Plasma treatment apparatus and method of plasma treating a substrate using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10515784-B2
Application number	US-201615157344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	Jul 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept provide a plasma treatment apparatus with a substrate support unit, a plasma unit, a first rotation driving unit, and a gas supply part. The substrate support unit supports a substrate. The plasma unit generates a plasma and provides the plasma to the substrate. The first rotation driving unit is coupled to the plasma unit to rotate the plasma unit with respect to the substrate support unit. The gas supply part supplies a source gas to the plasma unit. The plasma unit includes a body, a first electrode located in the body, a second electrode located in the body and facing the first electrode, and a pipe located between the first and second electrodes to flow the source gas therethrough.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma treatment apparatus comprising:
a substrate support configured to support a substrate;
a plasma generator configured to generate a plasma and provide the plasma to the substrate via an outlet of the plasma generator;
a first rotation driver coupled to the plasma generator to rotate the plasma generator with respect to the substrate support;
a gas supplier comprising a gas line configured to supply a source gas to the plasma generator;
a chamber housing the substrate support, the plasma generator, and the first rotation driver, the chamber having an upper wall, an opposite lower wall, and sidewalls between the upper wall and lower wall; and
a third rotation driver coupled to the plasma generator and configured to change a direction to which the outlet of the plasma generator faces from the upper wall of the chamber to the lower wall of the chamber.

2. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the plasma generator is configured to rotate toward the sidewalls of the chamber by the first rotation driver, and wherein the sidewalls of the chamber face each other.

3. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first rotation driver comprises:
a first rotation shaft coupled to the plasma generator; and
a first rotation motor configured to drive the first rotation shaft to generate a rotational force on the first rotation shaft, and the outlet of the plasma generator is configured to rotate in a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction by the first rotation driver when viewed in a side view.

4. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a second rotation driver coupled to the plasma generator to rotate the plasma generator in a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction by the second rotation driver when viewed in a plan view.

5. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second rotation driver comprises:
a second rotation motor configured to generate a rotational force;
a second rotation shaft coupled to the second rotation motor to receive the rotational force from the second rotation motor; and a support comprising a surface for supporting the plasma generator, the support coupled to the plasma generator and the second rotation shaft to be rotated.

6. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plasma generator and the first rotation driver are located on the surface of the support.

7. A plasma treatment apparatus comprising:
a substrate support configured to support a substrate;
a plurality of plasma generators configured to each generate a plasma and provide the plasma to the substrate, each having an outlet;
a first rotation driver coupled to each one of the plurality of plasma generators to rotate the one of the plurality of plasma generators with respect to the substrate support;
a gas supplier configured to supply a source gas to each one of the plurality of plasma generators;
a chamber housing the substrate support, the plurality of plasma generators, and the first rotation driver, the chamber having an upper wall, an opposite lower wall, and sidewalls between the upper wall and lower wall;
and a second rotation driver coupled to the plurality of plasma generators to rotate the plurality of plasma generators in a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction by the second rotation driver when viewed in a plan view,
wherein a subset of the plurality of plasma generators are disposed on an upper end portion of the second rotation driver with their respective outlets facing the upper wall of the chamber in at least one configuration, and wherein a different subset of the plurality of plasma generators are disposed on a lower end portion of the second rotation driver with their respective outlets facing the lower wall of the chamber in at least one configuration.

8. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second rotation driver comprises:
a second rotation motor configured to generate a rotational force
a second rotation shaft coupled to the second rotation motor to receive the rotational force from the second rotation motor; and
a support part comprising a surface for supporting the plurality of plasma generators, the support coupled to the plurality of plasma generators and the second rotation shaft to be rotated, wherein a subset of the plurality of plasma generators are disposed on an upper end portion of the support and a different subset of the plurality of plasma generators are disposed on a lower end portion of the support.

9. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the third rotation driver comprises:
a third rotation motor configured to generate a rotational force; and
a third rotation shaft coupled to the support and the third rotation motor to apply the rotational force generated by the third rotation motor to the support.

10. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate support comprises:
a chuck holding the substrate; and
a motor coupled to the chuck to rotate the chuck.

11. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of substrate supports;
wherein the chamber houses the plurality of substrate supports, and
wherein a subset of the plurality of substrate supports are between the upper wall of the chamber and the plasma generator, and a different subset of the plurality of substrate supports are between the lower wall of the chamber and the plasma generator.

12. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasma generator comprises:
a body;
a first electrode located in the body;
a second electrode located in the body and facing the first electrode; and
a pipe located between the first and second electrodes to flow the source gas therethrough.

13. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each one of the plurality of plasma generators comprises
a body;
a first electrode located in the body;
a second electrode located in the body and facing the first electrode; and
a pipe located between the first and second electrodes to flow the source gas therethrough.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoon Youngsik
• Jung Jaehoon
• Yoon Daeho
• Cho Jonghwan

Classifications

• C23C16/458

  characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C16/513

  using plasma jets · CPC title

• H01J37/32779

  of batches of workpieces · CPC title

• H01J37/32715

  Workpiece holder · CPC title

• H05H1/44

  using more than one torch · CPC title