Oscillating Magnets for Uniform Sputtering Erosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sputtering systems for semiconductor wafers face inefficiencies due to the need for multiple single-wafer process chambers, leading to high equipment and processing costs, slow throughput, non-uniform deposition, poor temperature control, contamination, and non-uniform target erosion.
Innovation Solution
A multi-chamber batch processing system with a separate pre-clean chamber and sputtering chamber, utilizing a robotic arm for vacuum transfer, multiple targets for concurrent deposition, oscillating magnets for uniform target erosion, and advanced shielding to prevent contamination, allowing for efficient and uniform deposition of thin films on multiple wafers simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple single-wafer process chambers are used to deposit different materials, then material deposition capability is improved, but equipment costs and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sputtering chambers into a single multi-chamber vacuum system where multiple targets can deposit different materials onto the same wafer sequentially without breaking vacuum. This merging approach maintains material deposition versatility while reducing the number of separate equipment pieces, thereby lowering equipment costs and simplifying the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal chamber that can handle multiple materials and processes within a single vacuum environment. The chamber is designed to accommodate different targets and processing conditions, allowing it to perform multiple deposition functions without requiring separate dedicated chambers for each material, thus reducing equipment complexity while maintaining adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple single-wafer process chambers are used, then material deposition capability is improved, but system throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous processing by maintaining vacuum across multiple chambers and using a robotic arm to transfer wafers without breaking vacuum. This eliminates the time-consuming vacuum break and re-establishment cycles that occur in separate chambers, allowing continuous deposition of multiple materials on the same wafer in sequence, thereby significantly improving throughput while maintaining multi-material capability.
3Device complexity
If fixed magnets are used in magnetron assembly, then target erosion control is simplified, but deposition uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static fixed magnets with oscillating magnets that move back and forth over the target surface during sputtering. This dynamic motion distributes the plasma flux more evenly across the target, preventing localized hot spots and achieving uniform deposition and erosion across the entire target surface, thereby improving manufacturing precision while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
4Reliability
If single-wafer transfer between chambers is used, then process isolation is improved, but throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous vacuum across multiple chambers and uses a robotic arm to transfer wafers without breaking vacuum, eliminating the time-consuming vacuum break and re-establishment cycles. This continuous operation preserves process isolation through vacuum barriers while dramatically improving throughput by removing the sequential transfer bottlenecks inherent in separate vacuum chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a robotic arm as an intermediary transfer mechanism that operates within the vacuum environment, allowing wafer movement between chambers without exposing wafers to atmosphere or breaking vacuum. This intermediary solution maintains process isolation while enabling parallel processing and improving overall system throughput.
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 system increases throughput, reduces contamination and equipment costs, achieves uniform deposition, and improves temperature control, enabling faster etching and more efficient material deposition with higher target utilization and reduced particulate contamination.
Implementation Method 1
Multiple magnets (one for each target) in the magnetron assembly in the sputtering chamber oscillate (0.5-10 second period) over its associated target for uniform target erosion and uniform deposition on the wafers
Implementation Method 2
A sputtering system is widely used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry for depositing materials on semiconductor wafers. Sputtering is sometimes referred to as physical vapor deposition, or PVD.
Implementation Method 3
a coolant running through the copper tubing controls the temperature of the wafers
Implementation Method 4
Having a separate pre-clean chamber, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) chamber
Implementation Method 5
Having a separate pre-clean chamber, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) chamber
Implementation Method 6
The robotic arm transfers the wafers one-by-one to the sputtering chamber from the ICP chamber without the wafers being exposed to the atmosphere, thus avoiding undesirable chemical reactions on the wafer surface, e.g: oxides
Data Source
AI summary
A processing system is described for depositing materials on multiple workpieces (wafers, display panels, or any other workpieces) at a time in a vacuum chamber. Multiple targets, of the same or different materials, may concurrently deposit material on the wafers as the pallet is rotating. Multiple magnets (one for each target) in the magnetron assembly in the sputtering chamber oscillate back and forth across an arc over their respective targets for uniform target erosion and uniform deposition on the wafers.