US 11,913,113 B2
Method and apparatus for modulating film uniformity
Pulkit Agarwal, Beaverton, OR (US); Adrien Lavoie, Newberg, OR (US); and Purushottam Kumar, Hillsboro, OR (US)
Assigned to LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/108,592.
Prior Publication US 2020/0063259 A1, Feb. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. C23C 16/455 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01); C23C 16/44 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/45536 (2013.01) [C23C 16/4408 (2013.01); C23C 16/45519 (2013.01); C23C 16/45565 (2013.01); C23C 16/45574 (2013.01); H01L 21/0228 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for processing a substrate, wherein the substrate is located below a showerhead in a processing chamber, comprising:
depositing a deposition layer on the substrate below the showerhead in the processing chamber, wherein at least one deposition gas is provided through the showerhead;
flowing a secondary purge gas during the depositing the deposition layer from a location outside of the showerhead in the processing chamber forming a flow curtain around an outer edge of the showerhead, wherein the secondary purge gas comprises at least one component gas;
changing a partial pressure of the at least one component gas over time during the depositing the deposition layer, wherein the depositing the deposition layer has a non-uniformity, wherein the changing the partial pressure changes the non-uniformity over time during the depositing the deposition layer; and
providing a non-uniform etch back process below the showerhead in the processing chamber, wherein the non-uniform etch back process is complementary to the non-uniformity of the depositing the deposition layer, wherein the deposition layer after the non-uniform etch back process is more uniform than the deposition layer before the non-uniform etch back process.