Multi-zone plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus and methods for operating the same

#The present disclosure relates generally to the field of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and particularly to multi-zone plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatuses and methods for operating the same.

#Plasma-enhanced chemical deposition (PECVD) apparatuses allow deposition of a film at a relatively low temperature by employing plasma to induce decomposition of a precursor gas. The deposition rate of the material during a PECVD process has non-uniformity caused by the gas flow pattern, the non-uniformity of the plasma, temperature variations across a substrate upon which deposition of the material proceeds, warpage of the substrate, and/or other process parameters. Non-uniformity in the thickness of the deposited film causes process variations in subsequent lithographic patterning process and/or etch process.

#According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus includes a vacuum enclosure, an electrostatic chuck comprising a plurality of temperature control zones located within the vacuum enclosure, and a plurality of spot lamp zones located below the respective temperature control zones, each of the spot lamp zones including at least one spot lamp located between a bottom portion of the vacuum enclosure and a backside surface of the electrostatic chuck.

#FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a first exemplary plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

#FIG. 2 is a top-down view of a plurality of spot lamp zones according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

#FIG. 3 is a top-down view of a plurality of conductive plates according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

#As discussed above, the present disclosure is directed to multi-zone plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatuses and methods for operating the same, the various aspects of which are described herebelow in detail.

#The drawings are not drawn to scale. Multiple instances of an element may be duplicated where a single instance of the element is illustrated, unless absence of duplication of elements is expressly described or clearly indicated otherwise. Ordinals such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are employed merely to identify similar elements, and different ordinals may be employed across the specification and the claims of the instant disclosure. The term “at least one” element refers to all possibilities including the possibility of a single element and the possibility of multiple elements.

#The same reference numerals refer to the same element or similar element. Unless otherwise indicated, elements having the same reference numerals are presumed to have the same composition and the same function. Unless otherwise indicated, a “contact” between elements refers to a direct contact between elements that provides an edge or a surface shared by the elements. If two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other or among one another, the two elements are “disjoined from” each other or “disjoined among” one another. As used herein, a first element located “on” a second element can be located on the exterior side of a surface of the second element or on the interior side of the second element. As used herein, a first element is located “directly on” a second element if there exist a physical contact between a surface of the first element and a surface of the second element. As used herein, a first element is “electrically connected to” a second element if there exists a conductive path consisting of at least one conductive material between the first element and the second element. As used herein, a “prototype” structure or an “in-process” structure refers to a transient structure that is subsequently modified in the shape or composition of at least one component therein.