Method for forming gallium nitride (GaN) films
By exposing GaN films to oxygen and hydrogen plasmas with group 3 metal precursors and nitrogen reactants at low temperatures, the method effectively reduces carbon impurities and enhances electrical conductivity in GaN films, addressing the limitations of high-temperature GaN film formation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JUSUNG ENG
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for forming gallium nitride (GaN) thin films require high temperatures, leading to the incorporation of carbon impurities and degradation of electrical conductivity, necessitating a low-temperature process to reduce impurities and improve conductivity.
A method involving the exposure of GaN films to oxygen and hydrogen plasmas, combined with the use of group 3 metal precursors and nitrogen reactants, is employed to form GaN films at temperatures of 800°C or lower, effectively removing carbon impurities and enhancing electrical properties.
The process reduces carbon impurity content and improves electrical conductivity of GaN films, enabling better performance in semiconductor applications.
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Figure 2026512246000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This specification relates to a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film.
Background Art
[0002] High-quality crystalline semiconductor thin films are technologies with considerable industrial importance and are utilized in various fields including display elements such as light-emitting diodes and lasers.
[0003] Recently, processes such as metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have been used to produce thin films containing gallium nitride (GaN), indium nitride (InN), and aluminum nitride (AlN), and thin films having heterostructures thereof (herein "InGaAlN"). Here, the substrate is maintained at a high temperature, and the gas flowing into the chamber reacts to form a thin film on the surface of the wafer.
[0004] However, in the case of GaN thin films, since the growth temperature is about 1000°C or higher, a complex reactor design at high temperatures is required, and only inert and refractory substances can be used at high temperatures. Also, when the growth temperature is lowered below about 1000°C, there is a problem that the content of carbon impurities in the GaN thin film increases and characteristics such as electrical conductivity deteriorate.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] 0]One embodiment of the present disclosure has a technical problem of providing a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film that can form a GaN thin film at a low temperature and improve characteristics such as electrical conductivity by reducing the content of carbon impurities.
[0006] The problems that one embodiment of this disclosure aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the technical concept of this disclosure pertains, based on the following description. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate, and includes the steps of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate, exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing oxygen (O2), and exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2).
[0008] The steps of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to the oxygen (O2)-containing plasma and exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to the hydrogen (H2)-containing plasma can be performed in succession.
[0009] The process of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be carried out at a process temperature of 800°C or lower.
[0010] The process of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film may include the step of simultaneously spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor and a reactant containing nitrogen onto the substrate.
[0011] The process of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film may include the steps of spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto the substrate, and spraying a reactant containing nitrogen onto the source material.
[0012] Group 3 metal precursors may include gallium (Ga).
[0013] The source material may contain Ga(CH3)3.
[0014] The reactants may include one of the following: N2, NH3, and N2H4.
[0015] Gallium nitride (GaN) films can be formed using either CVD or ALD (Advanced Liquid Processing).
[0016] The process may further include the steps of: exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2); spraying a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate; exposing the precursor containing gallium (Ga) to a plasma containing oxygen (O2); exposing the precursor containing gallium (Ga) to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2); and spraying a reactant gas containing nitrogen onto the substrate to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film.
[0017] The process may further include, after the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2), the steps of forming a gallium (Ga) film on the gallium nitride (GaN) film, applying a reactant to the gallium (Ga) film to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film, exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing oxygen (O2), and exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2).
[0018] The gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed using a CVD process, and the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed using an ALD process.
[0019] A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate, and includes the steps of: providing the substrate to a chamber; spraying a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate; exposing the substrate to a plasma containing oxygen (O2); exposing the substrate to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2); and spraying a reactant gas containing nitrogen onto the substrate to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film.
[0020] The reactant gas can contain any one of N2, NH3, and N2H4.
[0021] The gallium nitride (GaN) film can be provided using an ALD process.
[0022] Before the step of injecting a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto the substrate, the step of removing a native oxide film on the substrate with a gas containing at least one of fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl) can be further included.
[0023] The step of removing the native oxide film on the substrate can be performed in the same chamber (in-situ) or the same system (in-system).
[0024] As a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) hard mask, a method for forming a gallium nitride hard mask can be included, which includes the step of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate and the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to hydrogen (H2) plasma.
[0025] Specific matters according to various examples of the present disclosure other than the solutions to the problems mentioned above are included in the following description and drawings.
Advantages of the Invention
[0026] According to the present invention as described above, there are the following effects.
[0027] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by forming a GaN thin film at a low temperature and reducing the content of carbon impurities, characteristics such as electrical conductivity can be improved.
[0028] The contents of the problems to be solved, the solutions to the problems, and the effects mentioned above do not specify the essential features of the claims, so the scope of the claims is not limited by the matters described in the content of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0029] [Figure 1] A flowchart of a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A flowchart of a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A flowchart of a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] A flowchart of a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A diagram showing a gallium nitride (GaN) film manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A diagram showing a gallium nitride (GaN) film manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0030] The advantages, features, and methods for achieving them of the present invention will become clear by referring to an example described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the example disclosed below, but is embodied in various different forms, and merely an example of the present invention is provided to make the disclosure of the present invention complete and to fully inform those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the invention of the present invention pertains of the scope of the invention. The present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims.
[0031] The shapes, sizes, proportions, angles, numbers, etc., disclosed in the diagrams illustrating an example of the present invention are illustrative and not limited to those shown in the diagrams. Throughout the specification, the same component may refer to the same reference numeral. In describing an example of the present invention, if a detailed explanation of the relevant prior art is deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the application, such detailed explanation will be omitted. Where the description of the present invention uses "includes," "has," "consists of," etc., other parts may be added unless "only" is used. When a component is expressed singly, it includes cases where it includes multiple components unless otherwise explicitly stated.
[0032] In interpreting the constituent elements, they shall be interpreted as including a margin of error, even if not explicitly stated otherwise.
[0033] When describing a spatial relationship, for example, when the positional relationship between two parts is described using phrases like "on top," "above," "below," or "next to," one or more other parts may be located between the two parts, unless expressions like "immediately" or "directly" are used.
[0034] When describing temporal relationships, for example, when a temporal sequence is described using phrases like "after," "following," "next," or "before," it can include cases that are not continuous unless "immediately" or "directly" is used.
[0035] While terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are simply used to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component referred to below may also be the second component within the technical concept of the present invention.
[0036] The features of some examples of the present invention can be combined or linked together in part or as a whole, enabling various technical interlocking and driving mechanisms, and each embodiment can be implemented independently of others or in association with each other.
[0037] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures.
[0038] Figure 1 is a flowchart of a gallium nitride (GaN) film formation method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0039] Referring to Figure 1, a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a step of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate (S10), a step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing oxygen (O2) (S20), and a step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2) (S30).
[0040] First, the process may include a step (S10) of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate provided in the chamber.
[0041] The substrate can be placed in the chamber using a transport device. For example, the chamber may be a chamber composed of a deposition apparatus capable of performing deposition processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). For example, the substrate may include, but is not limited to, any one of silicon, silica, sapphire, ZnO (zinc oxide), coated silicon, silicon oxide, silicon carbide oxide, glass, gallium nitride, indium nitride, and aluminum nitride, or combinations thereof (or alloys).
[0042] A gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed on the substrate. The gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed using either a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process.
[0043] As an example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. For instance, a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to one example of this disclosure can be formed at a process temperature of 800°C or lower.
[0044] A gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed by simultaneously spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor and a reactant containing nitrogen onto a substrate. For example, the source material may include a group 3 metal precursor. Here, the precursor can be defined as a gas containing the substance to be deposited. The group 3 metal precursor used as the source material may include gallium (Ga). For example, the source material according to embodiments of this disclosure may include Ga(CH3)3. The reactant may be a gas containing nitrogen. For example, the reactant may include any one of N2, NH3, and N2H4. The source material in contact with the substrate can be activated by the reactant. For example, the group 3 metal precursor can be diffused by the nitrogen-containing reactant and adsorbed onto the surface of the substrate. For example, the source material Ga(CH3)3 and the reactant NH3 can be sprayed onto the substrate in a gaseous state.
[0045] According to one example of this disclosure, Ga(CH3)3 and NH3 can chemically react to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate surface. In this case, carbon impurities contained in the source material may remain in the gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate.
[0046] As another example, gallium nitride (GaN) films can be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. For example, gallium nitride (GaN) films can be formed at process temperatures of 800°C or lower. The process for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to other examples of this disclosure may include the steps of spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto a substrate, and spraying a reactant containing nitrogen onto the source material.
[0047] According to other examples of this disclosure, a gallium (Ga) film can be formed by supplying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto a substrate. The source material may include a group 3 metal precursor, where the precursor can be defined as a gas containing the substance to be deposited. The group 3 metal precursor used as the source material may include gallium (Ga). For example, the source material according to embodiments of this disclosure may include Ga(CH3)3. According to other examples of this disclosure, after forming a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor, a purging step can be used to remove any remaining source material on the gallium (Ga) film. For example, a gas such as argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N) can be used in the purging step.
[0048] Next, a nitrogen-containing reactant can be supplied onto a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor. For example, the reactant may include one of N2, NH3, and N2H4. For example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed by reacting a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor formed on a substrate with a reactant. After forming the gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate, residual source material remaining on the gallium nitride (GaN) film can be removed using a purging process.
[0049] According to another example of this disclosure, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed on a substrate surface by sequentially supplying Ga(CH3)3 and NH3. Therefore, in this other example of this disclosure, the thickness of the thin film can be more easily adjusted. In this case, carbon impurities contained in the source material may remain in the gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate.
[0050] Next, the process may include a step (S20) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2) plasma. The step (S20) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2) plasma may be a step of removing carbon impurities remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step of removing carbon impurities may be a step of treating the upper part of the gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate with oxygen (O2) plasma.
[0051] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, carbon impurities can be combined with oxygen (O2) by an oxygen (O2) plasma gas to generate carbon dioxide (CO2). This allows carbon impurities remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film to be combined with oxygen (O2) and removed by detection as carbon dioxide (CO2). In other words, carbon impurities remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film can be combined with oxygen (O2) and removed by detection as carbon dioxide (CO2).
[0052] Next, the method may include a step (S30) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma. The step (S30) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma may be a step of removing oxygen remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step of removing oxygen may be a hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment step. For example, when carbon impurities are removed using oxygen (O2) plasma treatment, a small amount of oxygen (O2) may remain in the gallium nitride (GaN) film due to the oxygen (O2) plasma treatment. Embodiments of this disclosure can remove the remaining small amount of oxygen (O2) by performing hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment on a gallium nitride (GaN) film from which carbon impurities have been removed. For example, hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment can combine the oxygen (O2) remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film with hydrogen (H2) to produce H2O. By using hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment, residual oxygen (O2) in a GaN thin film can be combined with hydrogen (H2) and removed by detecting it as H2O.
[0053] For example, the steps of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing oxygen (O2) and exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2) can be performed consecutively. For example, the steps of removing carbon impurities and removing oxygen can be performed consecutively in the same chamber. This allows embodiments of the present disclosure to remove carbon impurities and oxygen more quickly without damaging the gallium nitride (GaN) film.
[0054] For example, when forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film at low temperatures below 800°C, the carbon impurity content may be high, potentially leading to a decrease in properties such as electrical conductivity.
[0055] However, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, a gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed on a substrate, and oxygen (O2) plasma treatment is performed to remove carbon impurities. This makes it possible to reduce the carbon impurity content of the gallium nitride (GaN) film while forming the film at a low temperature of 800°C or less. As a result, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the carbon impurity content can be reduced while using a low-temperature process, thereby improving the electron mobility of the gallium nitride (GaN) film and enhancing the electrical properties of the thin film.
[0056] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a gallium nitride (GaN) film formation method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The other embodiment of the present disclosure is identical to the embodiment described with reference to Figure 1, except for the order of steps. Therefore, the order of steps and related configurations will be described in detail below.
[0057] Referring to Figure 2, a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate, which may include the steps of: providing the substrate to a chamber (S100); spraying a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate (S200); exposing the substrate to a plasma containing oxygen (O2) (S300); exposing the substrate to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2) (S400); and spraying a reactant gas containing nitrogen onto the substrate to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film (S500).
[0058] First, the process may include steps of providing a substrate to a chamber (S100) and spraying a gallium (Ga) precursor onto the substrate (S200). The step of spraying a gallium (Ga) precursor onto the substrate (S200) may be a step of forming a gallium (Ga) film on the substrate provided in the chamber. The gallium (Ga) film can be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. For example, the step of forming the gallium (Ga) film can be carried out at a processing temperature of 800°C or lower.
[0059] The process of forming a gallium (Ga) film may involve supplying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto a substrate to form a gallium (Ga) film. The group 3 metal precursor used as the source material may contain gallium (Ga). As a result, the gallium (Ga) film may contain gallium (Ga). After forming a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor, any remaining source material on the gallium (Ga) film can be removed using a purging process.
[0060] Next, the method may include a step (S300) of exposing the substrate to a plasma containing oxygen (O2). The step (S300) of exposing the substrate to a plasma containing oxygen (O2) may be a step of removing carbon impurities remaining in the gallium (Ga) film. The step of removing carbon impurities may be a step of treating the gallium (GaN) film formed on the substrate with oxygen (O2) plasma treatment. According to the embodiments of this disclosure, carbon impurities can be combined with oxygen (O2) by oxygen (O2) treatment to generate carbon dioxide (CO2). As a result, carbon impurities remaining in the gallium (Ga) film can be combined with oxygen (O2) and removed by detecting them as carbon dioxide (CO2). For example, carbon impurities remaining in a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor can be combined with oxygen (O2) and removed by detecting them as carbon dioxide (CO2).
[0061] Next, the method may include a step (S400) of exposing the substrate to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2). The step (S400) of exposing the substrate to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2) may be a step of removing oxygen remaining in the gallium (Ga) film. The step of removing oxygen may be a hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment step. Embodiments of this disclosure can remove residual trace amounts of oxygen (O2) by performing hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment on a gallium (Ga) film from which carbon impurities have been removed. For example, hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment can combine oxygen (O2) remaining in the gallium (Ga) film with hydrogen (H2) to produce H2O. Hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment can combine oxygen (O2) remaining in the gallium (Ga) film with hydrogen (H2) and remove it by detecting it as H2O.
[0062] Next, the process may include a step (S500) in which a nitrogen-containing reactant gas is injected onto the substrate to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step (S500) in which a nitrogen-containing reactant gas is injected onto the substrate to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film may be a step in which a nitrogen-containing reactant is supplied onto a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film. For example, the reactant may include any one of N2, NH3, and N2H4. For example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed by reacting a gallium (Ga) film formed on the substrate with a reactant. After forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate, residual source material remaining on the gallium nitride (GaN) film can be removed using a purging step. For example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed at a process temperature of 800°C.
[0063] For example, in other embodiments of this disclosure, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed on a substrate surface by supplying Ga(CH3)3, followed by the sequential removal of carbon impurities and oxygen, and then supplying NH3. In this case, carbon impurities contained in the source material may remain in the gallium (Ga) film formed on the substrate. For example, when forming gallium (Ga) films and gallium nitride (GaN) films at low temperatures of 800°C or lower, the carbon impurity content may be high, and properties such as electrical conductivity may decrease.
[0064] However, according to embodiments of this disclosure, a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor is first formed on a substrate, and then oxygen (O2) plasma treatment is performed to remove carbon impurities. This makes it possible to reduce the carbon impurity content of the gallium (Ga) film while forming it at a low temperature of 800°C or less. Subsequently, after the carbon impurities have been removed from the gallium (Ga) film, hydrogen plasma treatment is performed to remove any remaining oxygen from the gallium (Ga) film, and by reacting the gallium (Ga) film with a reactant to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film, the bonding strength of the gallium nitride (GaN) film can be further enhanced. As a result, according to other embodiments of this disclosure, the carbon impurity content can be reduced while using a low-temperature process, the electron mobility of the gallium nitride (GaN) film can be improved, and the electrical properties when used in semiconductor devices can be improved.
[0065] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the present invention has been described as an example in which a gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed in a single step, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed by repeating the same process to create a laminated structure. In this case, after forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film, a gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor is formed on the gallium nitride (GaN) film, and the process of continuously removing carbon impurities and oxygen and supplying reactants is repeated to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film having a laminated structure. Therefore, according to other embodiments of this disclosure, a low-temperature process can be used, and a gallium nitride (GaN) film with easily adjustable thickness can be formed.
[0066] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. This other embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film consisting of multiple layers and is the same as the embodiment of the present disclosure described with reference to Figure 1, except that it further comprises an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. Therefore, only the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film and its related configuration will be described below.
[0067] Referring to Figure 3, another embodiment of the present disclosure's method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film may further include, after the step of exposing a gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2)-containing plasma as described with reference to Figure 1 (S30), a step of injecting a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate (S40), a step of exposing a gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2)-containing plasma (S50), a step of exposing a gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2)-containing plasma (S60), and a step of injecting a nitrogen-containing reactant gas onto the substrate to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film (S70). The gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed using either a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, as described with reference to Figure 1.
[0068] First, the process may include a step (S40) of injecting a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate after a step (S30) of exposing gallium nitride (GaN) to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2). The step (S40) of injecting the precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate may be a step of forming a gallium (Ga) film on the gallium nitride (GaN) film. The gallium (Ga) film can be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. For example, the step of forming the gallium (Ga) film can be carried out at a processing temperature of 800°C or lower.
[0069] The process of forming a gallium (Ga) film may involve supplying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto a substrate to form a gallium (Ga) film. After forming the gallium (Ga) film, any remaining source material on the gallium (Ga) film can be removed using a purging process.
[0070] Next, the process may include a step (S50) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2) plasma. The step (S50) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2) plasma may be a step of removing carbon impurities remaining in the gallium (Ga) film. The step of removing carbon impurities may be a step of treating the gallium (GaN) film formed on the substrate with oxygen (O2) plasma. Oxygen (O2) plasma treatment can combine carbon impurities with oxygen (O2) to generate carbon dioxide (CO2). As a result, carbon impurities remaining in the gallium (Ga) film can be removed by combining them with oxygen (O2) and detecting them as carbon dioxide (CO2). For example, carbon impurities remaining in the gallium (Ga) film can be removed by combining them with oxygen (O2) and detecting them as carbon dioxide (CO2).
[0071] Next, the method may include a step (S60) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma. The step (S60) of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma may be a step of removing residual oxygen from the gallium (GaN) film. The step of removing oxygen may be a hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment step. Embodiments of this disclosure can remove residual trace amounts of oxygen (O2) by performing hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment on a gallium (Ga) film from which carbon impurities have been removed. For example, by hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment, residual oxygen (O2) on the gallium (Ga) film can combine with hydrogen (H2) to produce H2O. By hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment, residual oxygen (O2) on the gallium (Ga) film can combine with hydrogen (H2) and be removed by detecting it as H2O.
[0072] For example, the steps of exposing a gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing oxygen (O2) and exposing a gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2) can be performed as a continuous process.
[0073] Next, the process may include a step (S70) in which a nitrogen-containing reactant gas is injected onto the substrate to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step (S70) in which a nitrogen-containing reactant gas is injected onto the substrate to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film may be a step in which a nitrogen-containing reactant is supplied to a gallium (GaN) film containing a group 3 metal precursor to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. For example, the reactant may include any one of N2, NH3, and N2H4. For example, the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed by a reaction between a gallium (Ga) film formed on the substrate and the reactant. After the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed on the substrate, residual source material remaining on the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be removed using a purging step. This allows the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to be formed on the gallium nitride (GaN) film. This allows the gallium nitride (GaN) film to have a layered structure. As a result, the gallium nitride (GaN) film and the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can have a layered structure.
[0074] For example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film and a top gallium nitride (GaN) film can contain the same material. For example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film and a top gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed using different processes. For example, a gallium (Ga) film and a top gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed at a process temperature of 800°C, similar to a gallium nitride (GaN) film. For example, when forming a gallium (Ga) film and a top gallium nitride (GaN) film at a low temperature below 800°C, the carbon impurity content may be high, and properties such as electrical conductivity may decrease.
[0075] However, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, after forming a gallium (Ga) film on a substrate, oxygen (O2) plasma treatment is performed to remove carbon impurities, thereby reducing the carbon impurity content in the gallium (Ga) film while forming the gallium (Ga) film at a low temperature of 800°C or less. After removing the carbon impurities from the gallium (Ga) film, hydrogen plasma treatment is performed in a continuous process to remove any remaining oxygen in the gallium (Ga) film. Next, by reacting the gallium (Ga) film with a reactant to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film, the bonding strength of the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be further enhanced. Thus, according to other embodiments of this disclosure, the carbon impurity content can be reduced while utilizing a low-temperature process, the electron mobility of the gallium nitride (GaN) film can be improved, and the electrical properties can be enhanced.
[0076] Furthermore, while other embodiments of this disclosure have described the present invention using an example in which a gallium nitride (GaN) film and an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film are laminated once, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the process of forming the gallium nitride (GaN) film and the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be repeated two or more times. Therefore, other embodiments of this disclosure can utilize low-temperature processes and can form gallium nitride (GaN) films with easily adjustable thickness.
[0077] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. This other embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film consisting of multiple layers and is identical to the embodiment of the present disclosure described with reference to Figure 1, except that an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film is additionally included. Therefore, only the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film and its related components will be described below.
[0078] Referring to Figure 4, a method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may further include, after the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2)-containing plasma as described with reference to Figure 1 (S30), a step of forming a gallium (Ga) film on the gallium nitride (GaN) film (S40), a step of applying a reactant to the gallium (Ga) film to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film (S50), a step of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2)-containing plasma (S60), and a step of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2)-containing plasma (S70).
[0079] Gallium nitride (GaN) films according to other embodiments of the present disclosure can be formed using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as described with reference to Figure 1. According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. For example, the gallium nitride (GaN) film and the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed at a process temperature of 800°C or less.
[0080] First, the process may include a step (S40) of exposing a gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma, followed by a step (S30) of forming a gallium (Ga) film on the gallium nitride (GaN) film. The source material for forming the gallium (Ga) film may be the same material used to form the gallium nitride (GaN) film. For example, the source material may be gallium (Ga), a group 3 metal precursor. According to yet another embodiment of this disclosure, after forming the gallium (Ga) film, a purging step can be used to remove any residual source material remaining on the gallium (Ga) film.
[0081] Next, the process may include a step (S50) of applying a reactant onto the gallium (Ga) film to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step (S50) of applying a reactant onto the gallium (Ga) film to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film may be a step of supplying a reactant containing nitrogen onto the gallium (Ga) film containing a group 3 metal precursor to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. The reactant for forming the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film may include the same substance as the reactant used to form the gallium nitride (GaN) film. For example, the reactant may include one of N2, NH3, and N2H4. This allows for the formation of an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film containing a group 3 metal precursor and nitrogen on the substrate. Furthermore, after forming the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate, residual reactant remaining on the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be removed using a purging step.
[0082] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a top gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed on the substrate surface by sequentially supplying Ga(CH3)3 and NH3. In this case, carbon impurities contained in the source material may remain in the top gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate.
[0083] Next, the method may include a step (S60) of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2) plasma. The step (S60) of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to an oxygen (O2) plasma may be a step of removing carbon impurities remaining on the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step of removing carbon impurities may be a step of performing oxygen (O2) plasma treatment on the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate. According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, carbon impurities remaining on the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be removed by combining with oxygen (O2) and being detected as carbon dioxide (CO2). That is, carbon impurities remaining in the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be removed by combining with oxygen (O2) and being detected as carbon dioxide (CO2).
[0084] Next, the method may include a step (S70) of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma. The step (S70) of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma may be a step of removing oxygen remaining in the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film. The step of removing oxygen may be a hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment step. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, residual trace amounts of oxygen (O2) can be removed by performing hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment on the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film from which carbon impurities have been removed. For example, by hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment, oxygen (O2) remaining in the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can combine with hydrogen (H2) to produce H2O. By hydrogen (H2) plasma treatment, oxygen (O2) remaining in the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film (or GaN thin film) can be removed by combining with hydrogen (H2) and detecting it as H2O.
[0085] For example, the steps of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing oxygen (O2) (S60) and exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H2) (S70) can be performed in a continuous process. For example, the steps of removing carbon impurities and removing oxygen can be performed continuously in the same chamber. This allows the embodiments of the present disclosure to remove carbon impurities and oxygen more quickly and easily without damaging the gallium nitride (GaN) film.
[0086] For example, when forming an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film at low temperatures below 800°C, the carbon impurity content may be high, potentially leading to a decrease in properties such as electrical conductivity.
[0087] However, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a top gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed on a gallium nitride (GaN) film, and carbon impurities are removed by oxygen (O2) plasma treatment. This makes it possible to reduce the carbon impurity content of the gallium nitride (GaN) film while forming a layered structure gallium nitride (GaN) film at a low temperature of 800°C or less. As a result, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the carbon impurity content can be reduced while using a low-temperature process, thereby improving the electron mobility of the gallium nitride (GaN) film and improving the electrical characteristics when used in semiconductor devices.
[0088] Furthermore, in other embodiments of this disclosure, the gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, and the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film is formed on the gallium nitride (GaN) film using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, but is not limited thereto. For example, the gallium nitride (GaN) film and the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film can be formed by repeating the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process described with reference to Figure 1. This allows other embodiments of this disclosure to form a GaN thin film with high process stability and greater uniformity.
[0089] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a gallium nitride (GaN) film manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. This relates to a gallium nitride (GaN) film manufacturing apparatus using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process.
[0090] Referring to Figure 5, a gallium nitride (GaN) film manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a process chamber 10, a vacuum pump 20, a source material supply unit 30, a reaction material supply unit 40, a heating unit 60, inert gas supply units 51, 53, a plasma generation unit 70, a first plasma gas supply unit 71, and a second plasma gas supply unit 72.
[0091] The process chamber 10 may be a chamber in which a substrate is placed. The process chamber 10 can be connected to a vacuum pump 20, a source material supply unit 30, a reaction material supply unit 40, a heating unit 60, inert gas supply units 51, 53, a plasma generation unit 70, a first plasma gas supply unit 71, and a second plasma gas supply unit 72.
[0092] The vacuum pump 20 is connected to the process chamber 10 and can maintain the process chamber 10 in a vacuum state.
[0093] The source material supply unit 30 can supply source material to the process chamber 10. To this end, the source material supply unit 30 is connected to the process chamber 10 and can supply a preset amount of source material to the process chamber 10 using the source material supply valve 31. For example, the source material according to the embodiments of this disclosure may include a group 3 metal precursor and may be Ga(CH3)3.
[0094] The reactant supply unit 40 can supply reactants to the process chamber 10. To this end, the reactant supply unit 40 is connected to the process chamber 10 and can supply a preset amount of reactants to the process chamber 10 using the reactant supply valve 41. For example, the reactant may be one of N2, NH3, and N2H4, and preferably NH3.
[0095] The source material and the reactant can be supplied using the source material supply valve 31 and the reactant supply valve 41, respectively. This allows a gallium nitride (GaN) film to be formed by the source material and the reactant on the substrate surface provided in the process chamber 10.
[0096] For example, a first inert gas supply valve 54 connected to a first inert gas supply unit 51 can be configured between the source material supply valve 31 and the process chamber 10. This allows residual source material that remains on the substrate without reacting to be removed by the first inert gas supplied by the first inert gas supply valve 54.
[0097] For example, a second inert gas supply valve 55 connected to a second inert gas supply unit 53 can be configured between the reactant supply valve 41 and the process chamber 10. This allows residual reactants remaining on the substrate without reacting to be removed by the second inert gas supplied by the second inert gas supply valve 55. For example, the first and second inert gases may be argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N).
[0098] The heating unit 60 can be connected between the reactant supply unit 40 and the process chamber 10. The heating unit 60 may be an inline heater. For example, the heating unit 60 can heat the NH3 used as a reactant to 700°C to 900°C before supplying it to the process chamber 10. That is, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the NH3 gas used as a reactant can be heated to 700°C to 900°C by the heating unit 60 before being supplied to the process chamber 10. Here, the temperature of the substrate provided in the process chamber 10 may be 200°C to 300°C. For example, when the NH3 gas is heated to 700°C to 900°C by the heating unit 60 before being supplied to the process chamber 10, the NH3 gas is in a radical or activated state, which has the effect of reacting rapidly and densely with the Ga ligand.
[0099] For example, the heating section 60 can consist of a heater and a main body. Multiple fine voids can be formed inside the main body. For example, the main body can be made of a ceramic material. For example, the heater can generate heat by resistance. The reactant can be preheated to 700°C to 900°C by the heat generated by the heater as it passes through the fine voids in the main body, and then supplied to the process chamber 10. Therefore, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the film quality of the GaN thin film can be improved.
[0100] The inert gas supply units 51 and 53 may include a first inert gas supply unit 51 and a second inert gas supply unit 53.
[0101] The first inert gas configured in the first inert gas supply unit 51 can be supplied to the process chamber 10 via the first inert gas supply valve 54. The first inert gas may include argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N). According to embodiments of this disclosure, residual source material remaining on the substrate can be removed by supplying the first inert gas to the process chamber 10.
[0102] The second inert gas configured in the second inert gas supply unit 53 can be supplied to the process chamber 10 via the second inert gas supply valve 55. The second inert gas may include argon (Ar) or nitrogen (N). According to embodiments of this disclosure, residual reaction materials remaining on the substrate can be removed by supplying the second inert gas to the process chamber 10.
[0103] The plasma generation unit 70 can be connected to the first plasma gas supply unit 71 and the second plasma gas supply unit 72. The plasma generation unit 70 can be connected to the process chamber 10. By connecting to the first plasma gas supply unit 71 and the second plasma gas supply unit 72, plasma can be generated using the gas supplied from the first plasma gas supply unit 71 or the second plasma gas supply unit 72 and supplied to the process chamber 10.
[0104] For example, the first plasma gas supply unit 71 may be an oxygen (O2) supply unit. The first plasma gas supply unit 71 can supply oxygen (O2) to the plasma generation unit 70 using the first gas supply valve 73. The oxygen (O2) supplied to the plasma generation unit 70 can generate oxygen (O2) plasma. The oxygen (O2) plasma can be supplied to the process chamber 10 via the plasma supply valve 75. The oxygen (O2) plasma supplied to the process chamber 10 can combine with the oxygen (O2) to remove any remaining carbon impurities in the GaN thin film formed on the substrate surface.
[0105] For example, the second plasma gas supply unit 72 may be a hydrogen (H2) supply unit. The second plasma gas supply unit 72 can supply hydrogen (H2) to the plasma generation unit 70 using the second gas supply valve 74. The hydrogen (H2) supplied to the plasma generation unit 70 can generate hydrogen (H2) plasma. The hydrogen (H2) plasma can be supplied to the process chamber 10 via the plasma supply valve 75. For example, oxygen (O2) may remain in the gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate due to oxygen (O2) plasma treatment in the previous process. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the hydrogen (H2) plasma supplied to the process chamber 10 can combine the oxygen (O2) remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate surface with hydrogen (H2). As a result, the oxygen (O2) remaining in the gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the substrate surface can be removed by generating H2O.
[0106] Since the first and second inert gases, source material, and reactant are all in a gaseous state, exhaust valves 21, 22, 23, and 24 can be configured between the first inert gas supply unit 51, the second inert gas supply unit 53, the source material supply unit 30, and the reactant supply unit 40, respectively, and the vacuum pump 20 to stabilize the gas flow rate. This improves process stability in the gallium nitride (GaN) film formation process.
[0107] As a result, the thin-film forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this disclosure enables low-temperature processes, reduces the carbon impurity content of the gallium nitride (GaN) film, and allows for the production of a gallium nitride (GaN) film with improved properties such as electrical conductivity.
[0108] As another example, a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be used as a hard mask. In order to use it as a hard mask, a gallium nitride (GaN) film must be formed first, and it is desirable that the gallium nitride (GaN) film is less susceptible to etching than other films such as SiN, SiO, or SiON when exposed to etching gases such as fluorine (F) or chlorine (Cl) in subsequent etching processes.
[0109] For this purpose, the process may further include forming gallium nitride (GaN) and exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a hydrogen (H2) plasma. When the hydrogen (H2) plasma process is added, the gallium nitride film can be used as a hard mask by removing impurities and improving its density.
[0110] The process includes a step of removing the native oxide film on the substrate with a gas containing at least one of fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl) before spraying the source material containing the group 3 metal precursor onto the substrate, which can help with the interface of the gallium nitride (GaN) film formed on the upper part of the substrate and the growth of gallium nitride (GaN) source seeds.
[0111] Furthermore, the process of removing the native oxide film on the substrate is characterized by being carried out in the same chamber (in-situ) or in the same system. When the process is carried out in the same system and the same chamber while the vacuum is not broken, no impurities are formed at the interface during gallium nitride (GaN) film formation, thus enabling the formation of a gallium nitride (GaN) film with improved properties.
[0112] Figure 6 shows a gallium nitride (GaN) film manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0113] Referring to Figure 6, another embodiment of the present invention for manufacturing a gallium nitride (GaN) film may be an atomic layer deposition apparatus. This apparatus is for depositing a gallium nitride (GaN) film and comprises an upper dome and a lower dome. The atomic layer deposition apparatus injects process gases, i.e., source gas and reactant gas, into the upper dome and exhausts the process gases (source gas and reactant gas) from the upper dome. The source gas and reactant gas can be injected via a gas injection unit (not shown). The gas injection unit can inject one or more injectors (not shown) or multiple injectors (not shown) into the process space. The process space (not shown) can be located below the upper dome 152. By supplying a purge gas to the lower dome and a process gas to the upper dome, it is possible to prevent the process gas from flowing into the lower dome and suppress the deposition of abnormal layers on the lower dome. Furthermore, a uniform plasma can be formed, enabling the formation of a uniform layer without rotating the substrate.
[0114] Furthermore, gallium nitride (GaN) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) in this process can also be formed using a plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) apparatus employing an inductively coupled plasma source.
[0115] In atomic layer deposition systems equipped with an upper dome and a lower dome, liners are used to prevent unwanted layers from being deposited on the inner wall of the chamber. These liners can be periodically replaced or cleaned.
[0116] The lamp heaters located at the bottom of the lower dome are ring-shaped lamp heaters, and there may be multiple of them. The ring-shaped lamp heaters are grouped together and can be independently controlled in terms of power to uniformly heat the substrate.
[0117] In the present invention, a turbomolecular pump (TMP) connected to the exhaust section of the chamber maintains a base vacuum inside the chamber and can form a stable plasma at a pressure of a few Torr or less during the process.
[0118] The atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus of the present invention reduces the performance degradation caused by infrared heating of the inductively coupled plasma antenna located on top of the upper dome, while also providing infrared radiation reflected by the electromagnetic shielding housing back to the substrate, enabling the formation of a uniform layer on the substrate at high speed.
[0119] Referring to Figure 6, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber 160 having side walls, a substrate support section 172 for mounting a substrate inside the chamber, an upper dome 152 made of a transparent dielectric material covering the upper surface of the chamber 160, an antenna 110 positioned above the upper dome 152 to form an inductively coupled plasma, and an electromagnetic shielding housing 130 arranged to enclose the antenna. The electromagnetic shielding housing 130 can be heated by a heater.
[0120] The antenna 110 includes two one-turn unit antennas, which are arranged superimposed on each other on the upper and lower surfaces, which are connected in parallel to the RF power supply 140, and the width direction of the one-turn unit antennas is vertical.
[0121] The plasma generated in the step of generating hydrogen plasma after the step of injecting reactant gas, and the plasma generated between the source gas injection step and the reactant gas injection step, can be formed by the antenna 110.
[0122] The source gas and reactant gas can be injected into the chamber by an injector (not shown) that extends long into the upper dome 152 direction or horizontally into the dome interior, into the process space within the upper dome 152 and the lower dome 158.
[0123] The chamber 160 is made of a conductive material, has a cylindrical internal space, and may have a rectangular parallelepiped external shape. The chamber 160 can be cooled by cooling water. The chamber 160, the upper dome 152, and the lower dome 158 are joined together to provide a sealed space.
[0124] The chamber 160 may include a substrate inlet / outlet 160a formed on one side of the chamber and an exhaust port 160b formed on the side facing the substrate inlet / outlet. The exhaust port 160b can be connected to a high vacuum pump 190. The high vacuum pump 190 may be a turbomolecular pump. The high vacuum pump maintains a low base pressure and can maintain a pressure of a few tors or less even during the process. The upper surface of the exhaust port 160b may be the same as or lower than the upper surface of the substrate inlet / outlet 160a.
[0125] The upper dome 152 is a transparent dielectric material and may be quartz or sapphire. The upper dome 152 can be inserted into and coupled to a jaw formed on the upper surface of the chamber 160. The coupling portion of the upper dome 152 that connects to the chamber 160 for vacuum sealing may be washer-shaped. The upper dome 152 may be arc-shaped or elliptical. The upper dome 152 can transmit infrared rays incident from below. The material of the upper dome 152 may be quartz or ceramic, and preferably ceramic material can be used for the upper dome 152. Ceramic material has better corrosion resistance and corrosion resistance than quartz material.
[0126] Infrared rays reflected by the electromagnetic shielding housing 130 can pass through the upper dome 152 and enter the substrate 174.
[0127] The lower dome 158 is a transparent dielectric material and may be quartz or sapphire. The lower dome 158 may include a funnel-shaped lower dome body 158b, a washer-shaped coupling portion 158a that connects to a jaw formed on the lower surface of the chamber, and a cylindrical pipe 158c connected to the center of the lower dome body 158b. The lower dome 158 can be inserted into and coupled to the jaw formed on the lower surface of the chamber. The coupling portion 158a that connects to the chamber for vacuum sealing may be washer-shaped. The drive shafts of the first lifter and the second lifter may be inserted into and arranged within the cylindrical pipe 158c. The purge gas supplied through the lower dome may be supplied through a flow path. The flow path may be the cylindrical pipe 158c. The purge gas may be an inert gas such as argon.
[0128] The upper liner 154 may be made of a transparent dielectric material. The upper liner 154 may be quartz, alumina, sapphire, or aluminum nitride. The upper liner 154 can be selected from a material that suppresses the deposition of abnormal layers.
[0129] The heat insulating portion 162 is positioned between the lower surface of the chamber 160 and the reflector 161, and may be ring-shaped. The heat insulating portion 162 can reduce heat transfer from the heated reflector 161 to the chamber. The heat insulating portion 162 may be made of ceramic material. The upper surface of the heat insulating portion 162 may be provided with a jaw. The jaw of the heat insulating portion and the jaw of the lower surface of the chamber can accommodate the washer-shaped joint portion 158a of the lower dome and be vacuum-sealed.
[0130] The concentric circular lamp heater 166 includes a plurality of concentric circular ring-shaped lamp heaters and can be connected to a power supply 164. The concentric circular ring-shaped lamp heaters are arranged at regular intervals along the inclined surface of the lower dome 158, and the concentric circular lamp heater 166 is divided into three groups, each able to receive power independently of the others. The concentric circular ring-shaped lamp heaters can be inserted into and aligned in ring-shaped grooves formed in the inclined surface of the reflector 161.
[0131] For example, the concentric circular lamp heaters 166 are halogen lamp heaters and there may be eight of them. The three lower lamp heaters can form a first group, the two middle lamp heaters can form a second group, and the three upper lamp heaters can form a third group. The first group can be connected to a first power supply 164a, the second group to a second power supply 164b, and the third group to a third power supply 164c. The first to third power supplies 164a to 164c can be controlled independently for uniform heating of the substrate.
[0132] The antenna 110 includes two one-turn unit antennas 110a and 110b. The antenna 110 is arranged superimposed on each other on its upper and lower surfaces, and the one-turn unit antennas are stripline in shape with a width greater than their thickness, and the width direction of the one-turn unit antennas can be vertically oriented. The two one-turn unit antennas can be connected in parallel to an RF power supply 140. The RF power supply 140 can supply RF power to the antenna 110 via an impedance matching box (IMB) 142 and a power supply line 143. The antenna includes two one-turn unit antennas, the two one-turn unit antennas are arranged superimposed on each other on their upper and lower surfaces, the two one-turn unit antennas are connected in parallel to an RF power supply, and the width direction of the one-turn unit antennas can be vertically oriented.
[0133] An antenna carrying RF current must have a sufficient cross-sectional area due to the high current and must form a closed loop to create sufficient magnetic flux. Furthermore, multiple turns are required to ensure sufficient magnetic flux or high inductance. Therefore, a laminated structure is necessary. However, an antenna with vertically oriented width occupies a lot of space, which is disadvantageous for ensuring sufficient magnetic flux, and is not typically used.
[0134] In this invention, the antenna 110 uses vertically positioned striplines to absorb infrared radiation incident from the top or bottom of the antenna, thereby minimizing the increase in resistance due to heating. The antenna 110 provides high light transmission to infrared radiation.
[0135] Furthermore, the antenna can be coated with gold (Au) or silver (Ag) to increase infrared reflection. Also, a two-layer antenna structure is used to ensure sufficient magnetic flux. In a single-turn unit antenna, the RF power supply is located on the upper surface, which reduces power loss due to energy storage coupling.
[0136] The lower dome 158 covers the lower surface of the chamber and is formed of a transparent dielectric material, and may have the same curvature as the upper dome 152. The lamp heater may be placed on the lower surface of the lower dome 158. The reflector 161 may be placed on the lower surface of the lamp heater.
[0137] The system may also further include a control unit (not shown) for controlling the RF power supply. Here, for example, a source gas supply path (not shown) and a reactant supply path (not shown) for supplying the raw material gas are formed separately.
[0138] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in more detail above with reference to the attached figures, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments and can be implemented in various modified forms without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and not to limit the technical concept of the present invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by such embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments described above should be understood to be illustrative and not limiting in all respects. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the claims, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate, A step of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on the substrate, Oxygen (O 2 A step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ), and Hydrogen (H 2 A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film, comprising the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ).
2. The oxygen (O 2 The steps include exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H) and the steps of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing hydrogen (H) 2 The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 1, wherein the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ) is performed continuously.
3. The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the gallium nitride (GaN) film is performed at a step temperature of 800°C or lower.
4. The step of forming the gallium nitride (GaN) film is A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 1, comprising the step of simultaneously spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor and a reactant containing nitrogen onto the substrate.
5. The step of forming the gallium nitride (GaN) film is A step of spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto the substrate, and A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 1, comprising the step of spraying a nitrogen-containing reactant onto the source material.
6. The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the group 3 metal precursor includes gallium (Ga).
7. The source material is Ga(CH 3 ) 3 A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 4 or 5, comprising:
8. The reactant is N 2 , NH 3 , and N 2 H 4 The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 4 or 5, comprising any one of them.
9. The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 1, wherein the gallium nitride (GaN) film is provided using one of the steps of CVD and ALD.
10. Hydrogen (H 2 After the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ), A step of spraying a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate, Oxygen (O 2 A process of exposing a gallium (Ga) precursor to a plasma containing ) Hydrogen (H 2 A step of exposing a gallium (Ga) precursor to a plasma containing ), and The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising the step of injecting a nitrogen-containing reactant gas onto the substrate to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film.
11. Hydrogen (H 2 After the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ), A step of forming a gallium (Ga) film on the gallium nitride (GaN) film, A step of applying a reactant onto the gallium (Ga) film to form an upper gallium nitride (GaN) film, Oxygen (O 2 A step of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ), and Hydrogen (H 2 The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising the step of exposing the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma containing ).
12. The gallium nitride (GaN) film is provided using a CVD process. The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 11, wherein the upper gallium nitride (GaN) film is provided using an ALD process.
13. A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate, A step of providing the substrate to the chamber, A step of spraying a precursor containing gallium (Ga) onto the substrate, Oxygen (O 2 A step of exposing the substrate to a plasma containing ) Hydrogen (H 2 A step of exposing the substrate to a plasma containing ) and A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film, comprising the step of injecting a nitrogen-containing reactant gas onto a substrate to form a gallium nitride (GaN) film.
14. The reactant gas is N 2 NH 3 , and N 2 H 4 A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 13, comprising any one of the above.
15. The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 13, wherein the gallium nitride (GaN) film is provided using an ALD process.
16. A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising the step of removing a native oxide film on the substrate with a gas containing at least one of fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl) before the step of spraying a source material containing a group 3 metal precursor onto the substrate.
17. The method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film according to claim 16, wherein the step of removing the native oxide film on the substrate is performed in the same chamber (in-situ) or in the same system (in-system).
18. A method for forming a gallium nitride (GaN) hard mask, A process of forming a gallium nitride (GaN) film on a substrate, and Hydrogen (H 2 A method for forming a gallium nitride hard mask, comprising the step of exposing the gallium nitride (GaN) film to a plasma.