US20100095891A1 - Method and apparatus for cleaning a cvd chamber - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for cleaning a cvd chamber Download PDFInfo
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- US20100095891A1 US20100095891A1 US12/684,039 US68403910A US2010095891A1 US 20100095891 A1 US20100095891 A1 US 20100095891A1 US 68403910 A US68403910 A US 68403910A US 2010095891 A1 US2010095891 A1 US 2010095891A1
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- showerhead
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 117
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 67
- 238000005229 chemical vapour deposition Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 40
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 claims description 37
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 claims description 19
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 claims description 18
- 238000000623 plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 claims description 7
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- 229920001721 polyimide Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium oxide Inorganic materials [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Al+3].[Al+3] PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000919 ceramic Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052593 corundum Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
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- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims 2
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- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 abstract description 16
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- NJPPVKZQTLUDBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N novaluron Chemical compound C1=C(Cl)C(OC(F)(F)C(OC(F)(F)F)F)=CC=C1NC(=O)NC(=O)C1=C(F)C=CC=C1F NJPPVKZQTLUDBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 38
- 235000012431 wafers Nutrition 0.000 description 13
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- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 6
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- 239000001307 helium Substances 0.000 description 5
- 229910052734 helium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
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- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
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- 238000005215 recombination Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000006798 recombination Effects 0.000 description 4
- VZGDMQKNWNREIO-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrachloromethane Chemical compound ClC(Cl)(Cl)Cl VZGDMQKNWNREIO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 description 3
- -1 e.g. Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fluorine Chemical compound FF PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910018503 SF6 Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicium dioxide Chemical compound O=[Si]=O VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005137 deposition process Methods 0.000 description 2
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- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- KLZUFWVZNOTSEM-UHFFFAOYSA-K Aluminium flouride Chemical compound F[Al](F)F KLZUFWVZNOTSEM-UHFFFAOYSA-K 0.000 description 1
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
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- WRQGPGZATPOHHX-UHFFFAOYSA-N ethyl 2-oxohexanoate Chemical compound CCCCC(=O)C(=O)OCC WRQGPGZATPOHHX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910001092 metal group alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012805 post-processing Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- SFZCNBIFKDRMGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N sulfur hexafluoride Chemical compound FS(F)(F)(F)(F)F SFZCNBIFKDRMGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229960000909 sulfur hexafluoride Drugs 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
- C23C16/4401—Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber
- C23C16/4405—Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
- C23C16/458—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
- C23C16/46—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating characterised by the method used for heating the substrate
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
- H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
- H01J37/32009—Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources
- H01J37/32082—Radio frequency generated discharge
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
- H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
- H01J37/32431—Constructional details of the reactor
- H01J37/32798—Further details of plasma apparatus not provided for in groups H01J37/3244 - H01J37/32788; special provisions for cleaning or maintenance of the apparatus
- H01J37/32853—Hygiene
- H01J37/32862—In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
- H01L21/67098—Apparatus for thermal treatment
- H01L21/67103—Apparatus for thermal treatment mainly by conduction
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to semiconductor substrate processing systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for performing deposition processes in semiconductor substrate processing systems.
- CVD processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or plasma enhanced CVD processes are used to deposit films of various materials upon semiconductor substrates.
- CVD processes are collectively referred to as CVD processes.
- CVD processes chemical reactions used for depositing a desired material take place in an enclosed process chamber.
- residue comprising this material, as well as by-products of the CVD process, accumulates on the internal walls and other components of the process chamber.
- the residue builds up, as more substrates are processed in the chamber, and leads to generation of particles and other contaminants and, as such, to degradation of the deposited films. Consequently, it is recommended to clean the interior of the CVD chamber on a regular basis.
- a cleaning gas e.g., fluorine (F) based gas
- F fluorine
- the cleaning gas is energized to a plasma within a remote plasma source that forms and releases into the CVD chamber free radicals and ionic species of the cleaning gas.
- the radicals and ionic species chemically react with the residue and transform the residue into volatile compounds.
- the volatile compounds are then evacuated from the chamber.
- the cleaning gas is energized to the plasma inside the CVD chamber using a radio-frequency (RF) plasma source and, as such, the free radicals and ionic species of the cleaning gas can attack the residue and internal parts of the chamber both chemically and physically.
- RF radio-frequency
- the free radicals and ionic species of the cleaning plasma readily recombine within the CVD chamber during a cleaning procedure. Recombination of the free radicals and ionic species results in formation of reactive species that may chemically react with the material (e.g., aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and the like) of components of the CVD chamber, e.g., a gas distribution plate, a susceptor (substrate pedestal), a substrate heater, a protective lining, and the like.
- the material e.g., aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and the like
- components of the CVD chamber e.g., a gas distribution plate, a susceptor (substrate pedestal), a substrate heater, a protective lining, and the like.
- a gas distribution plate e.g., aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and the like
- a susceptor substrate pedestal
- substrate heater e.g., a substrate heater
- protective lining e.g., aluminum ionic bombardment
- the present invention is a method and apparatus for cleaning a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber with minimal damage to the internal parts.
- the method uses cleaning gas energized to RF plasma in a volume separated by an electrode from a reaction volume of the chamber.
- a source of RF power is coupled to a lid of the chamber, while a switch is used to couple a gas distribution plate to ground terminals or the source of RF power.
- FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a plasma processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention
- FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a cleaning process in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 3 is a table summarizing the processing parameters of one embodiment of the present invention when practiced using the apparatus of FIG. 1 .
- the present invention is a method and apparatus for plasma cleaning, with minimal damage to the internal parts, a process chamber of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor or a plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) reactor.
- CVD chemical vapor deposition
- PECVD plasma enhanced CVD
- either reactor is referred to as a CVD reactor.
- FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary CVD reactor 100 , which may be used to perform a cleaning process in accordance with the present invention.
- the images in FIG. 1 are simplified for illustrative purposes and are not depicted to scale.
- An example of the CVD reactor that may used to perform the invention is the PRODUCER® Reactor, available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.
- the PRODUCER® Reactor is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent No. 5,855,681, issued Jan. 5, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- the PRODUCER® Reactor comprises a CVD chamber having two isolated processing regions. Each of the processing regions may be used to deposit dielectric and other materials.
- FIG. 1 depicts one processing region as a process chamber 102 .
- CVD reactors and chambers may also be used to practice the invention, e.g., the CVD chamber disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,954 B2, issued Apr. 2, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference. This chamber is available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. under the trademark DXZ®.
- the reactor 100 comprises the process chamber 102 , a source 131 of radio-frequency (RF) power, a gas panel 108 , a source 136 of backside gas, a heater power supply 106 , a vacuum pump 104 , support systems 107 , and a controller 110 .
- the reactor 100 may comprise at least one optional plasma magnetizing solenoid, an optional source of substrate RF bias, and an optional remote plasma source (all not shown).
- the process chamber 102 generally is a vacuum vessel, which comprises a first portion 103 and a second portion 105 .
- the first portion 103 is coupled to the vacuum pump 104 and comprises a substrate pedestal 126 , a protective lining 113 , and a sidewall 158 .
- the second portion 105 is coupled to the gas panel 108 and comprises a lid 112 .
- the lid 112 further comprises an optional blocking plate 164 and a gas distribution plate (showerhead) 120 , which defines a gas mixing volume 152 and a reaction volume 154 .
- the lid 112 , the blocking plate 164 , and the showerhead 120 , as well as the sidewall 158 are formed from at least one conductive material, such as metal (e.g., aluminum (Al) and the like) or metal alloy (e.g., stainless steel and the like).
- the substrate pedestal 126 and the protective lining 113 may be formed from or comprise sub-components that are formed from the at least one of such conductive materials.
- the referred to components of the process chamber 102 may also comprise portions and/or sub-components formed from non-conductive materials (e.g., ceramic, polyimide, and the like) or from any combination of conductive and non-conductive materials. As such, scope of the present invention is not limited to the process chamber 102 having components formed entirely from conductive materials.
- the substrate pedestal 126 is used to support a substrate 128 (e.g., 300 mm silicon (Si) wafer) during a CVD process.
- the substrate pedestal 126 comprises an embedded resistive heater 130 to heat the substrate pedestal.
- the substrate pedestal 126 may comprise a source of radiant heat (not shown), such as gas-filled lamps and the like.
- An embedded temperature sensor 132 e.g., a thermocouple, monitors, in a conventional manner, the temperature of the substrate pedestal 126 . The measured temperature is used in a feedback loop to regulate the output of the heater power supply 106 that is coupled to the heater 130 or, alternatively, to the gas-filled lamps.
- the support pedestal 126 further comprises a gas supply conduit 137 , which provides gas, e.g., helium, from a source 136 to the backside of the wafer 128 through grooves (not shown) in the support surface of the pedestal.
- the gas facilitates heat exchange between the support pedestal 126 and the wafer 128 .
- the temperature of the wafer 128 may be controlled between about 200 and 800 degrees Celsius.
- the gas panel 108 comprises process and cleaning gases, as well as equipment for regulating the flow of each gas.
- a process gas or gas mixture
- a cleaning gas is delivered from the gas panel 108 into the process chamber 102 through an inlet port 160 disposed in the lid 112 .
- gas and “gas mixture” are used interchangeably.
- the inlet port 160 is fluidly connected to a first plenum 162 , where gases may diffuse radially across the optional blocking plate 164 , as indicated by arrows 167 .
- the process gas and/or cleaning gas may by delivered into the process chamber 102 through a separate inlet port (not shown) in the lid or showerhead.
- the process or cleaning gas passes through apertures 168 in the blocking plate 164 and enters a second plenum 166 that is formed between the showerhead 120 and the blocking plate 164 .
- the showerhead 120 fluidly connects the second plenum 166 to the reaction volume 154 via a plurality of apertures 172 .
- the showerhead 120 may comprise different zones such that various gases can be released into the reaction volume 154 at various flow rates.
- the vacuum pump 104 is adapted to an exhaust port 186 formed in the sidewall 158 of the process chamber 102 .
- the vacuum pump 104 is used to maintain a desired gas pressure in the process chamber 102 , as well as evacuate post-processing gases and other volatile compounds (i.e., during a cleaning process discussed below) from the process chamber.
- the vacuum pump 104 comprises a throttle valve (not shown) to control gas conductance in a path between the pump and the chamber. Gas pressure in the process chamber 102 is monitored by a pressure sensor 118 . The measured value is used in a feedback loop to control the gas pressure during processing the wafer 128 or during the cleaning process.
- the source 131 comprises a RF generator 134 and an associated matching network 135 .
- the generator 134 may generally be tuned in a range from about 50 KHz to 13.56 MHz to produce up to 3000 W.
- the source 131 i.e., the RF generator 134 and matching network 135
- the process chamber 102 are coupled to the same ground terminal 184 , such as the sidewall 158 .
- the ground terminal 184 may further be electrically coupled (i.e., short-circuited) to a common ground reference of a semiconductor substrate processing system, which encompasses the reactor 100 .
- the showerhead 120 and the substrate pedestal 126 together form a pair of spaced apart electrodes.
- gas in the reaction volume 154 is ignited into a plasma.
- the reactor 100 is configured to perform a CVD process.
- the RF power may be applied to the showerhead 120 , while the substrate pedestal 126 is coupled to the ground terminal 184 .
- a ground reference 183 of the source 131 and the ground terminal 184 of the process chamber 102 are coupled together.
- the process chamber 102 further comprises a switch 180 .
- a common contact (i.e., contact C) of the switch 180 is coupled to the showerhead 120 , while one of selectable contacts (e.g., contact A) is coupled to the lid 112 and the other selectable contact (e.g., contact B) is coupled to the ground terminal 184 .
- the source 131 applies RF power to the lid 112 , while the lid 112 is electrically coupled to the blocking plate 164 .
- the showerhead 120 is electrically isolated within the second portion 105 (i.e., from the blocking plate 164 and lid 112 ) and from the first portion 103 using, e.g., isolators 174 and 176 , respectively.
- the sidewall 158 and, optionally, the substrate pedestal 126 are electrically coupled to the connected together ground reference 183 and ground terminal 184 .
- the isolators 174 and 176 may be conventionally formed, e.g., from at least one dielectric material such as alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), polyimide, and the like.
- the isolators 174 and 176 are also formed such that vacuum performance of the process chamber 102 is maintained, e.g., each isolator may be adapted to O-ring or other seal generally used in a vacuumed vessel, such as the process chamber 102 , to vacuumize the interior of the vessel.
- the switch 180 is generally a double-throw switch. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, that such connections may be performed using, e.g., two single-throw switches and the like.
- the switch 180 When the switch 180 is set to a first position SW 1 , the switch provides a short circuit between the lid 112 (contact A) and the showerhead 120 (contact C).
- the switch 180 When the switch 180 is set to a second position SW 2 , the switch provides a short circuit between the showerhead 120 (contact C) and the ground terminal 184 (contact B).
- the sidewall 158 is formed from a conductive material, e.g., aluminum
- the second position SW 2 also corresponds to a short circuit between the showerhead 120 and the sidewall 158 .
- connections to contacts A, B, and C are provided using conductors (e.g., wires, coaxial cables, and the like) of minimal impedance and length.
- the switch 180 may comprise more than one set of contacts such as contacts A, B, and C to enhance the operation of the switch (e.g., reduce contact resistance between contacts C and A in the first position SW 1 or between contacts or C and B the a second position SW 2 ).
- the switch 180 may be operated manually or, alternatively, by an actuator 182 (e.g., a solenoid, linear motor, and the like), controlled, e.g., by the controller 110 .
- the controller 110 using the actuator 182 , may set the switch 180 to the first position SW 1 , to the second position SW 2 , or trigger the switch from one such position to another.
- the process chamber 102 is configured for performing a CVD or PECVD process. During such process, the process gas is supplied into the chamber.
- the process chamber 102 performs a CVD process, no RF power is applied to the process chamber 102 (i.e., to the lid 112 and, respectively, to the showerhead 120 ). As such, during the CVD process, no plasma is developed in the chamber 102 .
- the source 131 applies RF power to lid 112 (coupled further to the blocking plate 164 ) and the showerhead 120 , and, as such, energizes the process gas to a plasma in the reaction volume 154 .
- the process chamber 102 is configured for performing a cleaning process.
- cleaning gas is delivered into the chamber.
- the source 131 applies RF power to the lid 112 (coupled further to the blocking plate 164 ), while the showerhead 120 is isolated from the lid and coupled to the ground terminal 184 .
- the lid 112 (together with the blocking plate 164 ) and the showerhead 120 form a pair of spaced apart electrodes.
- the cleaning gas is energized to a plasma in the gas mixing plenum 152 , however, no gas is energized to a plasma in the reaction volume 154 .
- an isolator may be installed to isolate the lid 112 from the blocking plate 164 .
- the showerhead 120 is electrically coupled to the blocking plate 164
- the isolator 176 isolates the showerhead 120 from the first portion 103 .
- the process gas may be energized to a plasma in the reaction volume 154 , as discussed above in reference to FIG. 1 .
- the source 131 may energize the cleaning gas to a plasma within the first mixing plenum 162 using the blocking plate 164 as the electrode, while no gas is energized to the plasma in the reaction volume 154 or gas mixing plenum 152 .
- the process chamber 102 also comprises conventional systems for retaining and releasing the wafer 128 , detection of an end of a process, internal diagnostics, and the like. Such systems are collectively depicted in FIG. 1 as support systems 107 .
- the controller 110 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 124 , a memory 116 , and a support circuit 114 .
- the CPU 124 may be of any form of a general purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial setting.
- the software routines can be stored in the memory 116 , such as random access memory, read only memory, floppy or hard disk drive, or other form of digital storage.
- the support circuit 114 is conventionally coupled to the CPU 124 and may comprise cache, clock circuits, input/output sub-systems, power supplies, and the like.
- the software routines when executed by the CPU 124 , transform the CPU into a specific purpose computer (controller) 110 that controls the reactor 100 such that the processes are performed in accordance with the present invention.
- the software routines may also be stored and/or executed by a second controller (not shown) that is located remotely from the reactor 100 .
- FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method of cleaning the chamber 102 as a method 200 .
- the method 200 is performed after the process chamber 102 has accumulated post-CVD deposits that should be removed before further processing may be performed in the chamber.
- the method 200 starts at step 202 and ends at step 218 .
- a CVD (or PECVD) process is terminated in the chamber 102 .
- Step 204 terminates supplying power from the source 131 (PECVD process) and from the heater power supply 106 .
- the heater power supply 106 may continue applying power during the following cleaning process to maintain the substrate pedestal 126 at a predetermined temperature.
- step 204 stops supplying the process gas and the backside gas (e.g., helium). When pressure of the backside gas behind the wafer 128 becomes approximately equal to the gas pressure in the process chamber 102 , step 204 releases the wafer 128 from the support pedestal 126 and removes the wafer out of the process chamber 102 .
- the backside gas e.g., helium
- Step 204 uses pump 104 to evacuate any traces of the process gas from the process chamber 102 and, as such, establishes vacuum in the chamber.
- the switch 180 is set to the first position SW 1 , corresponding to a short circuit between the lid 112 and the showerhead 120 (described in reference to FIG. 1 above).
- the switch 180 is set to the second position SW 2 , corresponding to a short circuit between the showerhead 120 and the ground terminal 184 , as described above in reference to FIG. 1 .
- the cleaning gas is supplied, e.g., via the inlet port 160 , into the process chamber 102 from the gas panel 108 .
- the cleaning gas comprises at least one gas such as nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) and a carrier gas such as at least one of helium (He), argon (Ar) and the like.
- Other cleaning gases may comprise fluorine (F 2 ), sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ), fluorocarbons (e.g., C 2 F 6 , C 2 F 4 , and the like), carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), hexachlorocarbide (C 2 Cl 6 ), and the like.
- step 206 additionally applies power from the heater power supply 106 to the resistive heater 130 (or an optional source of radiant heat).
- step 208 supplies nitrogen trifluoride at a flow rate of about 500 to 6000 sccm, as well as helium at a flow rate of about 0 to 3000 sccm (i.e., a NF 3 :He flow ratio ranging from 1:0 to 1:6).
- Step 208 also maintains gas pressure in the process chamber 102 between 1 and 6 torr and temperature of the support pedestal 126 between 200 and 450 degrees Celsius.
- One specific recipe supplies approximately 750 sccm of NF 3 and 500 sccm of He (i.e., a NF 3 :He flow ratio of about 1:0.7), and maintains gas pressure at about 1.6 torr and temperature of the support pedestal at about 350 degrees Celsius.
- step 208 may be performed before step 206 . Further, steps 206 and 208 may be performed contemporaneously.
- the source 131 supplies RF power to the lid 112 , thus energizing the cleaning gas to a plasma within the gas mixing plenum 152 .
- the plasma dissociates the cleaning gas and produces free radicals and ionic species that can effectively transform the post-CVD residue in volatile compounds.
- the free radicals and ionic species are chemically almost inert towards the materials (e.g., aluminum) used to form internal parts of the chamber 102 (e.g., the substrate pedestal 126 , lining 113 , and the like).
- a mixture of the free radicals and ionic species is further dispersed by the showerhead 120 into the reaction volume 154 . From the reaction volume 154 , the mixture propagates into other areas of the process chamber 102 and removes the post-CVD residue therein. A portion of the mixture also migrates into the first mixing plenum 162 and removes the residue from surfaces of the plenum.
- the plasma of the cleaning gas is struck in close proximity to the showerhead 120 , and, as such, recombination of the free radicals and ionic species in the reaction volume 154 is minimal. Specifically, the recombination is minimal in the apertures 172 and 168 , as well as within the entire internal volume of the process chamber 102 .
- the recombination of the free radicals and ionic species may further be reduced by controlling the power and frequency of the source 131 .
- a level of RF power generally depends upon the thickness of accumulated post-CVD residue (deposits), chemistry of the cleaning gas, a predetermined duration of the cleaning process, a showerhead design, and the like.
- step 210 applies about 500 to 2500 W of RF power at 13.56 MHz, while one specific recipe applies 1000 W.
- the cleaning process is performed in the process chamber 102 .
- reactive components of the cleaning gas i.e., free radicals and ionic species
- etch the post-CVD deposits and transform the deposits into volatile compounds.
- the volatile compounds are then evacuated from the chamber through the exhaust port 186 using the vacuum pump 104 .
- a duration of step 212 continues until the deposits are removed from internal parts of the process chamber 102 .
- the inventive method is used to clean the CVD chamber after a layer of low-k (i.e., low dielectric constant) dielectric material, such as, e.g., carbon doped silicon oxide, has been deposited upon about 2400 wafers.
- low-k dielectric constant dielectric material such as, e.g., carbon doped silicon oxide
- the carbon doped silicon oxide may be deposited by methods known in the art, such as methods disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/820,463, filed Mar. 28, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- cleaning gas comprises nitrogen trifluoride and helium
- a duration of the cleaning process of step 212 is between 2 and 6 minutes.
- the etch rate during the cleaning process is between about 120 and 250 Angstroms/sec, while the RF power from the source 131 is controlled in a range from about 500 to 1500 W. In one embodiment, the etch rate was about 195 Angstroms/sec at 1000 W.
- the invention substantially improved performance of a conventional cleaning process.
- the service interval i.e., a number of wafers processed in the process chamber between two consecutive cleaning processes
- the invention improved throughput and productivity of the CVD chamber.
- the cleaning gas and RF power may be provided intermittently.
- the cleaning gas and RF power are provided (i.e., active) during a first period of time and turned off (i.e., inactive) during a second period of time.
- the cleaning process etches the deposits, transforms deposits into volatile compounds, and evacuates such compounds from the process chamber.
- the cleaning process restores vacuum in the process chamber.
- Such cycles of etching the post-CVD deposits and vacuum restoration are repeated until the deposits are removed from internal parts of the chamber.
- a duration of the first period is between 2 and 6 minutes, while the second period has a duration between 0 and 6 minutes.
- the cleaning gas and RF power are provided for about 4 minutes, and then interrupted for approximately 4 minutes, i.e., the cleaning gas and RF power are active, together, with a duty cycle of about 50%.
- step 214 the cleaning process is terminated. Specifically, step 214 stops applying RF power from the source 131 , as well as stops supplying the cleaning gas into the process chamber 102 . As such, step 214 terminates plasma of the cleaning gas in the gas mixing plenum 152 and restores vacuum in the chamber.
- the heater power supply 106 may continue applying power to the resistive heater 130 to maintain the substrate pedestal 126 at a predetermined temperature, or may be shut off.
- step 216 the switch 180 is returned to the first position SW 1 . Similar to steps 206 and 208 , in an alternative embodiment, steps 214 and 216 may be performed contemporaneously. At step 218 , the method 200 ends.
- FIG. 3 presents a table summarizing parameters through which one can practice the invention using the reactor of FIG. 1 .
- the parameters for the embodiment of the invention presented above are summarized in FIG. 3 .
- the process ranges and exemplary process data are also presented in FIG. 3 . It should be understood, however, that the use of a different CVD reactor or CVD process may necessitate different process parameter values and ranges.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for cleaning a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber using cleaning gas energized to a plasma in a gas mixing volume separated by an electrode from a reaction volume of the chamber. In one embodiment, a source of RF power is coupled to a lid of the chamber, while a switch is used to couple a showerhead to ground terminals or the source of RF power.
Description
- This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/372,312 (APPM/007660.001), filed Feb. 17, 2009, which is is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/354,214 (APPM/007660), filed Jan. 27, 2003, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,445, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention generally relates to semiconductor substrate processing systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for performing deposition processes in semiconductor substrate processing systems.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- In the fabrication of integrated circuits, deposition processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or plasma enhanced CVD processes are used to deposit films of various materials upon semiconductor substrates. Herein such processes are collectively referred to as CVD processes. During a CVD process, chemical reactions used for depositing a desired material take place in an enclosed process chamber. When the material is deposited on the substrate, residue comprising this material, as well as by-products of the CVD process, accumulates on the internal walls and other components of the process chamber. The residue builds up, as more substrates are processed in the chamber, and leads to generation of particles and other contaminants and, as such, to degradation of the deposited films. Consequently, it is recommended to clean the interior of the CVD chamber on a regular basis.
- When chamber cleaning is performed, production of the integrated circuits is temporarily interrupted. As a result, productivity of the CVD process, as measured by substrate throughput, decreases. In order to increase the productivity, it is necessary to facilitate a cleaning process that increases a number of substrates that may be processed before a need in chamber cleaning arises, as well as to decrease the duration of the cleaning process.
- Generally, two types of methods are used to clean the CVD chambers. Both methods use a cleaning gas (e.g., fluorine (F) based gas) to remove post-CVD residue from the interior of the chamber and may be performed without opening the chamber, i.e., in situ.
- In the first cleaning method, the cleaning gas is energized to a plasma within a remote plasma source that forms and releases into the CVD chamber free radicals and ionic species of the cleaning gas. In the CVD chamber, the radicals and ionic species chemically react with the residue and transform the residue into volatile compounds. The volatile compounds are then evacuated from the chamber. One such method is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/122,481, filed Apr. 12, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- In the cleaning second method, the cleaning gas is energized to the plasma inside the CVD chamber using a radio-frequency (RF) plasma source and, as such, the free radicals and ionic species of the cleaning gas can attack the residue and internal parts of the chamber both chemically and physically.
- In the prior art, the free radicals and ionic species of the cleaning plasma readily recombine within the CVD chamber during a cleaning procedure. Recombination of the free radicals and ionic species results in formation of reactive species that may chemically react with the material (e.g., aluminum (Al), stainless steel, and the like) of components of the CVD chamber, e.g., a gas distribution plate, a susceptor (substrate pedestal), a substrate heater, a protective lining, and the like. During the cleaning process, such chemical reactions, as well as physical bombardment (e.g., an ionic bombardment) of the internal parts, may cause damage to the CVD chamber. Further, in many applications, these chemical reactions can produce non-volatile residue-like deposits (e.g., aluminum fluoride (AlF3)), which also may contaminate the substrates during the following CVD processing of the substrates.
- Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for cleaning a CVD chamber with minimal damage to the internal parts.
- The present invention is a method and apparatus for cleaning a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber with minimal damage to the internal parts. The method uses cleaning gas energized to RF plasma in a volume separated by an electrode from a reaction volume of the chamber. In one embodiment, a source of RF power is coupled to a lid of the chamber, while a switch is used to couple a gas distribution plate to ground terminals or the source of RF power.
- The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a plasma processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a cleaning process in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 3 is a table summarizing the processing parameters of one embodiment of the present invention when practiced using the apparatus ofFIG. 1 . - To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.
- It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
- The present invention is a method and apparatus for plasma cleaning, with minimal damage to the internal parts, a process chamber of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor or a plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) reactor. Herein either reactor is referred to as a CVD reactor.
-
FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of anexemplary CVD reactor 100, which may be used to perform a cleaning process in accordance with the present invention. The images inFIG. 1 are simplified for illustrative purposes and are not depicted to scale. An example of the CVD reactor that may used to perform the invention is the PRODUCER® Reactor, available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. The PRODUCER® Reactor is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent No. 5,855,681, issued Jan. 5, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. The PRODUCER® Reactor comprises a CVD chamber having two isolated processing regions. Each of the processing regions may be used to deposit dielectric and other materials.FIG. 1 depicts one processing region as aprocess chamber 102. - Other CVD reactors and chambers may also be used to practice the invention, e.g., the CVD chamber disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,954 B2, issued Apr. 2, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference. This chamber is available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. under the trademark DXZ®.
- The
reactor 100 comprises theprocess chamber 102, asource 131 of radio-frequency (RF) power, agas panel 108, asource 136 of backside gas, aheater power supply 106, avacuum pump 104,support systems 107, and acontroller 110. In other embodiments, thereactor 100 may comprise at least one optional plasma magnetizing solenoid, an optional source of substrate RF bias, and an optional remote plasma source (all not shown). - The
process chamber 102 generally is a vacuum vessel, which comprises afirst portion 103 and asecond portion 105. In one embodiment, thefirst portion 103 is coupled to thevacuum pump 104 and comprises asubstrate pedestal 126, aprotective lining 113, and asidewall 158. Thesecond portion 105 is coupled to thegas panel 108 and comprises alid 112. Thelid 112 further comprises anoptional blocking plate 164 and a gas distribution plate (showerhead) 120, which defines agas mixing volume 152 and areaction volume 154. - In one embodiment, the
lid 112, the blockingplate 164, and theshowerhead 120, as well as thesidewall 158, are formed from at least one conductive material, such as metal (e.g., aluminum (Al) and the like) or metal alloy (e.g., stainless steel and the like). Further, thesubstrate pedestal 126 and theprotective lining 113 may be formed from or comprise sub-components that are formed from the at least one of such conductive materials. The referred to components of theprocess chamber 102 may also comprise portions and/or sub-components formed from non-conductive materials (e.g., ceramic, polyimide, and the like) or from any combination of conductive and non-conductive materials. As such, scope of the present invention is not limited to theprocess chamber 102 having components formed entirely from conductive materials. - The
substrate pedestal 126 is used to support a substrate 128 (e.g., 300 mm silicon (Si) wafer) during a CVD process. In one embodiment, thesubstrate pedestal 126 comprises an embeddedresistive heater 130 to heat the substrate pedestal. Alternatively, thesubstrate pedestal 126 may comprise a source of radiant heat (not shown), such as gas-filled lamps and the like. An embeddedtemperature sensor 132, e.g., a thermocouple, monitors, in a conventional manner, the temperature of thesubstrate pedestal 126. The measured temperature is used in a feedback loop to regulate the output of theheater power supply 106 that is coupled to theheater 130 or, alternatively, to the gas-filled lamps. - The
support pedestal 126 further comprises agas supply conduit 137, which provides gas, e.g., helium, from asource 136 to the backside of thewafer 128 through grooves (not shown) in the support surface of the pedestal. The gas facilitates heat exchange between thesupport pedestal 126 and thewafer 128. Using the backside gas, the temperature of thewafer 128 may be controlled between about 200 and 800 degrees Celsius. - The
gas panel 108 comprises process and cleaning gases, as well as equipment for regulating the flow of each gas. In one embodiment, a process gas (or gas mixture), as well as a cleaning gas, is delivered from thegas panel 108 into theprocess chamber 102 through aninlet port 160 disposed in thelid 112. Herein the terms “gas” and “gas mixture” are used interchangeably. Theinlet port 160 is fluidly connected to afirst plenum 162, where gases may diffuse radially across theoptional blocking plate 164, as indicated byarrows 167. Alternatively, the process gas and/or cleaning gas may by delivered into theprocess chamber 102 through a separate inlet port (not shown) in the lid or showerhead. - The process or cleaning gas passes through
apertures 168 in the blockingplate 164 and enters asecond plenum 166 that is formed between theshowerhead 120 and the blockingplate 164. Theshowerhead 120 fluidly connects thesecond plenum 166 to thereaction volume 154 via a plurality of apertures 172. Theshowerhead 120 may comprise different zones such that various gases can be released into thereaction volume 154 at various flow rates. - The
vacuum pump 104 is adapted to anexhaust port 186 formed in thesidewall 158 of theprocess chamber 102. Thevacuum pump 104 is used to maintain a desired gas pressure in theprocess chamber 102, as well as evacuate post-processing gases and other volatile compounds (i.e., during a cleaning process discussed below) from the process chamber. In one embodiment, thevacuum pump 104 comprises a throttle valve (not shown) to control gas conductance in a path between the pump and the chamber. Gas pressure in theprocess chamber 102 is monitored by apressure sensor 118. The measured value is used in a feedback loop to control the gas pressure during processing thewafer 128 or during the cleaning process. - The
source 131 comprises aRF generator 134 and an associatedmatching network 135. Thegenerator 134 may generally be tuned in a range from about 50 KHz to 13.56 MHz to produce up to 3000 W. In one embodiment, the source 131 (i.e., theRF generator 134 and matching network 135) and theprocess chamber 102 are coupled to thesame ground terminal 184, such as thesidewall 158. Theground terminal 184 may further be electrically coupled (i.e., short-circuited) to a common ground reference of a semiconductor substrate processing system, which encompasses thereactor 100. - The
showerhead 120 and thesubstrate pedestal 126 together form a pair of spaced apart electrodes. When RF power is applied to either one of such electrodes while the other one is coupled to the ground terminal 184 (e.g., the sidewall 158), gas in thereaction volume 154 is ignited into a plasma. When no RF power is provided to theshowerhead 120 and thesubstrate pedestal 126, thereactor 100 is configured to perform a CVD process. For example, to perform a PECVD process, the RF power may be applied to theshowerhead 120, while thesubstrate pedestal 126 is coupled to theground terminal 184. During the PECVD process, aground reference 183 of thesource 131 and theground terminal 184 of the process chamber 102 (e.g., sidewall 158) are coupled together. - To facilitate the cleaning process, the
process chamber 102 further comprises aswitch 180. A common contact (i.e., contact C) of theswitch 180 is coupled to theshowerhead 120, while one of selectable contacts (e.g., contact A) is coupled to thelid 112 and the other selectable contact (e.g., contact B) is coupled to theground terminal 184. - In one embodiment, the
source 131 applies RF power to thelid 112, while thelid 112 is electrically coupled to the blockingplate 164. In this embodiment, theshowerhead 120 is electrically isolated within the second portion 105 (i.e., from the blockingplate 164 and lid 112) and from thefirst portion 103 using, e.g.,isolators sidewall 158 and, optionally, thesubstrate pedestal 126, are electrically coupled to the connected togetherground reference 183 andground terminal 184. - The
isolators isolators process chamber 102 is maintained, e.g., each isolator may be adapted to O-ring or other seal generally used in a vacuumed vessel, such as theprocess chamber 102, to vacuumize the interior of the vessel. - The
switch 180 is generally a double-throw switch. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, that such connections may be performed using, e.g., two single-throw switches and the like. When theswitch 180 is set to a first position SW1, the switch provides a short circuit between the lid 112 (contact A) and the showerhead 120 (contact C). Similarly, when theswitch 180 is set to a second position SW2, the switch provides a short circuit between the showerhead 120 (contact C) and the ground terminal 184 (contact B). As such, when thesidewall 158 is formed from a conductive material, e.g., aluminum, the second position SW2 also corresponds to a short circuit between theshowerhead 120 and thesidewall 158. - For better performance, connections to contacts A, B, and C are provided using conductors (e.g., wires, coaxial cables, and the like) of minimal impedance and length. In one further embodiment, the
switch 180 may comprise more than one set of contacts such as contacts A, B, and C to enhance the operation of the switch (e.g., reduce contact resistance between contacts C and A in the first position SW1 or between contacts or C and B the a second position SW2). - The
switch 180 may be operated manually or, alternatively, by an actuator 182 (e.g., a solenoid, linear motor, and the like), controlled, e.g., by thecontroller 110. In the depicted embodiment, thecontroller 110, using theactuator 182, may set theswitch 180 to the first position SW1, to the second position SW2, or trigger the switch from one such position to another. - When the
switch 180 is set to the first position SW1, theprocess chamber 102 is configured for performing a CVD or PECVD process. During such process, the process gas is supplied into the chamber. When theprocess chamber 102 performs a CVD process, no RF power is applied to the process chamber 102 (i.e., to thelid 112 and, respectively, to the showerhead 120). As such, during the CVD process, no plasma is developed in thechamber 102. Alternatively, when theprocess chamber 102 performs a PECVD process, thesource 131 applies RF power to lid 112 (coupled further to the blocking plate 164) and theshowerhead 120, and, as such, energizes the process gas to a plasma in thereaction volume 154. - When the
switch 180 is set to the second position SW2, theprocess chamber 102 is configured for performing a cleaning process. During the cleaning process, cleaning gas is delivered into the chamber. When the cleaning process is performed, thesource 131 applies RF power to the lid 112 (coupled further to the blocking plate 164), while theshowerhead 120 is isolated from the lid and coupled to theground terminal 184. In this configuration, the lid 112 (together with the blocking plate 164) and theshowerhead 120 form a pair of spaced apart electrodes. When thesource 131 applies RF power to such electrodes, the cleaning gas is energized to a plasma in thegas mixing plenum 152, however, no gas is energized to a plasma in thereaction volume 154. - In one alternative embodiment (not shown), an isolator may be installed to isolate the
lid 112 from the blockingplate 164. In this embodiment, theshowerhead 120 is electrically coupled to the blockingplate 164, while theisolator 176 isolates theshowerhead 120 from thefirst portion 103. During the PECVD process (i.e., when theswitch 180 is set to the first position SW1 and thesource 131 applies RF power to the lid 112), the process gas may be energized to a plasma in thereaction volume 154, as discussed above in reference toFIG. 1 . During the cleaning process (i.e., when theswitch 180 is set to the second position SW2), thesource 131 may energize the cleaning gas to a plasma within thefirst mixing plenum 162 using theblocking plate 164 as the electrode, while no gas is energized to the plasma in thereaction volume 154 orgas mixing plenum 152. - The
process chamber 102 also comprises conventional systems for retaining and releasing thewafer 128, detection of an end of a process, internal diagnostics, and the like. Such systems are collectively depicted inFIG. 1 assupport systems 107. - The
controller 110 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 124, amemory 116, and asupport circuit 114. TheCPU 124 may be of any form of a general purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial setting. The software routines can be stored in thememory 116, such as random access memory, read only memory, floppy or hard disk drive, or other form of digital storage. Thesupport circuit 114 is conventionally coupled to theCPU 124 and may comprise cache, clock circuits, input/output sub-systems, power supplies, and the like. - The software routines, when executed by the
CPU 124, transform the CPU into a specific purpose computer (controller) 110 that controls thereactor 100 such that the processes are performed in accordance with the present invention. The software routines may also be stored and/or executed by a second controller (not shown) that is located remotely from thereactor 100. -
FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method of cleaning thechamber 102 as amethod 200. Generally, themethod 200 is performed after theprocess chamber 102 has accumulated post-CVD deposits that should be removed before further processing may be performed in the chamber. - The
method 200 starts atstep 202 and ends atstep 218. - At
step 204, a CVD (or PECVD) process is terminated in thechamber 102. Step 204 terminates supplying power from the source 131 (PECVD process) and from theheater power supply 106. Alternatively, theheater power supply 106 may continue applying power during the following cleaning process to maintain thesubstrate pedestal 126 at a predetermined temperature. Further, step 204 stops supplying the process gas and the backside gas (e.g., helium). When pressure of the backside gas behind thewafer 128 becomes approximately equal to the gas pressure in theprocess chamber 102, step 204 releases thewafer 128 from thesupport pedestal 126 and removes the wafer out of theprocess chamber 102. Step 204 uses pump 104 to evacuate any traces of the process gas from theprocess chamber 102 and, as such, establishes vacuum in the chamber. Duringstep 204, theswitch 180 is set to the first position SW1, corresponding to a short circuit between thelid 112 and the showerhead 120 (described in reference toFIG. 1 above). - At
step 206, theswitch 180 is set to the second position SW2, corresponding to a short circuit between theshowerhead 120 and theground terminal 184, as described above in reference toFIG. 1 . - At
step 208, the cleaning gas is supplied, e.g., via theinlet port 160, into theprocess chamber 102 from thegas panel 108. In one embodiment, the cleaning gas comprises at least one gas such as nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and a carrier gas such as at least one of helium (He), argon (Ar) and the like. Other cleaning gases may comprise fluorine (F2), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), fluorocarbons (e.g., C2F6, C2F4, and the like), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), hexachlorocarbide (C2Cl6), and the like. In one alternative embodiment, step 206 additionally applies power from theheater power supply 106 to the resistive heater 130 (or an optional source of radiant heat). - In one exemplary embodiment, step 208 supplies nitrogen trifluoride at a flow rate of about 500 to 6000 sccm, as well as helium at a flow rate of about 0 to 3000 sccm (i.e., a NF3:He flow ratio ranging from 1:0 to 1:6). Step 208 also maintains gas pressure in the
process chamber 102 between 1 and 6 torr and temperature of thesupport pedestal 126 between 200 and 450 degrees Celsius. One specific recipe supplies approximately 750 sccm of NF3 and 500 sccm of He (i.e., a NF3:He flow ratio of about 1:0.7), and maintains gas pressure at about 1.6 torr and temperature of the support pedestal at about 350 degrees Celsius. - In one alternative embodiment, step 208 may be performed before
step 206. Further, steps 206 and 208 may be performed contemporaneously. - At
step 210, thesource 131 supplies RF power to thelid 112, thus energizing the cleaning gas to a plasma within thegas mixing plenum 152. The plasma dissociates the cleaning gas and produces free radicals and ionic species that can effectively transform the post-CVD residue in volatile compounds. At the same time, the free radicals and ionic species are chemically almost inert towards the materials (e.g., aluminum) used to form internal parts of the chamber 102 (e.g., thesubstrate pedestal 126, lining 113, and the like). A mixture of the free radicals and ionic species is further dispersed by theshowerhead 120 into thereaction volume 154. From thereaction volume 154, the mixture propagates into other areas of theprocess chamber 102 and removes the post-CVD residue therein. A portion of the mixture also migrates into thefirst mixing plenum 162 and removes the residue from surfaces of the plenum. - The plasma of the cleaning gas is struck in close proximity to the
showerhead 120, and, as such, recombination of the free radicals and ionic species in thereaction volume 154 is minimal. Specifically, the recombination is minimal in theapertures 172 and 168, as well as within the entire internal volume of theprocess chamber 102. The recombination of the free radicals and ionic species may further be reduced by controlling the power and frequency of thesource 131. A level of RF power generally depends upon the thickness of accumulated post-CVD residue (deposits), chemistry of the cleaning gas, a predetermined duration of the cleaning process, a showerhead design, and the like. Similarly, the frequency of the applied RF power may depend on the chemical composition of the deposits and chemistry of the cleaning gas. In the exemplary embodiment discussed above,step 210 applies about 500 to 2500 W of RF power at 13.56 MHz, while one specific recipe applies 1000 W. - At
step 212, the cleaning process is performed in theprocess chamber 102. Duringstep 212, reactive components of the cleaning gas (i.e., free radicals and ionic species) etch the post-CVD deposits and transform the deposits into volatile compounds. The volatile compounds are then evacuated from the chamber through theexhaust port 186 using thevacuum pump 104. A duration ofstep 212 continues until the deposits are removed from internal parts of theprocess chamber 102. - In one exemplary application, the inventive method is used to clean the CVD chamber after a layer of low-k (i.e., low dielectric constant) dielectric material, such as, e.g., carbon doped silicon oxide, has been deposited upon about 2400 wafers. The carbon doped silicon oxide may be deposited by methods known in the art, such as methods disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/820,463, filed Mar. 28, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the exemplary embodiment when cleaning gas comprises nitrogen trifluoride and helium, a duration of the cleaning process of
step 212 is between 2 and 6 minutes. In this application, the etch rate during the cleaning process is between about 120 and 250 Angstroms/sec, while the RF power from thesource 131 is controlled in a range from about 500 to 1500 W. In one embodiment, the etch rate was about 195 Angstroms/sec at 1000 W. - The invention substantially improved performance of a conventional cleaning process. Using the invention, the service interval (i.e., a number of wafers processed in the process chamber between two consecutive cleaning processes) was increased for this application from about 2,400 wafers to approximately 10,000 wafers. As such, the invention improved throughput and productivity of the CVD chamber.
- In an alternative embodiment, during
step 212, the cleaning gas and RF power may be provided intermittently. In this embodiment, the cleaning gas and RF power are provided (i.e., active) during a first period of time and turned off (i.e., inactive) during a second period of time. As such, during the first period, the cleaning process etches the deposits, transforms deposits into volatile compounds, and evacuates such compounds from the process chamber. Then, during the second period, the cleaning process restores vacuum in the process chamber. Such cycles of etching the post-CVD deposits and vacuum restoration are repeated until the deposits are removed from internal parts of the chamber. Generally, a duration of the first period is between 2 and 6 minutes, while the second period has a duration between 0 and 6 minutes. In one embodiment, the cleaning gas and RF power are provided for about 4 minutes, and then interrupted for approximately 4 minutes, i.e., the cleaning gas and RF power are active, together, with a duty cycle of about 50%. - At
step 214, the cleaning process is terminated. Specifically, step 214 stops applying RF power from thesource 131, as well as stops supplying the cleaning gas into theprocess chamber 102. As such,step 214 terminates plasma of the cleaning gas in thegas mixing plenum 152 and restores vacuum in the chamber. Theheater power supply 106 may continue applying power to theresistive heater 130 to maintain thesubstrate pedestal 126 at a predetermined temperature, or may be shut off. - At
step 216, theswitch 180 is returned to the first position SW1. Similar tosteps step 218, themethod 200 ends. -
FIG. 3 presents a table summarizing parameters through which one can practice the invention using the reactor ofFIG. 1 . The parameters for the embodiment of the invention presented above are summarized inFIG. 3 . The process ranges and exemplary process data are also presented inFIG. 3 . It should be understood, however, that the use of a different CVD reactor or CVD process may necessitate different process parameter values and ranges. - Although the forgoing discussion referred to cleaning of a CVD chamber, other process chamber can benefit from the invention. The invention can be practiced in other semiconductor processing systems wherein the processing parameters may be adjusted to achieve acceptable characteristics by those skilled in the art by utilizing the teachings disclosed herein without departing from the spirit of the invention.
- While foregoing is directed to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
Claims (17)
1. A chamber for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising:
a chamber wall defining an enclosure;
a plurality of electrodes, each electrically isolated from at least one of the other electrodes, at least one of the electrodes disposed inside the enclosure; and
a switch with at least two positions, each position selectably coupling a different pair of the electrodes together.
2. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is a chamber for performing a chemical vapor deposition process or a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.
3. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is coupled to a ground reference of the chamber.
4. The chamber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises a blocking plate electrode and a showerhead electrode.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the showerhead electrode is electrically isolated using isolators formed from ceramic or polyimide.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the isolators are formed from Al2O3.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises a showerhead electrode and a substrate support electrode, and the switch couples the showerhead electrode to the substrate support electrode during plasma cleaning the chamber.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises a showerhead electrode and a blocking plate electrode, and the switch couples the showerhead electrode to the blocking plate electrode during processing the substrate.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switch is a double-throw switch having a common terminal and two or more selectable terminals.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switch further comprises an actuator to operate the switch.
11. A semiconductor substrate processing system comprising a chamber for processing a substrate, said chamber comprising:
a plurality of electrodes, each electrically isolated from at least one of the other electrodes, at least one of the electrodes disposed inside the enclosure, and at least one of the electrodes coupled to a source of radio-frequency power having a frequency between about 50 kHz and about 13.56 MHz and power level of at least about 500 W; and
a switch with at least two positions, each position selectably coupling a different pair of the electrodes together.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is a showerhead electrode electrically isolated using isolators from ceramic or polyimide.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the isolators are formed from Al2O3.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises a showerhead electrode and a substrate support electrode, and the switch couples the showerhead electrode to the substrate support electrode during plasma cleaning the chamber.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises a showerhead electrode and a blocking plate electrode, and the switch couples the showerhead electrode to the blocking plate electrode during processing the substrate.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the switch is a double-throw switch having a common terminal and two or more selectable terminals.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the switch further comprises an actuator to operate the switch.
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WO2004067800B1 (en) | 2004-11-25 |
US20090145360A1 (en) | 2009-06-11 |
US7654224B2 (en) | 2010-02-02 |
US7465357B2 (en) | 2008-12-16 |
US20060225767A1 (en) | 2006-10-12 |
US7464717B2 (en) | 2008-12-16 |
US20140158048A1 (en) | 2014-06-12 |
US20170121813A1 (en) | 2017-05-04 |
US20040144490A1 (en) | 2004-07-29 |
WO2004067800A1 (en) | 2004-08-12 |
US7500445B2 (en) | 2009-03-10 |
US20060231205A1 (en) | 2006-10-19 |
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