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US 5,702,530 AGranted
Distributed microwave plasma reactor for semiconductor processing
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsHongching Shan, Harald Herchen, Michael Welch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plasma reactor has plural dielectric gas injection tubes extending from a gas injection source and through a microwave guide and into the top of the reactor chamber. The semiconductor wafer rests near the bottom of the chamber on a wafer pedestal connected to a bias RF power source which is controlled independently of the microwave source coupled to the microwave guide. The microwaves from the waveguide ignite and maintain a plasma in each of the tubes. Gas flow through the tubes carries the plasmas in all the tubes into the chamber and into contact with the wafer surface.
Claims64
A plasma reactor, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber and a wafer supporter for holding a semiconductor wafer in said chamber;
- a reactant gas source for furnishing at least a reactant gas;
- a radiation applicator outside said chamber;
- and
- plural gas flow channels outside of said chamber, each having a hollow interior and plural respective individually adjustable valves, said channels extending from said reactant gas source and through a ceiling of said chamber, a portion of each one of said channels extending through said radiation applicator for irradiation of an interior of each of said channels whereby to generate a plasma therein which can be transported through said channels toward said chamber, said reactant gas source establishing gas flow rates in respective ones of said gas flow channels in accordance with adjustments of respective ones of said valves whereby said reactant gas flows through each of said channels toward said chamber.
2 more elements
A plasma reactor, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber and a wafer supporter for holding a semiconductor wafer in said chamber;
- a reactant gas source for furnishing at least a reactant gas;
- plural gas flow channels extending from said reactant gas source and through a ceiling of said chamber, said reactant gas source establishing gas flow rates in respective ones of said plural gas flow channels whereby said reactant gas flows through each of said channels toward said chamber, each of said plural gas flow channels having an intermediate portion lying between said reactant gas source and said chamber;
- a radiation applicator for irradiating an interior of said intermediate portion of respective ones of said channels whereby to provide a plasma therein, the gas flow rates in said channels being sufficient to transport the plasma in each channel into said chamber;
- said radiation applicator comprises a waveguide;
- said waveguide comprises a fan-shaped main portion through which said channels extend and a neck coupled to an apex of said fan-shaped main portion, and wherein said radiation applicator further comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to said neck;
- and
- said source of electromagnetic radiation comprises a microwave generator, and wherein said waveguide comprises a microwave guide.
5 more elements
In a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer inside a vacuum chamber, a method for providing uniform gas flow rates across a wafer surface, said method comprising:
- providing an array of gas distribution channels outside of said chamber, each of said channels having a hollow interior and plural respective individually adjustable valves, said channels extending through a ceiling of said chamber such that said channels are facing said wafer;
- providing a gas flow supply;
- supplying gas to respective ones of said gas distribution channels from said gas flow supply at respective individual gas flow rates;
- and
- irradiating portions of each of said channels outside of said chamber with sufficient radiation to ionize gases within said channels, whereby to furnish plasma from said channels to said chamber.
2 more elements
A plasma reactor, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber and a wafer supporter for holding a semiconductor wafer in said chamber;
- a reactant gas source for furnishing at least a reactant gas;
- a radiation apparatus outside said chamber;
- and
- plural gas flow channels outside of said chamber, each having a hollow interior and plural respective individually adjustable valves, said channels extending from said reactant gas source and through a ceiling of said chamber, a portion of each one of said channels extending through said radiation apparatus for irradiation of an interior of each of said channels whereby to generate plasma therein which can be transported through said channels toward said chamber.
2 more elements
A plasma reactor, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber and a wafer supporter for holding a semiconductor wafer in said chamber;
- a reactant gas source for furnishing at least a reactant gas;
- plural gas flow channels extending from said reactant gas source and through a ceiling of said chamber, each of said plural gas flow channels having an intermediate portion lying between said reactant gas source and said chamber;
- a radiation apparatus for irradiating an interior of said intermediate portion of each of said channels whereby to provide a plasma therein, the gas flow rates in said channels being sufficient to transport the plasma in each of said channels into said chamber;
- said radiation apparatus comprises a waveguide;
- said waveguide comprises a fan-shaped main portion through which said channels extend and a neck coupled to an apex of said fan-shaped main portion, and wherein said radiation apparatus further comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to said neck;
- and
- said source of electromagnetic radiation comprises a microwave generator, and wherein said waveguide comprises a microwave guide.
5 more elements
A plasma reactor, including a reactor chamber for processing a substrate therewithin in a subatmospheric gaseous environment, said plasma reactor being adapted to accept an external supply of gas, and an external supply of electromagnetic radiation, said plasma reactor comprising:
- a workpiece support;
- a plurality of gas flow channels outside of said chamber, each having a hollow interior and plural respective individually adjustable valves, said channels extending through the ceiling of said reactor chamber and terminating in respective orifices directing gas towards said workpiece support within said chamber, each of said plural gas flow channels adapted to communicate with a supply of gas outside of said plasma reactor;
- and an electromagnetic radiation applicator outside said chamber through which each of said plural gas flow channels extend and transmitting electromagnetic radiation from an external source of electromagnetic radiation to locations within each of said plural gas flow channels;
- whereby gas flowing through each of said plural gas flow channels is ignited into a plasma, said plasma being transported into said chamber and directed toward said workpiece support.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.