ALD Protective Coatings for Semiconductor Chamber Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor process chamber components are prone to erosion and corrosion due to exposure to high temperatures, high energy plasma, and corrosive gases, leading to defects and reduced durability in extreme manufacturing environments.
Innovation Solution
A multi-component protective coating is applied using atomic layer deposition (ALD), comprising layers of yttrium oxide or fluoride, aluminum oxide, and zirconium oxide, which are grown from multiple precursors to form a conformal and uniform coating that interdiffuses to enhance erosion and corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If thermal spray, sputtering, or evaporation techniques are used to deposit protective coating films, then the deposition process is relatively simple and fast, but the surfaces not directly exposed to the vapor source receive significantly thinner films, poor quality films, low-density films, or no coating at all
Solution Approach 1:
The coating process is divided into multiple sequential ALD cycles, each depositing a thin layer of specific material (e.g., chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide). This segmentation allows precise control over coating thickness and composition, ensuring uniform coverage on complex geometries while maintaining process simplicity through automated cycle repetition
Solution Approach 2:
The ALD process parameters (temperature, pressure, precursor flow rates, pulse durations) are optimized and controlled to achieve conformal coating on three-dimensional structures. By adjusting these parameters, the process maintains simplicity while achieving uniform coating thickness and high-quality films on surfaces with varying orientations and aspect ratios
2Reliability
If single-layer protective coatings are applied to chamber components, then the coating process is simpler and faster, but the erosion and corrosion resistance is insufficient in extreme environments with high temperatures, high energy plasma, and corrosive gases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple protective layers with different material compositions (chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide) are deposited in sequence to create a composite coating system. Each layer provides specific protective functions against different aspects of plasma exposure and chemical corrosion, achieving superior reliability in extreme environments while the automated ALD process maintains reasonable deposition efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
A chromium oxide layer is deposited first as a preliminary protective barrier before subsequent layers. This initial layer provides foundational protection against the most aggressive plasma species and creates a suitable surface for subsequent layer adhesion, enhancing overall coating reliability from the outset
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional coating techniques are used on components with complex shapes and large aspect ratio features, then the process is simpler, but the coating thickness is non-uniform and coverage is incomplete on surfaces not in line of sight of the vapor source
Solution Approach 1:
The ALD process transitions from line-of-sight deposition to conformal deposition by utilizing the temporal dimension through sequential precursor exposure. Precursors are introduced in alternating cycles that allow complete surface coverage regardless of geometric complexity, achieving uniform coating thickness on three-dimensional structures with high aspect ratio features while maintaining process simplicity through automated cycle control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The multi-component coating significantly improves the durability and resistance of semiconductor process chamber components to plasma and corrosive environments, reducing defects and extending their operational lifespan by maintaining uniform thickness and integrity even on complex shapes and large aspect ratio features.
Implementation Method 1
depositing a first film layer of a yttrium oxide or a yttrium fluoride onto a surface of a semiconductor process chamber component, wherein the first film layer is grown from at least two precursors using an atomic layer deposition process
Implementation Method 2
which are grown from multiple precursors to form a conformal and uniform coating that interdiffuses to enhance erosion and corrosion resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises depositing a first layer of aluminum oxide onto a surface of a chamber component via atomic layer deposition (ALD). The method further comprises depositing a second layer of yttrium oxide onto a surface of the chamber component via ALD, depositing a third layer of zirconium oxide onto the surface of the chamber component via ALD, and forming a corrosion and erosion resistant coating comprising a YZrxOy solid state phase of the second layer and the third layer, wherein x and y have values that are based on a number of repetitions of the atomic layer deposition process that are used to deposit the second layer and a number of repetitions of the atomic layer deposition process that are used to deposit the third layer.