PVD Target Profile Monitoring for Uneven Erosion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The uneven erosion profile of PVD targets in semiconductor fabrication leads to inefficient use, potential fabrication failures, and increased costs due to uneven film deposition and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A PVD system with a target erosion profile monitoring subsystem, featuring a backing plate with a recessed design that allows for real-time monitoring of the target plate's usage, thereby optimizing its utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional PVD target design is used, then the structure is simple, but the target erosion is uneven leading to inefficient usage and fabrication failures
Solution Approach 1:
The backing plate is segmented into multiple regions with different thicknesses (first thickness in peripheral region, second thickness in central region). This segmentation allows different parts of the target to erode at different rates, compensating for the natural uneven erosion pattern and extending effective target usage while maintaining fabrication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The backing plate is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution, where the peripheral region has a first thickness and the central region has a second thickness. This local variation in quality (thickness) optimizes the erosion profile across different areas of the target, preventing fabrication failures and extending target life.
2Productivity
If PVD target is used without monitoring, then the operation is simple, but the target usage efficiency is low due to uneven erosion
Solution Approach 1:
A monitoring subsystem is implemented to detect the erosion profile of the PVD target in real-time. The system provides feedback on the thickness distribution and erosion patterns, enabling operators to optimize deposition parameters and extend target usage efficiency while maintaining quality control.
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 effectively extends the usage of the PVD target, reduces the risk of fabrication failures, and enhances the uniformity of film deposition, leading to cost savings and improved process reliability.
Implementation Method 1
Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a common process for depositing a film of material on a substrate
Implementation Method 2
The plasma physically dislodges or erodes (sputters) atoms or molecules from the reaction surface of the PVD target into a vapor of the target material
Data Source
AI summary
A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system includes: a chamber body; a substrate support disposed within the chamber body and capable of supporting a substrate; a PVD target; and a target profile monitoring subsystem. The PVD target includes: a target plate comprising a target material; and a backing plate attached to the target plate and comprising: a central section; and a peripheral section circumferentially surrounding the central section in a horizontal plane. The peripheral section has a first thickness in a vertical direction, the central section has a second thickness in the vertical direction, and the first thickness is larger than the second thickness. The target profile monitoring subsystem is configured to monitor usage of the target plate.