Plasma treatment of substrates prior to deposition
US8580354B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 15, 2011 |
| Grant date | Nov 12, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32357
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma processing chamber particularly useful for pre-treating low-k dielectric films and refractory metal films subject to oxidation prior to deposition of other layers. A remote plasma source (RPS) excites a processing gas into a plasma and delivers it through a supply tube to a manifold in back of a showerhead faceplate. The chamber is configured for oxidizing and reducing plasmas in the same or different processes when oxygen and hydrogen are selectively supplied to the RPS. The supply tube and showerhead may be formed of dielectric oxides which may be passivated by a water vapor plasma from the remote plasma source. In one novel process, a protective hydroxide coating is formed on refractory metals by alternating neutral plasmas of hydrogen and oxygen.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.