Batch-type apparatus for atomic layer etching (ALE), and ALE method and semiconductor device manufacturing method based on the same apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12334308-B2
Application number	US-202217683506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2022
Priority date	Aug 24, 2021
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A batch-type apparatus for atomic layer etching (ALE), which is capable of ALE-processing several wafers at the same time, and an ALE method and a semiconductor device manufacturing method based on the batch-type apparatus, are provided. The batch-type apparatus for ALE includes a wafer stacking container in which a plurality of wafers are arranged in a vertical direction, an inner tube extending in the vertical direction, a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first outer portion in the inner tube in a horizontal direction, and a heater surrounding the inner tube and configured to adjust a temperature in the inner tube, wherein gas injection holes are formed corresponding to a height of the plurality of wafers in each of the plurality of nozzles, and a gas outlet is formed in a second outer portion in the inner tube, opposite to the first outer portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A batch-type apparatus for atomic layer etching (ALE), the batch-type apparatus comprising a wafer stacking container that is configured to have therein a plurality of wafers that are arranged in a vertical direction, and the batch-type apparatus further comprising at least one process chamber, each of the at least one process chamber comprising:
an inner tube that extends in the vertical direction, and configured to include the wafer stacking container therein;
a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first outer portion in the inner tube, the plurality of nozzles extending in the vertical direction and configured to supply a gas to the plurality of wafers; and
a heater that surrounds the inner tube and is configured to adjust a temperature in the inner tube,
wherein each of the plurality of nozzles includes a plurality of gas injection holes, the plurality of gas injection holes provided at heights corresponding to heights of the plurality of wafers, respectively,
wherein the inner tube includes a gas outlet in a second outer portion in the inner tube, opposite to the first outer portion in a first horizontal direction,
wherein at least one nozzle among the plurality of nozzles comprises an inverted U shape in an upper portion of the at least one nozzle, and the plurality of gas injection holes of the least one nozzle are disposed along the inverted U shape and along a portion of the at least one nozzle that extends from an end of the at least one nozzle to the upper portion of the at least one nozzle, and
wherein the end of the at least one nozzle is configured to receive the gas and supply the gas to the upper portion of the at least one nozzle.

2. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an outer tube surrounding the inner tube,
wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to be arranged adjacent to the wafer stacking container while the wafer stacking container is included in the inner tube.

3. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wafer stacking container comprises:
a bottom plate,
support pillars extending from an outer portion of the bottom plate in the vertical direction, and apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and
a top plate connected to an upper portion of each of the support pillars, and
wherein side surfaces of the support pillars include slots that are configured to receive the plurality of wafers such that the plurality of wafers are arranged in the vertical direction.

4. The batch-type apparatus of claim 3 , wherein
the plurality of nozzles are configured to receive the gas at a bottom portion of the plurality of nozzles, and introduce the gas into the inner tube, and
the gas outlet of the inner tube is configured to discharge the gas to an outside of the inner tube.

5. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet includes a slit in a form of a line extending in the vertical direction, or a plurality of holes or a plurality of open lines arranged in the vertical direction.

6. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in each of the plurality of nozzles, a size of the plurality of gas injection holes increases in an upward direction.

7. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise:
a first source gas nozzle configured to supply a first source gas for a fluorination process;
a second source gas nozzle configured to supply a second source gas for a ligand exchange process;
an atmosphere gas nozzle configured to supply an atmosphere gas; and
a purge gas nozzle configured to supply a purge gas, and
wherein the batch-type apparatus further comprises:
a first gas supply connected to the first source gas nozzle and comprising the first source gas, the first source gas comprising HF, SF 4 , or XeF 4 ;
a second gas supply connected to the second source gas nozzle and comprising the second source gas, the second source gas comprising Sn(acac) 2 , Al(CH 3 ) 3 , Al(CH 3 ) 2 Cl, SiCl 4 , TiCl 4 , BCl 3 , or WF 6 ;
an atmosphere gas supply connected to the atmosphere gas nozzle and comprising the atmosphere gas, the atmosphere gas comprising O 2 , O 3 , N 2 , or Ar; and
a purge gas supply connected to the purge gas nozzle and comprising the purge gas, the purge gas comprising an inert gas.

8. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one process chamber is a plurality of process chambers that comprises a first process chamber and a second process chamber, the first process chamber is configured to perform a fluorination process of an ALE process, and
the second process chamber is configured to perform a ligand exchange process of the ALE process.

9. The batch-type apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of nozzles are arranged in a second horizontal direction crossing the first horizontal direction, and
the at least one nozzle having the inverted U shape i-s-further comprises at least two nozzles having the inverted U shape, the at least two nozzles comprising:
an outermost first nozzle that is farthest among the plurality of nozzles towards an end of the second horizontal direction, wherein an upper portion of the outermost first nozzle comprises the inverted U shape, the inverted U shape of the outermost first nozzle being curved towards the end of the second horizontal direction; and
an outermost second nozzle that is farthest among the plurality of nozzles towards an opposite end of the second horizontal direction, wherein an upper portion of the outermost second nozzle comprises the inverted U shape, the inverted U shape of the outermost second nozzle being curved towards the opposite end of the second horizontal direction.

10. The batch-type apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a third nozzle, among the plurality of nozzles, between the outermost first nozzle and the outermost second nozzle does not include the inverted U shape.

11. A batch-type apparatus for atomic layer etching (ALE), the batch-type apparatus comprising:
a first process chamber of a batch type;
a second process chamber of a batch type, arranged adjacent to the first process chamber;
a gas supply configured to supply a gas to the first process chamber and the second process chamber; and
a gas exhaust configured to discharge the gas from the first process chamber and the second process chamber,
wherein each of the first process chamber and the second process chamber comprises:
a wafer stacking container that is configured to have therein a plurality of wafers that are arranged in a vertical direction,
a process tube that extends in the vertical direction, the wafer stacking container inside the process tube,
a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first outer portion in the process tube, the plurality of nozzles extending in the vertical direction and configured to supply the gas to the plurality of wafers, and
a heater that surrounds the process tube and is configured to adjust a temperature of the process tube,

wherein each of the plurality of nozzles includes a plurality of gas injection holes, the plurality of gas injection holes provided at heights corresponding to heights of the plurality of wafers, respectively,
wherein the process tube includes a gas outlet in a second outer portion in the process tube, opposite to the first outer portion in a first horizontal direction,
wherein at least one nozzle among the plurality of nozzles comprises an inverted U shape in an upper portion of the at least one nozzle, and the plurality of gas injection holes of the least one nozzle are disposed along the inverted U shape and along a portion of the at least one nozzle that extends from an end of the at least one n

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lim Hanjin
• Kim Younsoo
• Moon Sunmin
• Park Jungmin
• Jung Hyungsuk

Classifications

• H10P72/0421 Primary

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H01J37/32834

  Exhausting · CPC title

• H01J2237/334

  Etching · CPC title

• H01J37/32357

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

• H01J37/32899 Primary

  Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools · CPC title