Gas delivery device method for improved deposition of dielectric material

Abstract

A gas delivery device useful in material deposition processes executed during semiconductor device fabrication in a reaction chamber, including the gas delivery device of the present invention and a method for carrying out a material deposition process, including introducing process gas into a reaction chamber using the gas delivery device of the present invention. In each embodiment, the gas delivery device of the present invention includes a plurality of active diffusers and a plurality of gas delivery nozzles, which extend into the reaction chamber. Before entering the reaction chamber through one of the plurality of gas delivery nozzles, process gas must first pass through one of the plurality active diffusers. Each of the active diffusers is centrally controllable such that the rate at which process gas flows through each active diffuser is exactly controlled at all times throughout a given deposition process.

1 . A method for depositing a material over a semiconductor substrate in a chamber comprising: 
 providing a gas delivery device comprising a gas delivery system, a plurality of gas delivery nozzles flowing into the chamber, and a plurality of active diffusers, each active diffuser of the plurality of active diffusers being controllable by a central controller to provide an amount of process gas flow from the gas delivery system, through the plurality of gas delivery nozzles and into the chamber; and    introducing process gas within the chamber via the gas delivery device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of active diffusers comprises a plurality of piezoelectric valves.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said central controller comprises a programmable computer circuit.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said gas delivery system comprises a gas delivery line having a plurality of branches, each of said plurality of branches being associated with an active diffuser included in said plurality of active diffusers.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said gas delivery system comprises: 
 a primary gas delivery line;    a plenum; and    a plurality of secondary gas delivery lines, each secondary gas delivery line of said plurality of secondary gas delivery lines extending between said plenum and an active diffuser included in said plurality of active diffusers.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines, each tertiary gas delivery line of said plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines extending between an active diffuser included in said plurality of active diffusers and a gas delivery nozzle of said plurality of gas delivery nozzles.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of active diffusers comprises a first plurality of active diffusers and a second plurality of active diffusers and said gas delivery system includes a primary gas delivery line, a plenum, a plurality of secondary gas delivery lines, each secondary gas delivery line of said plurality of secondary gas delivery lines extending between said plenum and an active diffuser of said first plurality of active diffusers and a plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines, each tertiary gas delivery line of said plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines extending between a first active diffuser of said first plurality of active diffusers and a second active diffuser of said second plurality of active diffusers.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold having an outside diameter and an inside diameter, wherein said plurality of gas delivery nozzles extending into said reaction chamber extends away from said inside diameter of said manifold, and each active diffuser of said plurality of active diffusers is disposed around said outside diameter of said manifold.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first manifold having a first inside diameter and a first outside diameter, each active diffuser of said plurality of active diffusers disposed around said first outside diameter and a plurality of gas passageways extending away from said first inside diameter; and    a second manifold having a second inside diameter and a second outside diameter, wherein said plurality of gas passageways extending away from said first inside diameter of said first manifold extends into said second outside diameter of said second manifold, forming sealed passageways enabling fluid communication between said first and said second manifolds and said plurality of gas delivery nozzles extends away from said second diameter of said second manifold.    
   
   
       10 . A method for depositing a material over a semiconductor substrate in a chamber having a gas delivery device comprising: 
 providing a gas delivery system including a plurality of gas delivery nozzles flowing into the chamber, and a plurality of active diffusers, each active diffuser of the plurality of active diffusers being controllable by a central controller to provide an amount of process gas flow from the gas delivery system, through the plurality of gas delivery nozzles and into the chamber; and    introducing process gas within the chamber via the gas delivery device.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of active diffusers comprises a plurality of piezoelectric valves.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said central controller comprises a programmable computer circuit.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said gas delivery system comprises a gas delivery line having a plurality of branches, each of said plurality of branches being associated with an active diffuser included in said plurality of active diffusers.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said gas delivery system comprises: 
 a primary gas delivery line;    a plenum; and    a plurality of secondary gas delivery lines, each secondary gas delivery line of said plurality of secondary gas delivery lines extending between said plenum and an active diffuser included in said plurality of active diffusers.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines, each tertiary gas delivery line of said plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines extending between an active diffuser included in said plurality of active diffusers and a gas delivery nozzle of said plurality of gas delivery nozzles.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of active diffusers comprises a first plurality of active diffusers and a second plurality of active diffusers and said gas delivery system includes a primary gas delivery line, a plenum, a plurality of secondary gas delivery lines, each secondary gas delivery line of said plurality of secondary gas delivery lines extending between said plenum and an active diffuser of said first plurality of active diffusers and a plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines, each tertiary gas delivery line of said plurality of tertiary gas delivery lines extending between a first active diffuser of said first plurality of active diffusers and a second active diffuser of said second plurality of active diffusers.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a manifold having an outside diameter and an inside diameter, wherein said plurality of gas delivery nozzles extending into said reaction chamber extends away from said inside diameter of said manifold, and each active diffuser of said plurality of active diffusers is disposed around said outside diameter of said manifold.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a first manifold having a first inside diameter and a first outside diameter, each active diffuser of said plurality of active diffusers disposed around said first outside diameter and a plurality of gas passageways extending away from said first inside diameter; and    a second manifold having a second inside diameter and a second outside diameter, wherein said plurality of gas passageways extending away from said first inside diameter of said first manifold extends into said second outside diameter of said second manifold, forming sealed passageways enabling fluid communication between said first and said second manifolds and said plurality of gas delivery nozzles extends away from said second diameter of said second manifold.