Dual Buffer Shower Head for Substrate Gas Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform film coverage on high-aspect-ratio grooves in semiconductor devices due to non-uniform gas supply, leading to in-plane uniformity issues and generation of byproducts that can adversely affect substrate characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a dual buffer space shower head structure, where process gases are independently supplied to the central and peripheral portions of the substrate through distinct gas introduction ports, and a control unit manages gas supply to ensure uniform coverage by controlling the timing and flow rates of gases, preventing byproduct generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If process gases are supplied uniformly to the entire substrate surface simultaneously, then the film formation process is simple, but in-plane uniformity of film deposition deteriorates due to varying gas flow distances
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate surface is divided into a central region and a peripheral region, with separate gas supply mechanisms for each region. This segmentation allows independent control of gas flow to different areas, enabling uniform film deposition despite varying distances from the shower head.
Solution Approach 2:
Different gas supply characteristics are provided to different regions of the substrate. The central region receives gas with different flow parameters compared to the peripheral region, optimizing deposition uniformity across the entire substrate surface by addressing local variations in gas flow distance.
2Device complexity
If a single buffer chamber is used for gas supply, then the device structure is simple, but byproducts are generated in the buffer chamber that adversely affect substrate characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The single buffer chamber is divided into a first buffer chamber for the central region and a second buffer chamber for the peripheral region. This segmentation prevents byproducts generated in one region from affecting the other region, eliminating the adverse effects on substrate characteristics while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful byproduct generation is extracted and isolated by separating the gas supply paths into distinct buffer chambers. Byproducts generated in each buffer chamber are prevented from mixing and affecting the entire substrate, thus removing the harmful effect while preserving the essential gas supply function.
3Ease of manufacture
If process gases are supplied to high-aspect-ratio grooves, then the groove processing is achieved, but good step coverage is difficult to obtain due to non-uniform gas distribution
Solution Approach 1:
Different gas supply conditions are applied to different regions to achieve uniform step coverage in grooves. The central region and peripheral region receive optimized gas flow parameters tailored to their specific geometries, ensuring that vertical sidewalls and bottom portions of grooves receive adequate gas distribution for uniform film formation.
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 in-plane uniformity of film deposition on semiconductor substrates, reduces byproduct formation, and improves the quality and yield of semiconductor device manufacturing by ensuring consistent film thickness and characteristics across the substrate surface.
Implementation Method 1
there are a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method of forming films by causing a reaction between at least two types of process gases
Implementation Method 2
an exhaust unit configured to exhaust an inside of the process chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a substrate processing apparatus, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to process a substrate; a gas supply unit including gas supply holes configured to independently supply a process gas for processing the substrate to each of a central portion of the substrate and a peripheral portion of the substrate in the process chamber; an exhaust unit configured to exhaust an inside of the process chamber; and a control unit configured to control the gas supply unit to supply the process gas to the central portion of the substrate after the process gas is supplied to the peripheral portion of the substrate through the gas supply unit.