Claims
- 1. A wafer processing system comprising:
a processing chamber containing a substrate holder for receiving at least one semiconductor substrate; a heating device in communication with the processing chamber; a plurality of gas inlets for flowing gas into the processing chamber over the surface of a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least certain of the gas inlets are configured to flow a gas over an edge zone on a semiconductor substrate, at least certain of the gas inlets are configured flow a gas over a middle zone on a semiconductor substrate, and at least certain of the gas inlets are configured to flow a gas over a center zone on a semiconductor substrate; a gas supply configured to control flow rate of gases supplied to the gas inlets to selectively control the flow of gases over the edge zone, the middle zone, and the center zone of a semiconductor substrate; and a gas exhaust system configured to exhaust gases from the process chamber.
- 2. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gas supply is configured to individually control flow rate and concentration of gases supplied to each of the plurality of gas inlets.
- 3. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gas exhaust system is configured to control the flow rates of gases being exhausted through a plurality of exhaust ports to selectively control the flow of gases over the edge zone, the middle zone, and the center zone of a semiconductor substrate.
- 4. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second set of gas inlets positioned over the substrate holder.
- 5. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing chamber includes an upper wall, the upper wall defining a recessed portion within the processing chamber for reducing a boundary layer of a gas flowing through the chamber.
- 6. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of temperature measurement devices for monitoring the temperature of a semiconductor substrate contained in the chamber, the temperature measurement devices comprising coaxial cables for also delivering gases to the chamber.
- 7. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 6, wherein the temperature measurement devices comprise pyrometers.
- 8. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises a plurality of resistive heaters.
- 9. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of gas inlets include a longitudinal section and a lateral section such that gases flow upwards or downwards through the longitudinal section prior to being directed across a semiconductor substrate by the lateral section.
- 10. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 9, wherein the longitudinal section of the gas inlets are positioned in communication with the heating device for preheating a gas flowing through the gas inlets prior to contacting a semiconductor substrate.
- 11. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a wafer rotation device for rotating the substrate holder.
- 12. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing chamber is configured to receive two semiconductor substrates in a side-by-side relationship.
- 13. A wafer processing system comprising:
a processing chamber containing a substrate holder for receiving a semiconductor substrate, the substrate holder being rotatable; a heating device in communication with the processing chamber; a plurality of gas inlets for flowing gas into the processing chamber over the surface of a semiconductor substrate, each of the gas inlets including a longitudinal section and a lateral section, wherein gases flow upwards or downwards through the longitudinal section and are then plenumized by the lateral section as the gases are directed over the surface of a semiconductor substrate; and a gas exhaust system configured to a exhaust gases from the process chamber.
- 14. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the lateral sections of the gas inlets are in communication with a gas inject support ring defining a common plenum.
- 15. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 14, wherein the gas inject support ring is arc-shaped.
- 16. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the longitudinal section of the gas inlets are positioned in communication with the heating device for preheating a gas flowing through the gas inlets prior to contacting a semiconductor substrate.
- 17. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 16, wherein the longitudinal sections of the gas inlets are made from a quartz.
- 18. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 16, wherein the longitudinal sections of the gas inlets are made from a silicon carbide.
- 19. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the system includes at least five gas inlets.
- 20. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the gas exhaust system includes a pump for pumping exhaust gases from the process chamber.
- 21. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a gas supply configured to individually control flow rate and concentration of gases supplied to each of the plurality of gas inlets to selectively control the flow of gases over an edge zone, a middle zone, and a center zone of a semiconductor substrate contained within the chamber.
- 22. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the lateral section of each of the plurality of gas inlets extend from the bottom of the processing chamber.
- 23. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the lateral section of each of the plurality of gas inlets extend from the top of the processing chamber.
- 24. A wafer processing system comprising:
a processing chamber containing a substrate holder for receiving a semiconductor substrate, the processing chamber including a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one side wall; and a cage-like heating assembly comprising:
(a) a top resistive heater positioned above the top wall; (b) a bottom resistive heater positioned below the bottom wall; and (c) a side resistive heater positioned behind the at least one side wall.
- 25. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the top resistive heater includes at least two independently controlled heating zones.
- 26. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the cage-like heating assembly includes at least two side resistive heaters.
- 27. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the top resistive heater and the bottom resistive heater are enclosed in between a pair of shield members.
- 28. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 27, wherein the shield members are made from a material comprising silicon carbide.
- 29. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the processing chamber comprises a hot wall process cavity in which at least the top wall and the bottom wall of the processing chamber are made from materials that generally have the same heating characteristics as a semiconductor substrate being heated.
- 30. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the processing chamber is configured to hold two semiconductor substrates in a side-by-side arrangement, the side resistive heater being configured to enclose both of the semiconductor substrates.
- 31. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 30, wherein the side resistive heater has a peanut shape.
- 32. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 29, wherein the top wall and the bottom wall are made from a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, silicon carbide, and mixtures thereof.
- 33. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the top wall is spaced from the bottom wall a distance from about ¼ of an inch to about 3 inches.
- 34. A wafer processing system comprising:
a processing chamber for receiving at least one semiconductor substrate; a heating device in communication with the processing chamber; a substrate holder connected to a center post, the center post for rotating the substrate holder, the substrate holder defining a plurality of holes; a plurality of lift pins, each of the lift pins being nested in a respective hole defined by the substrate holder; and a lift pin support plate engaged with the plurality of lift pins, the support plate being connected to a support tube, the support tube being coaxial with the center post, the support tube being movable along the center post for selectively moving the support plate up and down, wherein, when the support plate is moved upwards, the support plate causes the lift pins to rise for raising semiconductor substrates off of the substrate holder.
- 35. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the lift pin support plate, the support tube, and the lift pins rotate with the substrate holder when the substrate holder is rotated by the center post.
- 36. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the substrate holder is made from a material comprising silicon carbide.
- 37. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the lift pins and the lift pin support plate are made from a material comprising quartz.
- 38. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the heating device comprises at least one electrical resistance heater.
- 39. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, further comprising a gas supply system for supplying gases to the processing chamber for reaction with a semiconductor substrate contained in the chamber.
- 40. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the support tube is located on the exterior of the center post.
- 41. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the lift pins are made from a material comprising opaque quartz.
- 42. A wafer processing system as defined in claim 34, wherein the processing chamber is configured to receive two semiconductor substrates in a side-by-side relationship, the chamber including two respective substrate holders.
- 43. A process for depositing a layer on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber; and flowing a gas into the processing chamber, the gas flowing generally in a vertical direction and then being plenumized so as to flow over the surface of the semiconductor substrate from one side of the substrate to a second and opposite side as the substrate is rotated, the gas being partially preheated when flowing in generally a vertical direction, the gas reacting with the surface of the semiconductor substrate to form a layer.
- 44. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the gas comprises silane.
- 45. A process as defined in claim 44, wherein the temperature of the semiconductor substrate is less than about 1,000° C. during formation of the layer.
- 46. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the gas comprises a chlorinated silane.
- 47. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the processing chamber comprises a hot wall chamber such that the walls of the chamber are heated to a temperature within 200° C. of the semiconductor substrate, while the semiconductor substrate is being heated.
- 48. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the processing chamber comprises a hot wall chamber such that the walls of the chamber are heated to a temperature within 100° C. of the semiconductor substrate, while the semiconductor substrate is being heated.
- 49. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the processing chamber has a height that is from about ¼ inch to about 3 inches.
- 50. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the flow of the gas into the chamber is selectively controlled over an edge zone, a middle zone, and a center zone of the semiconductor substrate.
- 51. A process as defined in claim 43, wherein the processing chamber comprises a hot wall processing chamber, and wherein the processing chamber is preheated prior to placing the semiconductor substrate in the chamber.
- 52. A process as defined in claim 51, wherein the processing chamber is preheated to a temperature that is within at least about 100° C. of a maximum processing temperature during formation of the layer.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based on and claims priority to a provisional application filed on Apr. 12, 2001, having U.S. Serial No. 60/283,541.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60283541 |
Apr 2001 |
US |