Deposition reactor having vaporizing, mixing and cleaning capabilities

Abstract

An integrated deposition system is provided which is capable of vaporizing low vapor pressure liquid precursors and delivering this vapor into a processing region for use in the fabrication of advanced integrated circuits. The integrated deposition system is made up of a heated exhaust system, a remote plasma generator, a processing chamber and a liquid delivery system which together provide a commercially viable and production worthy system for depositing high capacity dielectric materials from low vapor pressure precursors, anneal those films while also providing commercially viable in-situ cleaning capability.

Thus, we claim,  
     
         1 . An apparatus for dispersing gases within a processing chamber, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) an upper surface having a circular opening coupled to a cylindrically shaped first conduit;    (b) a lower surface having a circular opening coupled to a cylindrically shaped second conduit; and    (c) a conically shaped coupling conduit in communication with said first and second conduits.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said conically shaped coupling region has diverging walls.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said conically shaped coupling region and said second cylindrically shaped conduit are axially symmetric to a common centerline.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for distributing gases within a processing chamber, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) an inlet comprising a first cylindrical region having a first diameter;    (b) an outlet comprising a second cylindrical region having a second diameter and walls having a first length; and    (c) a conical region in communication with said first and second cylindrical regions said conical region further comprising walls having a second length wherein said walls form an angle.    
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said angle formed within said conical region is between about 20 degrees and 90 degrees.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said first length is greater than said second length.  
     
     
         8 . A method for absorbing radiation within a gas distribution plate said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing a substrate in a processing apparatus having a gas distribution plate wherein said gas distribution plate includes a plurality of gas inlets having a first and second cylindrical region and a conical region;    (b) generating radiation from said substrate wherein said radiation is incident to said gas distribution plate; and    (c) absorbing a portion of said incident radiation in said conical region.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein a portion of said incident radiation is reflected off said conical region and absorbed in said first cylindrical region.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein a portion of said incident radiation is reflected off said conical region and absorbed in said second cylindrical region.  
     
     
         11 . A method of flowing gas through a gas distribution plate, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) flowing a gas through a first cylindrical region having a first diameter;    (b) flowing said gas through a conical region;    (c) flowing said gas through a second cylindrical region having a second diameter;    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices said apparatus defining an evacuable chamber comprising: 
 (a) a substrate support having a heated formed therein;    (b) a lid having a heater formed therein;    (c) walls; and    (d) a gas distribution plate coupled to said lid.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said heater formed internal to said substrate support is a resistive heater.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said heater formed internal to said lid is a resistive heater.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said gas distribution plate coupled to said lid forms a gas box between said lid and said gas distribution plate.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein said heater formed internal to said lid heats that portion of said lid adjacent to said gas box.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for processing substrates, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a processing chamber said chamber having: 
 (i) a lid;  
 (ii) walls;  
 (iii) a heated substrate support; and  
   (b) a showerhead gas distribution plate, said showerhead gas distribution plate having a surface wherein said surface of said showerhead gas distribution plate faces said substrate support and wherein said showerhead gas distribution plate is coupled to said lid and said surface modified to increase the emissivity of the showerhead surface.    
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said showerhead surface facing said substrate support is anodized.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said showerhead surface facing said substrate support is coated with a ceramic.  
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said showerhead surface facing said substrate support is coated with an oxide.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said showerhead surface facing said substrate support is bead blasted.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said showerhead surface facing said substrate has an emissivity between about 0.5 and 0.9.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said gas distribution plate includes a plurality of gas inlets having a first cylindrical region forming an inlet, a second cylindrical region forming an outlet and a conical region coupling said inlet to said outlet.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein the diameter of an outlet is large relative to the distance between adjacent outlets thereby minimizing the reflective surface between adjacent outlets.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for vaporizing and delivering low vapor pressure precursors to a processing chamber, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a vaporizer,    (b) a first conduit,    (c) a second conduit,    (d) a third conduit; and    (e) a processing chamber,    wherein said first conduit is coupled to said vaporizer and said second conduit and said first conduit further includes a first thermocouple, a first controller and a first heater wherein said first thermocouple measures the temperature of said first conduit which is provided to said first controller which adjusts the output of said first heater to maintain said first conduit at a set-point temperature, and    wherein said second conduit is coupled to said first conduit and said third conduit and said second conduit further includes a second thermocouple, a second controller and a second heater wherein said second thermocouple measures the temperature of said second conduit which is provided to said second controller which adjusts the output of said second heater to maintain said second conduit at a set-point temperature, and    wherein said third conduit is coupled to said second conduit and said processing chamber and said third conduit further includes a third thermocouple, a third controller and a third heater wherein said third thermocouple measures the temperature of said third conduit which is provided to said third controller which adjusts the output of said third heater to maintain said third conduit at a set-point temperature.    
     
     
         27 . An apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the diameter of said first conduit is less than the diameter of said second conduit.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the diameter of said second conduit is less than the diameter of said third conduit.  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein at least one conduit and its associated heater and thermocouple are disposed internal to the same structure.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a conduit which delivers vaporized liquid to a processing chamber, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a conduit formed in a rigid thermally conductive medium wherein said conduit is in communication with a vaporizing means and a processing chamber;    (b) a heater disposed internal to said medium and thermally coupled to said conduit;    (c) a thermocouple disposed internal to said medium wherein said thermocouple is thermally coupled to said conduit and produces an output representing the temperature of said conduit; and    (d) a controller coupled to said thermocouple and said heater, wherein said controller processes said thermocouple output and adjusts said heater output to maintain said conduit at a set-point temperature.    
     
     
         31 . A method of delivering vaporized low vapor pressure precursors to a processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming a vaporized precursor gas stream by vaporizing a low vapor pressure precursor;    (b) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a first conduit while independently controlling the temperature of said first conduit;    (c) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a second conduit while independently controlling the temperature of said second conduit;    (d) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a third conduit while independently controlling the temperature of said third conduit; and    (e) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a processing chamber.    
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein the temperature of said first conduit is lower than the temperature of said second conduit and said third conduit.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein the temperature of said first and said second conduits is lower than the temperature of said third conduit.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein the cross-sectional flow area of each successive conduit is greater than the cross-sectional flow area of the immediately preceding conduit.  
     
     
         35 . A method of delivering vaporized low vapor pressure precursors to a processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming a vaporized precursor gas stream by vaporizing a low vapor pressure precursor;    (b) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a first conduit having a cross sectional flow area while independently controlling the temperature of said first conduit;    (c) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a second conduit having an increased cross sectional flow area while independently controlling the temperature of said second conduit;    (d) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a third conduit having an increased cross sectional flow area while independently controlling the temperature of said third conduit; and    (e) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a processing chamber.    
     
     
         36 . A method of delivering vaporized precursor to a processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming a vaporized precursor gas stream by vaporizing a liquid precursor;    (b) maintaining said vaporized precursor gas stream at a first temperature;    (c) providing a process gas stream at a second temperature; and    (d) mixing said vaporized precursor gas stream and said process gas stream while maintaining said second temperature at least as high as said first temperature.    
     
     
         37 . A method of incrementally heating a gas flow, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) flowing a gas in a first conduit while maintaining said first conduit at a temperature;    (b) flowing said gas from said first conduit into a second conduit while maintaining said second conduit at a temperature above said temperature of said first conduit;    (c) flowing said gas from said second conduit into a third conduit while maintaining said third conduit at a temperature above the temperature of said second conduit; and    wherein, the temperature of said first, second and third conduits is less than the decomposition temperature of said gas.    
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein the temperature of said first, second and third conduits is above the condensation temperature of said gas.  
     
     
         39 . A method of delivering vaporized low vapor pressure precursors to a processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming a vaporized precursor gas stream by vaporizing a low vapor pressure precursor;    (b) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a first conduit having a cross sectional flow area while independently controlling the temperature of said first conduit;    (c) providing said vaporized precursor gas stream to a second conduit having an cross sectional flow area greater than said cross sectional flow area of said first conduit while independently controlling the temperature of said second conduit;    (d) providing a process gas stream into said second conduit wherein said vaporized precursor gas stream and said process gas stream merge forming a mixed gas stream;    (e) flowing said mixed gas stream for a distance within said second conduit wherein said vaporized precursor gas stream and said process gas stream are homogeneously mixed; and    (f) flowing said homogeneously mixed vaporized precursor gas stream and process gas stream to a processing chamber.    
     
     
         40 . An apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a processing chamber comprising: 
 (i) a resistively heated substrate support disposed internal to said chamber;  
 (ii) a heated lid forming the top of said chamber; and  
 (iii) a showerhead gas distribution plate coupled to said lid of said chamber wherein said gas distribution plate further comprises a plurality of apertures; and  
   (b) a fluid delivery system, said system comprising: 
 (i) a vaporizer;  
 (ii) a first conduit having a first diameter and maintained at a first temperature wherein said first conduit is in communication with said vaporizer and said second conduit;  
 (iii) a second conduit having a second diameter and maintained at a second temperature wherein said second conduit in communication with said first conduit and said third conduit; and  
 (iv) a third conduit having a third diameter and maintained at a third temperature wherein said third conduit in communication with said second conduit and said processing chamber; and  
   (c) an exhaust system comprising: 
 (i) a first conduit in communication with said processing chamber wherein said first conduit is maintained at a first temperature;  
 (ii) a second conduit in communication with said first conduit wherein said second conduit is maintained at a second temperature; and  
   (d) a remote plasma generator coupled to said processing chamber.    
     
     
         41 . An apparatus according to  claim 40  wherein said fluid delivery system third diameter is greater than each of said first and second fluid delivery system diameters.  
     
     
         42 . An apparatus according to  claim 40  wherein fluid delivery system second diameter is greater than said fluid delivery system first diameter.  
     
     
         43 . An apparatus according to  claim 40  wherein said second conduit temperature of said liquid delivery system is about the same or greater than said first conduit temperature of said liquid delivery system.  
     
     
         44 . An apparatus according to  claim 40  wherein said third conduit temperature of said liquid delivery system is about the same or greater than said first conduit temperature and said second conduit temperature of said liquid delivery system.  
     
     
         45 . An apparatus according to  claim 40  wherein said gas distribution plate apertures further comprise first and second cylindrical regions and a conical region.