# US 10,480,074 B2 · Apparatus for radical-based deposition of dielectric films > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,074 B2 - Document ID: US10480074B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/822,551 - Filed: 2017-11-27 - Published: 2018-03-22 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-27 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Jianhua Zhou; Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez; Yihong Chen; Abhijit Basu Mallick; Oscar Lopez; Ningli Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480074B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles} - C23C 16/45574: {Nozzles for more than one gas} - C23C 16/4584: {the substrate being rotated} - C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices} - C23C 16/5096: {Flat-bed apparatus} - H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream} - H01J 37/32422: {Arrangement for selecting ions or species in the plasma} - H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Embodiments disclosed herein generally include an apparatus for radical-based deposition of dielectric films. The apparatus includes a processing chamber, a radical source coupled to the processing chamber, a substrate support disposed in the processing chamber, and a dual-channel showerhead disposed between the radical source and the substrate support. The dual-channel showerhead includes a plurality of tubes and an internal volume surrounding the plurality of tubes. The plurality of tubes and the internal volume are surrounded by one or more annular channels embedded in the dual-channel showerhead. The dual-channel showerhead further includes a first inlet connected to the one or more channels and a second inlet connected to the internal volume. The processing chamber may be a PECVD chamber, and the apparatus is capable of performing a cyclic process (alternating radical based CVD and PECVD). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dual-channel showerhead, comprising: a first surface; a second surface opposite the first surface and spaced from the first surface, wherein an internal volume and one or more channels are defined between the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the one or more channels surround the internal volume; a plurality of tubes extending from the first surface to the second surface through the internal volume, wherein the plurality of tubes is fluidly isolated from the internal volume; a first inlet connected to the one or more channels; and a second inlet positioned to direct radicals to the internal volume bypassing the one or more channels, wherein the first inlet is positioned to provide a gas to a location upstream of the one or more channels, and the second inlet is positioned to provide radicals to a location downstream of the one or more channels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 1, wherein the first surface and the second surface are coated with AlN, SiO2, Y2O3, MgO, anodized Al2O3, sapphire, ceramics containing one or more of Al2O3, sapphire, AlN, Y2O3, MgO, or plastics. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 1, wherein the one or more channels are two channels, and the two channels are connected by one or more connecting channels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 3, wherein the cross sectional area of each of the one or more connecting channels is smaller than the cross sectional area of each of the two channels. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 1, wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes has an inside diameter of about 0.10 in to about 0.35 in. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of openings extending from the internal volume to the second surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 6, wherein each opening of the plurality of openings has a diameter of about 0.01 in to about 0.04 in. ### Claim 8 A dual-channel showerhead, comprising: a first surface; a second surface opposite the first surface and spaced from the first surface, wherein an internal volume and one or more annular channels in fluid communication with the internal volume are defined between the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the one or more annular channels surround the internal volume; a plurality of tubes extending from the first surface to the second surface through the internal volume, wherein the plurality of tubes is fluidly isolated from the internal volume; a first inlet connected to the one or more annular channels; and a second inlet positioned to direct radicals to the internal volume bypassing the one or more annular channels, wherein the first inlet and the second inlet are located on the same surface that is distinct from the first surface and the second surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 8, wherein the first surface and the second surface are coated with AlN, SiO2, Y2O3, MgO, anodized Al2O3, sapphire, ceramics containing one or more of Al2O3, sapphire, AlN, Y2O3, MgO, or plastics. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 8, wherein the one or more annular channels are two annular channels, and the two annular channels are connected by one or more connecting channels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 10, wherein the cross sectional area of each of the one or more connecting channels is smaller than the cross sectional area of each of the two annular channels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 8, wherein the plurality of tubes each has an inside diameter of about 0.10 in to about 0.35 in. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of openings extending from the internal volume to the second surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The dual-channel showerhead of claim 13, wherein the plurality of openings each has a diameter of about 0.01 in to about 0.04 in. ### Claim 15 An apparatus, comprising: a radical source; and a processing chamber coupled to the radical source, wherein the processing chamber comprises: a substrate support; and a dual-channel showerhead disposed between the radical source and the substrate support, wherein the dual-channel showerhead comprises: a first surface facing the radical source; a second surface facing the substrate support and spaced from the first surface, wherein an internal volume and one or more channels are defined between the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the one or more channels surround the internal volume; a plurality of tubes extending from the first surface to the second surface through the internal volume, wherein the plurality of tubes is fluidly isolated from the internal volume; a first inlet connected to the one or more channels; and a second inlet positioned to direct radicals to the internal volume bypassing the one or more channels, wherein the first inlet is positioned to provide a gas to a location upstream of the one or more channels, and the second inlet is positioned to provide radicals to a location downstream of the one or more channels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the dual-channel showerhead is grounded and the substrate support is connected to an RF source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the substrate support comprises one or more heating elements and a cooling channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the substrate support is connected to a DC source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the substrate support is rotatable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing chamber is a PECVD chamber.