Multi-Nozzle CVD Gas Distribution for Wafer Film Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining high productivity while achieving uniform deposition characteristics when processing a large number of substrates or large diameter substrates with high pattern density, due to increased surface area and exhaust resistance issues.
Innovation Solution
A multi-system nozzle type CVD device is employed, where multiple nozzles for each processing gas are positioned at different locations within the processing chamber to ensure uniform gas distribution, with the first processing gas supplied to the upper stream side and middle portions of the gas flow, and the second processing gas supplied to the upper stream side and middle portions, facilitating a chemical reaction to form a thin film on substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the flow rate of processing gas is increased to cover large substrate surface area, then deposition characteristics improve, but pressure in processing chamber increases making it difficult to reduce pressure for film deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is divided into multiple independent nozzle units distributed at different positions within the processing chamber. Each nozzle supplies processing gas to a specific region, enabling localized control of gas flow rate and pressure. This segmentation allows the total gas flow to be distributed across multiple entry points, maintaining adequate pressure for film deposition while providing sufficient gas to cover large substrate surfaces.
2Stress or pressure
If the flow rate of processing gas is restricted to maintain pressure reduction, then pressure control improves, but amount of processing gas supplied to lower stream substrates becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple nozzles are positioned at different vertical locations within the processing chamber, with each nozzle serving a specific region (upper stream or lower stream substrates). This allows independent control of gas supply to different substrate zones, ensuring adequate gas reaches lower stream substrates without requiring excessive total flow that would compromise pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the processing chamber receive optimized gas supply tailored to local requirements. Nozzles positioned for lower stream substrates provide enhanced gas flow to compensate for consumption by upper stream substrates, ensuring uniform deposition characteristics across all substrates while maintaining overall pressure control through distributed supply.
3Manufacturing precision
If the number of wafers is reduced to suppress increase of substrate surface area, then deposition characteristics improve, but number of wafers that can be collectively processed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The processing chamber is divided into multiple gas supply zones with dedicated nozzles for each region. This allows uniform deposition characteristics to be maintained across a larger total substrate area by providing localized gas flow optimization, thereby enabling processing of more wafers simultaneously without sacrificing deposition quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas supply system transitions from a single-point or limited-point supply to a three-dimensionally distributed nozzle arrangement within the processing chamber. This spatial distribution enables uniform gas delivery across expanded substrate areas, allowing increased wafer capacity while maintaining deposition characteristics through enhanced gas flow management in multiple spatial dimensions.
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 enhances film thickness uniformity and composition rate uniformity across substrates, maintaining excellent deposition characteristics even for large diameter substrates with high pattern density, and increases productivity by reducing the influence of gas consumption on film thickness fluctuations.
Implementation Method 1
forming an amorphous material by causing reaction between the first processing gas and the second processing gas in the processing chamber
Implementation Method 2
a thermal chemical vapor deposition method (thermal CVD method)... the processing gas containing silicon (Si) and the processing gas containing nitrogen (N) are thermally decomposed to precipitate nitride silicon on the substrate
Implementation Method 3
the processing gas containing silicon (Si) and the processing gas containing nitrogen (N) are thermally decomposed to precipitate nitride silicon on the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
To realize a high productivity while maintaining excellent film deposition characteristics on a substrate even if a plurality of processing gases of different gas species are used. There are provided the step of loading a plurality of substrates into a processing chamber; supplying a first processing gas to an upper stream side of a gas flow outside of a region where a plurality of substrates loaded into a processing chamber are arranged, supplying a second processing gas to the upper stream side of the gas flow outside of the region where the plurality of substrates loaded into the processing chamber are arranged, supplying the first processing gas to a middle part of the gas flow in the region where the plurality of substrates loaded into the processing chamber are arranged, and causing the first processing gas and the second processing gas to react with each other in the processing chamber, to form an amorphous material and form a thin film on main surfaces of the plurality of substrates; and the step of unloading the substrate after forming the thin film from the processing camber.