Applied Materials, Inc.

Mark S Johnson

Lawrence C Lei

Mei Yin Chang

Keith K Koai

Dien-Yeh Wu

Son Trinh

Paul F Ma

Joseph F AuBuchon

Gwo-Chuan Tzu

John Vincent Schmitt

Norman M Nakashima

Steven H Kim

James J Chen

Hyman Lam

David Santi

Tung-Ching Tseng

Sean Li

Roja Palakodeti

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for supplying a constant flow of precursor gas to a processing chamber. The apparatus described, and methods of use, allow a precursor ampoule to be removed from the gas delivery system without interrupting the process.

Processing chamber gas delivery system with hot-swappable ampoule

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for treating the inner surfaces of a processing chamber and depositing a material on a during a vapor deposition process, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In one embodiment, the inner surfaces of the processing chamber and the substrate may be exposed to a reagent, such as a hydrogenated ligand compound during a pretreatment process. The hydrogenated ligand compound may be the same ligand as a free ligand formed from the metal-organic precursor used during the subsequent deposition process. The free ligand is usually formed by hydrogenation or thermolysis during the deposition process. In one example, the processing chamber and substrate are exposed to an alkylamine compound (e.g., dimethylamine) during the pretreatment process prior to conducting the vapor deposition process which utilizes a metal-organic chemical precursor having alkylamino ligands, such as pentakis(dimethylamino) tantalum (PDMAT).

In-situ chamber treatment and deposition process

An apparatus and method for controlling a flow of process material to a deposition chamber. The apparatus comprises an injector valve, disposed between the process material source and the deposition chamber. The injector valve controls the flow of precursor material by repeatedly opening and closing the injector valve with a predetermined duty cycle. The apparatus further comprises an evaporator coupled to the injector valve for evaporating the precursor.

Apparatus and method for controlling a flow of process material to a deposition chamber

A plasma reaction chamber particularly configured for chemical vapor deposition of titanium nitride with a TDMAT precursor, the deposition including a plasma step. Gas is injected from a gas cavity in a showerhead electrode assembly through a large number of showerhead holes into the processing region over the wafer. The showerhead electrode is capable of being RF energized to create a plasma of a gas in the processing region. The showerhead electrode and other parts of the assembly are cooled by a cooling plate disposed above the gas cavity and connected to a rim of the showerhead electrode. A convolute water-cooling channel is formed in the cooling plate having a small cross section and numerous bends so as to create turbulent flow, thus aiding thermal transfer. The water cooling plate is connected to the showerhead electrode across a large horizontal interface, thus also aiding thermal flow. An edge ring assembly is positioned in a peripheral recess at the top of heater pedestal supporting the wafer next to the processing region. The showerhead is insulated from the chamber body by an isolator having a downwardly sloping lower surface facing the processing region. Thereby, the isolator by itself or in combination with a plasma confinement ring around the wafer confines the plasma to the process area and induces the exhaust to flow downwardly from the processing region. The assembly includes a Z-shaped heat shield disposed between the walls of the recess and of the pedestal side and other parts of the ring assembly with gaps between the various members, thereby promoting thermal isolation in the edge region as well as protecting the side of the pedestal.

Reactor useful for chemical vapor deposition of titanium nitride

A substrate processing chamber, particularly a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber used both for thermal deposition of a conductive material and a subsequently performed plasma process. The invention reduces thermal deposition of the conductive material on peripheral portions of the pedestal supporting a wafer and in a pumping channel exhausting the chamber. A peripheral ring placed on the pedestal, preferably also used to center the wafer, is thermally isolated from the pedestal so that its temperature is kept substantially lower than that of the wafer. The processing chamber includes a chamber lid assembly having an isolator ring member that has a sloping surface for confirming the plasma within a processing zone of the processing chamber while the wafer is being processed therein. A method for forming a CVD layer on a wafer comprising elevating the pedestal until an upper pedestal surface of the pedestal extends above a lower edge of the isolator ring member.

Processing chamber and method for confining plasma

A lid assembly for a process chamber. The lid assembly includes a hinge having a hinge mount affixed to the chamber and a hinge arm. A pin extends from the hinge mount through an elongated slot in the hinge arm allowing both rotational and longitudinal motion of the hinge arm relative to the hinge mount. A support frame attached to the hinge arm has two side arms that extend perpendicularly from the hinge arms toward the front of the chamber. The lid is pivotally connected to the side arms by a pivot connection aligned with the center of mass of the lid. A detent extends from the lid through a slot in the side arm at a position offset from the pivot connection. The detent and slot serve to limit the allowable rotation of the lid relative to the lid support frame. Thus, the lid is allowed to float over the opening of the chamber as the lid is closed so that the lid may be positioned in parallel alignment relative to the opening of the chamber before being secured to the chamber.

Pivoting lid assembly for a chamber

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for improving thermal management of gas being delivered to a chemical vapor deposition chamber. Thermal management is accomplished using a heat transfer fluid in thermal communication with the deposition gas passageways delivering the gases to the chamber for deposition. The gas injection manifold includes gas passageways and coolant liquid passageways, wherein the gas passageways extend through a constant voltage gradient gas feedthrough and the coolant liquid passageways extend through a gas input manifold coupled to the inlet end of the constant voltage gradient gas feedthrough. This arrangement provides for increase coolant liquid flow and allows maintenance or disassembly of the constant voltage gradient gas feedthrough without breaking the seal on the coolant liquid system.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Mark S Johnson