Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0107295, filed on Jul. 29, 2015, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “Plasma Treatment Apparatus,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field
Embodiments relate to a plasma treatment apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor device may be manufactured using a plurality of unit processes. The unit processes may include, e.g., a deposition process, a diffusion process, a thermal treatment process, a photolithography process, a polishing process, an etching process, an ion implantation process, or a cleaning process.
Embodiments are directed to a plasma treatment apparatus.
The embodiments may be realized by providing a plasma treatment apparatus including a chamber in which a plasma treatment process is to be performed; and a plasma protection layer on an inner surface of the chamber, wherein the inner surface of the chamber has a center-line average roughness of 0.5 μm or less.
The center-line average roughness of the inner surface of the chamber may be equal to or greater than 0.01 μm.
The chamber may include a lower housing; and an upper housing on the lower housing, the plasma protection layer may include a first ceramic and is on an inner bottom surface of the upper housing, and the inner bottom surface of the upper housing may face an inner top surface of the lower housing.
The upper housing may include a window, and a lower surface of the window may be at the inner bottom surface of the upper housing.
The window may include a second ceramic, the second ceramic being different from the first ceramic, and the second ceramic may include aluminum oxide.
The lower housing may include a wall liner under an edge of the inner bottom surface of the upper housing, and the plasma protection layer may be on an inner sidewall and a top surface of the wall liner.
The wall liner may include a metal that is different from that of the first ceramic, and the metal may include aluminum.
The lower housing may include an electrostatic chuck at which a substrate is receivable; and a ring member surrounding an edge of the electrostatic chuck, and the plasma protection layer may be on an outer sidewall and a top surface of the ring member.
The ring member may include a third ceramic, the third ceramic including a same material as the first ceramic, and the third ceramic may include yttrium oxide.
The outer sidewall and the top surface of the ring member may have a center-line average roughness of 0.01 μm to 0.09 μm.
The embodiments may be realized by providing a plasma treatment apparatus including a base material; and a plasma protection layer on the base material, wherein a surface of the base material has a center-line average roughness of 0.01 μm to 0.5 μm.
The plasma protection layer may include yttrium oxide.
The base material may include a window formed of aluminum oxide.
The base material may include a wall liner formed of aluminum.
The base material may include a ring member formed of a ceramic.
The embodiments may be realized by providing a plasma treatment apparatus including a chamber including a space in which a plasma treatment process is to be performed; and a plasma protection layer on surfaces of the chamber that face the space, wherein the surfaces of the chamber that face the space have a center-line average roughness of 0.5 μm or less.
The center-line average roughness of the surfaces of the chamber that face the space may be equal to or greater than 0.01 μm.
The center-line average roughness of some surfaces of the chamber that face the space may be different from the center-line average roughness of some other surfaces of the chamber that face the space.
The plasma protection layer may include a ceramic material.
The ceramic material may include yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide, yttrium fluoride, yttrium oxyfluoride, diamond, or graphite.
Features will be apparent to those of skill in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings in which:
Example embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, they may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey exemplary implementations to those skilled in the art.
In the drawing figures, the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration. It will also be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Further, it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “under” another element, it can be directly under, or one or more intervening elements may also be present. In addition, it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “between” two elements, it can be the only element between the two elements, or one or more intervening elements may also be present. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
As used herein, the singular terms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated steps, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other steps, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Unless otherwise defined, terms ‘a chamber’, ‘plasma’, ‘a protection layer’, and ‘coating’, which will be used herein, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Referring to
According to an embodiment, the deposition apparatus 20 and the etching apparatus 40 may treat substrates W with or by performing a plasma reaction. For example, the deposition apparatus 20 may include a sputtering apparatus. The etching apparatus 40 may include an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching apparatus or a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) etching apparatus.
Referring to
The chamber 100 may provide a space independent of or isolated from the outside of chamber 100, and a substrate W may be loaded into the space of the chamber 100. According to an embodiment, the chamber 100 may include a lower housing 110 and an upper housing 120. A substrate W may be provided on or at the lower housing 110. The lower housing 120 may be disposed on the substrate W and the lower housing 110. For example, the substrate W may be provided on the lower housing 110, and the upper housing 120 may be coupled to the lower housing 110. In an implementation, the lower housing 110 and the upper housing 120 may be vertically separated from each other when the substrate W is loaded and/or unloaded.
According to an embodiment, the lower housing 110 may include a wall liner 112, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) 114, a ring member 115, a lower electrode 116, and a supporting block 118. The wall liner 112 may be coupled to or face an edge of an inner bottom surface of the upper housing 120. The electrostatic chuck 114 may be disposed in the wall liner 112. The electrostatic chuck 114 may receive a substrate W. The reaction gas may flow into a space between the substrate W and the upper housing 120. The ring member 115 may surround an edge of the electrostatic chuck 114. The lower electrode 116 may be disposed under the electrostatic chuck 114. The lower electrode 116 may receive the high-frequency power from the high-frequency supply unit 300. The reaction gas may be concentrated to the substrate W loaded on the electrostatic chuck 114 by high-frequency power. The supporting block 118 may be disposed under the wall liner 112 and the lower electrode 116. In an implementation, the supporting block 118 may be moved by a lifter in an up and down direction (e.g., vertical direction in
According to an embodiment, the upper housing 120 may include a window 122, a gas nozzle 124, and a plasma antenna 126. The window 122 may be disposed on and/or face the wall liner 112 and the electrostatic chuck 114. The gas nozzle 124 may penetrate a central portion of the window 122. The reaction gas may be provided to the substrate W from the gas nozzle 124. The plasma antenna 126 may be disposed on the window 122. The window 122 may insulate a bottom portion of the plasma antenna 126. The plasma antenna 126 may induce the plasma reaction of the reaction gas by means of the high-frequency power. For example, the reaction gas may be excited into the plasma state by the high-frequency power provided in the plasma antenna 126.
For example, the space of the chamber 110 isolating the substrate W on the electrostatic chuck 114 may be defined by the wall liner 112, the ring member 115, and the window 122.
The pumping unit 400 may be disposed under the lower housing 110, e.g., such that the lower housing 110 is between the pumping unit 400 and the upper housing 120. The pumping unit 400 may exhaust a gas from between the lower housing 110 and the upper housing 120, e.g., after the plasma reaction is performed. For example, the pumping unit 400 may include a vacuum pump.
The gas supply unit 200 may be connected to the upper housing 120. The gas supply unit 200 may include a gas storage part 202 and a mass flow controller (MFC) 204. The gas storage part 202 may store the reaction gas. The mass flow controller 204 may be connected between the gas storage part 202 and the upper housing 120. The mass flow controller 204 may control or adjust a flow rate of the reaction gas provided into the chamber 100.
The high-frequency supply unit 300 may provide the high-frequency power to the lower electrode 116 and the plasma antenna 126. The high-frequency supply unit 300 may include a first high-frequency supply unit 310 and a second high-frequency supply unit 320. The first high-frequency supply unit 310 may be connected to the lower electrode 116. The first high-frequency supply unit 310 may include a first high-frequency generator 312 and a first matcher 314. The first high-frequency generator 312 may generate a first high-frequency power. The first matcher 314 may be connected between the first high-frequency generator 312 and the lower electrode 116. The first matcher 314 may match an impedance of the first high-frequency power. The first high-frequency power may concentrate the reaction gas in a plasma state to the substrate W. The second high-frequency supply unit 320 may be connected to the plasma antenna 126. The second high-frequency supply unit 320 may include a second high-frequency generator 322 and a second matcher 324. The second high-frequency generator 322 may generate a second high-frequency power. The second matcher 324 may be connected between the second high-frequency generator 322 and the plasma antenna 126. The second high-frequency power may activate the plasma reaction of the reaction gas. The second matcher 324 may match impedance of the second high-frequency power. An intensity of the plasma reaction may increase in proportion to a magnitude of the second high-frequency power.
The inner surface of the chamber 100 may be coated with the plasma protection layer 130. According to an embodiment, the window 122, the wall liner 112, and the ring member 115 may be coated with the plasma protection layer 130. The window 122, the wall liner 112, and the ring member 115 may be used as base materials of the plasma protection layer 130, e.g., may serve as a base for the plasma protection layer 130. In an implementation, the window 122, the wall liner 112, and/or the ring member 115 may be formed of materials that are different from each other.
According to an embodiment, the window 122 may include a dielectric and/or a second ceramic. In an implementation, the window 122 may include a different, e.g., oxide, from the plasma protection layer 130. For example, the window 122 may include aluminum oxide.
A surface roughness of the window 122 and/or a surface roughness of the plasma protection layer 130 may affect an etching rate of the plasma protection layer 130. According to an embodiment, the etching rate of the plasma protection layer 130 may increase as a surface roughness of a bottom surface 132 (e.g., inwardly facing surface) of the plasma protection layer 130 increases. The bottom surface 132 of the plasma protection layer 130 may be exposed in or at the inner space of the chamber 100. The surface roughness may be determined depending on a coating condition of the plasma protection layer 130. For example, the surface roughness of the bottom surface 132 of the plasma protection layer 130 may be proportional to or may vary in relation to a surface roughness of the lower surface 127 of the window 122. For example, the surface roughness of the bottom surface 132 of the plasma protection layer 130 may increase as the surface roughness of the lower surface 127 of the window 122 increases. This is because the surface roughness of the lower surface 127 of the window 122 may be projected or transferred to the bottom surface 132 of the plasma protection layer 130.
A surface roughness may include a center-line average roughness Ra and the maximum roughness Rmax. The center-line average roughness Ra of the window 122 may be defined as an average value of absolute values of lengths from a center line 14 (illustrated in
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The bonding strength between the plasma protection layer 130 and the window 122 may be measured depending on a magnitude of the second high-frequency power used to generate the plasma. The magnitude of the second high-frequency power may range from 1 KW to 1 MW. For example, if the lower surface 127 of the window 122 were to have a center-line average roughness Ra of about 0.005 μm or less, the plasma protection layer 130 could be separated from the window 122. The separated plasma protection layer 130 may for particles, e.g., particulate contaminants. In an implementation, the window 122 according to an embodiment may have the center-line average roughness Ra of about 0.01 μm or more, and it is possible to minimize particle contamination caused by the plasma protection layer 130 being separated from the window 122. For example, the lower surface 127 of the window 122 may have the center-line average roughness Ra of about 0.01 μm to about 0.5 μm.
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By way of summation and review, a deposition process and/or an etching process (among unit processes for manufacturing a semiconductor device) may be performed using a plasma reaction. A reaction gas on a substrate may be uniformly mixed by means of the plasma reaction. Alternatively, a linear movement characteristic of the reaction gas may be increased by means of the plasma reaction. The plasma reaction could damage an inner sidewall of a chamber. For example, particles could be generated from the damaged inner sidewall of the chamber, and the generated particles could cause defects of the deposition process and the etching process.
As described above, in the plasma treatment apparatus according to embodiments, the inner surface of the chamber may be coated with the plasma protection layer. The inner surface of the chamber may be planarized to have the center-line average roughness of 0.5 μm or less. The plasma protection layer may be substantially flat. The etching rate of the flat plasma protection layer may be lower than that of a rough plasma protection layer. The particle defects may be minimized by the flat plasma protection layer having the low etching rate.
The embodiments may provide a plasma treatment apparatus capable of minimizing particle defects.
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 |
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10-2015-0107295 | Jul 2015 | KR | national |