Substrate Processing Apparatus Heated Inert Gas Film Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, the miniaturization of patterns leads to high aspect ratio grooves, where precursor gases are pyrolyzed before adsorption due to mismatched reaction and pyrolysis temperatures, resulting in deteriorated film quality and adherence of by-products, which affect substrate properties.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus is configured to supply precursor and reaction gases alternately, with inert gases heated to specific temperatures to maintain optimal process conditions, preventing pyrolysis and by-product adherence by using a shower head with a buffer chamber and dispersion plate heating to ensure uniform gas distribution and film quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the substrate temperature is maintained at a low first temperature during precursor gas supply, then the precursor gas can be adsorbed on the substrate, but the precursor gas may be pyrolyzed before adsorption due to temperature mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The inert gas is heated to a second temperature higher than the first temperature before being supplied to the substrate. This preliminary heating action ensures that the inert gas can prevent precursor gas pyrolysis when supplied, while the substrate itself remains at the lower first temperature to enable precursor gas adsorption.
Solution Approach 2:
A heated inert gas is introduced as an intermediary substance between the precursor gas and the substrate. The inert gas acts as a protective medium that prevents precursor gas pyrolysis through thermal management, allowing the precursor gas to be adsorbed on the substrate without deteriorating film quality.
2Productivity
If the reaction gas is supplied at high temperature to promote reaction, then the reaction efficiency is improved, but by-products may adhere to the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The heated inert gas serves as a protective intermediary during reaction gas supply. It creates a controlled thermal environment that promotes reaction efficiency while preventing by-product adherence to the substrate by managing the thermal conditions in the reaction zone.
Solution Approach 2:
A heated inert gas atmosphere is maintained during the reaction process. This inert environment protects the substrate from by-product adherence while allowing the reaction to proceed efficiently, as the inert gas prevents unwanted chemical interactions and thermal damage.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the shower head and buffer chamber are cooled to remove by-products, then cleaning is improved, but the temperature drops below optimal process window
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the substrate support system and transferred to the inert gas supply system. By heating the inert gas before supply, the patent achieves temperature control without cooling the shower head and buffer chamber, thus removing by-products while maintaining optimal process temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling system (for removing by-products from shower head and buffer chamber) with a thermal management approach using heated inert gas. This substitution maintains the process temperature within the optimal window while still achieving by-product removal through the inert gas atmosphere.
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 method enables the formation of high-quality thin films with uniform thickness by preventing precursor gas pyrolysis and by-product adherence, maintaining optimal temperature conditions and improving film quality and substrate properties.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a first inert gas, which is heated at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, to the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a process of forming a thin film on a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus in which an improved film quality is obtained is disclosed. A precursor gas supply process of supplying a precursor gas to a process chamber while maintaining a substrate accommodated in the process chamber at a first temperature, a first removal process of removing the precursor gas remaining in the process chamber by supplying an inert gas, which is heated at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, to the process chamber, a reaction gas supply process of supplying a reaction gas to the process chamber, and a second removal process of removing the reaction gas remaining in the process chamber by supplying an inert gas to the process chamber are performed.