Process and apparatus for forming stoichiometric layer of a metal compound by closed loop voltage controlled reactive sputtering

Claim 2

An improved process for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvement comprises: changing the negative potential on said metal target to increase or decrease the supply of sputtered metal atoms available to react with the atoms of reactive gas at a fixed flow of such gas by monitoring the target voltage and, in response to changes in the target voltage, changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target to return the target voltage level back to a condition where the stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound will be restored.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the power level of said constant power source is changed by feeding back a target voltage monitoring signal to said power supply as a power level set signal to change the power level of the constant power source.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein the target voltage monitoring signal is amplified before being fed back to the power supply as a power level set signal.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein said metal being sputtered is selected from the class consisting of titanium, aluminum, silicon, tantalum, copper, and zinc; and said reactive gas is selected from the class consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, silane (SiH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O).

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein said metal being sputtered comprises titanium, said reactive gas comprises nitrogen, and said stoichiometric metal compound comprises TiN.

Claim 7

The process of claim 2 wherein said power level is changed to maintain said target voltage within the range of from about -250 volts to about -750 volts.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2 wherein said power level is changed to maintain said target voltage within the range of from about -300 volts to about -400 volts.

Claim 9

The process of claim 2 wherein said power level is changed to maintain said target voltage within the range defined between points C and D on the graph of FIG. 3.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 1 wherein when the target voltage rises, a higher power set signal is fed back to the power supply, changing the constant power level to a higher level, whereby more metal is sputtered from said target, thereby lowering the target voltage back to the desired voltage level and in turn lowering the power level of the constant power source.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 9 wherein said metal is titanium.

Claim 12

An improved process for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in a chamber in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvements comprise: (a) changing the negative potential on said metal target to maintain a stoichiometric supply of sputtered metal atoms available to react with the atoms of said reactive gas at a fixed flow of said gas by changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target; and (b) providing a path for the flow of said reactive gas to the zone between said target and said wafer, while restricting the travel of said stoichiometric metal compound from said zone; to thereby provide a stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound on said wafer.

Claim 13

An improved process for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in a chamber in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvements comprise: (a) changing the negative potential on said metal target to maintain a stoichiometric supply of sputtered metal atoms available to react with the atoms of said reactive gas at a fixed flow of said gas by changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target; and (b) providing a path for the flow of said reactive gas to the zone between said target and said wafer, while restricting the travel of said stoichiometric metal compound from said zone; to thereby provide a stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound on said wafer.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 wherein said step of providing said path for said reactive gas further comprises providing a series of coaxially nested members surrounding the zone between said target and said wafer defining one or more gas passages between the members.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 wherein said step of providing said path for said reactive gas further comprises providing a series of at least three coaxially nested members surrounding the zone between the target and the wafer, spacing the outermost and innermost members downwardly from the top wall of said chamber to respectively define an inlet passageway between the top wall of said chamber and said outermost member and an outlet passageway between said innermost member and said top wall, providing a bottom wall to join the bottom edges of said innermost and outermost members together; and depending the middle member downwardly from said top wall of said chamber to a point spaced above said bottom wall to thereby define a gas passage between said members.

Claim 16

An improved apparatus for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvement comprises: means for monitoring the target voltage, and in response to changes in the target voltage, means for changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target to return the target voltage level back to a condition where the stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound will be restored.

Claim 17

An improved apparatus for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvement comprises: means for monitoring the target voltage, and in response to changes in the target voltage, means for changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target to return the target voltage level back to a condition where the stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound will be restored.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for changing the power level of said constant power source further comprises means for feeding back a target voltage monitoring signal to said power supply as a power level set signal to change the power level of the constant power source.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said means for feeding back said target voltage monitoring signal to said power supply further comprises means for amplifying said voltage monitoring signal fed back to said power supply as a power level set signal.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said means for changing said power level further comprise means for maintaining said target voltage within the range of from about -250 volts to about -750 volts.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for changing said power level further comprise means for maintaining said target voltage within the range of from about -300 volts to about -400 volts.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for changing said power level further comprise means for maintaining said target voltage within the range defined between points C and D on the graph of FIG. 3.

Claim 23

The process of claim 14 wherein said metal target being sputtered is selected from the class consisting of titanium, aluminum, silicon, tantalum, copper, and zinc; and said reactive gas is selected from the class consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, silane (SiH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O).

Claim 24

The process of claim 20 wherein said metal target being sputtered comprises titanium, said reactive gas comprises nitrogen, and said stoichiometric metal compound comprises TiN.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said apparatus further comprises means for providing a path for the flow of said reactive gas to the zone between said target and said wafer, while restricting the travel of said stoichiometric metal compound from said zone.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for providing said path for said reactive gas further comprise a series of coaxially nested members surrounding the zone between said target and said wafer defining one or more gas passages between the members.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein when said means for monitoring said target voltage detects a voltage increase, a higher power set signal is fed back to the power supply, changing the constant power level to a higher level, whereby more metal is sputtered from said target, thereby lowering the target voltage back to the desired voltage level and in turn lowering the power level of the constant power source.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said sputtered metal is titanium.

Claim 29

An improved apparatus for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in a chamber in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvements comprise: (a) means for changing the negative potential on said metal target to restore the stoichiometry of the sputtered metal atoms available to react with the atoms of said reactive gas at a fixed flow of said gas to form said stoichiometric metal compound, comprising means for changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target; and (b) means for providing a path for the flow of said reactive gas to a zone between said target and said wafer, while restricting the travel of said stoichiometric metal compound from said zone to other portions of said chamber; to thereby provide a stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound on said wafer.

Claim 30

An improved apparatus for forming a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer by reactive sputtering a metal target in a chamber in the presence of a reactive gas, wherein the improvements comprise: (a) means for changing the negative potential on said metal target to restore the stoichiometry of the sputtered metal atoms available to react with the atoms of said reactive gas at a fixed flow of said gas to form said stoichiometric metal compound, comprising means for changing the power level of a constant power source electrically connected to said target; and (b) means for providing a path for the flow of said reactive gas to a zone between said target and said wafer, while restricting the travel of said stoichiometric metal compound from said zone to other portions of said chamber; to thereby provide a stoichiometric ratio of said sputtered metal atoms and said reactive gas atoms adjacent said wafer to form said stoichiometric metal compound on said wafer.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said means for providing said path for said reactive gas further comprise a series of coaxially nested members surrounding said zone between said target and said wafer defining one or more gas passages between said members.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said means for providing said path for said reactive gas further comprise a series of at least three coaxially nested members surrounding the zone between the target and the wafer, comprising; (a) outermost and innermost members spaced downwardly from the top wall of said chamber to respectively define an inlet passageway between the top wall of said chamber and said outermost member and an outlet passageway between said innermost member and said top wall; (b) a bottom wall joining the bottom edges of said innermost and outermost members together; and (c) a middle member depending downwardly from said top wall of said chamber to a point spaced above said bottom wall; to thereby define a gas passage between said members from the portion of said chamber outside said members to said zone within said members.

Claim 33

Apparatus for reactive sputtering of a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer formed by reaction between a sputtered metal and a reactive gas, comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber having a top wall; (b) a metal target mounted adjacent said top wall of said chamber; (c) means for retaining a circular semiconductor wafer in said chamber in a position below said target and generally axially aligned therewith; (d) a first cylinder having an upper end mounted to said top wall of said chamber and depending downwardly below said target and generally symmetrically surrounding said target; (e) a second cylinder generally coaxially surrounding said first cylinder and having an upper end spaced from said said top wall to define a first passageway therebetween and a lower end depending downwardly beyond a lower end of said first cylinder; (f) support means in said chamber to support said second cylinder in said chamber in said position coaxially surrounding said first cylinder; (g) a third cylinder coaxially positioned within said first cylinder having an inner diameter slightly larger than said semiconductor wafer and having an upper end spaced from said top wall of said chamber to define a second passageway therebetween and a lower end depending down approximately the same distance as said lower end of said second cylinder; (h) a circular bottom wall joined to said lower ends of said second and third cylinders to seal off the space therebetween; whereby a gas passage will be defined leading from the space in said chamber outside of said second cylinder through said first passageway into the space between said first and second cylinders, then down around said lower end of said first cylinder and to the space between said first and third cylinders and then through said second passageway to permit said reactive gas to emerge adjacent said wafer to react with said sputtered metal to form said coating on said wafer.

Claim 34

Apparatus for reactive sputtering of a layer of a stoichiometric metal compound on a semiconductor wafer formed by reaction between a sputtered metal and a reactive gas, comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber having a top wall; (b) a metal target mounted adjacent said top wall of said chamber; (c) means for retaining a circular semiconductor wafer in said chamber in a position below said target and generally axially aligned therewith; (d) a first cylinder having an upper end mounted to said top wall of said chamber and depending downwardly below said target and generally symmetrically surrounding said target; (e) a second cylinder generally coaxially surrounding said first cylinder and having an upper end spaced from said said top wall to define a first passageway therebetween and a lower end depending downwardly beyond a lower end of said first cylinder; (f) support means in said chamber to support said second cylinder in said chamber in said position coaxially surrounding said first cylinder; (g) a third cylinder coaxially positioned within said first cylinder having an inner diameter slightly larger than said semiconductor wafer and having an upper end spaced from said top wall of said chamber to define a second passageway therebetween and a lower end depending down approximately the same distance as said lower end of said second cylinder; (h) a circular bottom wall joined to said lower ends of said second and third cylinders to seal off the space therebetween; whereby a gas passage will be defined leading from the space in said chamber outside of said second cylinder through said first passageway into the space between said first and second cylinders, then down around said lower end of said first cylinder and to the space between said first and third cylinders and then through said second passageway to permit said reactive gas to emerge adjacent said wafer to react with said sputtered metal to form said coating on said wafer.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said first cylinder has a flange mounted to said lower end to depend inwardly toward the outer wall of said third cylinder to provide a flow impediment to back flow of the reaction product of said sputtered metal and reactive gas to avoid contamination of the remainder of said chamber outside of said cylinders.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said flange is mounted to said lower end of said first cylinder generally perpendicular to the wall of said cylinder.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said third cylinder has a clamping ring carried at the upper end of said cylinder to engage the outer edge of said wafer.