# US 12,110,587 B2 · Deposition apparatus and method with EM radiation

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- Number: US 12,110,587 B2
- Document ID: US12110587B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/674,977
- Filed: 2022-02-18
- Published: 2023-05-18
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-11-12
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tze-Liang Lee; Po-Hsien Cheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110587B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields}
- C23C 16/24: Deposition of silicon only
- C23C 16/26: Deposition of carbon only
- C23C 16/4401: {Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber}
- C23C 16/4408: {by purging residual gases from the reaction chamber or gas lines}
- C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles}
- C23C 16/482: {using incoherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lamps}
- C23C 16/483: {using coherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lasers}
- C23C 16/50: using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)}
- H01J 37/32211: {Means for coupling power to the plasma}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32522: {Temperature}
- H01J 37/32532: {Electrodes}
- H01J 2237/2002: Controlling environment of sample
- H01J 2237/332: Coating
- 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

A deposition apparatus and a method are provided. A method includes placing a substrate over a platform in a chamber of a deposition system. A precursor material is introduced into the chamber. A first gas curtain is generated in front of a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation source coupled to the chamber. A plasma is generated from the precursor material in the chamber, wherein the plasma comprises dissociated components of the precursor material. The plasma is subjected to a first EM radiation from the first EM radiation source. The first EM radiation further dissociates the precursor material. A layer is deposited over the substrate. The layer includes a reaction product of the dissociated components of the precursor material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
placing a substrate over a platform in a chamber of a deposition system;
introducing a precursor material into the chamber;
after introducing the precursor material, flowing a first inert gas to generate a first gas curtain in front of a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation source coupled to the chamber, and to generate a second gas curtain in front of a second EM radiation source coupled to the chamber;
after flowing the first inert gas, generating a plasma from the precursor material in the chamber, wherein the plasma comprises dissociated components of the precursor material;
subjecting the plasma to a first EM radiation from the first EM radiation source and a second EM radiation from the second EM radiation source, wherein the first EM radiation and the second EM radiation further dissociates the precursor material, wherein the first EM radiation source provides the first EM radiation into the chamber through a window, wherein the first gas curtain provides a barrier between the precursor material and the window, wherein the first EM radiation and the second EM radiation propagate in opposite directions;
depositing a layer over the substrate, the layer comprising a reaction product of the dissociated components of the precursor material; and
burning, using a third EM radiation from a third EM radiation source coupled to the chamber, and using a fourth EM radiation from a fourth EM radiation source coupled to the chamber, cluster defects in the layer at an outer perimeter of the substrate, wherein the third EM radiation source and the fourth EM radiation source overlap the outer perimeter of the substrate, wherein the third EM radiation source is adjacent to the fourth EM radiation source, and wherein a spacing between the third EM radiation source and the fourth EM radiation source is in a range between 50 mm and 200 mm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first EM radiation source is an ultraviolet (UV) source or a laser source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a third gas curtain in front of the third EM radiation source, and generating a fourth gas curtain in front of the fourth EM radiation source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a temperature of the substrate to a desired temperature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first EM radiation enters into the chamber through a window, the window comprising a material transparent to the first EM radiation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the precursor material comprises SiH4, Si2H6, SiCl2H2, SiCl4, or Si2Cl6, and wherein the layer comprises amorphous silicon (a-Si).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an energy of the first EM radiation and the second EM radiation is lower than an energy of the third EM radiation and the fourth EM radiation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the third EM radiation source is an ultraviolet (UV) source or a laser source.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
placing a substrate over a platform in a chamber of a deposition system;
flowing a precursor material into the chamber using a showerhead;
generating a first gas curtain in front of a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation source coupled to the chamber, and a second gas curtain in front of a second EM radiation source coupled to the chamber, wherein the first EM radiation source is separated from the chamber by a window, and wherein the first gas curtain protects the window from the precursor material, wherein generating the first gas curtain is initiated after flowing the precursor material into the chamber;
generating a third gas curtain in front of a third EM radiation source coupled to the chamber, and a fourth gas curtain in front of a fourth EM radiation source coupled to the chamber, wherein the third EM radiation source is separated from the chamber by a window, wherein generating the third gas curtain is initiated after flowing the precursor material into the chamber, wherein the third EM radiation source and the fourth EM radiation source overlap with an outer perimeter of the substrate in a plan view, and wherein the third EM radiation source is disposed above the showerhead;
after generating the first gas curtain, generating a plasma from the precursor material in the chamber, wherein the plasma comprises dissociated components of the precursor material;
subjecting the plasma to a first EM radiation from the first EM radiation source and a second EM radiation from the second EM radiation source, wherein the first EM radiation and the second EM radiation propagate in opposite directions;
depositing a layer over the substrate, the layer comprising a reaction product of the dissociated components of the precursor material, the layer comprising cluster defects at the outer perimeter of the substrate; and
removing, using a third EM radiation from the third EM radiation source and a fourth EM radiation from the fourth EM radiation source, the cluster defects from the layer at the outer perimeter of the substrate, wherein a spacing between the third EM radiation source and the fourth EM radiation source is in a range between 50 mm and 200 mm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein generating the first gas curtain in front of the first EM radiation source comprises flowing a first inert gas into the chamber in front of the first EM radiation source.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the first EM radiation source is an ultraviolet (UV) source or a laser source.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein generating the second gas curtain in front of the second EM radiation source comprises flowing a second inert gas into the chamber in front of the second EM radiation source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein during subjecting the plasma to the first EM radiation from the first EM radiation source, the first EM radiation further dissociates the precursor material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the third EM radiation burns the cluster defects.

### Claim 15

A method comprising:
placing a substrate over a platform in a chamber of a deposition system;
flowing a precursor material into the chamber;
generating a first gas curtain of a first inert gas in front of a first laser source coupled to the chamber, and a second gas curtain of a second inert gas in front of a second laser source coupled to the chamber, wherein generating the first gas curtain begins after flowing the precursor material into the chamber;
generating a third gas curtain of a third inert gas in front of a third laser source coupled to the chamber, and a fourth gas curtain of a fourth inert gas in front of a fourth laser source coupled to the chamber, wherein generating the third gas curtain begins after flowing the precursor material into the chamber;
after generating the first gas curtain and the second gas curtain, generating a plasma from the precursor material in the chamber, wherein the plasma comprises dissociated components of the precursor material;
subjecting the plasma to a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation from the first laser source, and a second EM radiation from the second laser source, wherein the first EM radiation and the second EM radiation further dissociates the precursor material, wherein the first laser source provides the first EM radiation through a first window, and wherein the first EM radiation and the second EM radiation propagate in opposite directions;
depositing a layer over the substrate using the further dissociated precursor material, wherein depositing the layer forms cluster defects; and
burning, using a third EM radiation from the third laser source and a fourth EM radiation from the fourth laser source, the cluster defects, wherein the third laser source and the fourth laser source overlap an outer perimeter of the substrate, and wherein a spacing between the third laser source and the fourth laser source is in a range between 50 mm and 200 mm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the third laser source is one of a plurality of laser sources, wherein the plurality of laser sources are arranged in a circular pattern to overlap the outer perimeter of the substrate in a plan view, and wherein the method comprises:
burning, using EM radiation from each of the plurality of laser sources, the cluster defects.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the first laser source is separated from the chamber by the first window, and wherein the first gas curtain protects the first window from the precursor material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the second laser source is separated from the chamber by a second window, and wherein the second gas curtain protects the second window from the precursor material.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein depositing the layer over the substrate is performed at a process temperature that is in a range from 50° C. to 400° C.