Semiconductor processing apparatus for etching and method for etching layer

Abstract

To generate constant byproduct partial pressure and residence time of gas molecules across the entire wafer, a dual-spray reactor can be used. The dual-spray structure enables spatially uniform partial pressure, residence time, and temperature of the etchant and byproducts, resulting in a uniform etching rate across the entire wafer. The system may include differential pumping of the reactor.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates generally to a spray head device for a semiconductor manufacturing system.

[0002] Priority case is incorporated herein for reference. This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 875,909, filed July 18, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes. [Previous Technology]

[0003] Vapor deposition processes such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) are well-known. ALD processes typically utilize alternating and sequential applications of vapor-phase reactants to a substrate to deposit up to one layer of material in a controlled and highly conformal manner. Effective removal of reactants between pulses is crucial for minimizing undesirable reactions in the vapor phase. Thin films deposited via ALD are used in a variety of applications, such as the formation of integrated circuits. Controlled material removal is also highly desirable. Example processes for controlled material removal to define circuits and other structures are chemical vapor etching (CVE) or atomic layer etching (ALE). Some CVE processes employ pulsed etchants. For example, in some etching processes, continuous pulses of vapor-phase reactants can remove minute amounts of material from the substrate in a controlled and / or selective manner. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] According to one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include: a reaction chamber and a first exhaust port configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber. The apparatus may also include a spray head device connected to the reaction chamber and configured to deliver reactant vapor into the reaction chamber. The spray head device may include: an inlet configured to supply the reactant vapor into the spray head device; a first spray head plate fluidly connected to the inlet, the first spray head plate including a plurality of openings; and a second spray head plate including: a plurality of inlets fluidly connected to the plurality of openings, the plurality of inlets configured to deliver the reaction vapor into the reaction chamber; and a plurality of second exhaust ports configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber. The apparatus may also include one or more pumps connected to the first exhaust port and the plurality of second exhaust ports, the one or more pumps configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber through the first exhaust port and the plurality of second exhaust ports.

[0005] According to one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include: a reaction chamber; a reaction chamber exhaust port configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber; and a spray head device including: a plurality of distributed inlet holes fluidly connected to a reaction vapor source and the reaction chamber; and a plurality of distributed exhaust holes fluidly connected to a pump and the reaction chamber.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a method for etching a substrate is disclosed. The method may include supplying reactive vapor to a spray head device; conveying the reactive vapor to a reaction chamber through a plurality of distributed inlet holes in the spray head device; removing the vapor from the reaction chamber through a first exhaust port exposed to the reaction chamber; and removing the vapor from the reaction chamber through a plurality of second exhaust ports in the spray head device.

Implementation Method

[0008] Chemical etching of microelectronic materials can be superior to plasma etching. However, in order to provide a uniform etching rate across the entire wafer, the partial pressure, residence time, and temperature of etching reactants (such as adsorbed reactants and / or etchants) and byproducts should not vary significantly spatially above the substrate (such as the wafer). Spray-head reactors can provide a uniform distribution of the partial pressure of the incoming gas, but the partial pressure of byproducts and the residence time of gas molecules may not be constant across the entire wafer. For example, molecules entering from the center of the spray head may have a longer residence time in the reactor than molecules entering from the edge of the wafer, because exhaust gases are typically extracted from the periphery of the wafer.

[0009] The various embodiments disclosed in this specification can be used in etching processes (e.g., CVE processes). Any suitable etching chemistry can be used in the disclosed embodiments. As an example, the process may involve one or more etching cycles, wherein each cycle exposes a substrate to a first gaseous halide reactant having a first halide ligand to form adsorbed material on the substrate surface, and then exposes the substrate to a second gaseous halide reactant having a second halide ligand, which converts the adsorbed material into a volatile substance, thereby removing at least some material from the film. In various embodiments, the film may include W, TiN, TiO2, TaN, SiN, AlO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, WO3, SiOCN, SiOC, SiCN, AlN, or HfO2. The first gaseous halide may be a metal halide, such as Nb, Ta, Mo, Sn, V, Re, Te, W, and Group 5 and Group 6 transition metals. The second gas-phase halide may be a carbon-based halide, such as CCl4 or CBr4. Further examples of various etching chemistry and processes that can be used in conjunction with the disclosed embodiments can be found in International Application No. PCT / US2017 / 065170, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0010] To generate a constant byproduct partial pressure and uniform residence time of gas molecules across the entire substrate, a dual-spray reactor can be used. A dual-spray structure enables spatially uniform partial pressure, residence time, and temperature for etching reactants and byproducts, resulting in a uniform etching rate across the entire wafer. This device can be used in steady-state partial pressure mode, partial pressure pulse mode, or total pressure pulse mode, or a combination thereof, depending on the preferred mode for achieving the desired etching conformal properties of the substrate.

[0011] Furthermore, the device can integrate differential pumping of the reactor. By adjusting the pumping speed and conductivity of the spray head devices and the reaction chamber, the residence time distribution and partial pressure profile within the reactor can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the etching profile of the substrate (e.g., wafer). For example, the device can be used in a steady-state mode (e.g., constant etching reactants, such as etchant, flow rate) or a combination of pressure pulse modes (e.g., pulsed etchant flow rate while maintaining a constant total pressure), a pressure pulse mode (e.g., constant etchant flow rate, pulsed total pressure), or a total pulse mode (e.g., pulsed partial pressure and total pressure), or combinations thereof. The pulse mode and pumping mode can determine the partial pressure and residence time distribution of the etchant gas above the wafer under dynamic flow conditions, thus controlling the consistency and uniformity of the etching process.

[0012] In various embodiments, the conformality of the etching process used in conjunction with the disclosed embodiments may be: greater than 50%; greater than 80%; greater than 90%; greater than 95%; greater than 98%; or greater than 99%. In some embodiments, etching selectivity may also be controlled. Etching selectivity may be expressed as a percentage and calculated using [(etched material on surface A) - (etched material on surface B)] / (etched material on surface A). The amount of etching may be measured in various ways. For example, the amount of etching may be a measured reduction in the thickness of the etched material, or it may be a measurement of the etched material based on a comparison of the original amount of etching and the amount remaining after the etching process. In some embodiments, the selectivity of the etching process is greater than about 10%, greater than about 50%, greater than about 75%, greater than about 85%, greater than about 90%, greater than about 93%, greater than about 95%, greater than about 98%, greater than about 99%, or greater than about 99.5%. In some embodiments, the aspect ratio of the etched features may be greater than about 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, 10:1, 20:1, 40:1 or 100:1.

[0013] For example, the first upper chamber of the spray head device may have continuous flow, while the second lower reaction chamber may have continuous evacuation and filter out reaction byproducts and precursors to reduce pressure spikes. The lower reaction chamber may provide a constant partial pressure during precursor exposure time.

[0014] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a semiconductor process apparatus 1, which includes a reactor 2 having a dual-nozzle device 10. The reactor 2 includes a reaction chamber 3 having an internal component 4 between a base 5 and the nozzle device 10. A base plate 5 is located within the reactor 2 and attached to the chamber 3. The base plate 5 extends upward from the base of the chamber 3. The base plate 5 supports a substrate 6 (e.g., a wafer) during the process. The dual-nozzle device 10 may be disposed on the base 5 and the substrate 6. Although not shown, a gas manifold may supply reactants and inert gases to the nozzle device 10, which may disperse the supplied gases across the entire width of the substrate 6 to etch the material. An inlet manifold 11 may be fluidly connected to a reactant source, such as an etching reactant source, for example, an etchant or adsorbent reactant (see, for example, Figure 2). The etchant source may be a gas bomb and / or may include an evaporation device for evaporating etchant chemicals that are naturally liquid or solid.

[0015] In some embodiments, the dual spray head 10 may include a plurality of gas inlets (holes) 18 and a plurality of gas outlets (holes) 20 or exhaust ports. The inlet holes 18 and outlet holes 20 may not be directly connected to each other, but may both be in direct fluid communication with the reaction chamber 3 below them. In some embodiments, a second exhaust port line 26 may be provided in direct fluid communication with the reaction chamber 3 to remove gas from the reaction chamber 3. As shown in FIG1, the reaction gas (e.g., etching gas) may enter the dual spray head device 10 through the inlet 16 into an upper gas chamber 24 and flow to the base plate 5 holding the wafer 6. The gas outlet holes 20 of the dual spray head 10 remove vapor from the chamber 3 via a pump 9 connected to the inner or lower spray head gas chamber 22. The second gas outlet line 26 may also be used to remove vapor via the pump 9. In some embodiments, the same pump 9 may be used with both gas outlet lines 20, 26. In other embodiments, the two gas outlets 20, 26 have a separate pump 9 connected to each of the gas outlet lines 20, 26. In some embodiments, a valve 38 is connected to each gas outlet line 20, 26 and operates in series with a pump 9 to control the flow of gas from the reaction chamber 3.

[0016] Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIG1, the semiconductor process apparatus 1 may include a reaction chamber 3 and a reaction chamber outlet 7 configured to remove vapors from the reaction chamber 3. The spray head device 10 may include a plurality of distributed inlet holes 18 in fluid communication with a reactant vapor source and the reaction chamber 3. The spray head device 10 may include a plurality of distributed exhaust holes 20 in fluid communication with a pump 9 and the reaction chamber 3. The same or different pumps 9 may be connected to the spray head 10 and the reaction chamber 3. In the illustrated embodiment, an inner gas chamber 22 (e.g., defined between two plates) within the lower part 14 of the spray head 10 may communicate with the pump 9. The inlet holes 18 may extend through the spray head 10 and, in some embodiments, may bypass the inner gas chamber 22. The inlet holes 18 may communicate with an upper gas chamber 24 above the lower part 14 of the spray head 10. FIG1 shows a simple side inlet 16 communicating with the upper gas chamber 24. However, as will be better understood from the following description from Figures 2 to 3C, the upper chamber 24 may be connected to an intake manifold, thereby distributing reactant vapors in the upper chamber 24.

[0017] One or more pumps 9 may extract residual gas from the exhaust port 20 in the spray head device 10 and the exhaust port 7 of the reaction chamber 3. In some embodiments, the extraction rate of gas in the spray head device 10 through the exhaust port 7 of the reaction chamber 3 may vary from about 25 m³ / h to about 5000 m³ / h, while in other embodiments, the speed of the pump 9 is between about 50 m³ / h and about 2500 m³ / h, for example, between about 100 m³ / h and about 2000 m³ / h. In some embodiments, the extraction rate through the exhaust port 7 of the reaction chamber 3 in the reaction chamber 3 may vary from about 25 m³ / h to about 5000 m³ / h, while the pump speed is between about 50 m³ / h and about 2500 m³ / h, for example, between about 100 m³ / h and about 2000 m³ / h. In various embodiments, the pump speed (or valve 38 connected to the common pump 9) can be adjusted to draw different exhaust flow rates from the spray head device 10 and the exhaust port 7 of the reaction chamber 3. In some embodiments, the ratio of the pumping speed through the exhaust port 20 in the spray head device 10 to the pumping speed through the exhaust port 7 of the reaction chamber 3 can be in the range of 100:1 to 1:100, 50:1 to 1:50, 10:1 to 1:10, 5:1 to 1:5, 2:1 to 1:2, or 1.5:1 to 1:1.5. By adjusting the pumping speed, the etching process can be modulated. Advantageously, the differential pumping system and techniques disclosed in this specification and shown in FIG1 can improve the uniformity and conformity of the etching process.

[0018] In the various embodiments disclosed in this specification, the residence time adjustment of gaseous or plasma substances can be used in plasma etching reactors. Therefore, in some embodiments, the device 1 can be used in conjunction with a plasma etching reactor. For example, for an RF plasma reactor, as known in the art, a remote plasma can be formed in situ within the spray head 10 (the upper part 12 and lower part 14 of the spray head 10 serve as plasma electrodes) or within the reaction chamber 3 (the spray head device 10 and the base 5 and / or the wall of the reaction chamber 3 serve as plasma electrodes). The embodiments disclosed in this specification can also be applied to adjust the plasma itself. In other embodiments, the device 1 disclosed in this specification can be used in etching reactors that are not plasma etching reactors and / or reactors not used in deposition processes.

[0019] In various embodiments, a throttle valve may be provided to adjust the residence time by adjusting the effective pumping speed and / or by using the spray head device 10 having an appropriate x value (which is the distance between the inlet orifice 18 and the outlet orifice 20 of the spray head device 10). In various embodiments, the residence time of gas molecules may be defined as τ, where τ = ʋ / s, where ʋ is the volume of the reaction space and s is the effective volumetric pumping speed. s may be defined as the total effective pumping speed and may depend on the number of orifices in the spray head device 10 and the distance x between the inlet orifice 18 and the outlet orifice 20 of the spray head device 10. Residence time describes the time a particular gas species resides in the reaction space before being extracted through the exhaust line 26.

[0020] In some reactors 2 (both plasma and thermal etching reactors), the volume of the reaction space can be constant. For example, various embodiments disclosed in this specification provide solutions for a constant reaction space environment, as shown in Figure 7. In various embodiments, the residence time can be in the range of 0.1 ms to 10 seconds. For example, the residence time can be in the range of 0.1 ms to 1 ms, 1 ms to 10 ms, 10 ms to 1 s, 1 s to 5 s, 5 s to 10 s, or 5 s to 1 min. The spacing x can be in the range of several millimeters to several centimeters, for example, in the range of 1 mm to 5 cm, or in the range of 1 mm to 1 cm.

[0021] FIG2 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 according to various embodiments, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including a dual-spray head device 10 for dispersing and discharging gas onto a substrate 6. In some embodiments, the dual-spray head 10 has an intake manifold 11 (e.g., a conical top) for feeding into an upper part 12 of the spray head device 10. The upper part 12 may include an upper spray head plate 13 (which may include a cylindrical or disc-shaped body) and an upper air chamber 24 located below it. The upper spray head plate 13 may be disposed on a second lower part 14 of the spray head device 10. In some embodiments, the intake manifold 11 and the upper spray head plate 13 may be manufactured separately and joined by welding the two components together. In other embodiments, the intake manifold 11 and the upper spray head plate 13 may be connected together by a mechanical joint. In other embodiments, the dual-spray head 10 may be made from a single piece of material. The connection between the spray head 10 components can result in a vacuum or non-vacuum type seal. In some embodiments, a space is provided between the upper component 12 and the lower component 14 of the spray head device 10, which forms the upper spray head air chamber 24.

[0022] The inlet manifold 11 may be installed close to the upper component 12. The inlet manifold 11 may be connected to a reactant vapor source to allow reactant gases from a tank or vaporizer to flow from the inlet manifold 11 into the spray head device 10. Several channels 42 or branches may be formed within the inlet manifold 11 and may be in fluid communication with one or more gas inlet holes 18, such as through the upper gas chamber 24. Reactant vapors entering the spray head device 10 through the inlet manifold 11 may pass through channels 15 defined in the upper spray head plate 13. In some embodiments, the lower component 14 of the spray head device 10 may include an inlet (hole) 18 and an outlet (hole) or exhaust port (hole) 20. The reactant inlet hole 18 is in fluid communication with the inlet manifold gas channel 42 and the inlet port 16 through the upper gas chamber 24, and thus allows gas to flow from the spray head device 10 into the reaction chamber 3. In some embodiments, these outlets or vents 20 can draw residual gas into the spray head device 10 by applying vacuum pressure from a vacuum source such as a pump 9. As shown, a reaction chamber outlet 7 can extract gas from the reaction chamber 3 and is in fluid communication with one or more pumps 9. The outlet line 26 can be connected to one or more pumps 9, which can generate vacuum pressure to draw residues and other gases into the vent 20 of the spray head device 10 and into the reaction chamber outlet 7. The structure of the inlet 16 and outlet 26 of the spray head device 10, together with the reaction chamber outlet 7, allows the reactor 2 to have spatially unique partial pressure, residence time, and temperature for etching gases or their byproducts.

[0023] Figures 3A to 3C schematically illustrate various embodiments of an intake manifold 11 above the spray head device 10. As shown in Figure 3A, the intake manifold 11 may have a main line 40. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, gas passages 42 may branch off from the main line 40. The gas passages 42 branch off in multiple directions at multiple points from the main line 40. The main line 40 may have a slightly conical shape, wherein the inner diameter d of the main line 40 decreases toward the center of the spray head. By decreasing the inner diameter d toward the center of the spray head 10, the gas entering the spray head 10 through the inlet 16 can travel more uniformly to each passage 42. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 3C, an insert 44 is installed within the main line 40 to branch the flow path. The insert 44 impedes the flow within the main line 40, thereby causing the gas to flow more uniformly to each branch 42.

[0024] Figures 4 and 5 show that the lower component 14 of the spray head device 10 may include two plates 30, 32 defining a lower air chamber or inner air chamber 22 therebetween. Figure 5 schematically illustrates the second spray head plate 32 shown in Figure 4. In some embodiments, the lower air chamber or inner air chamber 22 shown includes hollow channels 23 forming a plurality of concentric rings on the base of the second spray head plate 32, while the first spray head plate 30 may be flat to cover the hollow channels 23. In some embodiments, inlet holes 18 formed in the second spray head plate 32 are located between the channels 23, thereby bypassing the inner air chamber 22 (or channel) and aligning with the inlet holes 18 in the first spray head plate 30. In the illustrated embodiment, outlet holes 20 are formed through the bottom of the channels 23. The channels 23 or inner air chambers 22 are connected to a pump 9, as described above. The precursor inlet 18, vent 20, hollow channel 23, and pump 9 connection 25 can be distributed in the lower part of the spray head device. For example, the pattern for the reactant inlet, vent, and hollow channel 23 shown in FIG. 5 is a circular pattern. Those skilled in the art will understand that the port pattern shown can be an incomplete pattern, and the pattern can be continuous around the entire bottom of the spray head plate. In some embodiments, the precursor inlet 18, vent 20, hollow channel 23, and pump 9 connection 25 can be arranged in similar or different ways. As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the lower part 14 of the spray head device 10 may have four connections 25 of the pump 9 at 90 degrees to each other. In other embodiments, the lower part 14 of the spray head device 10 may have four or more connections 25 of the pump 9.

[0025] FIG6 schematically illustrates a top view of the second spray head plate 32 of the lower component 14 of the spray head device 10 according to another embodiment. The second spray head plate 32 shown in FIG6 may have channels 23 shaped in any suitable manner to define the lower air chamber or inner air chamber 22. These channels 23 may adopt several different shapes and patterns. For example, the hollow channels 23 may be configured with a serrated or labyrinth pattern as shown in FIG6. In some embodiments, the second spray head plate 32 may include a plurality of channels 23, each channel 23 having a different or different shape. Inlet holes 18 may be formed on the outside of these channels 23, and exhaust holes 20 may form fluid communication with these channels 23, which are connected to one or more pumps 9.

[0026] Figure 7 schematically illustrates a reactor 2 having a dual-spray head device 10 and a movable base plate 50 as described above. The movable base 50 can create a reactor 2 with a dynamic reaction space. A dynamic reaction space can include adjusting the distance between the movable base plate 50 and the spray head device 10. For example, if desired, the reaction space can be periodically changed for each cycle, each half-cycle, or at any time. The movable base plate 50 can be adjusted by an external actuation drive unit 52. The external actuation drive unit 52 may include an analog or digital motor and can be mechanically and electrically connected to the movable base plate 50, thereby allowing the external actuation drive unit 52 to adjust (e.g., up and down) the movable base plate 50. When an external actuation drive unit 52 is connected to the device 1, the gap between the wafer 6 and the spray head device 10 (or top plate, in the case of a cross-flow reactor) can be changed over time if desired. In some embodiments, the movable base plate 50 is movable within a range of 1 mm to 200 mm; within a range of 2 mm to 100 mm; within a range of 2 mm to 50 mm; or within a range of 3 mm to 30 mm. In some embodiments, the base plate is movable within a range of 0.1 mm to 50 mm; within a range of 0.1 mm to 30 mm; or within a range of 0.1 mm to 20 mm. In some embodiments, the external actuation driver 52 is capable of rotating the movable base plate 50. In various embodiments, a control system electrically connected to the motor driver is configured to adjust the distance between the movable base plate 50 and the spray head device 10 during etching.

[0027] The control system can also be configured to control the process used in the device 1. In one example of operation utilizing both injection and venting via the top-mounted spray head device 10, the reactant (e.g., etchant) and venting processes can be pulsed or alternately performed in a process for dynamic pressure control. Thus, the reactant dose can be divided into multiple short pulses, which can improve the distribution of reactant molecules in the reaction chamber, thereby promoting rapid gas diffusion across the entire substrate by diffusion and / or pressure gradient during each reactant or blow-off pulse. For the reactant, the on and off phases can be repeated at least twice. Thus, the pressure in the reaction space oscillates rapidly between low and high pressure levels. During the on phase, the pressure gradient generated in the reaction space effectively pushes precursor molecules to all areas of the reaction space, while during the off phase, the pressure gradient generated in the reaction space pushes gaseous reaction byproducts away from the surface of the reaction space to the vent. If a conventional, relatively long pulse (e.g., 1 second) is released into the reaction chamber 3, the pressure will be equalized, resulting in the loss of dynamic diffusion effect, and the main part of the airflow tends to flow directly to the vent. When several short pulses are released (e.g., 3 times in 0.3 seconds), a more uniform distribution is achieved over a similar time period.

[0028] Local pressure gradients enhance gas exchange in the reaction space and enhance molecular exchange between the substrate surface and the gas phase in the reaction space. It has been found that multiple pulses of the same gas in each step, whether a blow-through step or a reactant step, are particularly advantageous when processing (e.g., etching) wafers with high aspect ratio characteristics (such as deep, narrow trenches or vias in semiconductor substrates). Therefore, processes with consecutive multiple pulses of the same vapor followed by pressure oscillations are particularly advantageous for etching surfaces including vias and trenches with aspect ratios greater than 20:1, and more particularly greater than 40:1. Compared to a single long pulse, pressure oscillations can achieve a more uniform distribution and / or coverage of the surface within these vias and trenches in a shorter time. This reduces the overall process time (or the cycle time of a cyclic process).

[0029] An example of an etching process will now be described. During the exposure of precursor A, the gap between the wafer 6 and the spray head device 10 can be approximately 3 mm and can be optimized for delivering reactant A. During blow-drying, the gap between the wafer 6 and the spray head device 10 can therefore be adjusted. During the exposure time of reactant B, the gap for delivering reactant B can be appropriately adjusted. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments provide flexibility for each step of the process. The apparatus described in this specification can be used in etching processes, including plasma etching processes. For plasma processes, the plasma sheath width, ion bombardment, residence time, plasma density, etc., can be adjusted and optimized for any step of the process.

[0030] Although certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In fact, the novel methods and systems described herein can be implemented in many other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made to the systems and methods described herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The claims and their equivalents following this document are intended to cover such forms or modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined only by reference to the claims following this document.

[0031] Unless incompatible, features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in connection with a particular pattern, embodiment, or example should be understood to be applicable to any other pattern, embodiment, or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification. Except that at least some combinations of this feature and / or step are mutually exclusive, all features disclosed in this specification (including any claims, abstracts, and brief descriptions of the drawings following this document) and / or all steps of any method or process so disclosed may be combined in any combination. This protection is not limited to the details of any of the foregoing embodiments. This protection extends to any novel one or any novel combination of features disclosed in this specification (including any claims, abstracts, and brief descriptions of the drawings following this document) or any novel one or any novel combination of steps of any method or process so disclosed.

[0032] Furthermore, in individual embodiments, certain features described in this invention may also be implemented in combination of individual embodiments. Conversely, the various features described in individual embodiments may also be implemented in multiple embodiments or in any suitable subordinate combination. In addition, although the foregoing features may be described as being implemented in certain combinations, in some cases, one or more features in the claimed combination may be removed from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a sub-combination or a variation of the sub-combination.

[0033] Furthermore, although multiple operations may be described in a specific order in the drawings or specification, it is not necessarily required to perform these operations or all operations in the specific order or sequence shown to obtain the desired result. Other operations not described or described may be incorporated into the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations may be performed before, after, simultaneously with, or between any of the operations. In addition, in other embodiments, operations may be reconfigured or reordered. Those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the illustrative and / or disclosed processes may differ from the steps shown in the drawings. As required by implementation, some of the foregoing steps may be removed, or other steps may be added. Furthermore, the features and properties of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form other embodiments, all of which are within the scope of this invention. In addition, the separation of the various system components in the foregoing implementations should not be considered as necessary in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

[0034] For the purposes of this invention, certain features, advantages, and novel characteristics are described herein. Not all of these advantages may necessarily be achieved according to any particular embodiment. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced or implemented in a manner that achieves one or a set of advantages as taught in this specification, without necessarily achieving other advantages as taught or suggested in this specification.

[0035] Unless otherwise expressly stated or understood in the context of use, conditional terms such as “can,” “may,” “can,” or “may” are generally intended to convey that certain implementations include certain features, elements, and / or steps that are not included in other implementations. Therefore, such conditional terms are generally not intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are included in any manner required in one or more implementations, or that one or more implementations necessarily include the means to determine whether such features, elements, and / or steps are included or performed in any particular implementation, with or without user input or prompting.

[0036] Unless otherwise expressly stated, connective terms such as "at least one of X, Y and Z" are understood to be generally used to convey that an item, term, etc., may be X, Y or Z. Therefore, this connective term is not generally intended to imply that some embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y and at least one of Z.

[0037] The degree terms used in this specification, such as the terms "approximately," "about," "usually," and "substantially," mean a value, quantity, or characteristic that is close to, yet still performs, the desired function or achieves the desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," "usually," and "substantially" may mean less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 1%, within 0.1%, and less than 0.01% of the declared value. As another example, in some embodiments, the terms "usually parallel" and "generally parallel" refer to a value, quantity, or characteristic that is precisely parallel to a value, quantity, or characteristic that deviates from the declared value by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degrees.

[0038] The scope of this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosure of preferred embodiments in this or other parts of this specification, but may be limited by the claims scope set forth in this or other parts of this specification or hereinafter. The language used in the claims scope will be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the claims scope, and is not limited to the examples described in this specification or during the execution of this application, which should be considered non-exclusive. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0007] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of several embodiments, which are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. FIG1 schematically illustrates a reactor having a dual-spray head device according to some embodiments. FIG2 schematically illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a dual-spray head device according to some embodiments. FIG3A schematically illustrates an air inlet for a spray head device according to one of some embodiments. FIG3B schematically illustrates a schematic three-dimensional perspective view of the air inlet shown in FIG3A. FIG3C schematically illustrates the air inlet shown in FIG3A including an insert. FIG4 schematically illustrates a schematic side cross-sectional view of a portion of a dual-spray head device according to some embodiments. FIG5 schematically illustrates a top view of a second spray head plate of the lower part of the spray head device shown in FIG4 according to some embodiments. FIG6 schematically illustrates a top view of a second spray head plate according to some embodiments. FIG7 schematically illustrates a reactor having a dual spray head and a movable base according to some embodiments.

Claims

1. A semiconductor process apparatus for etching, comprising: A reaction chamber and a first exhaust port configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber; A device connected to and configured to deliver reactant vapor to the reaction chamber, the device comprising: an inlet configured to supply the reactant vapor to the device; a plate comprising: a plurality of inlets configured to deliver the reactant vapor to the reaction chamber; and a plurality of second exhaust ports configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber; and a plurality of pumps connected to the first exhaust port and a plurality of outlet ports, the pumps being configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber through the first exhaust port and the outlet ports at a plurality of pump speeds, and the pumps being configured to regulate the pump speeds; wherein the ratio of the pump speed of the gas through the outlet ports to the pump speed of the gas through the first exhaust port in the reaction chamber is in the range of 100:1 to 1:

100.

2. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a base facing the device within the reaction chamber.

3. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a motor driver connected to the base, the motor driver being configured to adjust the distance between the base and the device.

4. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a control system electrically connected to the motor drive, the control system being configured to adjust the distance between the base and the device during etching.

5. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control system configured to deliver etching reactants from an etching reactant source to the reaction chamber.

6. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an inlet manifold disposed between the air inlet and an air chamber.

7. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump speeds vary from 25 m³ / h to 5000 m³ / h.

8. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a spray head device.

9. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet includes a plurality of branch inlet lines for supplying the reactant vapor to the device.

10. A method for etching a layer, performed in a semiconductor process apparatus for etching as described in claim 1, comprising: A substrate is provided into the reaction chamber, the substrate including an etchable layer on one surface of the substrate; And to provide the reactant vapor into the reaction chamber to etch the surface.

11. The method for etching a layer as described in claim 10, further comprising conveying the reactant vapor to the reaction chamber through a plurality of distributed inlet orifices in the device.

12. The method for etching a layer as described in claim 10, further comprising removing vapors from the reaction chamber through the first vent.

13. The method for etching a layer as described in claim 10, further comprising removing vapors from the reaction chamber through the second vent.

14. The method for etching a layer as claimed in claim 10, wherein providing the reactant vapor into the reaction chamber to etch the surface includes conformally providing the etching reactant to the substrate such that the etch conformality is greater than 50%.

15. The method for etching a layer as claimed in claim 10, wherein providing the reactant vapor into the reaction chamber to etch the surface includes selectively providing the etching reactant to the substrate such that the etching selectivity is greater than 10%.

16. A semiconductor process apparatus for etching, comprising: A reaction chamber and a first exhaust port configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber; An apparatus connected to a reaction chamber and configured to deliver reactant vapor to the reaction chamber, the apparatus comprising: an inlet configured to supply the reactant vapor to the apparatus; a plate comprising: a plurality of inlets configured to deliver the reactant vapor to the reaction chamber; and a plurality of second exhaust ports configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber; a plurality of pumps connected to the first exhaust port and a plurality of outlet ports, the pumps being configured to remove vapor from the reaction chamber through the first exhaust port and the outlet ports at a plurality of pump speeds, and the pumps being configured to regulate the pump speeds; and a control system configured to deliver etch reactant from an etch reactant source to the reaction chamber; wherein the control system is further configured to: conformally provide the etch reactant to a substrate such that the etch conformality is greater than 50%; or selectively provide the etch reactant to the substrate such that the etch selectivity is greater than 10%.

17. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 16, wherein the ratio of the pump speed of the gas through the outlet holes to the pump speed of the gas through the first exhaust port in the reaction chamber is in the range of 100:1 to 1:

100.

18. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pump speeds vary from 25 m³ / h to 5000 m³ / h.

19. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as described in claim 16, wherein the device is a spray head device.

20. The semiconductor process apparatus for etching as claimed in claim 16, wherein the inlet includes a plurality of branch inlet lines for delivering the reactant vapor to the device.

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