Misted deposition apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit
AssigneeSymetrix Corporation
InventorsLarry D. McMillan, Carlos A. Paz de Araujo, Tommy L. Roberts
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming thin films of chemical compounds utilized in integrated circuits. The method includes steps of forming a precursor liquid comprising a chemical compound in a solvent, providing a substrate within a vacuum deposition chamber, producing a mist of the precursor liquid, and flowing the mist into the deposition chamber while maintaining the chamber at ambient temperature to deposit a layer of the precursor liquid on the substrate. The liquid is dried to form a thin film of a solid material on the substrate, then the integrated circuit is completed to include at least a portion of the film of solid material in a component of the integrated circuit.
Claims25
Apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
- (a) a deposition chamber for containing a substrate;
- (b) a substrate holder located within said deposition chamber for supporting said substrate, said substrate holder defining a substrate plane;
- (c) means for producing a mist of a liquid precursor;
- (d) means, in fluid communication with said means for producing, for flowing said mist through said deposition chamber substantially evenly across said substrate in a direction substantially parallel to said substrate plane to form a film of the liquid precursor on said substrate, wherein said means for flowing includes:
- a barrier plate disposed in spaced relation above said substrate holder in parallel thereto;
- an injection nozzle assembly for injecting said mist into said deposition chamber disposed in close proximity to and around a periphery of one side of said substrate;
- an exhaust assembly disposed in close proximity to and around the periphery of an opposite side of said substrate from said injection nozzle assembly;
- and wherein
- said substrate, said barrier plate, said injection nozzle assembly, and said exhaust assembly collectively define a semi-enclosed area within said deposition chamber.
Apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
- (a) a deposition chamber for containing a substrate;
- (b) means located within said deposition chamber for defining a substrate plane;
- (c) means for producing a mist of a liquid precursor;
- (d) means, in fluid communication with said means for producing, for flowing said mist through said deposition chamber substantially evenly across said substrate in a direction substantially parallel to said substrate plane to form a film of the liquid precursor on said substrate;
- (e) manifold means, in fluid communication with said deposition chamber, for mixing a plurality of different mists external of said deposition chamber to form a mist mixture to be flowed into the deposition chamber;
- and
- (f) means, connected to said manifold means for purging said manifold means outside of said deposition chamber.
Apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
- (a) a deposition chamber;
- (b) a substrate holder located within said deposition chamber for supporting a substrate, said substrate holder defining a substrate plane;
- (c) means for producing a mist of a liquid precursor;
- and
- (d) means, in fluid communication with said means for producing, for flowing said mist through said deposition chamber substantially evenly across said substrate holder in a direction substantially parallel to said substrate plane to form a film of the liquid precursor on said substrate, said means for flowing comprising:
- a plurality of injection ports spaced in close proximity to and around a periphery of a first side of said substrate holder;
- and
- a plurality of exhaust ports spaced in close proximity to and around a periphery of the side of said substrate holder opposite to said first side.
Apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
- (a) an enclosed deposition chamber containing a substrate;
- (b) a substrate holder located within said deposition chamber and supporting said substrate, said substrate holder defining a substrate plane;
- (c) means for producing a mist of a liquid comprising a metallic compound in a solvent;
- (d) means, in fluid communication with said means for producing, for evenly flowing said mist into said deposition chamber so that the mist is deposited on an exposed surface of the substrate to form a film of the precursor liquid thereon;
- (e) a barrier plate disposed in said deposition chamber in spaced relation above said substrate holder and parallel thereto;
- (f) means, in fluid communication with said deposition chamber, for maintaining said deposition chamber under vacuum;
- (g) an injection nozzle assembly for injecting said mist into said deposition chamber, said injection nozzle disposed in close proximity to and around a periphery of one side of said substrate;
- and
- (h) an exhaust assembly disposed in close proximity to and around a periphery of an opposite side of said substrate;
- wherein
- said substrate, said barrier plate, said injection nozzle assembly, and said exhaust assembly collectively define a semi-enclosed area within said deposition chamber;
- and
- (I) means for applying ultraviolet radiation to said mist while said mist is flowed through said deposition chamber.
The apparatus of claim 24, including manifold means, in fluid communication with said deposition chamber, for injecting said mist into said deposition chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.