US 12,473,639 B2Granted

Methods for forming films on substrates

AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.

InventorsAlexander N. Lerner, Roey Shaviv, Prashanth Kothnur, Satish Radhakrishnan, Xiaozhou Che

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Abstract

One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for forming films on substrates in semiconductor processes. In embodiments described herein, a process system includes different materials each contained in separate ampoules. Each material is flowed into a separate portion of a showerhead contained within a process chamber via a heated gas line. From the showerhead, each material is flowed on to a substrate that sits on the surface of a rotating pedestal. Controlling the mass flow rate out of the showerhead and the rotation rate of the pedestal helps result in films with desirable material domain sizes to be deposited on the substrate.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A process system for forming a film on a substrate, comprising:

a plurality of ampoules;
a process chamber comprising:
a showerhead, wherein the showerhead comprises a plurality of separate portions;
and
a pedestal;
a plurality of delivery lines, wherein each delivery line of the plurality of delivery lines is connected from one of the plurality of ampoules to one of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead;
and
a controller configured to regulate operation of the process system, wherein the controller comprises a memory containing instructions for execution on a processor comprising:
controlling a temperature of and a pressure within a processing volume of each of the plurality of ampoules, wherein:
different materials are disposed within the process volume of each of the plurality of ampoules,
the process volume of each of the plurality of ampoules are in fluid communication with one of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead that is coupled to a process volume of the process chamber, and
the controlled temperature is configured to cause each of the different materials to evaporate within each of the process volumes of the plurality of ampoules and flow to one of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead;
controlling a flow rate of each of the different materials from each of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead and into the process volume of the process chamber by separately controlling the temperature of each of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead, wherein each separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead are heated by separate heating elements;
controlling a pressure within the process chamber;
and
controlling a rotation rate of a substrate on the pedestal disposed within the process volume of the process chamber, wherein the substrate is exposed to the flow of different materials provided from each of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead.

13 more elements

A process system for forming a film on a substrate, comprising:

a first ampoule and a second ampoule;
a process chamber comprising:
a showerhead, wherein the showerhead comprises a plurality of separate portions;
and
a pedestal;
a plurality of delivery lines, wherein each delivery line of the plurality of delivery lines is connected from one each of the first ampoule and the second ampoule to one of the plurality of portions of the showerhead;
and
a controller configured to regulate operation of the process system, wherein the controller comprises a memory containing instructions for execution on a processor comprising:
controlling a temperature of and a pressure within a processing volume of the first ampoule, wherein:
a first material is disposed within the process volume of the first ampoule,
the process volume of the first ampoule is in fluid communication with a first separate portion of a plurality of separate portions of a showerhead that is coupled to a process volume of a process chamber, wherein the first separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead has an input in fluid communication exclusively with a plurality of openings of the first separate portion of the showerhead, and
the controlled temperature is configured to cause the first material to evaporate within the process volume of the first ampoule and flow to the input of the first separate portion of the showerhead;
controlling a temperature of and pressure within a process volume of the second ampoule, wherein:
a second material is disposed within the process volume of the second ampoule,
the process volume of the second ampoule is in fluid communication with a second separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead that is coupled to the process volume of the process chamber, wherein the second separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead has an input in fluid communication exclusively with a plurality of openings of the second separate portion of the showerhead, and
the controlled temperature is configured to cause the second material to evaporate within the process volume of the second ampoule and flow to the input of the second separate portion of the showerhead;
controlling a flow rate of the first material from the first separate portion of the showerhead and into the process volume of the process chamber by controlling the temperature of the first separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead, wherein the first separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead is heated by a first heating element;
controlling a flow rate of the second material from the second separate portion of the showerhead and into the process volume of the process chamber by controlling the temperature of the second separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead, wherein the second separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead is heated by a second heating element;
controlling a pressure within the process chamber;
controlling a rotation rate of a substrate on a pedestal disposed within the process volume of the process chamber, wherein the substrate is simultaneously or sequentially exposed to the flow of the first material and the second material provided from the first separate portion and the second separate portion of the plurality of separate portions of the showerhead.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/971,692Filed 24 Oct 2022 · division
Priority: 31 May 2019
Published: US 2023/0042777 A19 Feb 2023
Granted: 18 Nov 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

C23C 16/4481
Characterised by the method used for generating reactive gas streams, e.g. by evaporation or sublimation of precursor materials: by evaporation…
C23C 16/4584
The substrate being supported substantially horizontally: the substrate being rotated
C23C 14/00
Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the
C23C 14/12
Characterised by the coating material: organic material

Family

Application62/855,672Us provisional application · filed 31 May 2019
Application16/854,893Parent of this division · filed 21 Apr 2020
US 2023/0042777 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Feb 2023
US 11,505,863 B2Parent of this division
US 2020/0378000 A1Published application
US 12,473,639 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.