Loadlock integrated bevel etcher system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11031262-B2
Application number	US-202016838128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Implementations disclosed herein describe a bevel etch apparatus within a loadlock bevel etch chamber and methods of using the same. The bevel etch apparatus has a mask assembly within the loadlock bevel etch chamber. During an etch process, the mask assembly delivers a gas flow to control bevel etch without the use of a shadow frame. As such, the edge exclusion at the bevel edge can be reduced, thus increasing product yield.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chamber, comprising:
a substrate support having a substrate support surface positioned in a processing region;
a masking assembly coupled to a gas source, the masking assembly comprising:
a masking plate; and
a baffle connected with the masking plate, the baffle including a standoff portion positioned to contact the substrate support, and wherein, when the substrate support is disposed against the standoff portion, a uniform gap defined by parallel surfaces is formed between a portion of the mask assembly and the peripheral region of the substrate support.

2. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein the masking plate comprises a central port formed therein.

3. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein the masking assembly further comprises an angled ledge extending from the masking plate.

4. The chamber of claim 3 , wherein the angled ledge forms an angle of between 15 and 45 degrees as measured from a surface of the masking plate.

5. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein the masking plate comprises a plurality of ports formed therein.

6. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein the standoff portion extends from a periphery of the baffle.

7. The chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a chuck ring positioned to receive the standoff portion.

8. A chamber, comprising:
a substrate support having a substrate support surface positioned in a processing region;
a remote plasma source configured to supply an etching agent to a peripheral region of the substrate support surface; and
a masking assembly coupled to a gas source, the masking assembly comprising:
a masking plate; and
a baffle connected with the masking plate, the baffle including a standoff portion positioned to contact the substrate support, and wherein, when the substrate support is disposed against the standoff portion, a uniform gap defined by parallel surfaces is formed between a portion of the mask assembly and the peripheral region of the substrate support.

9. The chamber of claim 8 , wherein the masking assembly further comprises an angled ledge extending from the masking plate.

10. The chamber of claim 9 , wherein the angled ledge forms an angle of between 15 and 45 degrees as measured from a surface of the masking plate.

11. The chamber of claim 8 , wherein the standoff portion extends from a periphery of the baffle.

12. A chamber, comprising:
a substrate support having a substrate support surface positioned in a processing region;
a remote plasma source positioned and operable to supply an etching agent through a baffle to a peripheral region of the substrate support surface, wherein the baffle includes a standoff portion positioned to contact the substrate support; and
a masking assembly, wherein when the substrate support is disposed against the standoff portion, and uniform gap defined by parallel surfaces is formed between a portion of the mask assembly and the peripheral region of the substrate support.

13. The chamber of claim 12 , wherein the masking assembly comprises a masking plate with a central port formed therein.

14. The chamber of claim 13 , wherein the masking assembly further comprises an angled ledge extending from the masking plate.

15. The chamber of claim 14 , wherein the angled ledge forms an angle of between 15 and 45 degrees as measured from a surface of the masking plate.

16. The chamber of claim 12 , wherein the masking plate comprises a plurality of ports formed therein.

17. The chamber of claim 12 , wherein species from the etching agent are delivered to the processing region through a plurality of slits through a lower portion of the baffle.

18. The chamber of claim 12 , wherein the standoff portion extends from a periphery of the baffle.

19. The chamber of claim 18 , further comprising a chuck ring in contact with the substrate support and positioned to receive the standoff portion.

20. The chamber of claim 12 , wherein the masking assembly is coupled to a center portion of the baffle, wherein the masking assembly is coupled to a gas source, wherein the masking assembly is positioned to deliver a gas flow over the substrate support surface.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Basu Saptarshi
• Lee Jeongmin
• Connors Paul
• Du Bois Dale R
• Kulshreshtha Prashant Kumar
• Narasimha Karthik Thimmavajjula
• Berens Brett
• Ghosh Kalyanjit
• Zhou Jianhua
• Balasubramanian Ganesh
• Lee Kwangduk Douglas
• Rocha-Alvarez Juan Carlos
• Ogiso Hiroyuki
• Krivulina Liliya
• Gilbert Rick
• Waqar Mohsin
• Shankaramurthy Venkatanarayana
• Ponnekanti Hari K

Classifications

• H10P72/7624

  characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support · CPC title

• H10P72/0466

  characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0424

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0421 Primary

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H01J37/32357 Primary

  Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream · CPC title