This invention relates to chemical vapor deposition apparatus.
Semiconductor processing in the fabrication of integrated circuitry typically includes the deposition of layers on semiconductor substrates. Exemplary processes include physical vapor deposition (PVD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) which herein includes atomic layer deposition (ALD). With typical ALD, successive mono-atomic layers are adsorbed to a substrate and/or reacted with the outer layer on the substrate, typically by successive feeding of different precursors to the substrate surface.
Chemical and physical vapor depositions can be conducted within chambers or reactors which retain a single substrate upon a wafer holder or susceptor. The chambers include internal walls which can undesirably have deposition product deposited thereupon in addition to the substrate. This is particularly problematic in ALD and other CVD processes. One existing method of protecting or preserving the internal chamber walls is to shield such from the deposition material with one or more removable liners. These liners might be received immediately adjacent or against the internal chamber walls. Alternately, the liners might be displaced therefrom, thereby defining a significantly reduced volume chamber, or subchamber, within which the substrate is received for deposition. One advantage of using liners is that they can be periodically replaced with new or cleaned liners, thereby extending the life of the deposition chambers. Further and regardless, the spent liners can typically be removed and replaced much more quickly than the time it would take to clean the internal chamber walls at a given cleaning interval.
A typical chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a deposition chamber which connects to a transfer chamber through a passageway. Substrates are transferred into and out of the deposition chamber by a robotic arm assembly which passes through the passageway from the transfer chamber. Typically, the deposition chamber and transfer chamber are maintained at subatmospheric pressure in operation. The deposition chamber is typically maintained at a slightly lower subatmospheric pressure than is the transfer chamber. Once positioned within the deposition chamber, a mechanical gate or door received within the transfer chamber is moved to a sealing position to cover the passageway within the transfer chamber. Further, some passageways are provided with a plurality of inert gas ports through which inert purge gas is emitted, at least during deposition, to form an inert gas curtain within the passageway. A desired intent or effect of the inert gas curtain is to preclude deposition product from depositing within the passageway. The inert gas forming the curtain is ultimately drawn to within the deposition chamber and passes out the vacuum foreline from the chamber.
Unfortunately, the flow of inert purge gas from the passageway can adversely impact the deposition upon the substrate received therewithin. For example, some of the inert gas will inherently be caused to flow over the wafer surface from the side of the substrate which is proximate the passageway. Other sides/edges of the wafer surface are not subjected to the same inert gas flow. This can have an adverse effect on the deposition. One prior art method of attempting to alleviate the impact from such inert purge gas flow is to provide inert purge gas injection into the deposition chamber proximate the other edges/sides of the substrate.
The invention was motivated in addressing or overcoming the above-described drawbacks, although it is in no way so limited. The invention is only limited by the accompanying claims as literally worded without interpretative or other limiting reference to the specification or drawings, and in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
The invention includes chemical vapor deposition apparatus. In one implementation, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a subatmospheric substrate transfer chamber. Such further includes a subatmospheric deposition chamber defined at least in part by a chamber sidewall. A passageway in the chamber sidewall extends from the transfer chamber to the deposition chamber. Semiconductor substrates pass into and out of the deposition chamber through the passageway for deposition processing. A mechanical gate is included within at least one of the deposition chamber and the sidewall passageway, and is configured to open and close at least a portion of the passageway to the chamber.
In one implementation, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a chamber defined at least in part by a chamber sidewall. A passageway in the chamber sidewall extends from externally of the chamber to the chamber. Semiconductor substrates pass into and out of the chamber through the passageway for deposition processing. A chamber liner apparatus forms a deposition subchamber within the chamber. At least a portion of the chamber liner apparatus is selectively movable to fully expose and to fully cover the passageway to the chamber.
Further implementations are contemplated.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).
Referring to
A suitable mechanism (not shown) would be associated with subatmospheric transfer chamber 12 for transferring the substrates into and out of the respective processors 14. Further, a vacuum exhaust line/foreline (not shown) would be associate associated with chamber 16 for providing/maintaining desired pressure within the chamber. Of course, the depicted apparatus 10 and processor chambers 14 are only exemplary. The concluding claims are in no way limited by the environment, but for the literal wording appearing in such claims, and without limiting or interpretative reference to the specification or drawings, and in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
Referring to
A passageway 34 is received within the depicted chamber sidewall 18 and extends from externally of the chamber (in the preferred, depicted embodiment from transfer chamber 12) to deposition chamber 16. Such is sized and otherwise configured for passing semiconductor substrates into and out of deposition chamber 16 for deposition processing. By way of example only, one exemplary existing passageway has a maximum height of 0.75 inch and a maximum width of 8.25 inches, with the width ends thereof being rounded. In the depicted preferred embodiment, passageway 34 includes at least one, and preferably more, purge gas inlets 32 received therein. Such are ideally configured or otherwise arranged for establishing a gas curtain within passageway 34. In the depicted embodiment, passageway 34 extends through chamber wall 18 along a shortest possible straight line “A” from transfer chamber 12 to deposition chamber 16, and which also defines a length of the passageway from the transfer chamber to the deposition chamber.
In one implementation, a mechanical gate is received within at least one of the deposition chamber and the sidewall passageway, and is configured to open and close at least a portion of the passageway to the chamber. In one implementation, a gate, preferably a mechanical gate, is associated with the passageway downstream of the passageway purge gas inlets, where such are utilized, and is configured to open and close at least a portion of the passageway to the chamber. In the context of this document, “downstream” refers to a direction of flow of the purge gas from the inlets toward the vacuum outlet from the deposition chamber. Referring more specifically to
Referring to
Another exemplary alternate embodiment chemical vapor deposition apparatus 10b in accordance with aspects of the invention is next described with reference to
Liner apparatus 40 is mounted for movement to a first position (
The illustrated
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
This patent resulted from a continuation/divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/132,767, filed Apr. 24, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,813, entitled “Chemical Vapor Deposition Apparatus”, naming Ross S. Dando, Craig M. Carpenter, Philip H. Campbell and Allen P. Mardian as inventors, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
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Parent | 10132767 | US | |
Child | 10132767 | US |
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Parent | 10132767 | Apr 2002 | US |
Child | 10695726 | US |