US 12,191,156 B2
Ribbon beam plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system for anisotropic deposition of thin films
John Hautala, Beverly, MA (US); Tristan Y. Ma, Lexington, MA (US); and Peter F. Kurunczi, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by APPLIED Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/840,424.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/949,582, filed on Dec. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0189566 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. C23C 16/50 (2006.01); C23C 14/22 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/458 (2006.01); H01J 37/305 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/308 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01); C23C 14/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/46 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/31116 (2013.01) [C23C 14/225 (2013.01); C23C 16/45563 (2013.01); C23C 16/4583 (2013.01); C23C 16/50 (2013.01); H01J 37/3053 (2013.01); H01J 37/32458 (2013.01); H01J 37/32623 (2013.01); H01J 37/32816 (2013.01); H01L 21/3086 (2013.01); H01L 21/31144 (2013.01); C23C 14/3442 (2013.01); C23C 14/46 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3151 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3321 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ribbon beam plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system comprising:
a process chamber containing a platen for supporting a substrate; and
a plasma source disposed adjacent the process chamber and adapted to produce free radicals in a plasma chamber, the plasma chamber having an aperture associated therewith for allowing a beam of the free radicals to exit the plasma chamber, wherein the aperture is defined by a radially-elongated nozzle extending directly from the plasma chamber away from the plasma chamber and having a depth in a range of 7 millimeters to 20 millimeters for collimating the beam of free radicals exiting the plasma chamber, wherein at least a portion of the nozzle is located entirely outside of the plasma chamber, and wherein the nozzle is separate from, is attached to, and extends at least partially into, a sidewall of the plasma chamber;
wherein the process chamber is maintained at a first pressure and the plasma chamber is maintained at a second pressure greater than the first pressure for driving the free radicals from the plasma chamber into the process chamber and onto the substrate;
wherein an entirety of the plasma chamber, including the nozzle, is rotatable for directing the beam toward the platen at an oblique angle relative to a surface of the platen.