Abstract: Atomic layer processing systems are provided for planarizing a patterned substrate utilizing a rotating platen. An atomic layer processing system may include a spatial atomic layer processing chamber with the rotating platen, a sensor that provides sensor data related to a property of the patterned substrate and/or a reaction in the spatial atomic layer processing chamber, and a controller. The controller may be coupled to the sensor to receive the sensor data and utilize such data to adjust at least one operating parameter of the atomic layer processing system so as to achieve a desired amount of planarization of the patterned substrate.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein to improve the efficiency of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle by providing an improved purge block design. The improved purge block prevents gas mixing, regardless of the rotational speed of the platen, by providing a lower cavity on an underside of the purge block, and in some embodiments, by providing an upper cavity on a topside of the purge block. The lower/upper cavity provides a gas conduction path that distributes purge gas evenly beneath/above the purge block and provides uniform gas flow conductance within the lower/upper cavity. Compared to conventional purge block designs, the improved purge block design described herein provides a narrower, yet more effective isolation barrier, which prevents gas mixing even at high rotational speeds of the platen.

Abstract: Methods are provided for planarizing a patterned substrate in a spatial atomic layer processing system comprising a rotating platen. The patterned substrate may generally include features having higher regions and lower regions. To planarize the patterned substrate, or reduce a height differential between the higher and lower regions, a selective atomic layer etching (ALE) process is disclosed to preferentially form a modified layer on the higher regions of the features by exposing a surface of the patterned substrate to a precursor gas while the rotating platen spins at a high rotational speed. By preferentially forming the modified layer on the higher regions of the features, and subsequently removing the modified layer, the selective ALE process described herein preferentially etches the higher regions of the features to lessen the height differential between the higher and lower regions until a desired planarization of the features is achieved.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided in which improved control of gas phase radicals is provided. In one embodiment, a system generating atomic oxygen is provided in which gases which generate the atomic oxygen are mixed prior to injection in a process space. The mixing may occur within a showerhead or prior to entrance into the showerhead. In another embodiment, a showerhead is provided which includes multiple zones. Some of the zones of the showerhead may inject the mixture of gases which generate the atomic oxygen into the process space, while other zones do not inject that mixture. In one embodiment, the mixture of gases which generates the atomic oxygen is injected into a main zone, while a subset of those gases is injected into inner and outer zones of the showerhead. The process and apparatus provides a uniform density of atomic oxygen across the substrate being processed.

Abstract: A method for depositing a dielectric material includes heating a substrate disposed in a dielectric deposition chamber; dispensing a dielectric precursor from a first showerhead towards a major outer surface of the substrate; dispensing a mixture containing oxygen and ammonia from a second showerhead towards the major outer surface of the substrate; and reacting the dielectric precursor with the mixture to deposit a layer of oxynitride dielectric material on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a device includes depositing a first etch mask layer over a mandrel formed using a lithography process. The method includes depositing a second etch mask layer over the first etch mask layer. The method includes, using a first anisotropic etching process, etching the first etch mask layer and the second etch mask layer to form an etch mask including the first etch mask layer and the second etch mask layer. The method includes removing the mandrel to expose an underlying surface of the layer to be patterned. The method includes, using the etch mask, forming a feature by performing a second anisotropic etching process to pattern the layer to be patterned, where during the first anisotropic etching process, the first etch mask layer etches at a first rate and the second etch mask layer etches at a second rate, and where the first rate is different from the second rate.

Abstract: An exemplary apparatus includes a metal furnace tube having an open first end and an opposite second end. The metal furnace tube includes an inner chamber, a fluid inlet to intake a fluid into the inner chamber, and a fluid outlet to exhaust the fluid from the inner chamber, the inner chamber to support a plurality of substrates within the metal furnace tube. The apparatus includes a first base plate or flange back plate coupling the fluid inlet to the inner chamber; a second base plate or flange back plate coupling the fluid outlet to the inner chamber; and a furnace includes a heater to heat the metal furnace tube, the metal furnace tube being mounted within the furnace and the heater being disposed outside the metal furnace tube.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided in which improved control of gas phase radicals is provided. In one embodiment, a system generating atomic oxygen is provided in which gases which generate the atomic oxygen are mixed prior to injection in a process space. The mixing may occur within a showerhead or prior to entrance into the showerhead. In another embodiment, a showerhead is provided which includes multiple zones. Some of the zones of the showerhead may inject the mixture of gases which generate the atomic oxygen into the process space, while other zones do not inject that mixture. In one embodiment, the mixture of gases which generates the atomic oxygen is injected into a main zone, while a subset of those gases is injected into inner and outer zones of the showerhead. The process and apparatus provides a uniform density of atomic oxygen across the substrate being processed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided in which improved control of gas phase radicals is provided. In one embodiment, a system generating atomic oxygen is provided in which gases which generate the atomic oxygen are mixed prior to injection in a process space. The mixing may occur within a showerhead or prior to entrance into the showerhead. In another embodiment, a showerhead is provided which includes multiple zones. Some of the zones of the showerhead may inject the mixture of gases which generate the atomic oxygen into the process space, while other zones do not inject that mixture. In one embodiment, the mixture of gases which generates the atomic oxygen is injected into a main zone, while a subset of those gases is injected into inner and outer zones of the showerhead. The process and apparatus provides a uniform density of atomic oxygen across the substrate being processed.

Abstract: A method for depositing a dielectric material includes heating a substrate disposed in a dielectric deposition chamber; dispensing a dielectric precursor from a first showerhead towards a major outer surface of the substrate; dispensing a mixture containing oxygen and ammonia from a second showerhead towards the major outer surface of the substrate; and reacting the dielectric precursor with the mixture to deposit a layer of oxynitride dielectric material on the substrate.

Abstract: Methods are provided for planarizing a patterned substrate in a spatial atomic layer processing system comprising a rotating platen. The patterned substrate may generally include features having higher regions and lower regions. To planarize the patterned substrate, or reduce a height differential between the higher and lower regions, a selective atomic layer etching (ALE) process is disclosed to preferentially form a modified layer on the higher regions of the features by exposing a surface of the patterned substrate to a precursor gas while the rotating platen spins at a high rotational speed. By preferentially forming the modified layer on the higher regions of the features, and subsequently removing the modified layer, the selective ALE process described herein preferentially etches the higher regions of the features to lessen the height differential between the higher and lower regions until a desired planarization of the features is achieved.

Abstract: Internally cooled multi-hole injectors to deliver process chemicals are provided. An internal channel in an injector for the delivery system delivers process chemicals, such as a gas precursor, to a reaction space or substrate within a process chamber through multiple holes formed by outlets. A cooling delivery path and a cooling return path for cooling chemicals are positioned adjacent the supply channel to cool the process chemicals internally within the injector. The cooling process can be controlled to achieve a target cooling level for the process chemicals within the channel. In operation, undesired deposits are reduced thereby extending the time between product maintenance cycles. Further, the delivery and return flow of the cooling chemicals helps to stimulate a more evenly distributed temperature for the supply channel. Still further, the disclosed embodiments can be used in high-temperature environments, such as above about 400 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus includes a processing chamber; a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber; and a showerhead disposed over the substrate holder. The showerhead includes a first zone disposed in a central region of the showerhead, the first zone including a first cavity, a plurality of first fluid exit holes aligned to output a fluid from the first cavity towards the substrate holder, a first flow path fluidly coupled to a fluid source, and a plurality of first fluid distribution pathways fluidly coupling the first flow path with the first cavity.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein to improve the efficiency of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle by providing an improved purge block design. The improved purge block prevents gas mixing, regardless of the rotational speed of the platen, by providing a lower cavity on an underside of the purge block, and in some embodiments, by providing an upper cavity on a topside of the purge block. The lower/upper cavity provides a gas conduction path that distributes purge gas evenly beneath/above the purge block and provides uniform gas flow conductance within the lower/upper cavity. Compared to conventional purge block designs, the improved purge block design described herein provides a narrower, yet more effective isolation barrier, which prevents gas mixing even at high rotational speeds of the platen.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein to thermally activate a nitrogen-containing gas at lower activation temperatures (e.g., below 2000 C) than conventional hot-wire heating methods, while more effectively heating larger gas volumes. In the disclosed embodiments, a gas activation chamber is provided within a deposition system for thermally activating a nitrogen-containing gas. In one example, ammonia (NH3) may be thermally activated within the gas activation chamber to generate ammonia radicals and/or hydrazine compounds before the ammonia, ammonia radicals and/or hydrazine compounds are delivered to the substrate surface. Because ammonia radicals and hydrazine compounds are significantly more reactive than ammonia, especially at lower substrate temperatures (e.g., <900 C), ammonia radicals and hydrazine compounds can be more effectively used to deposit nitride layers (such as silicon nitride) over a broader range of substrate temperatures.

Abstract: A layer is deposited on a substrate using atomic oxygen in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The gases used to generate atomic oxygen are mixed and heated within a gas activation chamber. In one embodiment, the gas activation chamber is positioned beneath a showerhead of a spatial ALD system for receiving one or more gases injected from the showerhead. The gases are mixed within the gas activation chamber and passed over a hot surface to produce reaction byproducts, including atomic oxygen. The hot surface heats the gas mixture to a high temperature (e.g., above 550 C) sufficient to produce meaningful concentrations of atomic oxygen. The gas activation chamber then transports the heated gas mixture containing the atomic oxygen to the substrate surface at an elevated temperature to minimize recombination of the atomic oxygen, the high temperature of the gas activation chamber being higher than the temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a device includes depositing a first etch mask layer over a mandrel formed using a lithography process. The method includes depositing a second etch mask layer over the first etch mask layer. The method includes, using a first anisotropic etching process, etching the first etch mask layer and the second etch mask layer to form an etch mask including the first etch mask layer and the second etch mask layer. The method includes removing the mandrel to expose an underlying surface of the layer to be patterned. The method includes, using the etch mask, forming a feature by performing a second anisotropic etching process to pattern the layer to be patterned, where during the first anisotropic etching process, the first etch mask layer etches at a first rate and the second etch mask layer etches at a second rate, and where the first rate is different from the second rate.

Abstract: Embodiments are described for internally cooled multi-hole injectors to deliver process chemicals. An internal channel in an injector for the delivery system delivers process chemicals, such as a gas precursor, to a reaction space or substrate within a process chamber through multiple holes formed by outlets. A cooling delivery path and a cooling return path for cooling chemicals are positioned adjacent the supply channel to cool the process chemicals internally within the injector. The cooling process can be controlled to achieve a target cooling level for the process chemicals within the channel. In operation, undesired deposits are reduced thereby extending the time between product maintenance cycles. Further, the delivery and return flow of the cooling chemicals helps to stimulate a more evenly distributed temperature for the supply channel. Still further, the disclosed embodiments can be used in high-temperature environments, such as above about 400 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided in which improved control of gas phase radicals is provided. In one embodiment, a system generating atomic oxygen is provided in which gases which generate the atomic oxygen are mixed prior to injection in a process space. The mixing may occur within a showerhead or prior to entrance into the showerhead. In another embodiment, a showerhead is provided which includes multiple zones. Some of the zones of the showerhead may inject the mixture of gases which generate the atomic oxygen into the process space, while other zones do not inject that mixture. In one embodiment, the mixture of gases which generates the atomic oxygen is injected into a main zone, while a subset of those gases is injected into inner and outer zones of the showerhead. The process and apparatus provides a uniform density of atomic oxygen across the substrate being processed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe a method and apparatus for multi-film deposition and etching in a batch processing system. According to one embodiment, the method includes arranging the substrates on a plurality of substrate supports in a process chamber, where the process chamber contains processing spaces defined around an axis of rotation in the process chamber, rotating the plurality of substrate supports about the axis of rotation, depositing a first film on a patterned film on each of the substrates by atomic layer deposition, and etching a portion of the first film on each of the substrates, where etching a portion of the first film includes removing at least one horizontal portion of the first film while substantially leaving vertical portions of the first film. The method further includes repeating the depositing and etching steps for a second film that contains a different material than the first film.