US20060108069A1 - Plasma reaction chamber and captive silicon electrode plate for processing semiconductor wafers - Google Patents
Plasma reaction chamber and captive silicon electrode plate for processing semiconductor wafers Download PDFInfo
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- US20060108069A1 US20060108069A1 US10/993,136 US99313604A US2006108069A1 US 20060108069 A1 US20060108069 A1 US 20060108069A1 US 99313604 A US99313604 A US 99313604A US 2006108069 A1 US2006108069 A1 US 2006108069A1
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- electrode plate
- ring
- hole
- processing system
- plasma processing
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
- H01L21/67017—Apparatus for fluid treatment
- H01L21/67063—Apparatus for fluid treatment for etching
- H01L21/67069—Apparatus for fluid treatment for etching for drying etching
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V23/00—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
- H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
- H01J37/32431—Constructional details of the reactor
- H01J37/3244—Gas supply means
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
- H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
- H01J37/32431—Constructional details of the reactor
- H01J37/32532—Electrodes
- H01J37/32605—Removable or replaceable electrodes or electrode systems
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
- H01L21/18—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising elements of Group IV of the Periodic System or AIIIBV compounds with or without impurities, e.g. doping materials
- H01L21/30—Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26
- H01L21/302—Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 to change their surface-physical characteristics or shape, e.g. etching, polishing, cutting
- H01L21/306—Chemical or electrical treatment, e.g. electrolytic etching
- H01L21/3065—Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
- F21Y2115/00—Light-generating elements of semiconductor light sources
- F21Y2115/10—Light-emitting diodes [LED]
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to plasma processing systems and, more specifically, to a plasma reaction chamber with a captive silicon electrode for dry plasma etching of semiconductor wafers.
- Plasma processing techniques such as dry plasma etching, reactive ion etching, and ion milling techniques, provide numerous advantages over traditional chemical etching of semiconductor wafers.
- plasma etching has a vertical etch rate that is much greater than the horizontal etch rate. This provides good control over the resulting aspect ratio (i.e., the height to width ratio of the resulting notch) of the etched features.
- plasma etching forms very fine features with high aspect ratios in very thin films.
- Reactive ion etching improves this process by using gases that are chemically reactive with the material being etched. Reactive ion etching combines the kinetic etching effects of the plasma particles with the chemical etching effect of the gas.
- showerhead electrodes that are commonly used in the industry are prohibitively expensive.
- LAM Research Corporation provides a one-piece showerhead assembly comprising an electrode and a retaining ring.
- the showerhead assembly is inserted into the top of the etching chamber and costs about $4500. This is a consumable item that greatly increases the cost of using a dry plasma etching system.
- the plasma processing system comprises: 1) a plasma chamber in which the semiconductor wafer may be mounted; 2) an upper ring capable of being mounted on an upper opening of the plasma chamber, wherein a central portion of the upper ring forms a hole; and 3) an electrode plate having a plurality of vias therethrough.
- the electrode plate is disposed in the hole in the upper ring, wherein the central portion of the upper ring further forms a shelf for supporting the electrode plate in the hole.
- the shelf is formed below the hole on the side of the upper ring towards the interior of the plasma chamber.
- the shelf encircles the hole and projects inward towards a center of the hole.
- the shelf has an upper surface capable of supporting a perimeter region of a lower surface of the electrode plate when the electrode plate is inserted into the hole.
- the plasma processing system further comprises a retaining ring disposed on an upper surface of the upper ring, wherein the retaining ring encircles and overlaps the hole and holds the electrode plate in place in the hole.
- the retaining ring is made of aluminum.
- the electrode plate is made of a semiconductor material.
- the plasma processing system further comprises an O-ring capable of forming a gas-tight seal between the retaining ring and the electrode plate.
- the O-ring is disposed in a groove formed in the retaining ring.
- the O-ring is disposed in a groove formed in the electrode plate.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of a conventional dry plasma etching system according to an exemplary embodiment of the prior art
- FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of an improved dry plasma etching system and an improved showerhead electrode assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of the dry plasma etching system and the improved showerhead electrode assembly in FIG. 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of the dry plasma etching system and the improved showerhead electrode assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIGS. 1 through 4 discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present invention may be implemented in any suitably arranged plasma processing system.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of conventional plasma etching system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the prior art.
- Plasma etching system 100 comprises plasma chamber 105 , which encloses empty space 106 .
- Semiconductor wafer 115 is mounted on support 120 on the bottom wall (floor) of plasma chamber 105 .
- Plasma etching system 100 further comprises showerhead electrode assembly 130 and housing 110 .
- showerhead electrode assembly 130 comprises electrode plate 131 (diagonal line shading) and graphite ring 132 (lattice shading), which are bonded together to form showerhead electrode assembly 130 as a single unit.
- showerhead electrode assemblies similar to showerhead electrode assembly 130 are well-known to those skilled in the art and may include, for example, the showerhead electrode assemblies provided by LAM Research Corporation as part of the 2300 Exelan® dielectric etch system.
- Upper ring 107 of plasma chamber 105 comprises inner (or lower) surface 108 and outer (or upper) surface 109 .
- Upper ring 107 may comprise, for example a ring assembly of quartz and/or silicon carbide and/or ceramic. Upper ring 107 may be removably mounted on the top of plasma chamber 105 to thereby close the chamber. A portion of the center of upper ring 107 forms a circular opening into which showerhead electrode assembly 130 is inserted. The circular opening in upper ring 107 is encircled by retaining ring 135 (dotted shading). When showerhead electrode assembly 130 is inserted into the circular opening, graphite ring 132 is pressed between retaining ring 135 and housing 110 .
- Graphite ring 132 and retaining ring 135 are mounted on, and held in place by, a plurality of threaded bolts 136 , including exemplary bolts 136 a and 136 b , mounted up to housing 110 .
- Bolts 136 hold showerhead electrode assembly 130 in place in the circular opening in upper ring 107 and provide a gas-tight seal between housing 110 and graphite ring 132 .
- Screws 142 including exemplary screws 142 a and 142 b hold upper ring 107 to housing 110 .
- baffle plates are disposed on top of electrode plate 131 , including exemplary baffle plate 140 . Holes or vias 141 are formed in baffle plate 140 . Similarly, holes or vias 133 are formed in electrode plate 131 . Vias 133 and 141 enable ionizing gas, enclosed in space 111 above baffle plate 140 by housing 110 , to flow through the baffle plates and electrode plate 131 into space 106 enclosed by plasma chamber 105 . The movement of the ionizing gas from space 111 to space 106 is indicated by the dotted arrows pointing downward in FIG. 1 .
- Vias 141 in baffle plate 140 are not aligned with the vias in the baffle plate below baffle plate 140 .
- the vias in the lower baffle plate are not aligned with vias 133 in electrode plate 131 .
- This misalignment forces the ionizing gas to disperse evenly as the gas flows through the two baffle plates and electrode plate 131 .
- the ionized gas forms plasma in the region above semiconductor wafer 115 in space 106 .
- An electrical potential is introduced between electrode plate 131 and semiconductor wafer 115 . This electrical potential is adjusted so that charged particles in the plasma are propelled towards the upper surface of semiconductor wafer 115 and collide substantially perpendicularly upon the upper surface of semiconductor wafer 115 .
- the energy of the impact removes materials in the unmasked regions of the upper surface of semiconductor wafer 115 .
- the upper components of plasma etching system 100 may be assembled in an upside down position prior to being placed on top of plasma chamber 105 .
- housing 110 may be placed upside down and the baffle plates are put in place.
- showerhead electrode assembly 130 is placed on top of the baffle plates.
- Retaining ring 135 is then placed on top of showerhead electrode assembly 130 and is bolted into housing 110 by bolts 136 .
- upper ring 107 is placed on top of retaining ring 135 and is bolted to housing 110 by bolts 142 .
- the assembled upper components are then flipped over and mounted on top of plasma chamber 105 . In that position, upper ring 107 and retaining ring 135 prevent showerhead assembly 130 from dropping into plasma chamber 105 .
- Electrode plate 131 is worn away throughout the process, thereby requiring replacement.
- showerhead electrode assembly 130 is therefore a consumable that increases the cost of operating plasma etching system 100 .
- the present invention improves upon plasma etching system 100 by reducing the cost of showerhead electrode assembly 130 .
- FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of improved dry plasma etching system 200 and an improved showerhead electrode assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- Plasma etching system 200 comprises plasma chamber 205 , which encloses empty space 206 .
- Semiconductor wafer 115 is mounted on support 120 on the bottom wall (floor) of plasma chamber 205 .
- Plasma etching system 200 further comprises a two-piece showerhead electrode assembly and housing 210 .
- the two-piece showerhead electrode assembly comprises electrode plate 231 (diagonal line shading) and retaining ring 235 (dotted shading) Retaining ring 235 is preferably made from aluminum.
- Upper ring 207 of plasma chamber 205 comprises inner (or lower) surface 208 and outer (or upper) surface 209 .
- a portion of the center of upper ring 207 forms a circular opening into which electrode plate 231 is lowered.
- upper ring 207 also forms circular shelf 250 , which encircles, and projects into, the circular opening in upper ring 207 .
- the outer perimeter region of the bottom surface of electrode plate 231 rests upon, and is supported by, the upper surface of shelf 250 .
- Retaining ring 235 (dotted shading) is mounted on housing 210 and is held in place by a plurality of threaded bolts 236 , including exemplary bolts 236 a and 236 b . Electrode plate 231 is then placed in upper ring 207 and upper ring 207 is bolted to housing 210 by a plurality of threaded bolts 242 , including exemplary bolts 242 a and 242 b . Bolts 242 tighten electrode plate 231 between retaining ring 235 and upper ring 207 , providing a gas-tight seal between retaining ring 235 and electrode plate 231 .
- baffle plates are disposed on top of electrode plate 231 , including exemplary baffle plate 140 . Holes or vias 141 are formed in baffle plate 140 . Similarly, holes or vias 233 are formed in electrode plate 231 . Vias 233 and 141 enable ionizing gas, enclosed in space 211 above baffle plate 140 by housing 210 , to flow through the two baffle plates and electrode plate 231 into space 206 enclosed by plasma chamber 205 . The movement of the ionizing gas from space 211 to space 206 is indicated by the dotted arrows pointing downward in FIG. 2 .
- vias 141 in baffle plate 140 are not aligned with the vias in the baffle plate below baffle plate 140 .
- the vias in the lower baffle plate are not aligned with vias 233 in electrode plate 231 .
- This misalignment forces the ionizing gas to disperse evenly as the gas flows through the baffle plates and electrode plate 231 .
- the ionized gas forms plasma in the region above semiconductor wafer 115 in space 206 .
- an electrical potential is introduced between electrode plate 231 and semiconductor wafer 115 . This electrical potential is adjusted so that charged particles in the plasma are propelled towards the upper surface of semiconductor wafer 115 and collide substantially perpendicularly upon the upper surface of semiconductor wafer 115 .
- the energy of the impact removes materials in the unmasked regions of the upper surface of semiconductor wafer 115 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of dry plasma etching system 200 and the improved showerhead electrode assembly according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- O-ring 305 is placed in a groove formed in retaining ring 235 .
- O-ring 305 forms a seal that captures any process gas and channels the captured gas through vias 233 in silicon electrode plate 231 .
- the groove in which O-ring 305 is disposed is recessed so that, when compressed, silicon electrode plate 231 contacts retaining ring 235 , which is grounded. Retaining ring 235 is anodized in such a way that silicon electrode plate 231 conducts to a ground plane.
- FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of dry plasma etching system 200 and the improved showerhead electrode assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is identical in most respect to FIG. 3 , except that O-ring 405 is placed in a groove formed in silicon electrode plate 231 .
- O-ring 405 forms a seal that captures any process gas and channels the captured gas through vias 233 in silicon electrode plate 231 .
- the groove in which O-ring 405 is disposed is recessed so that, when compressed, silicon electrode plate 231 contacts retaining ring 235 , which is grounded.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention generally relates to plasma processing systems and, more specifically, to a plasma reaction chamber with a captive silicon electrode for dry plasma etching of semiconductor wafers.
- Plasma processing techniques, such as dry plasma etching, reactive ion etching, and ion milling techniques, provide numerous advantages over traditional chemical etching of semiconductor wafers. For example, plasma etching has a vertical etch rate that is much greater than the horizontal etch rate. This provides good control over the resulting aspect ratio (i.e., the height to width ratio of the resulting notch) of the etched features. Thus, plasma etching forms very fine features with high aspect ratios in very thin films.
- During the plasma etching process, large amounts of energy are added to a gas at relatively low pressure, thereby ionizing the gas. This forms plasma above the masked surface of the substrate (i.e., the semiconductor wafer). An electrical field is established between an electrode at the top of the etching chamber and the semiconductor wafer at the bottom of the etching chamber. The electrical potential of the substrate is adjusted so that charged particles in the plasma are propelled towards the substrate and collide substantially perpendicularly upon the wafer surface. The energy of the impact removes materials in the unmasked regions of the wafer surface. Reactive ion etching improves this process by using gases that are chemically reactive with the material being etched. Reactive ion etching combines the kinetic etching effects of the plasma particles with the chemical etching effect of the gas.
- The effectiveness of the etching process is greatly affected by the components of the etching chamber. Uniform etching rates may be achieved across the surface of the wafer by evenly distributing the plasma over the wafer surface. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,595,484, 4,792,378, 4,820,371, and 4,960,488 disclose showerhead electrodes for distributing gas through holes in the electrodes. These patents generally describe gas dispersion disks having an arrangement of apertures tailored to provide a uniform flow of gas vapor to a semiconductor wafer.
- However, the showerhead electrodes that are commonly used in the industry are prohibitively expensive. For example, LAM Research Corporation provides a one-piece showerhead assembly comprising an electrode and a retaining ring. The showerhead assembly is inserted into the top of the etching chamber and costs about $4500. This is a consumable item that greatly increases the cost of using a dry plasma etching system.
- Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved dry plasma etching system that costs less to operate than conventional dry plasma etching systems. In particular, there is a need in the art for an improved dry plasma etching system that uses a less expensive showerhead electrode.
- To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a plasma processing system for etching a semiconductor wafer. According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the plasma processing system comprises: 1) a plasma chamber in which the semiconductor wafer may be mounted; 2) an upper ring capable of being mounted on an upper opening of the plasma chamber, wherein a central portion of the upper ring forms a hole; and 3) an electrode plate having a plurality of vias therethrough. The electrode plate is disposed in the hole in the upper ring, wherein the central portion of the upper ring further forms a shelf for supporting the electrode plate in the hole.
- According to one embodiment of the present invention, the shelf is formed below the hole on the side of the upper ring towards the interior of the plasma chamber.
- According to another embodiment of the present invention, the shelf encircles the hole and projects inward towards a center of the hole.
- According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the shelf has an upper surface capable of supporting a perimeter region of a lower surface of the electrode plate when the electrode plate is inserted into the hole.
- According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the plasma processing system further comprises a retaining ring disposed on an upper surface of the upper ring, wherein the retaining ring encircles and overlaps the hole and holds the electrode plate in place in the hole.
- According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the retaining ring is made of aluminum.
- According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, the electrode plate is made of a semiconductor material.
- According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention, the plasma processing system further comprises an O-ring capable of forming a gas-tight seal between the retaining ring and the electrode plate.
- In one embodiment of the present invention, the O-ring is disposed in a groove formed in the retaining ring.
- In another embodiment of the present invention, the O-ring is disposed in a groove formed in the electrode plate.
- Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.
- For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:
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FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of a conventional dry plasma etching system according to an exemplary embodiment of the prior art; -
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of an improved dry plasma etching system and an improved showerhead electrode assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of the dry plasma etching system and the improved showerhead electrode assembly inFIG. 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of the dry plasma etching system and the improved showerhead electrode assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. -
FIGS. 1 through 4 , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present invention may be implemented in any suitably arranged plasma processing system. -
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of conventionalplasma etching system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the prior art.Plasma etching system 100 comprisesplasma chamber 105, which enclosesempty space 106.Semiconductor wafer 115 is mounted onsupport 120 on the bottom wall (floor) ofplasma chamber 105.Plasma etching system 100 further comprisesshowerhead electrode assembly 130 andhousing 110.Showerhead electrode assembly 130 comprises electrode plate 131 (diagonal line shading) and graphite ring 132 (lattice shading), which are bonded together to formshowerhead electrode assembly 130 as a single unit. Showerhead electrode assemblies similar toshowerhead electrode assembly 130 are well-known to those skilled in the art and may include, for example, the showerhead electrode assemblies provided by LAM Research Corporation as part of the 2300 Exelan® dielectric etch system. -
Upper ring 107 ofplasma chamber 105 comprises inner (or lower)surface 108 and outer (or upper)surface 109.Upper ring 107 may comprise, for example a ring assembly of quartz and/or silicon carbide and/or ceramic.Upper ring 107 may be removably mounted on the top ofplasma chamber 105 to thereby close the chamber. A portion of the center ofupper ring 107 forms a circular opening into whichshowerhead electrode assembly 130 is inserted. The circular opening inupper ring 107 is encircled by retaining ring 135 (dotted shading). Whenshowerhead electrode assembly 130 is inserted into the circular opening,graphite ring 132 is pressed betweenretaining ring 135 andhousing 110. Graphitering 132 and retainingring 135 are mounted on, and held in place by, a plurality of threaded bolts 136, includingexemplary bolts housing 110. Bolts 136 holdshowerhead electrode assembly 130 in place in the circular opening inupper ring 107 and provide a gas-tight seal betweenhousing 110 andgraphite ring 132. Screws 142, includingexemplary screws upper ring 107 tohousing 110. - Multiple baffle plates (dotted shading) are disposed on top of
electrode plate 131, includingexemplary baffle plate 140. Holes or vias 141 are formed inbaffle plate 140. Similarly, holes orvias 133 are formed inelectrode plate 131.Vias space 111 abovebaffle plate 140 byhousing 110, to flow through the baffle plates andelectrode plate 131 intospace 106 enclosed byplasma chamber 105. The movement of the ionizing gas fromspace 111 tospace 106 is indicated by the dotted arrows pointing downward inFIG. 1 . -
Vias 141 inbaffle plate 140 are not aligned with the vias in the baffle plate belowbaffle plate 140. Similarly, the vias in the lower baffle plate are not aligned withvias 133 inelectrode plate 131. This misalignment forces the ionizing gas to disperse evenly as the gas flows through the two baffle plates andelectrode plate 131. The ionized gas forms plasma in the region abovesemiconductor wafer 115 inspace 106. An electrical potential is introduced betweenelectrode plate 131 andsemiconductor wafer 115. This electrical potential is adjusted so that charged particles in the plasma are propelled towards the upper surface ofsemiconductor wafer 115 and collide substantially perpendicularly upon the upper surface ofsemiconductor wafer 115. The energy of the impact removes materials in the unmasked regions of the upper surface ofsemiconductor wafer 115. - For convenience, the upper components of
plasma etching system 100 may be assembled in an upside down position prior to being placed on top ofplasma chamber 105. Initially,housing 110 may be placed upside down and the baffle plates are put in place. Next,showerhead electrode assembly 130 is placed on top of the baffle plates. Retainingring 135 is then placed on top ofshowerhead electrode assembly 130 and is bolted intohousing 110 by bolts 136. Finally,upper ring 107 is placed on top of retainingring 135 and is bolted tohousing 110 by bolts 142. The assembled upper components are then flipped over and mounted on top ofplasma chamber 105. In that position,upper ring 107 and retainingring 135 preventshowerhead assembly 130 from dropping intoplasma chamber 105. -
Electrode plate 131 is worn away throughout the process, thereby requiring replacement.Showerhead electrode assembly 130 is therefore a consumable that increases the cost of operatingplasma etching system 100. The present invention improves uponplasma etching system 100 by reducing the cost ofshowerhead electrode assembly 130. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of selected portions of improved dryplasma etching system 200 and an improved showerhead electrode assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.Plasma etching system 200 comprisesplasma chamber 205, which enclosesempty space 206.Semiconductor wafer 115 is mounted onsupport 120 on the bottom wall (floor) ofplasma chamber 205.Plasma etching system 200 further comprises a two-piece showerhead electrode assembly andhousing 210. The two-piece showerhead electrode assembly comprises electrode plate 231 (diagonal line shading) and retaining ring 235 (dotted shading) Retainingring 235 is preferably made from aluminum. -
Upper ring 207 ofplasma chamber 205 comprises inner (or lower)surface 208 and outer (or upper)surface 209. A portion of the center ofupper ring 207 forms a circular opening into whichelectrode plate 231 is lowered. However,upper ring 207 also formscircular shelf 250, which encircles, and projects into, the circular opening inupper ring 207. The outer perimeter region of the bottom surface ofelectrode plate 231 rests upon, and is supported by, the upper surface ofshelf 250. - Retaining ring 235 (dotted shading) is mounted on
housing 210 and is held in place by a plurality of threadedbolts 236, includingexemplary bolts Electrode plate 231 is then placed inupper ring 207 andupper ring 207 is bolted tohousing 210 by a plurality of threaded bolts 242, includingexemplary bolts electrode plate 231 between retainingring 235 andupper ring 207, providing a gas-tight seal between retainingring 235 andelectrode plate 231. - As in
FIG. 1 , baffle plates are disposed on top ofelectrode plate 231, includingexemplary baffle plate 140. Holes or vias 141 are formed inbaffle plate 140. Similarly, holes orvias 233 are formed inelectrode plate 231.Vias space 211 abovebaffle plate 140 byhousing 210, to flow through the two baffle plates andelectrode plate 231 intospace 206 enclosed byplasma chamber 205. The movement of the ionizing gas fromspace 211 tospace 206 is indicated by the dotted arrows pointing downward inFIG. 2 . - As before, vias 141 in
baffle plate 140 are not aligned with the vias in the baffle plate belowbaffle plate 140. Similarly, the vias in the lower baffle plate are not aligned withvias 233 inelectrode plate 231. This misalignment forces the ionizing gas to disperse evenly as the gas flows through the baffle plates andelectrode plate 231. The ionized gas forms plasma in the region abovesemiconductor wafer 115 inspace 206. As inFIG. 1 , an electrical potential is introduced betweenelectrode plate 231 andsemiconductor wafer 115. This electrical potential is adjusted so that charged particles in the plasma are propelled towards the upper surface ofsemiconductor wafer 115 and collide substantially perpendicularly upon the upper surface ofsemiconductor wafer 115. The energy of the impact removes materials in the unmasked regions of the upper surface ofsemiconductor wafer 115. -
FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of dryplasma etching system 200 and the improved showerhead electrode assembly according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. O-ring 305 is placed in a groove formed in retainingring 235. When retainingring 235 is pressed down onsilicon electrode plate 231, O-ring 305 forms a seal that captures any process gas and channels the captured gas throughvias 233 insilicon electrode plate 231. The groove in which O-ring 305 is disposed is recessed so that, when compressed,silicon electrode plate 231contacts retaining ring 235, which is grounded. Retainingring 235 is anodized in such a way thatsilicon electrode plate 231 conducts to a ground plane. -
FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the cross-sectional view of selected portions of dryplasma etching system 200 and the improved showerhead electrode assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4 is identical in most respect toFIG. 3 , except that O-ring 405 is placed in a groove formed insilicon electrode plate 231. When retainingring 235 is pressed down onsilicon electrode plate 231, O-ring 405 forms a seal that captures any process gas and channels the captured gas throughvias 233 insilicon electrode plate 231. As inFIG. 3 , the groove in which O-ring 405 is disposed is recessed so that, when compressed,silicon electrode plate 231contacts retaining ring 235, which is grounded. - Although the present invention has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (11)
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US10/993,136 US20060108069A1 (en) | 2004-11-19 | 2004-11-19 | Plasma reaction chamber and captive silicon electrode plate for processing semiconductor wafers |
KR1020050021942A KR20060056216A (en) | 2004-11-19 | 2005-03-16 | Plasma reaction chamber and captive silicon electrode plate for processing semiconductor wafers |
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US10/993,136 US20060108069A1 (en) | 2004-11-19 | 2004-11-19 | Plasma reaction chamber and captive silicon electrode plate for processing semiconductor wafers |
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Cited By (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20080090417A1 (en) * | 2006-10-16 | 2008-04-17 | Lam Research Corporation | Upper electrode backing member with particle reducing features |
US20090079122A1 (en) * | 2006-03-08 | 2009-03-26 | Sez Ag | Device for fluid treating plate-like articles |
US20090178763A1 (en) * | 2008-01-10 | 2009-07-16 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Showerhead insulator and etch chamber liner |
US20100000683A1 (en) * | 2008-07-07 | 2010-01-07 | Lam Research Corporation | Showerhead electrode |
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