Annular Gas Ring for PECVD Chamber Dry Cleaning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) systems face challenges in achieving uniformity and efficiency in chamber dry cleaning, leading to suboptimal cleaning rates and potential defects in semiconductor device fabrication due to residual deposits and uneven cleaning distributions.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of remote plasma species from a remote plasma source, coupled to the processing chamber via an annular ring with multiple outlets, enhances the cleaning process by improving uniformity and increasing the cleaning rate through controlled plasma flow and RF signal application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional PECVD chamber cleaning is used, then the chamber can be cleaned, but the cleaning uniformity across the chamber surface is poor and cleaning rate is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The single plasma source is segmented into multiple remote plasma sources arranged in an array. Each source independently delivers plasma to a specific region of the chamber, enabling zone-by-zone cleaning control. This segmentation allows optimization of cleaning parameters for different chamber areas, improving both uniformity and overall cleaning rate.
Solution Approach 2:
A remote plasma delivery system acts as an intermediary between the plasma generation source and the chamber surfaces to be cleaned. The system uses a series of mirrors and optical components to transport and distribute plasma remotely, enabling uniform plasma distribution across large chamber surfaces without direct contact, thereby improving cleaning uniformity while maintaining high cleaning rates.
2Productivity
If higher plasma power is applied to increase cleaning rate, then cleaning speed improves, but cleaning uniformity deteriorates due to uneven plasma distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The total plasma power is divided and distributed across multiple independent remote plasma sources. Each source operates at optimized power levels to deliver consistent cleaning performance to its designated zone, preventing the uneven plasma distribution that occurs when high power is applied from a single source. This enables high overall cleaning rates while maintaining uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the chamber receive plasma from optimized local sources with tailored power levels and gas flows. This allows each zone to be cleaned with locally optimized parameters, ensuring uniform cleaning quality across the entire chamber surface while maintaining high cleaning rates in each region.
3Device complexity
If a single plasma source is used, then the system is simple, but cleaning uniformity across the chamber is poor
Solution Approach 1:
A remote plasma delivery system using mirrors and optical components serves as an intermediary to distribute plasma uniformly across the chamber. This approach maintains relative system simplicity by using a modular array of identical plasma sources rather than requiring complex single-source positioning mechanisms, while achieving superior cleaning uniformity through the intermediary plasma transport system.
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
This approach results in faster and more uniform chamber cleaning, reducing defects and maintenance costs by ensuring consistent exposure of all chamber surfaces to cleaning species, thereby improving tool throughput and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
remote plasma species are created using a remote plasma source
Implementation Method 2
plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system
Implementation Method 3
annular ring attached on the chamber wall, the annular ring comprising multiple outlets to flow remote plasma species towards the processing space
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for improving the chamber dry cleaning of a PECVD system. The apparatus includes an annular gas ring with multiple outlets for introducing a cleaning gas into the process chamber, and the method includes using the gas ring to introduce a cleaning species from a remote plasma source into the processing chamber.