Method of replacing at least a portion of semiconductor substrate deposition process kit hardware, and method of depositing materials over a plurality of semiconductor substrates

#This invention relates to engagement mechanisms for semiconductor substrate deposition process kit hardware, to methods of replacing at least a portion of semiconductor substrate deposition process kit hardware, and to methods of depositing Materials over a plurality of semiconductor substrates.

#Semiconductor processing in the fabrication of integrated circuitry typically includes the deposition of layers on semiconductor substrates. Exemplary processes include physical vapor deposition (PVD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) which herein includes atomic layer deposition (ALD). With typical ALD, successive mono-atomic layers are adsorbed to a substrate and/or reacted with the outer layer on the substrate, typically by successive feeding of different precursors to the substrate surface.

#Chemical and physical vapor depositions can be conducted within chambers or reactors which retain a single substrate upon a wafer holder or susceptor. The chambers include “process kit hardware” therein. In the context of this document, “process kit hardware” is defined as any physical object (except the semiconductor substrate(s) the aim of the deposition) that is received within the deposition chamber during deposition and which is removable therefrom. By way of example only, examples include removable chamber liners, focus rings, heater covers, showerheads, etc., including any component(s) thereof.

#Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a portion of an apparatus shown in one operational configuration.

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the FIG. 1 apparatus.

#This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

#A first embodiment chemical vapor deposition apparatus is diagrammatically indicated generally in FIG. 1 with reference numeral 10. Such includes a subatmospheric transfer chamber 12 having a plurality of substrate processors or load lock chamber received thereabout, with an exemplary deposition chamber 14 being shown. Load lock chambers are utilized to transfer semiconductor substrates, typically individually, from room ambient to within processor 10 for deposition or other processing within the processing chambers. In the context of this document, the term “semiconductor substrate” or “semiconductive substrate” is defined to mean any construction comprising semiconductive material, including, but not limited to, bulk semiconductive materials such as a semiconductive wafer (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials thereon), and semiconductive material layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials). The term “substrate” refers to any supporting structure, including, but not limited to, the semiconductive substrates described above.

#A loading construction 16 is associated with subatmospheric transfer chamber 12 for transferring the substrates into and out of the respective processors. The illustrated deposition processor 14 includes a semiconductor substrate deposition chamber 18, which will typically be at subatmospheric pressure during deposition processing. Such includes internal wall surfaces 19. A liner apparatus (not shown) might be received proximate wall surfaces 19. In the depicted example, processor 14 is shown in the form of an ALD or other CVD processor chamber having a showerhead 17 fed by an exemplary gas inlet 22 diagrammatically shown at the top for the injecting of one or more precursor gasses to within chamber 18.