Thin film deposition apparatus and thin film deposition method

Abstract

This disclosure provides a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method, relating to the field of semiconductor technology. The thin film deposition apparatus includes: a chamber; a support device having at least one support groove for supporting a substrate; a microwave field generator located outside the chamber for generating a microwave field to heat the substrate to a target temperature; the target temperature is greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius; at least one pair of capacitor field plates, the capacitive field formed between the two capacitor field plates inducing eddy currents on the surface of the substrate; at least one support groove positioned between the paired capacitor field plates; a remote plasma source for generating free radicals, which can flow to the surface of the substrate located in the chamber; and a pressure control device for controlling the pressure inside the chamber to be greater than or equal to a first target pressure and less than or equal to a second target pressure; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; and the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, the reaction mechanism of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is a complex process, typically dependent on the reactants and reaction conditions. Generally, the CVD reaction process can be divided into the following steps: reactants enter the reaction chamber and are activated, whereby the reactants enter the chamber in gaseous form and are activated, usually through high-temperature heating; the reactants react on the substrate surface, where the activated reactants react on the substrate surface to form a thin film, and the reaction can be a chemical reaction such as oxidation, reduction, or deposition; thin film growth occurs, where reactants continuously enter the reaction chamber and react with the substrate surface to form a thin film. The growth rate of the thin film is affected by the reaction conditions and reactant concentration. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method.

[0004] As one aspect of this disclosure, an embodiment provides a thin film deposition apparatus, comprising: a chamber; a support device disposed within the chamber and having a plurality of support grooves; the plurality of support grooves being spaced apart along the axial direction of the chamber, wherein at least one of the support grooves is used to support a substrate; a microwave field generator located outside the chamber, used to generate a microwave field to heat the substrate to a target temperature; the target temperature being greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius; and at least one pair of capacitor field plates, wherein the two capacitor field plates are opposite to each other and spaced apart, and a capacitor field is formed between the two capacitor field plates. The device enables eddy currents to be induced on the surface of the substrate; wherein at least one support groove is located between two pairs of capacitor field plates; a rotating device connected to the support device is used to drive the support device to rotate; a remote plasma source is connected to the chamber; the remote plasma source is used to generate free radicals, and the free radicals can flow to the surface of the substrate located in the chamber; a pressure control device is used to control the pressure in the chamber to be greater than or equal to a first target pressure and less than or equal to a second target pressure; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr.

[0005] In one embodiment, the target temperature is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0006] In one implementation, the target temperature is equal to 175 degrees Celsius.

[0007] In one embodiment, the microwave field generator produces a microwave frequency greater than or equal to 900 MHz and less than or equal to 26 GHz.

[0008] In one embodiment, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes a microwave choke for preventing the microwave field from the remote plasma source from flowing into the chamber.

[0009] In one embodiment, the microwave choke is located at the end of the remote plasma source facing the chamber.

[0010] In one embodiment, the thickness of the capacitor field plate is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0011] In one embodiment, the spacing between the two pairs of said capacitor field plates is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 100 mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the capacitor field plate is made of a material whose conductivity increases with increasing temperature.

[0013] In one embodiment, the surface of the capacitor field plate is provided with a conductor layer whose conductivity increases with increasing temperature.

[0014] As one aspect of this disclosure, an embodiment provides a thin film deposition method, implemented based on any of the foregoing thin film deposition apparatus; the thin film deposition method includes: The substrate is placed on the support device inside the cavity and positioned between the pairs of capacitor field plates. The support device and the base plate are driven to rotate by a rotating device; and the pressure in the chamber is maintained at a pressure greater than or equal to a first target pressure and less than or equal to a second target pressure by a pressure control device; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; and the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr. Free radicals are generated using a remote plasma source, and the free radicals reach the surface of the substrate; A microwave field generator is used to heat a substrate to a target temperature greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius; and the microwave generator is used to increase the conductivity of the capacitor field plates and form a capacitor field between the pairs of capacitor field plates, so as to induce eddy currents on the surface of the substrate.

[0015] In one embodiment, the target temperature is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0016] In one embodiment, the microwave field generator produces a microwave frequency greater than or equal to 900 MHz and less than or equal to 26 GHz.

[0017] In this embodiment, highly active free radicals are pre-generated in a remote plasma source outside the chamber. These free radicals can enter the chamber and react with the surface of the substrate to form a thin film on the substrate surface. This reduces the requirement for reaction temperature, enabling thin film deposition on the substrate in a low-temperature environment, while also ensuring substrate stability and a faster thin film growth rate.

[0018] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. Further aspects, embodiments, and features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, in addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above. Attached Figure Description

[0019] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the position of the capacitor field plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a substrate structure is shown; Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a thin film deposition method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10-Cavity; 11-Waveguide window; 20-Support device; 21-Support column; 211-Support groove; 22-Base support; 30-Microwave field generator; 40-Capacitor field plate; 50-Remote plasma source; 51-Microwave choke; 60-Voltage control device; 70-Voltage measuring device; 90-Substrate; 91-Thin film. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0023] In related technologies, current vapor phase chemical deposition typically requires high temperatures. However, for substrates with poor thermal stability, it is difficult to simultaneously achieve substrate stability and a fast film growth rate.

[0024] To overcome the above problems, this embodiment provides a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method. By pre-generating highly active free radicals in a remote plasma source outside the chamber, the free radicals can enter the chamber and react with the surface of the substrate to form a thin film on the surface of the substrate. This reduces the requirement for reaction temperature, enables thin film deposition on the substrate in a low-temperature environment, and can balance the stability of the substrate and a faster thin film growth rate.

[0025] The structure, function, and implementation process of the thin film deposition equipment provided in this embodiment will be illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the thin film deposition apparatus provided in this embodiment includes: a chamber 10; a support device 20 disposed within the chamber 10, having a plurality of support grooves 211; the plurality of support grooves 211 being spaced apart along the axial direction of the chamber 10, wherein at least one support groove 211 is used to support a substrate 90; a microwave field generator 30 located outside the chamber 10, used to generate a microwave field to heat the substrate 90 to a target temperature; the target temperature being greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius; at least one pair of capacitor field plates 40, wherein the two capacitor field plates 40 are opposite to each other and spaced apart, and the capacitive field formed between the two capacitor field plates 40 can make the substrate 90... Eddy currents are induced on the surface of the substrate 90; wherein at least one support groove 211 is located between two pairs of capacitor field plates 40; a rotating device, connected to the support device 20, is used to drive the support device 20 to rotate; a remote plasma source 50 is connected to the chamber 10; the remote plasma source 50 is used to generate free radicals, and the free radicals can flow to the surface of the substrate 90 located in the chamber 10; a pressure control device 60 is used to control the pressure in the chamber 10 to be greater than or equal to a first target pressure and less than or equal to a second target pressure; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr.

[0027] The chamber 10 provides a relatively enclosed processing space for accommodating the substrate 90 and performing the thin film 91 deposition process. The chamber 10 is typically a cylindrical or cubic box. At least a portion of the inner wall of the chamber 10 may be polished or coated with a reflective coating for microwave reflection.

[0028] A support device 20 may be provided within the chamber 10 to support the substrate 90. The substrate 90 can be a substrate of any geometry, such as a semiconductor device or a silicon wafer. For ease of description, a basically circular plate will be used as an example below.

[0029] For example, the support device 20 includes at least two support pillars 21 spaced apart circumferentially along the substrate 90, with the axial direction of the support pillars 21 parallel to the axial direction of the chamber 10. Each support pillar 21 is provided with a plurality of support grooves 211, which are uniformly distributed along the axial direction of the support shaft. The specific number of support layers can be set according to actual needs; for example, there may be 5, 7, 10, or 12 support grooves 211. The support grooves 211 are used to place plates, such as the substrate 90, to facilitate batch processing and increase production capacity.

[0030] A microwave field generator 30 is disposed outside the cavity 10. The microwave field generated by the microwave field generator 30 can penetrate the wall of the cavity 10 and be fed into the processing space. The microwave field serves as the core heat source, and through dielectric loss or resistive loss, it directly, quickly and uniformly heats the substrate 90 located in the cavity 10 to the target temperature.

[0031] The microwave generator can be located on the side or top of the cavity 10. The walls of the cavity 10 are provided with waveguide windows 11 corresponding to the microwave generator. There can be one microwave generator, and correspondingly, one waveguide window 11. Alternatively, there can be two microwave generators, and correspondingly, two waveguide windows 11. The specific number of microwave generators can be set according to actual needs, and the number and position of the waveguide windows 11 are adapted to the microwave generator.

[0032] The target temperature is greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius. That is, the microwaves generated by the microwave field generator 30 can heat the substrate 90 to a temperature range of [32°C, 800°C], where °C represents degrees Celsius. Therefore, this embodiment can perform thin film 91 deposition on the substrate 90, which has poor thermal stability.

[0033] In addition, the thin film deposition equipment may be equipped with multiple temperature sensors, at least one of which is positioned close to the substrate 90. The temperature sensors can be communicatively connected to a microwave generator, allowing the microwave generator to adjust its operating parameters based on the temperature sensor readings.

[0034] A portion of the support groove 211 of the support device 20 is used to place the capacitor field plates 40. The capacitor field plates 40 are typically arranged in pairs, with the two pairs of capacitor field plates 40 parallel to each other and spaced apart. The capacitor field plates 40 may be parallel to the substrate 90. At least one substrate 90 is located between the pairs of capacitor field plates 40.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the thin film 91 deposition apparatus is provided with a pair of capacitor field plates 40; one capacitor field plate 40 is located on the upper part of the support device 20, for example, placed in a support groove 211 closer to the upper end of the support device 20; the other capacitor field plate 40 is located on the lower part of the support device 20, for example, placed in a support groove 211 closer to the lower end of the support device 20. Multiple support grooves 211 between the two capacitor field plates 40 are used to place the substrate 90. The specific number of pairs of capacitor field plates 40 can be set according to actual needs, which will not be elaborated here in this embodiment.

[0036] The shape of the capacitor field plate 40 can be the same as the shape of the substrate 90. For example, when the substrate 90 is a circular plate, the capacitor field plate 40 is also circular, and the diameter of the capacitor field plate 40 can be greater than or equal to the diameter of the substrate 90.

[0037] The paired capacitor field plates 40 can be effectively heated under a microwave field, and their conductivity increases with increasing temperature, thereby forming a capacitive field between the two paired capacitor field plates 40. When a conductive thin film 91 exists or is being formed on the surface of the substrate 90 located between the capacitor field plates 40, eddy currents flowing perpendicular to the plane of the capacitor field plates 40 can be induced inside the thin film 91. These eddy currents can efficiently and uniformly heat the thin film 91, which is beneficial for optimizing the microstructure and uniformity of the thin film 91.

[0038] To ensure process uniformity, the equipment is equipped with a rotating device. The power output of the rotating device is connected to the support device 20 inside the chamber 10. The rotating device drives the entire support device 20 and the substrate 90 and capacitor field plate 40 it supports to rotate stably around the central axis of the chamber 10. This rotation ensures that each substrate 90 is periodically and equally exposed to the microwave field, capacitor field, and free radical current during the process, thereby avoiding non-uniformity of the thin film 91 caused by uneven field distribution and ensuring the consistency of the thickness and performance of the thin film 91 on the surface of the substrate 90 within and between batches.

[0039] For example, the rotating device may include a motor, the rotating shaft of which is fixed to a flange, and a plurality of support columns 21 connected to the flange.

[0040] Optionally, the support device 20 also includes a base 22, the number of which is the same as the number of support columns 21. The base 22 is welded or fastened to the flange, and the support columns 21 are inserted into the base 22. This facilitates the adjustment of the axial position of the support columns 21. For example, the axial position of the support columns 21 can be adjusted by adjusting the number of shims between the support columns 21 and the base 22, ensuring that the support grooves 211 of the multiple support columns 21 are aligned.

[0041] The rotational speed of the rotating device can be greater than or equal to 1 revolution per minute and less than or equal to 10 revolutions per minute. For example, the rotating device can rotate at a speed of 2 revolutions per minute, 5 revolutions per minute, 8 revolutions per minute, or 10 revolutions per minute.

[0042] The position of the base support 22 relative to the flange is adjustable. This allows for adjustment of the spacing between the support columns 21, and the support groove 211 can support substrates 90 of different sizes. For example, the flange can be provided with a radially extending groove, in which the base support 22 is slidably disposed, and locked to the flange by fasteners when the base support 22 is in place. Of course, the base support 22 can also be adjusted in other directions, allowing the support columns 21 to support substrates 90 of different shapes.

[0043] To provide the chemical reactants for the growth of thin film 91, the thin film deposition apparatus is equipped with at least one remote plasma source 50. The remote plasma source 50 is located outside the chamber 10, for example, on the side or top of the chamber 10. The remote plasma source 50 is connected to the processing space of the chamber 10 via a conduit. The remote plasma source is used to ionize and dissociate the introduced process gas outside the chamber 10 using radio frequency energy, generating highly reactive free radicals. These free radicals are then driven by a pressure difference to flow into the processing space of the chamber 10 and ultimately reach the surface of the substrate 90. The free radicals can chemically react with the surface of the substrate 90 to form thin film 91, achieving chemical vapor deposition of thin film 91.

[0044] To maintain the pressure environment required for all the above processes, the thin film deposition apparatus is equipped with a pressure control device 60. The pressure control device 60 is used to control the pressure within the chamber 10. The pressure control device 60 maintains the pressure within the chamber 10 within the range of [1 Torr, 10 Torr]. Here, Torr is a unit of pressure. This allows the thin film 91 to be deposited on the surface of the substrate 90 at a low temperature without reducing the growth rate of the thin film 91.

[0045] For example, the pressure control device 60 may include an air pump assembly, a throttle valve, and a pressure sensor. The pressure control device 60 is used to dynamically pump out gas from the chamber 10 and adjust the airflow rate into the chamber 10, thereby actively maintaining the pressure within the chamber 10 within the range of [1 Torr, 10 Torr]. This pressure range can balance free radical transport efficiency, reaction rate, and film 91 uniformity in a low-temperature environment, ensuring sufficient free radical flux to reach the substrate 90 surface while avoiding excessive pressure that could lead to particle generation in the gas phase reaction.

[0046] Additionally, the thin film deposition equipment may be equipped with a pressure measuring device 70, such as a pressure sensor. The pressure measuring device 70 can be communicatively connected to a microwave generator, allowing the pressure control device 60 to adjust the pressure within the chamber 10 based on the detection results from the pressure measuring device 70.

[0047] In addition, the thin film deposition equipment may be equipped with one or more air inlet devices for introducing the required gas into the chamber 10. The specific composition and flow rate of the gas can be set according to actual needs. The chamber 10 may be equipped with a viewing window located on one side of the chamber 10, allowing on-site personnel to observe the situation inside the chamber 10 through the viewing window.

[0048] Using the thin film deposition apparatus provided in this embodiment, a substrate 90 is placed in a support groove 211, such that the substrate 90 is located in a microwave field and between paired capacitor field plates 40. A remote plasma source 50 generates free radicals, and under the pressure difference between the remote plasma source 50 and the processing space of the chamber 10, the free radicals are transported into the chamber 10. A microwave field generator 30 generates a uniform microwave field around the substrate 90 to heat the substrate 90 to a target temperature (within the temperature range of [32°C, 800°C]), while the free radicals adhere to the surface of the substrate 90. The substrate 90 is rotated within the uniform microwave field by a rotating device, so that the polarity of the microwaves applied to the substrate 90 changes periodically. Impurities in the thin film 91 on the surface of the substrate 90 are heated by converting microwaves into heat, and by generating eddy currents on the surface of the thin film 91 under the action of the capacitor field between the paired capacitor field plates 40. The eddy currents react by flowing perpendicular to the capacitor field plates 40, thereby uniformly heating the thin film 91. During the above process, the pressure control device 60 maintains the pressure in the chamber 10 within the range of [1 Torr, 10 Torr].

[0049] The thin film 91 deposition setup provided in this embodiment utilizes the above-described configuration: a microwave field generator 30 provides basic heating, enabling the substrate 90 to reach a relatively low target temperature; a rotating device ensures macroscopic uniformity; a remote plasma source 50 provides highly reactive free radicals, achieving low-temperature chemical deposition; the capacitive field formed by paired capacitive field plates 40 under the action of the microwave field further heats the thin film 91 on the surface of the substrate 90, promoting densification, purification, and structural optimization of the thin film 91; and a pressure control device 60 provides a suitable pressure environment for the entire process. Through the synergistic effect of the above devices or components, a high-speed, uniform deposition of a high-performance thin film 91 on the surface of the substrate 90 is achieved at a relatively low temperature, exhibiting high production efficiency and low thermal budget, making it suitable for scenarios where the substrate 90 has poor thermal stability. When applied to scenarios where the substrate 90 has poor thermal stability, the thin film deposition equipment of this embodiment can balance the stability of the substrate 90 with a relatively fast thin film 91 growth rate.

[0050] In some embodiments, the target temperature is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0051] For example, the target temperature can be 100℃, 125℃, 150℃, 175℃, 200℃, 225℃, 250℃, 275℃, 300℃, or any two of the above.

[0052] Within this temperature range, the thermal stress on the substrate 90 is reduced, effectively avoiding thermal deformation, increased impurity diffusion, or device performance degradation that may result from excessively high temperatures. At the same time, this temperature is sufficient to provide enough surface energy to drive subsequent chemical reactions with free radicals.

[0053] Within this temperature range, the conductivity of the paired capacitor field plates 40 is in a highly efficient and stable operating range, which can continuously and uniformly induce the required eddy current on the surface of the substrate 90, thereby effectively optimizing the structure of the thin film 91 without causing its performance to deteriorate due to excessive temperature.

[0054] Under the temperature range and pressure control of the pressure control device 60, unnecessary gas phase reactions or excessive decomposition of free radicals before reaching the surface of the substrate 90 can be avoided, which would affect the quality of the thin film 91. It can also maintain a fast growth rate of the thin film 91 on the surface of the substrate 90, achieving uniform and high-quality deposition, while taking into account both high thin film 91 quality and high deposition efficiency.

[0055] In some embodiments, the microwave field generator 30 generates microwave frequencies greater than or equal to 900 MHz (megahertz) and less than or equal to 26 GHz (gigahertz, also known as gigahertz).

[0056] Microwave field generators 30 with lower frequencies (such as 915 MHz) typically have high power capacity and deep penetration, making them suitable for uniform heating of thicker substrates or substrates with low dielectric loss; microwaves with higher frequencies (such as 5.8 GHz or 24 GHz) have shorter wavelengths and more concentrated energy, which is beneficial for achieving rapid and efficient surface heating.

[0057] Regarding the cavity 10 and its internal environment: the dimensions of the cavity 10 (especially the radial dimensions) need to match or be an integer multiple of the wavelength of the microwave frequency used to avoid the formation of undesirable standing wave modes and ensure the controllability of the microwave field distribution within the cavity 10. The choice of frequency directly affects the propagation, reflection, and absorption characteristics of microwaves within the cavity 10. The frequency range of this embodiment allows the thin-film deposition equipment to flexibly adapt to substrates 90 made of various materials, making it suitable for more scenarios; for example, for some materials with weak microwave absorption, a higher frequency may need to be selected to improve heating efficiency; while for applications requiring deep heat penetration, a lower frequency may be selected.

[0058] In some embodiments, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes a microwave choke 51 for preventing the microwave field from the remote plasma source 50 from flowing into (or leaking into) the chamber 10.

[0059] The microwave choke 51 can be a metal component with a specific geometry, such as a periodic slot or a choke flange, or it can be a specially designed waveguide. The microwave choke 51 acts as a barrier in the path of the free radicals generated by the remote plasma source 50 into the chamber 10.

[0060] For example, the microwave choke 51 allows only electrically neutral free radicals and process gases to pass through, while efficiently reflecting and blocking microwaves. This ensures that the main chamber 10 contains only a controlled microwave field environment generated by the main microwave field generator 30 and a capacitive field generated by a pair of capacitive field plates 40, eliminating uncontrollable sources of stray microwave energy.

[0061] The remote plasma source 50 typically uses independent energy (such as radio frequency at a specific frequency) to excite and sustain plasma at a location far from the main chamber 10 to generate highly reactive free radicals. The microwave choke 51 ensures that the excitation energy is strictly confined within the remote plasma source 50 or a designated transmission segment, preventing it from leaking into the chamber 10 and interfering with the microwave or capacitive field.

[0062] In some examples, the microwave choke 51 is located at the end of the remote plasma source 50 facing the chamber 10. This ensures that stray microwaves attempting to propagate from the remote plasma source 50 into the chamber 10 are reflected or attenuated immediately upon leaving the remote plasma source 50, guaranteeing that the airflow entering the chamber 10 from the remote plasma source 50 is electromagnetically pure, which helps maintain the uniformity of the microwave field generated by the microwave field generator 30.

[0063] For example, the remote plasma source 50 is connected to the chamber 10 via a conduit. The microwave choke 51 is disposed in the conduit, specifically at the end of the conduit closer to the chamber 10.

[0064] In this embodiment, the two processes of remote plasma excitation and heating of the substrate 90 of the chamber 10 are physically isolated, so that each space can work under conditions of non-interference, ensuring the purity and stability of the microwave field in the chamber 10.

[0065] In some embodiments, the thickness of the capacitor field plate 40 is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm. For example, the thickness of the capacitor field plate 40 is 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, or any two of the above.

[0066] In this embodiment, a thickness greater than or equal to 0.5 mm ensures that the capacitor field plate 40 has sufficient mechanical strength to resist deformation caused by pressure difference, thermal stress, or its own weight, maintaining its flatness and facilitating the uniformity of the capacitor field. A thickness less than or equal to 5 mm prevents the capacitor field plate 40 from having excessive thermal inertia and slow heating / cooling response due to excessive thickness.

[0067] In some embodiments, the spacing between two pairs of capacitor field plates 40 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 100 mm. Exemplary spacing between two pairs of capacitor field plates 40 is 1 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, 70 mm, 80 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, or any two of the above.

[0068] The aforementioned spacing range ensures that the formed capacitive field can cover the substrate 90 located between the capacitor field plates 40 with high density and uniformity, thereby applying a uniform capacitive field to the thin film 91 during deposition, improving the density and uniformity of the thin film 91, while also maintaining the compactness of the thin film deposition equipment structure. Furthermore, under a pressure environment of 1 to 10 Torr, the mean free path of gas molecules is moderate. The spacing range of 1 to 100 mm ensures that gas flow is not hindered by too small a spacing between the paired capacitor field plates 40, nor is the capacitive field significantly attenuated by too large a spacing.

[0069] In some embodiments, the capacitor field plate 40 is made of a material whose conductivity increases with increasing temperature. For example, the capacitor field plate 40 can be made of heavily doped silicon; by heavily doping silicon (N-type or P-type), the heavily doped silicon can exhibit metallic-like conductivity at the target temperature, with the characteristic that the conductivity generally increases with increasing temperature. As another example, the capacitor field plate 40 can be made of silicon carbide (SiC) or doped gallium arsenide (GaAs) in specific ratios, which may also exhibit the desired characteristic of overall conductivity increasing with increasing temperature at the target temperature, and have excellent high-temperature resistance and chemical stability.

[0070] When the microwave field generator 30 is started, the cold capacitor field plate 40 begins to absorb microwave energy. At this time, the material conductivity is relatively low, the penetration depth of microwaves may be deep, the absorption area is large, which is conducive to rapid overall heating.

[0071] As the temperature of the capacitor field plate 40 increases, its conductivity also increases. This increased conductivity leads to a shallower skin depth for microwaves on the material surface, resulting in more concentrated energy absorption at the surface. If the temperature is excessively high in a localized area of ​​the capacitor field plate 40, the conductivity at that location will be even higher, concentrating microwave energy in other areas and helping to mitigate uneven temperature development.

[0072] In this embodiment, the material properties of the capacitor field plate 40 reduce its sensitivity to minor non-uniformities in the microwave field distribution. Even if the microwave cavity mode is not perfect, the positive temperature coefficient of the capacitor field plate 40 material itself will smooth out the resulting uneven heating trend to a certain extent, improving the robustness of temperature control and ensuring that the capacitor field plate 40 has excellent microwave absorption efficiency and electrode conductivity at the target temperature.

[0073] In some embodiments, the surface of the capacitor field plate 40 is provided with a conductive layer whose conductivity increases with increasing temperature. This allows the capacitor field plate 40 to employ a composite structure. The matrix material of the capacitor field plate 40 can preferably be a material with high mechanical strength, matching coefficient of thermal expansion, good processing performance, or better cost, such as alloys or ceramic-metal composite materials, to meet mechanical and thermal requirements such as stiffness and heat load. The surface conductive layer is made of a material with strong positive temperature coefficient resistivity characteristics, and the material of the conductive layer can be heavily doped silicon or silicon carbide or doped gallium arsenide.

[0074] This embodiment decouples mechanical support, thermal management, and surface electrode functions, allowing for independent material selection and performance optimization of the layer structure.

[0075] Other configurations of the thin film deposition apparatus in the above embodiments can be derived from various technical solutions now and in the future known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0076] This embodiment also provides a thin film deposition method, which is implemented based on the thin film deposition equipment in any of the foregoing embodiments. Where it is the same as or corresponds to the foregoing embodiments, this embodiment will not repeat the details.

[0077] like Figure 4 As shown, the thin film deposition method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps S410 to S460: S410. Place the substrate on the support device inside the cavity, and position it between the pairs of capacitor field plates. S420: The support device and the base plate are rotated using a rotating device; S430. Using a pressure control device, maintain the pressure in the chamber to be greater than or equal to the first target pressure and less than or equal to the second target pressure; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr. S440: Free radicals are generated using a remote plasma source and the free radicals reach the surface of the substrate; S450: The substrate is heated to a target temperature using a microwave field generator. The target temperature is greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius. S460. A microwave generator is used to increase the conductivity of the capacitor field plates and form a capacitive field between the paired capacitor field plates, so as to induce eddy currents on the surface of the substrate.

[0078] It should be understood that the execution order of the above steps is not limited to this. This embodiment does not specifically limit the execution order of the above steps. The execution order of the above steps can be set according to actual needs.

[0079] In some embodiments, the target temperature is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0080] In some embodiments, the target temperature is equal to 175 degrees Celsius.

[0081] In some embodiments, the microwave field generator produces microwave frequencies greater than or equal to 900 MHz and less than or equal to 26 GHz.

[0082] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0083] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0084] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0085] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0086] The foregoing disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for carrying out different structures of this disclosure. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements have been described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various implementations and / or arrangements discussed.

[0087] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this disclosure, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: chamber, A support device is disposed within a cavity and has multiple support grooves; the multiple support grooves are distributed at intervals along the axial direction of the cavity, wherein at least one of the support grooves is used to support a substrate; A microwave field generator, located outside the cavity, is used to generate a microwave field to heat the substrate to a target temperature; the target temperature is greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius. At least one pair of capacitor field plates, wherein the two capacitor field plates are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart, and the capacitive field formed between the two capacitor field plates can induce eddy currents on the surface of the substrate; wherein at least one support groove is located between the pair of capacitor field plates. A rotating device, connected to the supporting device, is used to drive the supporting device to rotate; A remote plasma source is connected to the chamber; the remote plasma source is used to generate free radicals, and the free radicals can flow to the surface of the substrate located in the chamber; A pressure control device is used to control the pressure in the chamber to be greater than or equal to a first target pressure and less than or equal to a second target pressure; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; and the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr.

2. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target temperature is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 300 degrees Celsius.

3. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The target temperature is 175 degrees Celsius.

4. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microwave field generator produces microwave frequencies greater than or equal to 900MHz and less than or equal to 26GHz.

5. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A microwave choke is used to prevent the microwave field from the remote plasma source from flowing into the chamber.

6. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The microwave choke is located at the end of the remote plasma source facing the chamber.

7. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the capacitor field plate is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm. And / or, the spacing between two pairs of said capacitor field plates is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 100 mm.

8. The thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The capacitor field plates are made of a material whose conductivity increases with increasing temperature; Alternatively, the surface of the capacitor field plate may be provided with a conductor layer whose conductivity increases with increasing temperature.

9. A thin film deposition method, implemented using the thin film deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The thin film deposition method includes: The substrate is placed on the support device inside the cavity and positioned between the pairs of capacitor field plates. The support device and the base plate are driven to rotate by a rotating device; and the pressure in the chamber is maintained at a pressure greater than or equal to a first target pressure and less than or equal to a second target pressure by a pressure control device; the first target pressure is greater than or equal to 1 Torr; and the second target pressure is less than or equal to 10 Torr. Free radicals are generated using a remote plasma source, and the free radicals reach the surface of the substrate; A microwave field generator is used to heat a substrate to a target temperature greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 800 degrees Celsius; and the microwave generator is used to increase the conductivity of the capacitor field plates and form a capacitor field between the pairs of capacitor field plates, so as to induce eddy currents on the surface of the substrate.

10. The thin film deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The target temperature is greater than or equal to 100 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 300 degrees Celsius; The microwave field generator produces microwave frequencies greater than or equal to 900MHz and less than or equal to 26GHz.

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