Novellus Systems Incorporated

Lam Research Corporation

Eugene Smargiassi

Ming Xi

George D Kamian

Stephen Yu-Hong Lau

James Forest Lee

Mohamed Sabri

Krishnan Shrinivasan

Michael Rivkin

Kevin M McLaughlin

Lisa Marie Gytri

Joseph Brett Harris

Jeff Gordon

Carmen Balderrama

Dennis Michael Hausmann

Jason Dirk Haverkamp

Xiaolan Chen

George Andrew Antonelli

Andrew John McKerrow

Curtis Warren Bailey

Stephen Lau

Alexander R Fox

Troy Daniel Ribaudo

Casey Holder

Boaz Kenane

Porogen accumulation in a UV-cure chamber is reduced by removing outgassed porogen through a heated outlet while purge gas is flowed across a window through which a wafer is exposed to UV light. A purge ring having specific major and minor exhaust to inlet area ratios may be partially made of flame polished quartz to improve flow dynamics. The reduction in porogen accumulation allows more wafers to be processed between chamber cleans, thus improving throughput and cost.

Method and apparatuses for reducing porogen accumulation from a UV-cure chamber

Apparatuses and methods for cleaning a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The semiconductor processing chamber may include a UV radiation source, a substrate holder, and a UV transmissive window. The UV transmissive window may include one or multiple panes. One or more panes of the UV transmissive window may be non-reactive with fluorine containing chemistries. In multi-pane windows a purge gas flow path may be formed in the gap between windows. A purge gas may be flowed through the purge gas flow path to prevent process gases used in the chamber interior from reaching one or more panes of the UV transmissive window.

Clean resistant windows for ultraviolet thermal processing

A purge ring for providing a gas to a wafer processing chamber includes an inlet ring wall defining a ring hole space. An outer perimeter of the inlet ring wall is elliptical. An outer perimeter of the ring hole space is circular. The inlet ring wall is a continuous structure surrounding the ring hole space. An inlet baffle formed within the inlet ring wall surrounds at least 180 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space. An inlet plenum arranged in a first end of the inlet ring wall provides the gas to the ring hole space through the inlet baffle. An exhaust channel is formed within the inlet ring wall in a second end of the inlet ring wall. An exhaust outlet hole arranged in the second end of the inlet ring wall exhausts the gas out of the ring hole space via the exhaust channel.

Purging of porogen from UV cure chamber

Method for reducing porogen accumulation from a UV-cure chamber

The present invention provides improved methods of preparing a low-k dielectric material on a substrate. The methods involve multiple operation ultraviolet curing processes in which UV intensity, wafer substrate temperature, UV spectral distribution, and other conditions may be independently modulated in each operation. Operations may be pulsed or even be concurrently applied to the same wafer. In certain embodiments, a film containing a structure former and a porogen is exposed to UV radiation in a first operation to facilitate removal of the porogen and create a porous dielectric film. In a second operation, the film is exposed to UV radiation to increase cross-linking within the porous film.

Multi-station sequential curing of dielectric films

A method for removing species from a substrate includes arranging a purge ring in a chamber proximate to a pedestal. The purge ring includes an inlet portion and an exhaust portion. The inlet portion defines an inlet plenum and an inlet baffle. The inlet baffle includes a continuous slit that is substantially continuous around a peripheral arc not less than about 270&#xb0;. The exhaust portion includes an exhaust channel that is located substantially opposite the inlet baffle. The method further includes supplying ozone to the inlet plenum; at least partially defining a ring hole space having a periphery using the inlet portion and the exhaust portion; conveying gas from the inlet plenum into the ring hole space using the inlet baffle; conveying gas and other matter out of a purge space using the exhaust portion; and inhibiting deposition of material evolved from the substrate during curing using the purge ring.

The present invention addresses provides improved methods of preparing a low-k dielectric material on a substrate. The methods involve multiple operation ultraviolet curing processes in which UV intensity, wafer substrate temperature and other conditions may be independently modulated in each operation. In certain embodiments, a film containing a structure former and a porogen is exposed to UV radiation in a first operation to facilitate removal of the porogen and create a porous dielectric film. In a second operation, the film is exposed to UV radiation to increase cross-linking within the porous film. In certain embodiments, the curing takes place in a multi-station UV chamber wherein UV intensity and substrate temperature may be independently controlled at each station.

An apparatus for purging a space in a processing chamber comprises a source of a purge gas; an inlet portion of a purge ring; an inlet baffle located in the inlet portion and fluidically connected to the source of purge gas; and an exhaust portion of the purge ring. The inlet portion and the exhaust portion define a ring hole space having a 360&#xb0; periphery. The inlet baffle preferably surrounds not less than 180&#xb0; of said periphery. The inlet baffle is operable to convey purge gas into the ring hole space. The exhaust portion is operable to convey purge gas and other matter out of the ring hole space. Cleaning of the purge ring and other structures in a processing chamber is conducted by flowing a cleaning gas through the inlet baffle. Some embodiments include a gas inlet plenum and an exhaust channel but not a purge ring.

Provided are improved apparatus and methods for radiative treatment. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing apparatus for radiative cure includes a process chamber and a radiation assembly external to the process chamber. The radiation assembly transmits radiation into the chamber on a substrate holder through a chamber window. A radiation detector measures radiation intensity from time to time. The assembly includes a gas inlet and exhaust operable to flow a radiation-activatable cooling gas through the radiation assembly.

Measuring in-situ UV intensity in UV cure tool

An apparatus for purging a space in a processing chamber comprises a source of a purge gas; an inlet portion of a purge ring; an inlet baffle located in the inlet portion and fluidically connected to the source of purge gas; and an exhaust portion of the purge ring. The inlet portion and the exhaust portion define a ring hole space having a 360&#xb0; periphery. The inlet baffle preferably surrounds not less than 180&#xb0; of said periphery. The inlet baffle is operable to convey purge gas into the ring hole space. The exhaust portion is operable to convey purge gas and other matter out of the ring hole space. Cleaning of the purge ring and other structures in a processing chamber is conducted by flowing a cleaning gas through the inlet baffle. Methods and systems using a purge ring are particularly useful for purging and cleaning porogens from a UV curing chamber. Some embodiments include a gas inlet plenum and an exhaust channel but not a purge ring.

Consistent ultraviolet (UV) intensity for a semiconductor UV cure chamber is measured in-situ with a hot pedestal in vacuum by measuring reflected UV light from a calibration substrate at a UV detector mounted in the lamp assembly. The measurement apparatus includes a UV detector, a cover that protects the detector from UV light while not in use, and a mirror disposed between the chamber window and the UV detector. Measured UV intensity from the substrate reflection and from the mirror reflection help determine a course of maintenance action to maintain wafer-to-wafer uniformity.

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Tualatin, OR, United States of America

Eugene Smargiassi