Remote Plasma Substrate Treatment Apparatus for In-Situ Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor device manufacturing processes face inefficiencies in plasma-based treatments, particularly in achieving uniform plasma density and cleaning of membrane materials deposited on treatment apparatus inner walls, which affect product reliability and production efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treatment apparatus is designed with a housing, gas supply, remote plasma supply, and shower head, utilizing RF power to generate and apply process plasmas for deposition and cleaning, with adjustable pressure and gas flow rates to effectively clean membrane materials using argon and fluorine-based gases, and employing CVD and ALD methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plasma processing is used for deposition, then film formation efficiency is improved, but membrane material deposits on the inner wall of the housing causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful membrane material deposition into a beneficial cleaning process by introducing a second plasma generated from a different gas (e.g., oxygen or fluorocarbon-based gas) that reacts with and removes the deposited membrane material from the housing inner wall, transforming the contamination problem into a controlled cleaning operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes plasma generation parameters by using a remote plasma source with different gas composition and flow rates compared to the main deposition plasma, creating a second plasma with distinct chemical properties suitable for cleaning rather than deposition, thereby enabling selective removal of membrane materials
2Reliability
If cleaning process is performed to remove membrane material, then apparatus reliability is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous cleaning by generating a second plasma that operates concurrently with or immediately follows the deposition process without requiring apparatus disassembly or interruption of the main process flow, maintaining continuous removal of membrane materials throughout production
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning plasma is generated in-situ within the same housing using a remote plasma source, enabling the apparatus to clean itself without external intervention or disassembly, thereby reducing cleaning time and maintaining continuous operation
3Manufacturing precision
If gas flow rate is increased to improve plasma density, then deposition uniformity is improved, but gas consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote plasma source as an intermediary that pre-processes the gas to generate reactive species before they reach the deposition zone, allowing effective plasma processing at lower gas flow rates while maintaining deposition uniformity through the mediating action of the remote plasma generation
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 apparatus improves efficiency by optimizing plasma processing, enhancing the cleaning of membrane materials and maintaining apparatus integrity, leading to improved semiconductor device manufacturing outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
a remote plasma supply connected to the gas supply, generating a first process plasma and a second process plasma by applying RF power to plasma-process the first process gas and the second process gas
Implementation Method 2
a shower head installed in the housing to supply the first process plasma and the second process plasma to the treatment area
Implementation Method 3
performing a deposition process on the substrate... the second process plasma cleans a membrane material deposited on an inner wall of the housing
Implementation Method 4
the second process plasma cleans a membrane material deposited on an inner wall of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising loading a substrate into a substrate treatment apparatus, performing a deposition process on the substrate, and cleaning the substrate treatment apparatus. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a housing defining a treatment area in which the deposition process is performed, a gas supply supplying a first process gas at a flow rate of 1000 sccm to 15000 sccm and supplying a second process gas, a remote plasma supply connected to the gas supply, generating a first process plasma and a second process plasma by applying RF power to plasma-process the first process gas and the second process gas, and a shower head installed in the housing to supply the first process plasma and the second process plasma to the treatment area. The second process plasma cleans a membrane material deposited on an inner wall of the housing.