Substrate processing apparatus and method using the plasma

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023317415-A1
Application number	US-202217712035-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2022
Priority date	Apr 1, 2022
Publication date	Oct 5, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus and method capable of maximizing plasma uniformity are provided. The substrate processing method comprises providing a substrate processing apparatus including a processing space for processing a substrate and a plasma generating module for generating plasma for processing the substrate, wherein the plasma generating module comprises a plurality of first electrodes disposed in parallel with each other in a first direction, a plurality of second electrodes disposed in parallel with each other in a second direction different from the firs direction, and an array including a plurality of micro plasma cells connected to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, providing a process gas to the plurality of micro plasma cells, and providing a reaction gas to the processing space, wherein a first micro plasma cell of the plurality of micro plasma cells is provided with a first energy of a first magnitude, and to a second micro plasma cell is provided with a second energy of a second magnitude different from the first magnitude, so that an amount of radicals in plasma generated in the first micro plasma cell is different from an amount of radicals in plasma generated in the second micro plasma cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for processing a substrate comprising:
a processing space, in which a substrate is disposed; and a plasma generating module for generating plasma for processing the substrate, wherein the plasma generating module comprises, a plurality of first electrodes disposed in parallel with each other in a first direction, a plurality of second electrodes disposed in parallel with each other in a second direction different from the first direction, and an array including a plurality of micro plasma cells, wherein each micro plasma cell is connected to corresponding first electrode and second electrode, and generates plasma according a first voltage applied to the corresponding first electrode and a second voltage applied to the corresponding second electrode.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micro plasma cell comprises,
a plasma forming space, a first plate disposed on one side of the plasma forming space, in which the corresponding first electrode is installed, and an inlet for introducing a process gas into the plasma forming space is formed, and a second plate disposed on the other side of the plasma forming space, in which the corresponding second electrode is installed, and an outlet for filtering some components of plasma formed in the plasma forming space is formed.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the outlet blocks ion components of the plasma and allows radicals of the plasma to pass therethrough.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the micro plasma cell further comprises a bypass line passing through the plasma forming space to connect the first plate and the second plate, and for delivering a reaction gas to the processing space.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the micro plasma cell comprises at least one sidewall defining the plasma forming space, and further comprises a bypass line for delivering a reaction gas to the processing space by passing through the sidewall.

6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a reaction gas line and a supply hole for providing an unexcited reaction gas to the processing space are further formed in the second plate.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises two bus electrodes disposed in parallel with each other.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a generation amount of the generated plasma is adjusted by adjusting a level of the first voltage or the second voltage.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array comprises a first micro plasma cell and a second micro plasma cell that are different from each other,
wherein the first micro plasma cell generates plasma for a first time period, wherein the second micro plasma cell generates plasma for a second time period different from the first time period.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array comprises first, second and third micro plasma cells that are different from each other,
wherein, during a first section, the first and second micro plasma cells generate plasma, and the third micro plasma cell does not generate plasma, wherein, during a second section continuous to the first section, the first and third micro plasma cells generate plasma and the second micro plasma cell does not generate plasma.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first section and the second section alternately and repeatedly proceed.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array comprises a plurality of first micro plasma cells and a plurality of second micro plasma cells that are disposed alternately,
wherein, during a first section, the plurality of first micro plasma cells generate plasma, and the plurality of second micro plasma cells do not generate plasma, wherein, during a second section continuous to the first section, the plurality of second micro plasma cells generate plasma, and the plurality of first micro plasma cells do not generate plasma.

13 . An apparatus for processing a substrate comprising:
a plasma forming space; a first plate disposed above the plasma forming space, in which an inlet for introducing a process gas into the plasma forming space is formed; a second plate disposed under the plasma forming space, in which an outlet for filtering some components of plasma formed in the plasma forming space is formed; a first electrode installed on the first plate and elongated in a first direction; a second electrode installed on the second plate and elongated in a second direction different from the first direction; and a bypass line passing through the plasma forming space to connect the first plate and the second plate, and for delivering an unexcited reaction gas.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first plate and the second plate include a dielectric,
wherein the first electrode is disposed within the first plate, and the second electrode is disposed within the second plate.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a plurality of inlets are formed in the first plate, the plurality of inlets are disposed on both sides of the first electrode, the number of the bypass lines is plural, and the plurality of bypass lines are disposed on both sides of the first electrode.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the process gas comprises an inert gas and a gas comprising a compound comprising at least one of C, N, and F, and the reaction gas comprises a gas comprising a compound comprising at least one of H and N.

17 . A method for processing a substrate comprising:
providing a substrate processing apparatus including a processing space for processing a substrate and a plasma generating module for generating plasma for processing the substrate, wherein the plasma generating module comprises a plurality of first electrodes disposed in parallel with each other in a first direction, a plurality of second electrodes disposed in parallel with each other in a second direction different from the firs direction, and an array including a plurality of micro plasma cells connected to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, providing a process gas to the plurality of micro plasma cells, and providing a reaction gas to the processing space, wherein a first micro plasma cell of the plurality of micro plasma cells is provided with a first energy of a first magnitude, and to a second micro plasma cell is provided with a second energy of a second magnitude different from the first magnitude, so that an amount of radicals in plasma generated in the first micro plasma cell is different from an amount of radicals in plasma generated in the second micro plasma cell.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the micro plasma cell further comprises a bypass line connecting the first plate and the second plate, and for delivering the reaction gas to the processing space without excitation.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a first time period for providing a first energy to the first micro plasma cell and a second time period for providing a second energy to the second micro plasma cell are different from each other.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of micro plasma cells comprises a third micro plasma cell,
wherein the third micro plasma cell does not generate plasma while the first and second micro plasma cells generate plasma.

Assignees

• Semes Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Dong Hun
• Bae Da Som
• Park Wan Jae
• Lee Seong Gil
• Um Young Je
• Lee Ji Hwan
• Oh Dong Sub
• Noh Myoung Sub
• Koo Joun Taek
• Kim Du Ri

Classifications

• H10P50/242

  of Group IV materials · CPC title

• H01J37/3244 Primary

  Gas supply means · CPC title

• H01J37/32422 Primary

  Arrangement for selecting ions or species in the plasma · CPC title

• H01J2237/334

  Etching · CPC title

• H01L21/3065

  Electricity · mapped topic