# US 12,183,550 B2 · Wafer treatment system and method of treating wafer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,550 B2 - Document ID: US12183550B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/186,041 - Filed: 2021-02-26 - Published: 2022-09-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-02-26 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited - Inventors: Po Hsun Chen; Chun-Wei Chou; Keng-Ying Liao; Tzu-Pin Lin; Tai-Chin Wu; Su-Yu Yeh; Po-Zen Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183550B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder} - H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials} - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H01J 2237/334: Etching - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - 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 wafer treatment system is provided. The wafer treatment system includes a wafer treatment chamber defining a treatment area within which a wafer is treated. The wafer treatment system includes a gas injection system. The gas injection system includes a gas injector configured to inject a first gas, used for treatment of the wafer, into the treatment area. A first gas tube is configured to conduct the first gas at a first temperature to the gas injector. The gas injection system includes a heating enclosure enclosing the gas injector. A second gas tube is configured to conduct a heated gas to the heating enclosure to increase an enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure to a second enclosure temperature. A temperature of the first gas is increased in the gas injector from the first temperature to a second temperature due to the second enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wafer treatment system, comprising: a wafer treatment chamber defining a treatment area within which a wafer is treated; a wafer support in the wafer treatment chamber and configured to support the wafer in the treatment area; a gas injection system, comprising: a gas injector coupled to the wafer treatment chamber and configured to inject a first gas into the treatment area, wherein the first gas is used for treatment of the wafer; a first gas tube configured to conduct the first gas at a first temperature to the gas injector; a heating enclosure enclosing the gas injector for heating the first gas, wherein the gas injector extends from a top wall of the heating enclosure to at least a bottom of the heating enclosure; a heating device configured to heat a second gas to produce heated gas; and a second gas tube configured to conduct the heated gas from the heating device to the heating enclosure to increase an enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure from a first enclosure temperature to a second enclosure temperature, wherein a temperature of the first gas is increased in the gas injector from the first temperature to a second temperature due to the second enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure; and a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) coil disposed entirely above the wafer treatment chamber, wherein a first portion of the TCP coil is disposed with in the heating enclosure and a second portion of the TCP coil is disposed outside the heating enclosure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, comprising: a power generator coupled to the wafer treatment chamber and configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) power to establish a plasma in the treatment area from the first gas, wherein the plasma is used for the treatment of the wafer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, wherein: the treatment comprises etching. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, wherein: the first gas comprises silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4); and the second temperature is at least 56 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, wherein: the first gas is at a first pressure in the first gas tube; the first gas is at a second pressure in the gas injector; the first gas is in a gaseous state at the second pressure and the second temperature; and the first gas is in a non-gaseous state at the first pressure and the first temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, wherein: the second gas comprises clean dry air (CDA). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, wherein: at least one of the heating enclosure or the second gas tube comprise non-conductive material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wafer treatment system of claim 7, wherein: the non-conductive material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). ### Claim 9 A wafer treatment system, comprising: a gas injection system, comprising: a gas injector coupled to a wafer treatment chamber and configured to inject a first gas into a treatment area defined by the wafer treatment chamber, wherein the first gas is used for treatment of a wafer in the treatment area; a first gas tube configured to conduct the first gas at a first temperature to the gas injector; a heating enclosure enclosing the gas injector and the first gas tube for heating the first gas such that the first gas flows through the first gas tube and the gas injector inside the heating enclosure; and a second gas tube configured to conduct heated gas to the heating enclosure to increase an enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure from a first enclosure temperature to a second enclosure temperature, wherein a temperature of the first gas is increased in the gas injector from the first temperature to a second temperature due to the second enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure; and a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) coil disposed entirely above the wafer treatment chamber, wherein a first portion of the TCP coil is disposed within the heating enclosure and a second portion of the TCP coil is disposed outside the heating enclosure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wafer treatment system of claim 9, wherein: the treatment comprises etching. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The wafer treatment system of claim 9, wherein: the first gas comprises silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4); and the second temperature is at least 56 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The wafer treatment system of claim 9, wherein: the first gas is at a first pressure in the first gas tube; the first gas is at a second pressure in the gas injector; and the first gas is in a gaseous state at the second pressure and the second temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The wafer treatment system of claim 9, comprising: a heating device configured to heat a second gas to produce the heated gas based upon a pressure of the first gas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The wafer treatment system of claim 13, wherein: the second gas comprises clean dry air (CDA). ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The wafer treatment system of claim 9, wherein: at least one of the heating enclosure or the second gas tube comprise non-conductive material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wafer treatment system of claim 15, wherein: the non-conductive material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). ### Claim 17 A wafer treatment system, comprising: a wafer treatment chamber defining a treatment area within which a wafer is treated; a gas injection system, comprising: a gas injector coupled to the wafer treatment chamber and configured to inject a first gas into the treatment area; and a heating enclosure enclosing the gas injector for heating the first gas; and a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) coil disposed entirely above the wafer treatment chamber, wherein: a first portion of the TCP coil is disposed within the heating enclosure and a second portion of the TCP coil is disposed outside the heating enclosure, and the TCP coil is configured to facilitate generation of plasma using the first gas for treatment of the wafer in the treatment area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The wafer treatment system of claim 17, wherein the gas injection system comprises a gas tube configured to conduct a heated gas to the heating enclosure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The wafer treatment system of claim 18, wherein the first gas is isolated from the heated gas by the gas injector. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The wafer treatment system of claim 1, wherein the TCP coil is configured to facilitate generation of plasma using the first gas for the treatment of the wafer in the treatment area.