Substrate Etching Chamber With Radical Blocking and Thermal Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing methods cause surface damage during etching, necessitating separate repair processes and lacking temperature uniformity, which affects semiconductor device performance.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus that integrates etching and annealing processes in a single chamber, utilizing a plasma region and processing region separated by a blocker, with independent temperature control for different substrate regions through separate heaters and gas flow paths, and selective radical and ion passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate etching and annealing processes are used, then process specificity is maintained, but manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines etching and annealing processes into a single chamber by introducing a blocker that separates plasma generation from substrate processing regions. This allows simultaneous plasma generation for etching while directing radicals through the blocker to the substrate for annealing, eliminating the need for separate process chambers and reducing manufacturing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber is divided into distinct plasma generation and processing regions by the blocker. This segmentation allows independent optimization of plasma generation conditions while controlling radical flow to the substrate, maintaining process specificity despite integration.
2Temperature
If uniform temperature is applied to the entire substrate, then process simplicity is maintained, but temperature uniformity across different regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements independent temperature control for different substrate regions by providing separate heaters for the first and second regions. This allows each region to be heated to its optimal temperature independently, ensuring uniform temperature distribution across the entire substrate while accommodating different processing requirements for different areas.
3Productivity
If ions are allowed to reach the substrate during plasma processing, then etching efficiency is improved, but surface damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocker selectively extracts ions from the plasma while allowing radicals to pass through to the substrate. This separation removes the harmful ion component that causes surface damage while retaining the beneficial radical component for annealing and etching processes, thereby improving surface quality without sacrificing etching efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocker acts as an intermediary between the plasma generation region and the substrate processing region. It mediates the plasma components by selectively transmitting radicals while blocking ions, enabling controlled interaction between plasma species and substrate to achieve desired processing outcomes without harmful effects.
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
Improves surface quality and electrical performance of semiconductor devices by ensuring temperature uniformity and integrating etching and annealing processes, preventing warpage and enhancing process uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
a power supply configured to generate a plasma from the plasma gas
Implementation Method 2
generating a plasma from the plasma gas
Implementation Method 3
a blocker disposed between the plasma region and the processing region and configured to selectively allow radicals in the plasma to pass from the plasma region to the processing region through the blocker
Implementation Method 4
a heater configured to adjust a temperature of the etching gas moving along the gas flow path or a temperature of the radicals moving along the radical flow path
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a substrate processing apparatus, including a chamber including a plasma region and a processing region configured to process a substrate, a gas supply configured to supply a plasma gas to the plasma region and supply an etching gas to the processing region, a power supply configured to generate a plasma from the plasma gas, a blocker disposed between the plasma region and the processing region and configured to selectively allows radicals in the plasma to pass from the plasma region to the processing region, a shower head including a gas flow path configured to supply the etching gas to the processing region and a radical flow path configured to supply the radicals to the processing region, and a heater configured to adjust a temperature of the etching gas moving along the gas flow path or a temperature of the radicals moving along the radical flow path.