Method and apparatus for surface preparation prior to epitaxial deposition

US10544519B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AIXTRON SE · DE

Inventors

• Stephen E. Savas · Pleasanton, US
• Miguel Saldana · Fremont, US
• Dan Cossentine · Santa Cruz, US
• Hae Young Kim · Busan, KR
• Subramanian Tamilmani · Fremont, US
• Niloy Mukherjee · Beaverton, US
• M Ziaul Karim · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 25, 2017
• Grant date: Jan 28, 2020
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/3011
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

During a pre-treat process, hydrogen plasma is used to remove contaminants (e.g., oxygen, carbon) from a surface of a wafer. The hydrogen plasma may be injected into the plasma chamber via an elongated injector nozzle. Using such elongated injector nozzle, a flow of hydrogen plasma with a significant radial velocity flows over the wafer surface, and transports volatile compounds and other contaminant away from the wafer surface to an exhaust manifold. A protective liner made from crystalline silicon or polysilicon may be disposed on an inner surface of the plasma chamber to prevent contaminants from being released from the surface of the plasma chamber. To further decrease the sources of contaminants, an exhaust restrictor made from silicon may be employed to prevent hydrogen plasma from flowing into the exhaust manifold and prevent volatile compounds and other contaminants from flowing from the exhaust manifold back into the plasma chamber.