Plasma apparatus, magnetic-field controlling method, and semiconductor manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567668-B2
Application number	US-201414183670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of a plasma apparatus are provided. The plasma apparatus includes a processing chamber and a wafer chuck disposed in the processing chamber. The plasma apparatus also includes a target element located over the wafer chuck and an electromagnet array located over the target element and having a number of electromagnets. Some of the electromagnets in a magnetic-field zone of the electromagnet array are enabled to generate a magnetic field adjacent to the target element. The magnetic-field zone is moved during a semiconductor manufacturing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma apparatus, comprising:
a plasma chamber;
a wafer chuck disposed in the plasma chamber;
a target element located over the wafer chuck;
a retaining element located above the target element, the retaining element comprising a circular shape and a circular receiving groove disposed in the retaining element; and
an electromagnet array, located over the target element, comprising a plurality of electromagnets that are arranged in the receiving groove,
wherein some of the electromagnets in a first magnetic-field zone of the electromagnet array are enabled to generate a first magnetic field adjacent to the target element, wherein the some of the electromagnets are arranged in an approximately circular pattern, and the some of the electromagnets comprises a first group of electromagnets and a central electromagnet surrounded by the first group of electromagnets, wherein the first group of electromagnets each comprise a pole that is opposite a pole of the central electromagnet,
wherein a location of the first magnetic-field zone is adjusted by switching the electromagnets during a semiconductor manufacturing process,
wherein some of the electromagnets in a second magnetic-field zone of the electromagnet array are enabled to generate a second magnetic field adjacent to the target element, and at least one of the electromagnets between the first magnetic-field zone and the second magnetic-field zone is disabled.

2. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a control module configured to enable the electromagnets in the first magnetic-field zone, and to disable the electromagnets leaving the first magnetic-field zone.

3. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a control module configured to adjust the strength of the first magnetic field.

4. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the location of the first magnetic-field zone is adjusted along a moving path.

5. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the moving path is a circular path, a polygon path or a spiral path.

6. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet array is a ring shape or a circular shape.

7. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central electromagnet in the first magnetic-field zone has a first pole adjacent to the target element, and the first group of electromagnets in the first magnetic-field zone have a second pole adjacent to the target element.

8. A magnetic-field controlling method for a plasma apparatus, comprising:
generating a first magnetic field by some of a plurality of electromagnets in a first magnetic-field zone of an electromagnet array, and generating a second magnetic field by some of the electromagnets in a second magnetic-field zone of the electromagnet array, wherein at least one of the electromagnets between the first magnetic-field zone and the second magnetic-field zone is disabled,
adjusting a location of the first magnetic-field zone by switching the electromagnets; and
enabling the electromagnets in the first magnetic-field zone, and disabling the electromagnets leaving the first magnetic-field zone according to the adjusted location of the first magnetic-field zone, wherein the enabled electromagnets are arranged in an approximately circular pattern, and the enabled electromagnets comprise a first group of electromagnets and a central electromagnet surrounded by the first group of electromagnets, wherein the first group of electromagnets each comprise a pole that is opposite a pole of the central electromagnet.

9. The magnetic-field controlling method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising adjusting a strength of the first magnetic field.

10. The magnetic-field controlling method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein adjusting a location of the first magnetic-field zone by switching the electromagnets along a moving path.

11. The magnetic-field controlling method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising adjusting the central electromagnet in the first magnetic-field zone having a first pole adjacent to a target element, and adjusting the first group of electromagnets in the first magnetic-field zone having a second pole adjacent to the target element.

12. A semiconductor manufacturing method, comprising:
positioning a wafer in a plasma chamber;
generating a first magnetic field by some of a plurality of electromagnets in a first magnetic-field zone of an electromagnet array and generating a second magnetic field by some of the electromagnets in a second magnetic-field zone of the electromagnet array to attract a plurality of ions in the plasma chamber to hit a target element, wherein at least one of the electromagnets between the first magnetic-field zone and the second magnetic-field zone is disabled, and when the ions hits the target element, the target element sputters a plurality of metal atoms on the wafer;
adjusting a location of the first magnetic-field zone by switching the electromagnets; and
enabling the electromagnets in the first magnetic-field zone, and disabling the electromagnets leaving the first magnetic-field zone according to the adjusted location of the first magnetic-field zone, wherein the enabled electromagnets are arranged in an approximately circular pattern, and the enabled electromagnets comprise a first group of electromagnets and a central electromagnet surrounded by the first group of electromagnets, wherein the first group of electromagnets each comprise a pole that is opposite a pole of the central electromagnet.

13. The semiconductor manufacturing method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising adjusting a strength of the first magnetic field.

14. The semiconductor manufacturing method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising generating an electric field to excite a gas in the plasma chamber into plasma, which includes the ions.

15. The semiconductor manufacturing method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein adjusting a location of the first magnetic-field zone by switching the electromagnets along a moving path.

16. The semiconductor manufacturing method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the moving path is a circular path, a polygon path or a spiral path.

17. The semiconductor manufacturing method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising adjusting the central electromagnet in the first magnetic-field zone having a first pole adjacent to a target element, and adjusting the first group of electromagnets in the first magnetic-field zone having a second pole adjacent to the target element.

18. The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are simultaneously generated by the electromagnets in the first and the second magnetic-field zones.

19. The plasma method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are simultaneously generated by the electromagnets in the first and the second magnetic-field zones.

20. The plasma method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are simultaneously generated by the electromagnets in the first and the second magnetic-field zones.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chi Chih-Chien
• Pan Shing-Chyang
• Chen Kuan-Chia
• Chang Yao-Jen
• Huang Huang-Yi
• Hsieh Ching-Hua

Classifications

• C23C14/542

  Controlling the film thickness or evaporation rate · CPC title

• H01J37/3452

  Magnet distribution · CPC title

• H01J37/3455

  Movable magnets · CPC title

• H01J37/3405

  Magnetron sputtering · CPC title

• C23C14/3492

  Variation of parameters during sputtering · CPC title