Multi-temperature reactor system and method

Abstract

Reactor systems and methods for rapidly adjusting the temperature of a substrate are disclosed.SOLUTION: The exemplary reactor system can include one or more temperature regulating gas sources coupled to the reaction chamber of the reactor. Additionally or alternatively, the exemplary reactor system can include a lift pin assembly that can move the substrate from the susceptor surface during processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to apparatus for gas phase processes. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a reactor system capable of rapidly changing substrate temperatures during processing, and methods of using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Gas-phase processes, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD), are often used to deposit materials on, etch materials from, and / or clean or treat the surface of a substrate. For example, gas-phase processes can be used to deposit or etch layers on a substrate to form semiconductor devices, flat panel display devices, photovoltaic devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and the like.

[0003] Reactors used in gas-phase processing often include a susceptor to hold the substrate in place and to heat or cool the substrate during processing. The susceptor is generally configured to heat (or cool) the substrate to a temperature within a specific range.

[0004] In some cases, it may be desirable to expose a substrate in a reactor to two or more different processing steps at substantially different temperatures. For example, it may be desirable to deposit material at one temperature and anneal or densify the material at another temperature. Additionally or alternatively, it may be desirable to adsorb a precursor onto the surface of the substrate at a first temperature and react the adsorbed precursor with a reactant at a second temperature. In some reactor systems, it may take an undesirably long time to heat and / or cool the susceptor from one process temperature to another.

[0005] Therefore, an improved reactor system that can be used to process substrates at different temperatures and that allows for rapid changes in substrate temperature is desired.

[0006] Any discussion of problems and solutions in this section is merely for the purpose of providing a context for the present disclosure and should not be taken as an admission that any or all of the discussions were known at the time the invention was made. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide reactor systems and methods for processing substrates that allow for or include rapid changes in the temperature of the substrate. The reactor systems and methods described herein are suitable for use in a variety of gas-phase processes, such as chemical vapor deposition processes (including plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition processes), gas-phase etching processes (including plasma-enhanced gas-phase etching processes), gas-phase cleaning processes (including plasma-enhanced cleaning processes), and gas-phase treatment processes (including plasma-enhanced gas-phase treatment processes). As described in more detail below, exemplary reactor systems and methods are particularly suited for processes that include multiple deposition steps and / or processes that are desirably performed at multiple temperatures within the reaction chamber.

[0008] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a reactor system includes a reactor having a chamber defined in part by a chamber wall, a susceptor configured to hold a substrate during processing, a temperature-regulating gas source coupled to the chamber via a conduit, the temperature-regulating gas source including a temperature-regulating gas, and a gas temperature-regulating device configured to increase and / or decrease the temperature of the temperature-regulating gas. According to example embodiments, the conduit is configured to provide the temperature-regulating gas near the susceptor. In some cases, the temperature-regulating gas can be provided above the substrate, for example, when the substrate is in the lower chamber of the reactor or through a designated flow path through a gas distribution device. In some cases, the temperature-regulating gas can be provided below the substrate, for example, the temperature-regulating gas can be directed toward the backside of the susceptor. In some cases, the conduit passes through the chamber wall. In some cases, the conduit comprises a portion of the gas distribution device. In some cases, the gas temperature-regulating device is within the reactor, such as within the lower chamber of the reactor. In some cases, the gas temperature-regulating device is external to the reactor. The gas temperature regulation device can be or include, for example, one or more of a microwave plasma device, a radiant heater, an infrared heater, a flash lamp, a compressor, and the like.

[0009] According to further exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a deposition method includes placing a substrate on a surface of a susceptor, heating the substrate to a first temperature using a first heater, and moving the substrate to a raised position using one or more lift pins to heat the substrate in the raised position to a second temperature different from that in the first position, where the temperature of the substrate is adjusted during the deposition method. According to these example embodiments, the first temperature is higher than the second temperature. In other cases, the second temperature is higher than the first temperature. In some cases, the substrate can be moved during the deposition cycle; for example, the method can include exposing the substrate to a reactant while the substrate is on the surface of the susceptor and / or exposing the substrate to a precursor while the substrate is in the raised position. In some cases, material can be deposited at a first temperature, and the deposited material can be treated (e.g., annealed or densified) at a second temperature. In such cases, the deposition and treatment steps can be repeated. In some cases, method steps can be repeated to fill features, such as gaps, on the surface of the substrate.

[0010] According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for adjusting the temperature of a substrate in a reactor includes placing a substrate on a surface of a susceptor, using a first heater to heat the substrate at a first location to a first temperature, and using an inert gas plasma source to heat the substrate at a second location to a second temperature. In some cases, the first location and the second location are in different reaction chambers of a module. In other cases, the first location and the second location are in the same reaction chamber. According to an example of the present disclosure, the substrate is grounded at the first location and the second location. In such a case, the susceptor can be coupled to a first ground plane at the first location, and the ground plane supporting the substrate provides a second ground plane at the second location. The inert gas plasma source can be or can include a microwave plasma source and / or an RF plasma source. In some cases, the method includes performing an annealing process while the substrate is in the second location.

[0011] According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a reactor system includes a reactor including an upper chamber region and a lower chamber region, a susceptor configured to hold a substrate during processing, the susceptor including an upper surface that partially defines the upper chamber region (e.g., when the susceptor is in a processing position), and a heater disposed within the lower chamber region and separate from the susceptor. The reactor system may further include a gas curtain between the upper chamber region and the lower chamber region or a portion thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the reactor system may include a shutter between the upper chamber region and the lower chamber region or a portion thereof.

[0012] The foregoing summary and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not limitations of the disclosure or the claimed invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] A more complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be obtained by reference to the detailed description and claims in light of the following illustrative drawings.

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary reactor system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates another reactor system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates another reactor system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates another reactor system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 illustrates another reactor system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 illustrates yet another reactor system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates another reactor system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 illustrates yet another reactor system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary process system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary process module of a process system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] 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

[0016] The descriptions of exemplary embodiments provided below are merely exemplary and intended for illustrative purposes only, and the following descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims. Moreover, the recitation of multiple embodiments having described features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the described features.

[0017] As described in more detail below, various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to reactor systems, components thereof, and methods of using the reactor systems and components that enable rapid heating and / or cooling of substrates, such that processes (e.g., depositing a material on a substrate, cleaning a surface of a substrate, heating or annealing a material on a substrate surface, treating a surface of a substrate, etc.) with temperature differences of more than 5° C. or more than 100° C., or within about 25° C. to about 150° C., can be performed in, for example, less than 10 seconds, or about 30 seconds, or from about 1 second to about 10 seconds, or from about 1 second to about 30 seconds.

[0018] As used herein, the term substrate may refer to any underlying material(s) that includes one or more layers and / or upon which one or more layers can be deposited. The substrate may include a bulk material such as silicon (e.g., monocrystalline silicon), other Group IV materials such as germanium, or compound semiconductor materials such as GaAs, and may include one or more layers above or below the bulk material. For example, the substrate may include a patterned stack of several layers overlying the bulk material. The patterned stack may vary depending on the application. Furthermore, the substrate may additionally or alternatively include various features (such as recesses, lines, and the like) formed in or on at least a portion of the layers of the substrate.

[0019] In some embodiments, the term film refers to a layer extending in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. In some embodiments, a layer refers to a material having a certain thickness formed on a surface, or a synonym of a film or a non-film structure. A film or layer may be composed of a single individual film or layer or multiple films or layers having certain properties, and the boundaries between adjacent films or layers may or may not be clear, and may or may not be established based on physical, chemical, and / or other properties, the formation process or sequence, and / or the function or purpose of the adjacent film or layer. Furthermore, a layer or film may be continuous or discontinuous.

[0020] In this disclosure, the term gas may refer to a material that is a gas, vaporized solid, and / or vaporized liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, and may consist of a single gas or a mixture of gases, depending on the context. Gases other than process gases, i.e., gases introduced without passing through a gas distribution device, such as a showerhead or other gas distribution device, may be used, for example, to seal the reaction space and may include seal gases, such as noble gases.

[0021] In some cases, for example, in the context of materials deposition, the term precursor can refer to a compound that participates in a chemical reaction to produce another compound, particularly a compound that constitutes the film matrix or backbone of the film, while the term reactant can refer to a compound other than the precursor that activates, modifies, or catalyzes the reaction of the precursor, as the case may be. In some cases, the terms precursor and reactant can be used interchangeably. The term inert gas refers to a gas that does not participate in a chemical reaction to any significant extent and / or a gas that excites a precursor upon application of, for example, RF or microwave power, but, unlike a reactant, may not become part of the film matrix to any significant extent.

[0022] The term cyclic deposition process or cyclical deposition process may refer to the sequential introduction of precursors (and / or reactants) into a reaction chamber to deposit layers on a substrate, and includes processing techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), cyclical chemical vapor deposition (cyclical CVD), and hybrid cyclical deposition processes that include ALD and cyclical CVD components. In some cases, an inert gas and / or one or more reactants may flow continuously during multiple cycles of the cyclical process, and the precursor and / or plasma may be pulsed.

[0023] In the present disclosure, any two numbers of a variable can constitute a workable range for that variable, and any range stated may include or exclude endpoints. Furthermore, in some embodiments, any value of a variable stated (whether or not they are stated with "about") may refer to an exact value or an approximate value, including equivalents, and may refer to an average, median, representative value, majority, etc. For example, the term about may refer to + / - 20, 10, 5, 2, or 1 percent of the value. Furthermore, in some embodiments, in the present disclosure, the terms including, consisting of, and having can independently refer to typically or broadly including, including, consisting essentially of, or consisting of. According to aspects of the present disclosure, any defined meaning of a term does not necessarily exclude the ordinary and customary meaning of that term.

[0024] Turning now to the figures, Figure 1 shows a reactor system (sometimes referred to herein as a process system) 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The reactor system 100 includes a reactor 102, a susceptor 104, a temperature regulating gas source 106, a temperature regulating gas 108 within the temperature regulating gas source 106, and a conduit 110. In the example shown, the reactor system 100 also includes a gas distribution device 112, lift pins 114, 116, a flow control ring 118, a vacuum source 156, and a controller 158. Although not shown, the reactor system 100 may additionally include direct and / or remote plasma and / or thermal excitation devices for one or more reactants and / or within the reactor 102.

[0025] The reactor 102 may be or include a reaction chamber suitable for gas-phase reactions. The reactor 102 may be formed from a suitable material, such as quartz, metal, or the like, and may be configured to hold one or more substrates for processing. The reactor system 100 may include any suitable number of reactors 102 and may optionally include one or more substrate handling systems.

[0026] The reactor 102 can be used to deposit material on the surface of the substrate 132, etch material from the surface of the substrate 132, clean the surface of the substrate 132, treat the surface of the substrate 132, deposit material on a surface in the reactor 102, clean the surface in the reactor 102, etch the surface in the reactor 102, and / or treat the surface in the reactor 102. The reactor 102 can be a stand-alone reactor or part of a cluster tool. Furthermore, the reactor 102 can be dedicated to a deposition, etching, cleaning, or treatment process, or the reactor 102 can be used for multiple processes, for example, any combination of deposition, etching, cleaning, and treatment processes.

[0027] The reactor 102 may be configured as a CVD reactor, a cyclic deposition process reactor (e.g., a cyclic CVD reactor), an ALD reactor, or the like, any of which may include a plasma device, such as a direct plasma device and / or a remote plasma device. The reactor 102 may be configured to deposit various films or layers, such as multi-component layers, epitaxial layers, and / or perform etching and / or cleaning processes.

[0028] As shown, the reactor 102 includes a chamber 120 defined in part by a chamber wall 122. The chamber wall 122 may include a gate valve opening 124 and a conduit opening 126. The chamber 120 may be divided into an upper chamber region, or processing region 128, and a lower chamber region, or load / unload region 130. During processing, the substrate 132 may be at a first temperature when the upper surface of the substrate 132 is within or partially defines the upper chamber region 128 (first position) and at a second temperature when the substrate 132 is within the lower chamber region 130 (second position). In some cases, the lower chamber region 130 is below the upper surface 105 of the susceptor 104 when the susceptor 104 is in the processing position. In some cases, the second position may be below the gate valve opening 124.

[0029] The susceptor 104 is configured to hold the substrate 132 in place during processing. One or more sections of the susceptor 104 may be heated, cooled, or at an ambient process temperature during processing. According to examples of the present disclosure, the susceptor 104 includes a temperature adjustment device 134, such as a heater (e.g., a resistive heater) and / or a cooling device (e.g., a conduit for a cooling medium such as chilled water).

[0030] In the illustrated example, the reactor system 100 includes a mechanism 136 for moving the susceptor 104 from the lower chamber region 130 to the upper chamber region 128. The mechanism 136 may include any suitable device capable of moving the susceptor 104 relative to the bottom chamber wall 138. By way of example, the mechanism 136 includes a servo motor for driving the susceptor 104 along a vertical axis. The mechanism 136 may suitably be external to the reactor 102.

[0031] The susceptor 104 can be formed of any suitable material, such as boron nitride, aluminum nitride, quartz, and ceramic-coated materials such as ceramic-coated metals. The susceptor 104 can also include a resistive heating material. Exemplary materials suitable for the resistive heating material include tungsten (W), nichrome (NiCr), cupronickel (CuNi), graphite, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi), or any other suitable heater material. The resistive heating material can be coated (e.g., patterned) on, for example, a ceramic or ceramic-coated metal. The susceptor 104 can include an additional protective layer formed over the resistive heating material. The protective layer can be formed, for example, of a ceramic material.

[0032] The temperature regulating gas source 106 is coupled to the chamber 120 (e.g., the lower chamber region 130) via a conduit 110. The temperature regulating gas source 106 contains a temperature regulating gas 108. The temperature regulating gas 108 can be or include a gas having a relatively high thermal conductivity, for example, a thermal conductivity greater than that of hydrogen or helium at the operating pressure and temperature, or a thermal conductivity greater than about 125 mW / m·K (milliwatts per meter per Kelvin) at 300 K and 100 kPa, or at saturation pressure if less than 100 kPa. For example, the temperature regulating gas 108 can be or include one or more of hydrogen, helium, or any mixture thereof, and may additionally include argon. Although shown as a single gas source, the temperature regulating gas source 106 can include two or more gas sources, with each temperature regulating gas provided separately to the chamber 120 or mixed before or within the chamber 120.

[0033] The temperature regulating gas source 106 is fluidly coupled to a gas temperature regulating device 140 configured to increase and / or decrease the temperature of the temperature regulating gas 108. The temperature regulating device 140 may be external to the chamber 120, as shown. Additionally or alternatively, the temperature regulating device 140 may be within the chamber 120 (e.g., within the lower chamber region 130), as described in more detail below in connection with other illustrated examples of reactor systems. The temperature regulating device 140 may be or include, for example, a heat exchanger, a resistive heater, a chiller, a microwave plasma device, a radiant heater, an infrared heater, a flash lamp, a compressor, or the like.

[0034] As shown, the temperature regulating gas 108 is provided to the chamber 120 via a conduit 110, which may include one or more valves 142, 144. The valves 142, 144 can be on-off valves and / or control valves. According to an example of the present disclosure, at least one of the valves 142, 144 is a control valve coupled to a controller, such as the controller 158 described below, so that the flow rate of the temperature regulating gas 108 is controlled during processing of the substrate 132. The conduit 110 and reactor system 100 may be further configured to provide the temperature regulating gas 108 near the substrate 132, for example, in the lower chamber region 130. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the temperature regulating gas 108 is not provided through the gas distribution device 112. In other examples described below, the temperature regulating gas 108 is additionally or alternatively introduced through the gas distribution device 112. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the conduit 110 includes a section 127 that passes through the chamber wall 122 and into the lower chamber region 130. The conduit 110 may also include a section 127 that extends into the lower chamber region 130 (e.g., spanning substantially its cross-sectional dimension). The conduit 110 may be formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel tubing. Insulation 160 may surround at least a portion of the conduit 110. Additionally, the conduit 110 may include one or more holes 129 to facilitate providing the temperature regulating gas 108 to the surface of the substrate. By providing the temperature regulating gas 108 through the chamber wall 122, the temperature of fewer components, such as the gas distribution device 112, is affected.

[0035] The gas distribution device 112 is configured to receive and facilitate the distribution of one or more gases into the reactor 102, particularly the upper chamber region 128, during substrate processing. The gas distribution device 112 can include an inlet 146 and a plurality of holes 148 coupled to a plenum 150.

[0036] The reactor system 100 may also include an exhaust path 152 and / or 154 to a vacuum source 156. The vacuum source 156 may include one or more vacuum sources. Exemplary vacuum sources include one or more dry vacuum pumps and / or one or more turbomolecular pumps.

[0037] The controller 158 may be configured to perform various functions and / or steps as described herein. The controller 158 may include one or more microprocessors, memory elements, and / or switching elements to perform various functions. While the controller 158 is shown as a single unit, it may alternatively include multiple devices. By way of example, the controller 158 may be used to control the flow of the temperature regulating gas 108, e.g., via one or more of the valves 142, 144, to move the susceptor 104 between a first position in which the substrate is in the upper chamber region 128 and in contact with the surface of the susceptor 104, and a second position in which the substrate is in the lower chamber region 130 and elevated relative to (e.g., not in contact with) the surface of the susceptor 104.

[0038] A method of operating the reactor system 100 may include, for example, placing a substrate on a surface of a susceptor, heating or cooling the substrate to a first temperature using a first heater or cooler (e.g., temperature adjustment device 134), and using one or more lift pins to move the substrate to a raised position and heat the substrate in the raised position to a second temperature different from the first position, wherein the temperature of the substrate is adjusted in the lower chamber region 130.

[0039] 2 illustrates another reactor system 200 according to an additional example of the present disclosure. The reactor system 200 is similar to the reactor system 100, except that the reactor system 200 includes a reactor 202 including a reactor wall 222, a gas distribution device 212, and one or more temperature regulating gas sources 232, 234 that are fluidly connected to an upper chamber region 228 and may be separate from a lower chamber region 230, such that most of the temperature regulating gas 236, 238 from the one or more temperature regulating gas sources 232, 234 is exhausted through an exhaust passage 252 in an upper or top plate 233. The temperature regulating gases 236, 238 may be the same or similar to the temperature regulating gas 108 described above. The temperature regulating gases 236 and 238 may comprise the same gas or different gases. The temperature regulating gases 236 and 238 are suitably controlled at different temperatures.

[0040] Reactor system 200 can also include gas attemperating devices 240, 242, which can be the same as or similar to gas attemperating device 140. Similarly, reactor system 200 can include valves 244-250, which can be the same as or similar to valves 142, 144.

[0041] According to examples of the present disclosure, temperature regulated gas source 232 can provide relatively cool gas to upper chamber region 128, and temperature regulated gas source 234 can provide relatively hot gas to upper chamber region 128. By way of example, gas temperature regulated device 240 can cool temperature regulated gas 236 to a temperature of about 10°C to about 20°C, or about 15°C to 20°C, and / or temperature regulated device 240 can heat temperature regulated gas 238 to a temperature of about 100°C to about 500°C, or about 100°C to about 400°C, or about 300°C to about 500°C.

[0042] Reactor system 200 may also include a controller 258, which may be similar to controller 158 described above. According to examples of the present disclosure, controller 258 is configured to flow both temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238 and to adjust the flow rates of one or both of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238. For example, controller 258 and / or reactor system 200 may be configured to provide (e.g., pulse) precursor through gas distribution device 212 for a period of time, and increase or decrease the flow of temperature regulating gas 236 while increasing or decreasing the flow of temperature regulating gas 238. By maintaining some flow of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238 to gas distribution device 212 (e.g., during precursor pulsing and / or between precursor pulses), relatively fast substrate temperature changes can be achieved.

[0043] The flow rate of the temperature regulating gas 236 can be about 1 SLM to about 1000 SLM, or about 50 SLM to about 500 SLM, or about 1 SLM to about 50 SLM. Similarly, the flow rate of the temperature regulating gas 238 can be about 1 SLM to about 1000 SLM, or about 50 SLM to about 500 SLM, or about 1 SLM to about 50 SLM.

[0044] Reactor 202 and reactor wall 222 may be similar to reactor 102 and chamber wall 122, except that reactor wall 222 may not include a conduit therethrough for providing a temperature regulating gas to lower chamber region 130. However, in some cases, features of reactor system 100 and reactor system 200 may be combined.

[0045] The gas distribution device 212 may be similar to the gas distribution device 112, except that the gas distribution device 212 may include one or more inlets 214, 216 for receiving temperature regulating gases from one or more temperature regulating gas sources 232, 234. In some cases, one or more temperature regulating gases 236, 238 may be provided through the gas distribution device 212 via dedicated holes 218, 220 and / or holes 148 used to distribute process gases.

[0046] One or more conduits 223, 224 may be fluidly coupled to inlets 214, 216 in the top plate 233 and fluidly coupled to a plenum 231 in the gas distribution device 212. As shown, insulating material 226, 227 may surround at least a portion of the conduits 223, 224 to provide insulation from, for example, the top plate 233, the gas distribution device 212, and / or ambient conditions.

[0047] 3 shows a portion of a reactor system 300 according to yet an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. The reactor system 300 may be the same as the reactor system 200, except that the reactor system 300 includes a gas distribution device 312 that includes an additional plenum 302 for receiving and distributing the temperature regulating gas 236 and / or the temperature regulating gas 238 through holes 304 in the gas distribution device 312. In some cases, the temperature regulating gas 236 and / or the temperature regulating gas 238 flows from the plenum 302 toward the substrate 132 through dedicated holes 308, 310. The holes 308, 310 may be connected to only one temperature regulating gas source 232 or 234, or may be connected to both. In some cases, one of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238 is provided through plenum 306, and the other of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238 is provided through plenum 302, which may be insulated from one another, for example, through insulating material 314 or 316.

[0048] According to examples of the present disclosure, holes 308, 310 can have large cross-sections and may be few in number compared to holes 148 used to distribute precursors and / or reactants. For example, the cross-sectional dimension of holes 308 or 310 may be two, four, five, ten or more times larger than the cross-sectional dimension of holes 148.

[0049] Additionally or alternatively, the temperature regulating gas 236 and / or the temperature regulating gas 238 can be provided to the substrate 132 via holes 148 that are fluidly connected to the plenum 306 and can provide precursors and / or reactants to the substrate 132.

[0050] A method of using reactor system 200 or 300 can include placing a substrate on a surface of susceptor 104, heating the substrate to a first temperature using a first flow rate ratio of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238, and heating the substrate to a second temperature using a second flow rate ratio of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238, where the first flow rate ratio and the second flow rate ratio are different. The method can further include the steps described above in connection with reactor system 100 and / or other reactor systems described herein. As noted above, in some cases, the flow rates of temperature regulating gas 236 and temperature regulating gas 238 can be continuous throughout one or more processes, such as an intra-cyclic deposition step, and / or a deposition and annealing step and / or a treatment step.

[0051] 4 and 5 illustrate another reactor system 400 and method according to an example of the present disclosure. Reactor system 400 is similar to reactor systems 100-300, except that reactor system 400 uses substrate movement to regulate the temperature of the substrate. Such substrate movement can be combined with the reactor systems and methods described above in connection with FIGS. 1-3 and / or other reactor systems and / or methods described herein.

[0052] The reactor system 400 includes a reactor 402, a susceptor 404, a gas distribution device 406, and a lift pin assembly 408. The reactor system 400 may also include a flow control ring 410, a vacuum source 412, and a controller 414. The reactor system 400 may additionally include direct and / or remote plasma and / or thermal excitation devices for one or more reactants and / or within the reactor 402.

[0053] The reactor 402 can be similar to the reactor 102 and can be formed of the same or similar materials. The reactor 402 includes a chamber 420 defined in part by a chamber wall 422. The chamber wall 422 can include a gate valve opening 424. The chamber 420 can be divided into an upper chamber region or processing region 428 and a lower chamber region or load / unload region 430. In some cases, the lower chamber region 430 is below the upper surface 405 of the susceptor 404 when the susceptor 404 is in the processing position.

[0054] The susceptor 404 can be the same as or similar to the susceptor 104. As noted above, the susceptor 404 can include a temperature adjustment device 434, which can be the same as or similar to the temperature adjustment device 134.

[0055] Gas distribution device 406 may be the same as or similar to gas distribution device 112. According to examples of the present disclosure, gas distribution device 406 may include a temperature adjustment device 436 for independently adjusting the temperature of gas distribution device 406. Temperature adjustment device 436 may be or include any temperature adjustment device described herein.

[0056] Lift pin assembly 408 includes lift pins 438, 440, a lift pin plate 442, and a lift pin actuator 446 including a lift pin motor 444 and an actuator arm 448. Although shown with two lift pins, lift pin assembly 408 can include any suitable number of lift pins, and typically includes three lift pins.

[0057] The vacuum source 412 may be the same as or similar to the vacuum source 156 described above.

[0058] The controller 414 can be configured to perform various functions and / or steps as described herein. The controller 414 can include one or more microprocessors, memory elements, and / or switching elements to perform various functions. While the controller 414 is shown as a single unit, it can alternatively include multiple devices. As an example, the controller 414 can be used to control the flow of gases or precursors and / or reactants to the upper chamber region 428 and to move the lift pins 438, 440 during processing so that the lift pins 438, 440 raise the substrate 432 during one portion of the process and lower the substrate 432 (e.g., the remainder of the susceptor surface) during another portion of the process.

[0059] During operation of the reactor system 400, the substrate 432 may be at a first temperature when the substrate 432 is in the upper chamber region 428 and elevated relative to the susceptor 404 (FIG. 4), and the substrate 432 may be at a second temperature when the substrate 432 is in the upper chamber region 428 and placed on or in contact with the susceptor 404 (FIG. 5).

[0060] As a particular example, a deposition method can include placing a substrate 432 on the surface 405 of a susceptor 404, heating the substrate 432 to a first temperature using a first heater (e.g., a temperature adjustment device 434), and using one or more lift pins of a lift pin assembly 408 to move the substrate 432 to a raised position and heat the substrate 432 in the raised position to a second temperature different from that at the first position, where the temperature of the substrate 432 is adjusted during the deposition method. The first temperature can be higher than the second temperature. By way of example, the second temperature can be about 50° C., 100° C., or 150° C. higher than the first temperature, or about 100° C. to about 500° C., or about 200° C. to about 400° C. higher than the first temperature. Alternatively, the first temperature can be about 50° C., 100° C., or 150° C. higher than the second temperature, or about 100° C. to about 500° C., or about 200° C. to about 400° C. higher than the second temperature. By way of further example, the first temperature can be about 300° C. to about 500° C., or about 350° C. to about 450° C., and the second temperature can be about 50° C. to about 150° C., or about 50° C. to 100° C., or vice versa.

[0061] For a cyclic (e.g., deposition) process, the substrate can be in a first position (e.g., resting on susceptor 404) during the step of exposing the substrate to the reactant. The cyclic process can further include exposing the substrate to a precursor while the substrate is in a second (raised) position. Such methods may be particularly suitable for deposition processes that involve reacting a metal-organic or organometallic compound with a reactant in alternating cycles, or in which the reactant is provided continuously to the reaction chamber.

[0062] Exemplary metal organic precursors include molecules containing a metal atom and an organic ligand bonded to the metal via a nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or phosphorus atom. Exemplary organic ligands of metal organic precursors include dialkylamide ligands, alkylimide ligands, N,N'-dialkylamidinate ligands, N,N'-dialkyldiazadienyl ligands, alkoxide ligands, β-diketonate ligands, alkylthiolate ligands, and alkyl- or aryl-substituted phosphine ligands. Exemplary metal atoms in metal organic precursors include Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Ru, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Sb, Bi, and Te. Non-limiting examples of specific precursors include titanium(IV) isopropoxide, tetrakis(ethylmethylamido)hafnium, tris(N,N-diisopropylformamidinato)lanthanum, bis(dimethylamido)bis(tert-butylimido)molybdenum, pentakis(dimethylamido)tantalum, tris(diethylamido)(tert-butylimido)niobium, bis[1-(dimethylamino)-2-propanate]copper, bis(N,N'-di-tert-butyldiazadienyl)cobalt, and bis(N,N'-diisopropylacetamidinato)nickel.

[0063] Exemplary organometallic precursors include molecules containing a metal atom and an organic ligand bonded to the metal via a carbon atom. Exemplary organic ligands of organometallic precursors include cyclopentadienyl ligands, alkylcyclopentadienyl ligands, alkyl ligands, carbonyl ligands, alkene and alkenyl ligands, alkyne and alkynyl ligands, arene and aryl ligands, and aryl ligands. Exemplary metal atoms in organometallic precursors include Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Ru, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Sb, Bi, and Te. Non-limiting examples of specific precursors include trimethylaluminum, diethylzinc, tris(methylcyclopentadienyl)yttrium, molybdenum hexacarbonyl, (3,3-dimethyl-1-butyne)dicobalt hexacarbonyl, cyclohexadiene(tricarbonyl)ruthenium, triethylgallium, trimethylindium, bis(ethylbenzene)molybdenum, tris(dimethylamido)cyclopentadienylhafnium, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)methyl(methoxy)zirconium, and (allyl)tricarbonylcobalt.

[0064] Exemplary reactants include one or more oxidizing agents, nitriding agents, sulfiding agents, phosphiding agents, carburizing agents, and / or reducing agents.

[0065] Exemplary oxidizing agents include one or more of O, water (H0), hydrogen peroxide (H0), ozone (O), oxides of nitrogen such as nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO).

[0066] Exemplary nitriding agents include nitrogen (N), ammonia (NH 3)The nitrogen reactant may be selected from one or more of nitrogen, hydrazine (NH), or hydrazine derivatives, a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, nitrogen ions, nitrogen radicals, and nitrogen excited species, and other nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gases. The nitrogen reactant may include or consist of nitrogen and hydrogen. In some cases, the nitrogen reactant does not include diatomic nitrogen.

[0067] Exemplary sulfiding agents include hydrogen sulfide (HS), sulfur (e.g., S), thiols (e.g., alkyl and aryl thiols), compounds containing disulfide bonds, compounds containing sulfur-alkyl group bonds, and compounds represented by the formula RSS-R' or SR (where R and R' are independently selected from aliphatic (e.g., C1-C8) and aromatic groups), sulfur halides (e.g., containing one sulfur, such as SCl2 or SBr2, or one halide, such as disulfur dichloride). Alkyl thiols can include C1-C8 alkyl thiols.

[0068] Exemplary phosphorylating agents include phosphines (PH), phosphorus halides and oxyhalides such as phosphorus trichloride (PCl), phosphorus pentachloride (PCl), phosphorus tribromide (PBr), phosphorus pentabromide (PBr), phosphorus oxychloride (POCl), phosphorus oxybromide (POBr), organic phosphates and organic phosphites such as trimethyl phosphate (PO[OMe]), trimethyl phosphite (P[OMe]), aminophosphines such as tris(dimethylamino)phosphine (P[NMe]), alkylphosphines such as tert-butylphosphine (CHPH), triethylphosphine (P[CHCH]), and silylphosphines such as tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphine (P[SiMe]) and tri(silyl)phosphine (P[SiH]).

[0069] Exemplary carbonizing agents include acetylene, ethylene, halogenated alkyl compounds, halogenated alkene compounds, metal alkyl compounds, etc. Exemplary halogenated alkyl compounds include CX, CHX, CHX, CHX, CHX (wherein X is F, Cl, Br, or I). Exemplary halogenated alkene compounds include CHX, CHX, CHX, and CX (wherein X is F, Cl, Br, or I). Exemplary halogenated alkyne compounds include CX and HCX (wherein X is F, Cl, Br, or I). Exemplary metal alkyl compounds include AlMe3, AlEt3, Al(iPr)3, Al(iBu)3, Al(tBu)3, GaMe3, GaEt3, Ga(iPr)3, Ga(iBu)3, Ga(tBu)3, InMe3, InEt3, In(iPr)3, In(iBu)3, In(tBu)3, ZnMe2, and ZnEt2.

[0070] Exemplary reducing agents include forming gas (H2+N2), ammonia (NH3), hydrazine (N2H4), alkyl-hydrazines (e.g., tertiary butylhydrazine (CH4), 12 N2), molecular hydrogen (H2), atomic hydrogen (H), hydrogen plasma, hydrogen radicals, excited hydrogen species, (e.g., C1-C4) alcohols, (e.g., C1-C4) aldehydes, (e.g., C1-C4) carboxylic acids, (e.g., B1-B12) boranes, or amines.

[0071] At the end of the process, the susceptor 404 and lift pin assembly 408 can be lowered so that the substrate 432 is in the lower chamber region 430 and can be removed through the gate valve opening 424. In some cases, the lift pins 438, 440 can rest on lift pin pads 450, 452 or a lift pin plate 442, such that the lift pins 438, 440 raise the substrate 432 relative to the susceptor surface 405.

[0072] 6 illustrates another reactor system 600 and method according to an example of the present disclosure. The reactor system 600 includes a reactor 602, a susceptor 604, a gas distribution device 606, lift pins 608, 610, and a movable ground plane 612. The reactor system 600 may also include a flow control ring 614, a vacuum source 616, and a controller 618. The reactor system 600 may additionally include remote plasma and / or thermal excitation devices for one or more reactants and / or within the reactor 602.

[0073] Reactor 602 can be similar to reactor 102 and can be formed of the same or similar materials. Reactor 602 includes a chamber 620 defined in part by chamber walls 622. Chamber walls 622 can include a gate valve opening 624. Chamber 620 can be divided into an upper chamber region or processing region 628 and a lower chamber region or fill / unload region 629, as described above in connection with FIG. 1 .

[0074] Susceptor 604 can be the same as or similar to susceptor 104. As noted above, susceptor 604 can include a temperature adjustment device 634, which can be the same as or similar to temperature adjustment device 134. Additionally, as shown, susceptor 604 can be coupled to ground to form a second ground plane, as described below.

[0075] The gas distribution device 606 can be the same as or similar to the gas distribution device 112. According to an example of the present disclosure, the gas distribution device 606 includes a plate 630 that forms an electrode for plasma formation. As shown, the plate 630 is electrically coupled to a plasma power source 632. In this case, the plasma generated by the plate 630, the susceptor 604, and the power source 632 can be, for example, a capacitively coupled RF plasma. Alternatively, an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) can be used.

[0076] Lift pins 608, 610 may be the same as or similar to lift pins 114, 116 described above. According to examples of the present disclosure, lift pins 608, 610 may be configured to raise or lower movable ground plane 612. According to further examples, lift pins 608, 610 are conductive to facilitate grounding of movable ground plane 612, for example, through lift pin pads 636, 638.

[0077] The movable ground plane 612 is configured to hold the substrate 640 in an elevated position and can hold the substrate 640 during plasma heating, for example, when the substrate 640 is elevated and separated from the susceptor 604. The movable ground plane 612 can be configured in an annular shape or have a circular cross-section. The movable ground plane 612 can be formed of a conductive material, such as aluminum, anodized aluminum, nickel, stainless steel, Hastelloy®, or the like.

[0078] The vacuum source 616 may be the same as or similar to the above-described vacuum source 156. As shown, the vacuum source 616 may be coupled to an exhaust passage 652 and / or a lower chamber region 629.

[0079] The controller 618 may be similar to the controller 158 described above, except that the controller 618 is configured to move the movable ground plane 612 in the process of heating the substrate 640. Additionally, the controller 618 may be configured to provide plasma power to the plate 630 to heat the substrate 640 to a second temperature using a plasma process and to heat the substrate 640 to a first temperature using a heater (e.g., temperature adjustment device 634).

[0080] Reactor system 600 can be used to rapidly heat a surface of a substrate using a (e.g., inert gas) plasma formed in reactor 602. According to an example of the present disclosure, a method of regulating the temperature of a substrate in a reactor (e.g., reactor 602) includes placing the substrate on a surface of a susceptor, heating the substrate (e.g., the substrate placed on the susceptor) at a first position to a first temperature using a first heater (e.g., temperature adjustment device 634), and heating the substrate at a second position (e.g., a raised position whereby substrate 640 is suspended by movable ground plane 612) to a second temperature using an inert gas plasma source (e.g., formed using plate 630 and susceptor 604 as electrodes and applying plasma power to at least one of the electrodes). In some cases, the first and second positions are in different reaction chambers of a module, as discussed in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 9 and 10. In other cases, the first location and the second location are within the same reaction chamber of the reactor system, as shown in Figure 6. In some cases, the plasma can be formed when the substrate is in the first location and the second location.

[0081] The heating to the first and second temperatures can be performed in the lower chamber region 629, the upper chamber region 628, or both. The heating can include heating the substrate 640 to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. For example, the second temperature can be about 50° C. to about 550° C., or about 300° C. to about 500° C. higher than the first temperature.

[0082] Reactor system 600 and associated methods can be used for a variety of applications. For example, the heating step can be used to heat substrate 640 during and / or between steps of a cyclical deposition process and / or can be used to anneal material on the surface of the substrate before and / or after a deposition process, such as a deposition process performed in reactor 602.

[0083] 7 shows another reactor system 700 according to an example of the present disclosure. Reactor system 700 is similar to reactor system 600, except that reactor system 700 includes a microwave plasma source for heating a substrate 718. Reactor system 700 includes a reactor 702, a susceptor 704, a gas distribution device 706, lift pins 708, 710, a microwave plasma source 712, and a movable ground plane 714. Reactor system 700 may also include a flow control ring 716, a vacuum source 719, and a controller 720. Reactor system 700 may additionally include remote plasma and / or thermal excitation devices for one or more reactants and / or within reactor 702.

[0084] The reactor 702, susceptor 704, gas distribution device 706, lift pins 708, 710, and movable ground plane 714 may be the same as or similar to the respective components described above in connection with Figure 6. The reactor 702 may include an upper chamber region 724 and a lower chamber region 726.

[0085] The microwave plasma source may include, for example, one or more pole antennas 722 and an inert gas source 728. As shown, the one or more pole antennas 722 may be located within a lower chamber region 726. An inert gas may be provided to the lower chamber region 726 via a gas distribution device 706 and / or via a dedicated conduit 730 extending through a chamber wall 732 of the reactor 702.

[0086] During operation of the reactor system 700, the substrate 718 is placed on the surface 705 of the susceptor 704. Using a first heater 734 (e.g., on or within the susceptor 704), the substrate 718 is heated to a first temperature at a first location (e.g., above the surface 705), and using an inert gas (e.g., microwave) plasma source, the substrate 718 is heated to a second temperature at a second location (e.g., higher than the surface 705). As noted above, the second temperature can be about 50°C to about 550°C, or about 300°C to about 500°C higher than the first temperature. The reactor system 700 may be particularly suitable for performing an annealing step (e.g., when the substrate 718 is in the second / higher position) during a deposition method or process. A method for operating the reactor system 700 can additionally include a degassing reactor 702, e.g., using microwaves or megasonic waves or ultrasound.

[0087] 8 illustrates yet another reactor system 800 according to an example of the present disclosure. The reactor system 800 includes a reactor 802, a susceptor 804, a gas distribution device 806, a temperature adjustment device 808, and a separator 810. In the example shown, the reactor system 800 may also include lift pins 811, 812, a flow control ring 814, a vacuum source 816, and a controller 818. Although not shown, the reactor system 800 may additionally include direct and / or remote plasma and / or thermal excitation devices for one or more reactants and / or within the reactor 802.

[0088] Similar to the reactors described above, reactor 802 includes an upper chamber region 820 and a lower chamber region 824. A flow control ring 814 can be used to restrict gas flow between upper chamber region 820 and lower chamber region 824 when susceptor 804 is in the first or processing position.

[0089] The susceptor 804 can be the same as or similar to the susceptor 104 described above. The susceptor 804 is configured to hold a substrate during processing. To this end, the susceptor 804 includes an upper surface 805 that can partially define an upper chamber region 820 during substrate processing.

[0090] The gas distribution device 806, lift pins 811, 812, flow control ring 814, and vacuum source 816 can be the same as or similar to the lift pins, flow control ring, and vacuum source described above.

[0091] The temperature adjustment device 808 can include any temperature adjustment device described herein. For example, the temperature adjustment device 808 can be or include a heater, such as one or more of an infrared lamp, a flash lamp, an RF plasma source, a microwave plasma source, or the like. As shown, the temperature adjustment device 808 can be disposed in the lower chamber region 824 and can be separate from the susceptor 804. When the temperature adjustment device 808 includes a plasma source, the reactor system 800 can include a movable ground plane as described above in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0092] Separator 810 can provide separation between a first portion 826 of lower chamber region 824 and a second portion 828 of lower chamber region 824. As shown, separator 810 can be located below flow control ring 814 and / or below upper chamber region 820 (e.g., in lower chamber region 824).

[0093] According to examples of the present disclosure, separator 810 includes a gas curtain between upper chamber region 820 and a portion of lower chamber region 824, and / or between portions 826 and 828 of lower chamber region 824. In these cases, separator / gas curtain 810 may include a gas inlet 830 and a conduit 832 that extends through a chamber wall 834 of reactor 802. An inert gas may flow through gas inlet 830 to form the gas curtain.

[0094] According to additional or alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, separator 810 may be or include a shutter 839 between upper chamber region 820 and a portion of lower chamber region 824 and / or between portions 826 and 828 of lower chamber region 824.

[0095] As noted above, the various methods can be performed within a single reactor of a reactor system. In other cases, the various steps of the methods described herein can be performed in different reactors, e.g., process modules and / or different reactors of a process system.

[0096] 9 illustrates an exemplary process system 900 according to an example of the present disclosure. The process system 900 includes multiple process modules 902-908, a substrate handling chamber 910, a controller 912, a load lock chamber 914, and an equipment front-end module 916.

[0097] In the illustrated example, each process module 902-908 includes four reaction chambers RC1-RC4. Unless otherwise noted, RC1-RC4 can be in any suitable order. Furthermore, process modules according to examples of the present disclosure can include any suitable number of reaction chambers. Furthermore, various process modules within a processing system can be configured identically or differently.

[0098] According to an example of the present disclosure, at least one process module includes a first reaction chamber RC1, a second reaction chamber RC2, a third reaction chamber RC3, and optionally a fourth reaction chamber RC4. According to a further example, two or more (e.g., two, three, or four) of the process modules 902-908 include a first reaction chamber RC1, a second reaction chamber RC2, a third reaction chamber RC3, and optionally a fourth reaction chamber RC4.

[0099] According to examples of the present disclosure, at least one process module 902-908 includes a first reaction chamber RC1 configured as a reactor system described herein (e.g., reactor system 100, 200, 300, 400, 600, 700, or 800). According to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more of RC1-RC4 can be used to perform a deposition process (e.g., a cyclic deposition process) or step (e.g., a step of a cyclic deposition process) described herein, and another of RC1-RC4 can be used to perform another step or process or to heat a substrate for a subsequent step or process.

[0100] The substrate handling chamber 910 is coupled to each of the process modules 902-908. For example, the substrate handling chamber 910 may be coupled to each of the process modules 902-908 via gate valves 918-932. According to examples of the present disclosure, the process modules 902-908 are connectable to and disconnectable from the substrate handling chamber 910.

[0101] The substrate handling chamber 910 can be used to move substrates between the load lock chamber 914 and one or more process modules 902-908 and / or between the process modules 902-908. The substrate handling chamber 910 can include a back-end robot 934. The back-end robot 934 can transfer substrates from the load lock chamber 914 (e.g., stages 940, 942 therein) and any one of the susceptors in any of the reaction chambers. The back-end robot 934 can be or include, for example, an articulated robot. As an example, the back-end robot 934 can use electrostatic or vacuum forces to retrieve and move transferred substrates. The back-end robot 934 can be, for example, an end effector.

[0102] The controller 912 can be configured to perform one or more steps or functions as described herein. Similar to the controllers described above, the controller 912 includes electronic circuitry and software for selectively operating valves, manifolds, heaters, pumps, and other components included in the process system 900. Such circuits and components operate to provide gases, regulate temperatures, etc., to result in proper operation of the process system 900. The controller 912 can include modules, such as software and / or hardware components, that perform certain tasks. The modules may be configured to reside on addressable storage media of the control system and may be configured to perform one or more processes, such as those described herein.

[0103] The load lock chamber 914 is connected to the substrate handling chamber 910 and to the equipment front end module 916, for example, via gate valves 936, 938. The load lock chamber 914 can include one or more, for example, two, stages 940, 942 for staging the substrate between the equipment front end module 916 and the substrate handling chamber 910.

[0104] The equipment front-end module 916 is coupled to the load lock chamber 914 via an opening 944. The front-end module 916 may suitably include one or more load ports 946. The load ports 946 may be provided to accommodate substrate carriers, such as front-opening integrated pods (FOUPs) 948. A robot 950 provided within the equipment front-end module 916 may transfer one or more substrates (e.g., two at a time) between the FOUP 948 and the stages 940, 942 within the load lock chamber 914.

[0105] FIG. 10 illustrates a top cutaway view of an exemplary process module 902 in more detail. In the illustrated example, the process module 902 includes a first reaction chamber RC1, a second reaction chamber RC2, a third reaction chamber RC3, and a fourth reaction chamber RC4. The first reaction chamber RC1 and the second reaction chamber RC2 can be located closer to the substrate handling chamber 910 than the third reaction chamber RC3 and the fourth reaction chamber RC4. The one or more reaction chambers RC1-RC4 can be separated from each other using one or more of a gas curtain (GC) and one or more physical barriers (e.g., shutters) having areas or openings (which may be sealable) to allow substrates to pass through. According to examples of the present disclosure, the substrate handling chamber 910 can be in direct communication with RC1 and RC2 or can be in communication with RC1 and RC2 via gate valves (e.g., gate valves 918, 920).

[0106] In the illustrated example, the process module 902 includes a transfer arm 1002 for moving substrates between reaction chambers RC1 to RC4 within the process module 902. The transfer arm 1002 may include arms 1 to n, one for each reaction chamber. For example, the transfer arm 1002 may include a first arm 1002a, a second arm 1002b, a third arm 1002c, a fourth arm 1002d, and a shaft 1002e. The first arm 1002a, the second arm 1002b, the third arm 1002c, and the fourth arm 1002d are supported by and rotated by the rotation of the shaft 1002e. The arms 1002a to 1002d are positioned between reaction chambers or within a particular reaction chamber depending on the rotational state of the shaft 1002e. A transfer arm 1002 can be used to provide a substrate onto a susceptor in a reaction chamber and to remove a substrate from the susceptor. The transfer arm 1002 can function as a rotating arm to move a substrate in one of the first to fourth reaction chambers RC1 to RC4 into another reaction chamber. Such a rotating arm rotates counterclockwise, for example, by an angle calculated by dividing 360 degrees by the number of reaction chambers. The process modules 904 to 908 can be configured to have the same or similar configuration as the process module 902 shown in FIG. 10 .

[0107] According to a further example of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 10 , a back-end robot 934 can transfer substrates 1004, 1006 to / from RC1 and RC2. One or more sensors 1008-1014 can be provided in the area between the substrate handling chamber 910 and the process module 902. For example, two sensors 1008, 1010 can be provided before the first reaction chamber RC1, and two sensors 1012, 1014 can be provided before the second reaction chamber RC2. The one or more sensors 1008-1014 can include a light-emitting element and a light-sensing element that overlap each other (e.g., vertically). The light-emitting element can emit light (e.g., laser) in a positive or negative direction, and the light-sensing element detects the light (e.g., laser). The presence or absence of a substrate between the light-emitting element and the light-sensing element can be detected based on the reception or non-reception of light by the light-receiving element. For example, the light receiving element can output a high level signal when it senses a threshold amount of light, and can output a low level signal when it receives no light or less than the threshold amount of light. The light sensing element can provide an output waveform corresponding to the pass-through state of the substrate.

[0108] The process module 902 may also include an automatic substrate sensing unit for determining whether a substrate passes a predetermined position when the substrate is transferred from the substrate handling chamber 910 to the first reaction chamber RC1 or the second reaction chamber RC2 by the back-end robot 934. The automatic wafer sensing unit may include, for example, the aforementioned sensors 1008-1014 and a transfer module controller (TMC) 1016 connected to the sensors 1008-1014. The TMC 1016 may be located, for example, below the substrate handling chamber 910. The TMC 1016 may compare the detection results of one or more sensors 1008-1014 with a predetermined waveform to determine whether the substrate has passed the predetermined position. In this manner, the automatic wafer sensing unit may detect abnormal transfer when the substrate is transferred from the substrate handling chamber 910 to the first reaction chamber RC1 or the second reaction chamber RC2, or when the substrate is transferred in the opposite direction. Abnormal transfer may be caused by a misalignment of the substrate relative to the back-end robot 934, a crack in the substrate, or the like. According to one example, the TMC 1016 may implement a correction function to correct the transfer destination when an abnormal transfer is detected. In the example shown, the reactor process module 902 may also include gas sources 1018-1030, which may include a precursor gas source, a reactant gas source, and / or an inert gas source.

[0109] While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein, it should be understood that the disclosure is not so limited. For example, while assemblies, reactor systems, and methods are described in connection with various specific configurations, the disclosure is not necessarily limited to these examples. Various modifications, variations, and enhancements may be made to the exemplary assemblies, reactors, systems, and methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0110] The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various systems, assemblies, reactors, components, and configurations, as well as other features, functions, operations, and / or properties, disclosed herein, and any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. 1. A reactor system comprising: a reactor including a chamber defined in part by a chamber wall; a susceptor configured to hold the substrate during processing; a temperature regulating gas source connected to the chamber via a conduit, the temperature regulating gas source containing a temperature regulating gas; a gas attemperating device configured to increase and / or decrease the temperature of the attemperated gas; The reactor system, wherein the conduit is configured to provide the temperature regulating gas adjacent to the substrate.

2. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a section passing through the chamber wall.

3. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is fluidly connected to a portion of a gas distribution device.

4. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the gas temperature regulation device is within the reactor.

5. 10. The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the reactor includes an upper chamber region and a lower chamber region, and the gas temperature regulation device is in the lower chamber region.

6. 6. The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the temperature regulating gas comprises one or more of hydrogen, helium, or argon in any combination.

7. 7. The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the gas temperature regulation device comprises one or more of a chiller, a heat exchanger, a resistive heater, a microwave plasma device, a radiant heater, an infrared heater, a flash lamp, or a compressor.

8. 1. A deposition method comprising: placing a substrate on a surface of a susceptor; heating the substrate to a first temperature using a first heater; using one or more lift pins to move the substrate to a raised position and heat the substrate in the raised position to a second temperature different from the first temperature; A deposition method wherein the temperature of the substrate is adjusted during the deposition method.

9. The deposition method of claim 8 , wherein the first temperature is greater than the second temperature.

10. 10. The deposition method of claim 8 or 9, further comprising exposing the substrate to a reactant while the substrate is on the surface of the susceptor.

11. 11. The deposition method of claim 8, further comprising exposing the substrate to a precursor while the substrate is in the raised position.

12. The deposition method of claim 11 , wherein the precursor comprises a metal organic precursor.

13. The deposition method of any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the first temperature is between 300°C and 500°C.

14. The deposition method of any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the second temperature is between 50°C and 150°C.

15. 1. A method for regulating the temperature of a substrate in a reactor, comprising: placing the substrate on a surface of a susceptor; heating the substrate at a first location to a first temperature using a first heater; and heating the substrate at a second location to a second temperature using an inert gas plasma source.

16. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first location and the second location are in different reaction chambers of a module.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first location and the second location are within a reaction chamber.

18. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the substrate is coupled to a first ground plane at the first location and to a second ground plane at the second location.

19. 19. The method of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the inert gas plasma source comprises a microwave plasma source.

20. 20. The method of any one of claims 15 to 19, comprising performing an annealing process when the substrate is in the second position.

21. 1. A reactor system comprising: a reactor including an upper chamber region and a lower chamber region; a susceptor configured to hold a substrate during processing, the susceptor including an upper surface that partially defines the upper chamber region; a temperature adjustment device disposed within the lower chamber region and separate from the susceptor.

22. 22. The reactor system of claim 21, further comprising a gas curtain between the upper chamber region and a portion of the lower chamber region.

23. 22. The reactor system of claim 21, further comprising a shutter between the upper chamber region and the lower chamber region.

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