Physical vapor deposition module and system including the same

Abstract

A system includes a process module for one or more steps of a physical vapor deposition process.SOLUTION: Physical vapor deposition (PVD) systems and modules are disclosed. Exemplary systems can include one or more PVD modules, degas modules, pre-clean modules, and / or one or more auxiliary modules. The auxiliary module may be used as a cool-down module, a metrology module, or the like.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to physical vapor deposition systems and apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems including process modules for one or more steps of a physical vapor deposition process. [Background technology]

[0002] Physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes can be used for a variety of applications. For example, PVD can be used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, flat panel display devices, photovoltaic devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), batteries, storage devices, and the like. As one example, PVD can be used in the manufacture, integration, and advanced packaging applications during heterogeneous integration of electronic devices such as semiconductor devices and the like.

[0003] In some cases, PVD processing can include one or more pre-deposition and / or post-deposition processes. Such processes are often performed in dedicated chambers or modules and often process only a single substrate at a time. Such processing can be relatively expensive and time-consuming.

[0004] Furthermore, PVD processing often employs a dedicated PVD reactor for each material to be deposited onto a substrate for process performance reasons, such as, for example, deposition uniformity, deposition rate, film property uniformity, step coverage, step coverage uniformity, and / or particle performance, etc. Such processing can also be relatively expensive and time consuming.

[0005] As a result, improved PVD systems and apparatus are desired. Any discussion of problems and solutions in this section is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present disclosure, and such discussion should not be taken as an admission that any or all of the discussion was known at the time the invention was made. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide physical vapor deposition (PVD) systems and apparatus for depositing PVD layers on substrates. The systems and apparatus described herein are suitable for use in a variety of applications, including, for example, advanced packaging, integration, and heterogeneous integration for electronic devices. However, unless otherwise stated, the present disclosure is not limited to such applications.

[0007] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a system is provided. An exemplary system includes a load lock chamber, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module including two or more PVD chambers, a substrate handling chamber, at least one additional module, and a robot within the substrate handling chamber. The robot includes an arm with one or more end effectors, each configured to receive one or more substrates. A controller is configured to cause the robot to move the one or more substrates from the load lock chamber and between the physical vapor deposition module and the at least one additional module. For example, the controller can be configured to cause the robot to move the one or more substrates from the load lock chamber to a chamber (e.g., a PVD, pre-clean, and / or degassing chamber) within the respective module. In this context, a chamber refers to an area where the substrate is processed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one additional module includes a surface modification module. For example, the at least one additional module can be or include a degassing module, a pre-clean module, or both. In some cases, the controller is configured to cause the robot to move one or more substrates from the load lock chamber to the degassing module, from the degassing module to the pre-clean module, and from the pre-clean module to the PVD module, or from the load lock chamber to the degassing module and from the degassing module to the PVD module, or from the load lock chamber to the pre-clean module and from the pre-clean module to the PVD module. In some cases, the robot is configured to move two or more substrates.

[0008] The degassing module may include two or more degassing chambers. The two or more degassing chambers may be at least partially separated by a wall between the degassing chambers. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the degassing module includes lamps for heating one or more substrates. The lamps may provide one or more of infrared light or ultraviolet light to the surface of the substrate to provide the desired heat to the substrate. Additionally or alternatively, a susceptor in the degassing module, also referred to herein as a pedestal, may include a heater, such as a resistive heater. The temperature in one or more of the degassing chambers and / or in the degassing module may be controlled using one or more temperature sensors, such as thermocouples, infrared sensors, or the like, in one or more of the degassing chambers. The degassing module may include a turbomolecular pump, a cryopump, or both, coupled to (e.g., each of) one or more degassing chambers.

[0009] The pre-clean module may similarly include two or more pre-clean chambers. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more of the pre-clean chambers (e.g., each) may comprise a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) chamber or an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) chamber. In the case of a CCP chamber, the susceptor may be coupled to a plasma power supply that provides suitable power to generate plasma in the pre-clean chamber. In the case of an ICP pre-clean chamber, a coil may be coupled to the plasma power supply that provides suitable power to generate plasma in the pre-clean chamber, and the coil may be located around the chamber, on top of the chamber, or both. According to further embodiments, the pre-clean module may include a cooling device for cooling a cooling fluid. According to further embodiments, the susceptor in the pre-clean chamber may include a conduit for receiving a cooling fluid to cool the substrate, for example, to a temperature of at least 0°C or below. Additional configurations of the pre-clean chamber are described below. In some embodiments, the substrate is cooled to -10°C or below.

[0010] According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, the two or more PVD chambers (e.g., each) include a sputtering chamber. The PVD module can include a shield between at least two of the two or more PVD chambers. For example, each of two of the two or more PVD chambers can include a shield. The two or more PVD chambers can be or include, for example, a DC sputter reactor, a pulsed DC sputter reactor, a HiPIMS (high power impulse magnetron sputtering) sputter reactor, an RF sputter reactor, or any combination thereof. The two or more PVD chambers can be independently connected to an exhaust source (e.g., a vacuum pump) or can be connected to a shared exhaust source. In some embodiments, the pressure and / or relative pressure within each of the two or more PVD chambers can be independently controlled. In other embodiments, the process gas composition and / or relative gas composition within each of the two or more PVD chambers can be independently controlled.

[0011] According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, the system may include one or more of a cool-down module and / or a measurement module, which may be in addition to or instead of one of the other modules described above.

[0012] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a PVD module is provided. The PVD module may include, for example, a first PVD chamber having a first target material and a first susceptor, a second PVD chamber having a second target material and a second susceptor, a shield between the first and second PVD chambers, and a (e.g., first) power supply for providing power to the first target and / or the second target. In some cases, the first target material is different from the second target material. Such a module enables relatively rapid deposition of multiple materials within a single module. In some cases, the first target material is the same as the second target material to improve throughput, especially when a PVD process step is rate-limiting. In some cases, the first and second PVD chambers each have their own power supply for providing power to the first and second targets, respectively. In some cases, one or more of the PVD chambers includes a collimator. In some cases, the distance between the substrate on the first susceptor and the first target is equal to or greater than the diameter of the substrate. According to some embodiments, the first PVD chamber and the second PVD chamber are coupled to an exhaust source. In some cases, the pressure in the first PVD chamber and the pressure in the second PVD chamber can be independently controlled.

[0013] The foregoing summary and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure or claimed invention.

[0014] A more complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be obtained by reference to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following illustrative figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 illustrates another view of the system of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 illustrates another system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates a process module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a process chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates a degassing chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary pre-clean chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 illustrates a physical vapor deposition chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 illustrates a physical vapor deposition chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 illustrates a physical vapor deposition chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 illustrates a physical vapor deposition chamber according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] It will be appreciated 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.

[0017] The description of exemplary embodiments provided below is merely exemplary and intended for illustrative purposes only, and the following description is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims. Moreover, the recitation of multiple embodiments having stated features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the stated features.

[0018] As described in more detail below, various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, components thereof, and methods of using the systems and components that enable relatively rapid physical vapor deposition of one or more materials onto a substrate. The systems and components can be used in a variety of applications, such as those described herein.

[0019] Systems according to various embodiments of the present disclosure include one or more modules for processing substrates. Each module can include one or more chambers for processing substrates. For example, a module can include one, two, or four chambers.

[0020] As used herein, the term substrate may refer to any underlying material 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., single crystal silicon), other Group IV materials such as germanium, or compound semiconductor materials such as GaAs, and may include one or more layers overlying or underlying the bulk material. For example, the substrate may include a patterning stack of several layers overlying the bulk material. The patterning 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. According to certain examples of the present disclosure, the substrate includes a device, and the processes described herein are used in advanced packaging processes. In some embodiments, the substrate may be a die, dielet, chip, chiplet, passive interposer, active interposer, glass substrate, organic substrate, ceramic substrate, wafer, and / or panel.

[0021] In some embodiments, the term film refers to a layer extending in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. In some embodiments, layer refers to a material having a certain thickness formed on a surface, or a synonym for a film or 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 order, and / or the function or purpose of the adjacent film or layer. Furthermore, a layer or film may be continuous or discontinuous.

[0022] 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 be comprised 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, other gas distribution apparatus, or the like), may be used, for example, to seal a reaction space or separate one reaction space from another.

[0023] In this disclosure, any two numbers of a variable can constitute a workable range for that variable, and any stated range may include or exclude endpoints. Additionally, in some embodiments, any value of a stated variable (whether or not it is stated with about) may refer to an exact or approximate value, and may include equivalents, and may refer to an average, median, representative value, or majority, etc. For example, the term about can refer to + / - 20, 10, 5, 2, or 1 percent of a value. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the terms "comprise," "comprised by," and "having" can, in some embodiments, independently refer to "typically or broadly include," "comprise," "consist essentially of," or "consist." 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 illustrates a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, system 100 includes a front end module 102, a load lock apparatus 104, modules 106-112, a substrate handling chamber 113, and a robot 114 within substrate handling chamber 113.

[0025] As described in more detail below, system 100, or any other system described herein, can be configured in a variety of ways. System 100 is described with reference to certain exemplary modules. However, unless otherwise stated, systems according to the present disclosure are not so limited.

[0026] The front-end module 102 is provided with a load port 116 and a first robot 118. A FOUP is placed on the load port 116. In the illustrated example, the first robot 118 includes a first end effector 120 and a second end effector 122. The first end effector 120 and the second end effector 122 may be, for example, vacuum suction devices or electrostatic devices that hold substrates such as wafers. The first robot 118 may be referred to as a "FERB (front-end robot)." The illustrated exemplary first robot 118 is an articulated robot that can move the first end effector 120 and the second end effector 122 independently. The first robot 118 can transport one or two substrates.

[0027] In the illustrated example, the system 100 includes aligners 124 and 126. The aligners 124 and 126 are attached to the front-end module 102. The aligner 124 is provided with a turntable 128 and a sensor 130 that detects a substrate placed on the turntable 128. The aligner 126 is provided with a turntable 132 and a sensor 134 that detects a substrate placed on the turntable 132. The aligners 124 and 126 are constructed and arranged to detect the center of the substrate and / or a notch or orientation flat of the substrate using any suitable method. The front-end module 102 can also include a cooling stage 136 that is used to cool the substrate.

[0028] The load lock apparatus 104 is attached to the front end module 102. The load lock apparatus 104 includes one or more load locks 138, 140 for loading or unloading substrates before or after processing. A gate valve 142 is provided between the load lock apparatus 104 and the front end module 102. The load lock apparatus 104 further includes a gate valve 144 and a gate valve 146 between each of the load locks 138, 140 and the substrate handling chamber 113. In the illustrated example, the load lock apparatus 104 can accommodate two substrates. The load lock apparatus 104 is provided within the range of motion of the first robot 118.

[0029] The substrate handling chamber 113 is connected to the load lock apparatus 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate handling chamber 113 has a polygonal shape in plan view, one side or facet of which is in contact with the load lock apparatus 104. One (e.g., a second) robot 114 is provided within the substrate handling chamber 113. The robot 114 may be referred to as a "BERB (Back End Robot)" and may include a first component 148 and a second component 150. Each component 148, 150 includes a dual-arm substrate / wafer handling arm 152 having two ends for transporting two substrates. Each end may be or may include an end effector, as described above.

[0030] Modules 106-112 are each connected (e.g., in a one-to-one correspondence) to a side or facet of substrate handling chamber 113. Substrate handling chamber 113 is separated from modules 106-112 by respective gate valves 154-164, 168, and 170. In the illustrated embodiment, each module 106-112 is a DCM (dual chamber module). Module 106 includes a first processing chamber 106A and a second processing chamber 106B. Module 108 includes a first processing chamber 108A and a second processing chamber 108B. Module 110 includes a first processing chamber 110A and a second processing chamber 110B. Module 112 includes a first processing chamber 112A and a second processing chamber 112B. Thus, four different modules are shown, each containing two processing chambers. Exemplary modules are discussed in more detail below. As noted above, a chamber can refer to an area in which one or more substrates are processed. For example, a single substrate can be processed within a chamber.

[0031] Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of system 200. System 200 may be the same as or similar to system 100, with some components moved for ease of illustration. Figure 2 illustrates load lock apparatus 104 including an additional load lock 202, which is located below load locks 138, 140 and may be the same as load locks 138, 140. Load lock apparatus 104 may suitably include additional gate valves 204, 206 corresponding to the additional load lock 202.

[0032] 3 illustrates another system 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. System 300 is similar to system 100, except that system 300 includes modules capable of processing up to four substrates at a time.

[0033] Similar to system 100, system 300 includes a front end module 302, a load lock apparatus 304, modules 306-312, a substrate handling chamber 313, and a robot 314 within substrate handling chamber 313.

[0034] The front end module 302, the load lock apparatus 304, the substrate handling chamber 313, and the robot 314 can be as described above. Additionally, the system 300 can include gate valves 316-336 and a cooling station CS, which can be the same as or similar to those described above.

[0035] Modules 306-312 can be modules configured to process multiple substrates. In the illustrated embodiment, each module 306-312 includes four chambers. The four chambers are designated RC1, RC2, RC3, and RC4. As described below, various processes can be applied to the substrates within the chambers.

[0036] 4 illustrates a plan view of an example of a portion of the configuration module 308 and the substrate handling chamber 313. The module 308 includes a first chamber RC1, a second chamber RC2, a third chamber RC3, and a fourth chamber RC4. The substrate handling chamber 313 is located closer to the first chamber RC1 and the second chamber RC2 than the third chamber RC3 and the fourth chamber RC4. The substrate handling chamber 313 is in interconnection with the first chamber RC1 and the second chamber RC2 either directly or through a gate valve.

[0037] A transfer arm 402 is provided inside the module 308. The transfer arm 402 includes, for example, a first arm 402a, a second arm 402b, a third arm 402c, a fourth arm 402d, and a shaft 402e. The first arm 402a, the second arm 402b, the third arm 402c, and the fourth arm 402d are supported by the shaft 402e and rotated by the rotation of the shaft 402e. The first to fourth arms 402a, 402b, 402c, and 402d can be positioned between the inner chambers or inside a specific chamber depending on the rotation state of the shaft 402e. The transfer arm 402 is used to provide a substrate onto a susceptor and to remove a substrate from the susceptor. The transfer arm 402 can function as a rotating arm to move a substrate in one of the first to fourth reaction chambers RC1, RC2, RC3, and RC4 into another reaction chamber. For example, the rotating arm rotates 180° counterclockwise in one movement. The modules 306, 310, and 312 can be configured to have the same or similar configuration as the module 308.

[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary chamber 500 suitable for one or more modules of system 100 and / or system 300. Chamber 500 includes a susceptor 502 configured to receive and hold a substrate W during processing. Susceptor 502 includes a substrate support 502A and a shaft portion 502B. A substrate pocket 502a may be formed within substrate support 502A. Shaft portion 502B receives the force of a motor 504 under the control of a transfer module controller (TMC) 506 and, optionally, a motor driver 507, and can move upward or downward in a vertical direction, i.e., in the positive and negative z directions. Upward and downward movement of shaft portion 502B also moves substrate support 502A upward and downward. According to one embodiment, susceptor pins P1, P2, and P3 are secured to a chamber wall 508 via S1, S2, and S3. S1, S2, and S3 may be provided at different positions to detect contact or non-contact of the substrate with the susceptor pins P1, P2, and P3. The susceptor pins P1, P2, and P3 are configured to protrude from the upper surface of the susceptor 502 or to be positioned below the upper surface of the susceptor 502 according to the height of the susceptor 502. FIG. 5 shows the susceptor pins P1, P2, and P3 protruding from the upper surface of the susceptor 502. The number of susceptor pins provided to one susceptor 502 may be three or more. The detection results can be obtained by a controller 510. The controller 510 can include, for example, a CPU 512 and a memory 514. The controller 510 or another controller can perform additional or alternative functions, as described below. More detailed examples of the various modules and chambers are provided below in connection with FIGS. 10-15.

[0039] 6-9 illustrate various configurations of systems according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The systems illustrated in FIGS. 6-9 include a PVD module and other modules that may be used in a PVD process. These systems are merely exemplary of embodiments of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise stated, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the specific configurations illustrated below.

[0040] 6 illustrates a system 600 including a load lock apparatus 602 including load lock chambers 604 and 606, a degassing module 608 including degassing chambers 608A, 608B, a pre-clean module 610 including pre-clean chambers 610A, 610B, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module 612 including two or more PVD chambers 612A, 612B, a substrate handling chamber 616, a robot 618 within the substrate handling chamber 616, and a controller 620. As described above, the robot 618 can include an arm with one or more end effectors, each configured to receive one or more substrates. The controller 620 is configured to cause the robot 618 to move one or more substrates from the load lock chambers 604 or 606 to the degassing module 608, from the degassing module 608 to the pre-clean module 610, and from the pre-clean module 610 to the PVD module 612. Additionally, controller 620 can be configured to move the substrate from any of modules 608-612 to module 614, and then to any other module or to load lock apparatus 602. Controller 620 can be the same as or similar to controller 510 described above. System 600 can also include a front-end module 622, which can be the same as or similar to the front-end module described above. System 600 also includes module 614, which includes chambers 614A and 614B. Chambers 614A and 614B can be used for various purposes, such as degassing, pre-cleaning, PVD, cool-down, metrology, or the like. In some cases, module 614 can be a cooling module or a metrology module.

[0041] 7 illustrates another system 700 according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. System 700 is similar to system 600, except that system 700 includes an additional section 702 that includes a load lock apparatus 704, process modules 706, 708, a second substrate handling chamber 710, a second substrate robot 712, and a controller 720.

[0042] The load lock apparatus 704 can be the same as or similar to the load lock apparatus 602 described above. Similarly, the second substrate handling chamber 710 and second substrate robot 712 can be the same as or similar to the substrate handling chamber 616 and robot 618.

[0043] The process modules 706 and 708 can be configured as desired. For example, the modules can be or include additional degassing modules, pre-clean modules, or PVD modules, in any combination. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more of the process modules 706, 708 can be or include a metrology module and / or a cool-down station (also referred to herein as a chamber), or a combination thereof. By way of example, at least one process module 706 or 708 can include a metrology station and / or a cool-down station. Exemplary metrology stations can measure film thickness and / or composition, measure substrate strain, determine whether cracks are present, and / or determine stress in the substrate and / or the deposited film. One or more metrology stations can be coupled to a controller 720 to provide process feedback. The controller 720 can then provide an alert, stop the process, and / or manipulate one or more process conditions based on the measurements. For example, a measured film thickness below a target value may indicate an aging target, and an appropriate signal may be sent to the system's user interface or other alert may be sent, and / or process conditions such as process time may be automatically adjusted using controller 720. Similarly, if distortion is detected, power or power duty cycle may be adjusted (e.g., automatically).

[0044] Controller 720 can be the same as or similar to controller 620. For example, controller 720 can be configured to move robot 618 as described above. Additionally or alternatively, controller 720 can cause second substrate robot 712 to move substrates between load lock apparatus 704, process module 706, process module 708, and / or load lock apparatus 602 in any order and in any combination. Controller 720 can additionally be configured to perform the functions of controller 620 described above.

[0045] 8 illustrates another exemplary system 800 according to the present disclosure. System 800 may be a specific example system 200.

[0046] System 800 includes a load lock apparatus 802 including load locks 804 and 806, a degassing module 808 including degassing chambers 808A, 808B, 808C, and 808D, a pre-clean module 810 including pre-clean chambers 810A, 810B, 810C, and 810D, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module 812 including two or more PVD chambers 812A, 812B, 812C, and 812D, a substrate handling chamber 816, and a robot 818 within substrate handling chamber 816. System 800 can also include a module 814, which can include a chamber such as the chambers described above in connection with module 614.

[0047] System 800 also includes a controller configured to move one or more substrates as described above. For example, controller 820 can be similar to controller 620 as described above and can additionally be configured to move the substrates using a transfer arm, such as transfer arm 402 described above.

[0048] 9 illustrates another system 900 according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. System 900 is similar to system 800, except that system 900 includes an additional section 902 including a load lock apparatus 904, process modules 906, 908, a second substrate handling chamber 910, a second substrate robot 912, and a controller 920. Additional section 902 may be similar to additional section 702, except that process modules 706 and 708 are configured to handle up to four substrates, as described above in connection with system 200. Controller 920 may be the same as controller 820. Additionally or alternatively, controller 920 may cause second substrate robot 912 to move substrates between load lock apparatus 904, process module 906, process module 908, and / or load lock apparatus 904 in any order and in any combination.

[0049] 10-15 illustrate various chambers according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0050] 10 illustrates a degassing chamber 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The degassing chamber 1000 includes a chamber wall 1002, a susceptor 1004, an exhaust source 1006, and a heat source 1008.

[0051] The chamber walls 1002 may be formed of any suitable material. For example, the chamber walls 1002 may be formed of aluminum and / or stainless steel, depending on the needs of the application.

[0052] The susceptor 1004 can be the same as or similar to the susceptor substrate support 502A described above. As described above in connection with chamber 500, the degassing chamber 1000 can include lift pins 1010-1014, which can be the same as or similar to the lift pins P1-P3. Additionally, the degassing chamber 1000 can include sensors S1-S3 described above. In some cases, the susceptor 1004 includes a heater 1022, such as a resistive heater, for heating the substrate during the degassing process.

[0053] The exhaust source 1006 can include a turbomolecular pump, a cryopump, or both, and optionally a water pump and / or a titanium sublimation pump coupled to one or more degassing chambers. The exhaust source 1006 can be configured to provide a subatmospheric pressure within the degassing chamber 1000. In some cases, the operating pressure within the degassing chamber 1000 can be greater than 1000 psi for efficient pumping of desorbed species. -5 Base pressure below 10 Torr -6 Torr or less, 10 -7 Torr or less, or 10 -8 Torr or less.

[0054] In some embodiments, the degassing chamber 1000 includes a gas source 1016 for providing a gas (e.g., N, Ar, He, or other inert gas) during the degassing process. In some embodiments, a hydrogen-containing gas is provided during the degassing process. In other embodiments, no active gas flow is implemented during the degassing process.

[0055] The degassing chamber 1000 can also include one or more temperature sensors 1018 and / or pressure sensors 1020. The temperature sensors 1018 and / or pressure sensors 1020 can be coupled to a controller as described herein and can be used to regulate the temperature and / or pressure within the degassing chamber 1000. The temperature sensors can be or include, for example, thermocouples, IR sensors, pyrometers outside the reaction chamber, or the like.

[0056] Heat source 1008 can be or can include one or more lamps. Exemplary lamps include IR and UV lamps, which can have wavelengths tuned to the material of interest (e.g., the material being degassed).

[0057] The substrate can be heated to a desired temperature using the heat source 1008 and / or heater 1022. For example, the process temperature can be maintained between 100°C and 300°C, or between 100°C and 200°C during the degassing process.

[0058] 11 illustrates a pre-clean chamber 1100 suitable for use in the systems described herein. The pre-clean chamber 1100 includes chamber walls 1102, a susceptor 1104, an exhaust source 1106, and a power supply 1108.

[0059] The chamber walls 1102, susceptor 1104, and exhaust source 1106 may be the same as or similar to those described above in connection with FIG.

[0060] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the pre-clean chamber 1100 can be configured as a plasma reactor or chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the pre-clean chamber 1100 is configured as a capacitively coupled plasma chamber having a power supply 1108 that provides plasma power to the susceptor 1104 to generate plasma within the pre-clean chamber 1100. In this case, the power frequency can be, for example, 13.56 MHz or higher, and the power can be from about 20 W to about 5000 W for a 300 mm diameter substrate. In some embodiments, the power can be from about 50 W to 2500 W. In other embodiments, the power can be from about 100 W to 1000 W. A gas distribution device 1112, such as a showerhead device, can be used as a second electrode in the capacitively coupled plasma chamber.

[0061] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the pre-clean chamber 1100 can be configured as an inductively coupled plasma chamber. In this case, the pre-clean chamber 1100 can include a coil 1110, shown in dashed lines. The coil 1110 can be around the chamber wall 1102, at the top of the pre-clean chamber 1100, or both, as shown. In this case, the frequency of the plasma power from the power source 1108 can be 2 MHz or greater, and the inductive plasma power can be between about 20 W and about 5000 W. In some embodiments, the power is between about 50 W and 3000 W. In other embodiments, the power is between about 100 W and 1500 W.

[0062] According to yet additional embodiments of the present disclosure, a physical magnet and / or electromagnet array (i.e., magnetron) 1114 on the top of the chamber (e.g., parallel to the susceptor 1104) can be used to improve plasma uniformity and density.

[0063] In some embodiments, the magnetron is used as part of a capacitively coupled plasma configuration. In other embodiments, the magnetron is used as part of an inductively coupled plasma configuration.

[0064] In some cases, it may be desirable to cool the substrate to below room temperature during the pre-clean process. As a result, the pre-clean chamber 1100 includes a chiller 1116 and a cooling fluid, such as Galden, helium, or the like, to cool the substrate or susceptor temperature to below 0° C., below −10° C., below −20° C., or below −30° C., and may even drop to about −70° C. The chiller 1116 is used to cool the cooling fluid to the desired temperature. The cooling fluid can be provided to a conduit 1130 in the susceptor 1104 and circulated back to the chiller 1116.

[0065] The pre-clean chamber 1100 may also include a gas source 1118 to provide a process gas, such as Ar, to generate ions for physical sputtering. Additionally or alternatively, the gas source 1118 may provide He, H, N, and / or Ar in any combination.

[0066] As shown, pre-clean chamber 1100 can include temperature sensor 1120, pressure sensor 1122, lift pins 1124-1128, and sensors S1-S3, which can be as described above. The various components of pre-clean chamber 1100 can be controlled by a controller, such as the controllers described herein.

[0067] 12-15 illustrate an exemplary PVD chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The exemplary PVD chamber may include a sputtering chamber, also referred to herein as a sputter reactor. The exemplary PVD chamber may be used in a variety of applications, including, for example, backside metal (BSM) deposition, under-bump metal (UBM) deposition, barrier, liner, and / or seed layer deposition for through-silicon vias (TSVs), barrier, liner, and / or seed layer deposition for through-glass vias (TGVs), and the like.

[0068] 12 illustrates a PVD chamber 1200. The PVD chamber 1200 can be configured as a DC sputter reactor, a pulsed DC sputter reactor, a HiPIMS (high power impulse magnetron sputtering) sputter reactor, an RF sputter reactor, or any combination thereof.

[0069] In the illustrated embodiment, the PVD chamber 1200 includes chamber walls 1202, a susceptor 1204, a substrate energization power supply 1206, a process gas source 1208, a shield 1210, a spacer ring 1228, a target 1212, a target backing plate 1236, a magnetron 1216, and an exhaust source 1214.

[0070] The chamber walls 1202 may be the same as or similar to the above-described chamber walls 1002. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the chamber walls 1202 are formed from aluminum and / or stainless steel.

[0071] The susceptor 1204 can be similar to the susceptors described above. For example, the susceptor 1204 can include heaters and / or cooling conduits as described above. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the susceptor 1204 includes an electrode 1218 electrically coupled to the substrate energization power supply 1206 for energizing the substrate W during operation of the PVD chamber 1200. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the susceptor 1204 is configured to move up and down, as described above in connection with FIG. 5 . The vertical movement can be used to control the target 1212 to a substrate W process spacing. In some cases, the susceptor 1204 can be configured as an electrostatic chuck.

[0072] In some cases, it may be desirable to cool the substrate to below room temperature during the PVD process. As a result, the PVD chamber 1200 can include 1242 and a cooling fluid (not shown), such as Galden, helium, or the like, to cool the temperature of the substrate W or susceptor 1204 to below 0° C., below −10° C., below −20° C., or below −30° C. (and may be as low as −70° C.). The cooling device can be used to cool the cooling fluid to the desired temperature. The cooling fluid can be provided to a conduit 1244 in the susceptor 1204 and circulated back to the cooling device 1242.

[0073] In the illustrated example, the PVD chamber 1200 includes a clamp and / or cover and / or shadow ring, shown as clamp / cover / shadow ring 1222. The clamp / cover / shadow ring 1222 can be used to protect the edge of the susceptor 1204 from unwanted deposition, can minimally contact the periphery of the substrate W, and optionally does not contact the substrate but can create a shadow ring to control deposition on the substrate edge, and / or can optionally adjust gas conductance into and out of a process region 1224 above the substrate W. In other embodiments, the clamp / cover / shadow ring 1222 can be used to define no deposition zone on the peripheral front side of the substrate. The susceptor 1204 can be lowered (e.g., fully) to release the clamp / cover / shadow ring 1222 on the lower shield to allow substrate transfer (lift pins not shown; the lift pins are recessed during the process position but exposed during the release / substrate transfer position). The susceptor 1204 is raised and the clamp / cover / shadow ring 1222 is picked up by the susceptor 1204 into the process position, in which the lift pins are recessed.

[0074] The substrate energizing power supply 1206 provides the desired power to the electrode 1218 during processing. In the illustrated example, the substrate energizing power supply 1206 provides the desired energizing power to the electrode 1218 and / or can be used to generate a secondary plasma (not shown). For example, the power provided by the substrate energizing power supply 1206 to the electrode 1218 can be between 20 W and 5000 W, and the frequency of the power can be approximately 13.56 MHz or 60 MHz. The frequency and / or phase of the substrate energizing power supply 1206 can be selected to minimize any crosstalk from other power sources. In some embodiments, the substrate energizing power supply 1206 to the electrode 1218 can be between 50 W and 3000 W. In other embodiments, the substrate energizing power supply 1206 to the electrode 1218 can be between 50 W and 1500 W.

[0075] The energization can be applied to facilitate desired step coverage of the deposited material. The substrate energization power supply 1206 can be used to adjust, for example, ion energy, flux, or the like. The substrate energization power supply 1206 can be controlled to a controller, such as the controllers described herein.

[0076] The process gas source 1208 can provide one or more process gases to the process region 1224. Exemplary process gases include Ar, Xe, Kr, N, O, and the like. In some cases, reactive gases such as N and / or O can be provided by the process gas source 1208 in conjunction with Ar, Xe, Kr, and the like. Although not separately illustrated, the process gas source 1208 can include various valves and / or mass or volume flow controllers that can be connected to a controller, such as the controllers described herein. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, each feed gas from the process gas source 1208 is independently controlled (e.g., using a mass or volume flow meter).

[0077] A shield 1210 and an upper shield 1226 may be used to provide isolation for the process region 1224 of the PVD chamber 1200. The shield 1210 may be suitably formed of a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or the like and may be grounded. As shown, the PVD chamber 1200 may also include an upper shield 1226 and a spacer ring 1228 between the upper shield 1226 and the shield 1210. The upper shield 1226 may be floating. In some embodiments, metal may be used, or partially used, in the shield 1210 and / or areas around the PVD chamber 1200 and / or magnetron 1216 to minimize potential magnetic interference to, from, and / or between adjacent reactors, chambers, and / or modules.

[0078] The shield 1210 and the upper shield 1226 can be around the periphery of the substrate W and at least the top surface of the susceptor 1204. In some cases, the shield 1210 and the upper shield 1226 can be concentric around at least the top surface of the susceptor 1204. In some cases, each chamber includes one or both of the shield 1210 and the upper shield 1226.

[0079] The target 1212 can be or include a variety of materials to be deposited onto the substrate surface. By way of example, the target 1212 can include a metal such as one or more of Ti, Ta, TiW, Cu, Co, Mo, Ru, Ni, NiV, Al, W, Au, Ag, and / or combinations thereof. In some cases, the target 1212 can include a metalloid such as graphite or α-Sn. In some cases, the target 1212 includes an insulating material or oxide. Examples include neodymium oxide (NdO), alumina zinc oxide (AZO), indium tin oxide (ITO), and mixed oxide sputtering targets such as lanthanum nickel oxide (LaNiO) and yttrium iron garnet (YIG). In such cases, RF sputtering may be desirable.

[0080] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, each PVD chamber within a module may contain the same target material. In other cases, the target material in at least one PVD chamber within a module is different from the target material in another PVD chamber. Using different target materials within a module allows for integration of local film stacks (if different). Such a configuration can also improve chamber availability in the event that a particular chamber needs to be serviced. If multiple target materials are the same, throughput can be improved.

[0081] The exhaust source 1214 can be or include any exhaust source as described herein. By way of example, the exhaust source 1214 can be or include a cryogenic pump, a turbomolecular pump, any combination thereof, and optionally, if a turbomolecular pump is used, a water pump and / or a titanium sublimation pump. The variable conductance device 1230 (e.g., a butterfly valve, a multi-position gate valve, or the like) can be controlled by a controller, such as the controllers described herein.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, exhaust source 1214 may be shared between two or more (e.g., two, three, or four) PVD chambers, such as PVD chamber 1200 and a second PVD chamber 1238, which may be in the same PVD module. In some embodiments, the pressure in first PVD chamber 1200 and the pressure in second PVD chamber 1238 may be independently controlled, for example, by using variable conductance devices 1230 and 1240. In other cases, each PVD chamber may have a dedicated exhaust source, and the pressure in each PVD chamber may be independently controlled.

[0083] In some embodiments, the pressure and / or relative pressure in each of the two or more PVD chambers can be independently controlled, hi other embodiments, the process gas composition and / or relative gas composition in each of the two or more PVD chambers can be independently controlled.

[0084] The magnetron 1216 can be or include, for example, a magnet array. The magnetron 1216 can rotate (e.g., about a central axis 1232 as shown) or scan (not shown), and / or can be fixed (not shown), although larger arrays may be used when fixed relative to the full erosion of the target. The magnetron 1216 may be suitably cooled, for example, using cooled water, helium, or the like.

[0085] The PVD chamber 1200 includes a target power supply 1234 for providing power to the target 1212 to generate the plasma 1220. The target power supply 1234 can be a DC power supply (as shown), a pulsed DC power supply, a HiPIMS power supply, an RF power supply, and / or combinations thereof. The target power supply 1234 can be suitably connected to a controller, such as those described herein. Power from the target power supply 1234 can be provided to a backing plate 1236 that is coupled to the target 1212.

[0086] 13 illustrates a PVD chamber 1300 according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. The PVD chamber 1300 is similar to the PVD chamber 1200, except that the PVD chamber 1300 includes a collimator 1302.

[0087] The collimator 1302 can be positioned between the target 1212 and the susceptor 1204 and can be substantially parallel to the top surface of the susceptor 1204. The collimator 1302 can be used to improve step coverage of the material deposited onto the substrate surface.

[0088] The collimator 1302 includes a plurality (e.g., an array) of apertures. The apertures may include, for example, spherical, hexagonal, or similar cross-sections. The aspect ratio of the apertures (depth to opening) may be, for example, 0.5 or greater, or 1 or greater. The layout of the apertures may be selected to suit the desired filtering and uniformity across the substrate / wafer.

[0089] In some cases, the collimator 1302 may be biased to improve step coverage. In other cases, the collimator 1302 may be grounded or may be floating. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the collimator 1302 can adjust the angular distribution of sputtered flux and / or plasma species directed toward the susceptor 1204 or a substrate thereon.

[0090] 14 illustrates a PVD chamber 1400 according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. The PVD chamber 1400 is similar to the PVD chamber 1200, except that the PVD chamber 1400 includes one or more internal coils 1402 coupled to a power source 1404.

[0091] The coil 1402 can be a single turn and / or a multi-turn coil, and the coil material can be the same material as the target 1212 material.

[0092] The power supply 1404 can be configured to provide power to the coil 1402 to increase plasma density. By way of example, the power supply 1404 can provide power having a frequency of 2 MHz or 13.56 MHz or higher. It may be desirable for the frequency of the power supply 1404 to be different from the frequency of other power supplies in the system (e.g., a different frequency than the substrate energizing power supply 1206 and / or a different phase to avoid crosstalk). The power supply 1404 can be coupled to a controller, such as the controllers described herein.

[0093] 15 illustrates a PVD chamber 1500 according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. The PVD chamber 1500 is similar to the PVD chamber 1200, except that the PVD chamber 1500 is configured as a long-throw PVD reactor. In this configuration, the distance D between the substrate 1502 on the susceptor 1204 and the target 1212 is equal to or greater than the diameter of the substrate 1502, or equal to or greater than 1.5 or 2 times the diameter of the substrate 1502. The distance D can be suitably increased to achieve a tighter angular distribution of the sputtered flux onto the substrate 1502 for improved step coverage.

[0094] A longer shield 1504 may be used to accommodate the increased spacing between the susceptor 1204 and the target 1212. The shield 1504 may otherwise be the same as or similar to the shield 1210.

[0095] In some cases, the PVD chamber 1500 may include a chamber spacer (not shown) and associated shield changes may allow for increased target / susceptor spacing for processing the substrate.

[0096] 12-15 illustrate various configurations of PVD chambers according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These configurations can be combined in any combination within a PVD module and / or system. Furthermore, various features of PVD chambers can be combined. For example, a far-throw configuration (FIG. 15) can be combined with a collimator, as illustrated in FIG. 13; a far-throw configuration (FIG. 15) can be combined with a coil, as illustrated in FIG. 14; a collimator configuration (FIG. 13) can be combined with a coil (FIG. 14); or a far-throw configuration (FIG. 15) can be combined with a collimator (FIG. 13) and a coil (FIG. 14). Other combinations are also possible.

[0097] During operation of the systems and / or PVD chambers described herein, various materials can be deposited onto a substrate. As noted above, chambers within a module can contain different materials, allowing multiple layers and / or composite materials to be deposited within a PVD module. The thickness of the deposited film can range, for example, from approximately 0.5 nm to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the thickness is less than 5 nm. In other embodiments, the thickness is between 10 nm and 1 mm. In other embodiments, the thickness is between 1 mm and 100 mm.

[0098] 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, 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 systems and modules described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0099] The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various systems, modules, components, and configurations, and other features, functions, operations and / or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 100 systems 102 Front-end module 104 Load lock device 106 modules 106A First Processing Chamber 106B Second Processing Chamber Modules 107 and 108 108A First Processing Chamber 108B Second Processing Chamber 109, 110 modules 110A First Processing Chamber 110B Second Processing Chamber 111, 112 modules 112A First Processing Chamber 112B Second Processing Chamber 113 Substrate handling chamber 114 Robot 116 Loading Port 118 The First Robot 120 First End Effector 122 Second End Effector 124, 126 Aligners 128 Turntable 130 sensors 132 Turntable 134 Sensors 136 Cooling stage 138, 140 Load lock 142, 144, 146 Gate valves 148 First Part 150 2nd part 152 Wafer handling arm 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 168, 170 Gate valves 200 systems 202 Load Lock 204, 206 Gate valve 300 System 302 Front-End Module 304 Load Lock Device 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312 modules 313 Substrate handling chamber 314 Robot 316, 336 Gate valve 402 Transfer Arm 402a First Arm 402b Second Arm 402c Third Arm 402d Fourth Arm 402e shaft 500 chambers 502 Susceptor 502a Substrate pocket 502A Substrate Support 502B shaft part 504 Motor 506 Transfer Module Controller (TMC) 507 Motor Driver 508 Chamber wall 510 Controller 514 memory 600 System 602 Load Lock Device 604 Load Lock Chamber 606 Load Lock Chamber 608 Module 608A, 608B Degassing Chamber 609, 610 modules 610A, 610B Pre-clean Chamber 611 Module 612 Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Module 612A, 612B PVD Chamber 614 Module 614A, 614B Chambers 616 Substrate Handling Chamber 618 Robot 620 Controller 622 Front-End Module 700 System 702 Section 704 Load Lock Device 706, 708 Process Module 710 second substrate handling chamber 712 Second Base Material Robot 720 Controller 800 System 802 Load Lock Device 804, 806 Load lock 808 Degassing Module 808A, 808B, 808C, 808D Degassing Chambers 810 Pre-clean Module 810A, 810B, 810C, 810D Pre-clean chambers 812 Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Module 812A, 812B, 812C, 812D PVD Chambers 814 Module 816 Substrate Handling Chamber 818 Robot 820 Controller 900 System 902 Section 904 Load Lock Device 906, 908 Process Module 910 second substrate handling chamber 912 Second Base Material Robot 920 Controller 1000 Degassing Chamber 1002 Chamber wall 1004 Susceptor 1006 Exhaust Source 1008 Heat source 1010 Lift Pin 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014 Lift Pins 1016 Gas Source 1018 Temperature Sensor 1020 Pressure Sensor 1022 Heater 1100 Pre-clean chamber 1102 Chamber wall 1104 Susceptor 1106 Exhaust Source 1108 Power supply 1110 coil 1112 Gas distribution device 1114 Electromagnet array [i.e., magnetron] 1116 Cooling device 1118 Gas Source 1120 Temperature Sensor 1122 Pressure Sensor 1124, 1125, 1126, 1127, 1128 Lift Pins 1130 Conduit 1200 PVD chamber 1202 Chamber wall 1204 Susceptor 1206 Base material energizing power supply 1208 Process gas source 1210 Shield 1212 Target 1214 Exhaust Source 1216 Magnetron 1218 Electrode 1220 Plasma 1222 Shadow Ring 1224 Process Area 1226 Upper Shield 1228 Spacer Ring 1230 Variable Conductance Device 1232 Center axis 1234 Target power supply 1236 Backing Plate 1238 Second PVD Chamber 1240 Variable Conductance Device 1242 Cooling device 1244 Conduit 1300 PVD chamber 1302 Collimator 1400 PVD chamber 1402 Coil 1404 Power supply 1500 PVD chamber 1502 Base material 1504 Shield

Claims

1. 1. A system comprising: a load lock chamber; a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module comprising two or more PVD chambers; a substrate handling chamber; and at least one additional module; a robot within the substrate handling chamber, the robot comprising an arm with one or more end effectors, each end effector configured to receive one or more substrates; a controller configured to cause the robot to move the one or more substrates from the load lock chamber and between the physical vapor deposition module and the at least one additional module.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional module comprises a surface modification module.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one additional module comprises a degassing module, a pre-clean module, or both.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the degassing module comprises two or more degassing chambers.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the degassing module comprises a turbomolecular pump, a cryopump, or both coupled to the two or more degassing chambers.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the surface modification module comprises a pre-clean chamber.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pre-clean chamber comprises a capacitively coupled plasma chamber or an inductively coupled plasma chamber.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pre-clean chamber comprises a chiller for chilling a cooling fluid.

9. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the pre-clean chamber comprises a susceptor having a conduit for receiving the cooling fluid to cool the substrate to a temperature of at least 0°C or less.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two or more PVD chambers comprise sputtering chambers.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more PVD chambers comprises a shield.

12. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the two or more PVD chambers comprise a DC sputter reactor, a pulsed DC sputter reactor, a HiPIMS (high power impulse magnetron sputtering) sputter reactor, an RF sputter reactor, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more PVD chambers is coupled to an exhaust source.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the pressure and / or gas composition in each of the two or more PVD chambers is independently controlled.

15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cool-down module, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the robot to move the one or more substrates to and from the cool-down module.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a metrology module, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the robot to move the one or more substrates to and from the metrology module.

17. 1. A physical vapor deposition (PVD) module comprising: a first PVD chamber including a first target material and a first susceptor; a second PVD chamber including a second target material and a second susceptor; a shield between the first PVD chamber and the second PVD chamber; a first power source for providing power to the first target material; a second power source for providing power to the second target material.

18. The PVD module of claim 17 , wherein the first PVD chamber comprises a collimator.

19. 18. The PVD module of claim 17, wherein a distance between a substrate on the first susceptor and the first target material is equal to or greater than a diameter of the substrate.

20. 18. The PVD module of claim 17, wherein the first PVD chamber and the second PVD chamber are connected to an exhaust source, and the pressure and / or gas composition in the first PVD chamber and the pressure and / or gas composition in the second PVD chamber are independently controlled.

21. The PVD module of claim 17 , wherein the first susceptor comprises a cooling fluid conduit.

Images