Substrate processing apparatus with temperature controller

Abstract

An apparatus for processing a substrate may include: a reaction chamber partially defined by chamber walls; a wall heating unit disposed in the chamber wall; a substrate support disposed within the reaction chamber to support a substrate; a showerhead constructed and arranged to face the substrate support; the spraying head heating unit is arranged in the spraying head; and a controller configured to control temperatures of the wall heating unit and the showerhead heating unit; wherein the temperature of the wall heating unit is configured to be controlled between 50 DEG C and about 150 DEG C; wherein the temperature of the showerhead heating unit (20) is configured to be controlled between 150 DEG C and about 300 DEG C.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly to substrate processing apparatus with a temperature controller. Background Technology

[0002] Integrated circuits consist of multilayer materials deposited using various techniques, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), and plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD). Therefore, the deposition of materials on semiconductor substrates is a critical step in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits.

[0003] Compared to PEALD, PECVD has a higher deposition rate; however, further improvements in process yield are needed. One way to increase yield is to use multiple depositions without a cleaning step.

[0004] The reactor chamber environment for multiple depositions may be non-uniform for each deposition substrate because each wafer is not cleaned and pre-coated. For example, when a cleaning step is performed after three depositions, the second and third substrates have different chamber conditions compared to the first substrate.

[0005] This difference can lead to particle instability and uneven thickness. The instability may be due to the properties of low-k materials. Low-k materials typically include organic structures such as Si, O, C, and H. Organic structures play a crucial role in creating porosity to maintain a low dielectric constant. However, these structures can also cause degassing or condensation in the reaction chamber, resulting in particle and thickness instability.

[0006] Any discussion set forth in this section (including discussions of problems and solutions) is included in this disclosure merely for the purpose of providing background to this disclosure and should not be construed as an admission that any or all of the discussions were known at the time the invention was made or otherwise constituted prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This summary is provided to present the chosen concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the following description of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus may include: a reaction chamber partially defined by a chamber wall; a wall heating unit disposed in the chamber wall; a substrate support disposed in the reaction chamber to support the substrate; a spray head configured and arranged to face the substrate support; a spray head heating unit disposed in the spray head; and a controller configured to control the temperatures of the wall heating unit and the spray head heating unit; wherein the temperature of the wall heating unit is configured to be controlled between 50°C and about 150°C; and wherein the temperature of the spray head heating unit (20) is configured to be controlled between 150°C and about 300°C.

[0009] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the temperature difference between the wall heating unit and the spray head heating unit can be at least 60°C.

[0010] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the temperature of the wall heating unit can be configured to be controlled between 100°C and about 135°C.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the temperature of the spray head heating unit can be configured to be controlled between 210°C and about 230°C.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the wall heating unit may include a cylindrical heater.

[0013] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the spray head heating unit may include a cylindrical heater.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the temperature of the substrate support can be in the range of 200°C to about 400°C.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure in the reaction chamber can be in the range of about 100 Pa and about 1100 Pa.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the substrate processing apparatus may include a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus.

[0017] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the RF power used to generate plasma can be in the range of 100W to 4500W.

[0018] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the RF frequency of the plasma can be in the range of 1 MHz and 100 MHz.

[0019] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for depositing a thin film is provided. The method may include the steps of: a) placing a substrate on a substrate support in a reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is partially defined by a chamber wall; b) introducing gas into the reaction chamber through a spray nozzle; and c) supplying plasma to the reaction chamber to form a thin film; wherein the temperature of the chamber wall is configured to be controlled between 50°C and about 150°C; and wherein the temperature of the spray nozzle is configured to be controlled between 150°C and about 300°C.

[0020] According to other exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the gas may include a precursor, an oxygen-containing gas, and an inert gas.

[0021] According to other exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the precursor may include at least one of the following: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMCTS), octamethoxydodecylsiloxane (OMODDS), octamethoxyepoxy, dimethyldimethoxysilane (DM-DMOS), diethoxymethylsilane (DEMS), dimethoxymethylsilane (DMOMS), phenoxydimethylsilane (PODMS), dimethyldioxosilylcyclohexane (DMDOSH), 1,3-dimethoxytetramethyldisiloxane (DMMOTMDS), dimethoxydiphenylsilane (DMDPS), vinylmethyldimethoxysilane (VMDMOS), or dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane (DcPDMS).

[0022] According to other exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, oxygen-containing gas may include at least one of the following: O2, O3, N2O, N2O4, NxOy, CO, CO2, H2O, or H2O2.

[0023] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method may further include step (d): removing the substrate from the reaction chamber.

[0024] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method may further include step (f): introducing a cleaning gas into the reaction chamber.

[0025] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, steps (a) to (d) can be repeated N times before step (f).

[0026] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the thickness of the thin film is at least 500 nm.

[0027] These and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings; the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. Attached Figure Description

[0028] A more complete understanding of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following illustrative drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 A plasma device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a continuous operation test of 10 wafers without a cleaning step is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a continuous operation test of 10 wafers without a cleaning step is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] It should be understood that the elements in the accompanying drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments illustrated in this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention extends beyond the specific disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the invention and their obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention should not be limited to the specific disclosed embodiments described below.

[0034] As used herein, the term "substrate" can refer to any one or more underlying materials, including any one or more underlying materials that can be modified or on which devices, circuits, or films can be formed. A "substrate" can be continuous or discontinuous; rigid or flexible; solid or porous; and combinations thereof. A substrate can be in any form, such as powder, plate, or workpiece. Plate-type substrates can include wafers of various shapes and sizes. Substrates can be made of semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon, silicon germanium, silicon oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide.

[0035] As an example, the substrate in powder form can have applications for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Porous substrates can contain polymers. Examples of workpieces may include medical devices (e.g., stents and syringes), jewelry, tooling devices, components for battery manufacturing (e.g., anodes, cathodes, or separators), or components for photovoltaic cells, etc.

[0036] A continuous substrate can extend beyond the boundaries of the processing chamber, where a deposition process takes place. In some processes, the continuous substrate can move through the processing chamber, allowing the process to continue until the end of the substrate is reached. A continuous substrate can be supplied from a continuous substrate feed system to allow for the fabrication and output of the continuous substrate in any suitable form.

[0037] Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates may include sheets, nonwoven films, rollers, foils, meshes, flexible materials, bundles of continuous filaments or fibers (e.g., ceramic or polymer fibers). Continuous substrates may also include carriers or sheets on which discontinuous substrates are mounted.

[0038] The illustrations presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular material, structure, or device, but are merely idealized representations used to describe embodiments of this disclosure.

[0039] The specific embodiments shown and described are illustrative of the invention and its best mode, and are not intended to limit the scope of aspects and embodiments in any way or otherwise. In fact, for the sake of brevity, conventional manufacturing, connection, preparation, and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in the actual system, and / or may not exist in some embodiments.

[0040] It should be understood that the configurations and / or methods described herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments or examples should not be considered limiting, as many variations are possible. The particular routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Therefore, the various actions shown may be performed in the order shown, in a different order, or in some cases omitted.

[0041] The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various processes, systems and configurations disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof.

[0042] In this disclosure, "gas" can include materials that are gaseous at room temperature and pressure, evaporated solids and / or evaporated liquids, and can consist of a single gas or a mixture of gases, depending on the circumstances. Gases introduced without passing through a gas supply unit (e.g., a spray plate, etc.) can be used, for example, to seal the reaction space, and can include sealing gases, such as rare gases or other inert gases. The terms inert gas, carrier gas, and diluent gas refer to gases that do not participate in the chemical reaction to a perceptible degree when plasma power is applied and / or gases that can excite precursors.

[0043] As used herein, the terms “membrane” and “thin film” can refer to any continuous or discontinuous structure and material deposited by the methods disclosed herein. For example, “membrane” and “thin film” can include 2D materials, nanorods, nanotubes, or nanoparticles, or even partial or complete molecular layers, partial or complete atomic layers, or atomic and / or molecular clusters. “Membrane” and “thin film” can include materials or layers with pinholes, but still at least partially continuous.

[0044] Figure 1 A plasma device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The plasma device 100 can be used to perform one or more steps or sub-steps as described herein and / or form one or more structures or one or more portions thereof as described herein.

[0045] The apparatus 100 may include: a reaction chamber 3 partially defined by a chamber wall 5; a substrate support 2 disposed within the reaction chamber 3 to support a substrate 1; and a spray head 4 configured and arranged to face the substrate support 2. The temperature of the substrate support 2 may be in the range of 200°C to about 400°C. The pressure in the reaction chamber 3 may be in the range of about 100 Pa to about 1100 Pa.

[0046] The substrate support 2 and the spray head 4 can be used as conductive plate electrodes. Plasma can be excited within the reaction chamber 3 by applying RF power, for example from an RF generator, to one electrode (e.g., spray head 4) via an RF matching device and electrically grounding the other electrode (e.g., substrate support 2). The RF power can be in the range of 100W to 4500W. The RF frequency of the plasma can be in the range of 1MHz to 100MHz (e.g., 13.56MHz, 27MHz, or 60MHz).

[0047] Gas can be introduced into reaction chamber 3 through spray head 4. A circular pipe 13 with an exhaust line can be installed in reaction chamber 3, through which the gas in reaction chamber 3 can be discharged.

[0048] Gases can include precursors, oxygen-containing gases, and inert gases.

[0049] The precursor may include at least one of the following: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMCTS), octamethoxydodecylsiloxane (OMODDS), octamethoxyepoxy, dimethyldimethoxysilane (DM-DMOS), diethoxymethylsilane (DEMS), dimethoxymethylsilane (DMOMS), phenoxydimethylsilane (PODMS), dimethyldioxosilylcyclohexane (DMDOSH), 1,3-dimethoxytetramethyldisiloxane (DMMOTMDS), dimethoxydiphenylsilane (DMDPS), vinylmethyldimethoxysilane (VMDMOS), or dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane (DcPDMS).

[0050] Oxygen-containing gases may include at least one of the following: O2, O3, N2O, N2O4, NxOy, CO, CO2, H2O, or H2O2.

[0051] The device 100 may further include: a wall heating unit 10 disposed in the chamber wall 5; a spray head heating unit 20 disposed in the spray head 4; and a controller 50 configured to control the temperature of the wall heating unit 10 and the spray head heating unit 20. The wall heating unit 10 may include a cylindrical heater. The spray head heating unit 20 may also include a cylindrical heater.

[0052] The temperature of the wall heating unit 10 can be configured to be controlled between 50°C and 150°C, preferably between 100°C and 135°C. The temperature of the shower head heating unit 20 can be configured to be controlled between 150°C and approximately 300°C, preferably between 210°C and 230°C. The temperature difference between the wall heating unit 10 and the shower head heating unit 20 can be at least 60°C.

[0053] The apparatus 500 can perform the steps of forming a thin film. These steps may include: a) placing a substrate 1 on a substrate support 2 in a reaction chamber 3; b) introducing gas into the reaction chamber 3 through a spray nozzle 4; and c) supplying plasma to the reaction chamber 3 to form a thin film. The temperature of the chamber walls can be configured to be controlled between 50°C and about 150°C, and the temperature of the spray nozzles can be configured to be controlled between 150°C and about 300°C.

[0054] The method may further include step (d) of removing substrate 1 from reaction chamber 3. The method may further include step (f) of introducing a cleaning gas into reaction chamber 3. Steps (a) to (d) may be repeated N times prior to step (f). The thickness of the thin film may be at least 500 nm.

[0055] To prevent particle contamination, the relatively low temperature of the chamber wall 5 may be effective. When the temperature of the wall heating unit 10 is 130°C, unreacted precursors may remain on the chamber wall 5 due to vapor pressure, which is higher than 150°C. Therefore, particle contamination in the reaction chamber 3 can be reduced.

[0056] Furthermore, the relatively high temperature of the spray head 4 may be effective in preventing particles. When the temperature of the spray head 4 is low, the spray head 4 may have a thick film on it, resulting in a greater chance of particle generation because the amount of degassing from the spray head 4 may increase.

[0057] Test results show that the combination of the spray head heating unit at approximately 220°C and the wall heating unit at approximately 130°C exhibits good performance. Multiple depositions without cleaning may result in a higher particle count.

[0058] Figure 2 and Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the results of continuous operation of 10 wafers without a cleaning step according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 The results show that the temperature of the spray head heating unit is approximately 220°C, while Figure 3 The results show that the temperature of the spray head heating unit is approximately 230°C.

[0059] Even after processing eight wafers, the number of particles remains limited when the spray head heating unit reaches a temperature of 220°C. On the other hand, as... Figure 3 As shown, when the temperature of the spray head heating unit is 230°C, large particles are generated after three wafers. The absorption and desorption rates of the deposited material on the spray head depend on the spray head temperature. More desorption occurs at 230°C than at 220°C. The deposited material desorbed from the spray head can increase particle generation in the plasma. The results indicate that the balance between the desorption rate on the spray head and the absorption rate on the chamber wall is key to controlling particle generation in the plasma.

[0060] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure described above do not limit the scope of the invention, as these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the invention. In fact, various modifications to this disclosure, such as alternative useful combinations of the elements, in addition to those shown and described herein, will become apparent from the description to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: A reaction chamber, which is partially defined by chamber walls; Wall heating unit, which is installed in the chamber wall; A substrate support, disposed within the reaction chamber to support the substrate; The spray head is constructed and arranged to face the substrate support; A spray head heating unit is installed inside the spray head; as well as A controller configured to control the temperature of the wall heating unit and the spray head heating unit; The temperature of the wall heating unit is configured to be controlled between 50°C and approximately 150°C. The temperature of the spray head heating unit is configured to be controlled between 150°C and approximately 300°C.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The temperature difference between the wall heating unit and the spray head heating unit is at least 60°C.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The temperature of the wall heating unit is configured to be controlled between 100°C and approximately 135°C.

4. The device according to claims 1 and 2, wherein, The temperature of the spray head heating unit is configured to be controlled between 210°C and approximately 230°C.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The wall heating unit includes a cylindrical heater.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The spray head heating unit includes a cylindrical heater.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The temperature of the substrate support is in the range of 200°C to about 400°C.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The pressure in the reaction chamber is in the range of approximately 100 Pa to approximately 1100 Pa.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The substrate processing equipment includes a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein, The RF power used to generate plasma is in the range of 100W to 4500W.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein, The RF frequency of the plasma is in the range of 1MHz to 100MHz.

12. A method for depositing thin films, The method includes the following steps: a) The substrate is placed on a substrate support in a reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is partially defined by a chamber wall; b) Introducing gas into the reaction chamber via a spray nozzle; and c) Providing plasma to the reaction chamber to form a thin film; The temperature of the chamber walls is configured to be controlled between 50°C and approximately 150°C; and The temperature of the spray head is configured to be controlled between 150°C and approximately 300°C.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The gas includes a precursor, an oxygen-containing gas, and an inert gas.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The precursor comprises at least one of the following: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMCTS), octamethoxydodecylsiloxane (OMODDS), octamethoxyepoxy, dimethyldimethoxysilane (DM-DMOS), diethoxymethylsilane (DEMS), dimethoxymethylsilane (DMOMS), phenoxydimethylsilane (PODMS), dimethyldioxosilylcyclohexane (DMDOSH), 1,3-dimethoxytetramethyldisiloxane (DMMOTMDS), dimethoxydiphenylsilane (DMDPS), vinylmethyldimethoxysilane (VMDMOS), or dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane (DcPDMS).

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The oxygen-containing gas includes at least one of the following: O2, O3, N2O, N2O4, NxOy, CO, CO2, H2O, or H2O2.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising step (d): removing the substrate from the reaction chamber.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising step (f): introducing a cleaning gas into the reaction chamber.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, Repeat steps (a) to (d) N times before step (f).

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The thickness of the film is at least 500 nm.

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