Texas Instruments Corporation

Randall C Hildenbrand

Cecil J Davis

Robert T Matthews

Lee M Loewenstein

John I Jones

Rhett B Jucha

Joseph D Luttmer

John E Spencer

Rudy L York

Dan T Hockersmith

James G Bohlman

Bruce Simpson

Joseph V Abernathy

Dean W Freeman

Randall E Johnson

Frederick W Brown

Stanford P Kohan

William S Jaspersen

A processing apparatus and method wherein a wafer is exposed to activated species generated by a first plasma which is separate from the wafer, but is in the process gas flow stream upstream of the wafer, and is also exposed to plasma bombardment generated by a second plasma which has a dark space which substantially adjoins the surface of the wafer. The in situ plasma is relatively low-power, so that the remote plasma can generate activated species, and therefore the in situ plasma power level can be adjusted to optimize the plasma bombardment. Ultraviolet light to illuminate the face of a wafer being processed is generated by a plasma which is within the vacuum chamber but is remote from the face of the wafer. It is useful to design the gas flow system such that the ultraviolet-generating plasma has its own gas feed, and the reaction products from the ultraviolet-generating plasma do not substantially flow or diffuse to the wafer face. A transparent isolator is usefully included between the ultraviolet plasma space and the processing space near the wafer face, so that the ultraviolet plasma can be operated at a vacuum level slightly different from that used near the wafer face, delete but this transparent window is not made thick enough to act as a full vacuum seal.

Processing method using both a remotely generated plasma and an in-situ

A processing apparatus and method wherein a wafer is exposed to activated species generated by a first plasma which is separate from the wafer, but is in the process gas flow stream upstream of the wafer, and is also exposed to plasma bombardment generated by a second plasma which has a dark space which substantially adjoins the surface of the wafer. The in situ plasma is relatively low-power, so that the remote plasma can generate activated species, and therefore the in situ plasma power level can be adjusted to optimize the plasma bombardment. Ultraviolet light to illuminate the face of a wafer being processed is generated by a plasma which is within the vacuum chamber but is remote from the face of the wafer and controlled independent of the in situ plasma. It is useful to design the gas flow system such that the ultraviolet-generating plasma has its own gas feed, and the reaction products from the ultraviolet-generating plasma do not substantially flow or diffuse to the wafer face. A transparent isolator is usefully included between the ultraviolet plasma space and the processing space near the wafer face, so that the ultraviolet plasma can be operated at a vacuum level slightly different from that used near the wafer face.

Wafer processing apparatus having independently controllable energy

A process module having remote plasma and in situ plasma generators, a source of ultraviolet, and a radiant heater, which represent four separate energy sources. The four sources can be used singly or in any combination and can be separately controllable.

Processing apparatus and method

A process module which is compatible with a system using vacuum wafer transport in which wafers are generally transported and processed in a face down position under vacuum, and which also includes an additional wafer movement, wherein, after a wafer has been emplaced face down, in a position where it can be clamped against the susceptor, the susceptor is rotated from its approximately horizontal position up to a more nearly vertical position. In the more nearly vertical position, the wafer can be processed by a top process module, which may be, e.g., a sputter system, an implanter, or an inspection module. Another process module is included in the bottom part of the chamber, so that the wafer can be processed by the lower process module while in its substantially horizontal position and processed by the upper process module when it is in its more nearly vertical position. This is especially advantageous when the lower process module is a plasma cleanup module and the top module is a deposition module.

Processing apparatus

A processing apparatus and method which permits sputter deposition and which is compatible with a vacuum processing system wherein the wafers are largely transferred and processed in the face down position. This includes an additional wafer movement, wherein, after a wafer has been emplaced face down, in a position where it can be clamped against the susceptor, the susceptor is rotated from its approximately horizontal position up to a more nearly vertical position. While the wafer is in the more nearly vertical position, sputter deposition may be performed. In situ or remote plasma capability is usefully provided in the bottom part of the chamber, so that a dry deglaze or cleanup step can be performed while the wafer is in its substantially horizontal position, followed by a sputter deposition after the wafer has been moved to its more nearly vertical position.

A processing apparatus and method compatible with a vacuum process system for wafers, wherein an in situ source of ultraviolet light is provided to enhance chemical activity at the wafer surface, and a remote plasma source is provided in the process gas flow upstream of the wafer, to provide activated species to the wafer face, and a radiatively coupled heat source is also provided so that the wafer can be rapidly thermally cycled.

A complete integrated circuit processing module, wherein multiple processing stations, each with its own vacuum isolation, are located inside a single module which is held at hard vacuum. A wafer transport arm mechanism permits interchange of wafers among the processing stations and a load lock. The load lock is equipped to remove and replace wafers from a vacuum-sealed wafer carrier. The wafers remain face-down and under hard vacuum during all the wafers handling steps.

Semiconductor wafer transfer method and arm mechanism

A system for performing one semiconductor manufacturing operation or sequence of operations with reduced particulate contamination. A vacuum-tight wafer carrier, which contains numerous wafers in vacuum in a sealed box, is placed into a platform inside a vacuum load lock. The platform contains slots and protruding fingers to provide accurate registration of the position of the wafer carrier. After the load lock is pumped down, the door of the wafer carrier is opened, and a transfer arm removes wafers from the wafer carrier, in any desired order, and transfers them one by one through a port into a processing chamber.

Vacuum processing system

A plasma reactor for the manufacturing of semiconductor devices has powered loadlocks and a main process chamber where slices can be processed one slice at a time with pre-etch plasma treatments before the main etching processing and afterwards receive a post etch treatment. The system comprises powered loadlocks, a main chamber, vacuum pumps radio frequency power supplier, radio frequency matching networks, heat exchangers and throttle valve and pressure controllers, gas flow distribution and microprocessor controllers. The semiconductor wafers are automatically fed one at a time from storage cassettes through isolation gates with articulated mechanical arms to a powered entry loadlock for pre-etching processes. At the completion of the pre-etching processing, the semiconductor wafer is transferred to the main chamber automatically for the main etch process and then to the powered exit loadlock for post etch treatment and finally to an output cassette.

Automated single slice powered load lock plasma reactor

An electrode and substrate assembly for a plasma reactor allows high power plasma processing with low frequency excitation. The electrode sub-assembly is contained in a chamber which is used for pre-treatment such as de-scumming photoresist or for post-etch resist stripping and passivation. A post-etch treatment is essential in plasma aluminum etching.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Randall C Hildenbrand