Rotating Drum Deposition with Integrated Cooling and Separated Plasma Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thin film deposition systems face issues such as reduced wafer throughput, material contamination, and target poisoning due to cross-talk between sputter and ion sources, leading to reduced film quality and increased maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A magnetron sputtered reactive ion assisted deposition system with separate metallization and reaction zones, incorporating an integrated radiative cooling mechanism using concentric cylinders to control substrate temperature and prevent arcing, allowing for efficient metal film deposition and reaction without the need for feedback control or pulsing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If sputter source and ion source are placed in close proximity in a batch chamber, then the system structure is simplified, but cross-talk between plasmas occurs leading to target poisoning and reduced film quality
Solution Approach 1:
The deposition chamber is divided into two separate zones: a sputter zone for metal film deposition and a reaction zone for oxide formation. This spatial segmentation prevents plasma cross-talk between the sputter source and ion source, eliminating target poisoning while maintaining system simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If reactive gas is introduced during sputtering to create metal oxide films, then film properties are improved, but target poisoning occurs leading to arcing and process interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The metal film is first deposited completely in the sputter zone using pure argon atmosphere, ensuring no target poisoning occurs. Then the substrate is transferred to the reaction zone where reactive gas is introduced to form the metal oxide layer. This sequential action prevents arcing and process interruption.
3Manufacturing precision
If substrate temperature is increased during deposition to improve film density, then film quality improves, but temperature-sensitive substrates may deform
Solution Approach 1:
The deposition process is segmented into low-temperature metal film deposition in the sputter zone, followed by oxide formation in the reaction zone. This allows the substrate to remain at lower temperatures during the sensitive metal deposition phase, preventing deformation of temperature-sensitive substrates while still achieving dense films.
4Ease of manufacture
If DC sputtering is used to deposit metal films, then the process is simple and cost-effective, but insulating layers build-up on the target causing arcing and target poisoning
Solution Approach 1:
The problem of insulating layer build-up on the DC sputter target is solved by extracting the oxidation step from the sputter zone and relocating it to the separate reaction zone. This allows continuous DC sputtering without target poisoning, maintaining process simplicity while improving target utilization.
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 solution enables high-rate metal oxide generation with reduced substrate temperature, minimizing film stress and allowing deposition on temperature-sensitive materials without deformation, while preventing target poisoning and maintaining film quality.
Implementation Method 1
substrate mounted on a rotating inner cylinder are cooled by radiative cooling from an outer cylinder
Implementation Method 2
DC Magnetron Sputtering is a thin film deposition technique. For example, sputtering can occur in an environment containing Argon gas (Ar). A negative DC potential is applied to a conductive metal 'target.' A plasma discharge is established to ionize the gas thereby creating Ar+ ions. The positively charged Ar+ ions accelerate towards the negatively charged target and cause ejection of the target atoms through sputtering
Implementation Method 3
A plasma discharge is established to ionize the gas thereby creating Ar+ ions. The positively charged Ar+ ions accelerate towards the negatively charged target
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a system for depositing a film on a substrate is disclosed, which comprises at least one metallization source for generating metal atoms, and at least one reactive source for generating at least one reactive species. The system further includes an inner cooling cylinder and a substrate cylinder, where the inner cooling cylinder is fixedly positioned relative to the substrate cylinder, and the substrate cylinder at least partially surrounds the inner cooling cylinder. At least one mount is coupled to the substrate cylinder for mounting one or more substrates to the substrate cylinder.