In-Situ Pre-Clean For Selectivity Improvement For Selective Deposition

Abstract

Methods to selectively deposit a film on a first surface (e.g., a metal surface) relative to a second surface (e.g., a dielectric surface) by exposing the surface to a pre-clean plasma comprising one or more of argon or hydrogen followed by deposition. The first surface and the second surface can be substantially coplanar. The selectivity of the deposited film may be increased by an order of magnitude relative to the substrate before exposure to the pre-cleaning plasma.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processing platform comprising:
 a central transfer station having a robot therein;   a pre-clean chamber connected to the central transfer station;   a processing chamber connected to the central transfer station; and   a controller connected to the pre-clean chamber, the processing chamber, and the robot, the controller configured to: pre-clean a substrate having a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface by exposing the substrate in the pre-clean chamber to a pre-clean plasma comprising one or more of argon or hydrogen to form a pre-cleaned substrate; and selectively deposit a metal film on the pre-cleaned substrate in the processing chamber by chemical vapor deposition.   
     
     
         2 . The processing platform of  claim 1 , further comprising a factory interface connected to the central transfer station and the controller is further configured to control the factory interface and the robot. 
     
     
         3 . The processing platform of  claim 2 , wherein the central transfer station is separated from each of the factory interface, the pre-clean chamber and the processing chamber by a slit valve, the controller connected to each slit valve and configured to control opening and closing each slit valve. 
     
     
         4 . The processing platform of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to move a substrate between and among the factory interface, the central transfer station, the pre-clean chamber and the processing chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The processing platform of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to ignite the pre-clean plasma from a cleaning gas. 
     
     
         6 . The processing platform of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of composition, flow rate or pressure of the cleaning gas. 
     
     
         7 . The processing platform of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more heating or cooling element within the pre-clean chamber, the controller connected to the one or more heating or cooling element and further configured to control a temperature of the substrate within the pre-clean chamber or a temperature of the pre-clean chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The processing platform of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of composition, flow rate or pressure of a deposition gas in the processing chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The processing platform of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a temperature of a susceptor or a substrate support within the processing chamber and/or a temperature of the processing chamber. 
     
     
         10 . A control system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor; and   support circuits coupled to the processor,   wherein the control system is configured to: pre-clean a substrate having a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface by exposing the substrate to a pre-clean plasma comprising one or more of argon or hydrogen to form a pre-cleaned substrate; and selectively deposit a metal film on the pre-cleaned substrate by chemical vapor deposition.   
     
     
         11 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to ignite the pre-clean plasma from a cleaning gas. 
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the control system is further configured to control at least one of composition, flow rate or pressure of the cleaning gas. 
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to control a temperature of the substrate while exposed to the pre-clean plasma. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to selectively deposit the metal film by controlling at least one of composition, flow rate or pressure of a deposition gas. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to control a temperature of the substrate during selective deposition of the metal film. 
     
     
         16 . A computer readable medium including instructions, that, when executed by a controller of a processing platform, cause the processing platform to perform the operations of:
 exposing a substrate to a pre-clean plasma to form a pre-cleaned substrate; and   selectively depositing a metal film on the pre-cleaned substrate by chemical vapor deposition.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the processing platform: to flow a predetermined composition, flow rate and/or pressure of a cleaning gas; and to ignite the pre-clean plasma from the cleaning gas. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein exposing a substrate to a pre-clean plasma comprises maintaining the substrate at a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein selectively depositing the metal film comprises maintaining the substrate at a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions, that, when executed by a controller of a processing platform, cause the processing platform to move the substrate between and among a central transfer station, a pre-clean chamber and a processing chamber of the processing platform.