Chamber-accumulation extension via in-situ passivation
The disclosed subject matter is a method to reduce film shedding from components internal to a process chamber. In one example, the method includes forming a dielectric film layer on each of a successive plurality of substrates within the process chamber, and, after a pre-determined number of the successive plurality of substrates have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon, forming an undoped-silicate glass (USG) film on the components internal to the process chamber to passivate accumulated levels of the dielectric film layers. Other devices and methods are disclosed.
1 . A method to reduce film shedding from components internal to a process chamber, the method comprising:
forming a dielectric film layer on successive substrates of a plurality of substrates within the process chamber;
after forming the dielectric film layer on the successive substrates of the plurality of substrates, making a determination as to whether a pre-determined number of the plurality of substrates have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon, the pre-determined number of the plurality of substrates that have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon being based on both a material used to form the dielectric film layer and a thickness of the dielectric film layer, and the pre-determined number being determined by measuring a cumulative thickness of dielectric film accumulated on the components internal to the process chamber;
based on a determination that the pre-determined number of the plurality of substrates have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon, forming an undoped-silicate glass (USG) barrier film on the components internal to the process chamber to passivate accumulated levels of the dielectric film layers; and
based on a determination that the pre-determined number of the plurality of substrates have not had the dielectric film layers formed thereon, forming a dielectric film layer on a subsequent one of the plurality of substrates.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a cumulative accumulation of the dielectric film layer on each of the successive plurality of substrates.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric film layer is a silane (SiH 4 )-based oxide film.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the USG barrier film is configured to increase film adhesion to a showerhead face plate and to dielectric film layers deposited thereon, the USG barrier film being formed at a higher process temperature than the forming of the dielectric film layer, thereby creating a more compressive film, the more compressive film being configured to increase film adhesion to a showerhead face plate and to the dielectric film layers deposited thereon.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the USG barrier film provides a passivation encapsulation layer, to reduce particles from shedding off of the components internal to the process chamber.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising not employing a radio-frequency-powered, temperature-controlled (RFTC) showerhead.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an accumulation limit on the components internal to the process chamber is greater than about 12 μm.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an accumulation limit on the components internal to the process chamber is greater than about 40 μm.
9 . A method for passivating accumulated films and reducing film shedding in a process chamber, the method comprising:
forming a dielectric film layer on successive substrates of a plurality of substrates within the process chamber;
making a determination as to whether a pre-determined number of substrates to be processed has been reached, the pre-determined number of the number of substrates that have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon being based on both a material used to form the dielectric film layer and a thickness of the dielectric film layer, and the pre-determined number being determined by measuring a cumulative thickness of dielectric film accumulated on internal components of the process chamber;
based on a determination that the pre-determined number has not been reached based on both the material used to form the dielectric film layer and the thickness of the dielectric film layer, processing an additional one of the plurality of substrates; and
based on a determination that the pre-determined number has been reached based on both the material used to form the dielectric film layer and the thickness of the dielectric film layer, passivating the accumulated films on the internal components of the process chamber to reduce the film shedding.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, after passivating the accumulated films on the internal components of the process chamber, making a determination as to whether there are additional substrates on which dielectric layers are to be formed on respective ones of the additional substrates; and
based on a determination that there are additional substrates on to-which dielectric layers are to be formed, forming a dielectric film layer on each of successive ones of the additional substrates within the process chamber; and
based on a determination that there are no additional substrates on to-which dielectric layers are to be formed, ending the method.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein passivating the accumulated films on the internal components of the process chamber comprises forming an undoped-silicate glass (USG) barrier film on the internal components of the process chamber.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the accumulated films comprise films formed from the dielectric layers formed on the substrates.
13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining a value of film adhesion to a showerhead face plate in the process chamber to at least partially determine an accumulation limit.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the passivation is based on forming a silane (SiH 4 )-based undoped-silicate glass (USG) passivation barrier film on the internal components of the process chamber.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the silane-based USG passivation barrier film is periodically inserted between selected ones of the dielectric layers sequentially deposited onto the substrates.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the silane-based USG passivation barrier film is used to form a multi-layer structure that adheres to the internal components of the process chamber.
17 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) film.
18 . A method to reduce film shedding from components internal to a process chamber, the method comprising:
forming a dielectric film layer on successive substrates of a plurality of substrates within the process chamber;
making a determination as to whether a pre-determined cumulative accumulation value of the dielectric film layer on each of the plurality of substrates on which a dielectric layer has been formed has at least been reached, the pre-determined cumulative accumulation value of the dielectric film layer on each of the plurality of substrates that have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon being based both on a material used to form the dielectric film layer and a thickness of the dielectric film layer, and the pre-determined cumulative accumulation value being determined by measuring a cumulative thickness of dielectric film accumulated on the components internal to the process chamber;
based on a determination that the pre-determined cumulative accumulation value has not been reached based on both the material used to form the dielectric film layer and the thickness of the dielectric film layer, processing an additional substrate; and
based on a determination that the pre-determined cumulative accumulation value has at least been reached based on both the material used to form the dielectric film layer and the thickness of the dielectric film layer, passivating accumulated films on the components internal to the process chamber.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising after a pre-determined number of the plurality of substrates have had the dielectric film layers formed thereon, forming an undoped-silicate glass (USG) barrier film on the components internal to the process chamber to passivate accumulated levels of the dielectric film layers.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining a cumulative accumulation of the dielectric film layer on each of the plurality of substrates.
21 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining a cumulative accumulation of the dielectric film layer on each of the plurality of substrates.