Particle reduction on surfaces of chemical vapor deposition processing apparatus

Abstract

A method of reducing the amount of particulates generated from the surface of a processing component used during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of thin films. The body of the processing component comprises an aluminum alloy, and an exterior surface of said processing component is texturized to increase the amount of surface area present on the exterior surface. The texturizing process includes at least one step in which the surface to be texturized is bead blasted or chemically grained, so that the surface roughness of the texturized surface ranges from about 50 μ-inch Ra to about 1,000 μ-inch Ra.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a photograph of a gas diffuser typical of the kind used in the semiconductor industry in the fabrication of flat panel displays.

FIG. 2A shows a schematic of one design of a gas diffuser opening which performs well in a gas diffuser of the kind shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B shows a photomicrograph of a failed anodized aluminum coating at a corner of one of the radii of the gas diffuser opening illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 shows a photomicrograph of an anodized aluminum surface, where the magnification is 1750.

FIG. 4 shows a photomicrograph of an aluminum alloy surface which has been Bead Blasted with a medium which produces a surface roughness of about 40 μ-inch Ra. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 5 A shows a photomicrograph of a Bead Blasted surface followed by Enhanced Cleaning. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 5B shows a photomicrograph of a Chemically Cleaned surface which was subsequently Bead Blasted. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 5C shows a photomicrograph of a Chemically Cleaned surface which was subsequently Bead Blasted and then Ultrasonically Cleaned. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 6A shows a photomicrograph of the Bead Blasted and Enhanced Cleaned surface of FIG. 5A after a RPSC Burn In. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 6B shows a photomicrograph of the Chemically Cleaned and Bead Blasted surface of FIG. 5B after a RPSC Burn In. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 6C shows a photomicrograph of the Chemically Cleaned, Bead Blasted, and Ultrasonically Cleaned surface of FIG. 5C after a RPSC Burn In. The magnification is 875.

FIG. 7 shows a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process chamber which includes components which are texturized using a method of the invention, to produce particular surface roughness characteristics on a surface of the components.

FIG. 8A shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a substrate position relative to a bead blasting nozzle which is used to texturize a surface of a component used in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process chamber.

FIG. 8B shows a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a substrate which illustrates the direction of bead blasting passes relative to the surface of a component which is being texturized.

FIG. 9A shows a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a substrate position relative to a bead blasting nozzle which is used to texturize a surface of a component used in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process chamber.

FIG. 9B shows a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a substrate which illustrates the direction of bead blasting passes relative to the surface of a component which is being texturized.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the amount of particulates generated from the surface of a component which is exposed to plasma discharge within a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition processing chamber, wherein said component comprises an aluminum alloy, and wherein an exterior surface of said component is texturized to increase the amount of surface area present on said exterior surface.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said component is selected from the group consisting of a gas diffuser, a process chamber liner, a substrate support assembly, a shadow frame, and a slit valve cavity.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said texturizing is accomplished using bead blasting or chemical graining of said exterior surface of said component.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein at least one additional step is used in combination with said bead blasting or chemical graining, and wherein said at least one additional step is selected from the group consisting of enhanced cleaning, chemical cleaning, light cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said texturizing is accomplished by bead blasting.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said bead blasting is carried out using at least two bead blasting steps, and wherein a size of bead used in each of said bead blasting process steps decreases in each successive bead blasting step.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said bead blasting is carried out using a combination of processing variables which produces a surface finish ranging between about 50 μ-inches Ra and about 1,000 μ-inches Ra.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said surface finish ranges between about 100 μ-inches RA and about 500 μ-inches Ra.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said bead blasting is carried out using a combination of processing variables which produces a surface finish ranging between about 50 μ-inches Ra and about 1,000 μ-inches Ra.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said surface finish ranges between about 100 μ-inches RA and about 500 μ-inches Ra.

11. A method of reducing the amount of particulates generated from the surface of a process gas diffuser used during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of thin films, wherein the body of said gas diffuser comprises an aluminum alloy, and wherein an exterior surface of said gas diffuser is texturized to increase the amount of surface area present on said exterior surface.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein said texturizing is accomplished by bead blasting or chemical graining of said exterior surface of said gas diffuser.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein at least one additional step is used in combination with said bead blasting or chemical graining, and wherein said at least one additional step is selected from the group consisting of enhanced cleaning, chemical cleaning, light cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12 or claim 13, wherein said texturizing is accomplished by bead blasting.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said bead blasting is carried out using at least two bead blasting steps, and wherein a size of bead used in each of said bead blasting process steps decreases in each successive bead blasting step.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said bead blasting is carried out using a combination of processing variables which produces a surface finish ranging between about 50 μ-inches Ra and about 1,000 μ-inches Ra.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said surface finish ranges between about 100 μ-inches RA and about 500 μ-inches Ra.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said bead blasting is carried out using a combination of processing variables which produces a surface finish ranging between about 50 μ-inches Ra and about 1,000 μ-inches Ra.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said surface finish ranges between about 100 μ-inches RA and about 500 μ-inches Ra.

20. A component for use in a PECVD processing chamber, wherein said component is selected from the group consisting of a gas diffuser, a process chamber liner, a substrate support assembly, a shadow frame, and a slit valve cavity, wherein said component comprises an aluminum alloy, and wherein an exterior surface of said component has been texturized to have a surface roughness ranging from about 50 μ-inch Ra to about 1,000 μ-inch Ra.

21. A component in accordance with claim 20, wherein said surface roughness ranges from about 50 μ-inch Ra to about 500 μ-inch Ra.