Uniform in situ cleaning and deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12347653-B2
Application number	US-202318457061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2023
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include an output manifold that defines at least one plasma outlet. The systems may include a gasbox disposed beneath the output manifold. The gasbox may include an inlet side facing the output manifold and an outlet side opposite the inlet side. The gasbox may include an inner wall that defines a central fluid lumen. The inner wall may taper outward from the inlet side to the outlet side. The systems may include an annular spacer disposed below the gasbox. An inner diameter of the annular spacer may be greater than a largest inner diameter of the central fluid lumen. The systems may include a faceplate disposed beneath the annular spacer. The faceplate may define a plurality of apertures extending through a thickness of the faceplate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor processing system, comprising:
an output manifold that defines at least one gas outlet, wherein the output manifold defines a recursive flow path that fluidly couples one or more gas inlets with the at least one gas outlet, and a number of the at least one gas outlet is greater than a number of the one or more gas inlets;
a gasbox disposed beneath the output manifold, the gasbox comprising an inlet side facing the output manifold and an outlet side opposite the inlet side, the gasbox comprising an inner wall that defines a central fluid lumen, wherein the inner wall tapers outward from the inlet side to the outlet side;
a spacer disposed between the output manifold and the gasbox, wherein:
the spacer defines at least one inlet that is fluidly coupled with the at least one gas outlet; and
an inner wall of the spacer defines a tapered lumen that is fluidly coupled between the at least one inlet and the central fluid lumen of the gasbox, the tapered lumen tapering outward in a direction of the inlet side of the gasbox;

an annular spacer disposed below the gasbox; and
a faceplate disposed beneath the annular spacer, the faceplate defining a plurality of apertures extending through a thickness of the faceplate.

2. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one gas outlet is disposed radially outward of a top end of the tapered lumen.

3. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tapered insert disposed within the annular spacer, the tapered insert tapering outward from the outlet side of the gasbox to a radial position that is beyond the plurality of apertures.

4. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the output manifold defines a central aperture therethrough; and
each of the at least one gas outlet is disposed radially outward of the central aperture.

5. The semiconductor processing system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a remote plasma source unit having an outlet that is fluidly coupled with the central aperture.

6. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the spacer defines a plurality of channels that extend between the at least one inlet and the tapered lumen that expand a flow path from the at least one inlet into a greater number of fluid paths.

7. The semiconductor processing system of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one inlet comprises an annular recess; and
the plurality of channels comprise radially arranged channels that extend inward from the annular recess to the tapered lumen.

8. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
a taper of the tapered lumen matches the taper of the central fluid lumen at an interface of the spacer and the gasbox.

9. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
an inner diameter of the annular spacer is positioned radially outward of the plurality of apertures.

10. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a degree of taper of the inner wall of the central fluid lumen varies along a length of the central fluid lumen.

11. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10 , wherein:
a top section of the central fluid lumen has steeper degree of taper than a lower section of the central fluid lumen.

12. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
a degree of taper of the inner wall of the central fluid lumen is constant along a length of the central fluid lumen.

13. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
a bottom end of the inner wall of the gasbox has a diameter that at least substantially matches a diameter of a top end of the inner wall of the spacer.

14. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
an inner diameter of the annular spacer is greater than a largest inner diameter of the central fluid lumen.

15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
a degree of taper of the inner wall of the central fluid lumen is at least 45° relative to vertical.

16. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
one or both of the tapered lumen and the central fluid lumen taper outward in a linear fashion.

17. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the inlet side of the gasbox defines an annular channel;
the annular channel is accessed via an inlet aperture; and
the gasbox defines one or more outlet apertures that extend from the annular channel and through the outlet side of the gasbox.

18. The semiconductor processing system of claim 17 , wherein:
the inlet aperture extends through the inlet side of the gasbox.

19. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the gasbox defines a cooling channel.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Rathi Saket
• Nguyen Tuan A
• Bansal Amit
• Zhang Yuxing
• Ramamurthi Badri N
• Pathak Nitin
• Khaja Abdul Aziz
• Bobek Sarah Michelle

Classifications

• C23C16/4405

  Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases · CPC title

• C23C16/45591

  Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles · CPC title

• C23C16/50

  using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)} · CPC title

• C23C16/45502

  Flow conditions in reaction chamber · CPC title

• H01J2237/332

  Coating · CPC title