Remote Plasma Oxidation Chamber Liner Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conformal oxidation of high aspect ratio structures in semiconductor fabrication is challenging due to the difficulty in depositing uniformly thick oxide layers on complex geometries, particularly in 3D NAND designs with alternating oxide and nitride layers.
Innovation Solution
A process chamber with a liner assembly made from oxidation-resistant materials like quartz, featuring a flow divider and distributed pumping structure to direct and control the flow of radicals, ensuring uniform fluid flow and reducing constriction, thereby achieving conformal oxidation of high aspect ratio structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional oxidation processes are used on high aspect ratio structures, then the process is simple and easy to implement, but the oxide layer thickness uniformity deteriorates significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The process chamber is segmented into distinct functional zones: a remote plasma source region, a liner assembly region with flow dividers, and a substrate processing region. This segmentation allows independent optimization of plasma generation, radical flow control, and oxidation processing, enabling conformal oxidation on HAR structures while maintaining manageable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A liner assembly made from oxidation-resistant material (such as quartz) is introduced as an intermediary component between the plasma source and substrate. The liner includes channels and flow dividers that mediate the transport of reactive species, directing them uniformly across the substrate surface to achieve conformal oxide deposition on high aspect ratio structures
2Productivity
If radical flow is not controlled properly, then the process chamber structure remains simple, but the radical concentration and flux decrease, reducing oxidation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The liner assembly incorporates fluid dynamics principles with channels and flow dividers that guide the flow of reactive species through the processing chamber. The channel geometry and flow divider positioning are designed to create uniform radial flow patterns, ensuring consistent radical distribution across the substrate surface for efficient conformal oxidation
Solution Approach 2:
The liner assembly features locally optimized structures including flow dividers positioned at specific locations and channels with varying cross-sections tailored to local flow requirements. This local quality optimization ensures uniform radical flux across different regions of the substrate, maximizing oxidation efficiency throughout the entire processing area
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 enables the deposition of uniformly thick oxide layers with thickness uniformity of five percent or less, improving the manufacturing process for high aspect ratio structures by increasing radical concentration and flux, and enhancing the efficiency of semiconductor device fabrication.
Implementation Method 1
a remote plasma source coupled to the process chamber by a connector
Implementation Method 2
direct and control the flow of radicals, ensuring uniform fluid flow
Implementation Method 3
A liner assembly made from oxidation-resistant materials like quartz
Implementation Method 4
a distributed pumping structure located in the substrate support portion
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a process chamber for conformal oxidation of high aspect ratio structures. The process chamber includes a liner assembly located in a first side of a chamber body and two pumping ports located in a substrate support portion adjacent a second side of the chamber body opposite the first side. The liner assembly includes a flow divider to direct fluid flow away from a center of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the process chamber. The liner assembly may be fabricated from quartz minimize interaction with process gases, such as radicals. The liner assembly is designed to reduce flow constriction of the radicals, leading to increased radical concentration and flux. The two pumping ports can be individually controlled to tune the flow of the radicals through the processing region of the process chamber.