1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to gas distribution plates utilized in semiconductor wafer processing equipment, and more particularly to a gas distribution plate or faceplate for use in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a CVD chamber, a gas distribution plate is commonly used to uniformly distribute gases into a chamber. Such a uniform gas distribution is necessary to achieve uniform deposition characteristics on the surface of a substrate located within the chamber. The gas distribution plate is generally connected to a gas box above the gas distribution plate. The gas box is typically water-cooled to a temperature of approximately under 100 degrees Celsius. A heater is generally disposed in a substrate support member beneath the gas distribution plate. The heater is typically heated to a temperature of approximately between 100 to 600 degrees Celsius. Consequently, the temperature of the gas distribution plate is somewhere in between the temperature of the gas box and the temperature of the heater. However, since the gas distribution plate is connected to the gas box, the temperature of the gas distribution plate is generally closer to the temperature of the gas box than the temperature of the heater. As a result of the low temperature of the gas distribution plate (in comparison to the temperature of the heater), a high amount of film is often deposited on the gas distribution plate during processing, which leads to a longer chamber cleaning period and an increase in clean gas consumption.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an improved gas distribution plate.
Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus for distributing gas in a processing system. In one embodiment, the system includes a gas distribution assembly having a gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate defines a plurality of holes through which gases are transmitted. The assembly further includes a gas box coupled to the gas distribution plate, in which the gas box is configured to supply the gases into the plurality of holes. The assembly further includes a means for reducing heat transfer from the gas box to the gas distribution plate.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for distributing gas in a processing system, which includes a gas distribution assembly that has a gas distribution plate defining a plurality of holes through which gases are transmitted and a gas box coupled to the gas distribution plate. The gas box is configured to supply the gases into the plurality of holes. The gas distribution assembly further includes a hard radio frequency (RF) gasket disposed between the gas distribution plate and the gas box. The gasket is configured to reduce heat transfer from the gas distribution plate to the gas box.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for distributing gas in a processing system, which includes a gas distribution assembly having a gas box configured to supply gases into a process chamber and a gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of holes through which the gases are distributed into the process chamber and a flange portion coupled to the gas box. The flange portion defines one or more recesses configured to reduce heat transfer from the gas distribution plate to the gas box.
In still another embodiment, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for distributing gas in a processing system, which includes a gas distribution assembly having a gas box configured to supply gases into a process chamber and a gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of holes through which the gases are distributed into the process chamber and a flange portion. A thermal isolator is disposed between the gas box and the flange portion of the gas distribution plate to reduce heat transfer from the gas distribution plate to the gas box.
In still yet another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a gas distribution plate, including a bottom plate having a plurality of holes through which gases are transmitted, a channel disposed circumferentially around a perimeter of the bottom plate, and a means for heating the gas distribution plate.
In a further embodiment, the present invention is directed to a gas distribution plate, which includes a bottom plate having a plurality of holes through which gases are transmitted. A heating element is disposed circumferentially around a perimeter of the bottom plate. The heating element is configured to heat the gas distribution plate.
In another further embodiment, the present invention is directed to a gas distribution plate, including a bottom plate having a plurality of holes through which gases are transmitted, a channel disposed circumferentially around a perimeter of the bottom plate through which a high temperature heat exchanger fluid is transmitted. The heat exchanger fluid is heated by a heat source to heat the gas distribution plate.
So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings and described in the specification. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
Recently, it has been observed (as shown in
The substrate support pedestal 12 is mounted on a support stem 13 so that the substrate support pedestal 12 can be controllably moved by a lift motor 14 between a lower (loading/off-loading) position and an upper (processing) position. Motors and optical sensors can be used to move and determine the position of movable mechanical assemblies, such as, the throttle valve of the vacuum pump 32 and the motor for positioning the substrate support pedestal 12.
A thermal or plasma enhanced process may be performed in the chamber 100. In a plasma process, a controlled plasma can be formed adjacent to the substrate 16 by applying RF energy to the gas distribution plate 11 from RF power supply 25 with the substrate support pedestal 12 grounded. An RF power supply 25 can supply either a single or mixed frequency RF power to the gas distribution plate 11 to enhance the decomposition of any reactive species introduced into the chamber 100. A mixed frequency RF power supply typically supplies power at a high RF frequency of about 13.56 MHz and at a low RF frequency of about 350 kHz.
A system controller 34 controls the motor 14, the gas mixing system 19, and the RF power supply 25 over control lines 36. The system controller 34 may also control analog assemblies, such as mass flow controllers and RF generators. The system controller 34 controls the activities of the CVD processing chamber 100 and executes system control software stored in a memory 38, which may be a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, and a card rack. The controller 34 may be one of any form of general purpose computer processor (CPU) that can be used in an industrial setting for controlling various chambers and sub-processors. Various support circuits may be coupled to the CPU for supporting the processor in a conventional manner.
Software routines may be stored in the memory 38 or executed by a second CPU that is remotely located. The software routines are generally executed to perform process recipes or sequences and to dictate the timing, mixture of gases, RF power levels, substrate support pedestal position, and other parameters of a particular process. The software routines, when executed, transform the general purpose computer into a specific process computer that controls the chamber operation so that a chamber process is performed. Alternatively, the software routines may be performed in a piece of hardware as an application specific integrated circuit or a combination of software or hardware. Other details of the CVD processing chamber 100 may be described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,113, entitled “A Thermal CVD/PECVD Processing chamber and Use for Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Dioxide and In-situ Multi-step Planarized Process”, issued to Wang et al., and assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., the assignee of the invention, and is incorporated by reference herein to the extent not inconsistent with the invention.
Another embodiment in which heat transfer may be minimized from the gas distribution plate is illustrated in FIG. 4B. In this embodiment, the gas assembly 420 includes a gas distribution plate 411, which has a flange portion 422 in contact with a gas box 50. The flange portion 422 defines recesses or grooves 440, which provides a distance between the flange portion 422 and the gas box 50 or the isolator 36. In this manner, the recesses 440 are designed to reduce the contact area between the gas box 50 and the flange portion 422, thereby minimizing heat transfer from the gas distribution plate 411 to the gas box 50.
Yet another embodiment in which heat transfer may be minimized from the gas distribution plate is illustrated in FIG. 4C. In this embodiment, a thermal isolator 475 is disposed between a gas distribution plate 471 and the gas box 50. The thermal isolator 475 may be made from any material, such as ceramic, that provides thermal insulation between the gas distribution plate 471 and the gas box 50. By disposing the thermal isolator 475 between the gas distribution plate 471 and the gas box 50, the gas distribution plate 471 is in contact with the gas box 50 only through the thermal isolator 475. The thermal isolator 475, therefore, works to minimize heat transfer from the gas distribution plate 471 to the gas box 50.
Other means for minimizing heat transfer from the gas distribution plate to the gas box 50 are also contemplated by the invention. For instance, the o-rings 46 between the gas distribution plate and the gas box 50 may be positioned closer toward the periphery of the gas distribution plate and the gas box 50 so as to increase the space between the two components.
Another embodiment in which the gas distribution plate may be heated is illustrated in FIG. 6A. In this embodiment, the gas distribution plate 611 includes a channel 610 disposed inside a bottom plate 660 for containing a heating element 630. In another embodiment, the heating element 630 may be cast in place in a molded or otherwise fabricated gas distribution plate 611. The heating element 630 may be disposed circumferentially around the perimeter of the bottom plate 660. The heating element 630 may be disposed on the same level as the plurality of holes (not shown) disposed through the bottom plate 660. In this manner, the heating element 630 is configured to electrically provide heating around the gas distribution plate 611. In one example, the heating element 630 is configured to heat the gas distribution plate 611 to a temperature of approximately between 200 and 300 degrees Celsius.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
Another embodiment in which the gas distribution plate may be heated is illustrated in FIG. 6A. In this embodiment, the gas distribution plate 611 includes a channel 610 disposed inside a bottom plate 660 for containing a heating element 630. In another embodiment, the heating element 630 may be cast in place in a molded or otherwise fabricated gas distribution plate 611. The heating element 630 may be disposed circumferentially around the perimeter of the bottom plate 660. The heating element 630 may be disposed on the same level as the plurality of holes (not shown) disposed through the bottom plate 660. In this manner, the heating element 630 is configured to electrically provide heating around the gas distribution plate 611. In one example, the heating element 630 is configured to heat the gas distribution plate 611 to a temperature of approximately between 200 and 300 degrees Celsius.
This application is related to U.S. Ser. No. 10/245,442 by Lee et al. and entitled “METHODS FOR OPERATING A CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION CHAMBER USING A HEATED GAS DISTRIBUTION PLATE.”
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