KR20040048618A - Atomic layer deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An ALD(Atomic Layer Deposition) apparatus is provided to be capable of improving the characteristics of a thin film. CONSTITUTION: An ALD apparatus is provided with a chamber(110), a lower block(112) installed in the chamber for loading a wafer, and an upper block(114) for supplying reaction space by cooperating with the lower block. The ALD apparatus further includes a gas supply part for supplying reaction gas to the reaction space, a gas exhaust part for exhausting the reaction gas to the outside, and an energy supply part(140) for supplying plasma power to the upper block. Preferably, the ALD apparatus further includes a gas supply line(130) for supplying plasma gas onto the wafer. Preferably, a lifting part(120) is used for moving the upper or lower block up and down.

Description

Atomic Layer Deposition Apparatus {ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to an atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus, and more particularly, to an atomic layer deposition apparatus capable of plasma treatment before and after thin film deposition.

As devices are increasingly integrated, thin film deposition with less impurities and excellent step coverage is required. As a method of depositing a thin film, there are various methods such as chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition, which are widely used. Among them, the atomic layer deposition method has been widely used to minimize the inflow of impurities and to deposit a thin film of uniform thickness.

In the deposition equipment for atomic layer deposition, a shower head type reactor has been widely used. However, in this device, the flow rate of the gas varies according to the part of the substrate, and the difference in the flow rate of the supplied gas causes the thickness of the film deposited on the center portion and the outer portion of the substrate. Moreover, as the size of the substrate becomes larger and larger, there is a problem that it becomes more difficult to control the uniform thin film thickness.

Accordingly, recently, a traveling wave type reactor has been developed to solve the problem of the showerhead type.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a remote plasma in a traveling wave reactor 10 of a traveling wave type.

The device 10 may perform plasma treatment or cleaning with gas activated using a remote plasma. Although this method is already used, the distance between the chamber interior 12 and the plasma source 14 may be a problem in terms of plasma efficiency. That is, since the life-time is shortened and disappeared while the activated gas radicals generated by the plasma are transferred into the chamber 12, the distance between the plasma source and the chamber should be as close as possible.

However, even if it does so, the efficiency of the plasma is inevitably deteriorated compared to the direct plasma in the showerhead type reactor which forms plasma in the chamber. In addition, since the plasma apparatus must be provided outside the chamber, it takes up a lot of space and has a disadvantage in that the facility configuration is complicated.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object thereof is to provide an atomic layer deposition apparatus capable of performing plasma treatment before and after deposition in a traveling wave type reaction apparatus.

1 shows a typical gate valve;

2 is a diagram of a gate valve according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a view showing a state in which a gate valve is installed between modules according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of the valve housing in FIG. 3;

5 shows a gate valve separated from the modules.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

110: reaction chamber

112: lower block

114: upper block

115: reaction space

118:

120: lifting device

130: reaction gas supply line

132: reaction gas exhaust line

140: energy supply unit

142: plasma gas supply line

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, an atomic layer deposition apparatus includes a chamber; A lower block installed inside the chamber and on which a wafer is placed; An upper block providing a reaction space together with the lower block; A gas supply unit for supplying a reaction gas into the reaction space formed by the upper block and the lower block; A gas exhaust unit for exhausting the reaction gas supplied to the reaction space to the outside of the chamber; And an energy supply unit for depositing a thin film on the wafer or providing plasma power to the upper block for plasma processing of the wafer after deposition.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it further comprises a gas supply line for supplying a plasma gas for plasma formation on the wafer.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the upper block is connected to a gas supply line for supplying a plasma gas for forming a plama, the upper block is uniformly the plasma gas supplied from the gas supply line onto the wafer It is of a showerhead type having a plurality of gas injection holes to be able to spray. The upper block is supplied with an inert gas through the gas supply line to prevent the reaction gas from flowing back into the gas injection holes when the thin film is deposited.

In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a lifting device for vertically moving at least one of the upper block or the lower block. An exhaust port is formed in the chamber so that plasma gas may be exhausted during plasma processing of the wafer.

For example, the embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. These examples are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape of elements in the drawings and the like are exaggerated to emphasize a more clear description.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are denoted together for components that perform the same function.

2 and 3, the atomic layer deposition apparatus according to the present invention is a traveling wave type reaction in which a reaction gas is deposited on a wafer while the gas flows from one side to the other side. A direct plasma is formed inside the apparatus, and the apparatus which can perform a plasma process on a wafer before and after thin film deposition is provided.

The atomic layer deposition apparatus 100 has a lower block 112 in which the wafer W is placed in the reaction chamber 110, and the lower block 112 is movable up and down by the elevating device 120. . In the step of depositing a thin film on the wafer, the lower block 112 is in close contact with the upper block 114 (see FIG. 3), and in the step of processing plasma on the wafer, the lower block 112 is formed in the upper block ( 114). The up / down states of the lower block 112 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. For example, the elevating device 120 may be formed of a bellows or a cylinder.

The upper block 114 is located above the lower block 112. As shown in FIG. 3, when the lower block 112 is in close contact with the upper block 114 by the elevating device 120, the reaction space 115 is disposed between the lower block 112 and the upper block 114. ) Is made. In the reaction space 115, a reaction gas capable of depositing a predetermined thin film on the wafer W flows in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the wafer W. FIG. This reaction gas is supplied through the reaction gas supply line 130. The reaction gas supply line 130 is located at the side of the reaction chamber 110 and is connected to one side of the upper block 114. The reaction gas is supplied to the reaction space 115 through a horizontal injection hole 116 formed on one side of the upper block 114. The reaction gas flows on the wafer W to deposit the reaction gas, and the reaction gas is exhausted to exhaust the reaction gas installed on the other side of the upper block 114 (the surface corresponding to the horizontal injection hole). Exhaust to line 132.

Meanwhile, the present invention provides an energy supply unit 140 that provides plasma power to the upper block 114 for cleaning the inside of the upper and lower blocks and plasma processing of the wafer before and after the thin film deposition process in the reaction space 115. And a plasma gas supply line 142 for supplying a plasma gas onto the wafer. Ar, H 2, NH 3, SiH 4, N 2, and the like may be used for the plasma gas.

In more detail, the upper block 114 is formed of a showerhead type, and may be used as one electrode in the plasma treatment step. That is, the upper block 114 receives the plasma power from the energy supply unit 140 and is connected to the plasma gas supply line 142 for supplying the plasma gas for plasma formation. The plasma gas supplies the plasma gas onto the wafer through the plurality of vertical injection holes 118 formed in the upper block 114. On the other hand, in order to increase the efficiency of the process during the plasma treatment, it is preferable to configure a separate exhaust port 119 through which the plasma gas can be exhausted in the process chamber 110.

In the atomic layer deposition apparatus 100 as described above, during the thin film deposition, the gas supplied from the reaction gas supply line 130 is introduced into the reaction space through the horizontal injection holes 116 in the state as shown in FIG. The reaction gas is exhausted through the reaction gas exhaust line 132 provided on the other side of the upper block 114 (the surface corresponding to the horizontal injection hole). During deposition, the reaction gas may be introduced through the vertical injection holes 118 of the upper block 114. In order to prevent this, an inert gas is supplied through the plasma gas supply line 142. Referring to FIG. 5, when the plasma is to be formed after the deposition of the thin film is completed, the lower block 112 is moved downward, and the plasma gas for plasma formation is formed through the upper block 114 while the two blocks are separated. Is sprayed onto the wafer, and at the same time, plasma power is applied to the upper block 114 to form a plasma.

By using the present patent as described above, by configuring a device for plasma treatment inside a traveling wave type reaction apparatus, plasma treatment can be performed both before and after deposition simultaneously in a single chamber. .

In the above, the configuration and operation of the atomic layer deposition apparatus according to the present invention has been shown according to the above description and drawings, but this is merely described for example, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Of course.

According to the present invention as described above, since the plasma treatment can be performed before and after deposition in the traveling wave type reaction apparatus, the characteristics of the thin film can be improved.

Claims (10)

In an atomic layer deposition apparatus: A chamber; A lower block installed inside the chamber and on which a wafer is placed; An upper block providing a reaction space together with the lower block; A gas supply unit for supplying a reaction gas into the reaction space formed by the upper block and the lower block; A gas exhaust unit for exhausting the reaction gas supplied to the reaction space to the outside of the chamber; And an energy supply unit for supplying plasma power to the upper block for plasma treatment of the wafer after deposition or deposition of a thin film on the wafer. The method of claim 1, And a gas supply line for supplying a plasma gas for plasma formation onto the wafer. The method of claim 1, The upper block is connected to a gas supply line for supplying a plasma gas for forming a plama, And the upper block has a showerhead type having a plurality of gas injection holes so as to uniformly inject the plasma gas supplied from the gas supply line onto the wafer. The method of claim 3, wherein And the inert gas is supplied to the upper block through the gas supply line to prevent the reaction gas from flowing back into the gas injection holes when the thin film is deposited. The method of claim 1, And an elevating device for vertically moving at least one of the upper block and the lower block. The method of claim 1, And an exhaust port is formed in the chamber so that the plasma gas can be exhausted during the plasma processing of the wafer. The method according to claim 2 or 3, The plasma gas is any one of Ar, H2, NH3, SiH4, N2 characterized in that the atomic layer deposition apparatus. In an atomic layer deposition apparatus: A chamber; A block installed inside the chamber and on which a wafer is placed; A showerhead for providing a reaction space with the block and for injecting plasma gas onto the wafer; A gas supply line connected to the shower head to supply the plasma gas; A gas supply unit for supplying a reaction gas into the reaction space formed by the shower head and the block; A gas exhaust unit for exhausting the reaction gas supplied to the reaction space; And an energy supply unit configured to supply plasma power to the shower head so that the plasma gas injected through the shower head is ionized. The method of claim 8, And an elevating device for moving the block up and down. The method of claim 8, The chamber further comprises an exhaust port for exhausting the plasma gas.