Gas injection systems for supplying gas into reaction chamber, and semiconductor processing system including gas injection systems

Abstract

To provide gas injection systems and semiconductor processing systems including such gas injection systems.SOLUTION: The gas injection systems disclosed include an injector housing having a first series of injection ports and a separate second series of injection ports, which are constructed and arranged to reduce parasitic deposition on inner surfaces of a reaction chamber. Methods for forming silicon-containing layers within a reaction chamber with reduced parasitic deposition on inner surface of a reaction chamber are also disclosed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of systems and apparatus used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a gas injection system and associated semiconductor processing system configured to reduce parasitic deposition within a reaction chamber. [Background technology]

[0002] Semiconductor devices can be manufactured in a semiconductor processing system including one or more reaction chambers. Deposition gases, including precursors, dopants, etc., can be injected into the reaction chamber to form a silicon-containing layer on a substrate disposed in the reaction chamber. In addition, additional gases, such as etchants, can be injected into the reaction chamber during the formation of the silicon-containing layer. For example, etchants can be used in deposition-etching type processes and / or processes for cleaning the interior walls of the reaction chamber in which deposition occurs.

[0003] Conventional gas injection systems used to inject precursor gases and etchant gases into reaction chambers can result in the parasitic deposition of undesired materials on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber. Such parasitic deposition can adversely affect the quality of the deposited silicon-containing layer and the operation and lifespan of the semiconductor processing system. Therefore, improved gas injection systems and related semiconductor processing systems are desirable to reduce or prevent parasitic deposition in reaction chambers.

[0004] This summary introduces selected concepts in a simplified form that are described in more detail below. This summary is not necessarily intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to gas injection systems, semiconductor processing systems including such gas injection systems, and methods for forming silicon-containing layers in reaction chambers with reduced parasitic deposition on interior surfaces of the reaction chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas injection system for supplying gas into a reaction chamber is provided. In such an embodiment, the gas injection system includes an injector housing including a front surface and a rear surface, a substrate channel extending through the injector housing from the front surface to the rear surface, a first series of injection ports disposed within the front surface of the injector housing, the first series of injection ports being positioned above the substrate channel and in fluid communication with a first manifold, the first manifold including a plurality of first flow controllers configured to control the flow of precursor gas from a precursor source to the first series of injection ports, and a second series of injection ports disposed within the front surface of the injector housing, the second series of injection ports being positioned above the first series of injection ports and in fluid communication with the second manifold, the second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control the flow of non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the second series of injection ports. The gas injection system may also include a case where the first series of injection ports includes a first plurality of injection ports that are generally aligned with each other. The gas injection system may also include a case where the first series of injection ports each correspond one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers, and the second series of injection ports each correspond one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers. The gas injection system may also include a case where the precursor source is selected from the group consisting of disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (SiH 12) and a silicon precursor comprising at least one of the following: The gas injection system may also include a case where the non-precursor source includes at least an etchant source comprising a halide etchant. Other technical features may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, description, and claims. The gas injection system may also include a case where each of the second series of injection ports includes a second plurality of injection ports generally aligned with one another. The gas injection system may also include a case where the first series of injection ports is oriented parallel to the second series of injection ports. The gas injection system may also include a groove disposed in the front surface of the injector housing, the groove surrounding the substrate channel, and the second series of injection ports positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the groove. The gas injection system may also include a third series of injection ports positioned between the substrate channel and a lower surface of the groove, the third series of injection ports in fluid communication with a second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control the flow of non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports. Other technical features may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions, and claims.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a semiconductor processing system including: a reaction chamber including upper and lower inner surfaces; a support assembly for supporting a substrate in the reaction chamber; a gas injection system for supplying gas into the reaction chamber, the gas injection system including: an injector housing including a front surface and a rear surface; a substrate channel extending through the injector housing from the front surface to the rear surface; a first series of injection ports disposed in the front surface of the injector housing above the substrate channel and in fluid communication with a first manifold, the first manifold including a plurality of first flow controllers configured to control a flow of precursor gas from a precursor source to the first series of injection ports; a second series of injection ports disposed in the front surface of the injector housing between the first series of injection ports and the upper inner surface of the reaction chamber and in fluid communication with a second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control a flow of non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the second series of injection ports; and an exhaust source positioned downstream of the gas injection system. The semiconductor processing system may also include a case where the first series of injection ports includes a first plurality of injection ports that are generally aligned with one another. The semiconductor processing system may also include a case where each of the first series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the first plurality of flow controllers, and each of the second series of injection ports corresponds one-to-one with each of the second plurality of flow controllers. The semiconductor processing system may also include a case where the precursor source includes disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (SiH 12) containing a silicon precursor. Other technical features may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions, and claims. The semiconductor processing system may also include a case where the second series of injection ports includes a second plurality of injection ports that are generally aligned with one another. The semiconductor processing system may also include a case where the first series of injection ports is parallel to the second series of injection ports. The semiconductor processing system may also include a groove disposed within the front surface of the injector housing, the groove surrounding the substrate channel, and the second series of injection ports being positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the groove. The semiconductor processing system may also include a third series of injection ports disposed within the front surface of the injector housing and positioned between the substrate channel and a lower surface of the groove, the third series of injection ports being in fluid communication with a second manifold including a plurality of second flow controllers configured to control the flow of non-precursor gas from a non-precursor source to the third series of injection ports. Other technical features may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions, and claims.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for forming a silicon-containing layer in a reaction chamber including an upper and lower inner surface is provided. The method includes introducing a substrate into the reaction chamber through a substrate channel extending through an injector housing of a gas injection system and placing the substrate on a support assembly, injecting a precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a first series of injection ports located in a front surface of the injector housing, and injecting a non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a second series of injection ports located in the front surface of the injector housing above the first series of injection ports, wherein the non-precursor gas forms a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper inner surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper inner surface. The method may also further include injecting an additional non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a third series of injection ports located in the front surface of the injector housing below the substrate channel, wherein the additional non-precursor gas forms an additional gas curtain between the precursor gas and the lower inner surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the lower inner surface. The method also includes the step of: forming a precursor gas containing disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10 ), and neopentasilane (SiH 12 ) and the non-precursor gas may include a halide etchant. Other technical features may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions, and claims.

[0009] For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described hereinabove. Of course, it will be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one or more advantages that may be taught or suggested herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages that may be taught or suggested herein.

[0010] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. These and other embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed.

[0011] To easily identify any particular element or discussion of an operation, the most significant digit(s) of a reference number refers to the figure number in which that element is first introduced. A more complete understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be obtained by reference to the detailed description and claims in light of the following illustrative drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a semiconductor processing system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of a gas injection system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an additional view of a portion of a gas injection system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a further view of a portion of a gas injection system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 illustrates additional exemplary portions of a gas injection system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary injector nozzle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary method for forming a silicon-containing layer in a reaction chamber with reduced parasitic deposition in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] It will be understood that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The descriptions of exemplary embodiments of methods and compositions provided below are merely exemplary and intended for illustrative purposes only. The following descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims. Moreover, the recitation of multiple embodiments having stated features or steps is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or steps, or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the stated features or steps.

[0015] The present disclosure relates to a gas injection system designed to minimize or eliminate parasitic deposition on internal surfaces within a reaction chamber, as well as related semiconductor processing systems and methods. As a non-limiting example, during the formation of a silicon-containing layer on a substrate, undesired reactions can occur on the internal surfaces of the reaction chamber, resulting in a parasitic layer of undesired material on such surfaces. Parasitic deposition can adversely affect the quality of the deposited silicon-containing layer as well as the operation and lifetime of the semiconductor processing system. Parasitic deposition can be particularly troublesome when using transparent reaction chambers, such as those made from quartz materials. In such examples, parasitic deposition can interfere with both incoming radiation (e.g., external radiation from external lamps used for heating) and outgoing radiation (e.g., internal radiation directed toward an external monitoring and control system). In addition, as increased deposition rates and layer thicknesses are desired, the rate at which parasitic layers form on internal surfaces within the reaction chamber can detrimentally increase. For example, increased deposition rates of silicon-containing layers can be achieved using higher silanes (e.g., disilane, trisilane, tetrasilane, etc.) as the silicon precursor(s). These higher order silanes, characterized by multiple silicon-silicon (Si-Si) bonds, can increase the deposition rate of silicon-containing layers, but can also increase the risk of undesired parasitic deposition on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, especially at elevated deposition temperatures (e.g., above 500°C).

[0016] To mitigate parasitic deposition within the reaction chamber, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gas injection system including an injector housing with a first series of injection ports for introducing a flow of precursor gas into the reaction chamber and a second series of injection ports for introducing a flow of non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber. The injector housing is constructed and arranged such that the second series of injection ports are positioned above the first series of injection ports. Using such an arrangement of separated injection ports allows the flow of non-precursor gas to propagate above the flow of precursor gas, thereby reducing interaction between the precursor gas and the inner surfaces of the reaction chamber and thus reducing the likelihood of parasitic deposition on the inner surfaces of the reaction chamber. In additional embodiments of the present disclosure, the injector housing also includes a third series of injection ports positioned below the first series of injection ports. Using such an arrangement allows an additional flow of non-precursor gas to propagate below the flow of precursor gas, thereby further reducing interaction between the precursor gas and the inner surfaces of the reaction chamber and thus further reducing the deposition of parasitic layers.

[0017] As used herein, the term substrate may refer to any underlying material or materials upon which a layer may be deposited. The substrate may include a bulk material, such as silicon (e.g., monocrystalline silicon) or other semiconductor material, and may include one or more layers, such as a native oxide or another layer, above or below the bulk material. The substrate may include various topologies, such as recesses, lines, etc., formed within or on at least a portion of the layer and / or bulk material of the substrate. The substrate may include one or more materials, including, for example, silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), germanium tin (GeSn), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon germanium tin (SiGeSn), silicon carbide (SiC), or a III-V semiconductor material, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium phosphide (GaP), or gallium nitride (GaN). In some examples, the substrate may include one or more dielectric materials, including, for example, an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride. The substrate may comprise silicon oxide (e.g., SiO), metal oxide (e.g., AlO), silicon nitride (e.g., SiN), or silicon oxynitride. The substrate may also comprise an engineered substrate, where a surface semiconductor layer may be disposed on a bulk support with an intervening buried oxide (BOX) disposed therebetween. The substrate may comprise one or more single-crystal surfaces and / or one or more other surfaces, which may include non-single-crystal surfaces, such as polycrystalline and / or amorphous surfaces. The substrate may comprise a layer comprising a metal, such as copper, cobalt, etc.

[0018] The term precursor or precursor gas may refer to a gas or combination of gases that participate in a chemical reaction that produces another compound. For example, a precursor gas may be used to grow an epitaxial layer containing silicon. The precursor gas may include a deposition gas, a dopant gas, or a combination of a deposition gas and a dopant gas. The precursor may also be combined with a carrier gas to inject the precursor gas into the reaction chamber.

[0019] The terms non-precursor and / or non-precursor gas may refer to a gas or gas combination that does not participate in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. For example, a non-precursor gas may be used to etch an epitaxial layer containing silicon or clean the inner surface of a reaction chamber. A non-precursor gas may include an etchant gas. A non-precursor gas may also be combined with a carrier gas to inject the non-precursor gas into a reaction chamber.

[0020] In the following description of various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Aspects of the present disclosure are capable of other embodiments and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are used for descriptive purposes and are not to be regarded as limiting. Rather, the words and terms used herein are to be given their broadest interpretation and meaning. The use of "including" and "comprising" and variations thereof means the inclusion of the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. While various directional arrows are shown in the figures of the present disclosure, the directional arrows are not intended to be limiting to the extent that two-way communication is excluded. Rather, the directional arrows indicate the general flow of processes rather than the unidirectional movement of information. Throughout this specification, when elements are referred to as "comprising" or "including," the elements are not to be understood to exclude other elements, unless specifically stated to the contrary, and the elements may include at least one other element. Throughout this specification, phrases such as "at least one of a, b, and c" can include "a only," "b only," "c only," "a and b," "a and c," "b and c," and / or "all of a, b, and c."

[0021] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a semiconductor processing system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The semiconductor processing system 100 can be used for a variety of applications, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), cleaning processes, etching processes, etc. The semiconductor processing system 100 may include an optional substrate handling system 102, a reaction chamber 104, an optional wall 106 disposed between the reaction chamber 104 and the substrate handling system 102, an exhaust source 108, and a gas injection system 110. The gas injection system 110 is shown in simplified form in FIG. 1 and will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

[0022] Briefly, the semiconductor processing system 100 may include any suitable number of reaction chambers 104 and a substrate handling system 102. In some embodiments, the reaction chamber 104 is a cross-flow reaction chamber. In some embodiments, the reaction chamber 104 is a cross-flow reaction chamber configured to perform epitaxial deposition. In some embodiments, the reaction chamber 104 may be fabricated from a transparent material, such as a quartz material, that is substantially transparent to radiant lamp energy provided by a radiant lamp heater (not shown). In some embodiments, the reaction chamber 104 comprises a substantially rectangular horizontal flow reaction chamber with several interior surfaces, such as, for example, an upper interior surface 112 and a lower interior surface 114.

[0023] The semiconductor processing system 100 also includes a gas injection system 110 configured to minimize or eliminate parasitic deposition on the interior surfaces within the reaction chamber 104. By way of non-limiting example, the provided gas injection system 110 can minimize or eliminate parasitic deposition on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, such as, for example, on the upper interior surface 112 and the lower interior surface 114.

[0024] The gas injection system 110 includes an injector housing 116 that is fluidly connected to a precursor source 118 by a precursor supply line 120. The injector housing 116 is also fluidly connected to a non-precursor source 122 by a non-precursor supply line 124. Although shown with two sources 118, 120, each source can include multiple gas supplies.

[0025] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the precursor source 118 can include one or more containers, each container containing a precursor. The precursor source 118 can include one or more of a silicon precursor, a germanium precursor, a carbon precursor, and a phosphorus precursor. In some embodiments, the silicon precursor includes a silicon hydride precursor, such as silane (SiH). In some embodiments, the silicon precursor includes disilane (SiH), trisilane (SiH), tetrasilane (SiH), or a combination of these precursors. 10 ), and neopentasilane (SiH 12 In some embodiments, the silicon precursor comprises a silicon halide precursor. In one aspect, the silicon halide precursor is a silicon chloride precursor such as, for example, one or more of monochlorosilane (MCS), dichlorosilane (DCS), trichlorosilane (TCS), hexachlorodisilane (HCDS), octachlorotrisilane (OCTS), and silicon tetrachloride (STC). In another aspect, the silicon halide precursor is a silicon iodide precursor such as, for example, an iodosilane (e.g., monoiodosilane, diiodosilane, triiodosilane, and tetraiodosilane). In some embodiments, the precursor source 118 also comprises a dopant source comprising one or more of As, P, C, Ge, and B. In some embodiments, the precursor source 118 also comprises a carrier gas source comprising one or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, helium, etc.

[0026] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the non-precursor source 122 can include one or more containers, each containing a non-precursor source, such as an etchant source. As previously described, the non-precursor source 122 does not include a precursor gas source, such as a silicon precursor, a germanium precursor, or a phosphorus precursor. In some embodiments, the etchant source includes a gaseous etchant, such as a gaseous halide etchant. In some embodiments, the gaseous etchant includes a gaseous chlorine-containing etchant. In such embodiments, the gaseous chlorine-containing etchant can include at least one of chlorine (Cl) or hydrochloric acid (HCl). In some embodiments, the carrier gas source includes one or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, helium, etc.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 includes a first series of injection ports 126 (shown in cross-section and described in more detail below) constructed and arranged to introduce a precursor gas (as indicated by precursor gas stream 128) into the reaction chamber 104, and a second series of injection ports 130 (shown here in cross-section and described in more detail below) constructed and arranged to introduce a non-precursor gas (as indicated by non-precursor gas stream 132) into the reaction chamber 104. As shown in FIG. 1 , the non-precursor gas stream 132 is located between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper inner surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing or preventing interaction between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper inner surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104. In an additional embodiment of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 also includes a third series of injection ports 134 (shown in cross-section and described in more detail below) constructed and arranged to introduce an additional non-precursor gas (as indicated by additional non-precursor gas stream 136) into the reaction chamber 104. In such embodiments, the additional non-precursor gas flow 136 is located between the precursor gas flow 128 and the lower inner surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing or preventing interaction between the precursor gas flow 128 and the lower inner surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104. In FIG. 1 , the precursor gas flow 128, the non-precursor gas flow 132, and the additional non-precursor gas flow 136 are shown as horizontal flows, i.e., introduced substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate 138. However, in some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126, the second series of injection ports 130, and the third series of injection ports 134 can be constructed and arranged to introduce the process gas flows (128, 132, and 136) at different flow angles, for example, above or below the horizontal as shown in FIG. 1 . In certain embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 can be constructed and arranged to introduce the precursor gas flow 128 at an angle below horizontal, i.e., the precursor gas flow is directed downward into the reaction chamber 104 in a direction toward the lower inner surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104.

[0028] During operation of the semiconductor processing system 100, a substrate (e.g., substrate 138 in FIG. 1 ) is introduced into the reaction chamber by being transferred from the substrate handling system 102 through a substrate channel 140. The substrate 138 is then placed on a support assembly 142. The support assembly 142, disposed within the reaction chamber 104, is configured to support the substrate 138 during a deposition process within the reaction chamber 104. Once the substrate 138 is transferred into the reaction chamber 104, precursor gases (along with carrier gases, dopant gases, if desired) from the precursor source 118 and non-precursor gases (along with carrier gases, if desired) from the non-precursor source 122 are introduced into the reaction chamber 104 via a gas injection system 110. As described in more detail below, the gas injection system 110 is constructed and arranged to reduce or prevent parasitic deposition on the inner surfaces of the reaction chamber 104, such as the upper inner surface 112 and the lower inner surface 114. A more detailed description of the gas injection system 110 is provided with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

[0029] 2, 3, and 4 show a portion of the gas injection system 110 of the present disclosure, including an injector housing 116. FIG. 2 shows a front view of the injector housing 116, and FIG. 3 shows an isometric cross-sectional view of a portion of the injector housing 116.

[0030] More specifically, the injector housing 116 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 ) can be formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, Hastelloy®, or the like. The injector housing 116 includes a front surface 202 configured to couple to a reaction chamber (such as the reaction chamber 104 of FIG. 1 ), a rear surface 204, and a substrate channel 140 extending through the injector housing 116 from the front surface 202 to the rear surface 204. The substrate channel 140 is sized to allow insertion and removal of a substrate through the injector housing 116 for loading / unloading operations. The injector housing 116 also includes a groove 206 disposed within the front surface 202. The groove 206 includes an upper groove surface 208 and a lower groove surface 210. The groove 206 surrounds the substrate channel 140 and is configured to receive a sealing element (not shown), such as an O-ring.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 includes a first series of injection ports 126 disposed within the front surface 202 of the injector housing 116. The first series of injection ports 126 (collectively shown by dashed lines) are constructed and arranged to introduce precursor gases from a precursor source (e.g., precursor source 118 in FIG. 1 ) into the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 includes a first plurality of injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d, and 214e. While the first series of injection ports 126 is illustrated as including five individual injection ports, it is contemplated that the first series of injection ports 126 may collectively include a greater or lesser number of individual injection ports. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first series of injection ports 126 is positioned above the substrate channel 140.

[0032] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 (i.e., injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d, and 214e) are generally aligned with each other along a common position on the y-axis 218. In such aspects, the first series of injection ports are positioned a common distance from the top surface 220 of the substrate channel. In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 are positioned a distance of 1 mm to 50 mm, or 2 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 25 mm from the top surface 220 of the substrate channel. In alternative embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 (i.e., injection ports 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d, and 214e) are not generally aligned with each other, and each injection port may be positioned at a different position along the y-axis while still remaining above the substrate channel 140 and below the second series of injection ports 130.

[0033] In some embodiments, each injection port in the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) is equidistantly spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., each of the first plurality of injection ports is equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, each injection port in the first series of injection ports 126 is spaced from an adjacent injection port by a distance of 1 to 50 mm, or 5 to 40 mm, or 10 to 25 mm. In other aspects, each injection port in the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., 214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) is not equidistantly spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the first plurality of injection ports are not equidistantly spaced along the x-axis 216).

[0034] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 are oriented parallel to the substrate channel 140, for example, the first plurality of injection ports (214a, 214b, 214c, 214c, 214d, and 214e) are oriented parallel to the top surface of the substrate channel 220.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 are confined within the width of the substrate channel 140, as shown by width (W) 222 in Figure 2. In other embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 may extend beyond the width (W) 222 of the substrate channel 140.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first series of injection ports 126 are positioned within the perimeter defined by the groove 206 .

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 includes a second series of injection ports 130 disposed within the front surface 202 of the injector housing 116. The second series of injection ports 130 is constructed and arranged to introduce non-precursor gases into the reaction chamber from a non-precursor source (e.g., non-precursor source 122 of FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 includes a second plurality of injection ports 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d. While the second series of injection ports 130 is illustrated as including four individual injection ports (e.g., FIG. 2 ), it is contemplated that the second series of injection ports 130 may collectively include a greater or lesser number of individual injection ports. In such an embodiment, the second series of injection ports 130 is positioned above the substrate channel 140. In such an embodiment, the second series of injection ports 130 is positioned above the first series of injection ports 126.

[0038] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 (i.e., injection ports 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) are generally aligned with each other along a common location on y-axis 218. In such aspects, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a common distance from the top surface 220 of the substrate channel. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance of 5 mm to 50 mm, or 10 mm to 25 mm, or 15 mm to 25 mm from the top surface 220 of the substrate channel. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance of 1 mm to 50 mm, or 2 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 25 mm from the top surface 208 of the groove.

[0039] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned above the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a common distance (i.e., the y-axis distance of 126 to 130) from the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned at a distance of 1 mm to 50 mm, or 2 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 25 mm from the first series of injection ports 126.

[0040] In an alternative embodiment, the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) are not generally aligned with one another, and each injection port remains above both the substrate channel 140 and the first series of injection ports 126, but may be positioned at different positions along the y-axis.

[0041] In some embodiments, each injection port (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) in the second series of injection ports 130 is equidistantly spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the second series of injection ports 130 are each equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, each injection port in the second series of injection ports 130 is spaced from an adjacent injection port by a distance of 1 to 50 mm, or 5 to 40 mm, or 10 to 25 mm. In other aspects, each injection port (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) in the second series of injection ports 130 is not equidistantly spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the second plurality of injection ports are not equally spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, one or more injection ports of the second series of injection ports 130 may be positioned proximate the inner periphery of the groove 206 to allow for non-precursor gas flow proximate the groove 206.

[0042] In some embodiments, each injection port (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) in the second series of injection ports 130 is positioned at a midpoint (i.e., center point) on the x-axis 216 between adjacent injection ports in the first series of injection ports 126. For example, with reference to FIG. 2, second injection port 224a is positioned within the x-axis 216 at a midpoint between first injection port 214a and first injection port 214b. In alternative embodiments, each injection port in the second series of injection ports 130 may be positioned at a different position along the x-axis relative to the underlying first series of injection ports 126.

[0043] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are oriented parallel to the substrate channel 140, e.g., the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, and 224d) are oriented parallel to the top surface 220 of the substrate channel. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are oriented parallel to the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are oriented parallel to both the first series of injection ports 126 and the top surface 220 of the substrate channel.

[0044] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are confined within the width of the substrate channel 140, as shown by width (W) 222 in Figure 2. In other embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 may extend beyond the width (W) 222 of the substrate channel 140.

[0045] In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 are positioned within the perimeter defined by the groove 206 .

[0046] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the injector housing 116 can also optionally include a third series of injection ports 134 in the front surface 202 of the injector housing 116. The third series of injection ports 134 is constructed and arranged to introduce additional non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber from a non-precursor source (e.g., non-precursor source 122 of FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 includes third injection ports 226a, 226b, 226c, and 226d. While the third series of injection ports 134 is illustrated as including four individual injection ports, it is contemplated that the third series of injection ports 134 may collectively include a greater or lesser number of individual injection ports. In such embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is positioned below the substrate channel 140. In such embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 is positioned below the first series of injection ports 126.

[0047] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 (i.e., injection ports 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) are generally aligned with each other along a common location on the y-axis 218. In such aspects, the third series of injection ports 134 are positioned at a common distance from the substrate channel lower surface 228. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are positioned at a distance of 1 mm to 50 mm, or 2 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 25 mm from the substrate channel lower surface 228.

[0048] In an alternative embodiment, the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) are not generally aligned with one another, and each injection port remains above the substrate channel 140 and the first series of injection ports 126, but may be positioned at a different position along the y-axis.

[0049] In some embodiments, each injection port (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) in the third series of injection ports 134 is equidistantly spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the third series of injection ports 134 are each equidistantly spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, each injection port in the third series of injection ports 134 is spaced from an adjacent injection port by a distance of 1 to 50 mm, or 5 to 40 mm, or 10 to 25 mm. In some embodiments, each injection port in the third series of injection ports 134 is positioned directly below a corresponding injection port in the second series of injection ports 130. In other aspects, each injection port (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) in the third series of injection ports 134 is not equidistantly spaced from an adjacent injection port (i.e., the second plurality of injection ports are not equidistantly spaced along the x-axis 216). In some embodiments, one or more injection ports of the third series of injection ports 134 may be positioned proximate the inner periphery of the groove 206 to allow for additional non-precursor gas flow proximate the groove 206.

[0050] In some embodiments, each injection port (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) in the third series of injection ports 134 is positioned at a midpoint (i.e., center point) on the x-axis 216 between adjacent injection ports in the first series of injection ports 126. For example, with reference to FIG. 2, second injection port 224a is positioned within the x-axis 216 at the midpoint between first injection port 214a and first injection port 214b. In alternative embodiments, each injection port in the second series of injection ports 130 may be positioned at a different position along the x-axis relative to the underlying first series of injection ports 126.

[0051] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are oriented parallel to the substrate channel 140, e.g., the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., 226a, 226b, 226c, 226d) are oriented parallel to the lower surface 228 of the substrate channel. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are oriented parallel to the first series of injection ports 126. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are oriented parallel to both the first series of injection ports 126 and the lower surface 228 of the substrate channel. In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are oriented parallel to the first series of injection ports 126, the second series of injection ports 130, and the lower surface 228 of the substrate channel.

[0052] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are confined within the width of the substrate channel 140, as shown by width (W) 222 in Figure 2. In other embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 may extend beyond the width (W) 222 of the substrate channel 140.

[0053] In some embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 are positioned within the perimeter defined by the groove 206 .

[0054] Figure 4 schematically illustrates further portions of a gas injection system 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, gas injection system 110 includes an injector housing 116, as described in detail above in connection with Figures 2 and 3. When referring to the gas lines and fluid components of gas injection system 110 of Figure 4, the term coupled refers to fluid connection, and unless otherwise specified, the lines or components need not be in direct fluid connection, but rather gas injection system 110 may include other intervening elements, such as connectors, valves, meters, etc.

[0055] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas injection system 110 (as shown in FIG. 4 ) supplies precursor gas from a precursor source 118, which is delivered via precursor supply line 120 to a first manifold 410. The first manifold 410 includes one or more (e.g., multiple) first gas lines 404 that deliver precursor gas to the injector housing 116 using multiple first flow controllers 412 to individually control the flow of precursor gas to each of a first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., first injection ports 214 a, 214 b, 214 c, 214 d, 214 e).

[0056] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, gas injection system 110 (as shown in FIG. 4) supplies non-precursor gas from non-precursor source 122, which is supplied via non-precursor supply line 124 to second manifold 416. Second manifold 416 includes one or more (e.g., multiple) second gas lines 408 that supply non-precursor gas to injector housing 116 using multiple second flow controllers 414 to individually control the flow of non-precursor gas to second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., second injection ports 224a, 224b, 224c, 224d).

[0057] 4, in some embodiments, gas injection system 110 supplies an additional non-precursor gas from non-precursor source 122, which is supplied to third series of injection ports 134 via non-precursor supply line 124, in a manner similar to that described above with respect to supplying non-precursor gas to second series of injection ports 130. In some embodiments, third series of injection ports 134 is supplied from second manifold 416 via second gas line 408 and a plurality of second flow controllers 414. In other embodiments, gas injection system 110 of FIG. 4 can supply additional non-precursor gas to third series of injection ports 134 using an additional third manifold and third gas line (not shown).

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the first series of injection ports 126 (eg, injection ports 214 a , 214 b , 214 c , 214 d , 214 e ) corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of first flow controllers 412 .

[0059] According to additional embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the second series of injection ports 130 (eg, injection ports 224 a , 224 b , 224 c , 224 d ) corresponds one-to-one with each of the plurality of second flow controllers 414 .

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, the injector housing 116 includes five first gas lines 404 that feed the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d, 214e) and four second gas lines 408 that feed the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 224a, 224b, 224c, 224d). However, the gas injection system 110 may have the same or similar number of corresponding first gas lines 404 and / or second gas lines 408 coupled to each injection port. The use of multiple channels and injection ports for each source gas (e.g., precursor source 118 and non-precursor source 122) allows for fine control and adjustment of the flow rate of each gas source to multiple independent locations within a reaction chamber, such as the reaction chamber 104 of FIG. 1. This, in turn, allows for independent control of film properties across the surface of a substrate.

[0061] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, gas injection system 110 (of FIG. 4) includes a plurality of first flow controllers 412, which may additionally include a plurality of flow sensors. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first series of injection ports and the second series of injection ports is coupled to a single flow controller 412, 414. However, in some cases, it may be desirable to have some gas outlets that are not coupled to a flow controller and / or to have some gas outlets that are coupled to more than one flow controller.

[0062] The plurality of first flow controllers 412 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414 can be used to monitor and control the flow rates of the gas mixture, providing a user with real-time and / or historical flow rate information for each first gas line 404 and each second gas line 408, for example, using a graphical user interface. Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of first flow controllers 412 and the plurality of second flow controllers 414 can be coupled to a controller (e.g., controller 418) to provide a controlled flow ratio of the gases to the injector housing 116. By disposing at least one flow controller in the first gas line 404 and the second gas line 408 for each gas, the flow ratio (e.g., relative flow ratio) of the gases through each gas line can be measured and controlled regardless of the gas composition. Exemplary flow controllers (412, 414) can be or include various flow sensors, for example, thermal mass flow sensors, pressure drop-based flow sensors, etc.

[0063] The first and second flow controllers 412 and 414 may also include any suitable device for measuring gas flow. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the flow controllers (412, 414) may each comprise a proportional valve, such as a solenoid valve, a pneumatic valve, or a piezoelectric valve. A flow controller with a relatively high (e.g., 0.021-0.14) flow coefficient (Cv) may be selected to reduce downstream hocking. While the flow controllers (412, 414) preferably operate under closed-loop control, they may also (e.g., additionally) operate under open-loop control.

[0064] The first plurality of flow controllers 412 and the second plurality of flow controllers 414 can initially form part of, for example, a mass flow controller (e.g., an off-the-shelf mass flow controller), with the controller 418 replacing the control function of the valve. For example, the flow controllers (412, 414) can form or be part of a mass flow controller configured to operate in an open-loop mode, with the controller 418 providing closed-loop control of the plurality of flow controllers (412, 414).

[0065] The controller 418 can be configured to perform various functions and / or processes as described herein. The controller 418 can include one or more microprocessors, memory elements, and / or switching to perform various functions. While the controller 418 is illustrated as a single unit, it can alternatively include multiple devices. By way of example, the controller 418 can be used to control the flow of gases from the precursor source 118 and / or non-precursor source 122 in the first gas line 404 and the second gas line 408, which can fluidly couple the injection ports (e.g., first, second, and third series of injection ports) of the injector housing 116 and, optionally, the reaction chamber 104 (of FIG. 1 ). The controller 418 can be configured to provide open-loop and / or closed-loop flow control, for example, using the same hardware. The controller 418 can be configured to provide a desired ratio of the total flow rates of the respective gases (e.g., gases from the precursor source 118 and / or non-precursor source 122) in each of the gas lines supplying the injector housing 116. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 418 includes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller that enables independent closed-loop control of the flow controllers (412, 414). PID closed-loop control enables the gas injection system 110 (FIG. 4) to dynamically adjust the flow of one or more (e.g., all) gas lines (e.g., 404, 408) to provide a stable, particularly initial, flow rate of gas to the reaction chamber when setting a setpoint and / or switching between gas sources and / or when the operating pressure is relatively high (e.g., near atmospheric pressure). Closed-loop control enables automatic and stable control of the flow rate through each of the gas lines (404, 408) over a wide variety of pressure ranges, such as those described herein. Closed-loop control further enables control without tool matching, which is often desirable for conventional systems. As an example, PID control is used to provide an initial setting for each of the flow controllers (412, 414).The flow ratio feedback from the output of each flow controller can then be used in conjunction with the PID controller of controller 418 to control the desired setpoint (i.e., flow ratio) of each of the flow controllers (412, 414).

[0066] 5 illustrates an additional exemplary injector housing 516 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The injector housing 516 includes a first series of injection ports 126 disposed within a front surface 502 of the injector housing. The first series of injection ports 126 of the injector housing 516 may include, for example, injection ports 514a, 514b, 514c, 514d, and 514e. As shown in FIG. 5, the exemplary first series of injection ports (514a-514e) may be disposed within the front surface 502 of the housing within the substrate channel 140, with exemplary process gas flow directed toward the substrate channel 140 and from there into the reaction chamber.

[0067] In various embodiments, the injector housing 516 includes a second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., exemplary injection ports 524a-524d) disposed within the front surface 502 of the injector housing and positioned above the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., exemplary injection ports 514a-514e). The injector housing 516 can include a groove 506 disposed within the front surface 502, the groove 506 surrounding the substrate channel 140. In some embodiments, the second series of injection ports 130 (e.g., 524a-524d) is positioned between the first series of injection ports 126 (e.g., 514a-514e) and an upper surface 508 of the groove 506.

[0068] In certain embodiments, the injector housing 516 may further comprise a third series of injection ports 134 (as shown by exemplary injection ports 526a-526d in FIG. 5 ) positioned between the substrate channel and the lower surface 510 of the groove 506. In such embodiments, the third series of injection ports 134 (e.g., injection ports 526a-526d) are in fluid communication with a second manifold 416 comprising a plurality of second flow controllers 414 configured to control the flow of non-precursor gas from the non-precursor source 122 to the third series of injection ports 134, as described above.

[0069] In certain embodiments, a high-velocity gas curtain can be utilized within a reaction chamber to protect surfaces from corrosive or depositing materials produced during the reaction. This protective gas curtain can be formed by introducing a high-velocity gas flow that acts as a barrier between the reaction environment and the surface requiring protection, such as the upper interior surface of the chamber. In various embodiments, the high-velocity gas flow can be used to reduce contact between precursor gases and internal chamber surfaces, and / or in processes such as chemical vapor deposition, the high-velocity curtain can prevent particles from settling on the surface, maintaining the cleanliness and functionality of the chamber.

[0070] In certain embodiments, the injection ports of the second series of injection ports (and, if present, the third series of injection ports) may comprise injector nozzles constructed and arranged to generate high velocity gas flows within the reaction chamber. In such embodiments, the cross-section of such injector nozzles may be varied in shape to optimize gas flow dynamics.

[0071] As a non-limiting example, a convergent nozzle (such as illustrated in FIG. 6) may be utilized. For example, FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a convergent nozzle 600 having a diameter that decreases toward the outlet. More specifically, the convergent nozzle 600 may comprise a gas input portion 602 and a gas outlet portion 604, with the gas input portion 602 having a larger diameter than the gas outlet portion 604. Such a convergent nozzle may accelerate gas to high velocities as the gas exits the nozzle 600 and is injected into the reaction chamber. Such an injector shape may be effective in creating high-pressure, high-velocity gas flows for gas curtain applications. Alternative cross sections can be used for the injector nozzles (e.g., injector nozzles 524a-524d and / or 526a-526d), including, but not limited to, convergent-divergent (Laval) nozzles (e.g., having a converging section followed by a diverging section), straight-bore nozzles (e.g., having a constant diameter throughout their length), slit nozzles (e.g., featuring a narrow, elongated opening for producing a planar gas jet), or radial nozzles (e.g., nozzles configured to distribute gas in a radial pattern).

[0072] Various embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a method for forming a silicon-containing layer on a substrate in a reaction chamber, the method including an upper inner surface and a lower inner surface. The method of the present disclosure can additionally be used to form a germanium (Ge) layer on a substrate in the reaction chamber.

[0073] An exemplary method of the present disclosure is illustrated with reference to process 700. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, process 700 includes introducing a substrate into a reaction chamber through a substrate channel extending through an injector housing of a gas injection system and placing the substrate on a support assembly (step 702).

[0074] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, process 700 includes injecting precursor gases into a reaction chamber through a first series of injection ports located in a front face of an injector housing (step 704).

[0075] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, process 700 includes injecting a non-precursor gas into the reaction chamber through a second series of injection ports located in the front face of the injector housing above the first series of injection ports (step 706).

[0076] As described herein and shown in FIG. 1 , a non-precursor gas (e.g., non-precursor gas stream 132 in FIG. 1 ) injected from a second series of injection ports provides a gas curtain above the precursor gas (e.g., precursor gas stream 128 in FIG. 1 ). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the gas curtain is positioned between the precursor gas stream 128 and the upper interior surface 112 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface 112. Thus, a method provides a gas curtain between the precursor gas and the upper interior surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the upper interior surface.

[0077] According to additional embodiments of the present disclosure, process 700 can optionally include injecting additional non-precursor gases into the reaction chamber through a third series of injection ports located in the front face of the injector housing below the substrate channel (optional step 708).

[0078] As described herein and shown in FIG. 1 , an additional non-precursor gas (e.g., additional non-precursor gas stream 136 in FIG. 1 ) injected from a third series of injection ports provides an additional gas curtain below the precursor gas (e.g., precursor gas stream 128 in FIG. 1 ). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the additional gas curtain is positioned between the precursor gas stream 128 and the lower inner surface 114 of the reaction chamber 104, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the lower inner surface 114. Thus, the method provides an additional gas curtain between the precursor gas and the lower inner surface of the reaction chamber, thereby reducing parasitic deposition on the lower inner surface.

[0079] In some embodiments, the precursor gas is disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H 10), and neopentasilane (SiH 12 ) and the non-precursor gas comprises a halide etchant. In other embodiments, additional and / or alternative precursor and non-precursor gases may be utilized, as detailed above.

[0080] For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described hereinabove. Of course, it will be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one or more advantages that may be taught or suggested herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages that may be taught or suggested herein.

[0081] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. These and other embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed.

Claims

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

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

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

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

5. 5. The gas injection system of claim 4, further comprising a groove disposed within the front surface of the injector housing, the groove surrounding the substrate channel, and the second series of injection ports positioned between the first series of injection ports and an upper surface of the groove.

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

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

8. The precursor source is disilane (Si ２ H ６ ), trisilane (Si ３ H ８ ), tetrasilane (Si ４ H １０ ), and neopentasilane (Si ５ H １２ 10. The gas injection system of claim 1, further comprising a silicon precursor comprising at least one of:

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

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

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

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

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

14. 14. The semiconductor processing system of claim 13, further comprising a groove disposed within the front surface of the injector housing, the groove surrounding the substrate channel, and the second series of injection ports positioned between the first series of injection ports and a top surface of the groove.

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

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

17. The precursor source is disilane (Si ２ H ６ ), trisilane (Si ３ H ８ ), tetrasilane (Si ４ H １０ ), and neopentasilane (Si ５ H １２ 11. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, comprising a silicon precursor comprising at least one of:

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

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

20. The precursor gas is disilane (Si ２ H ６ ), trisilane (Si ３ H ８ ), tetrasilane (Si ４ H １０ ), and neopentasilane (Si ５ H １２ 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-precursor gas comprises a halide etchant.

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