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US 2026/0215180 A1Published application
Processing tool capable for forming carbon layers on substrates
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsKarl Frederick LEESER, Lee CHEN, Yukinori SAKIYAMA
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Abstract
A substrate processing tool capable of forming an carbon layer on a substrate by generating a plasma including carbon and non-carbon ions in a processing chamber, suspending the carbon and non-carbon ions in the processing chamber, removing mostly the suspended non-carbon ions from the processing chamber, and bombarding the substrate surface with mostly carbon ions. The one or more steps of the above sequence may be repeated until the carbon layer is of desired thickness.
Claims20
A deposition tool, comprising:
- a processing chamber;
- a substrate holder for holding a substrate within the processing chamber;
- and
- a controller configured to sequence timing of:
- (i) introducing a precursor into the processing chamber, the precursor including carbon and a non-carbon element;
- (ii) generating a plasma in the processing chamber using an RF source, the plasma including carbon ions and non-carbon ions;
- (iii) suspending the carbon ions and the non-carbon ions in the processing chamber by removing the RF source;
- and after performing (i), (ii) and (iii),
- (a) at least partially removing the non-carbon ions from the carbon ions in the processing chamber;
- (b) bombarding the substrate with mostly the carbon ions in the processing chamber after (a);
- and
- (c) forming a carbon layer from the carbon ions bombarding the substrate.
9 more elements
A deposition tool, comprising:
- a processing chamber;
- a substrate holder for holding a substrate within the processing chamber;
- an electrode located distal to the substrate holder within the processing chamber;
- and
- a controller configured to cause the processing tool to:
- (i) introduce a precursor into the processing chamber, the precursor including carbon and hydrogen,
- (ii) generate a plasma in the processing chamber using an RF source, the plasma including carbon ions and hydrogen ions,
- (iii) suspend the carbon ions and the hydrogen ions in the processing chamber by removing the RF source;
- and after performing (i), (ii) and (iii),
- (a) at least partially remove the hydrogen ions from the carbon ions in the processing chamber by
- applying a negative DC voltage pulse to the electrode, the negative DC voltage pulse causing more of the hydrogen ions to be attracted to the electrode relative to the carbon ions, and
- neutralizing a charge of the hydrogen ions by surface recombination neutralization when the hydrogen ions contact a surface of the electrode,
- (b) bombard the substrate with mostly the carbon ions in the processing chamber after (a);
- and
- (c) form a carbon layer from the carbon ions bombarding the substrate.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.