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GB2109010A - Spacer for conductive plates in RF plasma reactor used in chemical vapour deposition - Google Patents
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GB2109010A - Spacer for conductive plates in RF plasma reactor used in chemical vapour deposition - Google Patents

Spacer for conductive plates in RF plasma reactor used in chemical vapour deposition Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2109010A
GB2109010A GB08220199A GB8220199A GB2109010A GB 2109010 A GB2109010 A GB 2109010A GB 08220199 A GB08220199 A GB 08220199A GB 8220199 A GB8220199 A GB 8220199A GB 2109010 A GB2109010 A GB 2109010A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
plasma
conductive
groove
cylindrical length
spacer means
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08220199A
Other versions
GB2109010B (en
Inventor
Richard S Rosler
George M Engle
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR MAT
Advanced Semiconductor Materials America Inc
Original Assignee
ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR MAT
Advanced Semiconductor Materials America Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR MAT, Advanced Semiconductor Materials America Inc filed Critical ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR MAT
Publication of GB2109010A publication Critical patent/GB2109010A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2109010B publication Critical patent/GB2109010B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/32Gas-filled discharge tubes
    • H01J37/32431Constructional details of the reactor
    • H01J37/32532Electrodes
    • H01J37/32568Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23COATING 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
    • C23CCOATING 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
    • C23C16/00Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
    • C23C16/44Chemical 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
    • C23C16/50Chemical 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 using electric discharges
    • C23C16/505Chemical 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 using electric discharges using radio frequency discharges
    • C23C16/509Chemical 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 using electric discharges using radio frequency discharges using internal electrodes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/32Processing objects by plasma generation
    • H01J2237/33Processing objects by plasma generation characterised by the type of processing
    • H01J2237/332Coating
    • H01J2237/3321CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition]

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

Grooves 7 are provided in spacer 1 to prevent the accumulation of conductive films on the surface of the spacer by precluding the plasma field, and hence, inhibiting depositions in areas where recessed grooves are in the surface of the spacer. Accordingly, a direct electrical path on the spacer between the multiple conductive plates 10 of the RF plasma reactor is prevented. As a result, in processing semiconductor devices the reactors can run for longer periods of time and deposit greater thicknesses of conductive films without the conductive plates shorting together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spacer for preventing shorting between conductive plates in RF plasma deposition systems This invention relates generally to RF plasma deposition systems, and more specifically, to features for providing improved Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) systems for depositing conductive films in RF plasma reactors.
In the past, RF plasma reactors have been used extensively during various processing steps in the fabrication of semiconductor devices, such as photo resist removal, etching of silicon compounds, and more recently for the deposition and growth of conductive and dielectric films.
Plasma technology (PECVD) offers the advantages of being clean, uniform easily regulated, and well adapted for automation. In particular, large amounts of research have been directed to developing production quality RF plasma reactors for deposition of conductive films such as doped polysilicon, conductive and expitaxial films.
Originally, RF plasma reactors for use in deposition of films during semiconductor device fabrication, calied "glow-discharge reactors", were comprised of an evacuated quartz reaction chamber, inside of which was a radially heated semiconductor substrate holder, and a source of RF power through a two-turn coil surrounding the reactor immediately above the substrate holder.
The reactant gases, the elements of which determine what type of film will be deposited, were usually mixed prior to being introduced into the bottom of the chamber.
The deposition procedure consisted of placing the workpieces on the holder, evacuating the reaction chamber, and initiating the plasma field (a partially ionized gas induced by a strong electric field, and comprised of neutral species, ions, and electrons) above the substrate by introducing the reactant gas to the RF field in the reactant chamber. In this manner, the reactant is ionized, or compounds can be formed by introducing subsequent reactants, depositing the desired ions, compounds, or neutral molecules on the exposed surface of the wafer. The thickness of the film is controlled by varying, independently, the temperature, pressure, concentration of reactants, and strength of the RF field.
A major problem with the original RF plasma reactors was the very limited number of workpieces that could be processed at one time.
Eventually, the capacity of RF plasma reactors equalled or exceeded that of thermal deposition systems. The inside of the reactor tubes consisted of a plurality of conductive plates, electrically isolated from one another by quartz (or similar non-conductive materials) spacers. RF power was applied to alternate conductors to produce a plasma field in the space between adjacent conductors. On the side of each conductor were pockets in which semiconductor wafers were placed. In some larger systems, in excess of 90 wafers could be processed in a single reactor tube. An exemplary system is described in U.S.
Patent No. 4,223,048, issued on 16th September 1980 to Mr. George M. Engle, Jr.
The larger, production size RF Plasma Reactors operated on the same principle as the earlier type PECVD systems. However, it was often impossible to run the reactors for more than a very short period of time, during which only a small deposition could be produced on the semiconductor wafers. This problem became especially prevalent when RF plasma reactors were used in PECVD of conductive films, and resulted largely from the thermal deposition of the conductive material on the spacer means. If the RF reactors were run for relatively longer periods of time, the deposited film would accumulate on the insulative spacers between adjacent conductive plates. As a result, and especially when depositing conductive films, adjacent conductive plates would be shorted together by the accumulated conductive film on the spacers.
This would cause the plasma field to break down and the deposition process to stop. Even where a single deposition run could be completed without failure, system dismantling for cleaning raised costs and limited throughput.
The problem of curtailed run times and shorting together of the conductive plates prevented the most advanced RF plasma reactors from being used in efficient, production rate PECVD systems.
There exists a need to provide a means for isolating and preventing the shortening together of adjacent conductive plates in RF plasma reactors, so that the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of conductive or other films onto semiconductor wafers can be done at a production rate in production lot size, and so that a multiplicity of runs can be effected without the necessity for dismantling and cleaning the system.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a plasma plasma-enhanced vapor deposition apparatus including insulating spacer means for electrical separation of plasmainducing conductive plates, wherein means are provided on at least the surface of said spacer means for inhibiting deposition thereon.
In accordance with a further aspect, the present invention provides an RF plasma apparatus for depositing conductive films by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), the apparatus including insulating spacer means for spacing apart adjacent conductive plates located in said RF plasma apparatus for producing an RF plasma field, the insulating spacer means comprising groove means located on at least a surface portion thereof for inhibiting the deposition of said conductive films on said insulating spacer means at least in an area proximate said groove means, thereby inhibiting the electrical shorting together of said adjacent conductive plates.
In the apparatus of the invention, the deposition of the conductive film onto the separating means is prevented by largely precluding the plasma field in the area proximate the groove means. As a result, a direct electrical path between adjacent conductive plates does not form, and the deposition process can continue for longer, production length periods of time.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a spacer member in accordance with an embodiment of this invention positioned between two conductive plate portions which are shown in section and located in an RF plasma reactor.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 1 of an alternative embodiment of spacer member with an additional radial groove midway along a separating member.
Figure 3 is an end view of the spacer member of Figure 1.
Referring first to Figure 1, the insulating spacer means is referenced generally by the numeral 1.
An optional bore 2 accepts an alignment shaft and allows the spacer means 1 to be positioned between two conductive plates 10. Where a multiplicity of pairs of conductive plates 10 is used, the shaft may position all plates and intervening spacer means 4. The conductive plates 10 are connected to an RF generator (not shown) and produce an RF plasma field in the area 5. Radial grooves 7 in both ends of the spacer means 1 form portions of reduced circumference 8. The grooves 7 at least substantially prohibit the formation of a plasma field in the area proximate the portions of reduced circumference 8 in the non-conductive material 4.
As a result when a conductive film is being deposited on the workpieces, film deposition will be inhibited on the surface area proximate the radial groove 7 of the non-conductive material 4.
In this manner, a direct conductive electrical path on the surface of the nonconductive material 4 between the conductive plates 10 will form only at a very much reduced rate as compared with prior art spacer means. The longitudinal electrical path over the surface of the insulating material 4 of the spacer means 1 is largely irrelevant to the inhibition of shorting, inasmuch as extraneous deposited material is sufficiently conductive at deposition temperatures to endanger an effective short. Rather it is believed that the width W of the groove means 7 is analogous to the minimum spacing required to initiate the plasma-the socalled dark space determined by the gaseous specie ionization path length. The dimension W is preferably of the order of 0.020 inches. Other than radial grooves may be used, e.g., a helical groove extending along a spacer means.
Even though plasma-induced deposition is largely inhibited by the groove means 7, thermal deposition of conductive material in the grooves 7 can still lead to failure of the insulator means 1.
Thus, the deposition method should be chosen to minimise thermal decomposition. A preferred method of minimising thermal decomposition in the plasma vapor deposition of a silicon comprising film at elevated temperature is to include in the vapour halogenated gaseous means, as described in our co-pending application of even data. With such a method, together with the present insulative spacer means in the system, over twenty runs have been achieved without the necessity for dismantling and cleaning the apparatus. The groove means 7 may also help inhibit thermal deposition because the mean free path of the gaseous specie is larger than the dimension W. Thus, conductive films may be advantageously deposited in a highcapacity plasma-deposition system.
Referring to Figure 2, a second embodiment of the insulating spacer means is referenced generally by the number 1 A. As in Figure 1, a bore 2A allows a cylindric alignment shaft to position the spacer means 1 between two conductive plates 1 OA. A longitudinal series of radial grooves 7A, 7B and 7C inhibit the formation of a plasma field in the plurality of lengths of reduced circumference 8A, 8B and 8C in the nonconductive material 4A. As a result, the conductive film is not only inhibited at both ends of the non-conductive material as in Figure 1, but also on its central length.
Referring to Figure 3, the insulating spacer means is referenced generally by the number 1 A.
Various dimensions are represented by A (outer diameter), B (groove diameter), and C (bore diameter). Exempiary values for the dimensions A, B and C are: 0.625 inches, 0.312 inches, and 0.250 inches, respectively.
It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved spacer means for separating and preventing the shorting together of the conductive plates in RF plasma reactors.
The spacer means can be a compatible replacement for current types of means for separating conductive plates in RF plasma reactors, and their use may permit the reactor to run for longer periods of time so that greater thicknesses of conductive films and/or a greater number of deposition runs can be achieved with practical production levels.
While the invention has been particularly described and shown in reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail and omissions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the insulating spacer means 1 is preferably made of alumina; however, other insulating materials such as quartz can also be used.

Claims (11)

Claims
1. In an RF plasma apparatus for depositing conductive films by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD): insulating spacer means for spacing apart adjacent conductive plates located in said RF plasma apparatus for producing an RF plasma field; and characterised by groove means located on at least a surface portion of said insulating spacer means for inhibiting the deposition of said conductive films on said insulating spacer means at least in an area proximate said groove means, thereby to inhibit the electrical shorting together of said adjacent conductive plates.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said insulating spacer means comprises a cylindrical length of non-conductive material, said cylindrical length having an axial bore to receive positioning means from said conductive plates.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said insulating spacer means comprises a cylindrical length of non-conductive material placed on said positioning means between two adjacent conductive plates.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said groove means is comprised of radial grooves in at least each end of said cylindrical length of non-conductive material, said radial grooves providing portions of substantially reduced circumference on said cylindrical length of non-conductive material.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said groove means further includes a longitudinal series of radial grooves along said cylindrical length of non-conductive material; said longitudinal series of radial grooves providing a plurality of portions of reduced circumference in said cylindrical length of non-conductive material.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said groove means precludes said plasma field in an area proximate said lengths of reduced circumferences, inhibiting deposition of said conductive films onto a surface area proximate said radial grooves in said cylindrical length.of non-conductive matarial.
7. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to 6, wherein said cylindrical length of nonconductive material comprises quartz or alumina.
8. In a plasma plasma-enhanced vapor deposition apparatus, comprising insulating spacer means for electrical separation of plasmainducing conductive plates, the improvement comprising: means on at least the surface of said spacer means for inhibiting said deposition thereon.
9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said means comprises at least one groove in said spacer means.
1 0. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said groove has a width, in a dimension orthogonal to said plates, which is small compared with the depth of said groove.
11. An RF plasma apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
GB08220199A 1981-11-12 1982-07-12 Spacer for conductive plase in rf plasma reactor used in chemical vapour deposition Expired GB2109010B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US32045381A 1981-11-12 1981-11-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2109010A true GB2109010A (en) 1983-05-25
GB2109010B GB2109010B (en) 1985-11-20

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ID=23246502

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08220199A Expired GB2109010B (en) 1981-11-12 1982-07-12 Spacer for conductive plase in rf plasma reactor used in chemical vapour deposition

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JP (1) JPS607937B2 (en)
DE (1) DE3235504A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2516339B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2109010B (en)
NL (1) NL8204404A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0724025A3 (en) * 1995-01-23 1998-03-18 The Boc Group, Inc. Magnetron sputtering apparatus
CN110660698A (en) * 2018-06-28 2020-01-07 北京北方华创微电子装备有限公司 Compression ring assembly, process chamber and semiconductor processing equipment
EP3574126A4 (en) * 2017-01-27 2020-10-28 Veeco Instruments Inc. CHUCK SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES WITH IMPROVED ELECTRICAL INSULATION FOR ALD WITH SUBSTRATE PRELOAD

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60211823A (en) * 1984-04-06 1985-10-24 Agency Of Ind Science & Technol Forming apparatus for thin film semiconductor device
DE102011109444A1 (en) * 2011-08-04 2013-02-07 Centrotherm Photovoltaics Ag Spacing element for clamping unit used in plates of wafer boat, has communication port that is extended along transverse direction to base portion through hole which is extended between front ends of base portion in length direction

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3566185A (en) * 1969-03-12 1971-02-23 Atomic Energy Commission Sputter-type penning discharge for metallic ions
US4058748A (en) * 1976-05-13 1977-11-15 Hitachi, Ltd. Microwave discharge ion source
US4223048A (en) * 1978-08-07 1980-09-16 Pacific Western Systems Plasma enhanced chemical vapor processing of semiconductive wafers
US4287851A (en) * 1980-01-16 1981-09-08 Dozier Alfred R Mounting and excitation system for reaction in the plasma state

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0724025A3 (en) * 1995-01-23 1998-03-18 The Boc Group, Inc. Magnetron sputtering apparatus
EP3574126A4 (en) * 2017-01-27 2020-10-28 Veeco Instruments Inc. CHUCK SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES WITH IMPROVED ELECTRICAL INSULATION FOR ALD WITH SUBSTRATE PRELOAD
CN110660698A (en) * 2018-06-28 2020-01-07 北京北方华创微电子装备有限公司 Compression ring assembly, process chamber and semiconductor processing equipment
CN110660698B (en) * 2018-06-28 2022-04-22 北京北方华创微电子装备有限公司 Compression ring assembly, process chamber and semiconductor processing equipment

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5884037A (en) 1983-05-20
GB2109010B (en) 1985-11-20
NL8204404A (en) 1983-06-01
FR2516339B1 (en) 1986-04-11
FR2516339A1 (en) 1983-05-13
JPS607937B2 (en) 1985-02-28
DE3235504A1 (en) 1983-05-19

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Legal Events

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee