Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-27
2004-11-16
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C137S457000, C134S022100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06819969
ABSTRACT:
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Application No. 2000-61264, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method of performing a chemical vapor deposition process in such a manner that particles can be prevented from forming on a wafer, and an apparatus for performing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as information media including computers are becoming more widely used, the semiconductor industry has made great strides. From a functional standpoint, a semiconductor device is required to be operated at a high speed and to have large storage capacitance. Accordingly, semiconductor manufacturing techniques are developing to improve integration degree, reliance and response speed of semiconductor devices. Thus, strict requirements are required during performing of semiconductor manufacturing processes, such as chemical vapor deposition, which forms a film on a wafer.
Generally, when a chemical vapor deposition process is carried out, deposition gases (source gas) are introduced into a chamber in which the wafer is placed, and the deposition gases react with each other in the chamber so that a film is deposited on the wafer. However, a part of the deposition gases, which is not reacted during the chemical vapor deposition process, is deposited on sidewalls of the chamber or floats in the chamber after the chemical vapor deposition process has been finished. The deposition gases floating in the chamber or deposited on the sidewalls of the chamber cause the generation of particles. The particles can be dropped onto a wafer newly introduced into the chamber, thereby resulting in ultimate failure of the wafer. For this reason, a cleaning process is carried out in the chamber before a wafer is newly introduced into the chamber.
The cleaning of the chamber is carried out by introducing a cleaning gas capable of etching the particles in the chamber. That is, after introducing the cleaning gas into the chamber, a plasma is formed in the chamber in-situ. Then, after etching the particles by using the cleaning gas, the particles are exhausted from the chamber.
There are known methods for cleaning a chamber by forming plasma in-situ. However, when cleaning of the chamber is carried out by forming plasma in-situ, sidewalls of the chamber can be damaged by physical sputtering, so that the chamber is contaminated. For this reason, a known method comprises forming plasma at an exterior of the chamber using a plasma device, and introducing the radical of the cleaning gas into the chamber so as to clean the chamber.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional apparatus for performing a chemical vapor deposition process. Referring to
FIG. 1
, the apparatus has a chamber
10
in which the chemical vapor deposition process is carried out. A heater (heating plate)
12
on which a wafer W is placed is installed at an inner lower portion of the chamber
10
. A shower
14
for introducing a deposition gas and a cleaning gas into the chamber
10
is provided at an inner upper portion of the chamber
10
. A deposition gas supply section
20
is installed at an exterior of the chamber
10
in order to supply the deposition gas into the chamber
10
. Since the deposition gas is made by mixing various kinds of gases, the deposition gas supply section
20
includes a plurality of gas supply parts
20
a
,
20
b
and
20
c
corresponding to the kinds of the gases. A gas mixer
16
is connected to the deposition gas supply section
20
so as to mix the gases. The gas mixer
16
is also connected to the chamber
10
. Accordingly, the gas supply parts
20
a
,
20
b
and
20
c
supply the gases into the gas mixer
16
via respective valves
22
a
,
22
b
and
22
c
and through a deposition gas supply line
18
. Then, the gases are mixed in the gas mixer
16
and introduced into the chamber
10
.
In addition, a cleaning gas supply section
28
is provided to supply the cleaning gas into the chamber
10
. Since the cleaning gas can be made by mixing various kinds of gases, the cleaning gas supply section
28
includes a plurality of cleaning gas supply parts
28
a
and
28
b
corresponding to the kinds of the gases. The cleaning gas supply parts
28
a
and
28
b
are connected to a plasma device
26
via respective valves
30
a
and
30
b
, and through a cleaning gas supply line
24
, so that the cleaning gas supplied from the cleaning gas supply parts
28
a
and
28
b
is excited in the plasma device
26
. The plasma device
26
is connected to the gas mixer
16
, so that the cleaning gas filtered in the plasma device
26
is introduced into the chamber
10
through the gas mixer
16
, thereby cleaning the chamber
10
.
In order to deposit a film on a wafer by using the chemical vapor deposition apparatus of
FIG. 1
, the chamber
10
is firstly cleaned before the wafer W is loaded into the chamber
10
. The cleaning of the chamber
10
is carried out by introducing the cleaning gas into the chamber
10
. The particles deposited on the sidewalls of the chamber
10
and the gas floating in the chamber
10
are etched by the cleaning gas introduced into the chamber
10
, and are exhausted out of the chamber
10
. After cleaning the chamber
10
, the wafer W is loaded in the chamber
10
. Then, the deposition gas is introduced into the chamber
10
through the deposition gas supply parts
20
a
,
20
b
and
20
c
, so as to deposit the film on the wafer W.
However, while the deposition process is being carried out, a part of the deposition gas supplied from the deposition gas supply parts
20
a
,
20
b
and
20
c
flows back toward the cleaning gas supply line
24
. Since a part of the cleaning gas, which is supplied when the cleaning process is carried out, remains in the cleaning gas supply line
24
, the part of the deposition gas which has flowed back reacts with the remaining part of the cleaning gas, so that particles are generated. The particles drop onto the wafer while the deposition process is being carried out, thereby resulting in the ultimate failure of the wafer. In addition, the deposition gas which has flowed back is deposited on the cleaning gas supply line
24
, or floats in the cleaning gas supply line
24
, to thus contaminate the cleaning gas supply line
24
. Accordingly, particles are formed on a wafer which is newly introduced into the chamber for the deposition process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore directed to a chemical vapor deposition process and apparatus for performing the same, which substantially overcome one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a chemical vapor deposition process for reducing particles formed on a wafer.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the chemical vapor deposition process.
To accomplish the first and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a method of performing a chemical vapor deposition process, whereby a process chamber is cleaned by introducing a cleaning gas including a fluorine radical into the process chamber. A wafer is then loaded into the process chamber. A film is deposited on the wafer by introducing a deposition gas into the process chamber, while preventing the deposition gas from flowing back toward a cleaning gas supply line.
To accomplish the second and other objects of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for carrying out a chemical vapor deposition process, the apparatus having a process chamber in which the chemical vapor deposition process is carried out. A first supplier supplies a cleaning gas into the process chamber for cleaning the process chamber. A plasma device is installed between the process chamber and the first supplier, to excite the cleaning gas supplied from the f
Kim Jong-Woo
Kim Kwang-Sig
Lee Hee-Tae
Park Yoon-Sei
Masinick Michael D.
Picard Leo
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Volentine Francos & Whitt PLLC
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