Plasma source assembly, operation method thereof and substrate processing device

Abstract

A plasma source assembly according to one aspect of the present invention may comprise: a reaction body including a plurality of body portions in which respective gas diffusion spaces are formed, and a plurality of insulating portions coupled between the plurality of body portions, the gas diffusion spaces collectively forming a toroidal channel; a plurality of magnetic cores arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the toroidal channel while surrounding the respective body portions; a plurality of windings which are arranged to wind the plurality of magnetic cores and which induce the magnetic force inside the plurality of magnetic cores through power supplied from a power supply unit; at least one switch connected between the reaction body and a ground unit; and a control unit for controlling the at least one switch in order to remove residual charge of the reaction body.

Description

Plasma source assembly, method of operation thereof, and substrate processing apparatus

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more specifically, to a plasma source assembly and a substrate processing apparatus using the same.

[0002] In a substrate processing apparatus for forming semiconductor devices, an apparatus and process are being studied in which activated reactants, such as radicals, are supplied into the process chamber using a plasma source assembly located outside the process chamber, such as a remote plasma generator, rather than directly forming plasma within the process chamber. By using a remote plasma generator in this manner, desired reactants can be generated and supplied to the process chamber, and since direct plasma formation within the process chamber is avoided, plasma damage to the substrate can be prevented.

[0003] Furthermore, in order to reduce the path of radicals generated from a remote plasma generator being supplied onto a substrate, a structure is being studied in which a plasma source assembly is coupled to a gas injection part of a process chamber. According to this structure, the process efficiency can be increased by increasing the activity ratio of radicals supplied from the plasma source assembly onto the substrate.

[0004] However, the aforementioned remote plasma generator or plasma source assembly is designed to use power under limited conditions, and if there is residual charge inside, there is a problem in that plasma ignition failure occurs frequently.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems, and one technical objective according to the present invention is to provide a plasma source assembly capable of increasing the plasma ignition success rate, a method of operation thereof, and a substrate processing apparatus.

[0006] However, these tasks are exemplary and do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0007] A plasma source assembly according to one aspect of the present invention for solving a technical problem according to the present invention may include a reaction body comprising a plurality of body portions each having gas diffusion spaces formed therein and a plurality of insulating portions coupled between the plurality of body portions so as to communicate with each other, wherein the gas diffusion spaces within the plurality of body portions collectively form a toroidal channel; a plurality of magnetic cores spaced apart from each other along the toroidal channel while surrounding each of the plurality of body portions; a plurality of windings arranged to wind the plurality of magnetic cores and inducing magnetic force within the plurality of magnetic cores through power supplied from a power source; at least one switch connected between the reaction body and a ground portion; and a control unit that controls the at least one switch to remove residual charge of the reaction body.

[0008] According to the above plasma source assembly, at least one discharge resistor may be included, each connected in series with at least one switch between the reaction body and the ground portion.

[0009] According to the above plasma source assembly, the at least one switch includes a plurality of switches each connected to the plurality of body parts, and the control unit can control the plurality of switches to remove the residual charge of each of the plurality of body parts.

[0010] According to the above plasma source assembly, it may include a plurality of discharge resistors each connected in series with the plurality of switches between the plurality of body parts and the ground part.

[0011] According to the above plasma source assembly, the plurality of switches are connected in parallel with each other, and a discharge resistor can be connected in series between the parallel connection structure of the plurality of switches and the ground portion.

[0012] According to the plasma source assembly, the plurality of body parts include a plurality of series switches each connected between the ends of two adjacent body parts so that the plurality of body parts are electrically connected or electrically disconnected by bypassing the plurality of insulating parts, and the at least one switch may be directly connected to one of the plurality of body parts.

[0013] According to the above plasma source assembly, the control unit can perform an operation to remove residual charge of the reaction body by turning on at least one switch when the plasma ignition operation using the plurality of windings fails.

[0014] According to the above plasma source assembly, the control unit includes a charge measuring unit for measuring a residual charge within the reaction body, and when the plasma ignition operation fails, the control unit performs a residual charge measuring operation by using the charge measuring unit to measure the residual charge within the reaction body, and can perform an operation to remove the residual charge of the reaction body by turning on at least one switch until the residual charge within the reaction body is removed.

[0015] According to the above plasma source assembly, it includes a gas discharge plate having a plurality of gas discharge holes formed therein, and an insulating member interposed between the reaction body and the gas discharge plate, and the gas discharge plate can be electrically connected to the ground portion.

[0016] A method of operating a plasma source assembly according to another aspect of the present invention for solving a technical problem according to the present invention may include the steps of: attempting plasma ignition in the toroidal channel by applying an ignition voltage to at least one of the plurality of windings; determining whether the plasma ignition in the toroidal channel is successful; and, if the plasma ignition in the toroidal channel fails more than a predetermined number of times, turning on at least one switch to remove residual charge in the reaction body.

[0017] According to the method of operation of the above plasma source assembly, the plasma source assembly includes at least one discharge resistor connected in series with at least one switch between the reaction body and the ground portion, and in the step of removing, residual charge within the reaction body can be discharged to the ground portion through the at least one discharge resistor.

[0018] According to the method of operation of the above plasma source assembly, in the removal step, the residual charge in the reaction body can be measured through a charge measuring unit, and the operation of removing the residual charge in the reaction body can be performed by turning on at least one switch until the residual charge in the reaction body is removed.

[0019] According to the method of operation of the above plasma source assembly, in the removal step, the residual charge measuring unit measures the voltage across the at least one discharge resistor, and the at least one switch can be turned on until the voltage becomes zero.

[0020] A substrate processing device according to another aspect of the present invention for solving one technical problem according to the present invention may include a process chamber having a reaction space formed therein, a substrate support member coupled to the lower part of the process chamber to support a substrate within the reaction space, a plasma source assembly coupled to the upper part of the process chamber, and a gas injection member having a gas injection plate formed opposite to the substrate support member and disposed below the plasma source assembly to inject a process gas activated by the plasma source assembly onto the substrate support member.

[0021] According to the above substrate processing apparatus, the plasma source assembly comprises: a gas discharge plate having a plurality of gas discharge holes formed therein; and an insulating member interposed between the reaction body and the gas discharge plate, wherein the gas discharge plate is coupled to a part of the process chamber, the process chamber is electrically connected to the ground portion, and the gas discharge plate can be electrically connected to the ground portion through the process chamber.

[0022] According to the above substrate processing device, the plasma source assembly includes a plurality of gas exhaust plates, each having a plurality of gas exhaust holes formed therein and each coupled to the plurality of body portions. In the plasma source assembly, the plurality of gas exhaust plates are coupled to a part of the process chamber via an insulating member, and the process chamber can be electrically connected to the ground portion.

[0023] According to some embodiments of the present invention as described above, the plasma source assembly, the method of operation thereof, and the substrate processing apparatus can increase the success rate of plasma ignition by removing residual charge within the reaction body. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by this effect.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a plasma source assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the plasma source assembly of Figure 1.

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing power transfer in the plasma source assembly of Figure 1.

[0027] FIGS. 4 to 6 are partially cut-off perspective views showing a plasma source assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8 are schematic drawings partially showing a plasma source assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 9 is a schematic equivalent circuit diagram of the plasma source assemblies of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. FIG. 10 to 12 are schematic diagrams showing plasma source assemblies according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a method of operation of a plasma source assembly according to some embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] Hereinafter, several preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0033] The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the invention to those skilled in the art, and the following embodiments may be modified in various different forms, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0034] In addition, the thickness or size of each layer in the drawings is exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation. Furthermore, embodiments of the concept of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to specific shapes of the areas depicted in this specification, and should include, for example, variations in shape resulting from manufacturing.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a plasma source assembly (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the plasma source assembly (200) of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing power transfer in the plasma source assembly (200) of FIG. 1.

[0036] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the plasma source assembly (200) may include a reaction body (210), a plurality of magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c), and a plurality of windings (224a, 224b, 224c).

[0037] The reaction body (210) may include a plurality of body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) and a plurality of insulating portions (216a, 216b, 216c). Gas diffusion spaces (214a, 214b, 214c) may each be formed within the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c). More specifically, the body portion (212a) may have a gas diffusion space (214a) formed within it, the body portion (212b) may have a gas diffusion space (214b) formed within it, and the body portion (212c) may have a gas diffusion space (214c) formed within it. The cross-sectional shape of the gas diffusion spaces (214a, 214b, 214c) may have various shapes, such as a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon.

[0038] In some embodiments, the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) may be formed by coating an insulating material onto a conductive material. For example, the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) may be formed by coating an insulating material, such as a metal oxide, a metal nitride, etc., onto a metal.

[0039] Insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may be joined between body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). Insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may be interposed between the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) so that they are spaced apart from each other and are not directly electrically connected. For example, the insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may have a flow path formed therein so that gas diffusion spaces (214a, 214b, 214c) within the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) communicate with each other. The insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may be formed of a suitable insulating material, such as an oxide, a nitride, a polymer resin, etc. Optionally, the insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may be referred to as the first insulating part (216a), the second insulating part (216b), and the third insulating part (216c) for convenience.

[0040] In some embodiments, in the reaction body (210), gas diffusion spaces (214a, 214b, 214c) may form an annular toroidal channel (214) overall. More specifically, the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) may be formed to correspond to structures that divide the overall shape of the toroidal channel (214) so ​​as to define the toroidal channel (214) overall. For example, if the toroidal channel (214) is formed in a donut shape overall, the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) may be formed to correspond to structures that divide this donut shape into multiple parts.

[0041] In some embodiments, the reaction body (210) may be formed with a gas inlet (2123) for introducing gas into a toroidal channel (214) and an opening (2124) for discharging gas.

[0042] Magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) may be spaced apart from each other along the toroidal channel (214) while each surrounding the reaction body (210). For example, magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) may each surround the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c). More specifically, magnetic core (220a) may be positioned to surround the outer surface of the body portion (212a), magnetic core (220b) may be positioned to surround the outer surface of the body portion (212b), and magnetic core (220c) may be positioned to surround the outer surface of the body portion (212c). For example, the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) may include a magnetic material, such as a ferrite material.

[0043] In some embodiments, each of the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) may be formed as a single closed structure or may have a structure in which a plurality of divided parts are combined.

[0044] The windings (224a, 224b, 224c) may be arranged to wind magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c). For example, the winding (224a) may be arranged to wind the magnetic core (220a), the winding (224b) may be arranged to wind the magnetic core (220b), and the winding (224c) may be arranged to wind the magnetic core (220c).

[0045] The windings (224a, 224b, 224c) can induce a magnetic force within the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) through power supplied from the power supply unit (230). For example, when the windings (224a, 224b, 224c) are wound in the width direction of the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c), when power is applied to the windings (224a, 224b, 224c), a magnetic force can be induced along the circumferential direction within the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c).

[0046] The power supply unit (230) may include a power supply device and may supply RF power to windings (224a, 224b, 224c) through a resonant circuit unit, etc. (not shown). For example, the power supply unit (230) may include a switching mode power supply (SMPS). Furthermore, the power supply unit (230) may include a full bridge or half bridge switching circuit for DC-AC conversion. The resonant circuit may include an LCC, etc.

[0047] In the plasma source assembly (200), the number of body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) is illustrated by example and can be selected as two or more. Furthermore, depending on the number of body parts (212a, 212b, 212c), the number of magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c), windings (224a, 224b, 224c), and insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may be varied.

[0048] In some embodiments, the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) may each include first body portions (2121a, 2121b, 2121c) and second body portions (2122a, 2122b, 2122c). For example, the body portion (212a) may include a first body portion (2121a) and a second body portion (2122a) joined together, the body portion (212b) may include a first body portion (2121b) and a second body portion (2122b) joined together, and the body portion (212c) may include a first body portion (2121c) and a second body portion (2122c) joined together.

[0049] For example, the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c) may have a first length and a second width, and the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c) may have a second length and a second width. The first length may be greater than the second length, and the first width may be greater than the second width. For example, the first length may be at least three times greater than the second length, and the first width may be 1.1 to 1.4 times greater than the second width. Here, length refers to the circumferential length of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c) or the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c), e.g., the length of an arc, and width may refer to the cross-sectional length of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c) or the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c), e.g., the diameter.

[0050] Flanges (2126, 2127) may be formed on both ends of the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c). For example, one side of each of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c) may be connected to the flanges (2127) on one side of the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c), and insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c) may be connected to the flanges (2126) on the other side of the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c) and the other side of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c). The magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) may be arranged to surround the second body parts (2122a, 2122b, 2122c).

[0051] In some embodiments, additional flanges (not shown) may also be added between the insulating portions (216a, 216b, 216c) and the first body portions (2121a, 2121b, 2121c).

[0052] In some embodiments, at least one gas inlet (2123) is formed on the upper surface (A1) of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c), and at least one opening (2124) may be formed on the lower surface (A2) of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c). Gas introduced into the toroidal channel (214) through the gas inlet (2123) can be activated by plasma and discharged to the lower part of the plasma source assembly (200) through the opening (2124). For example, the opening (2124) may be formed in the shape of a slit and may be formed on the lower surface (A2) of each of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c).

[0053] In some embodiments, the gas inlet (2123) may be formed on the side of the first body parts (2121a, 2121b, 2121c).

[0054] In some embodiments, a cooling inlet (H1) for the inflow of a cooling medium and a cooling outlet (H2) for the outflow of a cooling medium may be formed within at least a portion of each of the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). A cooling line (not shown) connected to the cooling inlet (H1) and the cooling outlet (H2) may be formed inside the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). The cooling medium may be circulated through the cooling lines, thereby cooling the reaction body (210). For example, the cooling medium may include cooling water.

[0055] According to the plasma source assembly (200), when power is applied from the power supply (230) to the windings (224a, 224b, 224c), a magnetic force is induced in the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c), and a current can be induced in the toroidal channel (214) penetrating the interior of the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) by this induced magnetic force. By this current, a gas within the toroidal channel (214) can be activated to form a plasma atmosphere.

[0056] In the plasma source assembly (200), a structure in which a magnetic force is induced in the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) from the current flowing through the windings (224a, 224b, 224c), and a current is induced in the toroidal channel (214) by this induced magnetic force, can correspond to the principle of a transformer. In this respect, the plasma source assembly (200) may be called a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) device or a magnetic induction plasma device.

[0057] In the transformer structure, the windings (224a, 224b, 224c) can function as primary coils, and the toroidal channel (214) defined by the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) can function as secondary coils. In this respect, the windings (224a, 224b, 224c) can be referred to as primary coils or primary windings, and the current flowing through the windings (224a, 224b, 224c) can be referred to as primary current. Furthermore, the current induced within the toroidal channel (214) may be referred to as secondary current. The plasma source assembly (200) can form a plasma atmosphere within the reaction body (210) using this secondary current.

[0058] In some embodiments, the plasma source assembly (200) may simply be called a plasma source, a plasma generator, a plasma reactor, a remote plasma generator, etc.

[0059] FIGS. 4 to 6 are schematic cross-sectional views showing a plasma source assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 4, the plasma source assembly (3000) may further include a gas discharge plate (7000) in the structure of the aforementioned plasma source assembly (200).

[0061] A plurality of gas discharge holes (7100) may be formed in the gas discharge plate (7000). The gas discharge holes (7100) are hole structures penetrating the gas discharge plate (7000) and may be formed in shapes such as cylinders, cones, or pyramids. For example, the gas discharge holes (7100) may be formed in the gas discharge plate (7000) so as to be aligned with the opening (2124) so ​​that the gas discharge holes (7100) communicate with the opening (2124) of the reaction body (210).

[0062] In this way, by combining the gas discharge plate (7000), the activated process gas generated in the reaction body (210) can be discharged downward through the opening (2124) and sprayed through the gas discharge plate (7000), and conversely, the inflow of particles, etc. into the reaction body (210) from outside the gas discharge plate (7000) can be suppressed.

[0063] For convenience, the structure corresponding to the plasma source assembly (200) is referred to as the plasma source (3100) below.

[0064] In some embodiments, an insulating member (3170) may be interposed between the plasma source (3100) and the gas exhaust plate (7000) to electrically insulate the two. For example, the reaction body (210) may be coupled to the gas exhaust plate (7000) with the insulating member (3170) interposed therein.

[0065] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, plasma source assemblies (3000a, 3000b) may each include a gas discharge plate (7000), a first plasma source (3200), and a second plasma source (3100).

[0066] The second plasma source (3100) may have substantially the same structure as the aforementioned plasma source assembly (200), and thus the configuration and description of the plasma source assembly (200) may be referenced. The first plasma source (3200) may have a structure similar to the aforementioned plasma source assembly (200), but some configurations may be modified from the plasma source assembly (200) in that its diameter is smaller. For example, in the first plasma source (3200), the reaction body (210) may be composed of one or two pieces rather than three pieces, and accordingly, one or two magnetic cores may also be provided.

[0067] The first plasma source (3200) may be provided with a first opening (2124a) through which process gas activated through the first plasma source (3200) is discharged, and the second plasma source (3100) may be provided with a second opening (2124b) through which process gas activated through the second plasma source (3100) is discharged. For the first opening (2124a) and the second opening (2124b), refer to the description of the opening (2124) of the plasma source assembly (200).

[0068] The first plasma source (3200) and the second plasma source (3100) can each be coupled to the gas exhaust plate (7000). For example, the second plasma source (3100) can be coupled to the gas exhaust plate (7000) on the outside of the first plasma source (3200). More specifically, the first plasma source (3200) can be coupled to the inside of the gas exhaust plate (7000), and the second plasma source (3100) can be coupled to the outside of the gas exhaust plate (7000) to surround the first plasma source (3200).

[0069] In some embodiments, the gas exhaust plate (7000) may include a first gas exhaust plate (7000a) to which a first plasma source (3200) is coupled and a second gas exhaust plate (7000b) to which a second plasma source (3100) is coupled. For example, the first gas exhaust plate (7000a) may refer to an inner portion of the gas exhaust plate (7000), and the second gas exhaust plate (7000b) may refer to an outer portion of the gas exhaust plate (7000). An insulating member (3270) may be interposed between the first gas exhaust plate (7000a) and the first plasma source (3200), and an insulating member (3170) may be interposed between the second gas exhaust plate (7000b) and the second plasma source (3100).

[0070] The insulating members (3170, 3270) may be formed of various insulating materials and may be referred to as insulating plates. Additionally, the insulating members (3170, 3270) may be connected to each other to form a single insulating plate.

[0071] Process gas activated from the first plasma source (3200) can be supplied to the first gas discharge plate (7000) through the first opening (2124a), and process gas activated from the second plasma source (3100) can be supplied to the second gas discharge plate (7000b) through the second opening (2124b).

[0072] In this way, a plurality of plasma sources, such as a first plasma source (3200) and a second plasma source (3100), are arranged on a gas discharge plate (7000), thereby allowing the discharge amount of activated process gas, such as radicals, to be controlled by region. For example, the amount of radicals discharged from the first plasma source (3200) and the second plasma source (3100) can be controlled according to the size and shape of the first opening (2124a) and the second opening (2124b).

[0073] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in a plasma source assembly (3000a), the first opening (2124a) of the first plasma source (3200) and the second opening (2124b) of the second plasma source (3100) may be arranged at the same height, and the first gas exhaust plate (7000a) and the second gas exhaust plate (7000b) may be formed integrally on the same plane. In this case, process gas controlled by region can be supplied through the gas exhaust plate (7000) by controlling the process gas supply conditions and / or plasma generation conditions of the first plasma source (3200) and the second plasma source (3100).

[0074] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 6, in the plasma source assembly (3000b), the first gas exhaust plate (7000a) and the second gas exhaust plate (7000b) may be joined to each other at different heights so that the heights of the first opening (2124a) and the second opening (2124b) are positioned at different heights. For example, the gas exhaust plate (7000) may be formed with a stepped structure. Through this structure, the process gas supplied from the inner side of the gas exhaust plate (7000), i.e., the first gas exhaust plate (7000a), may be dispersed relatively far, and the process gas supplied from the outer side, i.e., the second gas exhaust plate (7000b), may be dispersed relatively little. The first gas discharge plate (7000a) and the second gas discharge plate (7000b) can be formed separately and then combined, or formed integrally and then undergo processing such as bending to form the gas discharge plate (7000).

[0075] For example, the first gas exhaust plate (7000a) may be positioned higher than the second gas exhaust plate (7000b) so that the first opening (2124a) in the plasma source assembly (3000b) is positioned higher than the second opening (2124b). In this case, the supply density of the process gas on the outside of the gas exhaust plate (7000) may be higher than on the inside.

[0076] Plasma source assemblies (3000, 3000a, 3000b) can utilize the advantages of the plasma source assembly (200) by using the plasma source assembly (200). Furthermore, the plasma source assemblies (3000, 3000a, 3000b) can adjust the emitted plasma density by changing the arrangement of the first plasma source (3200) and the second plasma source (3100).

[0077] The aforementioned plasma source assemblies (3000, 3000a, 3000b) refer to a structure in which plasma sources (3100, 3200) are combined with a gas discharge plate (7000), but are not limited to these terms, and plasma sources and plasma source assemblies are not distinguished and may all be referred to as plasma sources or all as plasma source assemblies.

[0078] FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic drawings partially showing plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2) according to some embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a schematic equivalent circuit diagram of plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2).

[0079] Referring to FIG. 7, the plasma source assembly (3000-1) can be understood as having some configuration modified or added to the plasma source assembly (3000). The plasma source assembly (3000-1) may further include at least one switch (SW1) and a control unit (250) for controlling it in addition to the plasma source assembly (3000).

[0080] A switch (SW1) can be connected between the reaction body (210) and the grounding part (GD). For example, a gas discharge plate (7000) can be electrically connected to the grounding part (GD). For example, the gas discharge plate (7000) can be directly connected to the grounding part (GD) or indirectly connected to the grounding part (GD) through another member connected to the grounding part (GD). The switch (SW1) can serve to connect or disconnect the reaction body (210) from the grounding part (GD).

[0081] The control unit (250) can control the turn-on and turn-off of the switch (SW1). For example, when the switch (SW1) is turned on by the control unit (250), the reaction body (210) is electrically connected to the grounding unit (GD), and when the switch (SW1) is turned off by the control unit (250), the connection between the reaction body (210) and the grounding unit (GD) is cut off, so that the reaction body (210) can be floated.

[0082] The switch (SW1) may be equipped with various structures capable of controlling the electrical connection to turn on or off. For example, the switch (SW1) may include a transistor in which an electrical channel is formed according to a control signal.

[0083] FIG. 7 illustrates, by way of example, that a switch (SW1) is connected between the body part (212b) and the gas discharge plate (7000). The number and method of connection of the switch (SW1) can be appropriately selected according to the structure of the reaction body (210).

[0084] When the operation of the plasma source assembly (3000-1) is repeated several times, residual charge may accumulate in the reaction body (210). This residual charge may interfere with the ignition operation by reducing the strength of the electric field during the operation of the plasma source assembly (3000-1), such as during the ignition operation. In FIG. 9, the residual charge within the reaction body (210) is indicated as capacitance (C0).

[0085] When it is necessary to remove residual charge within the reaction body (210), the control unit (250) can turn on the switch (SW1) to connect the reaction body (210) to the ground unit (GD) and allow a discharge current to flow to remove residual charge within the reaction body (210).

[0086] In some embodiments, at least one discharge resistor (R d) can be added in series with a switch (SW1) between the reaction body (210) and the ground part (GD). Accordingly, the discharge current due to residual charge is discharged by the discharge resistor (R d It can flow to the ground (GD) through ).

[0087] In some embodiments, a charge measuring unit (245) may be added to measure residual charge within the reaction body (210). The charge measuring unit (245) has a discharge resistance (R d Current flowing through ) or discharge resistance (R d The amount of residual charge can be calculated by measuring the voltage applied to ). For example, the charge measuring unit (245) is a discharge resistor (R d To measure the voltage across the discharge resistor (R d It may include a voltmeter connected to the front end of the. This charge measuring unit (245) may be connected at all times or selectively connected only when voltage measurement is required.

[0088] In some embodiments, the control unit (250) can turn on the switch (SW1) to remove residual charge of the reaction body (210) when the plasma ignition operation using the windings (224a, 224b, 224c) fails.

[0089] In some embodiments, the control unit (250) may perform a residual charge measurement operation by using the charge measuring unit (245) to measure the residual charge in the reaction body (210) when the plasma ignition operation fails, and may perform an operation to remove the residual charge in the reaction body (210) by turning on the switch (SW1) until the residual charge in the reaction body (210) is removed.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 8, in the plasma source assembly (3000-2), the gas exhaust plate (7000) may be understood to include a plurality of gas exhaust plates (7000c), each having a plurality of gas exhaust holes (7100 in FIG. 4) formed therein. The gas exhaust plates (7000c) may be coupled to the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) respectively. For example, the gas exhaust plates (7000c) may be coupled to the lower surface of the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c) so that these gas exhaust holes (7100) communicate with the opening (2124 in FIG. 2) of the body portions (212a, 212b, 212c). For example, the gas discharge plates (7000c) can be directly connected to the lower surface of the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c).

[0091] If the gas exhaust plates (7000c) are formed of a conductive material, the gas exhaust plates (7000c) and the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) can be electrically connected. In this case, when the plasma source assembly (3000-2) is coupled to a substrate processing device (see 5000a in FIG. 14), the gas exhaust plates (7000c) can be coupled to a part of the process chamber (1100) via an insulating member (3170). The insulating member (3170) can serve to insulate between the reaction body (210) and the process chamber (1100).

[0092] At least one discharge resistor (R d ) can be added in series with a switch (SW1) between the reaction body (210) and the process chamber (1000). At least a portion of the process chamber (1000) can be electrically connected to the ground portion (GD). Accordingly, the discharge current due to residual charge is discharged by the discharge resistor (R dIt can flow through the process chamber (1000) to the grounding section (GD). Furthermore, a charge measuring section (245) may be added to measure the residual charge within the reaction body (210). For the operation of the control section (250) to perform residual charge measurement using the charge measuring section (245) and residual charge removal operation using the switch (SW1), refer to the description of FIG. 7 above.

[0093] In this way, by removing residual charge within the reaction body (210) in the plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2), plasma ignition failure caused by residual charge during plasma ignition operation in the toroidal channel (214) can be reduced or prevented, thereby increasing the plasma ignition success rate.

[0094] Below, the connection between the switch (SW1) and the reaction body (210) will be explained in more detail.

[0095] FIGS. 10 to 12 are schematic diagrams showing plasma source assemblies (200a, 200b, 200c) according to some embodiments of the present invention. The plasma source assemblies (200a, 200b, 200c) are variations of the plasma source assembly (200) of FIG. 1 with some configurations added or modified, and since the embodiments can be referenced to one another, redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 10, according to the plasma source assembly (200a), a plurality of switches (SW1) can be connected to body portions (212a, 212b, 212c), respectively. The switches (SW1) can be connected to each other in parallel and connected to a ground portion (GD). A discharge resistor (R d) can be connected in series with a parallel connection structure of switches (SW1) between the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) and the ground part (GD). Since the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) are insulated from each other by the insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c), it may be necessary to remove residual charge for each of the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c).

[0097] The switches (SW1) may be referred to as the first to third switches (SW1) for convenience. For example, the first switch (SW1) may be connected to the body part (212a), the second switch (SW1) may be connected to the body part (212b), and the third switch (SW1) may be connected to the body part (212c).

[0098] Referring to FIG. 11, according to the plasma source assembly (200b), a plurality of switches (SW1) can be connected to body portions (212a, 212b, 212c), respectively. A plurality of discharge resistors (R d ) can be connected in series with switches (SW1) between the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) and the ground part (GD), respectively.

[0099] The switches (SW1) are referred to as the first to third switches (SW1) for convenience, and the discharge resistors (R d ) are, for convenience, the first to third discharge resistors (R d It may be referred to as ). For example, between the body part (212a) and the ground part (GD), a first switch (SW1) and first discharge resistors (R d ) are connected in series, and a second switch (SW1) and second discharge resistors (R) are connected between the body part (212b) and the ground part (GD). d ) are connected in series, and a third switch (SW1) and third discharge resistors (R) are connected between the body part (212c) and the ground part (GD). d ) can be connected in series.

[0100] According to the plasma source assembly (200a, 200b), the control unit (250) can control the switches (SW1) respectively to remove the residual charge of the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). Switches (SW1), discharge resistors (R d For a description of the ) and control unit (250), further reference may be made to the description of the plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2) in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0101] In some embodiments, the control unit (250) can turn on all switches (SW1) connected to the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) to remove all residual charges within the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). In this case, the control unit (250) can control the switches (SW1) simultaneously and collectively.

[0102] In some embodiments, the control unit (250) can selectively turn on some of the switches (SW1) connected to the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) to remove residual charges from selected parts of the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). In this case, the control unit (250) can control the switches (SW1) individually.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 12, according to the plasma source assembly (200c), a plurality of serial switches (SW2) can be connected between two adjacent ends of body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) so that the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c) are electrically connected or electrically disconnected by bypassing the insulating parts (216a, 216b, 216c).

[0104] The serial switches (SW2) may be referred to as the first to third serial switches (SW2) for convenience. For example, the first serial switch (SW2) may be connected between the ends of two adjacent body parts (212a, 212b), the second serial switch (SW2) may be connected between the ends of two adjacent body parts (212b, 212c), and the third serial switch (SW2) may be connected between the ends of two adjacent body parts (212c, 212a).

[0105] Additionally, one switch (SW1) can be directly connected to one of the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c). Furthermore, the switch (SW1) is connected to the ground part (GD), and discharge resistors (R) are positioned between the switch (SW1) and the ground part (GD). d ) may be included.

[0106] The control unit (250) can control the serial switches (SW2) and the switch (SW1) to remove residual charge within the reaction body (210).

[0107] In some embodiments, when all of the series switches (SW2) are turned on, the body parts (212c, 212a) may be electrically connected in series as a whole to form a closed loop. Accordingly, even if one switch (SW1) is connected to only one of the body parts (212c, 212a), the residual charge of the reaction body (210) can be completely removed by turning on the switch (SW1).

[0108] In some embodiments, when at least two of the three series switches (SW2) are turned on, the body parts (212c, 212a) may be linearly connected in series, although they do not form a closed loop overall. Accordingly, even if one switch (SW1) is connected to only one of the body parts (212c, 212a), the residual charge of the reaction body (210) can be completely removed by turning on the switch (SW1).

[0109] Meanwhile, at least one charge measuring unit (245) may be added to the aforementioned plasma source assemblies (200a, 200b, 200c) with reference to the plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2) of FIGS. 7 and 8. For example, to measure the residual charge within the body parts (212a, 212b, 212c), switches (SW1) and discharge resistors (R d At least one charge measuring unit (245) can be combined between ).

[0110] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a method of operation of a plasma source assembly according to some embodiment of the present invention. For example, the method of operation can be described with reference to the aforementioned plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2, 200a, 200b, 200c).

[0111] Referring to FIG. 13, the method of operating plasma source assemblies (3000-1, 3000-2, 200a, 200b, 200c) may include the step (S10) of attempting plasma ignition in a toroidal channel (214) by applying an ignition voltage to at least one of the windings (224a, 224b, 224c), the step (20) of determining whether the plasma ignition in the toroidal channel (214) is successful, and the step (S32) of removing residual charge in a reaction body (210) by turning on at least one switch (SW1).

[0112] For example, in the attempting step (S10), an ignition voltage from the power supply (230) is applied to each of the windings (224a, 224b, 224c) to induce a magnetic force in the magnetic cores (220a, 220b, 220c) within the toroidal channel (214), and a current is induced within the toroidal channel (214) by this induced magnetic force, and plasma ignition can be attempted within the toroidal channel (214) by this induced current.

[0113] In the judgment step (S20), the success or failure of plasma ignition can be determined using various sensors, such as optical sensing sensors or electrical sensing sensors.

[0114] Subsequently, if it is determined that the plasma ignition is successful, a plasma maintenance step (S34) may follow. Alternatively, if it is determined that the plasma ignition has failed, a step for removing residual charge (S32) may be performed. For example, in the removal step (S32), when the switch (SW1) is turned on, the residual charge in the reaction body (210) discharges the discharge resistor (R d It can be discharged to the ground (GD) through ).

[0115] In some embodiments, the removal step (S32) may be performed when plasma ignition within the toroidal channel (214) fails more than a predetermined number of times. For example, the removal step (S32) may be performed when plasma ignition fails more than twice.

[0116] In some embodiments, in the removal step (S32), as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the residual charge in the reaction body (210) may be measured through the charge measuring unit (245), and the operation of removing the residual charge in the reaction body (210) may be performed by turning on the switch (SW1) until the residual charge in the reaction body (210) is removed. For example, in the removal step (S32), the residual charge measuring unit (245) is a discharge resistor (R d The voltage applied to the switch (SW1) is measured, and the switch (SW1) can be turned on until the measured voltage becomes 0. Accordingly, it can be ensured that all residual charge within the reaction body (210) is removed.

[0117] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a substrate processing apparatus (5000a) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 14, a substrate processing device (5000a) may include a process chamber (1000), a gas injection unit (4000), a substrate support unit (2000), and at least one plasma source assembly (3000a).

[0119] A process chamber (1000) may have a reaction space (A) formed therein. The process chamber (1000) may include a body portion (1050) with an upper opening and a top lid (1100) coupled to the body portion (105). The process chamber (1000) may be connected to a vacuum pump (1300) through an exhaust portion (1200) to form a vacuum atmosphere. Furthermore, the process chamber (1000) may include an inlet / outlet for loading a substrate (S) into or unloading it from the reaction space (A), and a gate (not shown) for opening and closing the inlet / outlet.

[0120] A gas injection unit (4000) may be coupled to the process chamber (1000) to inject process gas supplied from outside the process chamber (1000) into the reaction space (A). For example, the gas injection unit (4000) may be coupled to the upper part of the process chamber (1000) so as to face the substrate support (2000). The gas injection unit (4000) may supply process gas, such as source gas, reaction gas, inert gas, etc., onto a substrate (S) within the reaction space (A).

[0121] In some embodiments, the gas injection unit (4000) may be understood as a structure coupled to the process chamber (1000) or as a structure coupled to the top lid (1100).

[0122] The plasma source assembly (3000a) is intended to activate a process gas supplied from the outside, and the above description may be referenced. The plasma source assembly (3000a) may be coupled to the process chamber (1000) opposite to the substrate support (2000). For example, the plasma source assembly (3000a) may be coupled to the upper part of the process chamber (1000). For example, the gas injection plate (7000) of the plasma source assembly (3000a) may be coupled to the top lead (1100). The plasma source assembly (3000a) may supply the activated process gas, such as radicals, to the internal space of the gas injection unit (4000) below it.

[0123] For example, the first plasma source assembly (3200) may be positioned in a donut shape on the central portion of the top lead (1100), and the second plasma source assembly (3100) may be positioned on the edge portion of the top lead (1100) in a larger diameter donut shape surrounding the donut shape of the first plasma source assembly (3200). The first plasma source (3200) may be supplied with process gas through the first gas pipe (3280), and the second plasma source (3100) may be supplied with process gas through the second gas pipe (3180). These plasma source assemblies (3000a) enable the injection of activated process gas across the entire central and edge portions of the gas injection unit (4000).

[0124] In some embodiments, the gas injection unit (4000) may include a distribution plate (4100) for injecting an activated process gas supplied from a plasma source assembly (3000a) into a reaction space (A). A plurality of injection holes may be formed in the distribution plate (4100) in a vertical direction. Optionally, the gas injection unit (4000) may further include a middle plate, such as a blocker plate, for injecting gas between the top lead (1100) and the distribution plate (4100).

[0125] In some embodiments, the gas injection unit (4000) may further include a separate gas inlet to supply process gas into it without passing through the plasma source assembly (3000a). In this case, the gas injection unit (4000) may supply process gas activated through the plasma source assembly (3000a) and process gas that is inactive because it does not pass through the plasma source assembly (3000a) together.

[0126] A substrate support (2000) may be coupled to a process chamber (1000) to support a substrate (S) within a reaction space (A). For example, the substrate support (2000) may be installed in the process chamber (1000) opposite to a gas injection unit (4000). Furthermore, the substrate support (2000) may include a heater (not shown) for heating the substrates (S) inside it. Since the substrate support (2000) is configured to place a substrate (S) thereon, it may also be called a substrate mounting unit, a susceptor, a substrate holder, etc.

[0127] The shape of the top plate of the substrate support (2000) generally corresponds to the shape of the substrate (S), but is not limited thereto and can be provided in various shapes to stably seat the substrate (S). Furthermore, a shaft (1200) is connected to the top plate of the substrate support (2000), and the shaft (1200) can be connected to an external motor (not shown) to enable it to move up and down. Optionally, a means for maintaining airtightness, such as a bellows tube, may be connected between the shaft (1200) and the process chamber (1000).

[0128] In some embodiments, the substrate support (2000) may further include an electrostatic electrode (not shown) to apply an electrostatic force to the substrate (S) and fix it thereon. In this case, the electrostatic electrode can generate an electrostatic force using DC power.

[0129] The aforementioned substrate processing device (5000a) can be used as a thin film deposition device, such as an atomic layer deposition (ALD) device or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) device.

[0130] According to the substrate processing device (5000a), since the plasma source assembly (3000a) is directly coupled to the gas injection units (4000), the activated process gas, such as radicals, can be directly supplied to the substrate (S), thereby reducing the supply path of the radicals. Accordingly, by using the plasma source assembly (3000a), the recombination of radicals can be reduced compared to the case where a conventional remote plasma device is used, thereby increasing the supply efficiency of radicals and improving process reliability.

[0131] Meanwhile, although the substrate processing device (5000a) is illustrated with a structure using a plasma source assembly (3000a), it can be modified in various ways, for example, the plasma source assembly (3000a) may be replaced with plasma source assemblies (3000, 3000b, 3000-1, 3000-2, 200a, 200b, 200c). Accordingly, the substrate processing device (5000a) can remove residual charge through the control of the switch (SW1), thereby increasing the plasma ignition success rate.

[0132] The present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, but this is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible therefrom. Accordingly, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A reaction body comprising a plurality of body portions, each having gas diffusion spaces formed therein, and a plurality of insulating portions coupled between the plurality of body portions so that the gas diffusion spaces communicate with each other, wherein the gas diffusion spaces within the plurality of body portions collectively form a toroidal channel; A plurality of magnetic cores spaced apart from each other along the toroidal channel, each surrounding the plurality of body parts; A plurality of windings arranged to wind the plurality of magnetic cores and inducing magnetic force within the plurality of magnetic cores through power supplied from a power supply unit; At least one switch connected between the reaction body and the ground part; and A control unit comprising a control unit for controlling the at least one switch to remove the residual charge of the reaction body. Plasma source assembly.

2. In Paragraph 1, A discharge resistor including at least one discharge resistor connected to at least one switch between the reaction body and the ground portion. Plasma source assembly.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above at least one switch includes a plurality of switches each connected to the plurality of body parts, and The above control unit controls the plurality of switches to remove the residual charge of each of the plurality of body parts, Plasma source assembly.

4. In Paragraph 3, A plasma source assembly comprising a plurality of discharge resistors each connected in series with the plurality of switches between the plurality of body parts and the ground part.

5. In Paragraph 3, The above plurality of switches are connected in parallel with each other, and A discharge resistor connected in series between the parallel connection structure of the plurality of switches and the ground portion, Plasma source assembly.

6. In Paragraph 1, The plurality of body parts include a plurality of series switches each connected between the ends of two adjacent body parts so that the plurality of body parts are electrically connected or electrically disconnected by bypassing the plurality of insulation parts. The above at least one switch is directly connected to one of the plurality of body parts, Plasma source assembly.

7. In Paragraph 1, A plasma source assembly, wherein the control unit performs the operation of turning on at least one switch to remove residual charge of the reaction body when the plasma ignition operation using the plurality of windings fails.

8. In Paragraph 7, It includes a charge measuring unit for measuring residual charge within the above reaction body, and The control unit performs a residual charge measurement operation by using the charge measuring unit to measure the residual charge within the reaction body when the plasma ignition operation fails, and performs an operation to remove the residual charge within the reaction body by turning on the at least one switch until the residual charge within the reaction body is removed. Plasma source assembly.

9. In Paragraph 1, A gas discharge plate having a plurality of gas discharge holes formed therein; and It includes an insulating member interposed between the reaction body and the gas discharge plate, The above gas discharge plate is electrically connected to the ground portion, Plasma source assembly.

10. A method of operating a plasma source assembly comprising: a plurality of body portions each having gas diffusion spaces formed therein, and a plurality of insulating portions coupled between the plurality of body portions so that the gas diffusion spaces communicate with each other, wherein the gas diffusion spaces within the plurality of body portions collectively form a toroidal channel; a plurality of magnetic cores spaced apart from each other along the toroidal channel while surrounding each of the plurality of body portions; a plurality of windings arranged to wind the plurality of magnetic cores and inducing magnetic force within the plurality of magnetic cores through power supplied from a power source; and at least one switch connected between the reaction body and a ground portion. A step of attempting plasma ignition within the toroidal channel by applying an ignition voltage to at least one of the plurality of windings; A step of determining whether plasma ignition within the toroidal channel is successful; and If plasma ignition in the toroidal channel fails more than a predetermined number of times, the method comprises the step of turning on at least one switch to remove residual charge in the reaction body. Method of operation of a plasma source assembly.

11. In Paragraph 10, The plasma source assembly includes at least one discharge resistor connected in series with each of the at least one switch between the reaction body and the ground portion, and In the above removal step, the residual charge within the reaction body is discharged to the ground portion through the at least one discharge resistor. Method of operation of a plasma source assembly.

12. In Paragraph 11, In the above removal step, the residual charge in the reaction body is measured through a charge measuring unit, and the operation of removing the residual charge in the reaction body is performed by turning on at least one switch until the residual charge in the reaction body is removed. Method of operation of a plasma source assembly.

13. In Paragraph 12, In the above removal step, the residual charge measuring unit measures the voltage across the at least one discharge resistor, and the at least one switch is turned on until the voltage becomes 0. Method of operation of a plasma source assembly.

14. Process chamber with a reaction space formed inside; A substrate support member coupled to the lower part of the process chamber to support the substrate within the reaction space; A plasma source assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8 coupled to the upper part of the process chamber; and A gas injection unit comprising a gas injection plate formed opposite to the substrate support and disposed below the plasma source assembly for injecting a process gas activated by the plasma source assembly onto the substrate support, Substrate processing device.

15. In Paragraph 14, The above plasma source assembly comprises: a gas discharge plate having a plurality of gas discharge holes formed therein; and an insulating member interposed between the reaction body and the gas discharge plate. The above gas exhaust plate is coupled with a part of the process chamber, and The process chamber is electrically connected to the ground portion, and the gas discharge plate is electrically connected to the ground portion through the process chamber. Substrate processing device.

16. In Paragraph 14, The above plasma source assembly includes a plurality of gas discharge plates, each having a plurality of gas discharge holes formed therein and each coupled to the plurality of body parts. In the above plasma source assembly, the plurality of gas exhaust plates are coupled to a part of the process chamber via an insulating member, and The above process chamber is electrically connected to the ground portion, Substrate processing device.

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