Evaporator chamber for forming films on substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11692261-B2
Application number	US-202016923600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2020
Priority date	Jul 26, 2019
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for forming films on substrates in semiconductor processes. In embodiments described herein, process chamber is provided that includes a lid plate having a plurality of cooling channels formed therein, a pedestal, the pedestal having a plurality of cooling channels formed therein, and a showerhead, wherein the showerhead comprises a plurality of segments and each segment is at least partially surrounded by a shield.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for processing a substrate, the system comprising:
a process chamber comprising:
a chamber body,
a lid plate having a plurality of cooling channels formed therein,
a rotatable pedestal, the rotatable pedestal having a plurality of cooling channels formed therein, and
a showerhead disposed above the rotatable pedestal, the showerhead comprising a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments comprising an edge wall having a perimeter, and
a plurality of shield structures, each of the plurality of shield structures made of a thermally conductive material that includes aluminum or stainless steel, and each of the plurality of shield structures comprising:
a top wall above a respective segment of the plurality of segments, and
a side wall coupled to the top wall, the side wall surrounding a respective perimeter of the respective edge wall of a respective segment of the plurality of segments, wherein the side wall is disposed at least partially between the respective segment and adjacent segments of the plurality of segments;

a plurality of ampoules, each ampoule of the plurality of ampoules configured to deliver a material;
a plurality of ampoule heating elements, each ampoule heating element of the plurality of ampoule heating elements configured to heat a respective ampoule of the plurality of ampoules,
a plurality of fluid delivery lines coupled to the showerhead; and
one or more vacuum pumps coupled to the chamber body and each of the plurality of fluid delivery lines, wherein
each respective fluid delivery line of the fluid delivery lines comprises:
a dedicated shut-off valve configured to flow the material to the showerhead, the dedicated shut-off valve operable in an open position and a closed position, and the dedicated shut-off valve positioned between:
the showerhead on a first side of the dedicated shut-off valve, and
the respective ampoule and a respective ampoule heating element of the plurality of ampoule heating elements on a second side of the dedicated shut-off valve,

a dedicated by-pass valve positioned between the dedicated shut-off valve and the one or more vacuum pumps, the dedicated by-pass valve operable in a by-pass open position and a by-pass closed position, wherein:
the dedicated by-pass valve of each of the fluid delivery lines is positioned between the showerhead and the one or more vacuum pumps and between the one or more vacuum pumps and a downstream side of the dedicated shut-off valve of the respective fluid delivery line, and
at least one vacuum pump of the one or more vacuum pumps is configured to remove at least a portion of the material from at least a portion of the showerhead and at least a portion of the respective fluid delivery line disposed between the showerhead and the downstream side of the dedicated shut-off valve of the respective fluid delivery line when the dedicated shut-off valve is in the closed position and the dedicated by-pass valve is in the by-pass open position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the fluid delivery lines is coupled to one of the plurality of segments of the showerhead, one or more gaps are disposed between the plurality of segments, and the side walls of at least two shield structures are disposed in each of the one or more gaps to separate the plurality of segments.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of segments comprises:
a first wall;
a plurality of openings formed in the first wall;
a second wall opposing the first wall; and
an inlet formed in the second wall, wherein the inlet is disposed outwardly of the plurality of openings.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a shroud coupled to the lid plate, the shroud surrounding the showerhead and the rotatable pedestal, wherein:
the shroud includes a reflective surface that has a reflectivity of about 0.2 to about 0.5; and
each of the plurality of shield structures includes an inner surface that has a reflectivity of about 0.1 to about 0.2.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the lid plate comprises a plurality of mounts extending relative to a bottom surface of the lid plate, each of the plurality of segments comprises one or more mounts extending relative to the edge wall, and the mounts of the plurality of segments mate with the plurality of mounts of the lid plate to couple the showerhead to the lid plate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of shield structures includes an inner surface that has a reflectivity of about 0.1 to about 0.2.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of shield structures comprises a plurality of layers made of the thermally conductive material.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each segment of the plurality of segments is thermally separated by at least one shield structure of the plurality of shield structures.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein each segment of the plurality of segments is fluidly separated.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a shroud coupled to the lid plate, the shroud surrounding the showerhead and the rotatable pedestal.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the shroud includes a reflective surface that has a reflectivity of about 0.2 to about 0.5.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein each segment of the plurality of segments of the showerhead comprises a perforated plate spaced apart from a top plate defining an interior volume therebetween.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the top wall is above the top plate of the respective segment.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the fluid delivery lines is heated and the system further comprises:
a plurality of push gas source assemblies, each respective push gas source assembly of the plurality of push gas source assemblies configured to deliver a push gas to the respective ampoule, the respective ampoule and the respective ampoule heating element positioned between the respective push gas source assembly and the showerhead.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shield structures include a plurality of layers.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segments are fluidly isolated.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the perimeter of the edge wall of each of the fluidly isolated segments of the showerhead is surrounded by the side wall of one of the plurality of shield structures.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Lerner Alexander N
• Shaviv Roey
• Radhakrishnan Satish

Classifications

• C23C14/24 Primary

  Vacuum evaporation · CPC title

• C23C14/505

  for rotation of the substrates · CPC title

• C23C16/45565

  Shower nozzles · CPC title

• C23C14/042

  using masks · CPC title

• C23C14/228 Primary

  Gas flow assisted PVD deposition · CPC title