초록 ▼

An apparatus in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system monitors the actual wafer/substrate temperature during the deposition process. The apparatus makes possible the production of high quality aluminum oxide films with real-time wafer/substrate control. An infrared (IR) temperature monitoring dev

An apparatus in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system monitors the actual wafer/substrate temperature during the deposition process. The apparatus makes possible the production of high quality aluminum oxide films with real-time wafer/substrate control. An infrared (IR) temperature monitoring device is used to control the actual wafer temperature to the process temperature setpoint. This eliminates all atmospheric temperature probing. The need for test runs and monitor wafers as well as the resources required to perform the operations is eliminated and operating cost are reduced. High quality, uniform films of aluminum oxide can be deposited on a silicon substrates with no need for additional photolithographic steps to simulate conformality that are present in a sputtered (PVD) type application. The result is a reduction in required process steps with subsequent anticipated savings in equipment, cycle time, chemicals, reduce handling, and increased yield of devices on the substrate. The apparatus incorporates a heated source material, heated delivery lines, heated inert gas purge lines, a pressure differential mass flow controller, a control system with related valving, and a vacuum process chamber with walls that are temperature controlled as a complete source delivery system to accurately and repeatably provide source vapor for LPCVD deposition of aluminum oxide onto silicon substrates.

대표청구항 ▼

[ Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:] [1.] An apparatus for depositing dense aluminum oxide on a substrate, said apparatus being divided into temperature controlled zones and comprising:a) a pressure vessel containing alumi

[ Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:] [1.] An apparatus for depositing dense aluminum oxide on a substrate, said apparatus being divided into temperature controlled zones and comprising:a) a pressure vessel containing aluminum tri-isopropoxide source material from which a source chemical vapor is produced;b) a delivery manifold connected to said pressure vessel and having first and second outputs, said delivery manifold selectively delivering said source chemical vapor to one of the first output and the second output;c) an isothermal oven containing said pressure vessel and said delivery manifold for heating the same;d) means for monitoring pressure and temperature within said pressure vessel;e) a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process chamber having at least one gas injector nozzle for injection of gas into the chamber, said CVD process chamber having a wafer chuck and a resistance thermal device (RTD) built into said wafer chuck for heating the wafer chuck and providing an output signal representative of wafer chuck temperature;f) a temperature sensor positioned proximate the wafer chuck for providing an output signal representative of a temperature of a wafer positioned upon the wafer chuck;g) an insulated and temperature controlled exhaust line connected to the first output of said delivery manifold and further being connected to said chemical vapor deposition chamber for providing a temperature controlled exhaust from said delivery manifold and the chemical vapor deposition chamber;h) a temperature controlled delivery line having first and second ends thereof, said temperature controlled delivery line being connected at the first end thereof to the second output of said delivery manifold, said temperature controlled delivery line having a cross section sufficient to provide a required mass flow of said source chemical vapor for a deposition rate of aluminum oxide on a substrate;i) a temperature controlled pressure differential mass flow controller connected to the second end of said temperature controlled delivery line for providing accurate flow of said source chemical vapor through said temperature controlled delivery line;j) a premix chamber including a heated and insulated valve premix manifold assembly connected to said pressure differential mass flow controller, said premix manifold assembly having first and second outputs, the first output of said premix manifold assembly comprising a chamber for allowing said source chemical vapor to be mixed with a mass flow controlled, preheated inert gas, the first output of said premix manifold assembly further being connected to the gas injector of the chemical vapor deposition chamber for injection of the mixed source chemical vapor and inert gas therein, the second output of said premix manifold assembly being connected to the exhaust line; andk) a process controller connected to said delivery manifold, said heating device, said process vessel monitoring means, said exhaust line, said temperature controlled delivery line, said pressure differential mass flow controller, said CVD process chamber walls and said premix manifold assembly for controlling the pressure and the temperature of source chemical vapor being delivered throughout the same to be within a temperature range and a pressure range thereby minimizing at least one of potential condensation and decomposition of the source chemical vapor during delivery.