Dual Remote Plasma Sources for Flowable CVD
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor fabrication is the difficulty in filling narrow gaps and trenches with dielectric material due to the decreasing feature sizes of semiconductor devices, leading to defects and short service life caused by using a remote plasma source for both deposition and cleaning in chemical vapor deposition processes.
Innovation Solution
A processing chamber design with separate remote plasma sources for deposition and cleaning, utilizing a radical delivery ring to minimize cross-contamination and cyclic changes, ensuring improved deposition rate stability and particle performance by separating the delivery channels for radicals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single remote plasma source is used for both deposition and cleaning, then the device complexity is reduced, but the service life of components and deposition rate stability deteriorate due to cross-contamination and surface changes
Solution Approach 1:
The single remote plasma source is segmented into two separate plasma sources: one dedicated to deposition and another dedicated to cleaning. This segmentation prevents cross-contamination between deposition and cleaning processes, eliminating surface changes on the plasma source components and maintaining stable deposition rates over extended service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is extracted from the deposition plasma source and assigned to a separate cleaning plasma source. This extraction removes the harmful effect of cleaning radicals causing surface changes on the deposition source, thereby maintaining deposition rate stability and component reliability.
2Device complexity
If a single remote plasma source is used for both deposition and cleaning, then the device complexity is reduced, but the service life of components deteriorates due to surface changes and cross-contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma source system is segmented into separate deposition and cleaning sources, preventing the accumulation of cross-contamination on shared components. This segmentation reduces surface changes and extends the service life of processing chamber components by eliminating cyclic degradation from alternating deposition and cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is extracted to a separate plasma source, removing the harmful exposure of deposition source components to cleaning radicals. This extraction prevents surface changes and extends the operational lifespan of stationary components in the processing chamber.
3Reliability
If separate remote plasma sources are used for deposition and cleaning, then deposition rate stability and service life are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma source system is segmented into specialized deposition and cleaning sources, each optimized for its specific function. This segmentation improves deposition rate stability by preventing cross-contamination, with the added complexity of separate sources being offset by the elimination of maintenance interruptions and deposition rate drift.
Solution Approach 2:
While the plasma sources are specialized, the overall system maintains universality through a shared radical delivery mechanism and integrated control system. The separate sources work together within a unified processing chamber, managing complexity through modular design and coordinated operation.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If separate remote plasma sources are used for deposition and cleaning, then service life of components is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma generation system is segmented into separate deposition and cleaning sources, preventing cyclic surface changes that limit component service life. The extended service life achieved through this segmentation justifies the increased complexity by reducing maintenance frequency and component replacement requirements.
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 solution enhances deposition uniformity and extends the service life of the processing chamber components by reducing cross-contamination and cyclic changes, leading to improved deposition rates and particle performance.
Implementation Method 1
The first RPS is utilized for delivering deposition radicals into a processing region in the processing chamber
Implementation Method 2
a first remote plasma source disposed over the lid
Implementation Method 3
a second remote plasma source coupled to the chamber wall
Implementation Method 4
the second RPS is utilized for delivering cleaning radicals into the processing region
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations described herein generally relate to an apparatus for forming flowable films. In one implementation, the apparatus is a processing chamber including a first RPS coupled to a lid of the processing chamber and a second RPS coupled to a side wall of the processing chamber. The first RPS is utilized for delivering deposition radicals into a processing region in the processing chamber and the second RPS is utilized for delivering cleaning radicals into the processing region. The processing chamber further includes a radical delivery ring disposed between a showerhead and a substrate support for delivering cleaning radicals from the second RPS into the processing region. Having separate RPSs for deposition and clean along with introducing radicals from the RPSs into the processing region using separate delivery channels minimizes cross contamination and cyclic change on the RPSs, leading to improved deposition rate drifting and particle performance.