Reactor Materials Forming Volatile Compounds to Reduce Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas-phase reactors used in semiconductor device manufacturing face contamination issues due to the reaction of strongly reactive etch gases with corrosion-resistant materials and reactor components, leading to substrate contamination, especially when operating at higher temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The system comprises a reaction chamber, susceptor, and gas distribution structure made of materials that react with gas precursors to form volatile compounds, which can be easily purged, reducing contamination. This includes using materials like tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, and stainless steel, which react with halide gases to form compounds that minimize substrate contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If corrosion-resistant materials (transition metal nitrides, oxides, carbides) are used in the substrate processing reactor, then the reactor can withstand the strongly reactive etch gases, but contamination forms on the substrate due to reactions between the etch gases and reactor walls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by intentionally selecting reactor materials (tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, stainless steel) that react with the etch gases to form volatile compounds. Instead of preventing all reactions, the invention converts the harmful reaction into a beneficial one where the reaction products are volatile and can be purged away, thus eliminating contamination while maintaining reactor durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the reactor materials from traditional corrosion-resistant materials (transition metal nitrides, oxides, carbides) to specific metals (tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, stainless steel) that have the property of forming volatile compounds with etch gases. This parameter change in material selection resolves the contradiction by enabling both reactor stability and contamination prevention.
2Productivity
If strongly reactive etch gases are used to etch corrosion-resistant materials, then the etching process is effective, but the etch gases react with reactor walls forming contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the use of strongly reactive etch gases for effective etching while converting the harmful side reaction with reactor walls into a beneficial process. By selecting reactor materials that form volatile compounds, the reactions that would normally create contaminants are transformed into a self-cleaning mechanism where reaction products are easily purged, thus maintaining both etching effectiveness and reactor cleanliness.
3Productivity
If reactors operate at higher temperatures to improve processing, then the etching efficiency increases, but contamination formation is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter of the reactor to metals that form volatile compounds with etch gases. This material parameter change enables the system to operate at higher temperatures for improved etching efficiency without increasing contamination, because the volatile reaction products can be effectively purged even at elevated temperatures.
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 solution effectively reduces substrate contamination by forming volatile compounds that can be efficiently removed, extending reactor lifetime and maintaining low impurity levels on the substrate, with etch rates and contamination levels significantly improved.
Implementation Method 1
the first material, the second material, and the third material react with one or more of the first gas precursor and a second gas precursor to form a (e.g., volatile) gas compound
Implementation Method 2
form a (e.g., volatile) gas compound that can be purged from the reaction chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A reactor for processing substrates and methods for manufacturing and using the reactor are disclosed. Specifically, the reactor can include a material that forms gas compounds. The gas compounds are then easily removed from the reactor, thus reducing or avoiding contamination of the substrates in the reactor that would otherwise arise.