Coating apparatus – Gas or vapor deposition – With treating means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-02
2001-01-23
Bueker, Richard (Department: 1763)
Coating apparatus
Gas or vapor deposition
With treating means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176198
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processing system and more particularly to a chemical vapor deposition chamber useful for depositing dielectric materials on substrates during the fabrication of integrated circuits and other electronic devices.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the fabrication of integrated circuits and other electronic devices on substrates, multiple deposition and etch steps are performed in sequence to fabricate the desired electronic structures or devices. The trend has been to reduce the overall size of the features which make up the devices and to increase the density of devices formed on a single die. The goal in designing and fabricating these electronic devices is to achieve an overall increase in the speed and capacity of the overall device. This trend has caused a significant amount of research to be undertaken in the area of materials to accomplish these goals. As dimensions decrease, a need arises for materials with lower dielectric constants to act as insulators and less resistive materials to serve as conductors.
One area of research has been conducted in the area of dielectric materials which have a lower dielectric constant. These materials are useful in preventing interference and cross talk between adjacent metal layers, lines and other conducting features. As the trend continues, the goal is to reduce the overall thickness of the dielectric material disposed between conducting features with improved insulating properties. Examples of promising materials include porous oxides having at least some carbon content and insulative polymers or copolymers.
As new materials are investigated, new hardware is needed to perform the deposition steps on substrates. In addition, with the research continually developing, the hardware needs to be adaptable to accommodate a change in precursor gases as well as process conditions. Typically, processing hardware has been designed to accommodate a certain process and a change in process conditions required a change in hardware. For example, a chamber designed for the deposition of silicon dioxide, the traditional dielectric material used in semiconductor fabrication, has been configured to operate in the process regime required to deposit this material. A change in precursor materials or resultant film composition required a change in processing equipment as well as a change in the accompanying software. These required changes are costly and do not provide flexibility in integrating new processes.
Therefore, there is a need for a process system which can deposit new materials and which is adaptable to a change in process gas precursors and/or process conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for depositing material using chemical vapor deposition. In one aspect of the invention, a processing apparatus is provided which comprises a chamber body defining a processing region. A removable gas feedthrough is mounted on the chamber body to deliver process gases from below the chamber to a gas distribution assembly disposed on a lid of the chamber body. A microwave applicator is preferably mounted on the chamber body to deliver excited gases into the processing region of the chamber body. Cleaning gases as well as process gases, such as oxidizing process gases can be delivered to the processing region via the microwave applicator and the gas distribution assembly. Additionally, an exhaust port is preferably mounted vacuum pump mounted on a side of the chamber body.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5750436 (1998-05-01), Fong et al.
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patent: 5902404 (1999-05-01), Fonget al.
patent: 5919332 (1999-07-01), Koshiiishi et al.
U.S. Patent application Entitled “Plasma Processes for Depositing Low Dielectric Constant Films,” filed Nov. 4, 1998, Ser. No. 09/185,555.
U.S. Patent application Entitled “CVD Plasma Assisted Low Dielectric Constant Films,” filed Sep. 29, 1998, Ser. No. 09/162,915.
U.S. Patent application Entitled “Low Power Method of Depositing A Low K. Dielectric with Organo Silane,” filed, 1998, Ser. No. 09/114,682.
U.S. Patent application Entitled Method of Depositing A Low K Dielectric with Organo Silane, filed Feb. 11, 1998, Ser. No. 09/021,788.
Chang Fong M.
Kao Yeh-Jen
Majewski Robert B.
Parks John
Wanamaker David
Applied Materials Inc.
Bueker Richard
Fieler Erin
Thomason Moser & Patterson
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