In-situ monitoring of chemical vapor deposition process by mass spectrometry

US7094614B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Douglas S. Armbrust · Gloucester, US
• John Baker · Keller, US
• Arne Ballantine · Palo Alto, US
• Roger W. Cheek · Somers, US
• Doreen D. DiMilia · Pleasantville, US
• Mark L. Reath · Red Hook, US
• Michael B. Rice · Colchester, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 16, 2001
• Grant date: Aug 22, 2006
• Expiry date: Mar 4, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C23C16/52
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for controlling a CVD process used to deposit films on semiconductor substrates wherein the by-products of the reaction are measured and monitored during the reaction preferably using mass spectrometry and the results used to calculate the concentrations of the by-products and to control the CVD reaction process based on the by-product concentrations. An exemplary CVD process is the deposition of tungsten metal on a semiconductor wafer. A preferred method and apparatus uses a capillary gas sampling device for removing the by-product gases of the reaction as a feed for the mass spectrometer. The capillary gas sampling device is preferably connected to a differential pump.