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US 7,993,457 B1Granted
Deposition sub-chamber with variable flow
AssigneeNovellus Systems, Inc.
InventorsPeter Krotov, Colin F. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for depositing film on a substrate includes a plurality of conduits that allow by-product and reactant gases to flow past the edge of a substrate. The apparatus and process of the present invention has several advantages for enhanced chamber performance, particularly for micro-volume chambers using pulsed deposition layer processes.
Claims24
An apparatus, comprising:
- a chemical isolation chamber;
- a deposition sub-chamber formed within the chemical isolation chamber;
- a substrate pedestal module, the substrate pedestal module comprising a pedestal base located within the chemical isolation chamber,
- wherein the substrate pedestal module is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position,
- wherein an annular gap fluidly connects the deposition sub-chamber and the chemical isolation chamber when the substrate pedestal module is in the first position, and
- wherein the annular gap fluidly connecting the deposition sub-chamber and the chemical isolation chamber when the substrate pedestal module is in the first position is hermetically sealed when the substrate pedestal module is in the second position;
- a gas delivery module for delivering process gases;
- and
- an evacuation apparatus fluidly connected to the isolation chamber;
- a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the deposition sub-chamber with the chemical isolation chamber,
- wherein the plurality of conduits permits fluidic flow between the deposition sub-chamber and the chemical isolation chamber when the substrate pedestal module is in the second position, and
- wherein the plurality of conduits is configured to maintain a pressure differential between the deposition sub-chamber and the isolation chamber when the substrate pedestal module is in the second position during a deposition process.
9 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a reactor chamber;
- a showerhead module comprising a process gas delivery port;
- a substrate pedestal module comprising a substrate support region, the substrate pedestal module configured to be movable between a first position and a second position in the reactor chamber, wherein an annular gap between the substrate pedestal module and the showerhead module fluidly connects the substrate support region with the reactor chamber when the substrate pedestal module is in the first position;
- an inner seal and an outer seal, the inner seal and the outer seal each configured to hermetically seal the annular gap between the substrate pedestal module and the showerhead module and prevent fluid flow between the substrate support region and the reactor chamber when the substrate pedestal support module is in the second position, wherein the inner seal and the outer seal define a seal region located between the inner seal and the outer seal;
- an evacuation apparatus fluidly connected to the seal region;
- and
- a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the seal region with a deposition sub-chamber defined by the showerhead, the substrate pedestal module, and the inner seal when the substrate pedestal module is in the second position,
- wherein the plurality of conduits permits fluidic flow between the deposition sub-chamber and the seal region when the substrate pedestal module is in the second position, and
- wherein the plurality of conduits is configured to maintain a pressure differential between the deposition sub-chamber and the seal region when the substrate pedestal module is in the second position.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.