Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0153001, filed on Nov. 16, 2017, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “Deposition Apparatus Including Upper Shower Head and Lower Shower Head,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a deposition apparatus, and more particularly, to a deposition apparatus including an upper shower head and a lower shower head.
In general, integrated circuits (ICs) are formed on the front surface of a semiconductor wafer. Such ICs may be formed by repeating semiconductor fabrication processes, e.g., a deposition process, a photolithography process, and an etching process, on the front surface of the semiconductor wafer.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a deposition apparatus is provided. The deposition apparatus includes an upper shower head and a lower shower head disposed within a process chamber, and facing each other, a support structure disposed between the upper shower head and the lower shower head, connected to the lower shower head, and supporting a wafer, and a plasma process region disposed between the wafer supported by the support structure and the lower shower head. The lower shower head includes lower holes for jetting a lower gas in a direction of the wafer, the upper shower head includes upper holes for jetting an upper gas in a direction of the wafer, and the support structure includes through opening portions for discharging a portion of the lower gas jetted through the lower holes into a space between the support structure and the upper shower head.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a deposition apparatus is provided. The deposition apparatus includes a lower shower head, an upper shower head disposed on the lower shower head, a support structure disposed between the upper shower head and the lower shower head, connected to the lower shower head, and supporting a wafer, and a plasma process region disposed between the wafer supported by the support structure and the lower shower head. The lower shower head includes lower holes for jetting a plasma process source gas in a direction of the wafer, the upper shower head includes upper holes for jetting a purge gas in a direction of the wafer, and the support structure includes through opening portions for discharging a portion of the plasma process source gas jetted through the lower holes into a space between the support structure and the upper shower head.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a deposition apparatus is provided. The deposition apparatus includes a lower shower head disposed within a process chamber, an upper shower head disposed within the process chamber, and facing the lower shower head, a support structure disposed between the upper shower head and the lower shower head, connected to the lower shower head, and supporting a wafer, a metal ring disposed on an inner wall of the process chamber, and surrounding at least a portion of the support structure, and a variable capacitor disposed externally of the process chamber, and electrically connected to the metal ring.
Features will become apparent to those of skill in the art by describing in detail example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
A deposition apparatus, according to an example embodiment, will be described hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A deposition apparatus, according to an example embodiment, will be described, with reference to
Referring to
The deposition apparatus 1, according to an example embodiment, may further include an upper gas supply part 60 and an upper gas pipe 62, through which an upper gas 63 supplied from the upper gas supply part 60 may move into the process chamber 5. The deposition apparatus 1, according to an example embodiment, may further include a lower gas supply part 70 and a lower gas pipe 72, through which a lower gas 73 supplied from the lower gas supply part 70 may move into the process chamber 5. The deposition apparatus 1, according to an example embodiment, may further include a radio frequency (RF) power supply part 90 generating plasma within the process chamber 5.
In detail, the upper shower head 10 may be disposed above the lower shower head 30. The upper shower head 10 may have an upper head surface 10s, and the lower shower head 30 may have a lower head surface 30s facing the upper head surface 10s. In an example, an upper support portion 8 may fix the upper shower head 10 to the process chamber 5.
The upper shower head 10 may have an upper flow path 12 therein. The upper flow path 12 may extend into the upper support portion 8 to connect to the upper gas pipe 62. For example, as illustrated in
The upper shower head 10 may include upper holes 14 for jetting, e.g., discharging, the upper gas 63 in a direction of the wafer W. The upper holes 14 may extend internally in the upper shower head 10 from the upper head surface 10s to connect to the upper flow path 12. For example, as illustrated in
The lower shower head 30 may have a lower flow path 32 therein. The lower flow path 32 may extend into a lower shaft 28 and into a lower structure 55 disposed below the lower shaft 28 to connect to the lower gas pipe 72. For example, as illustrated in
The lower shower head 30 may include lower holes 34 for jetting the lower gas 73 in a direction of the wafer W. The lower holes 34 may extend internally in the lower shower head 30 from the lower head surface 30s to connect to the lower flow path 32. For example, as illustrated in
While RF power is supplied to the RF power supply part 90, plasma PL may be generated by the lower gas 73 between the rear surface WB of the wafer W and the lower shower head 30 (dashed frame between the rear surface WB and the lower shower head 30 in
A region in which plasma may be generated by the lower gas 73 may be defined as a “plasma process region PL.” The plasma process region PL may be formed between the wafer W supported by support structure 40 and the lower shower head 30. The plasma process region PL may also be formed between the wafer W and the lower shower head 30, and may extend to a space between the lower shower head 30 and the support structure 40.
The upper gas 63 may be supplied from the upper gas supply part 60 and jetted to an upper purge region PU on the front surface WF of the wafer W through the upper holes 14 of the upper shower head 10. The upper gas 63 may be a purge gas by which plasma may not be generated, even when RF power is supplied to the RF power supply part 90. For example, the upper gas 63 may be a purge gas, e.g., nitrogen. The upper purge region PU may prevent plasma generated in the plasma process region PL from being deposited onto the front surface WF of the wafer W. Thus, the upper purge region PU may prevent the front surface WF of the wafer W from being damaged or contaminated.
In an example embodiment, the upper gas 63 and the lower gas 73 jetted to a space between the upper shower head 10 and the lower shower head 30 may be discharged through a discharge portion 82 disposed in a lower region of the process chamber 5. The discharge portion 82 may connect to a vacuum pump 80, and the upper gas 63 and the lower gas 73 may be discharged by vacuum intake force generated by the vacuum pump 80.
In an example, the support structure 40 may couple to the lower shower head 30, as illustrated in
In detail, as illustrated in
A portion of each of the through opening portions 40a, passing through the upper surface 40U of the ring body 44, may be closer to the outer surface 40S1 of the ring body 44 than to a portion of the through opening portion 40a, passing through the lower surface 40L of the ring body 44. In other words, as illustrated in
A portion of the lower gas 73 may be discharged through the through opening portions 40a, and the remainder of the lower gas 73 may be discharged through a space between the ring body 44 and the lower shower head 30. Since the through opening portions 40a may be inclined in a direction toward the outer surface 40S1 of the ring body 44 from the inner surface 40S2 of the ring body 44, the lower gas 73 discharged through the through opening portions 40a may not move onto the front surface WF of the wafer W, and may move toward the discharge portion 82 through a space between the upper surface 40U of the ring body 44 of the support structure 40 and the upper shower head 10. The through opening portions 40a may serve to protect the front surface WF of the wafer W from plasma generated in the plasma process region PL, together with the upper purge region PU.
Thus, the deposition apparatus 1, according to an example embodiment, may perform a deposition process for forming the rear reinforcing film 100b on the rear surface WB of the wafer W supported by the support structure 40, while protecting the front surface WF of the wafer W. The rear reinforcing film 100b (
For example, as illustrated in
A modified example of the through opening portion will be described with reference to
Referring to
Referring again to
A modified example of the through opening portion will be described with reference to
Referring to
Referring again to
A modified example of the through opening portion will be described with reference to
Referring to
A modified example of the deposition apparatus 1a, according to an example embodiment, will be described with reference to
Referring to
The deposition apparatus 1 may further include a support structure 40′ disposed between the upper shower head 10 and the lower shower head 30. The support structure 40a may couple to the lower shower head 30, and may be spaced apart from the upper shower head 10. The support structure 40 may include the ring body 44 surrounding the wafer W, the plurality of ring support shafts 42 extending downwardly from the ring body 44 to connect to the lower shower head 30, and the wafer support portion 46 extending from a lower region of the ring body in a direction internal within the ring body 44 to support the wafer W.
The deposition apparatus 1a, according to an example embodiment, may further include a metal ring 110 electrically connected to a variable capacitor 120, which may change the capacitance. In an example, the variable capacitor 120 may be disposed externally with respect to the process chamber 5.
In an example, the metal ring 110 may be isolated from an internal space of the process chamber 5 by a dielectric 105, e.g., quartz. The dielectric 105 may be disposed on a wall, e.g., an inner wall, of the process chamber 5. The dielectric 105 may isolate the internal, e.g., empty, space of the process chamber 5 from the metal ring 110, while covering the metal ring 110. The dielectric 105 may be spaced apart from the support structure 40.
The metal ring 110 may be spaced apart from the support structure 40′, while surrounding at least a portion of the support structure 40′. In an example, the metal ring 110 may be spaced apart from the support structure 40′, while surrounding the ring body 44 of the support structure 40′.
The metal ring 110 electrically connected to the variable capacitor 120 may prevent plasma generated in the plasma process region PL from being formed externally of the ring body 44 of the support structure 40′. Thus, the metal ring 110 may prevent plasma generated in the plasma process region PL from being formed on the front surface WF of the wafer W along an external surface of the ring body 44.
A modified example of the metal ring will be described with reference to
Referring to
Referring again to
For example, the ring body 44 may be modified such that the ring body 44 may include the same through opening portions as those described above with reference to
Referring to
Referring again to
A modified example of the lower heater 36 will be described with reference to
Referring to
The support structure 40 or 40′ and the metal ring 110 or 110a may prevent an undesired film from being deposited onto the front surface WF of the wafer W, while the rear reinforcing film 100b is formed on the rear surface WB of the wafer W to significantly reduce the warpage phenomenon of the wafer W. Thus, the support structure 40 or 40′ and the metal ring 110 or 110a, having the variable capacitor 120, may serve to protect the front surface WF of the wafer W from plasma used to form the rear reinforcing film 100b on the rear surface WB of the wafer W.
By way of summation and review, as the semiconductor fabrication processes for forming ICs proceed, front patterns may be formed to a uniform thickness on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer. However, stress generated by such front patterns may cause a bowing phenomenon in which the semiconductor wafer may be warped.
In contrast, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a deposition apparatus that may perform a deposition process on a rear surface of a semiconductor wafer. An aspect of the present disclosure also provides a deposition apparatus including an upper shower head and a lower shower head.
That is, according to example embodiments, a deposition apparatus including an upper shower head and a lower shower head may be provided. The deposition apparatus may protect a front surface of a wafer from a plasma process, while forming a rear reinforcing film on a rear surface of the wafer by the plasma process. Thus, the deposition apparatus may form on the rear surface of the wafer the rear reinforcing film for significantly reducing a bowing phenomenon, e.g., warpage of the wafer, while preventing pollution of, or damage to, the front surface of the wafer.
Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specific terms are employed, they are used and are to be interpreted in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation. In some instances, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the filing of the present application, features, characteristics, and/or elements described in connection with a particular embodiment may be used singly or in combination with features, characteristics, and/or elements described in connection with other embodiments unless otherwise specifically indicated. Accordingly, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10-2017-0153001 | Nov 2017 | KR | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5304248 | Cheng et al. | Apr 1994 | A |
5474612 | Sato | Dec 1995 | A |
5620525 | van de Ven | Apr 1997 | A |
6159299 | Koai et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6296712 | Guo et al. | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6464794 | Park | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6565661 | Nguyen | May 2003 | B1 |
7048488 | Kuznetsov | May 2006 | B1 |
7198677 | Yoo | Apr 2007 | B2 |
8373086 | Kim | Feb 2013 | B2 |
8721833 | Chen et al. | May 2014 | B2 |
8852349 | Chacin et al. | Oct 2014 | B2 |
8865602 | Ranish et al. | Oct 2014 | B2 |
9412579 | Sadjadi et al. | Aug 2016 | B2 |
9428833 | Duvall et al. | Aug 2016 | B1 |
9558982 | Pan et al. | Jan 2017 | B2 |
20030201069 | Johnson | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20050098111 | Shimizu et al. | May 2005 | A1 |
20080066684 | Patalay | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20090258142 | An | Oct 2009 | A1 |
20090291209 | Granneman | Nov 2009 | A1 |
20100132614 | Kato et al. | Jun 2010 | A1 |
20100175622 | Yoon et al. | Jul 2010 | A1 |
20100203736 | Ichino et al. | Aug 2010 | A1 |
20110049100 | Han | Mar 2011 | A1 |
20120211486 | Kasai et al. | Aug 2012 | A1 |
20130105303 | Lubomirsky et al. | May 2013 | A1 |
20130203258 | Chen et al. | Aug 2013 | A1 |
20140113458 | Pan et al. | Apr 2014 | A1 |
20140118751 | Rajagopalan et al. | May 2014 | A1 |
20150020848 | Kim | Jan 2015 | A1 |
20150083333 | Kikuchi et al. | Mar 2015 | A1 |
20150129130 | Cheng | May 2015 | A1 |
20150340225 | Kim et al. | Nov 2015 | A1 |
20160035566 | LaVoie et al. | Feb 2016 | A1 |
20160172165 | Jeon et al. | Jun 2016 | A1 |
20160340781 | Thomas et al. | Nov 2016 | A1 |
20160340782 | Chandrasekharan et al. | Nov 2016 | A1 |
20160348244 | Saabri et al. | Dec 2016 | A1 |
20160351378 | Kishi et al. | Dec 2016 | A1 |
20170167024 | Wiltse et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
101448977 | Jun 2009 | CN |
102084461 | Jun 2011 | CN |
105316651 | Feb 2016 | CN |
1134791 | Sep 2001 | EP |
2002-9136 | Jan 2002 | JP |
4365226 | Aug 2009 | JP |
2013191782 | Sep 2013 | JP |
2014-212245 | Nov 2014 | JP |
10-2001-0076521 | Aug 2001 | KR |
10-2009-0024522 | Mar 2009 | KR |
10-2009-0057840 | Jun 2009 | KR |
10-2009-0106730 | Oct 2009 | KR |
10-0990746 | Oct 2010 | KR |
10-2012-0036464 | Apr 2012 | KR |
10-2014-0011364 | Jan 2014 | KR |
2014-0045806 | Apr 2014 | KR |
10-1432157 | Aug 2014 | KR |
2014-0100764 | Aug 2014 | KR |
2015-0074073 | Jul 2015 | KR |
2015-0139774 | Dec 2015 | KR |
10-2016-0137403 | Nov 2016 | KR |
10-2016-0137404 | Nov 2016 | KR |
2016-0140450 | Dec 2016 | KR |
10-2017-0074755 | Jun 2017 | KR |
WO 2007142690 | Dec 2007 | WO |
WO 2010003093 | Jan 2010 | WO |
WO 2014123310 | Aug 2014 | WO |
Entry |
---|
Search and Written Opinion issued by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore dated Jul. 26, 2018 Corresponding Application No. SG 10201804986W. |
Examination Report of the Indian application No. 20182403674. |
Provisional double patenting rejection over claims of the above-identified application; USPTO Office action dated Apr. 24, 2020, in U.S. Appl. No. 15/993,752. |
USPTO Office action dated Sep. 28, 2020 in U.S. Appl. No. 15/993,752. |
Chinese Office action dated Jan. 25, 2022 for corresponding CN 201811267563.1. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20190145001 A1 | May 2019 | US |