Gas Distribution Assembly for Low-Temperature Cobalt Oxide Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for reducing cobalt oxide to cobalt metal at low temperatures are inadequate, as high-temperature annealing processes can damage other layers and alter the intrinsic properties of cobalt layers, and existing reactor systems fail to uniformly distribute activated species effectively.
Innovation Solution
A reactor system with a gas distribution assembly that includes a gas distribution device, gas expansion area, and showerhead plate, coated with materials like aluminum oxide to preserve activated species, which are generated by remote plasma units and distributed uniformly across a substrate to reduce cobalt oxide to cobalt at lower temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high-temperature annealing process is used to reduce cobalt oxide to cobalt metal, then the reduction reaction can occur, but temperatures above 400°C can lead to degradation or damage of other layers and change the intrinsic properties of cobalt layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the reaction mechanism from thermal reduction to plasma-mediated reduction, allowing the process to occur at temperatures below 300°C instead of above 400°C. This parameter change in temperature, enabled by using activated hydrogen species from plasma sources, resolves the contradiction by achieving reduction while preserving layer integrity and cobalt properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal/mechanical annealing system with a plasma-based chemical system. Instead of using heat as the primary driver for reduction, the invention uses activated hydrogen species generated by remote plasma units or inductive coupled plasma sources, substituting thermal energy with chemically activated species to achieve reduction at lower temperatures
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional gas distribution methods are used, then the system structure is simple, but the activated species are not uniformly distributed across the substrate surface
Solution Approach 1:
The gas distribution assembly is segmented into multiple functional components: a gas distribution device with multiple gas inlets, a gas expansion area with specific geometry, and a showerhead plate with multiple outlets. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function optimally, achieving uniform activated species distribution across the substrate surface
Solution Approach 2:
The gas expansion area acts as an intermediary between the gas distribution device and the showerhead plate. This intermediate region allows the gas flow to expand and redistribute uniformly before reaching the substrate, mediating the transition from non-uniform inlet distribution to uniform outlet distribution across the substrate surface
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 system enables the uniform distribution of activated species, such as hydrogen radicals, to reduce cobalt oxide to cobalt at temperatures below 300°C, minimizing damage to other layers and maintaining the integrity of deposited materials, while extending the lifetime of activated species and reducing processing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a first remote plasma unit fluidly coupled to the first reaction chamber... which are generated by remote plasma units and distributed uniformly across a substrate to reduce cobalt oxide to cobalt
Implementation Method 2
the gas distribution device distributes the activated species within the gas expansion area... one or more holes and/or one or more radially extending channels to distribute the activated species
Implementation Method 3
At least a portion of a surface of the gas distribution assembly can be coated with, for example, aluminum oxide and/or yttrium oxide to preserve the activated species
Implementation Method 4
Exemplary methods can be used to... reduce a metal oxide, such as cobalt oxide... reduce cobalt oxide to cobalt at temperatures below 300°C
Data Source
AI summary
A reactor system including a gas distribution assembly and method of using the reactor system are disclosed. The gas distribution assembly includes a gas distribution device, a gas expansion area, and a showerhead plate downstream of the gas distribution device and the expansion area.