A shower plate isolation assembly for a process for depositing a conductive film layer and an atomic layer deposition chamber containing the same

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of spray tray isolation components and atomic layer deposition chamber containing its process for depositing conductive film layer, it is related to atomic deposition equipment technical field;The isolation component is arranged in the chamber for atomic deposition, the isolation component includes isolation piece top plate, the bottom outer periphery of the isolation piece top plate extends downward and is formed with side wall part, the lower end of the side wall part extends and is formed with flange part towards inside, the isolation piece top plate, the side wall part and the flange part between formation are used to accommodate the accommodating groove of spray tray.The isolation component provided in the utility model forms half-wrapping structure at the edge of spray tray, improves the medium insulation effect of isolation component while preventing side discharge, can reduce edge electric field effect;Reduce the non-uniformity of center-edge plasma, to improve film uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of atomic deposition equipment technology, and more specifically, to a spray plate isolation assembly for a process of depositing conductive film layers and an atomic layer deposition chamber containing the same. Background Technology

[0002] Plasma atomic layer deposition (PEALD) has unique advantages in the field of atomic layer deposition (ALD) due to its highly reactive chemical components such as free radicals and ions, and its relatively low reaction deposition temperature.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, this is the existing atomic layer deposition chamber structure. In the existing deposition process, radio frequency power is supplied to the showerhead. Due to the electrical insulation of the dielectric isolation component, plasma is generated between the showerhead and the chamber ground. Due to the highly active free radicals and ions of the plasma, chemical reactions with the precursor can be promoted or activated, thereby growing a thin film on the wafer surface on the wafer substrate.

[0004] However, as Figure 2 As shown, when growing conductive or high-conductivity films, the diffusion of precursors will deposit between the showerhead and the chamber, forming a high-conductivity film. With the long-term accumulation of the process, the insulation performance between the showerhead and the chamber ground will decrease, causing abnormal ignition, i.e., failure to ignite normally or instability, which will cause abnormal interruption of the process or failure to deposit the film normally. Moreover, there is a stronger electric field intensity distribution on the side of the spray disk than on the lower surface, with a more obvious edge effect, resulting in a higher plasma edge density and an increase in the center-edge thickness non-uniformity of the film deposition thickness. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an optimized spray disk isolation assembly for the deposition of conductive film layers, so as to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows:

[0007] A spray tray isolation assembly for a conductive film deposition process is provided in a chamber for atomic deposition. The isolation assembly includes an isolation top plate, a side wall portion extending downward from the bottom outer periphery of the isolation top plate, and a flange portion extending inward from the lower end of the side wall portion. A receiving groove for accommodating the spray tray is formed between the isolation top plate, the side wall portion, and the flange portion.

[0008] Furthermore, the end of the flange portion is formed with an inclined surface, which is inclined outward from top to bottom.

[0009] Furthermore, the top plate of the isolation element is disc-shaped.

[0010] Furthermore, the isolation assembly is provided with a gas passage, which includes an air inlet pipe and an annular groove disposed in the side wall portion. One end of the air inlet pipe passes through the top plate of the isolation component and communicates with the annular groove, while the other end communicates with an external air source. Multiple internal air holes are opened on the inner side of the annular groove, and multiple external air holes are opened on the outer side of the annular groove. The outlet end of the internal air holes faces the inner side of the isolation assembly, and the outlet end of the external air holes faces the outer side of the isolation assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, the main pipeline is provided with 2-6 sections, which are evenly distributed circumferentially within the top plate of the isolation component.

[0012] Furthermore, the inner vent and the outer vent are arranged at an angle downwards in the vertical direction.

[0013] Furthermore, the gas source is at least one of He, Ar, O2, and N2.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention provides an atomic layer deposition chamber, which includes a spray plate isolation assembly for depositing conductive film layers as described above; a spray plate is provided in the upper part of the chamber and a base for placing wafers is provided in the bottom, and the spray plate is installed in the receiving groove; a precursor inlet is provided on one side of the lower end of the chamber sidewall and an exhaust port is provided on the other side.

[0015] Furthermore, a partition is provided inside the chamber between the base and the spray plate, and the partition has several ventilation holes.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0017] The isolation component provided by this utility model forms a semi-enclosed structure at the edge of the showerhead electrode (i.e., the spray disk), which improves the dielectric insulation effect of the isolation component while preventing side discharge, reducing the edge electric field effect; reducing the non-uniformity of the center-edge plasma, thereby improving the uniformity of the thin film. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an atomic layer deposition chamber in the existing technology.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a structure deposited over a period of time using an existing atomic layer deposition chamber structure process.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the isolation component in this utility model.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the side wall portion of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the atomic layer deposition chamber structure in this utility model.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] 100. Chamber;

[0026] 10. Isolation assembly; 11. Isolation top plate; 12. Side wall portion; 13. Flange portion; 131. Inclined surface; 14. Receiving groove;

[0027] 20. Gas passage; 21. Annular groove; 22. Inner vent; 23. Outer vent; 24. Inlet pipe;

[0028] 30. Air source; 40. Spray plate; 50. Base; 60. Precursor inlet; 70. Air extraction port; 80. Partition plate; 81. Vent. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The structure provided by this utility model will be explained and described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] refer to Figures 3 to 5 As shown, this embodiment specifically discloses a showerhead isolation assembly for a conductive film deposition process. The isolation assembly 10 is disposed in a chamber 100 for atomic deposition. The isolation assembly 10 includes an isolation top plate 11, which is disc-shaped and conforms to the shape of the showerhead 40. In some other embodiments, the isolation top plate 11 can also be set as a rectangle or other polygonal structure, as long as it can cover the upper surface of the showerhead 40. A side wall portion 12 extends downward from the bottom outer periphery of the isolation top plate 11. It can be understood that when the isolation top plate 11 is disc-shaped, the corresponding side wall portion 12 is cylindrical. The lower end of the side wall portion 12 extends inward to form a flange portion 13. A receiving groove 14 for accommodating the showerhead 40 is formed between the isolation top plate 11, the side wall portion 12 and the flange portion 13.

[0031] In this embodiment, the isolation component with a semi-enclosed structure formed at the edge of the spray disk 40 can improve the dielectric insulation effect while preventing lateral discharge, reduce the edge electric field effect, and reduce the non-uniformity of the center-edge plasma, thereby improving the uniformity of the thin film.

[0032] The materials of the isolation components 10 are all insulating materials, such as ceramic or quartz, as long as they have excellent insulation effects. No specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0033] Continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the end of the flange portion 13 is formed with an inclined surface 131. The inclined surface 131 is inclined outward from top to bottom. The inclined surface 131 facilitates the placement of the spray tray 40. In some other embodiments, a chamfer can be directly provided on the edge of the flange portion 13 to ensure its structural strength and smoothness.

[0034] In some preferred embodiments, the isolation assembly 10 is provided with a gas passage 20, which includes an air inlet pipe 24 and an annular groove 21 disposed in the side wall portion 12. One end of the air inlet pipe 24 passes through the top plate 11 of the isolation component and communicates with the annular groove 21, and the other end communicates with an external gas source 30, which is at least one of He, Ar, O2, and N2.

[0035] Multiple internal air holes 22 are provided on the inner side of the annular groove 21, and multiple external air holes 23 are provided on the outer side of the annular groove 21. The air outlet end of the internal air hole 22 faces the inner side of the isolation component 10, and the air outlet end of the external air hole 23 faces the outer side of the isolation component 10.

[0036] To ensure that the external gas is evenly distributed in the chamber after entering, there are 2-6 air inlet pipes 24. The specific number is set according to actual needs and is not specifically limited here. The air inlet pipes 24 are evenly distributed circumferentially in the top plate 11 of the isolation component; and the external air holes 23 and the internal air holes 22 are also evenly distributed circumferentially.

[0037] In this embodiment, by setting up the air inlet pipe 24, the annular groove 21, the inner air hole 22 and the outer air hole 23, the external air source 30 is introduced into the chamber 100, which can form a thin gas layer on the surface of the isolation component 10 to block the deposition of the conductive film layer, or effectively separate the conductive film layer deposited on the surface of the isolation component 10 multiple times, so that the RF (radio frequency) path cannot be formed.

[0038] In some other embodiments, multiple external vents 23 may be provided on the outer periphery of the top plate 11 of the isolation member, and multiple external vents 23 and / or internal vents 22 may also be provided on the flange portion 13 to further improve the gas passage effect and make the gas entering the outer periphery of the isolation component 10 more uniform.

[0039] In some embodiments, the inner vent 22 and the outer vent 23 are inclined downward in the vertical direction to facilitate the downward movement of gas after it enters, thereby contacting and depositing with the wafer on the base 50.

[0040] Continue to refer to Figure 5 As shown, this embodiment also provides an atomic layer deposition chamber 100, including a spray disk isolation assembly 10 for depositing conductive film layers in any of the above embodiments; a spray disk 40 is provided in the upper part of the chamber 100, and a base 50 for placing wafers is provided in the bottom; the spray disk 40 is installed in the receiving groove 14; a precursor inlet 60 is provided on one side of the lower end of the side wall of the chamber 100, and an exhaust port 70 is provided on the other side.

[0041] In the chamber provided in this embodiment, during the deposition process, the precursor gas enters the chamber 100 through the precursor inlet 60. He, Ar, O2, and N2 enter the chamber through the gas passage 20. The spray disk 40 is activated, and plasma is generated by discharge between the chamber and the ground. Free radicals reach the upper surface of the substrate 50 and react chemically with the precursor gas on the wafer surface to form a monolayer ALD film. After multiple cycles, a precise nanofilm can be obtained.

[0042] This embodiment employs an isolation component 10, which has four evenly spaced 90-degree air inlets entering an annular groove 21 inside the isolation component 10. Air vents are evenly distributed on both the inner and outer sides of the annular groove 21. By using gases such as He / Ar or O2 / N2, a gas protective layer can be formed on both the inner and outer sides of the isolation component 10, reducing the formation of a conductive film layer. Furthermore, after being separated by several sets of air inlets, the conductive film layer can further block the formation of radio frequency pathways; the gas pathways in the slits can be purged to prevent particle formation.

[0043] In some embodiments, a partition 80 is further provided inside the chamber 100 between the base 50 and the spray plate 40, and a plurality of vents 81 are provided on the partition 80. By providing the partition 80 and providing a plurality of vents 81 inside the chamber, the gas entering from above can be further evenly distributed, thereby improving the uniformity of thin film deposition on the wafer.

[0044] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to 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 utility model.

[0045] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "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 or an electrical 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, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "this embodiment," "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in a suitable manner in any at least one embodiment or example. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0047] 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 indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0048] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and simple improvements made on the substantive content of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A spray disk isolation assembly for a conductive film deposition process, characterized in that, The isolation assembly (10) is disposed in the chamber (100) for atomic deposition. The isolation assembly (10) includes an isolation top plate (11), a side wall portion (12) extending downward from the bottom outer periphery of the isolation top plate (11), a flange portion (13) extending inward from the lower end of the side wall portion (12), and a receiving groove (14) for accommodating the spray plate (40) is formed between the isolation top plate (11), the side wall portion (12) and the flange portion (13).

2. The shower plate isolation assembly for a process of depositing a layer of a conductive film as defined in claim 1, wherein, The end of the flange (13) is formed with an inclined surface (131), which is inclined outward from top to bottom.

3. The shower plate isolation assembly for a process of depositing a layer of a conductive film as defined in claim 1, wherein, The top plate (11) of the isolation component is disc-shaped.

4. The shower plate isolation assembly for a process of depositing a layer of a conductive film as defined in claim 3, wherein, The isolation component (10) is provided with a gas passage (20), which includes an air inlet pipe (24) and an annular groove (21) provided in the side wall (12). One end of the air inlet pipe (24) passes through the top plate (11) of the isolation component and communicates with the annular groove (21), and the other end communicates with an external air source (30). Multiple internal air holes (22) are provided on the inner side of the annular groove (21), and multiple external air holes (23) are provided on the outer side of the annular groove (21). The outlet end of the internal air hole (22) faces the inner side of the isolation component (10), and the outlet end of the external air hole (23) faces the outer side of the isolation component (10).

5. The shower plate isolation assembly for a process of depositing a layer of a conductive film as defined in claim 4, wherein, The air intake pipe (24) is provided in 2-6 parts, which are evenly distributed in the top plate (11) of the isolation component.

6. The spray disk isolation assembly for a conductive film deposition process according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner vent (22) and the outer vent (23) are arranged at an angle downwards in the vertical direction.

7. The shower plate isolation assembly for a process to deposit a layer of a conductive film as defined in claim 4, wherein, The gas source (30) is at least one of He, Ar, O2, and N2.

8. An atomic layer deposition chamber, characterized in that, Includes the isolation component (10) according to any one of claims 1-7; a spray plate (40) is provided at the upper part of the chamber (100), and a base (50) for placing wafers is provided at the bottom, the spray plate (40) is installed in the receiving groove (14); a precursor inlet (60) is provided on one side of the lower end of the side wall of the chamber (100), and an exhaust port (70) is provided on the other side.

9. The atomic layer deposition chamber of claim 8, wherein, Inside the chamber (100), a partition (80) is provided between the base (50) and the spray plate (40), and the partition (80) has several vents (81).

Images