Plasma processing apparatus, substrate bonding system including the same, and substrate bonding method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12580158-B2
Application number	US-202217865675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2022
Priority date	Jan 3, 2022
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

Plasma processing apparatuses, substrate bonding systems, and substrate bonding methods are provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma process chamber that includes a process space, a load-lock chamber connected to the process space, a first vacuum pump that adjusts a pressure of the load-lock chamber, a process gas supply that supplies the process space with a process gas, and an H 2 O supply that supplies the process space with H 2 O. The plasma process chamber includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a plasma electrode to which a radio-frequency (RF) power is applied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plasma processing apparatus configured to perform a plasma treatment process on a substrate, the plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma process chamber that comprises a process space; a load-lock chamber connected to the process space; a first vacuum pump configured to adjust a pressure of the load-lock chamber; a second vacuum pump configured to adjust a pressure of the process space; a process gas supply configured to supply the process space with a process gas; and an H 2 O supply configured to supply H 2 O into the process space in a vacuum state, before the substrate is disposed into the process space, wherein the plasma process chamber comprises:
a chuck configured to support the substrate; and
a plasma electrode to which a radio-frequency (RF) power is configured to be applied, wherein the plasma electrode is configured to convert the process gas into plasma,
wherein the H 2 O supply comprises an air supply that stores air, wherein the air that is stored in the air supply includes the H 2 O, wherein the air supply is a temperature humidity air controller that is configured to adjust temperature and humidity of the air, wherein the plasma process chamber is configured to perform the plasma treatment process by a portion of the H2O included in the air contacting the substrate and by the plasma electrode converting the process gas into the plasma, and wherein the plasma treatment process is configured to generate hydroxyl groups on the substrate.

2 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the H 2 O supply further comprises:
an air pipe that connects the air supply and the plasma process chamber to each other; and a flow controller on the air pipe, the flow controller configured to control a flow rate of the air in the air pipe.

3 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the H 2 O supply further comprises a filter on the air pipe, the filter configured to filter foreign substances inside the air that is supplied through the air pipe.

4 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the H 2 O supply further comprises:
a regulator on the air pipe, the regulator configured to control a pressure of the air that is supplied to the plasma process chamber; and a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the air in the air pipe.

5 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a showerhead upwardly spaced apart from the chuck,
wherein the showerhead is configured to supply the H 2 O onto the chuck from the H 2 O supply.

6 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a transfer device between the load-lock chamber and the plasma process chamber,
wherein the transfer device comprises a robot arm and is configured to transfer the substrate in the load-lock chamber to the plasma process chamber.

7 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air supply comprises an air tank that stores the air that includes the H2O.

8 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the H 2 O supply further comprises an air pipe that connects the air supply and the plasma process chamber to each other, and
wherein the air pipe is configured to provide the air, which includes the H 2 O, from the air supply to the plasma process chamber.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Baek Inhwa
• Shin Donggap
• Lee Yongin
• Jang Se-Hoon
• Kim Youngho
• Kim Ho
• Seok Seungdae
• Woo Siwoong

Classifications

• H10P72/722

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/0468 Primary

  comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process · CPC title

• H10P72/0466 Primary

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

• H10P72/0414

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

• H10P70/20

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title