Ozone Source Gas Purification for Stable Thin Film Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor fabrication processes face challenges in maintaining high production yields of thin films due to impurities such as carbon dioxide and inactive gases in the source gas, which can cause deposition failures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of impurity detectors, including first and second impurity detectors, to detect and remove carbon dioxide and inactive gases in the source gas before ozone and precursor gases are used for thin film formation, ensuring high purity and preventing deposition failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If impurity detectors and purifiers are added to the gas supply system, then the purity of source gas is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary purification of the source gas by placing a purifier in the gas supply line before the gas reaches the ozone generation chamber. This preliminary action removes impurities such as carbon dioxide and water vapor from the oxygen source gas before it is converted to ozone, preventing contamination of the thin film deposition process without requiring complex real-time monitoring and adjustment systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary purifier component between the oxygen source and the ozone generation chamber. This purifier acts as a mediator that selectively removes harmful impurities from the source gas while allowing the required oxygen to pass through, thereby protecting the deposition process from contamination without directly modifying the ozone generation or deposition mechanisms
2Reliability
If source gas is purified to remove impurities, then deposition failures are reduced, but the loss of time for purification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The purifier is configured to continuously or pre-treat the source gas before it enters the ozone generation chamber, so that purification occurs in advance rather than requiring interruption of the deposition process. This allows the gas to be purified during normal operation without causing time loss for the actual thin film deposition
Solution Approach 2:
The gas purification system is designed to operate continuously alongside the deposition process, maintaining constant purity of the source gas without interrupting the thin film formation. The purifier and ozone generation chamber work in parallel, ensuring that useful deposition action continues uninterrupted while purification occurs simultaneously
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 implementation of impurity detectors enhances the production yield of thin films by minimizing deposition failures through precise detection and removal of impurities, thereby improving the overall fabrication process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first impurity detector disposed between the oxygen purifier and the oxygen supply, where the first impurity detector detect carbon dioxide in the source gas; and a second impurity detector disposed between the oxygen purifier and the ozone supply, where the second impurity detector detects an inactive gas in the source gas
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor fabrication apparatus comprises a process chamber, an ozone supply that provides the process chamber with ozone, an oxygen supply that provides the ozone supply with a source gas of the ozone, and a plurality of impurity detectors disposed between the oxygen supply and the ozone supply. The impurity detectors detect an inactive gas in the source gas.