PVD Shutter Plasma Treatment for Underside Contaminant Pasting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contaminant material, particularly organic material, builds up on the underside of the shutter in PVD apparatuses, leading to particle degradation and contamination within the chamber, which affects the resistivity of the PVD deposited film.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for treating the shutter by generating a plasma in the chamber to sputter etch pasting material onto the underside of the shutter, using materials like titanium, barium, cerium, or aluminum, to paste contaminant material in place, thereby reducing contamination and improving chamber performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the PVD deposition process is used to paste contaminants to chamber walls, then particle control is improved, but contaminants on the shutter underside are not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using the PVD deposition process to paste contaminants (which misses the shutter underside), the invention reverses the approach by using a sputter etch process with the shutter deployed to directly paste contaminants onto the shutter underside. This inverted approach ensures complete coverage of all chamber surfaces including previously inaccessible areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the shutter dynamic by deploying it during the sputter etch process to expose its underside to the plasma. This dynamic positioning allows the shutter to actively participate in the contaminant pasting process, transforming it from a passive component to an active element in contaminant control.
2Manufacturing precision
If a sputter etch process is performed to remove oxide, then contact resistance is reduced, but organic material builds up on chamber architecture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful organic material buildup into a beneficial effect by using the sputter etch process to paste the organic contaminants onto the chamber walls and shutter. The same plasma that removes oxide also redeposits organic material in controlled locations, transforming a problem into a solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The sputter etch process acts as an intermediary mechanism that simultaneously performs two functions: removing oxide from the substrate to reduce contact resistance, and redistributing organic contaminants onto chamber surfaces. This intermediary process connects the beneficial oxide removal with the beneficial contaminant redistribution.
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
Effectively reduces contaminant buildup on the shutter underside, maintaining low contact resistance and enhancing chamber performance by controlling particle levels and extending the lifetime of the chamber architecture.
Implementation Method 1
generating a plasma in the first compartment to sputter etch pasting material onto the underside of the shutter
Implementation Method 2
generating a plasma in the first compartment to sputter etch pasting material onto the underside of the shutter
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
According to the invention there is provided a method of treating a shutter of a PVD apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a PVD apparatus comprising a chamber, a target, a substrate support positioned in the chamber and a shutter which is deployable within the chamber to divide the chamber into a first compartment in which the substrate support is positioned, and a second compartment in which the target is positioned; providing a substrate having a pasting material deposited thereon, said substrate being positioned on the substrate support; deploying the shutter within the chamber to divide the chamber into the first and second compartments, the shutter having an underside which, in its deployed position, faces the substrate, wherein at least one contaminant material is present on the underside; and generating a plasma in the first compartment to sputter etch pasting material onto the underside of the shutter, thereby pasting the contaminant material to the underside of the shutter.