RADICAL-ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION SYSTEM AND METHOD

US 20080026162A1
Filed: 07/26/2007
Published: 01/31/2008
Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2006
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A method for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:

establishing a continuous flow of a purge gas through a reaction chamber;

maintaining a gaseous radical species in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while introducing a precursor gas into a precursor zone within the reaction chamber, the precursor zone being spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a radical deactivation zone therebetween, the purge gas flowing through the radicals zone, the deactivation zone, and the precursor zone such that flow and pressure conditions within the reaction chamber substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone; and

alternately transporting a substrate between the radicals zone and the precursor zone repeatedly to thereby alternately expose the substrate to the radical species and the precursor gas multiple times, each exposure of the substrate to the precursor gas resulting in some of the precursor gas adsorbing on the substrate as an adsorbed precursor, and each subsequent exposure of the substrate to the radical species resulting in some of the radicals converting at least a portion of the adsorbed precursor to an element or compound, whereby a thin film is formed on the substrate.

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Abstract

A radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition (REALD) system and method involves moving a substrate along a circulating or reciprocating transport path between zones that provide alternating exposure to a precursor gas and a gaseous radical species. The radical species may be generated in-situ within a reaction chamber by an excitation source such as plasma generator or ultraviolet radiation (UV), for example. The gaseous radical species is maintained in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while a precursor gas is introduced into a precursor zone. The precursor zone is spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a radical deactivation zone therebetween. Purge gas flowing through the various zones may provide flow and pressure conditions that substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone. In some embodiments, the system includes a partition having one or more flow-restricting passageways though which the substrate is transported.

400 Citations

33 Claims

1. A method for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
- establishing a continuous flow of a purge gas through a reaction chamber;
  
  maintaining a gaseous radical species in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while introducing a precursor gas into a precursor zone within the reaction chamber, the precursor zone being spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a radical deactivation zone therebetween, the purge gas flowing through the radicals zone, the deactivation zone, and the precursor zone such that flow and pressure conditions within the reaction chamber substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone; and
  
  alternately transporting a substrate between the radicals zone and the precursor zone repeatedly to thereby alternately expose the substrate to the radical species and the precursor gas multiple times, each exposure of the substrate to the precursor gas resulting in some of the precursor gas adsorbing on the substrate as an adsorbed precursor, and each subsequent exposure of the substrate to the radical species resulting in some of the radicals converting at least a portion of the adsorbed precursor to an element or compound, whereby a thin film is formed on the substrate.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- - 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the purge gas is nonreactive with the precursor gas.
  - 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the radical species is generated in-situ by applying energy to the purge gas in the vicinity of the radicals zone.
  - 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the radical species is generated by exposing purge gas to UV light in the vicinity of the radicals zone.
  - 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the radical species is generated by igniting a plasma from purge gas in the vicinity of the radicals zone.
  - 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plasma is ignited by a DC generator.
  - 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the purge gas flows through the reaction chamber along a flow path and the precursor zone is located generally downstream in the flow path relative to the radicals zone.
  - 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the radical species are generated by a radical generator that extends into the flow path and the precursor gas is injected along a leeward side of the radical generator.
  - 9. The method of claim 1, wherein a continuous flow of the precursor gas is injected into the precursor zone.
  - 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising pumping from the reaction chamber to create a vacuum therein.
  - 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transporting of the substrate includes moving the substrate along a circular transport path.
  - 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining of the radical species includes generating the radical species remotely of the radicals zone and injecting the radical species into the radicals zone.
  - 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the radical species comprises hydrogen radicals and the precursor gas comprises a metal-containing molecule.
  - 14. A device including a metal film formed by the method of claim 13.
  - 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting radicals in the deactivation zone with a radicals deactivation device.
  - 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
    - introducing a second precursor gas into the reaction chamber at a second precursor zone; and
      
      transporting the substrate along a transport path that extends into the second precursor zone.
  - 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a second gaseous radical species within the reaction chamber.
  - 18. The method of claim 1, wherein each exposure of the substrate to the precursor gas results in self-limiting, saturating adsorption of precursor gas on the substrate as adsorbed precursor.
  - 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film is deposited by atomic layer deposition.
  - 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film consists essentially of a non-semiconductor material.
  - 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film consists essentially of a metal.

22. A system for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
- a reaction chamber, including an inlet for introducing a purge gas into the reaction chamber and an outlet spaced apart from the inlet, the outlet adapted to be coupled to a pump for pumping a continuous flow of the purge gas through the reaction chamber along a flow path from the inlet to the outlet;
  
  a radical generator positioned along the flow path for maintaining a radical species in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber;
  
  a precursor injector spaced apart from the radical generator and located downstream in the flow path of the purge gas relative to the radicals zone for injecting a precursor into a precursor zone;
  
  a radical deactivation zone interposed between the radicals zone and the precursor zone; and
  
  a carriage for transporting a substrate between the radicals zone and the precursor zone multiple times for alternately exposing the substrate to the radical species and the precursor gas to thereby deposit a thin film on the substrate.
- View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
- - 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the radical generator extends into the reaction chamber for generating radicals in-situ.
  - 24. The system of claim 22, wherein the radical generator is outside of the reaction chamber for generating radicals remotely of the radicals zone.
  - 25. The system of claim 22, wherein the radical generator includes a plasma generator.
  - 26. The system of claim 22, wherein the radical generator includes a UV light source.
  - 27. The system of claim 22, wherein:
    - the carriage moves the substrate along a transport path; and
      
      the radical generator includes a containment shield extending from the wall of the reaction chamber toward the transport path.
  - 28. The system of claim 22, wherein:
    - the radical generator projects into the reaction chamber; and
      
      the precursor injector is positioned in or adjacent a lee of the radical generator.
  - 29. The system of claim 22, wherein the carriage includes a rotating platen and a rotary feedthrough for driving the rotating platen from outside of the reaction chamber.
  - 30. The system of claim 22, wherein:
    - the carriage moves the substrate along a transport path; and
      
      the precursor injector includes a wand that extends over and across the transport path.
  - 31. The system of claim 22, further comprising a radicals deactivation device in the deactivation zone.
  - 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the radicals deactivation device is selected from the group consisting of:
    - baffles, a getter, a catalyst, a charged electrode, and combinations thereof.
  - 33. The system of claim 22, further comprising a partition dividing the reaction chamber between the radicals zone and the precursor zone, the partition including at least one flow-restricting passageway through which the substrate is transported by the carriage.

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Current Assignee
Lotus Applied Technology LLC
Original Assignee
Lotus Applied Technology LLC
Inventors
Barrow, William A., Dickey, Eric R.

Granted Patent

US 8,187,679 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

427/569
CPC Class Codes

C23C 16/452   by activating reactive gas ...

C23C 16/45551   for relative movement of th...

C23C 16/545   for coating elongated subst...

RADICAL-ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION SYSTEM AND METHOD

First Claim

2 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

400 Citations

33 Claims

Specification

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RADICAL-ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION SYSTEM AND METHOD

First Claim

2 Assignments

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0 Petitions

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Accused Products

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Abstract

400 Citations

33 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

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