# US 12,006,572 B2 · Reactor system including a gas distribution assembly for use with activated species and method of using same

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- Number: US 12,006,572 B2
- Document ID: US12006572B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/060,507
- Filed: 2020-10-01
- Published: 2021-04-08
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-08
- Assignees: ASM IP Holding B.V.
- Applicants: ASM IP Holding B.V.
- Inventors: Xing Lin; Peipei Gao; Prajwal Nagaraj; Mingyang Ma; Wentao Wang; Ion Hong Chao; Alexandros Demos; Paul Ma; Hichem M'Saad
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006572B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/45582: {Expansion of gas before it reaches the substrate}
- C23C 16/06: characterised by the deposition of metallic material
- C23C 16/403: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- C23C 16/405: {of refractory metals or yttrium}
- C23C 16/452: by activating reactive gas streams before {their} introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by {ionisation} or addition of reactive species
- C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields}
- C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles}
- C23C 16/50: using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)}
- H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H10P 72/0454: {surrounding a central transfer chamber}
- H10P 72/0464: {characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber}
- H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices}
- H10P 72/3311: {Horizontal transfer of a batch of workpieces}
- 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)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A reactor system including a gas distribution assembly and method of using the reactor system are disclosed. The gas distribution assembly includes a gas distribution device, a gas expansion area, and a showerhead plate downstream of the gas distribution device and the expansion area.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reactor system comprising:
a first reaction chamber;
a first gas source;
a second gas source;
a first remote plasma unit fluidly coupled to the first reaction chamber;
a gas transport line connected to the first remote plasma unit;
a first gas line connected to the gas transport line;
a second gas transport line connected to the gas transport line;
a gas distribution assembly that receives activated species from the first remote plasma unit; and
a transport path between the first remote plasma unit and the gas distribution assembly,
wherein the gas distribution assembly comprises:
a top section with a singular inlet;
a gas distribution device coupled to the top section, wherein the gas distribution device comprises a plurality of radially extending channels defined between the top section and an upper surface of the gas distribution device, wherein the gas distribution device comprises one or more holes defined within a lower surface of the gas distribution device;
a gas expansion area fluidly coupled to the singular inlet by the radially extending channels and each of the one or more holes defined within the lower surface of the gas distribution device; and
a showerhead plate downstream of the gas distribution device and the expansion area,
wherein the gas distribution device distributes the activated species within the gas expansion area, and
wherein the transport path is cooled.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the radially extending channels are perpendicular to a flow of a gas from an inlet of the gas distribution device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the gas distribution assembly is coated with aluminum oxide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The reactor system of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the aluminum oxide is between about 100 nm and about 1 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the gas distribution assembly is coated with yttrium oxide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The reactor system of claim 5, wherein a thickness of the yttrium oxide is between about 100 nm and about 1 μm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the showerhead plate comprises a first set of holes proximate a perimeter of the showerhead plate and a second set of holes proximate a center of the showerhead plate, wherein a density of the first set of holes is greater than a density of the second set of holes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, further comprising a second reaction chamber fluidly coupled to the first remote plasma unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, further comprising a second reaction chamber and a second remote plasma unit fluidly coupled to the second reaction chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the first gas source is a source for a first gas comprising hydrogen.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The reactor system of claim 10, wherein the second gas source is a source for a second gas comprising an inert gas.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The reactor system of claim 10, wherein the activated species comprises species derived from hydrogen.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the transport path is cooled with water.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, further comprising a gas source coupled to the reactor system between the first remote plasma unit and the gas distribution device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method of treating a surface of a substrate using the reactor system of claim 1.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the method of treating comprises reducing cobalt oxide.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein a power of the first remote plasma unit is between about 500 W and about 5000 W or about 1000 W and about 8000 W or about 2000 W and about 10000 W.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein an inert gas and a hydrogen-containing gas are provided to the first remote plasma unit, wherein the hydrogen gas is pulsed to the first remote plasma unit while the inert gas flows continuously to the first remote plasma unit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

A structure formed using the method of claim 15.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The structure of claim 19 comprising a layer of cobalt.

### Claim 21

A reactor system comprising:
a first reaction chamber;
a first gas source;
a second gas source;
a first remote plasma unit fluidly coupled to the first reaction chamber;
a gas transport line connected to the first remote plasma unit;
a first gas line connected to the gas transport line;
a second gas transport line connected to the gas transport line;
a first gas distribution assembly that receives activated species from the first remote plasma unit,
wherein the first gas distribution assembly comprises:
a first gas distribution device, wherein the first gas distribution device comprises a plurality of radially extending channels;
a first gas expansion area; and
a first showerhead plate downstream of the first gas distribution device and the first gas expansion area,
wherein the first gas distribution device distributes the activated species within the first gas expansion area;
a second reaction chamber;
a second gas distribution assembly that receives activated species from the first or a second remote plasma unit; and
a cleaning gas source fluidly coupled to the first reaction chamber by the first remote plasma unit and fluidly coupled to the second reaction chamber by the second remote plasma unit, the cleaning gas source including hydrogen for cleaning a first substrate surface in the first reaction chamber and a second substrate surface in the second reaction chamber,
wherein the second gas distribution assembly comprises:
a second gas distribution device;
a second gas expansion area; and
a second showerhead plate downstream of the second gas distribution device and the second expansion area, and
wherein the second gas distribution device distributes the activated species within the second gas expansion area.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The reactor system of claim 21, wherein the first reaction chamber and the second reaction chamber comprise a common base.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the showerhead plate comprises a plurality of holes extending through the showerhead plate, wherein each of the plurality of holes are fluidly connected with the gas expansion area and with each other, wherein the first remote plasma unit is fluidly coupled to the first reaction chamber through each of the plurality of holes extending through the showerhead plate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The reactor system of claim 1, wherein the gas distribution assembly is configured to facilitate longevity of the activated species within the gas distribution assembly.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The reactor system of claim 24, wherein the activated species is hydrogen radicals to reduce metal oxide resident on a substrate disposed within the reactor system at a temperature of less than 300 degrees Celsius.