Showerhead assembly with gas injection distribution devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10130958-B2
Application number	US-85674710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2010
Priority date	Apr 14, 2010
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus that may be utilized for chemical vapor deposition and/or hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) deposition are provided. The apparatus includes a showerhead assembly with separate inlets and manifolds for delivering separate processing gases into a processing volume of the chamber without mixing the gases prior to entering the processing volume. The showerhead includes a plurality of gas distribution devices disposed within a plurality of gas inlets for injecting one of the processing gases into and distributing it across a manifold for uniform delivery into the processing volume of the chamber. Each of the gas distribution devices preferably has a nozzle configured to evenly distribute the processing gas flowing therethrough while minimizing recirculation of the processing gas within the manifold. As a result, improved deposition uniformity is achieved on a plurality of substrates positioned in the processing volume of the processing chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A showerhead assembly, comprising:
a top wall;
a showerhead;
a first gas manifold formed between the top wall and the showerhead, wherein a plurality of first gas conduits extend through the showerhead and fluidly coupling the first gas manifold to an exit surface of the showerhead and a central conduit is formed through the top wall and showerhead, wherein the central conduit is configured to flow a process gas out the exit surface of the showerhead while bypassing the first gas manifold;
a plurality of gas distribution devices formed in an array in the top wall about the central conduit, each gas distribution device fluidly interconnected by a plurality of second gas conduits, each gas distribution device having a center portion circumscribed by a cylindrical body, and
an annular gas passage that is formed between the center portion and the cylindrical body and that is in fluid communication with the first gas manifold, wherein each annular gas passage is ring shaped and tapers downwards to the first gas manifold, and wherein each gas distribution device is in fluid communication with each first gas conduit.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each annular gas passage is formed through the gas distribution device and coupled to a ring shaped annular orifice formed in the first gas manifold.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the central portion includes a frustoconical portion tapering to the first gas manifold and a distribution portion extending from the frustoconical portion within the first gas manifold.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the distribution portion is a disc-shaped member and is positioned with respect to the cylindrical body portion such that gas flowing through the annular gas passage is distributed evenly through the ring shaped annular orifice.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein an outer surface of the frustoconical portion forms an angle with an upper surface of the distribution portion, and wherein the angle is between about 45 degrees and about 75 degrees.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the showerhead has a second gas manifold formed in the showerhead and isolated from the first gas manifold and a temperature control manifold formed in the showerhead and isolated from the first and second gas manifolds, wherein the first gas conduits extend through the temperature control manifold.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of third gas conduits extending through the temperature control manifold and fluidly coupling the second gas manifold to the exit surface of the showerhead.

8. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a chamber body;
a substrate support; and
a showerhead assembly, wherein a processing volume is defined by the chamber body, the substrate support, and the showerhead assembly, and wherein the showerhead assembly comprises:
a top wall;
a showerhead;
a first gas manifold formed between the top wall and the showerhead, wherein a central conduit is formed through the top wall and the showerhead, the central conduit configured to flow a process gas to an exit surface of the showerhead while bypassing the first gas manifold, and a plurality of first gas conduits extend through the showerhead and fluidly coupling the first gas manifold to the processing volume;
a plurality of gas distribution devices formed in an array in the top wall about the central conduit, wherein each gas distribution device is fluidly interconnected by a plurality of second gas conduits, each gas distribution device having a center portion circumscribed by a cylindrical body, and
an annular gas passage that is formed between the center portion and the cylindrical body and that is in fluid communication with the first gas manifold, wherein the annular gas passage is ring shaped and tapers downwards to the first gas manifold, and wherein each gas distribution device is in fluid communication with each first gas conduit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each annular gas passage is formed through the gas distribution device and coupled to a ring shaped annular orifice formed in the first gas manifold.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the central portion includes a frustoconical portion tapering to the first gas manifold and a distribution portion extending from the frustoconical portion within the first gas manifold.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an outer surface of the frustoconical portion forms an angle with an upper surface of the distribution portion, and wherein the angle is between about 45 degrees and about 75 degrees.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the showerhead further has a second gas manifold formed therein and isolated from the first gas manifold, wherein the plurality of first gas conduits extend through the second gas manifold.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of third gas conduits fluidly coupling the second gas manifold to the processing volume.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of gas distribution devices are coupled to a metal organic gas source, and wherein the second gas manifold is coupled to a nitrogen containing gas source.

15. A showerhead assembly, comprising:
a top wall;
a showerhead;
a first gas manifold formed between the top wall and the showerhead, wherein a plurality of first gas conduits extend through the showerhead and fluidly coupling the first gas manifold to an exit surface of the showerhead, wherein a central conduit is formed through the top wall and the showerhead, the central conduit configured to flow a process gas out the exit surface of the showerhead while bypassing the first gas manifold; and
a plurality of gas distribution devices formed in an array in the top wall about the central conduit, wherein each gas distribution device is fluidly interconnected by a plurality of second gas conduits, each gas distribution device comprising:
a cylindrical body having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a center portion circumscribed by and attached to the cylindrical body; and
an annular gas passage formed between an inside portion of the cylindrical body and the center portion, wherein the annular gas passage is ring shaped and tapers downwards from the upper surface to the lower surface, wherein each gas distribution device is in fluid communication with each first gas conduit.

Assignees

• Tam Alexander
• Chang Anzhong
• Acharya Sumedh
• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Tam Alexander
• Chang Anzhong
• Acharya Sumedh

Classifications

• H10P72/0436

  mainly by radiation · CPC title

• B05B1/18 Primary

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title

• C30B25/14

  Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases · CPC title

• C23C16/45519 Primary

  Inert gas curtains · CPC title

• C23C16/45565

  Shower nozzles · CPC title