公开(公告)号：US06822185B2

公开(公告)日：2004-11-23

申请号：US10267711

申请日：2002-10-08

申请人： Michael Welch ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Rolf Guenther ,  Zhong Qiang Hua ,  Son Phi ,  Peter Loewenhardt

发明人： Michael Welch ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Rolf Guenther ,  Zhong Qiang Hua ,  Son Phi ,  Peter Loewenhardt

IPC分类号： B23K900

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  H01J37/32458 ,  H01J37/32522 ,  H01L21/67109

摘要： The temperature of a plasma chamber of a semiconductor fabrication tool is maintained substantially constant utilizing a variety of techniques, separately or in combination. One technique is to provide the exterior surface of the plasma chamber dome with a plurality of fins projecting into high velocity regions of an overlying airflow in order to dissipate heat from the chamber. Ducting defined by cover overlying the exposed exterior surface of the dome may also feature projecting lips or an airfoil to place high velocity components of the airflow into contact within the exterior dome surface and the fins. Other techniques include employing a high speed fan to control airflow circulation, and the use of temperature sensors in communication the fan through a processor to control fan speed and thereby regulate chamber temperature.

摘要翻译： 半导体制造工具的等离子体室的温度通过各种技术单独地或组合地保持基本恒定。 一种技术是提供等离子体室圆顶的外表面，其中多个翼片突出到上覆气流的高速区域，以便从腔室散发热量。 覆盖在圆顶外露的外表面上的覆盖层限定的管道还可以具有突出的唇缘或翼型件，以将气流的高速分量置于外部圆顶表面和翅片内。 其他技术包括采用高速风扇来控制气流循环，以及使用温度传感器通过处理器通风风扇来控制风扇速度，从而调节室温。

公开(公告)号：US06899111B2

公开(公告)日：2005-05-31

申请号：US09999751

申请日：2001-10-31

申请人： Paul E. Luscher ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Michael D. Welch

发明人： Paul E. Luscher ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Michael D. Welch

IPC分类号： B08B3/04 ,  H01L21/00 ,  B08B3/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67051 ,  B08B3/04 ,  H01L21/67028 ,  Y10S134/902 ,  Y10S438/905

摘要： The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for cleaning substrates. The cleaning chamber defines a processing cavity adapted to accommodate a substrate therein. In one embodiment, the cleaning chamber includes a chamber body having a processing cavity defined therein. A substrate is disposed in the processing cavity without contacting other chamber components by a Bernoulli effect and/or by a fluid cushion above and/or below the substrate. Fluid is flowed into the processing cavity at an angle relative to a radial line of the substrate to induce and/or control rotation of the substrate during a cleaning and drying process.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种清洗基板的方法和装置。 清洁室限定适于在其中容纳衬底的处理腔。 在一个实施例中，清洁室包括具有限定在其中的处理空腔的室主体。 衬底被布置在处理空腔中，而不通过伯努利效应和/或衬底上方和/或下方的流体垫接触其它腔室部件。 流体相对于基底的径向线以一定角度流入处理空腔，以在清洁和干燥过程中引导和/或控制基底的旋转。

公开(公告)号：US06863835B1

公开(公告)日：2005-03-08

申请号：US09557990

申请日：2000-04-25

申请人： James D. Carducci ,  Hamid Noorbakhsh ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Michael D. Welch

发明人： James D. Carducci ,  Hamid Noorbakhsh ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Michael D. Welch

IPC分类号： H05H1/46 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  B44C1/22 ,  C23C16/00 ,  H01L21/306

CPC分类号： H01J37/32834 ,  C23C16/4412 ,  H01J37/32623 ,  H01J37/3266

摘要： A plasma chamber apparatus and method employing a magnet system to block the plasma within the chamber interior from reaching the exhaust pump. An exhaust channel between the chamber interior and the pump includes a magnet and at least one deflector that creates turbulence in the flow of exhaust gases. The magnetic field and the turbulence produced by the deflector both increase the rate of recombination of charged particles in the gases, thereby reducing the concentration of charged particles sufficiently to quench the plasma downstream of the magnet and deflector, thereby preventing the plasma body within the chamber from reaching the exhaust pump. The plasma confinement effect of the magnetic field permits the use of a wider and/or less sinuous exhaust channel than would be required to block the plasma without the magnetic field. Therefore, the pressure drop across the exhaust channel can be reduced in comparison with prior art designs that rely entirely on the sinuousness of the exhaust channel to block the plasma. Alternatively, if the magnetic field is strong enough, the magnetic field alone can block the plasma from reaching the exhaust pump without the need for any deflector in the exhaust channel.

摘要翻译： 一种等离子体室装置和方法，其采用磁体系统阻挡室内的等离子体到达排气泵。 腔室内部和泵之间的排气通道包括一个磁体和至少一个在废气流中产生湍流的偏转器。 由偏转器产生的磁场和湍流都增加了气体中带电粒子的复合速率，从而充分降低了带电粒子的浓度，使得等离子体和导流板的下游猝灭，从而防止了等离子体在腔室内 从到达排气泵。 磁场的等离子体约束效应允许使用比没有磁场阻挡等离子体所需要的更宽和/或更少的弯曲的排气通道。 因此，与完全依赖于排气通道的弯曲度以阻挡等离子体的现有技术设计相比，可以减小排气通道两侧的压降。 或者，如果磁场足够强，则单独的磁场可以阻止等离子体到达排气泵，而不需要排气通道中的任何偏转器。

公开(公告)号：US06773544B2

公开(公告)日：2004-08-10

申请号：US09775173

申请日：2001-01-31

申请人： James D. Carducci ,  Hamid Noorbakhsh ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Michael D. Welch

发明人： James D. Carducci ,  Hamid Noorbakhsh ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Michael D. Welch

IPC分类号： H01L21302

CPC分类号： H01J37/32834 ,  C23C16/4412 ,  H01J37/32623 ,  H01J37/3266

摘要： The invention concerns a plasma reactor employing a chamber enclosure including a process gas inlet and defining a plasma processing region. A workpiece support pedestal capable of supporting a workpiece at processing location faces the plasma processing region, the pedestal and enclosure being spaced from one another to define a pumping annulus therebetween having facing walls in order to permit the process of gas to be evacuated therethrough from the process region. A pair of opposing plasma confinement magnetic poles within one of the facing walls of the annulus, the opposing magnetic poles being axially displaced from one another. The magnetic poles are axially displaced below the processing location by a distance which exceeds a substantial fraction of a spacing between the facing walls of the annulus.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及一种使用包括工艺气体入口并限定等离子体处理区域的室外壳的等离子体反应器。 能够在加工位置处支撑工件的工件支撑基座面对等离子体处理区域，基座和外壳彼此间隔开，以在它们之间限定其间具有面向壁的泵送环形空间，以便允许气体从其中排出 过程区域。 一对相对的等离子体限制磁极在环形空间的相对的壁之一内，相对的磁极彼此轴向移位。 磁极在加工位置下方轴向移动一定距离，该距离超过环形面的相对壁之间的间隔的相当大的一部分。

公开(公告)号：US6076482A

公开(公告)日：2000-06-20

申请号：US937347

申请日：1997-09-20

申请人： Ji Ding ,  James Carducci ,  Hongching Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Evans Lee ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Mike Welch

发明人： Ji Ding ,  James Carducci ,  Hongching Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Evans Lee ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Mike Welch

IPC分类号： H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/00 ,  C23F1/02 ,  H01L21/302

CPC分类号： H01J37/32458 ,  H01J37/321

摘要： The invention contours the chamber surface overlying semiconductor wafer being processed (i.e., the chamber ceiling) in such a way as to promote or optimize the diffusion of plasma ions from their regions of origin to other regions which would otherwise have a relative paucity of plasma ions. This is accomplished by providing a greater chamber volume over those areas of the wafer otherwise experiencing a shortage of plasma ions and a smaller chamber volume over those areas of the wafer experiencing a plentitude of plasma ions (e.g, due to localized plasma generation occurring over the latter areas). Thus, the ceiling is contoured to promote a plasma ion diffusion which best compensates for localized or non-uniform patterns in plasma ion generation typical of an inductively coupled source (e.g., an overhead inductive antenna). Specifically, the invention provides a lesser ceiling height (relative to the wafer surface) over regions in which plasma ions are generated or tend to congregate and a greater ceiling height in other regions. More specifically, in the case of an overlying inductive antenna where plasma ion density tends to fall off toward the wafer periphery, the ceiling contour is such that the ceiling height increases radially, i.e., toward the wafer periphery. This promotes or increases plasma ion diffusion toward the wafer periphery as a function of the rate at which the ceiling height increases radially.

摘要翻译： 本发明轮廓地覆盖正在被处理的半导体晶片（即，室顶）上的腔表面，以促进或优化等离子体离子从其原始区域扩散到否则将具有相对低的等离子体离子的其它区域 。 这通过在晶片的那些区域上提供更大的室体积，否则经历等离子体离子的短缺，并且在经历等离子体离子的大量的晶片的那些区域（例如，由于在 后面的区域）。 因此，天花板的轮廓是促进等离子体离子扩散，其最好地补偿电感耦合源（例如，架空感应天线）典型的等离子体离子产生中的局部或非均匀图案。 具体地说，本发明提供了在其中产生等离子体离子或倾向聚集的区域和在其它区域中具有更大的天花板高度的较小的天花板高度（相对于晶片表面）。 更具体地说，在等离子体离子密度倾向于朝向晶片周边倾斜的上覆感应天线的情况下，天花板高度使天花板高度径向增加，即朝向晶片周边。 这促进或增加等离子体离子向晶片周边的扩散，这是天花板高度径向增加的速率的函数。

公开(公告)号：US07147719B2

公开(公告)日：2006-12-12

申请号：US10602491

申请日：2003-06-23

申请人： Michael D. Welch ,  Homgqing Shan ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian

发明人： Michael D. Welch ,  Homgqing Shan ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian

IPC分类号： H01L21/00 ,  C23C16/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67011 ,  H01J37/32458 ,  H01J2237/186 ,  Y10S156/916 ,  Y10S414/139

摘要： In a substrate vacuum processing chamber, a second inner slit passage door apparatus and method to supplement the normal slit valve and its door at the outside of the chamber. The inner slit passage door, blocks the slit passage at or adjacent the substrate processing location in a vacuum processing chamber to prevent process byproducts from depositing on the inner surfaces of the slit passage beyond the slit passage door and improves the uniformity of plasma in the processing chamber by eliminating a large cavity adjacent to the substrate processing location into which the plasma would otherwise expand. The inner slit passage door is configured and positioned in such a way as to avoid generating particles from the opening and closing motion of the second slit valve door, as it does not rub against any element of the chamber during its motion and the inner slit passage door is positioned with a predetermined gap from adjacent pieces and the door configuration includes beveled surfaces to further reduce the chance for particle generation, even when there is deposition of process byproducts on the door and its adjacent surfaces.

公开(公告)号：US06192827B1

公开(公告)日：2001-02-27

申请号：US09111251

申请日：1998-07-03

申请人： Michael D. Welch ,  Homgqing Shan ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian

发明人： Michael D. Welch ,  Homgqing Shan ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian

IPC分类号： C23C1601

CPC分类号： H01L21/67011 ,  H01J37/32458 ,  H01J2237/186 ,  Y10S156/916 ,  Y10S414/139

摘要： In a substrate vacuum processing chamber, a second inner slit passage door apparatus and method to supplement the normal slit valve and its door at the outside of the chamber. The inner slit passage door, blocks the slit passage at or adjacent the substrate processing location in a vacuum processing chamber to prevent process byproducts from depositing on the inner surfaces of the slit passage beyond the slit passage door and improves the uniformity of plasma in the processing chamber by eliminating a large cavity adjacent to the substrate processing location into which the plasma would otherwise expand. The inner slit passage door is configured and positioned in such a way as to avoid generating particles from the opening and closing motion of the second slit valve door, as it does not rub against any element of the chamber during its motion and the inner slit passage door is positioned with a predetermined gap from adjacent pieces and the door configuration includes beveled surfaces to further reduce the chance for particle generation, even when there is deposition of process byproducts on the door and its adjacent surfaces.

摘要翻译： 在基板真空处理室中，第二内狭缝通道门装置和方法，用于在室的外部补充普通狭缝阀及其门。 内部狭缝通道门在真空处理室中阻挡基板处理位置处或邻近的狭缝通道，以防止加工副产物沉积在狭缝通道的内表面上方超过狭缝通道门并改善处理中的等离子体的均匀性 通过消除与衬底处理位置相邻的大空腔，等离子体将在其中膨胀。 内狭缝通道门的构造和定位方式是避免从第二狭缝阀门的打开和关闭运动产生颗粒，因为它在其运动期间不会摩擦室内的任何元件，并且内部狭缝通道 门与相邻的件之间具有预定的间隙定位，并且门配置包括斜面以进一步减少颗粒产生的机会，即使在门及其相邻表面上沉积了工艺副产物。

公开(公告)号：US06647918B1

公开(公告)日：2003-11-18

申请号：US09711191

申请日：2000-11-13

申请人： Michael D. Welch ,  Homgqing Shan ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian

发明人： Michael D. Welch ,  Homgqing Shan ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Evans Y. Lee ,  James D. Carducci ,  Siamak Salimian

IPC分类号： C23C1600

CPC分类号： H01L21/67011 ,  H01J37/32458 ,  H01J2237/186 ,  Y10S156/916 ,  Y10S414/139

摘要： In a substrate vacuum processing chamber, a second inner slit passage door apparatus and method to supplement the normal slit valve and its door at the outside of the chamber. The inner slit passage door, blocks the slit passage at or adjacent the substrate processing location in a vacuum processing chamber to prevent process byproducts from depositing on the inner surfaces of the slit passage beyond the slit passage door and improves the uniformity of plasma in the processing chamber by eliminating a large cavity adjacent to the substrate processing location into which the plasma would otherwise expand. The inner slit passage door is configured and positioned in such a way as to avoid generating particles from the opening and closing motion of the second slit valve door, as it does not rub against any element of the chamber during its motion and the inner slit passage door is positioned with a predetermined gap from adjacent pieces and the door configuration includes beveled surfaces to further reduce the chance for particle generation, even when there is deposition of process byproducts on the door and its adjacent surfaces.

摘要翻译： 在基板真空处理室中，第二内狭缝通道门装置和方法，用于在室的外部补充普通狭缝阀及其门。 内部狭缝通道门在真空处理室中阻挡基板处理位置处或邻近的狭缝通道，以防止加工副产物沉积在狭缝通道的内表面上方超过狭缝通道门并改善处理中的等离子体的均匀性 通过消除与衬底处理位置相邻的大空腔，等离子体将在其中膨胀。 内狭缝通道门的构造和定位方式是避免从第二狭缝阀门的打开和关闭运动产生颗粒，因为它在其运动期间不会摩擦室内的任何元件，并且内部狭缝通道 门与相邻的件之间具有预定的间隙定位，并且门配置包括斜面以进一步减少颗粒产生的机会，即使在门及其相邻表面上沉积了工艺副产物。

公开(公告)号：US5737177A

公开(公告)日：1998-04-07

申请号：US730885

申请日：1996-10-17

申请人： Richard Raymond Mett ,  Mahmoud Dahimene ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Mark Steven Contreras

发明人： Richard Raymond Mett ,  Mahmoud Dahimene ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Mark Steven Contreras

IPC分类号： B23Q3/15 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H02N13/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/6833 ,  Y10T279/23

摘要： A method and apparatus for actively controlling the DC cathode potential of a wafer support pedestal within a semiconductor wafer processing system. The apparatus contains a variable DC power supply coupled through an RF filter to a cathode pedestal. The variable DC power supply is actively controlled by a control signal generated by a cathode bias control unit, e.g., a computer or other control circuitry. The cathode bias control unit can be as simple as an operator adjustable control signal, e.g., a rheostat. However, for more accurate control of the DC power supply, a feedback circuit is used that generates a control signal that is proportional to the peak-to-peak voltage on a cathode pedestal. The application of the DC bias to the pedestal reduces the DC potential difference between the wafer and the cathode and, thereby avoids arcing from the wafer to the pedestal.

摘要翻译： 一种用于主动控制半导体晶片处理系统内的晶片支撑基座的直流阴极电位的方法和装置。 该装置包含通过RF滤波器耦合到阴极基座的可变直流电源。 可变直流电源由阴极偏置控制单元（例如计算机或其他控制电路）产生的控制信号主动地控制。 阴极偏置控制单元可以像操作者可调整的控制信号一样简单，例如变阻器。 然而，为了更准确地控制直流电源，使用产生与阴极基座上的峰 - 峰电压成比例的控制信号的反馈电路。 将DC偏压应用于基座减小了晶片和阴极之间的DC电位差，从而避免了从晶片到基座的电弧。

公开(公告)号：US5253266A

公开(公告)日：1993-10-12

申请号：US916381

申请日：1992-07-20

申请人： Walter S. Knodle, III ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Barry K. Caffee

发明人： Walter S. Knodle, III ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Barry K. Caffee

IPC分类号： C23C14/26 ,  C23C14/24 ,  C30B23/06 ,  F27B14/06 ,  F27B14/14 ,  H01L21/203 ,  B05C11/00 ,  C23C16/00

CPC分类号： C30B23/066 ,  C23C14/243

摘要： An effusion source, for the generation of molecular beams, adapted to be positioned at an angle to the horizontal, within a vacuum chamber, of an MBE system including heating structures around the source to create uniform temperatures across the source in planes substantially parallel to the horizontal to cause uniform temperatures in planes substantially parallel to the horizontal in materials placed within the source and intended for MBE applications. A number of heating embodiments are described.