Multiple-chamber reactor for selective deposition of silicon nitride and method of using same
A method and system for depositing silicon using a multiple-chamber reactor are disclosed. An exemplary method includes performing one or more deposition cycles and performing a treatment, etch and/or cure process.
1 . A multiple-chamber reactor system comprising:
a first reaction chamber configured to deposit silicon nitride on a surface of a substrate to form deposited silicon nitride;
a second reaction chamber configured to treat the deposited silicon nitride; and
a controller configured to:
provide the substrate within the first reaction chamber;
perform a deposition cycle in the first reaction chamber, the deposition cycle comprising:
pulsing a silicon precursor from a silicon precursor source to the first reaction chamber;
providing a nitrogen-containing reactant from a nitrogen-containing reactant source to the first reaction chamber; and
providing a deposition plasma power to form activated species from the nitrogen-containing reactant;
move the substrate to the second reaction chamber; and
perform a treatment process in the second reaction chamber, the treatment process comprising:
providing a hydrogen-containing reactant from a hydrogen reactant source to the second reaction chamber; and
providing a treatment plasma power to form activated species from the hydrogen-containing reactant.
2 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to execute a plurality of the deposition cycles in the first reaction chamber prior to moving the substrate to the second reaction chamber.
3 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to move the substrate from the second reaction chamber to the first reaction chamber.
4 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third reaction chamber configured to deposit additional silicon nitride on a surface of treated silicon nitride; and
a fourth reaction chamber configured to treat the additional silicon nitride.
5 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to move the substrate from the first reaction chamber to the second reaction chamber, from the second reaction chamber to the third reaction chamber, and from the third reaction chamber to the fourth reaction chamber.
6 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to ramp up a flow of the hydrogen-containing reactant after the substrate is within the second reaction chamber.
7 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to ramp down the flow of the hydrogen-containing reactant before the substrate is removed from the second reaction chamber.
8 . A multiple-chamber reactor system comprising:
a first reaction chamber configured to deposit silicon nitride on a surface of a substrate to form conformally deposited silicon nitride;
a second reaction chamber configured to topologically selectively etch the conformally deposited silicon nitride; and
a controller configured to:
provide the substrate within the first reaction chamber;
perform a deposition cycle in the first reaction chamber, the deposition cycle comprising:
pulsing a silicon precursor from a silicon precursor source to the first reaction chamber;
providing a nitrogen-containing reactant from a nitrogen-containing reactant source to the first reaction chamber; and
providing a deposition plasma power to form activated species from the nitrogen-containing reactant;
move the substrate to the second reaction chamber; and
perform a topologically selective etch process in the second reaction chamber, the topologically selective etch process comprising:
providing a hydrogen and/or fluorine-containing reactant from a hydrogen and/or fluorine-reactant source; and
providing a etch plasma power to form activated species from the hydrogen and/or fluorine-containing reactant.
9 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 8 , wherein the activated species comprise fluorine radicals and hydrogen radicals.
10 . A multiple-chamber reactor system comprising:
a first reaction chamber configured to deposit silicon nitride on a surface of a substrate to form deposited silicon nitride;
a second reaction chamber configured to cure the deposited silicon nitride; and
a controller configured to:
provide the substrate within the first reaction chamber;
perform a deposition cycle in the first reaction chamber, the deposition cycle comprising:
pulsing a silicon precursor from a silicon precursor source to the first reaction chamber;
providing a nitrogen-containing reactant from a nitrogen-containing reactant source to the first reaction chamber; and
providing a deposition plasma power to form activated species from the nitrogen-containing reactant;
move the substrate to the second reaction chamber; and
perform a curing process in the second reaction chamber, the curing process comprising:
providing one or more of vacuum ultraviolet radiation, ultraviolet radiation, a plasma, and heat; and
perform an etch process.
11 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 10 , further comprising a third reaction chamber configured to perform the etch process.
12 . The multiple-chamber reactor system of claim 10 , wherein the etch process is performed in the second reaction chamber.