Parallel Gas Flow Control for High-Aspect-Ratio Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing processes struggle to process grooves with high aspect ratios while maintaining good step coverage.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a storage, processing chamber, and parallel gas flow paths connected by valves, controlled by a controller to manage gas supply and conductance, allowing for precise control of gas flow to improve step coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional single gas flow path is used, then apparatus structure is simple, but step coverage in high aspect ratio grooves is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is divided into multiple parallel gas flow paths (first gas flow path and second gas flow path) that connect the storage to the processing chamber. Each path has independent flow control, allowing differential gas delivery to different regions of the substrate, thereby improving step coverage in high aspect ratio grooves while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
2Stability of the object's composition
If gas supply is continuously maintained, then processing stability is improved, but byproduct adsorption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply is controlled in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The controller opens and closes valves to alternately supply process gas from storage to the processing chamber. During gas supply periods, film formation proceeds; during interruption periods, byproducts are removed or desorb. This periodic action maintains processing stability through repeated cycles while reducing cumulative byproduct adsorption on the substrate.
3Measurement precision
If multiple valves are added for flow control, then gas flow precision is improved, but apparatus footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple gas flow paths are arranged in a parallel configuration, utilizing spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions rather than sequential linear arrangement. This allows independent flow control valves to be positioned efficiently in three-dimensional space, achieving precise gas flow control for each path while minimizing the overall footprint of the apparatus through optimized spatial utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that includes a storage configured to store a process gas supplied from a supplier, a processing chamber configured to process a substrate, a plurality of gas flow paths that connect the storage and the processing chamber in parallel, a gas control mechanism including a plurality of valves respectively disposed in the plurality of gas flow paths, and a controller configured to be capable of controlling the gas control mechanism so as to perform a process including: (a1) storing the process gas in the storage; (a2) starting supply of the process gas in the storage into the processing chamber; (a3) stopping supply of the process gas in the storage into the processing chamber; and (b) changing conductance of gas in the gas flow paths by controlling opening degrees of the valves between the processing of (a2) and the processing of (a3).