Plasma Chamber Side Gas Feed for Swirl Etch Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inductively coupled plasma (ICP) chambers face issues with non-uniform etch rates due to gas leakage and orientation of side gas feeds, leading to poor process repeatability and line width uniformity, especially with gases of large molecular weights.
Innovation Solution
A plasma chamber design with a side gas feed that forms a swirl motion by adjusting the gas spraying direction towards the housing wall, utilizing multiple side gas feeds arranged in a regular polygon pattern to maintain uniform etch rates, incorporating a synergy of ions and radicals for etching, and using a controller to adjust gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional ICP is used with center gas feed and small side gas feed, then the etch rate is increased, but the selectivity and process repeatability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the spray direction parameter of the side gas feed from wafer-facing to wall-facing. This parameter change transforms the gas flow pattern into a swirl motion that naturally distributes gas more uniformly across the entire wafer surface, rather than concentrating it at the edge.
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 design achieves a uniform etch rate by forming a swirl motion with heavy molecular gases, improving etch rate uniformity and selectivity, reducing manufacturing costs, and enhancing edge yield without additional devices.
Implementation Method 1
gas sprayed from a nozzle forms a swirl motion in the chamber by adjusting a spraying direction of the gas sprayed from a side gas feed toward a wall surface of a housing
Implementation Method 2
Plasma is generated in an internal reaction space of the plasma chamber, and the etching process of the semiconductor is performed using the plasma
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a plasma chamber having a side gas feed for forming a swirl motion, the plasma chamber comprising: a housing having a seating portion on which a wafer is seated; and a side gas feed formed on a lateral surface of the housing so as to eject a gas into the housing, wherein the housing has a plurality of the side gas feeds and each side gas feed comprises a nozzle through which a gas is ejected, thereby ejecting a gas toward a wall surface of the housing.