Microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment and process for realizing large-size uniform deposition

Abstract

The invention relates to microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment and process for realizing a large-size uniformly deposited film, the equipment comprises a resonant guided wave cavity, a reaction cavity, a gas dispersion ring, a quartz isolation plate and an antenna network ring, and the upper cavity of the resonant guided wave cavity is uniquely designed; the gas dispersion ring is arranged on the peripheral surface of the resonant wave guide cavity and is used for spraying uniform annular gas flow into the resonant wave guide cavity; the quartz isolation plate is located in the resonance wave guide cavity and located above the gas dispersion ring, and the quartz isolation plate is used for enabling the microwaves penetrating through the quartz isolation plate to excite the gas sprayed out of the gas dispersion ring to generate uniformly distributed plasmas; according to the scheme, efficient coupling and transmission of microwave energy can be achieved, so that the density uniformity of plasma is improved, and the requirement for high-quality uniform thin film deposition of large-area substrates with the sizes of 8 inches or above is met.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application belongs to the technical field of semiconductor thin film deposition, and particularly relates to a microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment and process for realizing large-size uniform deposition. BACKGROUND

[0002] Atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are both thin film deposition technologies based on gas phase reactions, and are widely used in the fields of semiconductors, optoelectronic devices, solar cells, and display technologies. Among them, ALD can realize atomic-level precision control of thin film thickness through an alternating and self-limiting surface reaction process, while CVD realizes the growth of thin films through the chemical reaction of gaseous precursors on the substrate surface. With the rapid development of the semiconductor and optoelectronic industries, higher requirements are put forward for the deposition uniformity and process efficiency of high-quality thin films on large-size substrates.

[0003] Microwave plasma enhanced ALD / CVD technology (microwave ALD / CVD) is a new type of thin film deposition method combining traditional ALD / CVD processes and microwave plasma technology. By exciting high-density and high-activity plasma through a microwave field, the reaction temperature is effectively reduced, and the activity of the reaction precursors and the thin film deposition rate are improved. Microwave ALD / CVD technology is particularly suitable for applications such as flexible electronics, OLEDs, and temperature-sensitive material coating due to its significant low-temperature deposition advantages.

[0004] However, the current microwave ALD / CVD technology still has obvious technical defects and bottlenecks. Especially when processing large-area (such as 8 inches and above) substrates, due to the inherent distribution characteristics of the microwave electromagnetic field and the unreasonable design of the waveguide cavity structure, it is difficult to maintain the uniformity of the deposited thin film thickness and quality on large-area substrates. This non-uniformity mainly manifests as a large difference in deposition rate and thin film properties between the center and edge regions, which severely limits the application range and effect of microwave ALD / CVD technology in the industrial production of large-size substrates. In addition, the existing microwave waveguide cavity design has low microwave energy coupling efficiency, large power loss, poor process stability, and other problems, further reducing the production applicability and process economy of microwave ALD / CVD technology.

[0005] Therefore, in view of the problems of the microwave ALD / CVD technology in large-area uniform deposition, a new microwave power output structure and waveguide cavity design are urgently needed to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and achieve efficient and large-area uniform deposition of the microwave ALD / CVD process. SUMMARY

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment for realizing large-size uniform deposition, which can realize efficient coupling and transmission of microwave energy by special optimization design of the microwave power output structure and waveguide cavity, thereby significantly improving the density uniformity and stability of the plasma, and meeting the high-quality uniform film deposition requirements of 8-inch and larger size large-area substrates.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the technical scheme adopted by the present application is: a microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment for realizing large-size uniform deposition, comprising a resonant waveguide cavity, a reaction chamber, a gas dispersion ring, a quartz isolation plate and an antenna mesh ring, the upper cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity is tapered from top to bottom or has a gradually increasing inner arc surface shape or a spherical shape from top to bottom; The gas dispersion ring is arranged on the outer periphery of the resonant waveguide cavity and is used to inject uniform annular gas flow into the resonant waveguide cavity; The quartz isolation plate is located inside the resonant waveguide cavity and above the gas dispersion ring, and the quartz isolation plate is used to make the gas injected by the gas dispersion ring excited by the microwave passing through the quartz isolation plate to generate uniformly distributed plasma; The antenna mesh ring is located between the resonant waveguide cavity and the reaction chamber and below the quartz isolation plate, and the antenna mesh ring has mesh holes formed thereon.

[0008] Further, the inner periphery of the gas dispersion ring is formed with a plurality of spaced-apart gas outlet holes, and the farther the distance from the gas inlet end of the gas dispersion ring, the larger the aperture.

[0009] Further, the deposition equipment further comprises an upper seat body, the upper seat body is formed with a microwave inlet, the upper seat body is formed with an upper chamber, the upper surface of the upper cavity is tapered from top to bottom or has a gradually increasing inner arc surface shape from top to bottom, and the upper chamber penetrates to the lower surface of the upper seat body.

[0010] Further, the lower end of the upper seat body is formed with a connecting ring, the lower surface of the upper seat body is formed with a mounting groove, and the quartz isolation plate is mounted in the mounting groove.

[0011] Further, the gas dispersion ring is arranged below the quartz isolation plate and the upper surface thereof is sealingly connected with the quartz isolation plate.

[0012] Further, the thin film deposition device further comprises an aluminum ring, the aluminum ring is arranged below the gas dispersion ring, the gas dispersion ring and the aluminum ring are sealingly connected, and the upper surface of the aluminum ring is connected with the connecting ring through the connecting piece.

[0013] Further, the thin film deposition device further comprises a reaction seat, the reaction chamber is located in the reaction seat, the reaction chamber has an upper opening above, and the lower surface of the aluminum ring is attached to and sealingly connected with the reaction seat.

[0014] Further, the thin film deposition device further comprises an annular mounting frame, the annular mounting frame is fixedly connected with the lower surface of the aluminum ring, the annular mounting frame is located inside the upper opening, and the antenna mesh ring is detachably connected to the lower surface of the annular mounting frame.

[0015] Further, the outer peripheral surface of the aluminum ring is provided with a spectrometer interface.

[0016] Further, the top of the upper seat body is provided with a microwave channel, a front-stage tuning antenna is arranged at the connection between the microwave channel and the upper cavity, and the inner peripheral surface of the front-stage tuning antenna is tapered inward from top to bottom.

[0017] A microwave plasma enhanced thin film deposition process for realizing large-size uniform deposition is prepared by using a microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition device for realizing large-size uniform deposition, and comprises the following steps: S1, a microwave enters an upper cavity of a resonant waveguide cavity to form a uniform and stable field strength distribution; S2, a gas dispersion ring uniformly injects reaction gas into the inside of the resonant waveguide cavity to form a uniform annular gas flow layer; S3, after the microwave energy transmits through the quartz isolation plate, the reaction gas in the annular gas flow layer is excited to form a spatially uniformly distributed plasma; S4, the microwave energy transmits through the mesh holes on the antenna mesh ring to perform multi-point radiation on the substrate, and thin film deposition on a substrate with a size of at least 8 inches is realized.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects: 1. Efficient microwave energy coupling: by optimizing the output structure of the microwave power supply and designing the upper surface of the upper cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity in the shape of a taper or the inner arc surface gradually increasing from top to bottom, unnecessary reflection and energy loss are reduced, efficient transmission and coupling of microwave energy are realized, and the plasma excitation efficiency is effectively improved.

[0019] 2. Large-area uniform deposition: The present application is particularly designed for large-area substrates of 8 inches and above, and through field distribution optimization in the upper chamber of the resonant waveguide cavity, high-density uniform plasma can be obtained on the surface of large-size substrates, significantly improving the uniformity of film thickness and characteristics.

[0020] 3. High process stability: After the formation of high-density uniform plasma, the fluctuation in the process is small, and the film deposition rate and characteristics are more stable, which can significantly improve the production yield.

[0021] 4. Reduce power loss: Reasonable microwave field distribution and waveguide cavity structure can reduce microwave reflection and resonance mode loss, reduce energy waste, and reduce process operating cost.

[0022] 5. Adapt to multiple deposition processes: The present application is suitable for microwave ALD / CVD process, and can be flexibly adjusted for different chemical precursors and substrate process requirements, and has wide applicability in semiconductor, optoelectronic, display panel and other application fields.

[0023] 6. In the scheme, the gas dispersion ring is arranged between the upper seat body and the aluminum ring, and is locked through the connecting ring on the upper seat body and the connecting piece between the aluminum ring, so as to realize the locking of the gas dispersion ring. Compared with the existing thin film deposition equipment, a flange needs to be separately arranged to install the gas dispersion ring. The scheme eliminates the flange structure, greatly reducing the space required for plasma formation. Since the space is smaller, the gas dispersion ring is more uniform when injecting gas, and the effect is better. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic view of the stereoscopic structure of the upper seat body and the reaction seat in the present application; Figure 2 is a schematic view of the sectional structure of the upper seat body and the reaction seat in the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic view of the stereoscopic structure of the upper seat body and the reaction seat in the present application; Figure 2 Figure 4 is a schematic view of the stereoscopic structure of the ring-shaped mounting frame and the antenna mesh ring in the present application; Figure 5 is a schematic view of the stereoscopic structure of the gas dispersion ring in the present application; Figure 6 is a data graph of oxygen and argon spectral line intensity in the plasma excitation process of the present application.

[0025] ​The markings in the diagram are: 1. Upper body; 11. Resonant waveguide cavity; 111. Microwave inlet; 12. Connecting ring; 13. Connector; 14. Pre-stage tuning antenna; 2. Gas dispersion ring; 21. Vent; 3. Quartz isolation plate; 4. Antenna mesh ring; 41. Mesh; 5. Annular mounting bracket; 51. Pressure ring; 6. Response seat; 61. Response chamber; 7. Aluminum ring; 8. Microwave generator. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for detailed explanation.

[0027] like Figures 1-5 As shown, this embodiment provides a microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition, including an upper body 1, a gas dispersion ring 2, a quartz isolation plate 3, an antenna mesh ring 4, an aluminum ring 7, an annular mounting frame 5, and a reaction seat 6.

[0028] The upper body 1 has a microwave inlet 111 for connecting to the microwave generator 8. The microwave generator 8 is an existing structure and will not be described in detail here. A resonant waveguide cavity 11 is formed inside the upper body 1. The upper surface of the upper cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity 11 is either a cone shape with the upper part smaller than the lower part, or an inner arc shape that gradually increases in size from top to bottom. Either one is acceptable. In this embodiment, the cone shape with the upper part smaller than the lower part is used. The resonant waveguide cavity 11 extends to the lower surface of the upper body 1.

[0029] The upper surface of the upper chamber adopts a conical, spherical, or multi-arc curvature design, with its radius of curvature R gradually increasing from the center to the outer periphery. Preferably, the radius of curvature R is 50-150 mm at the center of the cavity and 150-600 mm at the outer periphery. The curvature reduction method can be linear, piecewise, or quadratic curve reduction, and the reduction amount (ΔR) is preferably 100-500 mm. Taking linear reduction as an example, the radius of curvature R(x) satisfies: R(x) = R1 + (R2 – R1) × (x / L), where R1 is the central radius of curvature (50-150 mm), R2 is the outer periphery radius of curvature (150-600 mm), L is the cavity radius, and x is the distance from the center to the outer periphery. The above parameter range can ensure that the microwave field strength is uniformly distributed in a large-area (8 inches and above) cavity, effectively improving the plasma excitation efficiency and thin film deposition uniformity.

[0030] A microwave channel is located at the top of the upper body, and a pre-stage tuning antenna 14 is installed at the connection between the microwave channel and the upper cavity. Figure 2As shown, the front-stage tuning antenna 14 is part of the resonant waveguide cavity 11, the inner peripheral surface of the front-stage tuning antenna 14 is tapered inward from top to bottom, and the cavity wall surface is designed with a ring-shaped tapered structure protruding radially into the cavity. The tapered structure is in the form of a stepped ring, an arc or a cone, and in this embodiment, it is in the form of a stepped ring. Its cross section can be rectangular, arc-shaped, polygonal or other geometric shapes, and it is integrally formed or integrally machined with the cavity body without the need for additional independent metal parts. The parameters of the tapered structure are preferably as follows: the protrusion depth (i.e. the distance of the tapered protrusion into the cavity): 5-50 mm, preferably 10-40 mm; the radial width of the protrusion structure: 10-80 mm, preferably 20-60 mm; the inner diameter of the protrusion part: 10-80 mm, preferably 20-60 mm; the cross-sectional thickness of the ring-shaped protrusion: 1-10 mm; the shape of the tapered structure: circular, arc-shaped, polygonal or other regular / irregular structure; material: same metal as the cavity body, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, copper, etc.

[0031] The above structure optimizes the microwave reflection, standing wave distribution and energy coupling by changing the shape of the inner wall of the cavity, thereby effectively improving the plasma excitation efficiency and distribution uniformity. All design schemes of the above tapered structure are within the scope of protection of the present application. The upper seat body 1 is formed with a connecting ring 12 at the lower end, and the lower surface of the upper seat body 1 is formed with a mounting groove, and the quartz isolation plate 3 is mounted in the mounting groove.

[0032] The quartz isolation plate 3 is a microwave-transparent vacuum isolation interface, which is made of high-purity quartz material and has extremely low microwave loss and excellent mechanical strength. In this scheme, the quartz isolation plate has a diameter of 270, a tolerance of +0 / -0.2, a thickness of 12, a tolerance of +0 / -0.1, and the surface of the quartz isolation plate needs to be chamfered. The two mirror surfaces cannot be scratched, which can effectively block the gas flow and pressure difference between the process cavity and the upper cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity 11, and realize the complete vacuum isolation of the upper and lower chambers of the resonant waveguide cavity 11. At the same time, the quartz isolation plate 3 has good transparency to microwaves, ensuring that the microwave energy can be transmitted to the reaction area without loss, for exciting plasma. The quartz plate can effectively block the impact of plasma, active species and back-splashing in the reaction cavity on the upstream structure, ensuring the cleanliness and long-term stable operation of the equipment inside.

[0033] The gas dispersion ring 2 is arranged below the quartz isolation plate 3 and is sealingly connected to the upper surface of the quartz isolation plate 3. Specifically, the upper surface of the gas dispersion ring 2 is formed with an O-shaped groove, and an O-ring is arranged in the O-shaped groove for sealing. The inner peripheral surface of the gas dispersion ring 2 is formed with a plurality of spaced-apart gas outlet holes 21, and the farther the distance from the gas inlet end of the gas dispersion ring 2, the larger the hole diameter. The inner peripheral surface of the gas dispersion ring is formed with a plurality of spaced-apart gas outlet holes.

[0034] Preferably, the number of gas outlet holes is 10-200, which are evenly distributed circumferentially along the gas dispersion ring. The diameter of each gas outlet hole ranges from 0.2 mm to 5 mm, preferably from 0.5 mm to 3 mm, and the gas outlet holes can be of a single size or increase in size from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the ring by 0.1 mm to 1 mm per adjacent gas outlet hole. The width (or diameter) of the inner gas channel ranges from 2 mm to 20 mm, preferably from 4 mm to 12 mm, to ensure gas flow and uniformity. The total opening rate of the gas outlet holes (total area of gas outlet holes / total area of inner circumference of the ring) is preferably 3%-40% and can be adjusted according to actual process requirements.

[0035] The core function of the gas dispersion ring 2 is to inject reaction gas or precursor gas uniformly into the resonant waveguide cavity 11 through the annularly distributed micro-holes or slits. This design can effectively avoid local over-concentration or under-concentration of gas in the cavity, ensuring uniform distribution of injected gas along the 360° circumference of the cavity, thereby making the generation of plasma and chemical reactions more consistent and significantly improving the uniformity of thin films on large-area substrates of 8 inches or larger. The aluminum ring 7 is coaxially assembled with the cavity, and the aperture, pitch, and opening rate are all optimally designed to meet different flow and reaction requirements.

[0036] The aluminum ring 7 is arranged below the gas dispersion ring 2, and the gas dispersion ring 2 is sealingly connected with the aluminum ring 7. Specifically, an O-shaped groove is formed on the lower surface of the gas dispersion ring 2, and an O-ring is arranged in the O-shaped groove for sealing. The inner edge of the aluminum ring 7 is in the shape of an annular notch, and the gas dispersion ring 2 is clamped in the annular notch. The upper surface of the aluminum ring 7 is connected with the connecting ring 12 through the connecting piece 13. The connecting piece 13 is a bolt, and the connecting ring 12 on the upper seat body 1 and the aluminum ring 7 are locked through the connecting piece 13, thereby achieving locking of the gas dispersion ring 2. Compared with the existing thin film deposition equipment, which requires a separate flange to install the gas dispersion ring 2, the present scheme eliminates the flange structure, greatly reducing the space required for plasma formation. Since the space is smaller, the gas dispersion ring 2 can inject gas more uniformly and effectively.

[0037] The reaction chamber 61 is located in the reaction seat 6, and the upper surface of the reaction chamber 61 has an upper opening. The lower surface of the aluminum ring 7 is attached to and sealingly connected with the reaction seat 6. An O-shaped groove is formed on the region where the lower surface of the aluminum ring 7 is attached to the reaction seat 6, and an O-ring is arranged in the O-shaped groove. The aluminum ring 7 is connected with the upper surface of the reaction seat 6 through a screw.

[0038] The annular mounting frame 5 is fixedly connected with the lower surface of the aluminum ring 7, and the two are connected through screws. The annular mounting frame 5 is located inside the upper opening of the reaction chamber 61. The antenna mesh ring 4 is detachably connected to the lower surface of the annular mounting frame 5. Specifically, a compression ring 51 is formed below the annular mounting frame 5. The compression ring 51 is connected to the annular mounting frame 5 through an extension plate. The antenna mesh ring 4 is installed between the compression ring 51 and the annular mounting frame 5.

[0039] The antenna mesh ring 4 is located between the resonant waveguide cavity 11 and the reaction chamber 61 and below the quartz isolation plate 3. The antenna mesh ring 4 is formed with mesh holes 41.

[0040] The antenna mesh ring can be made of metal wires with good electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance such as stainless steel (such as SUS304), aluminum, copper, nickel, molybdenum, tantalum, etc. The preferred material is SUS304 stainless steel, and aluminum, copper and its alloys, nickel-based alloys, etc. can also be selected.

[0041] The hole shape of the antenna mesh ring can be circular, square, hexagonal or other polygonal. The preferred hole diameter range is 0.5 mm-6 mm, and more preferably 1 mm-5 mm. When the antenna mesh ring is made of metal wires, the wire diameter range is 0.05 mm-1 mm, and the preferred wire diameter range is 0.1 mm-0.8 mm. The mesh opening rate (bare air ratio / transmittance) is preferably 40%-80%. The mesh density range is 2-30 meshes / inch, and the preferred mesh density range is 4-20 meshes / inch.

[0042] The mesh arrangement can adopt a regular array or an irregular array. Specifically, it can be customized according to the cavity diameter, microwave wavelength and deposition area requirement. The mesh ring can be made into a detachable structure for easy replacement and maintenance.

[0043] The antenna mesh ring can be made by various metal processing methods, including but not limited to metal wire weaving, metal sheet punching, laser cutting, wire electrical discharge machining, chemical etching, and expanded metal drawing forming. Among them, metal wire weaving can be used to manufacture a high-strength and high-flexibility mesh structure; metal sheet punching, laser cutting, wire electrical discharge machining or chemical etching can realize high-precision regular or irregular array hole shape. The expanded metal drawing forming can obtain a continuous and integrated mesh structure without welding points. The above processing methods can be selected or combined according to actual application requirements, and all belong to the protection scope of the present application The antenna mesh ring 4 is arranged between the resonant waveguide cavity 11 and the reaction cavity. Its main function is to uniformly radiate the microwave energy in the main waveguide to the reaction cavity in a multi-point form, thereby further improving the spatial distribution uniformity of the plasma. The mesh ring is made of stainless steel (SUS304) and has good mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. By designing the size of the mesh hole 41, the electromagnetic field can smoothly pass through, while shielding ions and electrons, protecting the quartz plate and other parts of the cavity from direct impact of the plasma. In addition, the antenna mesh ring 4 is connected to the cavity at the same potential, effectively suppressing arc discharge and ensuring the safety and stability of the equipment operation. The mesh ring structure is detachable, which is convenient for subsequent maintenance and cleaning.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the area surrounded by the microwave inlet 111 of the upper seat body 1 to the upper surface of the antenna mesh ring 4 becomes the resonant waveguide cavity 11, and the area surrounded by the quartz isolation plate 3 to the upper surface of the antenna mesh ring 4 becomes the plasma formation cavity. The substrate is arranged in the reaction chamber 61 and below the mesh hole 41. Figure 2

[0045] The resonant waveguide cavity 11 in this scheme provides efficient coupling and uniform distribution of microwave energy. By designing the upper chamber upper surface of the resonant waveguide cavity 11 in the form of an upper and lower tapered or an inner arc surface gradually increasing from top to bottom, the excitation efficiency and spatial uniformity of the plasma are effectively improved. The electromagnetic field distribution inside the cavity is optimized, which can greatly improve the field strength difference from the center to the edge, ensuring the uniformity of the plasma density and film deposition on the surface of the 8-inch and above large-area substrate. In addition, the upper seat body 1 is made of high-conductivity metal material, which not only reduces the loss and reflection of microwave energy, but also has the functions of mechanical support and vacuum pressure bearing, which helps to ensure the air tightness and structural strength of the whole cavity.

[0046] The embodiment also provides a microwave plasma enhanced thin film deposition process for realizing large-size uniform deposition, which is prepared by using a microwave plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment for realizing large-size uniform deposition, and includes the following steps: S1, the microwave enters the upper chamber of the resonant waveguide cavity 11 to form a uniform and stable field strength distribution; S2, the gas dispersion ring 2 uniformly injects the reaction gas into the resonant waveguide cavity 11 to form a uniform annular gas flow layer; S3, the microwave energy excites the reaction gas in the annular gas flow layer to form a spatially uniform plasma after passing through the quartz isolation plate 3; S4, the microwave energy passes through the mesh hole 41 on the antenna mesh ring 4 to radiate the substrate in multiple points, realizing thin film deposition on a substrate with a size of at least 8 inches.

[0047] The specific steps are as follows: ​S1, microwave energy input: the microwave is input from the top of the upper seat body 1 through the microwave inlet 111 connected to the external microwave generator 8, and the microwave energy passes through the upper cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity 11 to excite the cavity to form a stable electromagnetic field distribution.

[0048] S2, gas injection: the reaction gas or precursor gas is input through the gas inlet provided on the side of the device, first enters the inner gas channel of the gas dispersion ring 2, and is sprayed into the inner cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity 11 in a ring-shaped and uniform manner through the uniformly distributed gas outlet holes 21 to form a uniform gas flow.

[0049] S3, plasma excitation: the microwave energy passes through the quartz isolation plate 3 to excite the injected gas in the plasma formation cavity between the resonant waveguide cavity 11 and the reaction chamber 61 to generate high-density and uniformly distributed plasma.

[0050] The system supports a wide range of aluminum oxide film deposition parameters, which can cover the following process window: precursor temperature: 20-35℃; substrate temperature: 180-300℃; N2gas flow: 50-200 sccm; TMA pulse time: 0.05-0.2; TMA purge time: 2-6 s; Ar gas flow: 50-2000 sccm; O2gas flow: 5-200 sccm; O2pulse time: 1-10 s; Ar purge time: 2-8 s; plasma power: 200-1500 W; single cycle time: 10-30 s.

[0051] In the above process window range, as shown in Figure 6 When the oxygen flow is 100 sccm, the argon flow is 2000 sccm, the cavity vacuum degree is 8.7×10⁻¹ torr (about 1.16 Pa), and the microwave power is 600 W, the optical emission spectrum (OES) is used for monitoring, the OES intensity of the O (oxygen) spectrum line is about 20,387.93 counts / s, and the OES intensity of the Ar (argon) spectrum line is about 64,897.21 counts / s. The data is the measured result of the system under the typical process window, which is used to illustrate that the device of the application can still realize efficient excitation of high-intensity plasma under the condition of high flow and low pressure.

[0052] Benefiting from high oxygen radical intensity, the system can realize very short single cycle time of aluminum oxide (e.g. 14 s), and significantly improve the film deposition efficiency. Further, the aluminum oxide (Al2O3) film prepared by using the above parameters has excellent performance in many aspects. The key performance indicators of a typical aluminum oxide film are as follows: single cycle time: 14 s; thickness uniformity: 0.88%; O / Al atomic ratio: 1.45; refractive index n: 1.65; film density: 3.3 g / cm3; dielectric constant (k value): 9.3; breakdown field strength: 23.6 MV / cm.

[0053] The above characteristics fully reflect that the aluminum oxide film prepared by the system has high density, high uniformity, high dielectric performance and very strong electrical insulation, and is suitable for high-end semiconductor devices, microelectronic elements and advanced display fields. Under the same deposition rate, the performance of the above aluminum oxide film is better than that of the conventional PEALD method, and the process window is wide and controllable.

[0054] S5, exhaust gas discharge: the tail gas and unreacted gas generated by the deposition reaction are timely removed through the exhaust port or exhaust channel arranged at the lower part of the reaction chamber 61, and the entire reaction chamber always maintains the required working pressure and atmosphere environment.

[0055] In summary, the process steps of the present application include microwave input, uniform gas injection, plasma excitation, substrate film deposition and exhaust gas discharge in sequence, thereby efficiently and stably realizing uniform film deposition of large-size substrates.

[0056] The above shows and describes the basic principles and main features of the present application and the advantages of the present application. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present application is not limited by the above examples, and the above examples and descriptions in the specification are only to illustrate the principles of the present application. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application, various changes and improvements can be made to the present application, and these changes and improvements all fall within the scope of the present application. The scope of protection of the present application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition, characterized in that: It includes a resonant waveguide cavity, a reaction chamber, a gas dispersion ring, a quartz isolation plate, and an antenna mesh ring. The upper cavity of the resonant waveguide cavity is a cone shape with a smaller upper part and a smaller lower part, or an inner arc shape or a spherical shape that gradually increases in size from top to bottom. The gas dispersion ring is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the resonant waveguide cavity and is used to inject a uniform annular gas flow into the resonant waveguide cavity. The quartz isolation plate is located inside the resonant waveguide cavity and above the gas dispersion ring. The quartz isolation plate is used to generate uniformly distributed plasma by the microwave-excited gas ejected from the gas dispersion ring that passes through the quartz isolation plate. The antenna mesh ring is located between the resonant waveguide cavity and the reaction chamber and below the quartz isolation plate, and the antenna mesh ring has mesh holes.

2. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas dispersion ring has multiple spaced-apart air outlets on its inner circumferential surface, and the larger the diameter of the multiple air outlets is, the farther away they are from the air inlet end of the gas dispersion ring.

3. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deposition apparatus also includes an upper body, which has a microwave inlet and an upper chamber. The upper surface of the upper chamber is either a cone shape with a smaller upper surface and a gradually increasing inner arc shape from top to bottom, and the upper chamber extends to the lower surface of the upper body.

4. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 3, characterized in that: A connecting ring is formed at the lower end of the upper seat, and an installation groove is formed on the lower surface of the upper seat, and the quartz isolation plate is installed in the installation groove.

5. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gas dispersion ring is positioned below the quartz isolation plate and its upper surface is sealed to the quartz isolation plate.

6. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 5, characterized in that: The thin film deposition apparatus also includes an aluminum ring, which is disposed below the gas dispersion ring. The gas dispersion ring and the aluminum ring are sealed together, and the upper surface of the aluminum ring is connected to the connecting ring by a connector.

7. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 6, characterized in that: The thin film deposition apparatus also includes a reaction seat, the reaction chamber is located inside the reaction seat, the reaction chamber has an upper opening, and the lower surface of the aluminum ring is in contact with and sealed to the reaction seat.

8. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 7, characterized in that: The thin film deposition equipment also includes an annular mounting bracket, which is fixedly connected to the lower surface of an aluminum ring. The annular mounting bracket is located inside the upper opening, and the antenna mesh ring is detachably connected to the lower surface of the annular mounting bracket.

9. The microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for achieving large-size uniform deposition according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the upper body is provided with a microwave channel, and a pre-stage tuning antenna is provided at the connection between the microwave channel and the upper cavity. The inner circumferential surface of the pre-stage tuning antenna changes diameter from top to bottom inward.

10. A microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process for achieving large-size uniform deposition, characterized in that: The fabrication process, using a microwave plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition or microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-9, comprises the following steps: S1. Microwaves enter the upper chamber of the resonant waveguide cavity to form a uniform and stable field strength distribution; S2. The gas dispersion ring uniformly injects the reactive gas into the resonant waveguide cavity to form a uniform annular gas flow layer. S3. Microwave energy, after passing through the quartz isolation plate, excites the reactive gas in the annular gas flow layer to form a plasma with uniform spatial distribution. S4. Microwave energy is radiated to the substrate at multiple points through the mesh on the antenna ring, achieving substrate thin film deposition of at least 8 inches in size.

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