Gas supply unit and substrate processing apparatus including gas supply unit

Abstract

This invention discloses a gas supply unit. An exemplary gas supply unit includes an upper cover having a plurality of injection holes; and a partition plate constructed and configured to rest against the upper cover to guide gas flow from the injection holes; wherein one of the injection holes is a central injection hole, and the injection holes other than the central injection hole are concentrically surrounding the central injection hole as a plurality of external injection holes; and wherein the partition plate has a central through-hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of protrusions extending toward the upper cover to form a plurality of regions, each of which is fluidly communicating with one of the external injection holes.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention is generally related to a gas supply unit and a substrate processing apparatus containing the gas supply unit, and more particularly, to a gas supply unit capable of controlling the deposition of a thin film on a specific portion of a substrate, and a substrate processing apparatus containing the gas supply unit. [Previous Technology]

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, as the line width decreases, more precise process control is required. In thin film deposition, one of the many important semiconductor processes, various efforts have been made to achieve high thin film uniformity.

[0003] One of the key factors affecting uniform thin film deposition is the gas supply unit. Spray plates are used in general-purpose gas supply units. Spray plates have the advantage of supplying gas uniformly to the substrate using a coaxial shape. However, due to gas flow in, for example, exhaust ports and gate valves, the film thickness at the edges of the substrate and the film thickness at the center of the substrate may be uneven.

[0004] Any discussion (including discussions of problems and solutions) presented in this section is included in this disclosure for the purpose of providing background to this disclosure only, and should not be construed as an admission that any or all of the discussions were known or otherwise constituted prior art at the time of completion of this invention. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] This invention is provided to introduce a series of concepts in a simplified form. These concepts will be described in more detail in the exemplary embodiments disclosed below. This invention is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] According to several exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a gas supply unit is provided. The gas supply unit includes an upper cover plate having a plurality of injection holes; and a partition plate configured and arranged to rest against the upper cover plate to guide gas flow from the injection holes; wherein one of the injection holes is a central injection hole, and the injection holes other than the central injection hole are concentrically surrounding the central injection hole as a plurality of external injection holes; and wherein the partition plate has a central through hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of protrusions extending upward to the upper cover plate to form a plurality of regions, each of which is fluidly communicating with one of the external injection holes.

[0007] In various embodiments, at least one of the regions may have a substantially trapezoidal shape.

[0008] In various embodiments, the number of regions may be four, wherein the size of one region is larger than the size of the other three regions.

[0009] In various embodiments, the protrusion may be arranged radially outward from the center.

[0010] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may also include a spray plate having a plurality of holes to guide gas flow to the outside of the gas supply unit, wherein the spray plate is attached to the lower surface of the upper cover plate.

[0011] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may further include an insulator connected to the upper surface of the upper cover plate, wherein the insulator has a central hole with fluid communication central injection hole and a plurality of external holes, each of which is a fluid communication external injection hole.

[0012] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may further include a space between the lower surface of the partition plate and the upper surface of the spray plate, and be configured to fluidly communicate the central through-hole and the periphery of the area.

[0013] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may include a plurality of gas splitters, each of which is in fluid communication with a central orifice and an outer orifice.

[0014] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may include a common gas line configured to branch into a plurality of branch gas lines, each of which is connected to a gas splitter.

[0015] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may further include a liquefied gas line and a dry gas line configured to be connected upstream of a common gas line.

[0016] In various embodiments, the gas supply unit may further include a controller configured to control the flow rate of the gas distributor.

[0017] In various embodiments, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber; a base positioned in the reaction chamber, configured and arranged to support a substrate, wherein the apparatus includes a gas supply unit, and a spray plate is configured and arranged to face the base.

[0018] In various embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus may further include a substrate transfer tube disposed in the sidewall of the reaction chamber, wherein the largest area in the region is disposed near the substrate transfer tube.

[0019] In various embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus may further include a vacuum port disposed in the sidewall of the reaction chamber, wherein the largest area in the region is disposed near the vacuum port.

Implementation Method

[0021] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure extends beyond the specific embodiments and / or uses disclosed herein, as well as their obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the specific embodiments described herein.

[0022] The drawings presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular material, device, structure or instrument, but are merely representations used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] In this invention, "gas" may include materials that are gases, vaporized solids, and / or vaporized liquids at room temperature and pressure, and may consist of a single gas or a mixture of multiple gases depending on the context. Gases other than process gases (i.e., gases not introduced through gas supply units such as spray plates) may be used, for example, to seal the reaction space, and may include sealing gases, such as rare or other inert gases. The term inert gas may refer to a gas that does not participate in the chemical reaction to a considerable extent, and / or a gas that can excite precursors when plasma power is applied. The terms precursor and reactant are used interchangeably.

[0024] As used herein, the term “substrate” can refer to any one or more underlying materials on which devices, circuits or thin films can be used or formed.

[0025] As used herein, the terms "film" and "thin film" can refer to any continuous or discontinuous structure and material deposited by the methods disclosed herein. For example, "film" and "thin film" can include 2D materials, nanorods, nanotubes, or nanoparticles, or even partial or complete molecular layers, or partial or complete atomic layers, or atomic and / or molecular clusters. "Film" and "thin film" can comprise materials or layers having multiple pinholes but still being at least partially continuous.

[0026] The process can be performed using any suitable apparatus, including, for example, the apparatus shown in FIG1. ​​FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a PECVD apparatus. In this diagram, plasma can be generated between multiple electrodes by providing pairs of parallel and facing conductive plate electrodes 30, 110 inside the reaction chamber 100, applying HRF power (e.g., 13.56 MHz or 27 MHz) to electrode side 30, and electrically grounding the other electrode side 110. A temperature regulator can be provided in the base 110 (lower electrode), and the temperature of the substrate placed on it can be kept constant at a specific temperature. The upper electrode 30 can also be used as a spray plate, and the reaction gas and precursor gas can be introduced into the reaction chamber 100 through the spray plate 30. In addition, an exhaust line 140 can be provided in the reaction chamber 110, through which the gas in the reaction chamber 100 can be discharged.

[0027] In addition, a transfer chamber 150 disposed below the reaction chamber 100 may be provided, and a transfer area may be provided. A gate valve 130 and a wafer transfer tube 135 may be provided, through which the wafer may be transferred to or from the transfer chamber 150. In some embodiments, a remote plasma unit may be used to excite the gas.

[0028] In some embodiments, a multi-chamber module (for processing two or four chambers or compartments that are close to each other on the wafer) may be used, wherein the reaction gas may be supplied through a common pipeline, while the precursor gas may be supplied through multiple non-common pipelines.

[0029] Those skilled in the art will understand that the apparatus includes one or more controllers, which are programmed or otherwise configured to perform the deposition and reactor cleaning processes described herein. As those skilled in the art will understand, the controllers may be connected to various power sources, heating systems, pumps, robotic arms, and gas flow controllers or valves within the reactor.

[0030] Referring also to Figures 1 and 2, a gas supply unit 1 is shown. The gas supply unit 1 includes an upper cover plate 3 having a central injection port 5 and a plurality of external injection ports 6, 7, 8, and 9. The external injection ports 6, 7, 8, and 9 are arranged concentrically around the central injection port 5.

[0031] The gas supply unit 1 further includes a partition plate 10, which is constructed and configured to rest against the upper cover plate 3. The partition plate 10 has a fluid-communication central injection hole 5 and central through holes 15 in regions 16, 17, 18, and 19, each of which is a fluid-communication external injection hole 6, 7, 8, and 9.

[0032] The gas supply unit 1 further includes a plurality of protrusions 25, 26, 27, 28 extending upward from the partition plate 10 to the cover plate 3. The protrusions 25, 26, 27, 28 are configured to form a plurality of regions 16, 17, 18, 19, and may be arranged radially outward from the center. All regions 16, 17, 18, 19 may have substantially the same trapezoidal shape, or some regions may be larger than the other regions. The first region 16 may be located near the wafer transfer tube 135. The second region 18 may be located near the vacuum port 140.

[0033] The gas supply unit 1 may further include a spray plate 30 having a plurality of holes to guide gas flow toward the substrate. The spray plate 30 may be attached to the lower surface of the upper cover plate 3.

[0034] The gas supply unit 1 may further include an insulator 40 connected to the upper surface of the upper cover plate 3. The insulator 40 may include a central hole 45 of the fluid communication central injection hole 5 and external holes 46, 47, 48, 49 of a plurality of fluid communication external injection holes 6, 7, 8, 9.

[0035] The gas supply unit 1 may further include a gas flow channel 60, which is disposed between the lower surface of the partition plate 10 and the upper surface of the spray plate 30, and is configured to fluidly communicate with the central through hole 15 and the periphery of regions 16, 17, 18, and 19.

[0036] Referring again to FIG. 3, the gas supply unit 1 may further include five gas distributors 70, which are respectively fluidly connected to the central hole 45 and the outer hole 47. The gas supply unit 1 may further include a common gas line 80, which branches into a plurality of branch gas lines 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85. Each of the branch gas lines 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85 is connected to the gas distributor 70. The gas supply unit 1 may further include a liquefied gas line 100 and a dry gas line 90 configured to be connected upstream of the common gas line 80.

[0037] A carbon precursor, in liquid gas form, for forming the carbon layer may be introduced into the reaction chamber. Several exemplary precursors include compounds represented by the molecular formula CxHyNz, where x is a natural number greater than or equal to 2; y is a natural number; and z is zero or a natural number. For example, x may range from about 2 to about 15; y may range from about 4 to about 30; and z may range from about 0 to about 10. The precursor may include chain or cyclic molecules having two or more carbon atoms and one or more hydrogen atoms, such as the molecules represented by the aforementioned molecular formula. As a few specific examples, the precursor may be or include one or more cyclic (e.g., aromatic) structures and / or compounds having at least one double bond, and in some cases includes two or more, or three or more, double bonds. As a few specific examples, the carbon precursor may be or include 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene or 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine.

[0038] In any combination, one or more inert gases as drying gases may include, for example, one or more of argon, helium, and nitrogen. The inert gas may be used to ignite or facilitate the ignition of the plasma within the reaction chamber to purge reactants and / or byproducts within the reaction chamber; and / or may be used as a carrier gas to aid in the transport of precursors to the reaction chamber. The power used for igniting and sustaining the plasma may range from about 50 W to about 8,000 W. The frequency of the power may range from about 2.0 MHz to about 27.12 MHz.

[0039] The gas supply unit may include a controller 200 configured to control the flow rate of the gas distributor 70. By adjusting multiple flow rates, the amount of gas in each region 16, 17, 18, 19 can be controlled. Therefore, the uniformity or characteristics of the film formed in a particular peripheral portion can be selectively controlled. For example, the uniformity of the film deposited in regions 16 and 18 can be selectively controlled.

[0040] The examples and embodiments of the present invention described above do not limit the scope of the present invention, as these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. In fact, in addition to those shown and described herein, those skilled in the art will understand from this specification various modifications to the present invention (such as alternatives to the described elements, combinations thereof). Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the claims made below. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0020] A more complete understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention can be derived by referring to the detailed description and the claims when considering the following exemplary figures. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus for depositing thin films applicable to embodiments of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a gas supply unit containing separators; and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a gas supply unit containing multiple splitters and multiple gas lines. It will be understood that the elements in the figures are drawn for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily depicted to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the various figures may be particularly enlarged relative to other elements to aid in understanding the various exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A gas supply unit, comprising: The upper cover plate has a plurality of injection holes; A partition plate, constructed and configured to rest against the upper cover plate to guide the flow of gas from the injection holes; An insulator is connected to an upper surface of the upper cover plate; wherein one of the injection holes is a central injection hole, and the injection holes other than the central injection hole are concentrically surrounding the central injection hole as a plurality of external injection holes; wherein the partition plate has a central through hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of protrusions extending toward the upper cover plate to form a plurality of regions, each of the regions being fluidly communicating with one of the external injection holes; and wherein the insulator has a central hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of external holes, each of the external holes being fluidly communicating with the external injection holes.

2. A gas supply unit, comprising: The upper cover plate has a plurality of injection holes; A partition plate is constructed and configured to rest against the upper cover plate to guide gas flow from the injection holes; wherein one of the injection holes is a central injection hole, and the injection holes other than the central injection hole are concentrically surrounding the central injection hole as a plurality of external injection holes; wherein the partition plate has a central through hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of protrusions extending toward the upper cover plate to form a plurality of regions, each of the regions being fluidly communicating with one of the external injection holes; and wherein at least one of the regions has a substantially trapezoidal shape.

3. A gas supply unit, comprising: The upper cover plate has a plurality of injection holes; A partition plate is constructed and configured to rest against the upper cover plate to guide gas flow from the injection holes; wherein one of the injection holes is a central injection hole, and the other injection holes are concentrically surrounding the central injection hole as a plurality of external injection holes; wherein the partition plate has a central through hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of protrusions extending toward the upper cover plate to form a plurality of regions, each of the regions being fluidly communicating with one of the external injection holes; and wherein the number of the regions is four, wherein the size of one of the regions is larger than the size of the other three regions.

4. A gas supply unit, comprising: The upper cover plate has a plurality of injection holes; A partition plate is constructed and configured to rest against the upper cover plate to guide gas flow from the injection holes; wherein one of the injection holes is a central injection hole, and the injection holes other than the central injection hole are concentrically surrounding the central injection hole as a plurality of external injection holes; wherein the partition plate has a central through hole fluidly communicating with the central injection hole, and has a plurality of protrusions extending toward the upper cover plate to form a plurality of regions, each of which is fluidly communicating with one of the external injection holes; and wherein the protrusions are arranged radially outward from the center.

5. The gas supply unit as described in any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a spray plate having a plurality of holes for directing gas flow to the outside of the gas supply unit, wherein the spray plate is attached to a lower surface of the upper cover plate.

6. The gas supply unit as claimed in claim 5 further includes a gas flow channel disposed between a lower surface of the partition plate and an upper surface of the spray plate, and configured to fluidly communicate with the central through-hole and the periphery of the areas.

7. The gas supply unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gas distributors, each of which is in fluid communication with the central orifice and the outer orifices.

8. The gas supply unit as claimed in claim 7 further includes a common gas line configured to branch into a plurality of branch gas lines, each of which is connected to the gas splitters.

9. The gas supply unit as claimed in claim 8 further includes a liquefied gas line and a dry gas line configured to be connected upstream of the common gas line.

10. The gas supply unit as claimed in claim 9 further includes a controller configured to control the flow rate of the gas distributors.

11. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: One reaction chamber; A base located in the reaction chamber, configured to support a substrate, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a gas supply unit as described in any of claims 1 to 4, and a spray plate configured to face the base.

12. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a substrate transfer tube disposed in a side wall of the reaction chamber, wherein the largest area of ​​the regions is disposed near the substrate transfer tube.

13. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further includes a vacuum port disposed in a side wall of the reaction chamber, wherein the largest area of ​​the regions is disposed near the vacuum port.

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