Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatus and methods for processing semiconductor substrates. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a plasma screen in a plasma processing chamber.
Electronic devices, such as flat panel displays and integrated circuits, commonly are fabricated by a series of processes in which layers are deposited on a substrate and the deposited material is etched into desired patterns. The processes commonly include physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD), and other plasma processing. Specifically, a plasma process includes supplying a process gas mixture to a vacuum chamber, and applying electrical or electromagnetic power (RF power) to excite the process gas into a plasma state. The plasma decomposes the gas mixture into ion species that perform the desired deposition or etch processes.
One problem encountered with plasma processes is the difficulty associated with establishing uniform plasma density over the substrate surface during processing, which leads to non-uniform processing between the center and edge regions of the substrate and non-uniform processing from substrate to substrate.
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a plasma screen used in a plasma processing chamber to improve processing uniformity within a substrate and uniformity from substrate to substrate.
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a plasma screen used in a plasma processing chamber with improved flow conductance and uniformity.
One embodiment provides a plasma screen. The plasma screen includes a circular plate having a center opening and an outer diameter. A plurality of cut outs formed through the circular plate. The plurality of cut outs are arranged in two or more concentric circles, and total cut out areas of the plurality of cut outs in each concentric circle are substantially equal.
Another embodiment provides a plasma process chamber. The plasma includes a chamber body defining a process region, a substrate support having a substrate support surface facing the process region, and a plasma screen disposed around the substrate support surface, wherein the plasma screen comprises a circular plate having a center opening and a plurality of cut outs formed through, and the circular plate extends across an annular area between an outer region of the substrate support and an inner surface of the chamber body.
Another embodiment provides a method for processing a substrate. The method includes positioning a substrate on a substrate support in a plasma process chamber, and flowing one or more process gas through a flow path in the plasma chamber, wherein the flow path includes a plurality of cut outs in the a plasma screen disposed around the substrate, the plasma screen has a circular plate extending across an annular area between the substrate support and a chamber body.
So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.
The present disclosure generally relates to a plasma screen used in a plasma processing chamber. The plasma screen according to the present disclosure achieves improved process uniformity within a substrate and from substrate to substrate.
The plasma process chamber 100 may include a source module 102, a process module 104, a flow module 106, and an exhaust module 108. The source module 102, the process module 104 and the flow module 106 collectively enclose a process region 112. During operation, a substrate 116 is positioned on a substrate support assembly 118 and exposed to process environment, such as plasma generated in the process region 112, to process the substrate 116. Exemplary process which may be performed in the plasma process chamber 100 may include etching, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, implantation, plasma annealing, plasma treating, abatement, or other plasma processes. Vacuum is maintained in the process region 112 by suction from the exhaust module 108 through the flow module 106. The process region 112 may be substantially symmetrical about a central axis 110 to provide symmetrical electrical, gas, and thermal flow to establish uniform process conditions.
In one embodiment, as shown in
Even though an inductive plasma source is described above, the source module 102 may be any suitable gas/plasma source according to a process requirement. For example, the source module 102 may be a capacitively coupled plasma source, a remote plasma source, or a microwave plasma source.
The process module 104 is coupled to the source module 102. The process module 104 may include a chamber body 140 enclosing the process region 112. The chamber body 140 may be fabricated from a conductive material resistant to processing environments, such as aluminum or stainless steel. The substrate support assembly 118 is centrally disposed within the chamber body 140 and positioned to support the substrate 116 in the process region 112 symmetrically about the central axis 110.
A slit valve opening 142 is formed through the chamber body 140 to allow passages of the substrate 116. A slit valve 144 may be disposed outside the chamber body 140 to selectively open and close the slit valve opening 142.
In one embodiment, an upper liner assembly 146 may be disposed within an upper portion of the chamber body 140 shielding the chamber body 140 from the process environment. The upper liner assembly 146 may be constructed from a conductive, process compatible material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and/or yttria (e.g., yttria coated aluminum).
The flow module 106 is attached to the process module 104. The flow module 106 provides flow paths between the process region 112 and the exhaust module 108. The flow module 106 also provides an interface between the substrate support assembly 118 and the atmospheric environment exterior to the plasma process chamber 100.
The flow module 106 includes an outer wall 160, an inner wall 162, two or more pairs of radial walls 164 connecting between the inner wall 162 and the outer wall 160, and a bottom wall 166 attached to the inner wall 162 and the two or more pairs of radial walls 164. The outer wall 160 may include two or more through holes 171 formed between each pair of radial walls 164. A chassis 154 is sealingly disposed over the inner wall 162 and the two or more pairs of radial walls 164. The substrate support assembly 118 may be disposed over the chassis 154.
The outer wall 160 and the inner wall 162 may be cylindrical walls concentrically arranged. When assembled, a central axis of the outer wall 160 and the inner wall 162 coincides with the central axis 110 of the plasma process chamber 100. The inner wall 162, bottom wall 166, radial walls 164 and the chassis 154 divide the inner volume of the outer wall 160 into evacuation channels 114 and atmosphere volume 168. The evacuation channels 114 connect with the process region 112 of the process module 104.
The exhaust module 108 includes a symmetric flow valve 180 and a vacuum pump 182 attached to the symmetric flow valve 180 through a pump port 184. The symmetric flow valve 180 connects to the evacuation channels 114 to provide symmetric and uniform flow in the plasma process chamber 100. During operation, processing gas flow through the process chamber 100 along a flow path 186.
The substrate support assembly 118 is positioned along the central axis 110 to position the substrate 116 symmetrically about the central axis 110. The substrate support assembly 118 is supported by the chassis 154. The substrate support assembly 118 may include an edge ring 150 disposed around a support plate 174. A substrate support liner 152 may be disposed around the substrate support assembly 118 to shield the substrate support assembly 118 from the process chemistry.
A plasma screen 170 may be disposed around the substrate support assembly 118 to confine the plasma above the substrate 116. In one embodiment, the plasma screen 170 may be disposed to cover an entrance of an annular volume 113 between the substrate support liner 152 and the upper liner assembly 146. The plasma screen 170 includes a plurality of cut outs 172 configured to direct gas flow from the process region 112 to the annular volume 113. In one embodiment, the plasma screen 170 may be attached to the upper liner assembly 146 like a flange.
The plasma screen 170 may be formed from conductive material to facilitate a RF return path in the plasma process chamber 100. For example, the plasma screen 170 may be formed from a metal, such as aluminum. In one embodiment, the plasma screen 170 may have a protective coating that is compatible with processing chemistry. For example, the plasma screen 170 may have a ceramic coating, such as an yttria coating or an alumina coating.
In one embodiment, a conductive gasket 190 may be disposed between the plasma screen 170 and the substrate support liner 152 to ensure continuous electrical connection around the entire central opening 176. The conductive gasket 190 may be formed by a metal, such as aluminum, copper, steel.
The plurality of cut outs 172 may be formed through the plasma screen 170 to allow fluid flow through the plasma screen 170. A total area of the cut outs 172 provides a flow area through the plasma screen 170. Depending on the flow area, the plasma screen 170 may affect fluid conductance of the fluid flow in the process chamber 100. When the flow area through the plasma screen 170 is equal to or greater than the narrowest area in the flow path 186, typically an area of the pump port 184, the plasma screen 170 does not affect fluid conductance of the process chamber 100. However, when the flow area through the plasma screen 170 is smaller than the narrowest area in the flow path 186, the plasma screen 170 chokes the gas flow along the flow path 186. In one embodiment, the shape and/or number of the plurality of cut outs 172 may be selected obtain a target flow area through the plasma screen 170.
On the other hand, the effectiveness of the plasma screen 170 on plasma retention depends on a total area of the conductive body of the plasma screen 170. The larger the total area of the conductive body, the more effective is the plasma screen 170 in retaining the plasma. Therefore, increasing the flow area through the plasma screen 170 may cause the plasma screen 170 to be less effective in plasma retention while reducing the flow are through the plasma screen 170 may promote the plasma screen to be more effective in plasma retention. Depending on the process requirement, the shape and/or number of the cut outs 172 may be selected to achieve desired effect on chamber fluid flow and plasma retention.
Additionally, the cut outs 172 may be arranged various patterns to achieve a target fluid conductance profile. In one embodiment, the cut outs 172 may be arranged to provide a uniform fluid conductance. Alternatively, the cut outs 172 may be arranged to have variable fluid conductance along the azimuthal and/or radial direction. Variable fluid conductance may be used to compensate non-uniformities in the process chamber 100 to achieve uniform processing.
In
During operation, one or more processing gases from the gas source 132 enter the process region 112 through the inlet conduit 126. A RF power may be applied to the outer and inner coil assemblies 120, 122 to ignite and maintain a plasma in the process region 112. The substrate 116 disposed on the substrate support assembly 118 is processed by the plasma. The one or more processing gases may be continuously supplied to the process region 112 and the vacuum pump 182 operates through the symmetric flow valve 180 and the flow module 106 to generate a symmetric and uniform gas flow over the substrate 116. The cut outs 172 in the plasma screen 170 allow processing gas to flow from the process region 112 to the annular volume 113 then to the evacuation channels 114 in the flow module 106 while the conductive body of the plasma screen 170 confines the plasma in the process region 112.
The conductive body 200 may be formed from a metal, such as aluminum. In one embodiment, the conductive body 200 may include a coating. The coating may be formed on all surfaces of the conductive body 200 that are exposed to process chemistry during operation. For example, the coating may be formed on an upper surface 250, a lower surface 252, and on walls 256 of the cut outs 172. In one embodiment, the coating may be a protective coating that is compatible with the process chemistry. In one embodiment, the coating may be a ceramic coating, such as an yttria coating or an alumina coating.
In the embodiment of
In one embodiment, total cut out area of the plurality of cut outs 172 in each concentric circle 216, 218, 220 is substantially equal. For example, the cut outs 172 in each concentric circles 216, 218, 220 are of the same shape and equal numbers. As a result, the spokes 210, 212, 214 are of different dimensions. The spokes 212 are thicker than the spokes 210 and the spokes 214 are thicker than the spokes 212.
As discussed above, the cut outs 172 are formed through the conductive body 200 to provide fluid conductance. Fluid conductance rate of the plasma screen 170 may be denoted by dividing a total area of the cut outs 172 by an area of the pump port 184 or the narrowest flow area from the process region 112 to the vacuum pump 182. For example, the fluid conductance rate of the plasma screen is 100% when the total area of the cut outs 172 equals to or greater than the area of the pump port 184. The fluid conductance rate of the plasma screen is 50% when the total area of the cut outs 172 is 50% of the area of the pump port 184. The fluid conductance rate of the plasma screen 170 may be changed by changing the total area of the cut outs 172. The total area of the cut outs 172 may be changed by changing the shape and/or the number of the cut outs 172.
In the configuration of
The plasma screens 170, 170′, 170″ may be used interchangeably in a plasma process chamber, such as the plasma process chamber 100, according to process requirement.
Even though the plasma screens described above have elongated cut outs, cut outs with other shapes, such as circular, oval, triangular, rectangular, or any suitable shapes, may be used. Even though, the cut outs described above are arranged in concentric circles, other patterns may be used to achieve desired effect.
The plasma screen 300 may be configured in the position of
In one embodiment, the upper surface 430 of the outer lip 402 may be lower than the upper surface 430 of the conductive body to form a shoulder 438. The shoulder 438 may be used to align the plasma screen 400 with chambers.
In one embodiment, a groove 404 may be formed on the upper surface 430 of the plasma screen 400 near the outer diameter 406. The groove 404 may receive a conductive gasket to ensure continuous conductive coupling and/or to form a seal. The outer lip 402 may have a width 436 sufficient to form the groove 404. For example, the width 436 of the outer lip 402 may be between about 5 mm and about 15 mm.
As shown in
In the embodiment of
In the configuration of
Alternatively, the upper surface 430 of the outer lip 402 may protrude from or stay coplanar with the upper surface 250 of the conductive body 200 such that the upper surface 430 is above the upper surface 250 while the lower surface 432 of the outer lip 402 stays coplanar with or steps below the lower surface 252 of the conductive body 200.
Plasma screens according to embodiment of the present disclosure improve process uniformity. Particularly, plasma screens according to the present disclosure maintain consistent plasma uniformity in the process region over time, thus reducing critical dimension drift (CD drift) overtime, reducing wafer to wafer variation. The plasma screens also function effectively under a wide range of chamber pressure.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/380,151, filed on Aug. 26, 2016, which herein is incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62380151 | Aug 2016 | US |