Substrate Processing Apparatus with Differential Gas Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in forming fine semiconductor devices with minimal processing dimensions while maintaining uniformity and quality, particularly in filling deep or narrow structures with oxide using CVD and uniformly processing substrates with deep grooves using CMP, which are technically limited and require reduced processing times to increase semiconductor device yield.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with distinct gas supply units for different regions of the substrate, allowing for differential supply of process and reactive gases from above and lateral directions, controlled by a unit to vary gas amounts between the center and peripheral portions, enabling tailored film thickness and quality across the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is used to fill deep or narrow structures with oxide, then film formation is achieved, but uniformity and quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the gas supply system into multiple independent gas supply units positioned at different locations (center and peripheral regions) of the processing chamber. Each unit can independently control gas flow to specific substrate regions, enabling localized film formation with different thicknesses and qualities simultaneously, thereby achieving both uniformity control and reduced processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements differential gas supply to different regions of the substrate, allowing the center and peripheral portions to receive different amounts of process gas and reactive gas. This enables formation of films with different thicknesses and qualities at different locations, directly addressing the uniformity issue in deep or narrow structures while maintaining high productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is used to process substrates with deep grooves, then surface planarization is achieved, but uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies CVD film formation with spatially differentiated thickness before CMP processing. By forming thicker films in specific regions (e.g., center portion) and thinner films in other regions (e.g., peripheral portion), the substrate surface is pre-conditioned to achieve better uniformity during subsequent CMP, making the polishing process more effective and easier to control
3Productivity
If processing time is reduced to increase yield, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables simultaneous film formation across different substrate regions with different gas supply rates, allowing the entire substrate to be processed in parallel rather than sequentially. This continuous, parallel processing maintains high film quality through localized control while significantly reducing total processing time to increase manufacturing throughput
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 enhances manufacturing throughput by allowing for customized film formation with different thicknesses and qualities at the center and peripheral portions of the substrate, improving uniformity and quality, and addressing the limitations of existing techniques in fine semiconductor device production.
Implementation Method 1
filling a fine structure and particularly, filling a structure having a gap (groove), which is deep in the vertical direction or that is narrow in the horizontal direction, with an oxide by chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber accommodating a substrate; first and second process gas supply units that respectively supply first and second process gases from above and laterally relative to the substrate; and first and second reactive gas supply units that respectively supply first and second reactive gases from above and laterally relative to the substrate. A control unit controls the other units such that a total amount of the first and second process gases supplied to a center portion of the substrate is different from that supplied to a peripheral portion of the substrate, or a total amount of the first and second reactive gases supplied to the center portion of the substrate is different from that supplied to the peripheral portion of the substrate.