Atomic layer deposition apparatus and method therefor

Abstract

Provided in the present application is an atomic layer deposition apparatus, comprising: a deposition chamber; an inert gas source, which is configured to supply an inert gas having an initial gas pressure greater than one atmospheric pressure; a heater, which is configured to heat the inert gas from the inert gas source having the initial gas pressure, wherein the heated inert gas is delivered to the deposition chamber, so as to heat the deposition chamber; and a bypass line, which is fluidly connected to the deposition chamber and configured to direct the inert gas within the deposition chamber to flow out of the deposition chamber. By means of the supply of a pressurized gas, the heating time of the deposition chamber can be shortened, thereby effectively improving the throughput of the atomic layer deposition apparatus.

Description

Atomic layer deposition equipment and methods Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the field of semiconductors, and more specifically, to an atomic layer deposition apparatus and method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology has become increasingly important in industrial applications beyond semiconductor manufacturing and processing, such as the manufacture of solar cells or OLED displays. For these industrial applications, ALD equipment is custom-designed to process and manufacture large-size substrates (such as large displays or solar cells). Furthermore, ALD equipment is often combined with automated loading systems that automatically load substrates into the deposition chamber and remove them after processing. The use of automated loading systems enhances the attractiveness and productivity of ALD technology because it reduces overall processing time, thereby lowering the cost of manufacturing large-size substrates. Due to increased productivity, ALD equipment has become a strong alternative to existing deposition technologies such as plasma CVD.

[0003] In atomic layer deposition (ALD), the substrate is positioned within a chamber and uniformly heated to the optimal deposition temperature, typically around 200°C. Thin film deposition involves depositing a film onto the substrate, which can include various types of materials, such as alumina, silicon dioxide, polysilicon, and copper. However, performing ALD on substrates containing sensitive materials such as copper or copper surfaces presents significant challenges. These materials are prone to rapid oxidation at elevated temperatures. Oxidized surfaces degrade the quality of the deposited layer, rendering the substrate unusable. Therefore, such substrates cannot be placed in oxygen-rich, high-temperature deposition chambers, requiring appropriate countermeasures. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of this application provide an atomic layer deposition system that, without triggering oxidation, rapidly heats an easily oxidizable substrate in the deposition chamber by controlling the pressure and temperature of the deposition chamber, thereby improving the quality of vacuum coating and increasing production efficiency.

[0005] Some embodiments of this application provide an atomic layer deposition apparatus, comprising: a deposition chamber; an inert gas source configured to supply an inert gas having an initial pressure greater than one atmosphere; a heater configured to heat the inert gas from the inert gas source having the initial pressure, wherein the heated inert gas is delivered to the deposition chamber to heat the deposition chamber; and a bypass line fluidly connected to the deposition chamber and configured to guide the inert gas in the deposition chamber out of the deposition chamber.

[0006] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes an upstream input line connected between the inert gas source and the heater, wherein the supply gas pressure of the upstream input line is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: a downstream input line connected between the heater and the deposition chamber; and a fluid regulation assembly configured to control the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas discharged from the heater.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the fluid regulation assembly includes a pressure regulator and a gas mass flow controller.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: a process gas source configured to supply a gaseous precursor; an exhaust line connected to the deposition chamber; and a negative pressure pump connected to the exhaust line and configured to create a vacuum within the exhaust line; wherein in a preheating mode, the atomic layer deposition apparatus is controlled to supply inert gas from the inert gas source and heated by the heater to the deposition chamber and discharge it through the bypass line; and in a process mode, the atomic layer deposition apparatus is controlled to supply the gaseous precursor from the process gas source to the deposition chamber and discharge it through the exhaust line and the negative pressure pump.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: a downstream input line connected between the heater and the deposition chamber; and a circulation line connected to the downstream input line and configured to return the inert gas in the downstream input line to the heater in the process mode.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: a control valve disposed in the circulation line; a branch line disposed in parallel with the circulation line; and a pressure relief valve disposed in the branch line and configured to release gas pressure from the downstream input line when the control valve fails to open.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes a recovery line connected to the bypass line and configured to return the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater.

[0013] Some other embodiments of this application provide an atomic layer deposition method, comprising: placing a substrate into a deposition chamber; generating a vacuum in the deposition chamber by generating a negative pressure in an exhaust line fluidly connected to the deposition chamber using a negative pressure pump; executing a preheating mode in which the operation of the negative pressure pump is stopped, and an inert gas having an initial pressure greater than one atmosphere is supplied from an inert gas source to a heater, wherein after the inert gas is heated by the heater, the inert gas is supplied to the deposition chamber to heat the substrate, and the inert gas leaves the deposition chamber through a bypass line; and executing a process mode after the preheating mode is completed, in which the supply of the inert gas is stopped, and a gaseous precursor is supplied from a process gas source to the deposition chamber, and the process gas is discharged from the deposition chamber through the exhaust line and the negative pressure pump.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the substrate includes a copper surface.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition method further includes supplying buffer gas to the deposition chamber before performing the preheating mode, thereby increasing the pressure in the deposition chamber to a pressure state slightly below standard atmospheric pressure.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas source to the heater via an upstream input pipeline, wherein the supply gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, the inert gas is delivered from the heater to the deposition chamber via a downstream input line, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes controlling the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas via a fluid regulation component.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the inert gas is delivered from the heater to the deposition chamber via a downstream input line, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes, in the process mode, returning the inert gas in the downstream input line to the heater via a circulation line.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, the circulation pipeline is opened or closed by a control valve, and when the control valve fails to open, the pressure in the downstream input pipeline is released by a pressure relief valve located above a branch pipeline connected in parallel with the circulation pipeline.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the atomic layer deposition method further includes, in the preheating mode, returning the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater via a recovery line.

[0021] In the above embodiments, heating the deposition chamber with high-pressure inert gas can effectively shorten the heating time. Furthermore, during the heating process, since the high-pressure inert gas is discharged through a bypass pipeline instead of entering the vacuum pump, it will not cause continuous pressure on the vacuum pump, thus extending the service life of the atomic layer deposition equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, necessary for describing embodiments of this application or the prior art, will be briefly described below to facilitate the depiction of embodiments of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below represent only a portion of the embodiments in this application. Those skilled in the art will be able to derive other embodiments from the illustrations in these drawings without requiring inventive effort.

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an atomic layer deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a deposition chamber provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another atomic layer deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an atomic layer deposition method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To better understand the spirit of this application, the following description is based on some preferred embodiments of this application.

[0028] Various embodiments of this application are discussed in detail below. Although specific embodiments are discussed, it should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 includes an inert gas source 11, a deposition chamber 12, a heater 13, and a fluid regulation component 14.

[0030] Inert gas source 11 is configured to supply inert gas with an initial pressure greater than one atmosphere (1 atm or 1.01325 bar). In one exemplary embodiment, the initial pressure of the gas supplied by inert gas source 11 is approximately one atmosphere to approximately 6 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 5.75 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 5.5 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 5.25 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 5 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 4.75 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 4.5 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 4.25 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 4 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 3.75 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 3.5 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 3.25 bar, approximately one atmosphere to approximately 3 bar, and all ranges and subranges thereof. In another exemplary embodiment, the initial pressure of the gas supplied by inert gas source 11 is greater than 6 bar. The gas supplied by inert gas source 11 is supplied to heater 13 via upstream input line 21. The deposition chamber 12 is configured to accommodate one or more substrates (e.g., substrate 123 shown in FIG. 2) for forming a film layer therein through an atomic layer deposition process. Heated gas from heater 13 is supplied to the deposition chamber 12 via downstream inlet line 22 to heat the deposition chamber 12.

[0031] In some embodiments of this application, the upstream input line 21 does not have a fluid control component (e.g., a pressure reducing valve) for regulating gas pressure, but only has a first control valve 31 to open or close the flow of fluid through the upstream input line 21. That is, when the first control valve 31 is open, the delivery gas pressure of the upstream input line is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source. The downstream input line 22 is provided with a second control valve 32 to open or close the flow of fluid through the downstream input line 22. In addition, the downstream input line 22 may optionally be provided with a fluid regulating component 14 to regulate the gas pressure and / or gas flow rate before the heated gas is delivered to the deposition chamber 12.

[0032] In one exemplary embodiment, the fluid conditioning assembly 14 includes a pressure regulator 141 and a gas mass flow controller (MFC) 142. The pressure regulator 141 is located on the downstream input line 22 near the heater 13, and the gas mass flow controller 142 is located on the downstream input line 22 away from the heater 13. Heated gas from the heater 13 passes sequentially through the pressure regulator 141, the gas mass flow controller 142, and the second control valve 32 before entering the deposition chamber 12. The pressure regulator 141 is designed to maintain a constant output pressure, ensuring consistent downstream gas pressure regardless of changes in input pressure and downstream flow requirements. The gas mass flow controller 142 is a device for measuring and controlling the flow rate of gas entering the system at a specified flow rate, which can be controlled by an electrical signal. The gas mass flow controller 142 automatically adjusts to accommodate different pressures and temperatures to maintain the set flow rate. In an embodiment where the fluid conditioning assembly 14 has both a pressure regulator 141 and a gas mass flow controller 142, the pressure regulator 141 can ensure that the gas mass flow controller 142 operates within the optimal pressure range. The pressure regulator 141 and the gas mass flow controller 142 work together to protect each other, reducing the probability of damage to individual components and thus enhancing the stability and accuracy of airflow delivery.

[0033] However, it should be understood that the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the fluid regulation assembly 14 includes only a pressure regulator 141 or only a gas mass flow controller 142. Either the pressure regulator 141 or the gas mass flow controller 142 can independently regulate the gas pressure and / or gas flow rate before the heated gas is delivered to the deposition chamber 12. In other embodiments, the fluid regulation assembly 14 is omitted, and the heated gas enters the deposition chamber 12 directly at high pressure without passing through the fluid regulation assembly.

[0034] Referring to Figure 2, the deposition chamber 12 may include an outer shell 121, an inner shell 122, and a heating assembly 124. The inner shell 122 defines the process environment to accommodate a plurality of substrates 123 within the deposition chamber 12. The outer shell 121 surrounds the inner shell 122, and the heating assembly 124 (e.g., a resistance coil) is disposed between the outer shell 121 and the inner shell 122. The heating assembly 124 heats the inner shell 122, the gas flowing within the inner shell 122, and the substrates 123 disposed within the inner shell 122 using heat generated by the Joule effect of current flowing through a conductor. In an exemplary embodiment, the deposition chamber 12 may accommodate a substrate carrier (not shown, such as a graphite boat) containing a plurality of substrates.

[0035] Referring again to Figure 1, downstream of the deposition chamber 12, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 includes an exhaust line 23 and a bypass line 24. One end of the exhaust line 23 and the bypass line 24 are connected to the deposition chamber 12, and the other ends are fluidly connected to a first plant exhaust pipe 41 and a second plant exhaust pipe 42, respectively. The first plant exhaust pipe 41 may be connected to the second plant exhaust pipe 42. Alternatively, the first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 may be independent of each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 are normally maintained under negative pressure to stably discharge gas from the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10. The first plant exhaust pipe 41 and the second plant exhaust pipe 42 may be connected to a filtration system, through which the gas transported can be treated before being discharged into the atmosphere.

[0036] Exhaust line 23 is configured to remove reactive gases (e.g., gaseous precursors) deposited in process mode of atomic layer deposition apparatus 10, or to remove purge gases used to remove reactive gases in purge mode. In an exemplary embodiment, exhaust line 23 includes a third control valve 33, a first purification device 16, and a negative pressure pump 15. The negative pressure pump 15 is connected to exhaust line 23 and configured to create a vacuum within exhaust line 23, thereby removing material from deposition chamber 12 during the process. The first purification device 16 is configured to remove a portion of the material from the gas passing through exhaust line 23. The first purification device 16 allows reactive and inert gases to exit deposition chamber 12 to the exhaust line but prevents particulate matter from leaving deposition chamber 12. The first purification device 16 may include a gas filter. The third control valve 33 is configured to open or close the flow of fluid through exhaust line 23.

[0037] The bypass line 24 is configured to vent gases used to heat the deposition chamber 12 in the preheating mode of the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the bypass line 24 includes a fourth control valve 34. The fourth control valve 34 is configured to open or close the flow of fluid through the bypass line 24. The upstream end of the bypass line 24 may be connected to an exhaust line 23 or directly to the deposition chamber 12.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 may further include a process gas supply assembly 50. In some embodiments of this application, the process gas supply assembly 50 is configured to supply the gaseous precursor for atomic layer deposition when the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 is operated in process mode, and optionally to supply purge gas to purge the deposition chamber 12 when the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 is operated in a purge procedure. The process gas supply assembly 50 may include a first process gas source 51, a second process gas source 52, and a purge gas source 53. A fifth control valve 351 controls the delivery of process gas from the first process gas source 51. A sixth control valve 352 controls the delivery of process gas from the second process gas source 52. A seventh control valve 353 controls the delivery of inert gas from the purge gas source 53. Gases from the first process gas source 51, the second process gas source 52, and the purge gas source 53 are supplied to the deposition chamber 12 via a process gas supply line 25.

[0039] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an atomic layer deposition apparatus 10a provided in an embodiment of this application. In the embodiment of Figure 3, components identical to those in the embodiment of Figure 1 will be labeled with the same symbols, and their features will not be described again. Compared with the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 shown in Figure 1, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 10a further includes a recovery line 26, a circulation line 27, and a connecting line 29.

[0040] In some embodiments of this application, one end of the recovery line 26 is connected to the bypass line 24, and the other end is connected to the second clean treatment device 18. An eighth control valve 36 is located downstream of the junction of the recovery line 26 and the bypass line 24 to control the flow of fluid through the bypass line 24 into the second plant exhaust pipe 42 or the recovery line 26. One end of the circulation line 27 is connected to the downstream input line 27, and the other end is connected to the second clean treatment device 18. A ninth control valve 37 is located on the circulation line 27 to open or close the flow of fluid into the circulation line 27. A cooling device 17 is optionally located on the circulation line 27 to cool the fluid passing through it. The heated gas will naturally depressurize and cool down after entering the circulation line 27. The cooling device 17 can accelerate the cooling process and prevent excessively high gas temperatures from damaging components such as the filter element in the second clean treatment device 18. In some embodiments, when the circulation line 27 is extended to a sufficiently long length, natural heat dissipation through the pipeline can be achieved without the cooling device 17. Furthermore, branch line 28 can be connected in parallel with the ninth control valve 37, and pressure relief valve 38 is provided on branch line 28 and configured to release gas pressure from downstream input line 27 when the ninth control valve 37 fails to open. One end of connecting line 29 is connected to the second clean treatment unit 18, and the other end is connected to upstream input line 21. Through the arrangement of recovery line 26, circulation line 27, and connecting line 29, gas in bypass line 24 and downstream input line 27 can be returned to upstream input line 21 to reuse the inert gas required for heating chamber or substrate, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0041] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an atomic layer deposition method S10 using the aforementioned atomic layer deposition apparatus 10 or 10a, according to an embodiment of this application. For illustration, the flowchart will be described in conjunction with the diagrams shown in Figures 1-3. In different embodiments, some described steps may be replaced or eliminated.

[0042] Method S10 includes step S11, in which a substrate is placed into the deposition chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the substrate 123 comprises a material that is easily oxidized. For example, the substrate 123 comprises copper or at least a portion of its surface is exposed to the outside. Therefore, oxidation occurs rapidly during processes at temperatures above 100°C. Oxidized surfaces lead to poor quality and failure of the deposited layer, rendering the substrate unusable. To prevent oxidation of the substrate 123, the temperature of the deposition chamber 12 is controlled below 100°C when the substrate 123 is placed into the deposition chamber 12. A plurality of substrates 123 may be pre-positioned in a substrate carrier and automatically placed into the deposition chamber 12 by a robotic arm.

[0043] Method S10 further includes step S12, wherein a vacuum is generated in the deposition chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, after the substrate 123 is placed into the deposition chamber 12, a negative pressure pump 15 is activated to generate negative pressure in the exhaust line 23, thereby venting air from the deposition chamber 12 to create a near-vacuum environment within the deposition chamber 12, such as a rough vacuum environment with a pressure of mbar.

[0044] Method S10 further includes step S13, in which a buffer gas is supplied to the deposition chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the buffer gas (e.g., nitrogen) is supplied to the deposition chamber 12 after step S12 to raise the pressure in the deposition chamber 12 to a pressure state slightly below standard atmospheric pressure. For example, after the buffer gas is supplied to the deposition chamber 12, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is restored to approximately 0.65 bar to approximately 0.95 bar, approximately 0.7 bar to approximately 0.9 bar, approximately 0.75 bar to approximately 0.85 bar, and all ranges and subranges therein. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is restored to approximately 0.8 bar. The buffer gas may be supplied by the purge gas source 53 of the process gas supply assembly 50. The purpose of supplying the buffer gas is to first break the vacuum environment in the deposition chamber 12 to avoid damage to the equipment or substrate due to excessive pressure differential when the high-pressure and heated gas is supplied into the deposition chamber 12 in the subsequent step S14. On the other hand, creating an environment slightly below standard atmospheric pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 reduces the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the deposition chamber 12, preventing air from entering the deposition chamber 12 under a large pressure difference and improving the sealing effect of the furnace door of the deposition chamber 12.

[0045] Method S10 further includes step S14 (preheating mode), wherein high-pressure inert gas is first supplied from an inert gas source to a heater for heating, and then the heated inert gas is supplied from the heater to the deposition chamber to heat the substrate. In an exemplary embodiment, the inert gas source 11 supplies inert gas with an initial pressure greater than one atmosphere to the heater 13 via an upstream input line 21. The inert gas may be nitrogen, and its initial pressure may be approximately 5-6 bar. When an inert heating gas with a pressure greater than one atmosphere is introduced, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is greater than the external standard atmospheric pressure, creating a positive pressure environment, preventing air from entering the deposition chamber 12. Heating the inert gas under high pressure allows for more efficient energy utilization. Due to the higher gas density, less energy is required to reach the same temperature in the gas compared to heating a low-pressure (and therefore lower-density) gas. Furthermore, heating the gas under high pressure reduces the volume occupied by the gas, enabling a more compact system design. In one exemplary embodiment, step S13 is omitted, and the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 is directly increased by high-pressure inert gas from an inert gas source, raising the pressure inside the deposition chamber 12 from a vacuum environment to the pressure of the inert gas, for example, 5-6 bar.

[0046] The inert gas, heated by heater 13, is sequentially regulated in pressure and flow rate by pressure regulator 141 and gas mass flow controller 142 of fluid regulation assembly 14, and then delivered into deposition chamber 12 to heat deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 disposed inside deposition chamber 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow rate of the inert gas regulated by fluid regulation assembly 14 and delivered into deposition chamber 12 is less than 500 liters / min, for example, between about 100 liters / min and about 300 liters / min, and the pressure is slightly lower than its initial pressure when leaving inert gas source 11, for example, between about 5 bar and about 6 bar. The temperature is between about 180°C and about 220°C.

[0047] Because the inert gas entering the deposition chamber 12 has a high flow rate, a large amount of heat energy can be conducted into the deposition chamber 12, causing the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 to be rapidly heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 200°C). Furthermore, because the inert gas entering the deposition chamber 12 has a higher pressure, it exhibits higher thermal conductivity compared to low-pressure gases. This improved thermal conductivity allows heat energy to be transferred to the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 disposed within the deposition chamber 12 more quickly. Additionally, since the deposition chamber 12 can be sufficiently heated by the heated pressurized gas, the energy supply to the deposition chamber 12 by the heating assembly 124 can be reduced or completely stopped during the preheating stage.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the inert gas in the heated deposition chamber 12 is removed from the deposition chamber 12 via a bypass line 24. Since no negative pressure pump or similar component is provided on the bypass line 24 to generate negative pressure in the bypass line 24, the disadvantage of reduced lifespan of the negative pressure pump due to stress exerted on the negative pressure pump by the high-pressure gas from the deposition chamber 12 can be avoided.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG3, the inert gas in the heated deposition chamber 12 is returned to the upstream input pipeline 21 in sequence through the recovery pipeline 26, the second cleaning treatment device 18 and the connecting pipeline 29, and then reheated by the heater 13 before being supplied to the deposition chamber 12 again, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0050] Method S10 further includes step S15 (process mode), supplying a vapor precursor from a process gas source to the deposition chamber. In some embodiments of this application, the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52 sequentially supply the vapor precursor to the deposition chamber 12 to generate a film on the heated substrate 123.

[0051] The gaseous precursors supplied by the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52 can be any suitable gas capable of forming a film on the surface of the substrate 123 in the deposition chamber 12. For example, in an embodiment where the target film formed on the substrate surface is a metal oxide film such as alumina, the first process gas source 51 supplies a first precursor, which is a gas containing TMA (trimethylaluminum). Furthermore, the second process gas source 52 supplies a second gaseous precursor, which contains water vapor.

[0052] During the process of supplying the gaseous precursor by the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52, the negative pressure pump 15 actuates to generate negative pressure on the exhaust line 23, causing the gas in the deposition chamber 12 to be discharged from the deposition chamber 12 through the exhaust line 23. At this time, the fourth control valve 34 is closed and the third control valve 33 is opened to facilitate the rapid generation of negative pressure in the deposition chamber 12.

[0053] In step S15, a further step is to purge the deposition chamber 12 between the steps of supplying the gaseous precursor from the first process gas source 51 and the second process gas source 52. The purpose of purging is to remove excess precursor or reaction byproducts from the deposition chamber, preventing these substances from interfering with the next step. The gas used for purging can be nitrogen or other gases that do not react with the precursor during the thin film preparation process.

[0054] In some embodiments of this application, the deposition chamber 12 is purged with purge gas from the purge gas source 53 to remove precursors remaining in the deposition chamber 12. In other embodiments, the deposition chamber 12 is purged with heated and pressurized inert gas from the inert gas source 11 to remove precursors remaining in the deposition chamber 12. Purging with heated and pressurized inert gas can not only remove excess precursors or reaction byproducts from the deposition chamber more efficiently, but also maintain the temperature of the deposition chamber 12 and the substrate 123 at the same time.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, while step S15 is being executed, the second control valve 32 is closed, the ninth control valve 37 is opened, the inert gas source 11 continuously supplies high-pressure inert gas, and the heater 13 continues to operate. Therefore, the high-pressure inert gas, heated by the heater 135, is sequentially sent back to the upstream input pipeline 21 via the circulation pipeline 27, the cooling device 17, the second cleaning treatment device 18, and the connecting pipeline 29, and then re-enters the circulation pipeline 27 after being heated by the heater 13. In this way, heated inert gas can be supplied immediately when needed, reducing waiting time and improving production efficiency. In some embodiments of this application, if the ninth control valve 37 fails to open during the execution of the above-mentioned circulation procedure, the pressure in the downstream input pipeline can be released by the pressure relief valve 38 installed on the branch pipeline 28 to prevent accidents.

[0056] The atomic layer deposition apparatus of this application uses a heated inert gas to heat the deposition chamber and the substrate disposed within the deposition chamber, thus preventing oxidation of the easily oxidized substrate at high temperatures. Furthermore, since the inert gas is heated under high pressure, the energy required for heating the gas is reduced.

[0057] Furthermore, since the heating gas flows through the deposition chamber at a relatively fast rate, a large amount of heat energy can be transferred to the deposition chamber in a short time, thereby reducing the heating time required. The technical effects of the embodiments of this application will become clearer through the following description of the first and second comparative embodiments.

[0058] In the first comparative embodiment, the substrate in the deposition chamber is heated solely by a heating assembly configured within the deposition chamber, requiring approximately 3.9 hours to heat the substrate from room temperature to 200°C. In the second comparative embodiment, inert gas from inert gas source 11 is depressurized to atmospheric pressure (e.g., reduced to approximately one atmosphere) before passing through the heater, and then heated by the heater before being supplied to the deposition chamber at a lower flow rate (e.g., approximately 15 liters / minute) to heat the substrate within the deposition chamber. In the second comparative embodiment, heating the substrate from room temperature to 200°C takes approximately 3.65 hours, which is not significantly different from the first comparative embodiment. This is because only a small portion (e.g., less than 10%) of the thermal energy used to heat the substrate to the desired temperature comes from the heating gas, with the remainder coming from the heating assembly originally configured within the deposition chamber. Conversely, in an exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, the inert gas from inert gas source 11 is heated under high pressure (e.g., about 5-6 bar) and supplied to the deposition chamber at a high flow rate (e.g., between about 100 liters / min and about 300 liters / min) to heat the substrate within the deposition chamber. Since the heating gas passes through the heating chamber under high pressure and high flow rate, only a relatively large portion (e.g., about 30%-40%) of the thermal energy used to heat the substrate to the desired temperature comes from the heating gas. Therefore, heating the substrate in the deposition chamber from room temperature to 200°C takes only 2.6 hours. Thus, compared to the first or second comparative embodiments, heating a deposition chamber of the same volume with high-pressure inert gas can significantly reduce the heating time by about 33% and about 28%, respectively. Since the heating time constitutes a significant portion of the overall atomic layer deposition process time, the atomic layer deposition equipment of this application embodiment can effectively increase production capacity with only a small increase in hardware cost to existing equipment. On the other hand, since the substrate is heated uniformly, the uniformity of the film formed on the substrate using atomic layer deposition can be optimized, thereby improving product quality.

[0059] It should be noted that throughout this specification, the reference to "an embodiment of this application" or similar terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described together with other embodiments is included in at least one embodiment and may not necessarily be presented in all embodiments. Therefore, the corresponding appearance of the phrase "an embodiment of this application" or similar terms throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any particular embodiment may be combined with one or more other embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0060] Furthermore, any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise described herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or process, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of this application includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order according to the functions involved, as should be understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of this application pertain.

[0061] The technical content and features of this invention have been disclosed above. However, those skilled in the art may still make various substitutions and modifications based on the teachings and disclosures of this invention without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this invention should not be limited to the content disclosed in the embodiments, but should include various substitutions and modifications that do not depart from this invention, and should be covered by the claims of this patent application.

[0062] [Symbol Explanation] 10, 10a: Atomic Layer Deposition Equipment; 11: Inert Gas Source; 12: Deposition Chamber; 121: Outer Shell; 122: Inner Shell; 123: Substrate; 124: Heating Component; 13: Heater; 14: Fluid Regulating Component; 141: Pressure Regulator; 142: Gas Mass Flow Controller; 15: Negative Pressure Pump; 16: First Cleanroom Treatment Unit; 17: Cooling Unit; 18: Second Cleanroom Treatment Unit; 21: Upstream Input Pipeline; 22: Downstream Input Pipeline; 23: Exhaust Pipeline; 24: Bypass Pipeline; 25: Process Gas Supply Pipeline 26: Recovery Pipeline 27: Circulation Pipeline 28: Branch Pipeline 29: Connecting Pipeline 31: First Control Valve 32: Second Control Valve 33: Third Control Valve 34: Fourth Control Valve 351: Fifth Control Valve 352: Sixth Control Valve 353: Seventh Control Valve 36: Eighth Control Valve 37: Ninth Control Valve 38: Pressure Relief Valve 41: First Plant Exhaust Pipe 42: Second Plant Exhaust Pipe 50: Process Gas Supply Assembly 51: First Process Gas Source 52: Second Process Gas Source 53: Purge Gas Source

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: Deposition chamber; An inert gas source configured to supply inert gas with an initial pressure greater than one atmosphere; A heater configured to heat the inert gas from the inert gas source and having the initial gas pressure, wherein the heated inert gas is supplied to the deposition chamber to heat the deposition chamber; and A bypass line is fluidly connected to the deposition chamber and configured to guide the inert gas inside the deposition chamber out of the deposition chamber.

2. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: An upstream input line is connected between the inert gas source and the heater, wherein the supply gas pressure of the upstream input line is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source.

3. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: A downstream input line connects the heater to the deposition chamber; and A fluid conditioning component configured to control the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas discharged from the heater.

4. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fluid regulation assembly includes a pressure regulator and a gas mass flow controller.

5. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: Process gas source, configured to supply gaseous precursors; An exhaust line is connected to the deposition chamber; and A negative pressure pump is connected to the exhaust line and configured to create a vacuum within the exhaust line; In one preheating mode, the atomic layer deposition equipment is controlled to supply the inert gas from the inert gas source and heated by the heater to the deposition chamber and discharge it through the bypass line; and in one process mode, the atomic layer deposition equipment is controlled to supply the gaseous precursor from the process gas source to the deposition chamber and discharge it through the exhaust line and the negative pressure pump.

6. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: A downstream input line connects the heater to the deposition chamber; and A circulation line, which is connected to the downstream input line and configured to return the inert gas in the downstream input line to the heater in the process mode.

7. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: A control valve is located in the circulation pipeline; Branch pipelines are connected in parallel with the circulation pipeline; and A pressure relief valve is provided on the branch line and configured to release gas pressure from the downstream input line when the control valve fails to open.

8. The atomic layer deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition apparatus further includes: A recovery line is connected to the bypass line and configured to return the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater.

9. An atomic layer deposition method, characterized in that, include: Place the substrate into the deposition chamber; A negative pressure is generated in the exhaust line of the fluidly connected deposition chamber by a negative pressure pump to create a vacuum in the deposition chamber; A preheating mode is executed, in which the operation of the negative pressure pump is stopped, and inert gas with an initial pressure greater than one atmosphere is supplied from the inert gas source to the heater. After the inert gas is heated by the heater, the inert gas is supplied to the deposition chamber to heat the substrate. The inert gas leaves the deposition chamber through a bypass line. as well as After the preheating mode is completed, a process mode is executed. In this process mode, the supply of the inert gas is stopped, and the gaseous precursor is supplied from the process gas source to the deposition chamber. The process gas is discharged from the deposition chamber through the exhaust pipeline and the negative pressure pump.

10. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The substrate includes a copper surface.

11. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition method further includes supplying buffer gas into the deposition chamber before performing the preheating mode, thereby increasing the pressure in the deposition chamber to a pressure state slightly below standard atmospheric pressure.

12. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The inert gas is supplied from the inert gas source to the heater via an upstream input pipeline, wherein the supply gas pressure of the upstream input pipeline is consistent with the gas pressure of the inert gas source.

13. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The inert gas is delivered from the heater to the deposition chamber via a downstream input line, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes controlling the flow rate or pressure of the inert gas via a fluid regulation component.

14. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The inert gas is supplied from the heater to the deposition chamber via a downstream input line, and the atomic layer deposition method further includes, in the process mode, returning the inert gas in the downstream input line to the heater via a circulation line.

15. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The circulation pipeline is opened or closed by a control valve, and when the control valve fails to open, the pressure in the downstream input pipeline is released by a pressure relief valve located above a branch pipeline connected in parallel with the circulation pipeline.

16. The atomic layer deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The atomic layer deposition method further includes, in the preheating mode, returning the inert gas in the bypass line to the heater via a recovery line.

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