US-12628600-B2 - Apparatus and system for substrate processing

US12628600B2US 12628600 B2US12628600 B2US 12628600B2US-12628600-B2

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to batch processing apparatus, systems, and related methods and structures for epitaxial deposition operations. In one implementation, an apparatus for substrate processing includes a chamber body. The chamber body includes a processing volume, a plurality of gas inject passages, and an exhaust port. The apparatus includes one or more upper heat sources positioned above the processing volume, one or more lower heat sources positioned below the processing volume, and a pedestal assembly positioned in the processing volume. The apparatus includes one or more side heat sources positioned outwardly of the processing volume and configured to heat the processing volume through a side of the processing volume. The chamber body can be a dual-chamber body that includes a second processing volume, and the one or more side heat sources can be positioned outwardly of one or more of the processing volume or the second processing volume.

Inventors

Errol Antonio C. Sanchez
SHU-KWAN LAU
ZUOMING ZHU
Saurabh Chopra
Abhishek Dube
Chandra MOHAPATRA
Alexandros Anastasopoulos
Martin Jeffrey Salinas

Assignees

APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20221202
Priority Date: 20220712

Claims (20)

1 . An apparatus for substrate processing, comprising: a chamber body comprising: a processing volume, a plurality of gas inject passages formed in the chamber body and in fluid communication with the processing volume, the plurality of gas inject passages respectively comprising at least a section in the chamber body, the sections of the plurality of gas inject passages in the chamber body positioned as a plurality of inject levels along the chamber body, and an exhaust port formed in the chamber body opposite the plurality of gas inject passages, the exhaust port in fluid communication with the processing volume; and one or more upper heat sources positioned above the processing volume; one or more lower heat sources positioned below the processing volume; a pedestal assembly positioned in the processing volume; and one or more side heat sources positioned outwardly of the processing volume and configured to heat the processing volume through a side of the processing volume.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more side heat sources are positioned at a height aligned vertically between the one or more upper heat sources and the one or more lower heat sources.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more side heat sources are aligned horizontally between the plurality of gas inject passages and the exhaust port.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more side heat sources comprise: a first side heat source; and a second side heat source opposite the first side heat source across the processing volume.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of substrates positioned in the processing volume; and a cassette having a plurality of levels, each level comprising: one or more arcuate supports, each arcuate support having an inner ledge supporting one of the substrates, an upper opening above the one or more arcuate supports, and a lower opening below the one or more arcuate supports; wherein the one or more side heat sources comprise a plurality of side heat sources arranged in a plurality of heat source levels, and each heat source level is arranged to independently heat one level of the plurality of levels of the cassette.
6 . An apparatus for substrate processing, comprising: a dual-chamber body comprising: a first processing volume on a first side of a reference plane, a second processing volume on a second side of the reference plane, a first plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the first processing volume, the first plurality of gas inject passages respectively comprising at least a section in the dual-chamber body, the sections of the first plurality of gas inject passages in the dual-chamber body positioned as a plurality of inject levels along the dual-chamber body, a second plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the second processing volume, a first exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the first plurality of gas inject passages, the first exhaust port in fluid communication with the first processing volume, and a second exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the second plurality of gas inject passages, the second exhaust port in fluid communication with the second processing volume; one or more heat sources configured to generate heat; a first pedestal assembly positioned in the first processing volume; and a second pedestal assembly positioned in the second processing volume.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more heat sources comprise: one or more first upper heat sources positioned above the first processing volume; one or more second upper heat sources positioned above the second processing volume; one or more first lower heat sources positioned below the first processing volume; one or more second lower heat sources positioned below the second processing volume; and one or more side heat sources positioned outwardly of one or more of the first processing volume or the second processing volume, wherein the one or more side heat sources are positioned at a height aligned vertically between the one or more first upper heat sources and the one or more first lower heat sources.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more side heat sources are aligned horizontally between the first plurality of gas inject passages and the first exhaust port.
9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more side heat sources comprise: a first side heat source positioned outwardly of the first processing volume; a second side heat source positioned outwardly of the second processing volume; and a third side heat source positioned between the first processing volume and the second processing volume.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the third side heat source is opposite the first side heat source across the first processing volume, and the third side heat source is opposite the second side heat source across the second processing volume.
11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising: a plurality of first substrates positioned in the first processing volume; and a first cassette having a plurality of first levels, each first level comprising: one or more first arcuate supports, each first arcuate support having a first inner ledge supporting one of the first substrates, a first upper opening above the one or more first arcuate supports, and a first lower opening below the one or more first arcuate supports; wherein the one or more side heat sources comprise a plurality of side heat sources arranged in a plurality of heat source levels, and each heat source level of the plurality of heat source levels is arranged to independently heat one first level of the plurality of first levels of the first cassette.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising: a plurality of second substrates positioned in the second processing volume, wherein the first processing volume and the second processing volume are in fluid communication with each other; and a second cassette having a plurality of second levels, each second level comprising: one or more second arcuate supports, each second arcuate support having a second inner ledge supporting one of the second substrates, a second upper opening above the one or more second arcuate supports, and a second lower opening below the one or more second arcuate supports, wherein each heat source level of the plurality of heat source levels is arranged to independently heat one second level of the plurality of second levels of the second cassette.
13 . A system for substrate processing, comprising: a dual-chamber body comprising: a first processing volume on a first side of a reference plane, a second processing volume on a second side of the reference plane, a first plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the first processing volume, the first plurality of gas inject passages respectively comprising at least a section in the dual-chamber body, the sections of the first plurality of gas inject passages in the dual-chamber body positioned as a plurality of inject levels along the dual-chamber body, a second plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the second processing volume, a first exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the first plurality of gas inject passages, the first exhaust port in fluid communication with the first processing volume, and a second exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the second plurality of gas inject passages, the second exhaust port in fluid communication with the second processing volume; a first pedestal assembly positioned in the first processing volume; a second pedestal assembly positioned in the second processing volume; and one or more side heat sources positioned outwardly of one or more of the first processing volume or the second processing volume; a shared gas panel in fluid communication with both the first plurality of gas inject passages and the second plurality of gas inject passages; and a shared exhaust conduit in fluid communication with both the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port.
14 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the shared exhaust conduit.
15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a controller in communication with at least the shared gas panel and the pump, the controller comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a plurality of operations to be conducted.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of operations comprise: simultaneously loading a first substrate onto a first cassette positioned in the first processing volume and a second substrate onto a second cassette positioned in the second processing volume, wherein the first substrate is one of a plurality of first substrates supported by the first cassette and the second substrate is one of a plurality of second substrates supported by the second cassette; and simultaneously supplying one or more process gases to the first processing volume and the second processing volume at substantially the same flow rate, substantially the same gas temperature, and substantially the same pressure.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprise: simultaneously heating the first processing volume and the second processing volume to substantially the same volume temperature.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprise: simultaneously moving the first pedestal assembly and the second pedestal assembly to raise and rotate the first cassette relative to the first plurality of gas inject passages and raise and rotate the second cassette relative to the second plurality of gas inject passages.
19 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising: one or more first upper heat sources positioned above the first processing volume; one or more second upper heat sources positioned above the second processing volume; one or more first lower heat sources positioned below the first processing volume; and one or more second lower heat sources positioned below the second processing volume, wherein the one or more side heat sources are positioned at a height aligned vertically between the one or more first upper heat sources and the one or more first lower heat sources, and the one or more side heat sources are aligned horizontally between the first plurality of gas inject passages and the first exhaust port.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more side heat sources comprise: a first side heat source positioned outwardly of the first processing volume; a second side heat source positioned outwardly of the second processing volume; and a third side heat source positioned between the first processing volume and the second processing volume.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Greece provisional patent application serial number 20220100554, filed Jul. 12, 2022, and claims priority to India provisional patent application serial number 202241053769, filed Sep. 20, 2022, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to batch processing apparatus, systems, and related methods and structures for epitaxial deposition operations. Description of the Related Art Semiconductor substrates are processed for a wide variety of applications, including the fabrication of integrated devices and microdevices. However, operations (such as epitaxial deposition operations) can be long and expensive, and can have limited capacity and throughput. Operations can also be limited with respect to film growth rates. Moreover, hardware can involve relatively large dimensions that occupy higher footprints in manufacturing facilities. Additionally, operations can involve hindrances with temperature control, gas control, and/or substrate center-to-edge control and adjustability. Such hindrances can be exacerbated in relatively complex processing operations. Therefore, a need exists for an improved thermal process chamber in semiconductor processing. SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to batch processing apparatus, systems, and related methods and structures for epitaxial deposition operations. In one implementation, an apparatus for substrate processing includes a chamber body. The chamber body includes a processing volume, a plurality of gas inject passages formed in the chamber body and in fluid communication with the processing volume, and an exhaust port formed in the chamber body opposite the plurality of gas inject passages. The exhaust port is in fluid communication with the processing volume. The apparatus includes one or more upper heat sources positioned above the processing volume, one or more lower heat sources positioned below the processing volume, and a pedestal assembly positioned in the processing volume. The apparatus includes one or more side heat sources positioned outwardly of the processing volume and configured to heat the processing volume through a side of the processing volume. In one implementation, an apparatus for substrate processing includes a dual-chamber body. The dual-chamber body includes a first processing volume on a first side of a reference plane, and a second processing volume on a second side of the reference plane. The apparatus includes a first plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the first processing volume, and a second plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the second processing volume. The apparatus includes a first exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the first plurality of gas inject passages. The first exhaust port is in fluid communication with the first processing volume. The apparatus includes a second exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the second plurality of gas inject passages. The second exhaust port is in fluid communication with the second processing volume. The apparatus includes one or more first upper heat sources positioned above the first processing volume, one or more second upper heat sources positioned above the second processing volume, one or more first lower heat sources positioned below the first processing volume, and one or more second lower heat sources positioned below the second processing volume. The apparatus includes a first pedestal assembly positioned in the first processing volume, a second pedestal assembly positioned in the second processing volume, and one or more side heat sources positioned outwardly of one or more of the first processing volume or the second processing volume. In one implementation, a system for substrate processing includes a dual-chamber body that includes a first processing volume on a first side of a reference plane, and a second processing volume on a second side of the reference plane. The system includes a first plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the first processing volume, and a second plurality of gas inject passages formed in the dual-chamber body and in fluid communication with the second processing volume. The system includes a first exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the first plurality of gas inject passages. The first exhaust port is in fluid communication with the first processing volume. The system includes a second exhaust port formed in the dual-chamber body opposite the second plurality of gas inject passages. The second exhaust port is in fluid communication with the second processing volume. The system includes a first pedestal assembly positioned in the first processing volume, and a second pedestal ass