Process chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358781-A1
Application number	US-201615171001-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for plasma treating a process chamber. A substrate having a gate stack formed thereon may be placed in a process chamber, and hydrogen containing plasma may be used to treat the gate stack in order to cure the defects in the gate stack. As the result of hydrogen containing plasma treatment, the gate stack has lower leakage and improved reliability. To protect the process chamber from H x + ions and H* radicals generated by the hydrogen containing plasma, the process chamber may be treated with a plasma without the substrate placed therein and prior to the hydrogen containing plasma treatment. In addition, components of the process chamber that are made of a dielectric material may be coated with a ceramic coating including an yttrium containing oxide in order to protect the components from the plasma.

First claim

1 . A method, comprising:
plasma treating a process chamber with a plasma containing nitrogen or oxygen; placing a substrate into the process chamber, wherein a stack is disposed on the substrate; and plasma treating the stack disposed on the substrate.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasma containing nitrogen or oxygen is formed by introducing one or more gases into the process chamber and energizing the one or more gases.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more gases comprise O 2 , N 2 , NH 3 , Ar, H 2 , or combination thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasma containing nitrogen or oxygen is formed in a remote plasma source.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasma treating the stack comprises treating the stack with a hydrogen containing plasma.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the hydrogen containing plasma is formed by introducing a hydrogen containing gas into the process chamber and energize the hydrogen containing gas.

7 . The method If claim 5 , wherein the hydrogen containing plasma is formed by introducing a hydrogen containing gas and an inert gas into the process chamber and energize the hydrogen containing gas and the inert gas.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the stack is treated with the hydrogen containing plasma for about 10 to 360 seconds.

9 . A method, comprising:
introducing a first one or more gases into a process chamber; energizing the first one or more gases into a first plasma; placing a substrate into the process chamber, wherein a stack is disposed on the substrate; introducing a second one or more gases into the process chamber; and energizing the second one or more gases into a second plasma.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first one or more gases comprise O 2 , N 2 , NH 3 , Ar, H 2 , or combination thereof.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein radicals in the first plasma bond with surfaces of components of the process chamber to form protected surface bonds that are resistive to hydrogen containing plasma attack.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second one or more gases comprise a hydrogen containing gas.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second one or more gases further comprises an inert gas.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second one or more gases comprises Ar and H 2 .

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprises repeating the introducing the first one or more gases into the process chamber, energizing the first one or more gases, placing a substrate into the process chamber, introducing the second one or more gases into the process chamber, and energizing the second one or more gases with a second plasma.

16 . A method, comprising:
introducing a first one or more gases into a process chamber, wherein the first one or more gases comprise O 2 , N 2 , NH 3 , Ar, H 2 , or combination thereof; energizing the first one or more gases into a first plasma; placing a substrate into the process chamber, wherein a stack is disposed on the substrate; introducing a second one or more gases into the process chamber, wherein the second one or more gases comprises H 2 ; and energizing the second one or more gases into a second plasma.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising repeating the introducing the first one or more gases into the process chamber, energizing the first one or more gases, placing a substrate into the process chamber, introducing the second one or more gases into the process chamber, and energizing the second one or more gases.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein radicals in the first plasma bond with surfaces of components of the process chamber to form protected surface bonds that are resistive to hydrogen containing plasma attack.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second one or more gases further comprises an inert gas.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second one or more gases comprises Ar and H 2 .

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Liu Wei
• Guarini Theresa Kramer
• Nguyen Huy Q
• Bevan Malcolm
• Graoui Houda
• Bottini Philip A
• Hwang Bernard L
• Hawrylchak Lara
• George Rene

Classifications

• H10P95/00 Primary

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10D64/01338 Primary

  with a treatment, e.g. annealing, after the formation of the conductor · CPC title

• H01J37/32357

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

• H01J37/3244

  Gas supply means · CPC title

• H01J37/321

  the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma · CPC title