Semiconductor Chamber Purge for Stable Film Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing semiconductor manufacturing processes face challenges in stabilizing the deposition rate and film quality due to residues from precursor gases like BTBAS, which are difficult to remove efficiently, leading to reduced productivity and inconsistent film quality during batch processing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing technique involving a film forming process where a precursor and reactant are supplied at a temperature where pyrolysis does not occur, followed by a reactive purge using a plasma-excited gas, alcohol, or reducing agent at a lower temperature to efficiently remove residues from the process chamber, thereby stabilizing the deposition rate and maintaining film quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a precursor gas like BTBAS is used for film formation, then film quality can be improved, but residues remain in the process chamber leading to unstable deposition rates and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
A reactive purge process is performed before the film formation process to preliminarily remove residues from the process chamber. This preliminary cleaning action ensures that when the precursor gas is subsequently introduced, it does not interact with residual materials from previous cycles, thereby stabilizing the deposition rate while maintaining film quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of residues (which cause unstable deposition rates) into a beneficial cleaning process. By intentionally introducing a reactive gas that specifically reacts with and removes the precursor residues through chemical reactions, the harmful contamination is transformed into a controlled cleaning mechanism that improves subsequent process stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If a long purge time is used to remove residues, then film quality can be maintained, but productivity decreases due to reduced processing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical reactivity parameter of the purge gas from inert to reactive. By using a reactive gas that chemically reacts with and removes residues at much higher rates than physical evacuation alone, the purge time is dramatically reduced while achieving the same or better film quality outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical purge method (simple evacuation or inert gas flushing) with a chemical reaction-based purge method. The reactive gas chemically transforms and removes residues through chemical reactions, achieving much faster and more effective cleaning compared to purely mechanical removal methods.
3Productivity
If a reactive purge process is implemented, then productivity improves by shortening purge times, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a periodic cycle alternating between reactive purge mode and film formation mode. During the reactive purge phase, the reactive gas is supplied to clean residues; during the film formation phase, the precursor gas is supplied to deposit film. This periodic switching simplifies the overall process control compared to attempting continuous operation, while achieving high productivity through rapid alternating cycles.
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 effectively removes residues, stabilizes the deposition rate, improves productivity by shortening purge times, and maintains film quality, even when using easily adsorbed precursor gases like BTBAS, by employing a plasma-excited O2 gas purge process.
Implementation Method 1
purging, after performing the act of forming the film, an interior of the process chamber by supplying at least one selected from a group consisting of a plasma-excited gas, an alcohol, and a reducing agent into the process chamber
Implementation Method 2
supplying a precursor and a reactant to a substrate accommodated within a process chamber and forming a film on the substrate
Implementation Method 3
forming a film on the substrate in a process chamber by supplying a precursor and a reactant to the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A technique of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a film on a substrate in a process chamber by supplying a precursor and a reactant to the substrate under a first temperature at which the precursor and the reactant are not pyrolyzed, and purging, after performing the act of forming the film, an interior of the process chamber by supplying at least one selected from a group consisting of a plasma-excited gas, an alcohol, and a reducing agent into the process chamber under a second temperature equal to or lower than the first temperature.