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US 9,175,391 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for combinatorial gas distribution through a multi-zoned showerhead
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorsRichard Endo, Tony P. Chiang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-zone, combinatorial, single wafer showerhead is used to concurrently develop hardware, materials, unit processes, and unit process sequences. The multi-zone, combinatorial, single wafer showerhead utilizes showerhead pucks to perform process sequences on isolated regions of a single substrate. The showerhead pucks are designed so that they are easily interchangeable to allow the characterization of the interaction between hardware characteristics, process parameters, and their influence on the result of the process sequence.
Claims13
A process chamber comprising:
- a substrate support;
- and
- a multi-zone showerhead comprising:
- a backing plate comprising a plurality of cavities formed therein;
- a plurality of mounting frames coupled to the backing plate such that the plurality of mounting frames are external to the backing plate;
- and
- a plurality of showerhead pucks, wherein each of the plurality of showerhead pucks comprises a plurality of channels formed therethrough and is configured to be removably holdable by a respective one of the plurality of mounting frames, wherein when each of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by the respective one of the plurality of mounting frames, the respective showerhead puck is adjacent to and external to the backing plate, and the plurality of channels formed therethrough are in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of cavities formed in the backing plate,
- wherein a first of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by a first of the plurality of mounting frames, and a second of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by the second of a plurality of mounting frames, and
- wherein the first of the plurality of showerhead pucks has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the second of the plurality of showerhead pucks, and the first of the plurality of mounting frames has a thickness that is more than a thickness of a second of the plurality of mounting frames such that a combined thickness of the first of the plurality of showerhead pucks and the first of the plurality of mounting frames is the same as a combined thickness of the second of the plurality of showerhead pucks and the second of the plurality of mounting frames.
6 more elements
A vapor deposition system comprising:
- a process chamber;
- a substrate support disposed within the process chamber;
- and
- a multi-zone showerhead disposed within the process chamber above the substrate support, wherein the multi-zone showerhead comprises:
- a backing plate comprising a plurality of cavities formed therein;
- a plurality of mounting frames coupled to the backing plate such that the plurality of mounting frames are external to the backing plate;
- and
- a plurality of showerhead pucks, wherein each of the plurality of showerhead pucks comprises a plurality of channels formed therethrough and is configured to be removably holdable by a respective one of the plurality of mounting frames, wherein when each of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by the respective one of the plurality of mounting frames, the respective showerhead puck is adjacent to and external to the backing plate, and the plurality of channels formed therethrough are in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of cavities formed in the backing plate such that when a processing fluid is delivered into the at least one of the plurality of cavities in the backing plate, the processing fluid flows through the plurality of channels and onto a substrate on the substrate support,
- wherein a first of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by a first of the plurality of mounting frames, and a second of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by the second of a plurality of mounting frames, and
- wherein the first of the plurality of showerhead pucks has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the second of the plurality of showerhead pucks, and the first of the plurality of mounting frames has a thickness that is more than a thickness of a second of the plurality of mounting frames such that a combined thickness of the first of the plurality of showerhead pucks and the first of the plurality of mounting frames is the same as a combined thickness of the second of the plurality of showerhead pucks and the second of the plurality of mounting frames.
7 more elements
A vapor deposition system comprising:
- a process chamber;
- a substrate support disposed within the process chamber;
- a multi-zone showerhead disposed within the process chamber above the substrate support, wherein the multi-zone showerhead comprises:
- a backing plate comprising a plurality of cavities formed therein;
- a plurality of mounting frames coupled to the backing plate such that the plurality of mounting frames are external to the backing plate;
- and
- a plurality of showerhead pucks, wherein each of the plurality of showerhead pucks comprises a plurality of channels formed therethrough and is configured to be removably holdable by a respective one of the plurality of mounting frames, wherein when each of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by the respective one of the plurality of mounting frames, the respective showerhead puck is adjacent to and external to the backing plate, and the plurality of channels formed therethrough are in fluid communication with a respective one of the plurality of cavities formed in the backing plate such that when a processing fluid is delivered into the one of the plurality of cavities in the backing plate, the processing fluid flows through the plurality of channels and onto a substrate on the substrate support,
- wherein a first of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by a first of the plurality of mounting frames, and a second of the plurality of showerhead pucks is held by the second of a plurality of mounting frames, and
- wherein the first of the plurality of showerhead pucks has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the second of the plurality of showerhead pucks, and the first of the plurality of mounting frames has a thickness that is more than a thickness of a second of the plurality of mounting frames such that a combined thickness of the first of the plurality of showerhead pucks and the first of the plurality of mounting frames is the same as a combined thickness of the second of the plurality of showerhead pucks and the second of the plurality of mounting frames;
- and
- a plasma source coupled to the multi-zone showerhead and configured to deliver a plasma generated species to only some of the plurality of cavities within the backing plate.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.