PECVD process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613812-B2
Application number	US-202017011853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2020
Priority date	Oct 26, 2012
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A method of processing a substrate according to a PECVD process is described. Temperature profile of the substrate is adjusted to change deposition rate profile across the substrate. Plasma density profile is adjusted to change deposition rate profile across the substrate. Chamber surfaces exposed to the plasma are heated to improve plasma density uniformity and reduce formation of low quality deposits on chamber surfaces. In situ metrology may be used to monitor progress of a deposition process and trigger control actions involving substrate temperature profile, plasma density profile, pressure, temperature, and flow of reactants.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a chamber comprising a side wall and a floor;
a lid assembly coupled to the side wall of the chamber, the side wall, floor, and lid defining an internal volume of the chamber, the lid assembly comprising:
a gas distributor having a plurality of gas flow openings formed therethrough; and
an electrode between the gas distributor and the side wall, the electrode coupled to a first tuning circuit; and

an isolator that contacts the electrode and separates the electrode electrically and thermally from the gas distributor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first turning circuit comprises:
an electronic sensor;
an electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller is a variable capacitor;
a first inductor in series with the electronic controller; and
a second inductor in parallel with the electronic controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a ring electrode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a continuous loop around a circumference of the chamber surrounding the internal volume.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a perforated electrode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a plate electrode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second electrode coupled to the substrate support.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a third electrode coupled to the substrate support.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the isolator comprises a dielectric material.

10. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a chamber body comprising a side wall and a floor;
a lid assembly coupled to the side wall of the chamber, wherein the side wall, floor, and lid define an internal volume of the chamber, and wherein the lid assembly comprises:
a gas distributor having a plurality of gas flow openings formed therethrough; and
an electrode disposed adjacent to the chamber body and separating the chamber body from the other components of the lid assembly, the electrode coupled to a first tuning circuit comprising an electronic sensor and an electronic controller.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a zoned blocker plate that contacts the gas distributor and provides multiple gas pathways therethrough, the zoned blocker plate comprising:
a first zoned plate; and
a second zoned plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising an isolator that contacts the electrode and separates the electrode electrically and thermally from the gas distributor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrode is a ring electrode.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrode is a perforated electrode.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the electrode is a plate electrode.

16. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a chamber body comprising a side wall and a floor;
a lid coupled to the side wall of the chamber body, wherein the side wall, floor, and lid define an internal volume of a chamber, and wherein the lid comprises:
a gas distributor having a plurality of gas flow openings formed therethrough; and
an electrode disposed in the side wall; and

a zoned blocker plate that contacts the gas distributor and provides multiple gas pathways, the zoned blocker plate comprising:
a first zoned plate; and
a second zoned plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising an isolator that contacts the electrode and separates the electrode electrically and thermally from the gas distributor and from the chamber body.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the electrode is a ring electrode.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the electrode is a perforated electrode.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the electrode is a plate electrode.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Rajagopalan Nagarajan
• Han Xinhai
• Tsiang Michael Wenyoung
• Ogata Masaki
• Jiang Zhijun
• Rocha-Alvarez Juan Carlos
• Nowak Thomas
• Zhou Jianhua
• Sankarakrishnan Ramprakash
• Bansal Amit Kumar
• Lee Jeongmin
• Egan Todd
• Budiarto Edward
• Panasyuk Dmitriy
• Lee Terrance Y
• Chen Jian J
• Ayoub Mohamad A
• Park Heung Lak
• Reilly Patrick
• Shaikh Shahid
• Kim Bok Hoen
• Starik Sergey
• Balasubramanian Ganesh

Classifications

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0602 Primary

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/76

  using mechanical means, e.g. clamps or pinches · CPC title

• C23C16/52 Primary

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title