US 12,087,573 B2
Modulation of oxidation profile for substrate processing
Gerald Joseph Brady, Glen Ellyn, IL (US); Kevin M. McLaughlin, Sherwood, OR (US); Pratik Sankhe, Wilsonville, OR (US); Bart J. van Schravendijk, Palo Alto, CA (US); and Shriram Vasant Bapat, Beaverton, OR (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/597,593
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 9, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/070250
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 12, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/011950, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 21, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/875,186, filed on Jul. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0005740 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); C23C 16/44 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/458 (2006.01); C23C 16/52 (2006.01); H10N 50/01 (2023.01)
CPC H01L 21/02244 (2013.01) [C23C 16/4408 (2013.01); C23C 16/45502 (2013.01); C23C 16/45527 (2013.01); C23C 16/45565 (2013.01); C23C 16/4583 (2013.01); C23C 16/52 (2013.01); H10N 50/01 (2023.02)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for oxidizing an annular edge region of a substrate, the method comprising:
providing the substrate to a substrate holder in a semiconductor processing chamber, the semiconductor processing chamber having a showerhead positioned above the substrate holder; and
simultaneously flowing, while the substrate is supported by the substrate holder, (a) an oxidizing gas around a periphery of the substrate and (b) an inert gas that does not include oxygen through the showerhead and onto the substrate, thereby creating an annular gas region over an annular edge region of the substrate and an interior gas region over on an interior region of the substrate, wherein:
the simultaneous flowing is not during a deposition of a material onto the substrate, and
the annular gas region has an oxidization rate higher than the interior gas region.