Plenum Hydroxyl Oxidation Chamber for Uniform Memory Hole Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oxidation processes, particularly at high pressures, result in non-uniform processing of substrates due to rapid decay of oxidation radicals, especially in memory holes with high aspect ratios, leading to incomplete penetration and uneven oxidation reactions.
Innovation Solution
A processing chamber system that utilizes a plenum to mix reactive gases like hydrogen and oxygen, injecting the mixture at a velocity greater than the flame velocity through orifices to produce hydroxyl radicals, ensuring uniform oxidation across the substrate, including memory holes, by maintaining high pressure conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high pressure oxidation processes are used, then oxidation reaction rate is improved, but radicals are quenched or decay rapidly leading to non-uniform processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-mixes fuel and oxidant gases in a plenum chamber before injection, creating a homogeneous mixture that ensures consistent radical generation throughout the substrate processing area. This preliminary mixing action prevents localized concentration variations that would cause non-uniform oxidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses gas dynamic principles by injecting the gas mixture at supersonic or highly sonic velocities through carefully designed nozzles. This pneumatic approach creates a controlled expansion and mixing process that maintains radical integrity while achieving high-pressure conditions, resolving the contradiction between pressure-induced quenching and reaction rate enhancement.
2Manufacturing precision
If low pressure radical oxidation is used, then uniform oxidation is achieved, but processing speed and throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system fundamentally changes the pressure parameter from low to high while compensating through controlled gas injection dynamics. By adjusting the injection velocity and mixture composition, the system maintains the uniformity benefits of low-pressure processes while achieving the productivity gains of high-pressure processes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If memory holes with high aspect ratios are processed, then substrate integration is improved, but radical penetration and oxidation uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The supersonic injection system creates localized high-velocity gas flows that directly target the memory hole structures. The plenum chamber design ensures that the gas mixture composition and velocity are optimized for penetrating high aspect ratio structures, providing uniform oxidation specifically where needed while maintaining overall process efficiency.
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 achieves uniform oxidation with improved conformality and throughput by enhancing radical generation and sustainability, allowing for efficient oxidation of memory hole sidewalls and maintaining oxide quality.
Implementation Method 1
receive a first reactive gas in a plenum via first plurality of inlets, receive a second reactive gas in the plenum via a second plurality of inlets, produce a mixture of the first reactive gas and the second reactive gas
Implementation Method 2
heat the process chamber
Implementation Method 3
produce a radical as a function of the heat and the mixture
Implementation Method 4
produce a radical as a function of the heat and the mixture
Data Source
AI summary
A method and processing chamber for plenum driven hydroxyl combustion oxidation. A mixture is produced in a plenum. The mixture includes a first reactive gas injected from a first inlet and a second reactive gas injected from a second inlet. The mixture is injected towards a substrate of a processing chamber at a jet gas velocity greater than a flame gas velocity. A radical is produced as a function of the first gas and the second gas while heating the chamber.