Faceplate having a curved surface

#Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a faceplates of process chambers, and specifically to faceplates having a curved surface.

#Many semiconductor devices are commonly created by forming multiple layers of different materials on the surface of a substrate. In many instances, the semiconductor devices include stacks of multiple tiers, or steps, of layers of different materials. For example, in a 3D NAND memory, multiple tiers of oxide and nitride layers are vertically stacked to form the memory device. During processing, each layer that is deposited experiences localized stress non-uniformity quantified by in-plane distortion (IPD). The localized stress non-uniformity may be due to non-uniformities within the plasma during the deposition process. For example, the density of the plasma may not be uniform across the surface of a substrate. Further, in various instances radio frequency (RF) signals having increased frequencies (e.g., 27 MHz or higher) have been utilized to increase the deposition rate. However, utilizing RF signals having increased frequencies increases the plasma non-uniformity. Accordingly, the localized stress non-uniformity of the layers is also increased, increasing the production failure rate. Additionally, as the number of layers increases, the cumulative localized stress non-uniformity of each layer increases. Thus, the production failure rate in semiconductor devices having a high number of layers is increased.

#Thus, there is a need for an improved process chamber for reducing localized stress non-uniformity of the layers deposited on a substrate.

#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.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a process chamber, according to one or more embodiments.

#FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are schematic illustrations of a cross-section of a faceplate, according to various 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 in other embodiments without specific recitation thereof with respect thereto.

#Multiple layers of different materials may be deposited on a substrate to generate various different semiconductor devices. Each individual layer may have relatively small localized stress non-uniformity; however, each layer experiences a cumulative localized stress non-uniformity compounding the effects for each layer. The localized stress non-uniformity is quantized as in-plane distortion (IPD) and corresponds to plasma non-uniformity within the processing volume of a process chamber. Further, the deposition of these layers is a time consuming process. However, when higher frequencies are used (e.g., greater than 27 MHz) for higher throughput, the plasma non-uniformity resulting from the higher frequencies adds to the localized stress non-uniformity. However, by varying the shape of at least one of the electrodes used to generate the plasma within the processing volume, the plasma non-uniformity may be decreased, reducing the localized stress non-uniformity of each layer.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a process chamber 100, according to one or more embodiments. The process chamber 100 includes a chamber body 102 having sidewalls 104, a bottom 105, and a lid assembly 110. The sidewalls 104 and faceplate 118 of the lid assembly 110 define a processing volume 108. A substrate transfer port 111 may be formed in the sidewall 104 for transferring substrates into and out of the processing volume 108. The process chamber 100 may be of one a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process chamber, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process chamber, a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process chamber, a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process chamber, and a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process chamber, among others.