide etchant. Other technical features can be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

[0009] For purposes of summarizing the application and the implementing advantages thereof, certain objectives and advantages of this application have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objectives or advantages can be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the application. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the application can be practiced with one or more advantages as taught or suggested herein without necessarily achieving other objectives or advantages as can be taught or suggested by one skilled in the art.

[0010] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the application herein disclosed. These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments, wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] For ease of identification of discussions of any particular element or action, one or more most significant digits of reference characters are directed to the figure number in which that element was first introduced. A more complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure can be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures.

[0012] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a portion of a semiconductor processing system is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2 A portion of a gas injection system is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3 A portion of a gas injection system is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 4 A portion of a gas injection system is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 A portion of a gas injection system is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6 An exemplary injector nozzle is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 7 An exemplary method for forming a silicon-containing layer with reduced parasitic deposition in a reaction chamber is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] It is to be understood that the elements in the figures are shown for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures can be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following description of exemplary embodiments of methods and compositions provided herein is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the disclosure or the claims. The following description is intended to illustrate examples of the claimed embodiments. The description is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure or the claims in any way.

[0021] The present disclosure relates to gas injection systems designed to minimize or eliminate parasitic deposition on interior surfaces within a reaction chamber, as well as related semiconductor processing systems and methods. As a non-limiting example, during the formation of a silicon-containing layer on a substrate, undesirable reactions can occur on interior surfaces of a reaction chamber, resulting in a parasitic layer of undesirable material on such surfaces. Parasitic deposition can negatively impact the quality of the deposited silicon-containing layer, as well as the operation and longevity of the semiconductor processing system. Parasitic deposition can be particularly troublesome when a transparent reaction chamber is employed, such as a reaction chamber made of quartz material. In such examples, parasitic deposition can block both incoming radiation (e.g., external radiation from external lamps used for heating) and outgoing radiation (e.g., internal radiation directed to external monitoring and control systems). Moreover, as increased deposition rates and layer thicknesses are sought, the rate of parasitic layer formation on interior surfaces within the reaction chamber can disadvantageously increase. For example, higher order silanes can be used as silicon precursors to achieve enhanced deposition rates of silicon-containing layers (e.g., disilane, trisilane, tetrasilane, etc.). These higher order silanes, which feature multiple silicon-silicon (Si-Si) bonds, can increase the deposition rate of the silicon-containing layer, but can also increase the risk of undesirable parasitic deposition on interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, particularly at elevated deposition temperatures (e.g., above 500 °C).

[0022] To mitigate parasitic deposition within a reaction chamber, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gas injection system that includes an injector housing including a first series of injection ports for introducing a precursor gas stream into a reaction chamber and a second series of injection ports for introducing a non-precursor gas stream into the reaction chamber. The injector housing is structured and arranged such that the second series of injection ports is positioned above the first series of injection ports. This arrangement of separate injection ports allows the non-precursor gas stream to propagate above the precursor gas stream, thereby reducing the interaction between the precursor gas and interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, and thus reducing the likelihood of parasitic deposition on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber. In further embodiments of the present disclosure, the injector housing can also include a third series of injection ports positioned below the first series of injection ports. Employing such an arrangement allows an additional non-precursor gas stream to propagate below the precursor gas stream, thereby further reducing the interaction between the precursor gas and interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, and thus further mitigating the deposition of parasitic layers.

[0023] As used herein, the term substrate can refer to any underlying material or materials on which a layer can be deposited. A substrate can include bulk material, such as silicon (e.g., single crystal silicon) or other semiconductor material, and can include one or more layers overlying or underlaying the bulk material, such as a native oxide or other layer. A substrate can include various topologies, such as recesses, lines, etc. formed within or on at least a portion of the substrate’s layers and / or bulk material. A substrate can include one or more materials, including, for example, silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), germanium tin (GeSn), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn), silicon carbide (SiC), or a III-V semiconductor material, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium phosphide (GaP), or gallium nitride (GaN). In some examples, a substrate can include one or more dielectric materials, including, for example, an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride. A substrate can include silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2), a metal oxide (e.g., AI2O3), silicon nitride (e.g., Si3N4), or silicon oxynitride. A substrate can also include an engineered substrate, in which a surface semiconductor layer can be disposed above a bulk support, with an intervening buried oxide (BOX) disposed therebetween. A substrate can include one or more single crystal surfaces and / or one or more other surfaces, which can include non-single crystal surfaces, such as polycrystalline surfaces and / or amorphous surfaces. A substrate can include a layer including a metal, such as copper, cobalt, etc.

[0024] The term precursor and / or precursor gas can refer to a gas or combination of gases that participates in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. For example, a precursor gas can be used to grow an epitaxial layer including silicon. A precursor gas can include a deposition gas, a dopant gas, or a combination of a deposition gas and a dopant gas. A precursor can also be combined with a carrier gas for injecting the precursor gas into a reaction chamber.

[0025] The term non-precursor and / or non-precursor gas can refer to a gas or combination of gases that does not participate in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. For example, a non-precursor gas can be used to etch an epitaxial layer including silicon or to clean an interior surface of a reaction chamber. A non-precursor gas can include an etchant gas. A non-precursor can also be combined with a carrier gas for injecting the non-precursor gas into a reaction chamber.

[0026] In the following description of various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure can be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and that structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Aspects of the disclosure can have other embodiments and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Rather, the phrases and terms used herein are to be given their broadest interpretation and meaning. The use of “including,” “comprising,” “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Although various directional arrows are shown in the drawings of the present disclosure, the directional arrows are not intended to limit the extent to which bidirectional flow is excluded. Rather, the directional arrows are used to illustrate the general flow of steps, rather than the one-way movement of information. Throughout the specification, when an element is referred to as being “including” or “comprising” another element, unless otherwise specifically stated, the element is not to be construed as excluding the other element, and the element can include at least one other element. Throughout the specification, expressions such as “at least one of a, b, and c” can include only “a,” only “b,” only “c,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” and / or “a, b, and c.”

[0027] Turning to the drawings, Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of a portion of a semiconductor processing system 100 is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The semiconductor processing system 100 can be used for various applications such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), cleaning processes, etching processes, etc. The semiconductor processing system 100 can include an optional substrate handling system 102, a reaction chamber 104, an optional wall 106 disposed between the reaction chamber 104 and the substrate handling system 102, an exhaust source 108, and a gas injection system 110. The gas injection system 110 is shown in simplified form in Figure 1 and will be described in greater detail below with reference to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0028] Briefly, semiconductor processing system 100 can include any suitable number of reaction chambers 104 and substrate handling systems 102. In some embodiments, reaction chambers 104 are horizontal flow reaction chambers. In some embodiments, reaction chambers 104 are horizontal flow reaction chambers configured for performing epitaxial deposition. In some embodiments, reaction chambers 104 can be made of a transparent material, such as a quartz material, which is substantially transparent to radiant lamp energy provided by a radiant lamp heater (not shown). In some embodiments, reaction chambers 104 include a substantially rectangular horizontal flow reaction chamber that includes a plurality of interior surfaces, such as an upper interior surface 112 and a lower interior surface 114.

[0029] Semiconductor processing system 100 also includes a gas injection system 110 configured to minimize or eliminate parasitic deposition on interior surfaces within reaction chamber 104. By way of non-limiting example, gas injection system 110 as provided can minimize or eliminate parasitic deposition on interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, such as on upper interior surface 112 and lower interior surface 114, among others.

[0030] Gas injection system 110 includes an injector housing 116 fluidically connected to a precursor source 118 by a precursor feed line 120. Injector housing 116 is also fluidically connected to a non-precursor source 122 by a non-precursor feed line 124. Although two sources 118, 120 are shown, each source can include a plurality of gas sources.

[0031] According to examples of the present disclosure, precursor source 118 can include one or more containers, where each container contains a precursor. Precursor source 118 can include one or more of a silicon precursor, a germanium precursor, a carbon precursor, and a phosphorous precursor. In some embodiments, the silicon precursor includes a hydrided silicon precursor, such as silane (SiH4). In some embodiments, the silicon precursor includes a higher order silane, including but not limited to disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and pentasilane (Si5H 12 ). In some embodiments, the silicon precursor includes a halogenated silicon precursor. In one aspect, the halogenated silicon precursor is a chlorinated silicon precursor, such as one or more of monochlorosilane (MCS), dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TCS), hexachlorodisilane (HCDS), octachlorotrisilane (OCTS), and silicon tetrachloride (STC). In another aspect, the halogenated silicon precursor is an iodinated silicon precursor, such as iodosilane (e.g., monoiodosilane, diiodosilane, triiodosilane, and tetraiodosilane). In some embodiments, precursor source 118 also includes a dopant source including one or more of As, P, C, Ge, and B. In some embodiments, precursor source 118 also includes a carrier gas source including one or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, helium, and the like.

[0032] According to an example of the present disclosure, the non-precursor source 122 may include one or more containers, each of which contains a non-precursor source, such as an etchant source. As previously described, the non-precursor source 122 does not include a precursor gas source, such as a source of a silicon precursor, a germanium precursor, a phosphorus precursor, or the like. In some embodiments, the etchant source includes a gaseous etchant, such as a gaseous halide etchant. In some embodiments, the gaseous etchant includes a gaseous chlorine-containing etchant. In such an embodiment, the gaseous chlorine-containing etchant may include at least one of chlorine (Cl2) or hydrochloric acid (HCl). In some embodiments, the carrier gas source includes one or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, helium, or the like.

[0033] According to an example of the present disclosure, injector housing 116 includes a first series of injection ports 126 (shown in cross-section here and described in more detail below) constructed and arranged for introducing precursor gas (as shown by precursor gas flow 128) into reaction chamber 104, and a second series of injection ports 130 (shown in cross-section here and described in more detail below) constructed and arranged for introducing non-precursor gas (as shown by non-precursor gas flow 132) into reaction chamber 104. Figure 1 As shown, the non-precursor gas stream 132 is located between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper inner surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing or preventing interaction between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper inner surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104. In additional embodiments of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 also includes a third series of injection ports 134 (shown here in cross-section and described in more detail below) that are constructed and arranged for introducing additional non-precursor gas (as shown by additional non-precursor gas stream 136) into the reaction chamber 104. In such embodiments, the additional non-precursor gas stream 136 is located between the precursor gas stream 128 and the lower inner surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing or preventing interaction between the precursor gas stream 128 and the lower inner surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104. Figure 1 , the precursor gas flow 128, the non-precursor gas flow 132, and the additional non-precursor gas flow 136 are shown as being introduced as horizontal flows, i.e., substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate 138. However, in some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126, the second series of injection ports 130, and the third series of injection ports 134 may be constructed and arranged to introduce the process gas flows (128, 132, and 136) at different flow angles, e.g., as in Figure 1 In certain examples, the first series of injection ports 126 can be constructed and arranged to introduce the precursor gas flow 128 at an angle below the horizontal, i.e., the precursor gas flow is directed downwardly into the reaction chamber 104 in a direction toward the lower interior surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104 .

[0034] During operation of the semiconductor processing system 100, a substrate (e.g. Figure 1 14. The substrate 138 is introduced into the reaction chamber by being transferred from the substrate handling system 102 through the substrate passage 140. The substrate 138 is then placed on a support assembly 142. The support assembly 142, disposed within the reaction chamber 104, is configured to support the substrate 138 during a deposition process within the reaction chamber 104. Once the substrate is transferred to the reaction chamber 104, precursor gas (and, if necessary, carrier gas, dopant gas) from the precursor source 118 and non-precursor gas (and, if necessary, carrier gas) from the non-precursor source 122 are introduced into the reaction chamber 104 via the gas injection system 110. As described in more detail below, the gas injection system 110 is constructed and arranged to reduce or prevent parasitic deposition on interior surfaces of the reaction chamber 104, such as the upper interior surface 112 and the lower interior surface 114. Reference will be made to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 A more detailed description of the gas injection system 110 is provided.

[0035] Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 A portion of a gas injection system 110 of the present disclosure is shown including an injector housing 116 . Figure 2 A front view of the injector housing 116 is shown, and Figure 3 An isometric cross-sectional view of a portion of the injector housing 116 is shown.

[0036] In more detail, the injector housing 116 (e.g. Figure 2 and Figure 3 ) can be formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, Hastelloy, etc. The injector housing 116 includes a housing configured to couple to a reaction chamber (such as Figure 1 104) and a substrate passage 140 extending from the front face 202 through the injector housing 116 to the back face 204. The substrate passage 140 is sized to allow substrates to be inserted and removed through the injector housing 116 for loading / unloading operations. The injector housing 116 also includes a groove 206 disposed in the front face 202. The groove 206 includes an upper surface of a groove 208 and a lower surface of a groove 210. The groove 206 surrounds the substrate passage 140 and is configured to receive a sealing element (not shown), such as an O-ring.

[0037] According to an example of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 includes a first series of injection ports 126 disposed in the front face 202 of the injector housing 116. The first series of injection ports 126 (collectively shown by dashed lines) are constructed and arranged to inject precursor gas from a precursor source (e.g., Figure 1a precursor source 118) is introduced into the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 includes a first plurality of injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e. Although the first series of injection ports 126 is shown as including five separate injection ports, it is contemplated that a greater or lesser number of separate injection ports can collectively comprise the first series of injection ports 126. According to examples of the present disclosure, the first series of injection ports 126 is positioned above the substrate passageway 140.

[0038] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 (i.e., injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) are collectively aligned with one another along a common position on the y-axis 218. In such aspects, the first series of injection ports are positioned at a common distance from an upper surface of the substrate passageway 220. In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 are positioned at a distance between 1 mm and 50 mm, or between 2 mm and 25 mm, or between 5 mm and 25 mm from an upper surface of the substrate passageway 220. In alternative embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 (i.e., injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) are not collectively aligned with one another, and each injection port can be positioned at a different position along the y-axis, although still remaining above the substrate passageway 140 and below the second series of injection ports 130.

[0039] In some embodiments, each injection port of the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) is equally spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the first plurality of injection ports are each equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, each injection port of the first series of injection ports 126 is spaced from an adjacent injection port by a distance between 1 mm and 50 mm, or between 5 mm and 40 mm, or between 10 mm and 25 mm. In another aspect, each injection port of the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) is not equally spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the first plurality of injection ports are not equally spaced along the x-axis 216).

[0040] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 is oriented parallel to the substrate passageway 140, e.g., the first plurality of injection ports (214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) are oriented parallel to an upper surface of the substrate passageway 220.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 is confined within a width of the substrate passageway 140, as Figure 1In other embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 can extend beyond the width (W) 222 of the substrate passage 140.

[0042] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 are positioned within the perimeter defined by the recess 206.

[0043] According to examples of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 includes a second series of injection ports 130 disposed in the front face 202 of the injector housing 116. The second series of injection ports 130 are structured and arranged to introduce a non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source (e.g., the non-precursor source 122 of FIG. 1) into the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 includes a second plurality of injection ports 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d. Although the second series of injection ports 130 is shown as including four individual injection ports (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d), it is contemplated that a greater or lesser number of individual injection ports can collectively comprise the second series of injection ports 130. In such embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned above the substrate passage 140. In such examples, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned above the first series of injection ports 126. Figure 1 Figure 2 In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 (i.e., the injection ports 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) are collectively aligned with one another along a common position on the y-axis 218. In such aspects, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a common distance from the upper surface of the substrate passage 220. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance between 5 mm and 50 mm, or between 10 mm and 25 mm, or between 15 mm and 25 mm from the upper surface of the substrate passage 220. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance between 1 mm and 50 mm, or between 2 mm and 25 mm, or between 5 mm and 25 mm from the upper surface of the recess 208.

[0044] According to examples of the present disclosure, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned above the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a common distance from the first series of injection ports 126 (i.e., the distance on the y-axis from 126 to 130). In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance between 1 mm and 50 mm, or between 2 mm and 25 mm, or between 5 mm and 25 mm from the first series of injection ports 126.

[0045] According to examples of the present disclosure, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned above the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a common distance from the first series of injection ports 126 (i.e., the distance on the y-axis from 126 to 130). In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance between 1 mm and 50 mm, or between 2 mm and 25 mm, or between 5 mm and 25 mm from the first series of injection ports 126.

[0046] ​In alternative embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) are not co-aligned with each other, and each injection port can be positioned at a different location along the y-axis, although still above both the substrate pass 140 and the first series of injection ports 126.

[0047] In some embodiments, each injection port of the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) is equally spaced from adjacent injection ports (i.e., the second series of injection ports 130 are each equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, each injection port of the second series of injection ports 130 is spaced a distance between 1 and 50 mm, or between 5 mm and 40 mm, or between 10 mm and 25 mm, from adjacent injection ports. In another aspect, each injection port of the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) is not equally spaced from adjacent injection ports (i.e., the second plurality of injection ports are not equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, one or more injection ports of the second series of injection ports 130 can be positioned proximate to the inner perimeter of the recess 206 to enable a non-prior gas to flow proximate to the recess 206.

[0048] In some embodiments, each injection port of the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) is positioned at a midpoint (i.e., a center point) on the x-axis 216 between adjacent injection ports of the first series of injection ports 126. For example, and with reference to FIG. 2B, the second injection port 224a is positioned at a midpoint on the x-axis 216 between the first injection port 214a and the first injection port 214b. In alternative embodiments, each injection port of the second series of injection ports 130 can be positioned at a different location along the x-axis relative to the underlying first series of injection ports 126. Figure 2

[0049] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are oriented parallel to the substrate pass 140, for example, the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) are oriented parallel to the upper surface of the substrate pass 220. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are oriented parallel to the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are oriented parallel to both the first series of injection ports 126 and the upper surface of the substrate pass 220.

[0050] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are confined within the width of the substrate pass 140, as shown in FIG. 2B. Figure 1 ​In other embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 may extend beyond the width (W) 222 of the substrate channel 140 .

[0051] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned within the perimeter defined by the groove 206 .

[0052] According to an example of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 may also optionally include a third series of injection ports 134 in the front face 202 of the injector housing 116. The third series of injection ports 134 are constructed and arranged for injecting a precursor from a non-precursor source (e.g., Figure 1 In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 includes third injection ports 226a, 226b, 226c, and 226d. Although the third series of injection ports 134 is shown as including four individual injection ports, it is contemplated that a greater or lesser number of individual injection ports may collectively comprise the third series of injection ports 134. In such embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is located below the substrate passage 140. In such examples, the third series of injection ports 134 is located below the first series of injection ports 126.

[0053] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 (i.e., injection ports 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) are co-aligned with one another along a common position on the y-axis 218. In such an aspect, the third series of injection ports 134 are positioned at a common distance from the lower surface of the substrate passage 228. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are positioned at a distance between 1 mm and 50 mm, or between 2 mm and 25 mm, or between 5 mm and 25 mm from the lower surface of the substrate passage 228.

[0054] In an alternative embodiment, the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) are not co-aligned with each other, and each injection port may be positioned at a different location along the y-axis, although still above or below the substrate channel 140 and the first series of injection ports 126.

[0055] In some embodiments, each injection port of the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) is equally spaced from adjacent injection ports (i.e., the third series of injection ports 134 are each equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, each injection port of the third series of injection ports 134 is spaced a distance of between 1 and 50 mm, or between 5 mm and 40 mm, or between 10 mm and 25 mm, from adjacent injection ports. In some embodiments, each injection port of the third series of injection ports 134 is positioned directly below a respective injection port of the second series of injection ports 130. In another aspect, each injection port of the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) is unequally spaced from adjacent injection ports (i.e., the second plurality of injection ports are unequally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, one or more injection ports of the third series of injection ports 134 can be positioned proximate to an inner perimeter of the recess 206 to enable additional non-prior gas to flow proximate to the recess 206.

[0056] In some embodiments, each injection port of the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) is positioned at a midpoint (i.e., a center point) on the x-axis 216 between adjacent injection ports of the first series of injection ports 126. For example, and with reference to FIG. 2, the second injection port 224a is positioned at a midpoint on the x-axis 216 between the first injection port 214a and the first injection port 214b. In alternative embodiments, each injection port of the second series of injection ports 130 can be positioned at a different location relative to the underlying first series of injection ports 126 along the x-axis. Figure 2

[0057] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is oriented parallel to the substrate passage 140, for example, the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) are oriented parallel to a lower surface of the substrate passage 228. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is oriented parallel to the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is oriented parallel to both the first series of injection ports 126 and the lower surface of the substrate passage 228. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is oriented parallel to the first series of injection ports 126, the second series of injection ports 130, and the lower surface of the substrate passage 228.

[0058] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is confined within a width of the substrate passage 140, as shown in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is confined within a width of the substrate passage 140 and the first series of injection ports 126. Figure 1 ​In other embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 may extend beyond the width (W) 222 of the substrate channel 140 .

[0059] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are positioned within the perimeter defined by the groove 206 .

[0060] Figure 4 Schematically illustrates another portion of the gas injection system 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 As shown, the gas injection system 110 includes an injector housing 116, as shown above in conjunction with Figure 2 and Figure 3 Describe in detail. Figure 4 When referring to gas lines and fluid components of the gas injection system 110, the term "coupled" refers to a fluid connection, and unless otherwise specified, the lines or components need not be directly fluidly connected, but rather the gas injection system 110 may include other intermediate elements such as connectors, valves, instruments, etc.

[0061] According to an example of the present disclosure, the gas injection system 110 (eg Figure 4 14 (shown) supplies precursor gas from a precursor source 118, which is fed to a first manifold 410 via a precursor feed line 120. The first manifold 410 includes one or more (e.g., a plurality of) first gas lines 404 that supply precursor gas to the injector housing 116 using a plurality of first flow controllers 412 to individually control the flow of the precursor gas to each of the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., first injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d, 214e).

[0062] According to other examples of the present disclosure, the gas injection system 110 (e.g. Figure 4 The second manifold 416 is supplied with a non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source 122 (as shown), and the non-precursor gas is fed to the second manifold 416 via the non-precursor feed line 124. The second manifold 416 includes one or more (e.g., a plurality of) second gas lines 408 that supply the non-precursor gas to the injector housing 116 using a plurality of second flow controllers 414 to individually control the flow of the non-precursor gas to the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., the second injection ports 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d).

[0063] although Figure 41, but in some embodiments, the gas injection system 110 supplies additional non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source 122, which is fed to the third series of injection ports via the non-precursor feed line 124 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to supplying the non-precursor gas to the second series of injection ports. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports are fed from the second manifold 416 via the second gas line 408 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414. In other embodiments, Figure 4 The gas injection system 110 may employ an additional third manifold and third gas lines (not shown) to supply additional non-precursor gases to the third series of injection ports.

[0064] According to an example of the present disclosure, each of the first series of injection ports 126 (eg, injection ports 214 a , 214 b , 214 c , 214 d , 214 e ) corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers 412 .

[0065] According to another example of the present disclosure, each of the second series of injection ports 130 (eg, injection ports 224 a , 224 b , 224 c , 224 d ) corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers 414 .

[0066] In the illustrated example, the injector housing 116 includes five first gas lines 404 feeding a first series of injection ports (e.g., 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d, 214e) and four second gas lines 408 feeding a second series of injection ports (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, 224d). However, the gas injection system 110 may have the same or similar number of corresponding first gas lines 404 and / or second gas lines 408 coupled to the respective injection ports. The use of multiple channels and injection ports for each source gas (e.g., precursor source 118 and non-precursor source 122) allows for fine control and regulation of the flow of gas from each gas source to the reaction chamber (e.g., Figure 1 This in turn allows for independent control of film properties across the substrate surface.

[0067] According to an example of the present disclosure, ( Figure 4 The gas injection system 110 includes a plurality of first flow controllers 412, which may additionally include a plurality of flow sensors. In the example shown, each of the first series of injection ports and the second series of injection ports is coupled to a single flow controller 412, 414. However, in some cases, it may be desirable to have some gas outlets that are not coupled to a flow controller and / or to have some gas outlets coupled to more than one flow controller.

[0068] The plurality of first flow controllers 412 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414 can be used to monitor and control the flow of the gas mixture and provide real-time and / or historical flow information for each first gas line 404 and each second gas line 408 to a user - e.g., using a graphical user interface. Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of first flow controllers 412 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414 can be coupled to a controller (e.g., controller 418) to provide a controlled flow ratio of the gases to the injector housing 116. By placing at least one flow controller in each of the first gas lines 404 and the second gas lines 408, the flow ratio (e.g., relative flow) of the gases through each gas line can be measured and controlled regardless of the gas composition. Exemplary flow controllers (412, 414) can be or include various flow sensors, such as thermal mass flow sensors, pressure drop based flow sensors, etc.

[0069] The plurality of first flow controllers 412 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414 can also include any suitable device for metering the flow of gas. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the flow controllers (414, 416) can each include a proportional valve, such as a solenoid valve, a pneumatic valve, or a piezoelectric valve. Flow controllers with a relatively high (e.g., 0.021-0.14) flow coefficient (Cv) can be selected to reduce downstream choking. The flow controllers (412, 414) can desirably operate under closed loop control, but can also be capable of (e.g., additionally) operating under open loop control.

[0070] The plurality of first flow controllers 412 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414 can initially form part of, e.g., a mass flow controller (e.g., an off-the-shelf mass flow controller), with the controller 418 replacing the control function of the valve. For example, the flow controllers (412, 414) can form or be part of a mass flow controller that is set to operate in open loop mode, and wherein the controller 418 provides closed loop control of the plurality of flow controllers (412, 414).

[0071] The controller 418 can be configured to perform various functions and / or steps as described herein. The controller 418 can include one or more microprocessors, memory elements, and / or switches to perform various functions. Although shown as a single unit, the controller 418 can instead include multiple devices. For example, the controller 418 can be used to control the flow of gases from the precursor sources 118 and / or the non-precursor sources 122 in the first gas lines 404 and the second gas lines 408, which can be fluidly connected to the injection ports (e.g., the first, second, and third series of injection ports) of the injector housing 116, and optionally to the Figure 1The controller 418 can be configured to provide open loop and / or closed loop flow control using, for example, the same hardware. The controller 418 can be configured to provide a desired ratio of total flow of a respective gas (e.g., from a precursor source 118 and / or a non-precursor source 122) in each gas line feeding the injector housing. According to various examples of the present disclosure, the controller 418 includes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller that allows for independent closed loop control of the flow controllers (412, 414). With PID closed loop control, the gas injection system 110 Figure 4 may dynamically adjust the flow in one or more (e.g., all) gas lines (e.g., 404, 408) to a set point and / or provide stable, especially initial, gas flow to the reaction chamber when switching between gas sources and / or when operating at relatively high pressures (e.g., near atmospheric pressure). Closed loop control allows for automatic and stable control of the flow through each gas line (404, 408) over a wide range of pressures, such as the pressure ranges set forth herein. Closed loop control also allows for control without tool matching, which is often desirable for conventional systems. For example, using PID control, an initial set point can be provided for each flow controller 412, 414. Flow ratio feedback from the output of each flow controller can then be used in conjunction with the PID controller of the controller 418 to control the desired set point (i.e., flow ratio) of each flow controller (412, 414).

[0072] Figure 5 Another example injector housing 516 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The injector housing 516 includes a first series of injection ports 126 disposed in a front face 502 of the injector housing. The first series of injection ports of the injector housing 516 can include, for example, injection ports 514a, 514b, 514c, 514d, 514e. As shown, the example first series of injection ports (514a-514e) can be disposed in the front face 502 of the housing within a substrate channel 140, with example process gas being directed toward and into the reaction chamber from the substrate channel. Figure 5

[0073] In various embodiments, the injector housing 516 includes a second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., example injection ports 524a-524d) disposed in the front face 502 of the injector housing and positioned above the first series of injection ports (e.g., example injection ports 514a-514e). The injector housing 516 can include a recess 506 disposed in the front face 502 that surrounds the substrate channel 140. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports (e.g., 524a-524d) are positioned between the first series of injection ports (e.g., 514a-514e) and an upper surface 508 of the recess 506.​

[0074] In some examples, the injector housing 516 may also include a third series of injection ports 134 (eg, Figure 5 In such an example, the third series of injection ports (e.g., injection ports 526a-526d) is in fluid communication with a second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control the flow of non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports, as described above.

[0075] In certain embodiments, a high-velocity gas curtain can be utilized in a reaction chamber to protect surfaces from corrosive or deposited materials generated during the reaction. The protective gas curtain can be formed by introducing a high-velocity gas stream that acts as a barrier between the reactive environment and the surface to be protected, such as the upper interior surface of the chamber. In various embodiments, the high-velocity gas stream can be employed to reduce contact between precursor gases and internal chamber surfaces, and / or in processes such as chemical vapor deposition, the high-velocity curtain can prevent particles from settling on surfaces, thereby maintaining chamber cleanliness and functionality.

[0076] In certain embodiments, the injection ports in the second series of injection ports (and the third series of injection ports, if present) may include injector nozzles constructed and arranged to generate a high velocity gas flow into the reaction chamber. In such embodiments, the cross-section of such injector nozzles may vary in shape to optimize gas flow dynamics.

[0077] As a non-limiting example, a converging nozzle (such as Figure 6 For example, Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a converging nozzle 600 is shown, having a diameter that decreases toward the outlet. In more detail, the converging nozzle 600 may include a gas input portion 602 and a gas exit portion 604, wherein the gas input portion 602 has a larger diameter than the gas exit portion 604. Such a converging nozzle can accelerate the gas to a high velocity as it exits the nozzle (600) and is injected into the reaction chamber. Such an injector geometry can effectively generate a high-pressure, high-velocity gas stream for gas curtain applications. The injector nozzle (e.g., the injector nozzles 524a-524d and / or 526a-526d) can employ alternative cross-sections, including but not limited to a converging-diverging (DeLaval) nozzle (e.g., having a converging section followed by a diverging section), a straight hole nozzle (e.g., having a constant diameter throughout its length), a slit nozzle (e.g., characterized by a narrow, elongated opening to produce a planar gas jet), or a radial flow nozzle (e.g., a nozzle configured to distribute gas in a radial pattern).

[0078] Various embodiments of the present disclosure also provide methods for forming a silicon-containing layer on a substrate within a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber including an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface. The methods of the present disclosure can additionally be used to form a germanium (Ge) layer on a substrate within a reaction chamber.

[0079] An example method of the present disclosure is illustrated with reference to process 700. According to examples of the present disclosure, process 700 includes introducing a substrate into a reaction chamber through a substrate passage extending through an injector housing of a gas injection system and positioning the substrate on a support assembly (step 702).

[0080] According to examples of the present disclosure, process 700 includes injecting a precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a first series of injection ports disposed in a front face of the injector housing (step 704).

[0081] According to examples of the present disclosure, process 700 includes injecting a non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing above the first series of injection ports (step 706).

[0082] As described herein and as shown in FIG. 1, the non-precursor gas injected from the second series of injection ports (e.g., non-precursor gas stream 132 of FIG. 1) provides a gas curtain above the precursor gas (e.g., precursor gas stream 128 of FIG. 1). According to examples of the present disclosure, the gas curtain is positioned between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper interior surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface 112. Thus, the method provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface. Figure 1 Figure 1 As described herein and as shown in FIG. 1, the non-precursor gas injected from the second series of injection ports (e.g., non-precursor gas stream 132 of FIG. 1) provides a gas curtain above the precursor gas (e.g., precursor gas stream 128 of FIG. 1). According to examples of the present disclosure, the gas curtain is positioned between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper interior surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface 112. Thus, the method provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface. Figure 1

[0083] According to additional examples of the present disclosure, process 700 can optionally include injecting an additional non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a third series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing below the substrate passage (optional step 708).

[0084] As described herein and as shown in FIG. 1, the non-precursor gas injected from the second series of injection ports (e.g., non-precursor gas stream 132 of FIG. 1) provides a gas curtain above the precursor gas (e.g., precursor gas stream 128 of FIG. 1). According to examples of the present disclosure, the gas curtain is positioned between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper interior surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface 112. Thus, the method provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface. Figure 1 Figure 1 As described herein and as shown in FIG. 1, the non-precursor gas injected from the second series of injection ports (e.g., non-precursor gas stream 132 of FIG. 1) provides a gas curtain above the precursor gas (e.g., precursor gas stream 128 of FIG. 1). According to examples of the present disclosure, the gas curtain is positioned between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper interior surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface 112. Thus, the method provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface. Figure 1

[0085] ​​​​In some embodiments, the precursor gas includes at least one of disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ), and the non-precursor gas includes a halide etchant. In other embodiments, additional and / or alternative precursor gases and non-precursor gases can be utilized, as previously described in detail.

[0086] For purposes of summarizing the application and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the application have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages can be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the application. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the application can be practiced with one or more advantages as taught or suggested herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as can be taught or suggested by one or more embodiments of the application.

[0087] All of these embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the application disclosed herein. These and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description of some embodiments, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings. The application is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed, but extends to and encompasses other embodiments as well.

Claims

1. A gas injection system for supplying gases into a reaction chamber, comprising: an injector housing comprising a front face and a back face; a substrate passageway extending through the injector housing from the front face to the back face; a first series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the first series of injection ports is positioned above the substrate passageway and is in fluid communication with a first manifold, the first manifold comprising a plurality of first flow controllers configured to control a flow of a precursor gas from a precursor source to the first series of injection ports; and a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the second series of injection ports is positioned above the first series of injection ports and is in fluid communication with a second manifold, the second manifold comprising a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of a non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the second series of injection ports.

2. The gas injection system of claim 1, wherein, The first series of injection ports comprises a first plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another.

3. The gas injection system of claim 2, wherein, Each of the second series of injection ports comprises a second plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another.

4. The gas injection system of claim 3, wherein, The first series of injection ports is oriented parallel to the second series of injection ports.

5. The gas injection system of claim 4, further comprising a recess disposed in a front face of the injector housing, the recess surrounding the substrate passage, wherein, The second series of injection ports is positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the recess.

6. The gas injection system of claim 5, further comprising a third series of injection ports positioned between the substrate passageway and a lower surface of the recess, wherein, A third series of injection ports is in fluid communication with the second manifold, the second manifold comprising the plurality of second flow controllers configured to control the flow of the non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports.

7. The gas injection system of claim 1, wherein, Each injection port of the first series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers, and each of the second series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers.

8. The gas injection system of claim 1, wherein, The precursor sources include silicon precursors including at least one of disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ).

9. The gas injection system of claim 1, wherein, The non-precursor source comprises at least an etchant source comprising a halide etchant.

10. A semiconductor processing system, comprising: a reaction chamber comprising an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface; a support assembly for supporting a substrate within the reaction chamber; a gas injection system for supplying gases into the reaction chamber, the gas injection system comprising: an injector housing comprising a front face and a back face; a substrate passageway extending through the injector housing from the front face to the back face; a first series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the first series of injection ports is positioned above the substrate passageway and is in fluid communication with a first manifold, the first manifold comprising a plurality of first flow controllers configured to control a flow of a precursor gas from a precursor source to the first series of injection ports; and a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing, wherein the second series of injection ports is positioned between the first series of injection ports and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber and is in fluid communication with a second manifold, the second manifold comprising a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of a non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the second series of injection ports; and an exhaust source positioned downstream of the gas injection system.

11. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein, The first series of injection ports comprises a first plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another.

12. The semiconductor processing system of claim 11, wherein, The second series of injection ports comprises a second plurality of injection ports that are collectively aligned with one another.

13. The semiconductor processing system of claim 12, wherein, The first series of injection ports is oriented parallel to the second series of injection ports.

14. The semiconductor processing system of claim 13, further comprising a recess disposed in a front face of the injector housing, the recess surrounding the substrate passage, wherein, The second series of injection ports are positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the recess.

15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 14, further comprising a third series of injection ports disposed in a front face of the injector housing and positioned between the substrate passageway and a lower surface of the recess, wherein, A third series of injection ports are in fluid communication with a second manifold comprising the plurality of second flow controllers, the plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports.

16. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein, Each of the first series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers, and each of the second series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers.

17. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein, The precursor sources include silicon precursors including at least one of disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ).

18. A method for forming a silicon-containing layer within a reaction chamber comprising an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface, the method comprising: introducing a substrate into the reaction chamber through a substrate passage extending through an injector housing of a gas injection system, and positioning the substrate on a support assembly; injecting a precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a first series of injection ports disposed in a front face of the injector housing; and injecting a non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a second series of injection ports disposed in the front face of the injector housing above the first series of injection ports; wherein the non-precursor gas provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising injecting an additional non- precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a third series of injection ports disposed in a front face of the injector housing below the substrate passageway, wherein, The non-precursor gas additionally provides an additional gas curtain between the precursor gas and the lower interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the lower interior surface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, The precursor gas includes at least one of disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (Si5H 12 ), and the non-precursor gas includes a halide etchant.

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