KR20240046597A - Process gas containment using elastic bodies aligned with reactor frames - Google Patents

Abstract

The deposition chamber system includes a reactor interface, a flow guide attached to the reactor interface, a reactor frame disposed below the reactor interface to secure the substrate, and a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame and a compression section disposed below the reactor interface. and an elastic body having a second end corresponding to the body, thereby forming a process gas containment seal between the reactor interface and the reactor frame with a compressive force. The flow guide is either an upstream flow guide that guides the process gas flow into the reactor to perform a deposition process on the substrate loaded in the reactor, or a downstream flow guide that guides residues out of the reactor after performing the deposition process.

Description

Process gas containment using elastic bodies aligned with reactor frames

[0001] This specification relates generally to electronic device fabrication. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to process gas containment using elastic bodies mated to reactor frames.

[0002] An electronic device manufacturing apparatus may include multiple chambers, such as process chambers and load lock chambers. Such electronic device manufacturing apparatus may employ robotic devices within a transfer chamber configured to transfer substrates between multiple chambers. In some cases, multiple substrates are transferred together.

[0003] According to an embodiment, a deposition chamber system is provided. The deposition chamber system includes a reactor interface, a flow guide attached to the reactor interface, a reactor frame disposed below the reactor interface to secure the substrate, and a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame and below the reactor interface. and an elastic body having a second end corresponding to the compression body, thereby forming a process gas containment seal between the reactor interface and the reactor frame with compression force. The flow guide is either an upstream flow guide that guides the process gas flow into the reactor to perform a deposition process on the substrate loaded in the reactor, or a downstream flow guide that guides the residue out of the reactor after performing the deposition process. .

[0004] According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided. The device includes a reactor frame for securing a substrate within a deposition chamber system, and a reactor interface disposed over the reactor frame by having a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame and a second end corresponding to a compression body. It contains an elastic body that forms a seal containing the process gas with a compressive force between them.

[0005] According to another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes placing a substrate on a susceptor of a deposition chamber system while a reactor frame of the deposition chamber system is in a disengaged position. The substrate is placed on the susceptor in a first position relative to the reactor. The method includes loading a substrate into a reactor of a deposition chamber system to obtain an engaged reactor frame, and forming a susceptor until an elastic body is compressed between the engaged reactor frame and the reactor interface of the deposition chamber system to form a process gas containment seal. It further includes the step of raising. The susceptor is raised above the first position to a second position, corresponding to the gap between the substrate and the cathode of the deposition chamber system. The elastic body has a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame, and a second end corresponding to the compression body.

[0006] Aspects and implementations of the disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings, which are intended to illustrate the aspects and implementations by way of example and not by way of limitation.
[0007] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example deposition chamber system in accordance with some embodiments.
[0008] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of an example upstream section of a deposition chamber system according to some embodiments.
[0009] Figure 2B is an enlarged view of the upstream section of Figure 2A according to some embodiments.
[0010] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example deposition chamber system according to some embodiments.
[0011] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of an example upstream section of a deposition chamber system in a disengaged position, according to some embodiments.
[0012] Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of an example upstream section of a deposition chamber system during reactor loading, according to some embodiments.
[0013] Figure 4C is a cross-sectional view of an example upstream section of a deposition chamber system when the reactor is sealed, according to some embodiments.
[0014] Figure 5 is a flow diagram of a method for implementing a deposition chamber system according to some embodiments.
[0015] Figure 6 is cross-sectional views of examples of elastic objects that can be used to form process containment seals within a deposition chamber system, according to some embodiments.
[0016] Figure 7 is a flow diagram of a method for integrating a reactor frame comprising an elastic body within a deposition chamber to enable forming a reactor seal, according to some embodiments.

[0017] Reactor designs for deposition chamber systems, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber systems, include windows for process gas containment (“containment”) to prevent process gases from escaping out of the reactor and damaging other deposition chamber system components. Windows"). Typical reactor designs for ALD deposition chamber systems use containment windows formed of glass material. The glass material may have suitable thermal properties, such as low thermal expansion, to reduce failure due to temperature shocks. One example of a suitable glass material is borosilicate tempered glass (e.g., PYREX®). Confined windows made of these materials can present a variety of problems, such as destruction, cost, material deformation, and reaction zone power loss. Additionally, reactor designs that implement such containment windows may include complex gas flow channels with gas distribution problems (eg, condensation risk). Additionally, a parasitic plasma may exist between the reactor cathode and the reactor containment window made of glass material.

[0018] Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure address these and other shortcomings of existing technologies by implementing process gas containment using an elastic body within a deposition chamber system. In some embodiments, the deposition chamber system is an ALD chamber system. In some embodiments, the deposition chamber system is a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber system. A protective coating (eg, plasma resistance coating) can be applied to exposed surfaces (eg, cathode) within the reactor to prevent material corrosion for one or more types of process gas chemistries. For example, for boron trichloride (BCL ₃ ) chemistry, a Y ₂ O ₃ coating may be applied.

[0019] The reactor frame is designed to secure the substrate placed on the susceptor when loading the substrate into the reactor and to provide a material deposition (e.g., film deposition) boundary for the deposition process. The susceptor includes a material capable of heating or cooling a substrate disposed thereon to a temperature within a specific range. Susceptor design (e.g., material selection) may vary depending on the reactor operating temperature(s). In some embodiments, the reactor frame is a mask frame or shadow frame. The mask frame or shadow frame is designed to hold the substrate in place during the deposition process and can function as a stencil to define the film deposition boundary area on the substrate. For example, a mask frame may be used for small electronic devices such as cell phones, while a shadow frame may be used for large electronic devices such as televisions. The reactor interface is operably coupled to the flow guide to direct the process gas flow into or out of the reactor.

[0020] The elastomeric body forms a process gas containment seal between the reactor frame and the reactor interface (e.g., reactor lid), allowing process gases to escape from the reactor with unprotected surfaces (e.g., without a protective coating). Prevents leakage into areas of the deposition chamber system. For example, process gases may include a process gas stream introduced into the reactor during a deposition process and residues produced in the deposition process. Residues may include residual gases (eg, unreacted gases) and/or by-products of the deposition process.

[0021] In some embodiments, the elastic object has a first end corresponding to the base of the elastic object, and a second end corresponding to the compressed body of the elastic object. The first end is attached to (e.g., mated to) the reactor frame such that the reactor interface contacts the second end of the elastic body to form a process gas containment seal when the elastic body is compressed between the reactor frame and the reactor interface. . The compression body provides a process gas containment seal between the reactor frame and the reactor interface in the upstream section of the deposition chamber system used to introduce the process gas flow into the reactor and/or in the downstream section of the deposition chamber system used to remove residues. can be formed. The compressed body may include an elastic material with suitable geometry and/or suitable material properties to enable process gas containment while reducing or eliminating potential damage to the reactor frame and reactor interface.

[0022] For example, the elastic object may include a first elastic object portion in an upstream section and a second elastic object portion in a downstream section, such that the first and second elastic object portions are defined as continuous elastic material. In some embodiments, the first and second elastic object portions are separate portions of elastic material within the upstream and downstream sections, respectively.

[0023] Reactor frames of the type described herein (e.g., mask frames or shadow frames) are typically not used in ALD deposition chamber systems because they use process gas containment windows formed of glass material. Accordingly, use of the elastic materials described herein allows for improved substrate processing using such reactor frames within ALD deposition chamber systems.

[0024] Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure result in technical advantages over other approaches. For example, using an elastic material (e.g., a low-compression elastic material) for process gas containment may result in an increased footprint and/or sacrifice of process chamber size compared to using process gas containment windows. Enables improved gas flow distribution without Improved gas flow distribution can result in improved membrane uniformity and in-situ cleaning rates. Additionally, by eliminating the use of process gas containment windows, the elastic body can enable simplified gas distribution channels into the reactor, improving gas flow and reducing the risk of condensation and/or gas phase reactions.

[0025] The use of elastic bodies may further enable variable or dynamic process gaps, where the process gap between the substrate and the reactor interface is related to the compressive force generated by the compression of the elastic body between the reactor frame and the reactor interface (e.g. For example, more compression can correspond to smaller process intervals). For example, there may be a first critical force corresponding to the minimum compressive force to create a process gas containment seal, and a second critical force corresponding to the maximum compressive force an elastic body can withstand before breaking. Accordingly, since the compressive force may range between a first critical force and a second critical force, the process interval may similarly range between a process interval corresponding to the first critical force and a process interval corresponding to the second critical force. . Critical forces and/or process intervals may vary depending on the type of process recipe used.

[0026] Use of an elastic body can allow for a simplified reactor frame design while reducing mass, allowing robots (e.g., vacuum robots) to more easily remove the reactor frame from the deposition chamber system. Using an elastic body can deliver more power to the reaction zone and reduce parasitic plasma associated with the cathode of the deposition chamber system.

[0027] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a deposition chamber system 100 according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, and as shown, deposition chamber system 100 includes an ALD chamber system. However, deposition chamber system 100 may include any suitable deposition chamber according to embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, deposition chamber system 100 includes a CVD chamber system.

[0028] As shown, system 100 includes a susceptor 110, a cathode 120, and a reactor region 130 between susceptor 110 and cathode 120. Susceptor 110 is configured to receive a substrate (not shown in FIG. 1), elevate the substrate into reactor region 130 to perform a deposition process, and maintain the substrate within reactor region 130 during processing. Susceptor 110 may be made of any suitable material capable of heating and/or cooling the substrate to the desired processing temperature. Examples of suitable materials for susceptor 110 include aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and ceramic. In some embodiments, susceptor 110 includes a ceramic material. For example, susceptor 110 may include silicon carbide (SiC) material. The susceptor 110 may be provided with a protective coating to protect the susceptor 110 during processing. In some embodiments, the protective coating is a plasma resistant coating. For example, the protective coating may include Y ₂ O ₃ or other similar materials. Other examples of plasma resistant coatings that can be used include compositions comprising Er ₂ O ₃ , Y ₃ Al ₅ O ₁₂ (YAG), Er ₃ Al ₅ O ₁₂ (EAG), Y ₂ O ₃ and ZrO ₂ (e.g. For example, Y ₂ O ₃ -ZrO ₂ solid solution), a composition comprising Y ₂ O ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ and ZrO ₂ (for example, a composition comprising Y ₄ Al ₂ O ₉ and Y ₂ O ₃ -ZrO ₂ solid solution), YOF (eg, Y ₅ O ₄ F ₇ ), YF ₃ , etc. Coatings may be deposited by line-of sight or non-line-of-sight deposition processes such as ALD, CVD, physical vapor deposition (PVD), ion assisted deposition (IAD), etc.

[0029] Cathode 120 may include any suitable conductive material in accordance with embodiments described herein. For example, the cathode 120 may include aluminum (Al). Cathode 120 may be provided with a protective coating to protect cathode 120 during processing. In some embodiments, the protective coating is a plasma resistant coating. For example, the protective coating may include Y ₂ O ₃ or other similar materials. Any of the other plasma resistant coatings discussed herein may also be used to coat cathode 120.

[0030] As shown, system 100 further includes an upstream section 140 and a downstream section 150. Although the upstream section 140 is shown on the left side of system 100 and the downstream section 150 is shown on the right side of system 100, this arrangement should not be considered limiting.

[0031] Upstream section 140 is designed to support and direct process gas flow upstream to the reactor of system 100 for a deposition process. For example, the process gas stream may include gases introduced into the reactor to perform a deposition process. The process gas flow can be combined with a plasma (eg, a plasma enhanced deposition process). For example, the process gas can be used to form a plasma within the reactor, or a remote plasma can be formed and delivered to the reactor along with the process gas. Downstream section 150 is designed to remove or vent residues of the deposition process, which may include residual gases (eg, unreacted gases) and/or by-products, from the reactor. As described in more detail herein, an elastic body may be included in the upstream section 140 and/or downstream section 150 to prevent process gases from escaping and damaging other components of system 100. Individual process gas seals can be formed. In some embodiments, a single elastic object (e.g., an O-ring formed of an elastic object) may cover both the upstream section 140 and the downstream section 150. Additional details regarding downstream section 150 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2A-2B.

[0032] 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views of an example upstream section 200 of a deposition chamber system according to some embodiments. Upstream section 200 may be upstream section 140 described above with reference to FIG. 1 . Although an upstream section is shown, a downstream section of the deposition chamber system (e.g., downstream section 150 described above with reference to FIG. 1) may have a similar arrangement of components.

[0033] As shown, upstream section 200 includes a portion of susceptor support component 105 of FIG. 1, a portion of susceptor 110, a portion of cathode 120, and a portion of reactor region 130. . The upstream section 200 includes a flow guide 210, a first insulator 220, a second insulator 230, a reactor interface (e.g., reactor lead) 240, a reactor frame 250, and an elastic body 260. ), and further includes a buffer component 270. Upstream (e.g., downstream section 150 of FIG. 1) may also include similar flow guides, first insulators, second insulators, reactor interfaces, reactor frames 250, elastic bodies, and buffer components. .

[0034] Flow guide 210 and reactor interface 240 collectively provide a path 215 through which process gas flow can be introduced into reactor region 130. As described in more detail below, the elastic body 260 may form a process gas containment seal that prevents the process gas flow from leaking or escaping, thereby protecting other components of the deposition chamber system from potential damage.

[0035] The first insulator 220 and second insulator 230 are placed in contact with the cathode 120 and the reactor interface 240 to prevent arcing from the cathode 120. First insulator 220 and second insulator 230 may include different materials with different properties. For example, the second insulator 230 may include a material that is less susceptible to melting depending on its location. In some embodiments, first insulator 220 includes a non-stick material. For example, the non-adhesive material may be, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or another suitable non-adhesive material. In some embodiments, second insulator 240 includes a ceramic material.

[0036] The reactor frame 250 is designed to secure the substrate 115 placed on the susceptor 110 when the substrate 115 is loaded into the reactor region 130. Reactor frame 250 may be any suitable reactor frame in accordance with the embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, reactor frame 250 is a mask frame or shadow frame. Substrate 115 may have a square or rectangular shape, or may have other shapes such as a disk shape or other polygonal shape. Substrate 115 may be comprised of, for example, a semiconductor body (e.g., a semiconductor wafer), a glass or ceramic body (e.g., a glass or ceramic coupon), a metal body, or some other type of material. You can.

[0037] The elastic object 260 has a first end corresponding to the base 262 of the elastic object 260 and a second end corresponding to the compressed body 264 of the elastic object 260. The elastic body 260 is designed to form a process gas containment seal when the elastic body 260 is compressed between the reactor interface 240 and the reactor frame 250. As shown, base 262 is configured to mate (e.g., be inserted into) reactor frame 250 such that compression body 264 contacts reactor interface 240 to form a process gas containment seal. .

[0038] Compressed body 264 has material properties suitable for forming a process gas containment seal without damaging the reactor frame and/or reactor interface (e.g., bulk modulus, Young's modulus, compressive strength, Poisson's ratio, hardness). ) may be composed of a compressed material with More specifically, compression body 264 provides suitably low compression force that is below the force threshold and does not cause damage to components of the deposition chamber system (e.g., susceptor 110 and/or reactor frame 250). It may be composed of a compressed material with unusual material properties. Additionally, to prevent failure of the compression body 264, the compression distance of the compression body 264 must be within an appropriate range when contacting the reactor frame 250 while forming a process gas containment seal. In some embodiments, the compression distance is less than about 4 millimeters (mm). For example, the compression distance may be about 2 mm to about 3 mm. The compression body is made of a material that allows the compression body to form a seal while maintaining a force less than a force threshold over a range of distances between the reactor frame and the reactor interface (e.g., over a range of +/- 2 mm), and /or may have a geometric structure. Accordingly, the compression body can maintain an appropriate force within a range of distances between the reactor frame and the reactor interface.

[0039] The gap between cathode 120 and substrate 115 may be defined for a particular deposition process. For example, the spacing may be about 12 mm. Use of elastic body 260 may allow the use of variable spacing between cathode 120 and substrate 115 to accommodate different deposition processes.

[0040] Because environmental conditions (eg, high temperature and/or pressure) can affect material properties, compressive materials can be selected to maintain their properties and integrity in a variety of environments. For example, compression body 264 may illustratively be formed from an elastomer or other material having elastic or rubber-like properties. More specifically, compression body 264 may include a saturated elastomer due to greater stability against potentially extreme environmental conditions. In some embodiments, friction between compression body 264 and reactor frame 250 and/or reactor lid 240 may generate an approximately horizontal force that causes compression body 264 to move against the reactor frame. Additional securing to 250 and/or reactor lid 240 may be used to improve process containment seals. Examples of saturated elastomers include silicones (SI, Q, VMQ), fluorosilicones (FVMQ), fluoroelastomers (e.g., FKM and tetrafluoroethylene propylene (TFE/P)), and perfluoroelastomers. Includes (but is not limited to) elastomers (FFKM). In one embodiment, the compression material may include perfluoropolymer (PFP) and/or polyimide, which can maintain material properties at elevated temperatures and be resistant to erosion or corrosion resulting from exposure to a plasma environment. there is. Some examples of materials that can be used for compression materials include Dupont's™ ECCtreme™, Dupont's KALREZ® (e.g., KALREZ 8900) and Daikin's® DUPRA™.

[0041] In some embodiments, and as shown in this illustrative example, base 262 and compression body 264 are formed from the same material, resulting in elastic body 260 being a monolithic structure. However, base 262 and compressed body 264 may each be formed from different materials.

[0042] With regard to geometry, as shown, base 262 may have a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape that secures elastic body 260 to reactor frame 250, and compression body 264 may have a hollow body (e.g., It may include an annular cross-sectional shape (having a circular cross-section). For example, the compression body may be an elastic O-ring (“O-ring”). As another example, the compression body may include an elastic washer (“washer”). However, the base 262 and compression body 264 can be any suitable material that can form a process gas containment seal between the reactor frame and the reactor interface to prevent process gases from escaping from the reactor to other areas of the deposition chamber system. May contain geometric structures. Additional details regarding the shapes of elastic object 260 are shown with reference to FIG. 6 .

[0043] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a deposition chamber system 300 according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, and as shown, deposition chamber system 300 includes an ALD chamber system. However, deposition chamber system 300 may include any suitable deposition chamber in accordance with the embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, deposition chamber system 300 includes a CVD chamber system.

[0044] As shown, system 300 includes a susceptor support component 305, a susceptor 310, a substrate 315, a cathode 320, and a reactor region between the susceptor 310 and the cathode 320 ( 330). The susceptor support component 305, susceptor 310, substrate 315, cathode 320, and reactor region 330 are the susceptor 110, substrate 115, and cathode described above with reference to FIG. 1. Similar to 120 and reactor region 130, respectively.

[0045] System 100 further includes an upstream section 340 and a downstream section 350. Although the upstream section 340 is shown on the right side of system 100 and the downstream section 350 is shown on the left side of system 300, this arrangement should not be considered limiting.

[0046] Similar to the upstream section 140 and downstream section 150 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-2B, the upstream section 340 is configured to support process gas flow upstream into the reactor of system 300 for the deposition process. The downstream section 350 is designed to remove or discharge residues of the deposition process from the reactor. As will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 4A-4C , elastic bodies are included in the upstream section 340 and downstream section 350 to prevent process gases from escaping and damaging other components of the system 300. Individual process gas seals may be formed to prevent For example, the use of resilient bodies within the upstream section 340 and/or downstream section 350 may provide a geometrical geometry that provides a simplified process gas flow path into or out of the reactor with a lower risk of particle accumulation. May enable implementations of individual flow guides with structures. Additional details regarding the operation of the system from the perspective of the upstream section 340 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4A-4C.

[0047] 4A-4C depict the process flow of the upstream section 400 of the deposition chamber according to some embodiments. Here, the upstream section 400 may correspond to the upstream section 340 described above with reference to FIG. 3 . For example, as shown, upstream section 400 may include portions of susceptor support component 305, susceptor 310, substrate 315, cathode 320, and reactor region 330. You can. The upstream section 400 has a first end corresponding to the flow guide 410, the first insulator 420, the second insulator 430, the reactor interface 440, the reactor frame 450, and the base 462. It may further include an elastic body 460 having a second end corresponding to the compression body 464 . As further shown, flow guide 410 and reactor interface 440 collectively provide a path 415 for process gas flow to be introduced into reactor region 330. As described in more detail below, elastic body 460 forms a process gas containment seal that prevents leakage of the process gas flow, protecting other components of the deposition chamber system from potential damage. As further shown, upstream section 400 may further include a reactor frame support structure 470 configured to support one end of reactor frame 450 . The downstream section (e.g., downstream section 350 in FIG. 3) may also include similar flow guides, first insulators, second insulators, reactor interfaces, reactor frames 450, elastic bodies, and reactor frame support structures. .

[0048] 4A is a cross-sectional view of an example upstream section of a deposition chamber system in a disengaged position, according to some embodiments. More specifically, the substrate 315 has been loaded onto the susceptor 310, but has not yet been loaded into the reactor.

[0049] 4B is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary upstream section of a deposition chamber system during reactor loading, according to some embodiments. More specifically, the substrate 315 is lifted by the susceptor 310 to contact the reactor frame 450. The reactor frame 450 functions to secure the substrate 315 while in the reactor.

[0050] FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of an example upstream section of a deposition chamber system when the reactor is sealed to form a process gas containment seal 475, according to some embodiments. More specifically, a deposition process is performed to deposit a material (e.g., a film) on a substrate 315 by introducing a process gas flow 480 within a reactor. Additionally, plasma 490 may be introduced into the reactor to aid the deposition process (e.g., plasma enhanced ALD).

[0051] FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of a method 500 for implementing a deposition chamber system, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the deposition chamber system includes an atomic layer deposition (ALD) system.

[0052] At block 502, a gap is defined between the substrate and the cathode of the deposition chamber system. The spacing may be determined relative to the deposition process to be performed on the substrate. For example, the spacing may be a target spacing within the range of possible spacings supported by the deposition chamber system.

[0053] At block 504, a substrate is placed on a susceptor of the deposition chamber system while the reactor frame of the deposition chamber system is in the disengaged position. For example, the substrate can be placed on the susceptor using a robot. The susceptor can be located in a first position relative to the reactor.

[0054] At block 506, the substrate is loaded into the reactor of the deposition chamber system to obtain an engaged reactor frame. During this time, the susceptor is in contact with the reactor frame.

[0055] At block 508, the susceptor is raised to account for the gap until an elastic body is compressed between the engaged reactor frame and the reactor interface of the deposition chamber system to form a process gas containment seal corresponding to the gap. The elastic body can have a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame and a second end corresponding to the compression body.

[0056] The susceptor raises the engaged reactor frame until the susceptor reaches a second position corresponding to the gap between the substrate and the cathode, where the second position places the engaged reactor frame in sufficient contact with the compressed body to release the process gas. It is at some vertical distance from the first position to form a containment seal. There is a correlation between the second position and the compressive force generated by the elastic body when compressed. Therefore, since the second position corresponds to the gap between the substrate and the cathode, the compression force can be defined as the target compression force using the gap between the substrate and the cathode. The target compression force may be lower than a first threshold force corresponding to a minimum compression force to create a process gas containment seal, and a second threshold force corresponding to a maximum compression force that the elastic body can withstand before breaking or deteriorating.

[0057] At block 510, a deposition process is performed to deposit material on the substrate. The deposition process can be performed by introducing a process gas flow into the reactor. For example, the process gas flow can be introduced into the reactor using a downstream flow guide attached to the downstream reactor interface. While the deposition process is being performed, the at least one elastic body remains compressed between the engaged reactor frame and the at least one reactor interface, preventing process gases from escaping to other areas of the deposition chamber system.

[0058] At block 512, residues are removed from the reactor after the deposition process has been performed. Residues may include residual process gases (eg, unreacted process gases) and/or by-products of the deposition process. For example, after the deposition process has been performed, residues can be removed from the reactor using a downstream flow guide attached to the downstream reactor interface. The elastic body remains compressed between the engaged reactor frame and the reactor interface while residues are being removed from the reactor, preventing residues from escaping into other areas of the deposition chamber system.

[0059] At block 514, the substrate is removed from the deposition chamber system after residues are removed. Removing the substrate may include lowering the susceptor until the susceptor returns to the first position, and removing the substrate using a robot after the susceptor returns to the first position. For example, the robot may be a vacuum robot. By lowering the susceptor, the elastic body is depressurized, breaking the process gas containment seal.

[0060] Method 500 may be repeated to deposit material on other substrates. For example, method 500 can be repeated to deposit material on another substrate using a different deposition process. The different deposition process may be performed at a second gap defined between the substrate and the cathode that is different than the previous deposition process. Accordingly, the second interval may achieve a second target compression force that is different from the previous target compression force, but is also within the range defined by the first threshold force and the second threshold force. Additional details for blocks 502-514 are described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4C.

[0061] FIG. 6 is a diagram 600 of cross-sectional views of example elastic objects that may be used to form process containment seals within a deposition chamber system, according to some embodiments. As an example, the elastic object 610 may include a base 612 having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, and a compression body 614 having a circular cross-sectional shape (e.g., an O-ring). In alternative embodiments, base 612 may have a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or some other shape. As another example, the elastic object 620 may include a base 622 having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, and a compression body 624 having a cross-sectionally symmetric fork-shaped tail shape. In alternative embodiments, base 622 may have a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or some other shape. As another example, elastic object 630 may have a base 632 and a compressed body 634, which collectively form a cross-sectional fin shape. In alternative embodiments, base 632 may have a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or some other shape. The elastic objects 610-630 shown in FIG. 6 are purely exemplary, and other suitable elastic object shapes that can form process gas containment seals with deposition chamber systems (e.g., ALD chamber systems) are contemplated. This must be understood and recognized.

[0062] FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram of a method 700 for integrating a reactor frame including an elastic body within a deposition chamber to enable forming a reactor seal, according to some embodiments.

[0063] At block 702, a base reactor frame component is received having a location for mating with a first end of the elastic object.

[0064] At block 704 a first end of the elastic body is mated with a base reactor frame component to form a reactor frame.

[0065] At block 706, the reactor frame is integrated into the deposition chamber system.

[0066] The preceding description sets forth numerous specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, methods, etc., to provide a good understanding of some embodiments of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other examples, well-known components or methods are not described in detail or are presented in simple block diagram format to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specific details set forth are illustrative only. Particular implementations may differ from these example details and still be considered within the scope of the invention.

[0067] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Accordingly, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Additionally, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” When the term “about” or “approximately” is used herein, it is intended to mean that the nominal value presented is accurate to within ±10%.

[0068] Although the operations of the methods herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method can be varied so that certain operations can be performed in reverse order or so that certain operations can be performed at least partially concurrently with other operations. It can be. In other embodiments, instructions or sub-operations of separate operations may occur in an intermittent and/or alternating manner.

[0069] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Upon reading and understanding the above description, many other implementation examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Although this disclosure describes specific examples, it will be appreciated that the systems and methods of this disclosure are not limited to the examples described herein, but may be practiced with modifications within the scope of the appended claims. . Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims (20)

A deposition chamber system comprising:
reactor interface;
A flow guide attached to the reactor interface - the flow guide is an upstream flow guide that directs a process gas flow into the reactor to perform a deposition process on a substrate loaded into the reactor, or a deposition process. It is one of the downstream flow guides that guides the residues out of the reactor after processing;
a reactor frame disposed below the reactor interface to secure the substrate; and
A process gas containment seal between the reactor interface and the reactor frame with a compressive force by having a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame and a second end corresponding to a compression body disposed below the reactor interface. A deposition chamber system comprising an elastic body forming a seal. According to paragraph 1,
The deposition chamber system of claim 1, wherein the reactor frame includes a mask frame or shadow frame. According to paragraph 1,
The deposition chamber system,
receiving the substrate prior to loading the substrate into the reactor;
raising the substrate into the reactor above a first position to a second position to perform the deposition process; and
After performing the deposition process, lowering the substrate to the first position for removal.
A deposition chamber system further comprising a susceptor. According to paragraph 1,
A deposition chamber system further comprising a cathode, wherein the compression force corresponds to a target gap between the substrate and the cathode during the deposition process, the target gap defining a second position. According to paragraph 1,
The compression force is within a force range defined by a minimum compression force to form the process gas containment seal and a maximum compression force the elastic body can withstand, wherein the compression force is a target compression force for performing the deposition process. . According to paragraph 1,
The deposition chamber system of claim 1 , wherein the compression body geometry includes a cross-sectional annular shape, a cross-sectional symmetrical forked tail shape, or a cross-sectional fin shape. According to paragraph 1,
a second reactor interface;
a second flow guide attached to the second reactor interface, wherein the second flow guide is either the downstream flow guide or the upstream flow guide, and the reactor frame is further disposed below the second reactor interface; and
A first end corresponding to a second base attached to the reactor frame and a second end corresponding to a second compression body disposed below the reactor interface provide a second compression force between the reactor interface and the reactor frame. 2. A deposition chamber system further comprising a second elastic body forming a process gas containment seal. In clause 7,
A deposition chamber system, wherein the first elastic body and the second elastic body are parts of a single elastic body. According to paragraph 1,
A deposition chamber system, wherein the deposition chamber system comprises an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber system. As a device,
A reactor frame that secures the substrate within the deposition chamber system; and
An elastic object having a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame and a second end corresponding to a compression body, thereby forming a process gas containment seal with a compressive force between the reactor frame and a reactor interface disposed above the reactor frame. Device, including. According to clause 10,
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reactor frame comprises a mask frame or a shadow frame. According to clause 10,
The device of claim 1, wherein the geometry of the compression body comprises a cross-sectional annular shape, a cross-sectional symmetrical fork-shaped tail shape, or a cross-sectional fin shape. According to clause 10,
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deposition chamber system comprises an atomic layer deposition (ALD) system. According to clause 10,
the compression force corresponds to a target gap between the substrate and the cathode of the deposition chamber system during a deposition process, the target gap defining a second position; and
The compressive force is within a force range defined by a minimum compressive force to form the process gas containment seal and a maximum compressive force the elastic body can withstand, wherein the compressive force is a target compressive force for performing the deposition process. As a method,
placing a substrate on a susceptor of a deposition chamber system while a reactor frame of the deposition chamber system is in a disengaged position, the substrate being placed on the susceptor in a first position relative to the reactor;
loading the substrate into a reactor of the deposition chamber system to obtain an engaged reactor frame; and
raising the susceptor until an elastic body is compressed between the engaged reactor frame and the reactor interface of the deposition chamber system to form a process gas containment seal, wherein the susceptor is positioned between the substrate and the cathode of the deposition chamber system. is raised to a second position above the first position, wherein the elastic object has a first end corresponding to a base attached to the reactor frame, and a second end corresponding to the compressed body. Including, method. According to clause 15,
The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition chamber system comprises an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber system. According to clause 15,
The method further comprising defining a gap between the substrate and the cathode prior to placing the substrate on the susceptor, wherein the second position corresponds to the gap. According to clause 15,
performing a deposition process to deposit material on the substrate, wherein the elastic body is maintained in a compressed state between the engaged reactor frame and the reactor interface while the deposition process is being performed; and
The method further comprising removing residues from the reactor after performing the deposition process. According to clause 18,
further comprising removing the substrate from the deposition chamber system after the residues are removed, wherein removing the substrate includes lowering the susceptor from the second position to the first position. , method. According to clause 19,
defining a second gap between a second substrate and the cathode, thereby performing a second deposition process different from the first deposition process;
placing the second substrate on the susceptor while the reactor frame is in the first position;
loading the second substrate into the reactor to obtain a second engaged reactor frame; and
raising the susceptor until the elastic body is compressed between the second engaged reactor frame and the reactor interface to form a second process gas containment seal, wherein the susceptor is positioned between the substrate and the reactor interface. The method further comprising: being raised to a third position above the first position, corresponding to a second interval.