Photo-assisted remote plasma apparatus and method
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorVishnu K. Agarwal
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Abstract
The present invention provides a plasma processing system comprising a remote plasma activation region for formation of active gas species, a transparent transfer tube coupled between the remote activation region and a semiconductor processing chamber, and a source of photo energy for maintaining activation of the active species during transfer from the remote plasma activation region to the processing chamber. The source of photo energy preferably includes an array of UV lamps. Additional UV lamps may also be used to further sustain active species and assist plasma processes by providing additional in-situ energy through a transparent window of the processing chamber. The system can be utilized for annealing.
Claims51
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
- providing a substrate within an annealing chamber;
- creating an activated species in a remote plasma activation region;
- transferring said activated species from said remote plasma activation region through a conduit to said annealing chamber, said conduit having a length and being provided with an array of photo energy generators along at least a portion of said length, wherein photo energy generated by said array maintains the activated state of said activated species during said transferring;
- and
- annealing said substrate within said annealing chamber.
A plasma-enhanced process for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
- healing a dielectric material, said healing comprising:
- positioning a substrate comprising a layer of said dielectric material in a processing chamber;
- creating an activated species in a plasma discharge at a remote location from said processing chamber;
- transferring said activated species from said remote location to said processing chamber through a transfer conduit, said conduit being at least partially transparent;
- providing an array of photo energy generators along the transparent portion of said conduit for outputting photo energy to an interior of said conduit, said photo energy maintaining the activated state of said activated species during said transfer;
- admitting said activated species into said processing chamber;
- and
- annealing said dielectric material within said processing chamber and in the presence of said activated species.
A plasma-enhanced process for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
- converting the top 10 to 35 Å of a layer of SiO2 to SiOxNy, wherein x is 1.6 to 1.95 and y is 0.05 to 0.4, wherein said converting comprises:
- positioning a substrate comprising said layer of SiO2 within a processing chamber;
- creating an activated species comprising nitrogen in a plasma discharge at a remote location from said processing chamber;
- transferring said activated species from said remote location to said processing chamber through a transfer conduit, said conduit being at least partially transparent and comprising a non-reactive polymer;
- providing a plurality of photo energy generators along the transparent portion of said conduit, said photo energy generators maintaining the activated state of said activated species during said transfer by outputting photo energy to said activated species;
- admitting said activated species into said processing chamber containing said substrate;
- and
- annealing said layer of SiO2 in said processing chamber and in the presence of said activated species for a time sufficient to complete said converting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.