TWI804827B - Physical vapor deposition chamber and method of using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for using a physical vapor deposition chamber includes moving a substrate over a substrate supporting member in a semiconductor processing chamber, in which the substrate supporting member is surrounded by a deposition ring; performing a deposition process by striking a target in the semiconductor processing chamber, such that a material of the target is deposited over the substrate, in which during the deposition process, the material of the target is deposited in a deposition groove of the deposition ring, and a smallest vertical distance between the deposited material and a bottom surface of the deposition ring is in a range from about 1.78mm to about 1.82mm; halting the deposition process and moving the substrate out of the deposition chamber.

Description

Physical vapor deposition reaction chamber and method of use thereof

The present disclosure relates to a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber and a method for using the same.

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) or sputtering is a process used in the manufacture of electronic components. PVD is a plasma process performed in a vacuum chamber in which a negatively biased target is exposed to a plasma of an inert gas with relatively heavy atoms, such as argon (Ar) or a gas mixture containing such an inert gas . Bombardment of the target by ions of the noble gas results in the ejection of atoms of the target. The ejected atoms are accumulated as a deposited film on a substrate placed on a substrate support base provided in the chamber.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, including moving a substrate above a substrate support in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate support is surrounded by a deposition ring; performing a deposition process, the deposition process is carried out by bombardment A target in a semiconductor processing chamber for depositing material of the target onto a substrate, wherein during a deposition process, material of the target is deposited into a deposition slot of a deposition ring, wherein the deposition material has a minimum vertical distance from the bottom surface of the deposition ring from about 1.78 mm to about 1.82 mm; and stopping the deposition process and removing the substrate from the semiconductor processing chamber.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, including moving a substrate above a substrate support in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate support is surrounded by a deposition ring; performing a deposition process, the deposition process is carried out by bombardment A target within a semiconductor processing chamber for depositing a material of the target onto a substrate, wherein during a deposition process, the material of the target has a first portion deposited to a side surface of the substrate and a second portion deposited to a deposition ring within the tank; adjusting the power of the RF source above the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the first portion of material remains separated from the second portion at powers greater than about 2000 kilowatts; and stopping the deposition process and removing the substrate from the semiconductor processing chamber.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, including a processing chamber; a substrate support configured in the processing chamber and used to support the substrate; a deposition ring configured to surround the substrate support during the deposition process, the deposition ring having an inner peripheral surface, wherein the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface is from about 294.10 mm to about 294.20 mm, the deposition ring further includes at least one extension extending radially inwardly and configured to engage the recess of the substrate support, Wherein the thickness of the extension part is about 1.9 mm to about 2.1 mm; and the RF source is arranged above the processing chamber.

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and configurations are described below to simplify the present disclosure. Of course, these are examples only, and are not intended to be limiting. For example, in the ensuing description, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature may include embodiments where the first feature is formed in direct contact with the second feature, and may also include that additional features may be formed on the first feature. An embodiment in which the first and second features may not be in direct contact with the second feature. Additionally, in various instances, the present disclosure may repeat reference numbers and/or letters. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

In addition, for ease of description, words such as "beneath", "below", "lower", "above" and "upper" ” and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of elements in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a processing chamber and a substrate processing method for performing a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. The processing chamber is a vacuum chamber that includes an electrostatic chuck (ESC) to support and hold substrates on which atoms ejected by bombardment of targets are deposited during PVD processing. An electrostatic chuck contains a ceramic ball that has one or more electrodes therein. A clamping voltage is applied to the electrodes to electrostatically hold the substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The PVD process can cause redeposition, and the amount of redeposited material (eg, AlO) on the deposition ring can affect the quality of the PVD deposition.

A cover ring, a deposition ring, and a ground shield are disposed in the vacuum chamber to define a processing area within the vacuum chamber relative to the substrate. Ground shields are interleaved with cover rings to confine plasma. Confining the plasma and ejected atoms to the processing region limits the deposition of the target on other components in the chamber and enables more efficient use of the target because a relatively higher percentage of the ejected atoms are deposited on the substrate.

An electrostatic chuck (ESC) supports the deposition ring and is coupled to the bottom of the vacuum chamber by a lift mechanism for moving the electrostatic chuck (ESC) and deposition ring between upper and lower positions. During operation, the cover ring is also raised and lowered. When raised, the cover ring separates vertically from the ground shield. When lowered, portions of the cover ring are received within portions of the ground shield.

When the electrostatic chuck is in the raised position, the cover ring and the ground shield are vertically separated from each other. During processing operations, deposition material from the target is also deposited on the deposition ring. Arcing effects can inadvertently occur between a substrate and other components of a semiconductor processing chamber and under a variety of conditions. For example, arcing may occur when the deposition ring is full of deposition material and contacts the substrate. And cause a local large current. Arcing may be detrimental to the quality of the process. Therefore, how to reduce or eliminate the arcing effect in the PVD process is a problem that must be solved.

FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor processing chamber 100 including a one-piece ground shield 160 and a cover ring 170 . The ground shield 160 and cover ring 170 comprise a processing kit for processing the substrate 105 disposed in the processing region 110 or plasma region, which also includes a deposition ring 180 supported on the pedestal assembly 120 . In some embodiments, semiconductor processing chamber 100 includes a sputtering chamber, also known as a physical vapor deposition or PVD chamber, for depositing single-component or multi-component materials from target 132 on substrate 105 . The semiconductor processing chamber 100 can also be used to deposit aluminum, copper, nickel, platinum, hafnium, silver, chromium, gold, molybdenum, silicon, ruthenium, tantalum, tantalum nitride, tantalum carbide, titanium nitride, tungsten, tungsten nitride, Lanthanum, alumina, lanthanum oxide, nickel-platinum alloys, and titanium, and/or combinations thereof. It is contemplated that other processing chambers may also be adapted to benefit from the disclosed embodiments. The deposition ring 180 has an annular shape surrounding the substrate support 126 and will be discussed in greater depth later. In some embodiments, the deposition ring 180 may be made of ceramic or metallic materials, such as quartz, alumina, stainless steel, titanium, or other suitable materials. The cover ring 170 is made of a material that is resistant to erosion by sputtering plasma, such as a metal material or a ceramic material.

The semiconductor processing chamber 100 includes a chamber body 101 having sidewalls 104 enclosing a processing region 110 , a bottom wall 106 and an upper processing component 108 . The processing region 110 is defined as the area above the substrate support 126 during processing (eg, between the target 132 and the substrate support 126 when in the processing position). The chamber body 101 is fabricated by machining and welding stainless steel plates or by machining a single block of aluminum. In one embodiment, sidewall 104 comprises or is plated with aluminum and bottom wall 106 comprises or is plated with stainless steel. The sidewall 104 typically includes a slit valve to allow the substrate 105 to enter and exit the semiconductor processing chamber 100 . Components in upper processing assembly 108 above semiconductor processing chamber 100 that cooperate with ground shield 160 , pedestal assembly 120 , and cover ring 170 confine plasma formed in processing region 110 to the region above substrate 105 .

The pedestal assembly 120 is supported from the bottom wall 106 of the semiconductor processing chamber 100 . Pedestal assembly 120 supports deposition ring 180 along with substrate 105 during processing. The pedestal assembly 120 is coupled to the bottom wall 106 of the semiconductor processing chamber 100 by a lift mechanism 122 for an upper processing position during deposition of a target on the substrate 105 and the transfer of the substrate 105 to the pedestal. Base assembly 120 is raised and lowered between lower transfer locations on assembly 120 . In addition, at the lower transfer position, the lift pins 123 move past the base assembly 120 to separate the substrate 105 from the base assembly 120 to facilitate transfer by a substrate transfer mechanism disposed outside the semiconductor processing chamber 100, such as, monolithic robot) to exchange the substrate 105. A bellows 124 is generally disposed between the base assembly 120 and the bottom wall 106 to isolate the processing region 110 of the chamber body 101 from the interior of the base assembly 120 and the exterior of the chamber.

The base assembly 120 includes a substrate support 126 sealingly coupled to a platform housing 128 . Platform housing 128 is typically made of a metallic material, such as stainless steel or aluminum. A cooling plate is typically disposed within the platform housing 128 to thermally condition the substrate support 126 . The substrate support 126 is made of aluminum or ceramic. The substrate support 126 has a substrate receiving surface 127 that receives and supports the substrate 105 during processing, the substrate receiving surface 127 being generally parallel to the sputtering surface 133 of the target 132 . The substrate support 126 also has a peripheral edge 129 that terminates before the protruding edge of the substrate 105 .

In some embodiments, the substrate support 126 is an electrostatic chuck, a ceramic body, a heater, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the substrate support 126 is an electrostatic chuck comprising a dielectric body with electrodes 126A or conductive layers embedded therein. The dielectric body is made of a high thermal conductivity dielectric material such as pyrolytic boron nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide or equivalent. In some embodiments, the electrodes 126A are configured such that when a DC voltage is applied to the electrodes 126A by the electrostatic chuck power supply 143, the substrate 105 disposed on the substrate receiving surface 127 will be electrostatically clamped to the electrodes 126A, thereby Heat transfer between the substrate 105 and the substrate support 126 is improved. In other embodiments, the impedance controller 141 is also coupled to the electrode (conductive layer) 126A so that a voltage on the substrate can be maintained during processing to affect the plasmonic interaction with the surface of the substrate 105 .

In some embodiments, the platform housing 128 comprises a material having thermal properties suitably matched to the overlying substrate support 126 . For example, platform housing 128 includes a composite of ceramic and metal, such as aluminum silicon carbide, which provides improved strength and durability compared to ceramics, and also has improved heat transfer properties. The composite material has a coefficient of thermal expansion matched to the material of the substrate support 126 to reduce thermal expansion mismatch. In some embodiments, the composite material comprises a ceramic having pores infiltrated by a metal that at least partially fills the pores to form the composite material. The ceramic includes, for example, at least one of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, or cordierite. The ceramic comprises a pore volume ranging from about 20% to about 80% by volume of the total volume, with the remaining volume belonging to the infiltrating metal. The infiltrating metal comprises aluminum with added silicon and also contains copper. In some embodiments, the composite includes different components of ceramic and metal, such as metal with dispersed ceramic particles, or platform housing 128 may be made of metal only, such as stainless steel or aluminum. A cooling plate is disposed within the platform housing 128 to thermally condition the substrate support 126 .

Semiconductor processing chamber 100 is controlled by system controller 190, which facilitates the control and automation of semiconductor processing chamber 100, and typically includes a central processing unit (CPU), memory, and supporting circuitry (or I/O). The CPU may be one of any form of computer processor used in an industrial setting to control various system functions, substrate movement, chamber processing, and supporting hardware (e.g., sensors, robots, motors, etc.) and Monitor the process (eg, substrate support temperature, power supply variables, chamber process time, I/O signals, etc.). Memory is connected to the CPU and can be one or more of readily available memories such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), floppy disk, hard disk, or any other A form of digital storage, local or remote. Software instructions and data can be encoded and stored in memory for instructing the CPU. Support circuitry is also coupled to the CPU for supporting the processor in a conventional manner. Support circuits include cache memory, power supplies, clock circuits, input/output circuitry, subsystems, and the like. Programs (or computer instructions) readable by the system controller 190 determine which tasks are performed on the substrate. This program is software readable by the system controller 190 that contains code to perform tasks related to the monitoring, execution and control of motion and various process recipe tasks and recipe steps to be performed in the semiconductor processing chamber 100 . For example, the system controller 190 includes code that includes: a set of substrate positioning instructions to operate the pedestal assembly 120; a set of gas flow control instructions to operate the gas flow control valve to set the sputtering The flow rate of the injection gas; the gas pressure control instruction set, used to operate the throttle valve or the gate valve to maintain the pressure in the semiconductor processing chamber 100; the temperature control instruction set, used to control the temperature control system in the base assembly 120 or the side wall 104 to respectively set the temperature of the substrate or the sidewall 104; and a set of process monitoring instructions for monitoring the process in the semiconductor processing chamber 100.

The upper processing unit 108 includes a radio frequency (RF) source 181 , a direct current (DC) source 182 , an adapter 102 , a motor 193 and a cover unit 130 . The cover assembly 130 includes a target 132 , a magnetron system 189 and a cover shell 191 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the upper processing assembly 108 is supported by the side walls 104 when in the closed position. A ceramic target spacer 136 is disposed between the target 132 and the adapter 102 of the lid assembly 130 to limit vacuum leakage therebetween. The adapter 102 is sealingly coupled to the sidewall 104 and is used to facilitate removal of the upper processing assembly 108 .

The target 132 is disposed adjacent to the adapter and exposed to the processing region 110 of the semiconductor processing chamber 100 . Target 132 provides the material that is deposited on the substrate during the PVD process.

During processing, target 132 is biased with RF and/or DC power with respect to ground (eg, chamber body 101 ) by power source 140 disposed in RF source 181 and/or DC source 182 . In one embodiment, the RF source 181 includes an RF power source 181A and an RF matcher 181B for efficiently delivering RF energy to the target 132 .

During processing, a gas (eg, argon) is supplied to the processing region 110 from a gas source 142 via a conduit 144 . In some embodiments, gas source 142 includes a non-reactive gas, such as argon or xenon, that is capable of energetically striking target 132 and sputtering material from target 132 . The gas source 142 also includes a reactive gas (eg, one or more of oxygen-containing gas, nitrogen-containing gas, methane-containing gas) that reacts with the sputtered material to form a layer on the substrate. Spent process gases and by-products are exhausted from semiconductor processing chamber 100 through exhaust ports 146, which receive and direct waste process gases to exhaust conduits 148 having adjustable The gate valve 147 is positioned to control the pressure in the processing region 110 of the semiconductor processing chamber 100 . Exhaust conduit 148 is connected to one or more exhaust pumps 149 . Typically, the pressure of the sputtering gas in the semiconductor processing chamber 100 is set to a sub-atmospheric level (eg, a vacuum environment), for example, a pressure of about 0.6 mTorr to about 400 mTorr. A plasma is formed from the gas between the substrate 105 and the target 132 . The ions within the plasma are accelerated toward the target 132 and cause material to be exfoliated from the target 132 . The detached target material is deposited on the substrate 105 .

The cover 191 includes a conductive wall 185 , a central power feed 184 and a shield 186 . In this configuration, portions of conductive wall 185 , central feed 184 , target 132 , and motor 193 are enclosed and form backside region 134 . Backside region 134 is a sealed region disposed on the backside of target 132 and is typically filled with a flowing liquid during processing to remove heat generated at target 132 during processing. In one embodiment, conductive walls 185 and center feed 184 are used to support motor 193 and magnetron 189 so that motor 193 can rotate magnetron 189 during processing. In some embodiments, the motor 193 is electrically isolated from RF or DC power delivered from the power source. Shield 186 includes one or more dielectric materials positioned to enclose and limit RF energy delivered to target 132 from interfering with and affecting other processing chambers disposed in cluster tool 103 .

A ground shield 160 is supported by the chamber body 101 and surrounds the sputtering surface 133 of the sputtering target 132 facing the substrate support 126 . A ground shield 160 also surrounds the peripheral edge 129 of the substrate support 126 . Ground shield 160 covers sidewall 104 of semiconductor processing chamber 100 to reduce deposition of sputter deposits originating from sputter surface 133 of sputter target 132 onto components and surfaces behind ground shield 160 .

The cover ring 170 rests on the ground shield 160 when the substrate support 126 is in the lower loading position (as shown in FIG. 1 ). Cover ring 170 is in close proximity to and separated from deposition ring 180 when substrate support 126 is in the upper (raised) deposition position. In the deposition position, the cover ring 170 protects the substrate support 126 from sputter deposition.

The semiconductor processing chamber 100 also includes an RF sensor 300 . In some embodiments, the RF sensor 300 is coupled to the substrate support 126 and detects a change in voltage or a change in current applied around the substrate support 126 . In some embodiments, the RF sensor 300 can be used to sense RF voltage or RF current and generate a voltage signal. The voltage signal can be processed by eg the system controller 190 to generate an output signal. The system controller 190 can further compare the output signal with a reference signal. The reference signal can be a preset reference voltage or a preset reference current. If the output signal is greater than the reference signal, for example, the detected voltage (or current) is greater than the reference voltage (or current), the system controller 190 outputs an arcing alarm. In some embodiments, if an arc alarm occurs, the system controller 190 will automatically shut down active components in the semiconductor processing chamber 100, such as the DC power supply 182A, or other power generating devices.

FIG. 2A is a top view of the deposition ring 180 shown in FIG. 1 . The deposition ring 180 includes a body 200 that is annular or donut-shaped. For example, the main body 200 can be regarded as a ring structure with a circular opening inside. The body 200 includes an inner diameter 210 and an outer diameter 220 . Here, the inner diameter can be regarded as the diameter of the circular opening inside the main body 200 , or can be regarded as the inner circumference diameter of the annular structure of the main body 200 . On the other hand, the outer diameter may be the diameter of the outer circumference of the annular structure of the main body 200 . In some embodiments, the inner diameter 210 has a length ranging from about 294.10 mm to about 294.20 mm. For example, in some embodiments the diameter 210 has a length of 294.15 mm. In some embodiments, the length of inner diameter 210 is at least less than about 294.488 mm. If the width of the inner diameter 210 is too large, eg, greater than 294.488 mm, or greater than about 294.20 mm, the gap between the deposition ring 180 and the substrate support 126 will be too large such that vibration during the process will result in poor deposition quality. The disclosure provides a design to reduce the inner diameter 210 of the main body 200 of the deposition ring 180, so that the gap between the deposition ring 180 and the substrate support 126 is reduced, thereby increasing the stability during vibration, and effectively reducing the deposition ring during the process. 180 shaking condition.

In some embodiments, the length of the inner diameter 210 may be slightly smaller than the diameter of the substrate 105 (see FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments, the main body 200 may be made of a ceramic material such as aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ), and formed by a sintering process.

The body 200 includes one or more extensions 230A, 230B, and 230C. The extensions 230A to 230C may serve as positioning structures for the radially inward extension of the inner diameter 210 of the main body 200 . In one embodiment, the extensions 230A to 230C can respectively be embedded in recesses on the substrate support 126 , which can further stabilize the engagement of the deposition ring 180 and the substrate support 126 . In some embodiments, the extensions 230A- 230C place the body 200 of the deposition ring 180 in a particular orientation relative to the substrate support 126 . This may allow the deposition ring 180 to be removed from the substrate support 126 for cleaning or replacement, and mounted on the substrate support 126 while ensuring proper alignment between the deposition ring 180 and the substrate support 126 .

In some embodiments, each of the extensions 230A- 230C is placed at equal angular intervals (eg, about 120 degrees) along the body 200 . In other embodiments, the extensions 230A-230C are placed at irregular angular intervals. For example, angle α may be from about 90 degrees to about 100 degrees, and angle β may be from about 130 degrees to about 135 degrees. The extensions 230A-230C are used as indexing features to ensure that the deposition ring 180 is in a particular orientation relative to the substrate support 126 .

Each of the extensions 230A- 230C includes a circumferential surface 235 extending radially inward from the inner peripheral surface 240 of the main body 200 . The circumferential surface 235 interfaces with the main body 200 by transition surfaces 245 on each side of the circumferential surface 235 . The transition surface 245 may be a sharp or contoured surface, such as a beveled, rounded or tapered surface. Each of the extensions 230A- 230C may also include an upper surface 250 that is coplanar with the main body 200 of the deposition ring 180 . The upper surface 250 is generally flat, and the circumferential surface 235 extends downward (in the Z direction) approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the upper surface 250 . In some embodiments, the circumferential surface 235 is arc-shaped, that is, any point on the circumferential surface 235 is equidistant from the center of the main body 200 . In other embodiments, the circumferential surface 235 is straight or planar between the transition surfaces 245 .

In some embodiments, the diameter of the peripheral edge 129 of the substrate support 126 is about 294 mm. In some embodiments, the substrate support 126 has a height large enough to vertically separate the substrate 105 from the horizontal surface of the deposition ring 180 (as shown in FIG. 5A ).

Please refer to FIG. 2B , which is a partially enlarged view of the deposition ring 180 and the substrate support 126 of FIG. 2A . In detail, FIG. 2B illustrates the relative relationship between the extension portion 230B and the substrate support 126 .

In FIG. 2B , the substrate support 126 has a recess 126R, wherein the recess 126R can be regarded as a notch extending from the outer circumference of the substrate support 126 toward the center of the substrate support 126 . In some embodiments, the shape of the recess 126R substantially coincides with the shape of the extension 230B to stably fix the extension 230B in the recess 126R of the substrate support 126 .

In some embodiments, the extension portion 230B has a thickness T1. Here, “thickness” can be defined as the horizontal distance between the circumferential surface 235 and the inner diameter 210 of the main body 200 (shown by the dotted line) in the diameter direction passing through the main body 200 . In some embodiments, the thickness T1 ranges from about 1.9 mm to about 2.1 mm. For example, the thickness T1 is 2.0 mm in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the thickness T1 has a length at least greater than about 1.45 mm. This thickness can ensure that the extension 230B (including the extensions 230A and 230C) fits more firmly with the recess 126R of the substrate support 126 , and reduces the vibration of the deposition ring 180 during the process to improve the deposition quality. If the thickness T1 is too small, such as less than 1.45 mm, the distance between the extension 230B (including the extensions 230A and 230C) and the recess 126R of the substrate support 126 may be too large, causing the deposition ring 180 to vibrate more violently during the process. , thereby reducing the deposition quality.

It should be understood that the extensions 230A and 230C in FIG. 2A have a similar structure to the extension 230B discussed in FIG. 2B , and for simplicity, only the extension 230B is discussed as an example.

Please refer to FIG. 2C, which is a cross-sectional view along line C-C of FIG. 2A. As shown, near the inner peripheral surface 240 of the main body 200 of the deposition ring 180 , there is a deposition groove 260 . The purpose of the deposition tank 260 is that during processing operations, deposition material from the target can accumulate within the deposition tank 260 to limit movement of the deposition material.

The uppermost edge 261 of the deposition groove 260 near the inner peripheral surface 240 has a horizontal distance D1 from the inner peripheral surface 240 . In some embodiments, the horizontal distance D1 ranges from about 1.60 mm to about 1.64 mm. For example, in some embodiments, the horizontal distance D1 is 1.62mm. In some embodiments, the length of the horizontal distance D1 is at least greater than about 1.45 mm. Here, the “horizontal distance D1 ” can also be regarded as the “inner thickness” of the deposition ring 180 . As mentioned above, the present disclosure provides a design that reduces the inner diameter 210 of the deposition ring 180, and the "inner ring thickness" is thick enough to ensure that during the process, the backside of the wafer does not extend too much to the deposition ring. above the groove 260 to reduce the risk that the deposition material in the deposition groove 260 adheres to the backside of the wafer. If the horizontal distance D1 is too small, such as less than 1.45mm, it means that the edge of the deposition tank 260 will be closer to the inner peripheral surface 240, so that too much of the backside of the wafer will be exposed above the deposition tank 260, thereby increasing the risk of chip sticking. .

In some embodiments, the bottom of the deposition groove 260 has a substantially horizontal surface 262 , and the horizontal bottom surface 262 is substantially parallel to the bottom surface 202 of the main body 200 of the deposition ring 180 . The deposition groove 260 extends vertically downward from the uppermost edge 261 near the inner peripheral surface 240 to form a vertical surface 263, which is substantially parallel to the inner peripheral surface 240 of the main body 200 of the deposition ring 180, or parallel to the deposition ring 180 The bottom surface 202 of the main body 200 is vertical. In addition, the vertical surface 263 and the horizontal bottom surface 262 of the deposition tank 260 are connected through an arc-shaped surface 264 .

In some embodiments, there is a vertical distance D2 between the horizontal bottom surface 262 and the bottom surface 202 of the main body 200 . In some embodiments, the vertical distance D2 ranges from about 1.78 mm to about 1.82 mm. For example, the vertical distance D2 is 1.8 mm in some embodiments. In some embodiments, vertical distance D2 is at least less than about 2.24 mm. Here, the vertical distance D2 can be regarded as the thickness of the main body 200 at the deposition groove 260 . The present disclosure provides a design for reducing the thickness of the main body 200 at the deposition tank 260, which can increase the capacity of the deposition tank 260, thereby increasing the space for accommodating deposition materials during the process, so as to prevent the deposition material from filling up from the deposition tank 260 to cause arcing Effect (Arcing). If the vertical distance D2 is too large, such as greater than about 2.24 mm, arcing may occur during the process because the deposition tank 260 is too shallow and the deposition material overflows from the deposition tank 260 , thereby degrading the deposition quality.

The arc-shaped surface 264 has a radius R of curvature and a center C of curvature. In some embodiments, the radius of curvature R ranges from about 2.65 mm to about 2.75 mm. For example, the radius of curvature R may be about 2.7 mm. Based on the center of curvature C, a vertical line extends downward (shown as a dotted line), and at the angle θ between the radius of curvature R and the vertical line, the radius of curvature R and the arcuate surface 264 have an intersection point. There is a vertical distance D3 between the intersection point and the bottom surface 202 of the main body 200 . In some embodiments, the included angle θ ranges from about 27 degrees to about 30 degrees. In some embodiments, the vertical distance D3 ranges from about 2.40 mm to about 2.41 mm. Here, the vertical distance D3 can be regarded as the thickness of the main body 200 at the intersection of the arcuate surface 264 . If the radius of curvature R is too small (for example, less than about 2.24 mm), the vertical distance D3 (or the thickness at the intersection point) will be reduced indirectly, thereby increasing the risk of damage during the manufacturing process. If the radius of curvature R is too large, the space in the deposition tank 260 will be indirectly reduced, thereby reducing the amount of deposition material contained in the deposition tank 260 .

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cover ring according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The cover ring 170 includes an inner ring 151 and an outer ring 152 . Inner ring 151 and outer ring 152 extend downward and are spaced apart from each other to define a slot to allow engagement with the end of the deposition shield of the processing chamber. Cover ring 170 further includes seat 154 and tapered portion 156 . Tapered portion 156 ensures proper alignment between cover ring 170 and deposition ring 180 . The shroud ring 170 includes a radially inwardly extending lip 171 including an arcuate inner surface 162 .

FIG. 4 illustrates a method M1 of operating a semiconductor processing chamber in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. Although method M1 is shown and/or described as a series of acts or events, it is to be understood that the method is not limited to the shown order or acts. Accordingly, in some embodiments, acts may be performed in an order different from that shown, and/or may be performed concurrently. In addition, in some embodiments, the illustrated actions or events can be divided into multiple actions or events, and these actions or events can be performed multiple times or simultaneously with other actions or sub-actions. In some embodiments, some illustrated acts or events may be omitted, and other not-illustrated acts or events may be included.

Please refer to FIG. 4 , FIG. 1 and FIG. 5A , wherein FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of relative positions of components in a semiconductor processing chamber. In detail, FIG. 5A illustrates the relative positions of the substrate 105 , the substrate support 126 , the deposition ring 180 , and the cover ring 170 during the process. It should be appreciated that the section in Figure 4 is the same as the section in Figure 2C.

The method M1 begins with operation S101 of transferring a substrate to a semiconductor processing chamber. As shown, the substrate 105 is transferred into a semiconductor processing chamber (such as the semiconductor processing chamber 100 of FIG. 1 ). The substrate 105 is placed over the substrate support 126 and the deposition ring 180 is coupled to and surrounds the substrate support 126 . In some embodiments, the end of the substrate 105 extends above the deposition groove 260 of the deposition ring 180 . In some embodiments, the end of the substrate 105 overlaps at least a part of the deposition groove 260 in the vertical direction. The end of the ground shield 160 is inserted into the slot between the inner ring 151 and the outer ring 152 of the covering ring 170 . In some embodiments, the lip 171 of the cover ring 170 at least partially extends above the deposition groove 260 .

Please refer to Figure 4, Figure 1 and Figure 5B. The method M1 is executed to operation S102 to perform a deposition process. In detail, operation S102 is to perform a physical vapor deposition process. In this step, by turning on the RF source 181 and/or DC source 182 shown in FIG. 1, the target material is deposited with RF and/or DC power 132 Bias. At the same time, a gas (eg, argon) is supplied to the processing region 110 from a gas source 142 via a conduit 144 . In some embodiments, gas source 142 includes a non-reactive gas such as argon or xenon that is capable of energetically striking target 132 and sputtering material from target 132 such that the sputtered material is deposited on substrate 105 above. In some embodiments, the material of the target 132 may be Al-Cu, and the material deposited on the substrate 105 may be Al-Cu, wherein the proportion of Al is about 99.5%, and the proportion of Cu is about 0.5%. In some embodiments, the RF power source 181A ranges between about 0 kilowatts (kWh) and about 2000 kilowatts (kWh). In some embodiments, DC power source 182A in DC source 182 delivers DC power between about 0 kilowatts (kWh) and about 50 kilowatts (kWh).

FIG. 5B illustrates the state when the RF power is about 2000 kilowatts. As shown, the sputtered material has a first portion 400A deposited over the substrate 105 to form a layer of material on the substrate 105 . On the other hand, the sputtered material may also have a second portion 400B deposited onto the side surface of the substrate 105 and a third portion 400C deposited into the deposition groove 260 of the deposition ring 180 . In some embodiments, under conditions of high RF power (eg, greater than about 2000 kilowatts), the rate of deposition increases such that deposition slots 260 of deposition ring 180 are quickly filled with sputtered material. However, as discussed in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C, according to the deposition ring 180 designed in the present disclosure, the deposition tank 260 of the deposition ring 180 has more accommodation space, so that under the condition of high RF power, the deposition tank 260 and Not completely filled with sputtered material (eg, third portion 400C). In detail, under the condition of high RF power (for example, greater than about 2000 kilowatts), the third portion 400C of sputtered material is not full because the third portion 400C of sputtered material does not completely fill the deposition tank 260. out and into contact with the second part 400B. In some embodiments, if the deposition ring 180 is not designed in accordance with the present disclosure, at high RF power (eg, greater than about 1760 kilowatts), the third portion 400C of sputtered material will fill up and overlap with the second portion 400C. Portions 400B contact and cause arcing, thereby degrading the quality of the deposition. Therefore, under conditions of high RF power (eg, greater than about 2000 kilowatts), arc alarms will not be generated during processing according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, if the third portion 400C of the sputtered material nearly fills the deposition groove 260 , the minimum vertical distance between the third portion 400C and the bottom surface 202 of the deposition ring 180 corresponds to the distance D2. The minimum horizontal distance of the third portion 400C from the inner peripheral surface 240 of the deposition ring 180 corresponds to the distance D1. In addition, with the center of curvature C of the arc-shaped surface 263 of the deposition tank 260 as a reference, a vertical line (as shown by a dotted line) extends downwards, and at the angle θ between the radius of curvature R and the vertical line, the radius of curvature R There is an intersection point with the arc-shaped surface 264 . The vertical distance between the third portion 400C at the point of intersection and the bottom surface 202 of the deposition ring 180 corresponds to the distance D3.

Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 1. The method M1 is executed to operation S103, the deposition process is stopped, and the deposition ring is cleaned. For example, RF source 181 and/or DC source 182 as shown in FIG. 1 may be turned off. Next, the substrate 105 may be removed from the semiconductor processing chamber 100 . Finally, the deposition ring 180 can be removed from the semiconductor processing chamber 100 and the deposition ring 180 can be cleaned. In some embodiments, cleaning the deposition ring 180 includes removing the third portion 400C of sputtered material from the deposition tank 260 of the deposition ring 260 .

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of a computer system used as a controller (e.g., system controller 190) for performing tasks related to the monitoring, execution, and control of motion and various other tasks performed in semiconductor processing chamber 100. Process recipe tasks and recipe steps. The foregoing embodiments can be implemented using computer hardware and computer programs executed thereon. In Fig. 6A, computer system 600 has computer 601, and this computer 601 comprises optical disk read-only memory (for example, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM) drive (optical disc drive) 605 and magnetic disc drive (disk drive) 606, Keyboard 602, mouse 603 and display 604.

FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the computer system 600 . In Figure 6B, in addition to the optical disc drive 605 and the magnetic disc drive 606, the computer 601 also has one or more processors 611, such as a micro processing unit (micro processing unit; MPU); ROM 612, which stores programs such as startup programs; random access memory (random access memory; RAM) 613, which is connected to the MPU 611 and temporarily stores commands of application programs therein and provides a temporary storage area; hard disk 614, which stores application programs, system programs and data; and bus 615, which connects MPU 611, ROM 612, etc. It should be noted that the computer 601 may include a network card (not shown) for providing connection to the LAN.

The program code for causing the computer system 600 to perform the operations/tasks discussed in the previous embodiments may be stored on the optical disk 621 or the magnetic disk 622, which is inserted into the optical disk drive 605 or the magnetic disk drive 606 and transferred to the hard drive. Disc 614. Alternatively, the program can be transmitted to the computer 601 via a network (not shown) and stored in the hard disk 614 . At execution time, programs are loaded into RAM 613 . The program can be loaded from the CD 621 or the floppy disk 622 or directly from the network.

In the program, the functions realized by the program do not include the functions that can be realized only by hardware in some embodiments. For example, functions that can be realized only by hardware (such as a network interface) in an acquisition unit that acquires information or an output unit that outputs information are not included in the functions realized by the above-mentioned programs. In addition, the computer that executes the program may be a single computer or multiple computers.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, including moving a substrate above a substrate support in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate support is surrounded by a deposition ring; performing a deposition process, the deposition process is carried out by bombardment A target in a semiconductor processing chamber for depositing material of the target onto a substrate, wherein during a deposition process, material of the target is deposited into a deposition slot of a deposition ring, wherein the deposition material has a minimum vertical distance from the bottom surface of the deposition ring from about 1.78 mm to about 1.82 mm; and stopping the deposition process and removing the substrate from the semiconductor processing chamber.

In some embodiments, the minimum horizontal distance between the deposition material and the inner peripheral surface of the deposition ring is about 1.60 mm to about 1.64 mm.

In some embodiments, the deposition groove of the deposition ring has an arc-shaped surface, the arc-shaped surface has a radius of curvature and a center of curvature, and a vertical line extends downwards based on the center of curvature, and the radius of curvature and the vertical The lines have an included angle of about 27 degrees to about 30 degrees, the radius of curvature and the arcuate surface have an intersection, wherein the deposition material is at a perpendicular distance from the bottom surface of the deposition ring of about 2.40 mm to about 2.41 mm at the intersection.

In some embodiments, the radius of curvature is about 2.65 mm to about 2.75 mm.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, including moving a substrate above a substrate support in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate support is surrounded by a deposition ring; performing a deposition process, the deposition process is carried out by bombardment A target within a semiconductor processing chamber for depositing a material of the target onto a substrate, wherein during a deposition process, the material of the target has a first portion deposited to a side surface of the substrate and a second portion deposited to a deposition ring within the tank; adjusting the power of the RF source above the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the first portion of material remains separated from the second portion at powers greater than about 2000 kilowatts; and stopping the deposition process and removing the substrate from the semiconductor processing chamber.

In some embodiments, further comprising measuring an RF voltage or an RF current around the substrate support using an RF sensor; comparing the measured RF voltage or RF current to an RF reference voltage or an RF reference current , if the RF voltage or RF current is greater than the RF reference voltage or RF reference current, an arc alarm is output, wherein the arc alarm does not occur when the power is greater than about 2000 kW.

In some embodiments, wherein the deposition tank has a horizontal bottom surface and a vertical side surface, the vertical distance between the horizontal bottom surface and a bottom surface of the deposition ring is less than 2.24mm, and the vertical side surface and the inner periphery of the deposition ring The horizontal distance of the surface is greater than 1.45mm.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, including a processing chamber; a substrate support configured in the processing chamber and used to support the substrate; a deposition ring configured to surround the substrate support during the deposition process, the deposition ring having an inner peripheral surface, wherein the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface is from about 294.10 mm to about 294.20 mm, the deposition ring further includes at least one extension extending radially inwardly and configured to engage the recess of the substrate support, Wherein the thickness of the extension part is about 1.9 mm to about 2.1 mm; and the RF source is arranged above the processing chamber.

In some embodiments, wherein the deposition ring has a deposition groove, the deposition groove has a horizontal bottom surface and vertical side surfaces, the minimum vertical distance between the horizontal bottom surface and the bottom surface of the deposition ring is about 1.78mm to about 1.82mm, and the vertical A minimum horizontal distance of the side surfaces from the inner peripheral surface of the deposition ring is about 1.60 mm to about 1.64 mm.

In some embodiments, the deposition tank of the deposition ring has an arc-shaped surface, the arc-shaped surface connects the horizontal bottom surface and the vertical side surface, and the arc-shaped surface has a radius of curvature and a center of curvature, and the center of curvature is used as a reference , extending down a vertical line, where the angle between the radius of curvature and the vertical line is about 27 degrees to about 30 degrees, the radius of curvature and the arcuate surface have an intersection point, wherein the intersection point is perpendicular to a bottom surface of the deposition ring The distance is about 2.40 mm to about 2.41 mm, and the radius of curvature is about 2.65 mm to about 2.75 mm.

The foregoing summarizes features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

100: Semiconductor processing chamber 101: Chamber body 102: Adapter 103:Cluster tools 104: side wall 105: Substrate 106: bottom wall 108: Upper handling assembly 110: Processing area 120: base assembly 122: Lifting mechanism 123:Lift pin 124: Bellows 126: substrate support 126A: electrode 126R: concave 127: substrate receiving surface 128: Platform shell 129: Perimeter edge 130: cover assembly 132: target 133:Sputter surface 134: back area 136: ceramic target spacer 140: Power source 141: Impedance controller 142: gas source 143: Electrostatic chuck power supply 144: Conduit 146: exhaust port 147: gate valve 148:Exhaust duct 149: exhaust pump 151: inner ring 152: outer ring 154: seat 156: tapered part 157: Inner circumference end 159: Outer circumference surface 160: Ground shield 162: Internal surface 170:Staggered coverage ring 171: lips 173: coating 180: deposition ring 181: RF source 181A: RF power source 181B: RF matcher 182: DC source 182A:DC power supply 184: Center feed 185: conductive wall 186: shielding cover 189: Magnetic control system 190: System controller 191: cover shell 193: motor 200: subject 202: bottom surface 210: inner diameter 220: outer diameter 230A, 230B, 230C: extension 235: Circumferential surface 240: inner peripheral surface 245: transition surface 250: upper surface 260: deposition tank 261: upper edge 262: surface 263: surface 264: surface 300: RF sensor 400A, 400B, 400C: part 600: Computer system 601: computer 602: keyboard 603: mouse 604: display 605:CD player 606:Disk drive 611: MPU 612:ROM 613: RAM 614: hard disk 615: busbar 621:CD 622:Disk X, Y, Z: direction α, β: angle θ: included angle C-C: line C: Center of curvature D1, D2, D3: distance T1: Thickness R: radius of curvature

Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following Detailed Description when read with the accompanying figures. Note that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A is a top view of components of a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of components of a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of components of a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of components of a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a method of operating a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 5A to 5B are cross-sectional views of components of a semiconductor processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure under different process steps. FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are schematic diagrams of computer systems of some embodiments of the present disclosure.

126: substrate support

180: deposition ring

200: subject

202: bottom surface

240: inner peripheral surface

260: deposition tank

261: upper edge

262: surface

263: surface

264: surface

θ: included angle

C: Center of curvature

D1, D2, D3: distance

R: radius of curvature

Claims (7)

A method of using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, comprising: moving a substrate over a substrate support in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate support is surrounded by a deposition ring; performing a deposition process by depositing a material of the target onto the substrate by bombarding a target within the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein during the deposition process, the material of the target is deposited into a deposition tank of the deposition ring, wherein A minimum vertical distance of the deposition material from a bottom surface of the deposition ring is from about 1.78 mm to about 1.82 mm, wherein a minimum horizontal distance of the deposition material from an inner peripheral surface of the deposition ring is from about 1.60 mm to about 1.64 mm mm, wherein the deposition groove has an arcuate surface close to the inner peripheral surface of the deposition ring, the arcuate surface has a radius of curvature ranging from about 2.65 mm to about 2.75 mm; and stopping the deposition process and removing the substrate from the semiconductor processing chamber. The method for using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber as described in Claim 1, wherein the arc-shaped surface has a center of curvature, and with the center of curvature as a reference, a vertical line extends downward, between the radius of curvature and the vertical line The included angle is about 27 degrees to about 30 degrees, the radius of curvature and the arc-shaped surface have an intersection point, wherein a perpendicular distance between the deposition material and the bottom surface of the deposition ring at the intersection point is about 2.40 mm to about 2.41mm. The use of the physical vapor deposition reaction chamber as described in claim item 1 The method wherein the material of the target has a first portion deposited onto one side surface of the substrate and a second portion deposited into the deposition groove of the deposition ring, the method further comprising adjusting the semiconductor processing chamber A power of an RF source above the chamber, wherein the first portion of the material remains separated from the second portion when the power is greater than about 2000 kilowatts. A method of using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber, comprising: moving a substrate over a substrate support in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the substrate support is surrounded by a deposition ring, the deposition ring has a main body and is located on the main body A sump in the body, wherein a minimum vertical distance between a horizontal surface of the sump and a bottom surface of the body is from about 1.78 mm to about 1.82 mm, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the body and a minimum of the sump The horizontal distance is about 1.60mm to about 1.64mm, wherein the sedimentation groove of the sedimentation ring has an arc-shaped surface connected to the horizontal surface, the arc-shaped surface is close to the inner peripheral surface of the main body, the arc-shaped surface having a radius of curvature ranging from about 2.65 mm to about 2.75 mm; performing a deposition process that deposits a material of the target onto the substrate by bombarding a target within the semiconductor processing chamber , wherein during the deposition process, the material of the target has a first portion deposited onto one side surface of the substrate, and a second portion deposited into the deposition groove of the deposition ring; adjusting the semiconductor processing chamber a power of an RF source above the chamber, wherein the first portion of the material remains separated from the second portion when the power is greater than about 2000 kilowatts; and The deposition process is stopped and the substrate is removed from the semiconductor processing chamber. The method for using a physical vapor deposition reaction chamber as described in claim 4, further comprising: using an RF sensor to measure an RF voltage or an RF current around the substrate support; and measuring the measured RF voltage or The RF current is compared to an RF reference voltage or an RF reference current, and if the RF voltage or the RF current is greater than the RF reference voltage or RF reference current, an arc alarm is output, wherein the power is greater than about 2000 kWh , the arc alarm did not appear. A physical vapor deposition reaction chamber comprising: a processing chamber; a substrate support configured in the processing chamber for supporting a substrate; a deposition ring configured to surround the substrate support during a deposition process, The deposition ring has an inner peripheral surface, wherein an inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface is about 294.10 mm to about 294.20 mm, and the deposition ring further includes at least one extension extending radially inward and disposed on Fitting a recess of the substrate support, wherein the extension has a thickness of about 1.9 mm to about 2.1 mm, wherein the deposition ring has a deposition groove having a horizontal bottom surface and a vertical side surface, the a minimum vertical distance between the horizontal bottom surface and a bottom surface of the deposition ring of about 1.78 mm to about 1.82 mm, and a distance between the vertical side surface and the inner peripheral surface of the deposition ring A minimum horizontal distance is about 1.60mm to about 1.64mm, wherein the sedimentation groove of the sedimentation ring has an arcuate surface connecting the horizontal bottom surface and the vertical side surface, the arcuate surface has a radius of curvature, the The radius of curvature is about 2.65mm to about 2.75mm; and an RF source is disposed above the processing chamber. The physical vapor deposition reaction chamber as described in claim 6, wherein the arc-shaped surface has a center of curvature, and a vertical line extends downwards based on the center of curvature, and the included angle between the radius of curvature and the vertical line is At about 27 degrees to about 30 degrees, the radius of curvature and the arcuate surface have an intersection point, wherein a perpendicular distance between the intersection point and the bottom surface of the deposition ring is about 2.40 mm to about 2.41 mm.

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