Apparatus and method for removal of oxide and carbon from semiconductor films in a single processing chamber

Abstract

A system and method for removing both carbon-based contaminants and oxygen-based contaminants from a semiconductor substrate within a single process chamber is disclosed. The invention may comprise utilization of remote plasma units and multiple gas sources to perform the process within the single process chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate comprising:
 a reaction chamber;   a susceptor configured to hold a substrate;   a first gas source for providing a first gas;   a second gas source for providing a second gas;   a first remote plasma unit configured to receive the first gas and produce a first radical gas;   a gas distribution device configured to flow the first radical gas and the second gas onto the substrate; and   a transport path connecting the remote plasma unit to the gas distribution device, wherein the first radical gas passes through the gas distribution device onto the substrate;   wherein the gas distribution device, the reaction chamber, the transport path, and the susceptor are coated with at least one of: anodized aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ); atomic layer deposition (ALD)-formed aluminum oxide; plasma sprayed Al 2 O 3 ; bare aluminum parts with native aluminum oxide; yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ); yttrium oxide stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ); zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ); lanthanum zirconium oxide (LZO); yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG); yttrium oxyfluoride (YOF); aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ); zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ); yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ); or yttrium oxide stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ).   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first gas comprises at least one of: NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , C 4 F 6 , C 4 F 8 , COF 2 , SF 6 , or WF 6 . 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second gas comprises at least one of: H 2 , NH 3 , H 2 O, O 2 , or O 3 . 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third gas source for providing a third gas; and   a fourth gas source for providing a fourth gas.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the third gas comprises NH 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the fourth gas comprises at least one of: argon, helium, nitrogen, or neon. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first gas is used to remove an oxide from the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second gas is used to remove carbon from the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second gas passes through the first remote plasma unit and converts into a second radical gas. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second remote plasma unit configured to receive the second gas and produce a second radical gas. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport path comprises bulk quartz material. 
     
     
         12 . A method for processing a semiconductor substrate comprising:
 providing a reaction chamber and a susceptor configured to hold a substrate;   performing an oxide conversion step on the substrate, the oxide conversion step comprising: (1) flowing a first gas into a first remote plasma unit to form a first radical gas; and (2) flowing the first radical gas onto the substrate;   performing an oxide sublimation step on the substrate, the oxide sublimation step comprising: (1) a first heating step; and (2) a second heating step; and   performing a carbon removal step on the substrate;   wherein the oxide conversion step, the oxide sublimation step, and the carbon removal step are each performed in the reaction chamber; and   wherein any of the oxide conversion step, the oxide sublimation step, and the carbon removal step are repeated as needed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the carbon removal step comprises:
 flowing a second gas into the first remote plasma unit to form a second radical gas; and   flowing the second radical gas onto the substrate.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the carbon removal step comprises:
 flowing a second gas into a second remote plasma unit to form a second radical gas; and   flowing the second radical gas onto the substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first gas comprises at least one of: NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , C 4 F 6 , C 4 F 8 , COF 2 , SF 6 , or WF 6 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second gas comprises at least one of: H 2 , NH 3 , H 2 O, O 2 , or O 3 . 
     
     
         17 . A method for processing a semiconductor substrate comprising:
 providing a reaction chamber and a susceptor configured to hold a substrate;   performing a carbon removal step on the substrate;   performing an oxide conversion step on the substrate, the oxide conversion step comprising: (1) flowing a first gas into a first remote plasma unit to form a first radical gas; and (2) flowing the first radical gas onto the substrate;   performing an oxide sublimation step on the substrate, the oxide sublimation step comprising: (1) a first heating step; and (2) a second heating step; and   wherein the carbon removal step, the oxide conversion step, and the oxide sublimation step are each performed in the reaction chamber; and   wherein any of the carbon removal step, the oxide conversion step, and the oxide sublimation step are repeated as needed.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon removal step comprises:
 flowing a second gas into the first remote plasma unit to form a second radical gas; and   flowing the second radical gas onto the substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon removal step comprises:
 flowing a second gas into a second remote plasma unit to form a second radical gas; and   flowing the second radical gas onto the substrate.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first gas comprises at least one of: NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , C 4 F 6 , C 4 F 8 , COF 2 , SF 6 , or WF 6 . 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second gas comprises at least one of: H 2 , NH 3 , H 2 O, O 2 , or O 3 .