APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING ATOMIC LAYER USING GAS SEPARATION TYPE SHOWERHEAD

Abstract

An atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus using a gas separation type showerhead is provided. Accordingly, the ALD apparatus that employs the gas separation type showerhead including a gas supply module, a gas separation module, and a gas injection module. The ALD apparatus includes: a first precursor source storing the first precursor, which is connected to the outer supply tube; a second precursor source storing the second precursor, which is connected to the inner supply tube; a purge gas source storing a purge gas, which is connected to the outer and inner supply tubes; a power source which applies power for ionization to the gas separation module; and an exhaust unit which exhausts remaining materials of the reaction chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a gas separation type showerhead used for the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a part of a gas separation module and a part of a gas injection module of the gas separation type showerhead shown in FIG. 1, in detail;

FIG. 3 illustrates an ALD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an ALD apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 5 to 9 illustrate examples of a gas separation type showerhead used for the present invention.

Claims

1. An ALD (atomic layer deposition) apparatus that employs a gas separation type showerhead which includes a gas supply module having an outer supply tube through which a first precursor is supplied and an inner supply tube through which a second precursor is supplied, a gas separation module having a first dispersion region connected to the outer supply tube and a second dispersion region connected to the inner supply tube, and a gas injection module having a plurality of common holes through which the first and second precursors are alternately injected into a reaction chamber, the ALD apparatus comprising: a first precursor source storing the first precursor, which is connected to the outer supply tube;a second precursor source storing the second precursor, which is connected to the inner supply tube;a purge gas source storing a purge gas, which is connected to the outer and inner supply tubes;a power source which applies power for ionization to the gas separation module; andan exhaust unit which exhausts remaining materials of the reaction chamber.

2. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas separation type showerhead further includes an insulator ring for electrically insulating the gas injection module from the gas separation module.

3. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas injection module is made of an insulator.

4. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas injection module is constructed by combining un upper plate with a lower plate, andwherein the upper plate is made of an insulator, and the lower plate is made of a conductor for grounding.

5. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the purge gas is supplied at least one of the outer and inner supply tubes and injected into the reaction chamber through the plurality of common holes, after the first or second precursor is injected.

6. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the purge gas is supplied to the inner supply tube, when the first precursor is supplied to the outer supply tube, andwherein the purge gas is supplied to the outer supply tube, when the second precursor is supplied to the inner supply tube.

7. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust unit is directly connected to the first and second precursor sources, respectively,wherein the second precursor is diverted through the exhaust unit without passing through the gas separation type showerhead, when the first precursor is injected, andwherein the first precursor is diverted through the exhaust unit without passing through the gas separation type showerhead, when the second precursor is injected.

8. The ALD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas separation module comprises: a first dispersion region which is connected to the outer supply tube and constructed with one region, the region in which the first precursor is dispersed;a second dispersion region which is located under the first dispersion region, which is connected to the inner supply tube and divided into a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions in which the second precursor is dispersed; anda plurality of vents which are located at lower parts of the plurality of regions of the second dispersion region, the plurality of vents through which the second precursor is vented.

9. The ALD apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of regions of the second dispersion region include gas distribution plates for uniformly dispersing the second precursor.

10. The ALD apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first precursor is vented to spaces surrounding the plurality of vents from the first dispersion region through outer spaces of the plurality of regions of the second dispersion region.