Suppression of parasitic deposition in a substrate processing system by suppressing precursor flow and plasma outside of substrate region

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016289832-A1
Application number	US-201615177548-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 9, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2012
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A substrate processing system includes a showerhead that comprises a base portion and a stem portion and that delivers precursor gas to a chamber. A collar connects the showerhead to an upper surface of the chamber. The collar includes a plurality of slots, is arranged around the stem portion of the showerhead, and directs purge gas through the plurality of slots into a region between the base portion of the showerhead and the upper surface of the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for operating a substrate processing system, comprising:
delivering precursor gas to a chamber using a showerhead, wherein the showerhead includes a base portion and a stem portion; connecting the showerhead to an upper surface of the chamber using a collar, wherein the collar is arranged around the stem portion of the showerhead; and supplying a purge gas through slots of the collar into a region between the base portion of the showerhead and the upper surface of the chamber.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the collar includes a base portion and a stem portion; and the stem portion of the collar defines an inner cavity that receives the stem portion of the showerhead.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising
positioning a plate, including an opening that receives the stem portion of the showerhead, between a lower edge of the stem portion of the collar and the base portion of the showerhead.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising directing the purge gas between the plate and the stem portion of the showerhead and between the plate and the base portion of the showerhead.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
spacing the plate relative to the base portion and the stem portion of the showerhead using a plurality of projections.

6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
providing first passages in the base portion of the collar and second passages between an inner surface of the cavity of the stem portion of the collar and the stem portion of the showerhead; and flowing the purge gas through the first passages to the second passages and from the second passages through the slots.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the stem portion of the collar has a circular cross section.

8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
providing first passages in the base portion of the collar and second passages in the stem portion of the collar; and flowing the purge gas through the first passages to the second passages and from the second passages through the slots.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
arranging N dielectric plates around the stem portion of the showerhead between the base portion of the showerhead and the surface of the chamber, directing the purge gas using the collar at least one of:
above and below the N dielectric plates; and
between the N dielectric plates,
where N is an integer greater than zero.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate processing chamber performs atomic layer deposition.

11 . A method comprising:
arranging a substrate in a chamber of a substrate processing system, wherein the substrate processing system includes a showerhead that is attached to an upper surface of the substrate processing system using a collar; exposing the substrate to a first precursor for a first predetermined period; flowing purge gas through a primary purge path and a secondary purge path after the first predetermined period, wherein the primary purge path flows the purge gas through the showerhead, wherein the secondary purge path flows the purge gas through slots of the collar and between a base portion of the showerhead and the upper surface, and wherein the secondary purge path removes the first precursor; and exposing the substrate to a second precursor for a second predetermined period.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
flowing the purge gas through the primary purge path and the secondary purge path after the second predetermined period, wherein the secondary purge path removes the second precursor between the base portion of the showerhead and the upper surface of the chamber.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising flowing the purge gas through the secondary purge path during the first predetermined period.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising flowing the purge gas through the secondary purge path during the second predetermined period.

Assignees

• Novellus Systems Inc

Inventors

• Xia Chunguang
• Chandrasekharan Ramesh
• Keil Douglas
• Augustyniak Edward J
• Leeser Karl

Classifications

• C23C16/5096

  Flat-bed apparatus · CPC title

• C23C16/4401

  Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C16/45525

  Atomic layer deposition [ALD] · CPC title

• C23C16/45508

  Radial flow · CPC title

• C23C16/4558

  Perforated rings · CPC title