US6051286A — High temperature, high deposition rate process an…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 80 words

A process for depositing a layer on a substrate on a heater in a chamber, said process comprising the steps of: heating said heater; A pressurizing said chamber; introducing a reactant gas and a source gas into said chamber, said source gas comprising a metal and a halogen applying RF energy to form a plasma adjacent to the substrate; and ramping the flow of said reactant gas, said source gas, and a plasma gas, to avoid thermally shocking said heater.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 80 words

A process for depositing a layer on a substrate on a heater in a chamber, said process comprising the steps of: heating said heater; A pressurizing said chamber; introducing a reactant gas and a source gas into said chamber, said source gas comprising a metal and a halogen applying RF energy to form a plasma adjacent to the substrate; and ramping the flow of said reactant gas, said source gas, and a plasma gas, to avoid thermally shocking said heater.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said introducing step comprises providing a reactant-sources gas flow ratio of less than about 100:1.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 10 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said metal comprises titanium.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The process of claim 3 wherein said source gas comprises titanium tetrachloride and helium.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 11 words

The process of claim 4 wherein said reactant gas comprises hydrogen.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said metal comprises titanium and said halogen comprises chlorine.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

The process of claim 6 wherein said source gas comprises titanium tetrachloride and helium, said reactant gas comprises hydrogen, and said plasma gas comprises argon.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said chamber is at a pressure of between about 1-10 torr.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 8 wherein said chamber is at a pressure of between about 4.5-5 torr.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said RF energy is applied at a frequency of between about 300-450 kHz and at a power of between about 200-2000 Watts.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 43 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of: reducing said RF energy from a first power level to a second power level while maintaining said plasma, said reducing step avoiding thermally shocking said heater and reducing particulate contamination within said chamber.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 36 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of heating said heater to a first temperature and then heating said heater to a processing temperature wherein said first temperature is higher than said processing temperature.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process of claim 12 wherein said first temperature is higher than said processing temperature by at least about 1%.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 12 wherein said first temperature is about 635° C. and said processing temperature is about 625° C.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 37 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: flowing chlorine gas into said chamber at a selected flow rate and a selected chamber pressure; and applying RF energy to form a plasma within said chamber.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said heater is heated to a temperature above about 500° C.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 16 wherein said heater is heated to a temperature above about 600° C.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 17 wherein said heater is heated to a temperature above about 700° C.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said heater is heated to a temperature of between about 550° C. and about 650° C.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 33 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said source gas is liquid titanium tetrachloride heated to about 60° C. and bubbled with helium gas flowing at about 400 sccm into said liquid titanium tetrachloride.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said introducing step comprises providing a reactant:source gas flow ratio of less than about 250:1.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said introducing step comprises providing a reactant:source gas flow ratio of between about 20:1 and about 50:1.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 126 words

A computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a deposition apparatus of the type having a heater pedestal disposed within a chamber and a gas delivery system coupled to the chamber, the apparatus being operable under the direction of a controller, the computer-readable program directing operation of the apparatus in accordance with the following: (a) heating a substrate with the heater; (b) pressurizing the chamber; (c) introducing a reactant gas and a source gas into said chamber, said source gas comprising a metal and a halogen; (d) applying RF energy to form a plasma adjacent to the substrate; and (e) ramping the flow of the reactant gas, the source gas, and a plasma gas, to avoid -- thermally shocking the heater.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 126 words

A computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a deposition apparatus of the type having a heater pedestal disposed within a chamber and a gas delivery system coupled to the chamber, the apparatus being operable under the direction of a controller, the computer-readable program directing operation of the apparatus in accordance with the following: (a) heating a substrate with the heater; (b) pressurizing the chamber; (c) introducing a reactant gas and a source gas into said chamber, said source gas comprising a metal and a halogen; (d) applying RF energy to form a plasma adjacent to the substrate; and (e) ramping the flow of the reactant gas, the source gas, and a plasma gas, to avoid -- thermally shocking the heater.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 142 words

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber; a heater disposed within the chamber; a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to the chamber; pressure control system coupled to the chamber; a plasma generation system coupled to the chamber; and a controller coupled to the heater, the gas distribution system, the plasma generation system, the controller including a computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the apparatus in accordance with the following: (a) heating a substrate with the heater; (b) pressurizing the chamber; (c) introducing a reactant gas and a source gas into said chamber, said source gas comprising a metal and a halogen; (d) applying RF energy to form a plasma adjacent to the substrate; and (e) ramping the flow of the reactant gas, the source gas, and a plasma gas, to avoid -- thermally shocking the heater.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 142 words

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber; a heater disposed within the chamber; a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to the chamber; pressure control system coupled to the chamber; a plasma generation system coupled to the chamber; and a controller coupled to the heater, the gas distribution system, the plasma generation system, the controller including a computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the apparatus in accordance with the following: (a) heating a substrate with the heater; (b) pressurizing the chamber; (c) introducing a reactant gas and a source gas into said chamber, said source gas comprising a metal and a halogen; (d) applying RF energy to form a plasma adjacent to the substrate; and (e) ramping the flow of the reactant gas, the source gas, and a plasma gas, to avoid -- thermally shocking the heater.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 70 words

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said heater comprises a pedestal having a surface capable of supporting a substrate, said pedestal comprising a heater assembly capable of resistively heating to a first temperature of at least about 400° C. and said plasma generation system comprises an RF generator and an RF plane, said RF plane being disposed in said pedestal a distance less than about 200 mil below said surface.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said distance is less than about 60 mil.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said first temperature is at least 500° C.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said first temperature is at least 600° C.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said gas distribution system includes a liquid delivery system with a pressure-based control inlet for introducing said source gas, said source gas comprising a vaporized liquid source, into said chamber.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said pressure-based control inlet has an orifice aperture size ranging between about 25-40 mil, and said source gas comprises titanium tetrachloride vaporized with helium gas.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-04-18	2003-10-18	2004-04-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-04-18	2007-10-18	2008-04-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-04-18	2011-10-18	2012-04-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

High temperature, high deposition rate process and apparatus for depositing titanium layers

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