Remote Plasma Epitaxy for High-Rate Low-Temperature Silicon Deposition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition systems face challenges in balancing growth rate and thermal consumption, leading to instability and excessive energy consumption, as they struggle to control precursor deposition and maintain optimal performance in semiconductor manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor processing system with a remote plasma unit that decomposes a silicon-containing material layer precursor before it enters the processing chamber, using a quartz chamber body and a substrate support with a silicon carbide coating, allowing for controlled deposition of an epitaxial material layer at a lower temperature with increased growth rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the temperature is increased to facilitate chemical reactions and improve deposition rate, then the growth rate is improved, but the energy consumption increases and thermal budget is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-decomposing the precursor molecules in a remote plasma region before they reach the substrate. This pre-decomposition activates the precursors, allowing chemical reactions to occur at lower substrate temperatures while maintaining high deposition rates, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a remote plasma unit as an intermediary between the precursor source and the substrate. This intermediary pre-processes the precursors through plasma decomposition, enabling low-temperature deposition with high growth rates, thereby resolving the energy consumption vs. deposition rate contradiction
2Productivity
If the temperature is increased to improve growth rate, then the deposition speed increases, but instability and chamber coating occur
Solution Approach 1:
By performing preliminary plasma decomposition of precursors in a remote region, the system achieves high growth rates at lower substrate temperatures, eliminating the instability and chamber coating problems that occur at high temperatures while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The remote plasma unit acts as an intermediary that separates the decomposition process from the deposition location, allowing controlled precursor activation without exposing the substrate to harmful high-temperature effects, thus improving reliability while maintaining growth rate
3Device complexity
If conventional deposition methods are used to control precursor deposition, then the process is simpler, but the ability to control precursor deposition and provide optimal performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the deposition process into two distinct stages: remote plasma decomposition and substrate deposition. This segmentation provides independent control over precursor activation and deposition parameters, significantly enhancing control capability while maintaining reasonable process complexity through modular system design
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
This approach enables higher deposition rates and improved control over the deposition process while reducing energy consumption and minimizing thermal stress on semiconductor devices, achieving greater growth rates at lower temperatures and enhancing film quality.
Implementation Method 1
remote plasma unit with a precursor inlet coupled to the chamber body, and configured to decompose a silicon-containing material layer precursor provided to the remote plasma unit
Implementation Method 2
a heater element array supported outside of the chamber body, and optically coupled to the substrate support by the quartz material
Implementation Method 3
heater element array supported outside of the chamber body, and optically coupled to the substrate support by the quartz material forming the chamber body
Implementation Method 4
a substrate support arranged within an interior of the chamber body and supported for rotation about a rotation axis within the interior of the chamber body
Implementation Method 5
an epitaxial film (e.g., a material layer) is deposited from a gas state to a solid state onto a substrate
Implementation Method 6
plasma enhanced epitaxial chemical vapor deposition system
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for a material layer deposition method in a semiconductor manufacturing system. A controller may seat a substrate on a substrate support. A silicon-containing material layer precursor may be provided to a remote plasma unit, which may decompose at least a portion of the silicon-containing material layer precursor. An epitaxial material layer comprising silicon may be deposited onto the substrate using a decomposition product. The deposition rate and/or growth rate may be increased at a given deposition temperature.