U.S. Philips Corporation

Jan Visser

Jacobus E Crombeen

Gary E Thomas

Petrus W Crooymans

Lukas De Boer

Method is described of reducing particle contamination during sputtering and sputtering device for the implementation of such a method. A method of providing a layer on a substrate (1), whereby, during a certain process time, material (8) is detached from a target plate (6) through a bombardment of this target plate with ions from a gas discharge (4) under reduced pressure in a reactor chamber (2) which is provided with a support (7) for the substrate (1). Measures are taken to ensure that material deposited on a surface of chamber component (9) near the support (7) has a better adhesion. According to the invention, the measure for achieving a better adhesion of the material consists in that the surface of the chamber component (9) is first bombarded with ions from the gas discharge (4) for at least part of the process time. Material (8) detached from the target plate (6) and hitting the chamber component (9) will have a good adhesion thanks to the ion bombardment, so that no loose particles from the surface of the chamber component (9) can contaminate the layer on the substrate (1).

Method of reducing particle contamination during sputtering

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device whereby a layer of material (6) is deposited on a surface (3) of a semiconductor wafer (4) from a process gas (5) in a reactor chamber (1) which is kept at a low pressure by means of a pump (2), in which method the wafer (4) is positioned parallel to a gas distribution plate (7) in the reactor chamber (1), so that a planar process space (8) is formed which has a circumferential open connection (9) with the reactor chamber (1), after which the process gas (5) is introduced into the process space (8) through inlet openings (10) in the gas distribution plate (7) while an auxiliary gas (11) is introduced into the reactor chamber (1) around the open connection (9). According to the invention, the auxiliary gas (11) is so introduced into the reactor chamber (1) that a gas pressure is realized in the open connection (9) which is substantially equal to that in the process space (8). The method according to the invention achieves that the process gas (5) in the process space (8) is practically stationary, so that a 'stagnant layer' is formed. The process gas (5) in the process space (8) can then be utilized substantially completely for forming the layer (6), so that little process gas (5) is used. In addition, a more uniform layer (6) is obtained owing to the stagnant process gas (5).

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a layer of

A substrate (2) is formed with a surface layer from a gas phase with a vapour in a device having a reactor chamber (1) and a reservoir (4), which vapour is generated through evaporation of a substance (5) in the reservoir (4) and is conducted to the reactor chamber (1) through a gas line (8) (Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD)). According to the invention, the vapour is conducted from the reservoir (4) to the reactor chamber (1) in that it is pumped from the reservoir (4) to the reactor chamber (1) by a pump (9) included in the gas line. The use of the pump renders the method very flexible. Thus the vapour flow can be easily adapted through adaptation of a pumping rate associated with the pump. In addition, the vapour flow is not dependent on a process pressure which prevails in the reactor (1).

Device for providing a substrate with a surface layer from a vapor

A method is described of providing a substrate (2) with a surface layer from a gas phase with a vapor in a reactor chamber (1), which vapor is generated through evaporation of a substance (5) in a reservoir (4) and is conducted to the reactor chamber (1) through a gas line (8) (Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)). According to the invention, the vapor is conducted from the reservoir (4) to the reactor chamber (1) in that it is pumped from the reservoir (4) to the reactor chamber (1) by a pump (9) included in the gas line. The use of the pump renders the method very flexible. Thus the vapor flow can be easily adapted through adaptation of a pumping rate associated with the pump. In addition, the vapor flow is not dependent on a process pressure which prevails in the reactor (1).

Method of providing a substrate with a surface layer from a vapor

During the manufacture of a semiconductor device in a semiconductor substrate, masks of photoresist are used for selecting given regions to be processed. This photoresist is stripped by subjecting the semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber to an oxygen-containing plasma after-glow, that is passed over the photoresist. In order to limit the penetration of inorganic contaminations released from the photoresist into the silicon oxide layer of the semiconductor substrate, according to the invention, the semiconductor substrate is connected via a first electrode to the positive terminal and via a second electrode arranged at a certain distance therefrom in the processing chamber to the negative terminal of an electric supply source in such a manner that an electrical field is adjusted between the silicon oxide layer and the plasma. The second electrode may be the electrically conducting wall of the processing chamber.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which photoresist on

Apparatus and method for treating flat substrate under reduced pressure

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which a semiconductor substrate (1) is subjected to a surface treatment in a reactor vessel (2), through which a current (3) of a reaction gas is passed and is then pumped away by means of a mechanical pump (14) and a cooling trap (15) arranged between this pump (14) and the reactor vessel (2). The current of reaction gas (3) consists of a current (Q.sub.c) of gas condensable in the cooling trap (15) and a current (Q.sub.i) of an inert gas. According to the invention, a separate current (Q.sub.x) of an inert gas is conducted to the mechanical pump (14). This current (Q.sub.x) is practically equally as large as the current of condensable gas (Q.sub.c). Thus, a method is obtained, in which the partial pressure of the inert gas (P.sub.i) and that of the condensable gas (P.sub.c) in the reactor gas can be controlled to the optimum and separately.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which a semiconductor

Such a system comprises in an envelope 1 a flat cathode 2 from the material to be sputtered and a substantially circular anode situated coaxially with respect to said cathode. Behind the cathode, magnetic means 13 are provided to generate at least one closed tunnel of field lines 14 over a part of the cathode surface (a so-called electron trap). Between the anode 3 and the edge 8 of the cathode is present according to the invention a coaxial, substantially cylindrical auxiliary electrode 15. From the center of the cathode a rod-shaped auxiliary electrode 16 moreover extends axially. Said auxiliary electrodes 15 and 16 modify the electric field in such a manner that the electrons which are not captured in the tunnel of magnetic field lines are directed substantially towards the anode 3. The distance from the rod-shaped electrode 16 to the substrate 7 must be chosen to be comparatively small. By using the invention the substrate is less heated and not so much damaged by electron bombardment.

Magnetron cathode sputtering system

In a magnetron cathode sputtering system the target (plate of material to be sputtered) 8 is held against a backing plate 13 by a vacuum, enabling the backing plate 13 to be reused. By providing the backing plate with a layer of soldering material which adheres to the backing plate 13, but does not adhere to the target 8, heat transfer between the two plates is improved.

A sorption pumping device characterized in that a space to be evacuated can be connected to the sorption material successively at at least two different levels of the device.

Growing community of inventors

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Jan Visser