IP Library Granted Patent US 12,703,910
Granted Patent B2
US 12,703,910 · App. 19/017,901 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Film formation apparatus and film formation method of gallium nitride film

Inventor: Masanobu Ikeda (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
C23C14/5873C03C17/225C23C14/0617C23C14/3407C23C14/50C23C14/541H01J37/32449H01J37/3426H01J37/3464H01J37/3476H10P14/22H10P14/2922H10P14/3416C03C2217/281C03C2218/154C03C2218/33H01J2237/332
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,703,910
App. No.
19/017,901
Filed
Jan 13, 2025
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
1794
USPC
204/192.1
Abstract

A film formation apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a substrate support portion for supporting a substrate, a target support portion for supporting a target containing nitrogen and gallium, a sputtering gas supply unit for supplying a sputtering gas, a sputtering power source for applying a voltage to the target, a first radical supply source for supplying nitrogen radicals and hydrogen radicals, and a control unit. The control unit controls the sputtering gas supply unit, the sputtering power source, and the first radical supply source so that a first period in which the sputtering gas, the nitrogen radicals, and the hydrogen radicals are supplied to the vacuum chamber and a voltage is applied to the target and a second period in which the nitrogen radicals and the hydrogen radicals are not supplied to the vacuum chamber and a voltage is applied to the target are repeated.

Claims (22)

1 . A film formation apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber capable of evacuating an interior thereof;

a substrate support portion provided in the vacuum chamber and configured to support a substrate;

a target support portion provided in the vacuum chamber and configured to support a target containing nitrogen and gallium;

a sputtering gas supply unit connected to the vacuum chamber and configured to supply a sputtering gas to the vacuum chamber;

a sputtering power source configured to apply a voltage to the target;

a first radical supply source connected to the vacuum chamber and configured to be capable of supplying nitrogen radicals and hydrogen radicals to the vacuum chamber; and

a control unit configured to control the sputtering gas supply unit, the sputtering power source, and the first radical supply source,

wherein the control unit controls the sputtering gas supply unit, the sputtering power source, and the first radical supply source so that a first period in which the sputtering gas, the nitrogen radicals, and the hydrogen radicals are supplied to the vacuum chamber and a voltage is applied to the target and a second period in which the nitrogen radicals and the hydrogen radicals are not supplied to the vacuum chamber and a voltage is applied to the target are repeated.

2 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the second period, the sputtering gas is supplied to the vacuum chamber.

3 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the sputtering gas is started after the supply of the nitrogen radicals and the hydrogen radicals are started.

4 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the nitrogen radicals and the hydrogen radicals are stopped after the supply of the sputtering gas is stopped.

5 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second radical supply source connected to the vacuum chamber and configured to be capable of supplying chlorine radicals to the vacuum chamber,

wherein the control unit further controls the second radical supply source, and

wherein in the second period, the chlorine radicals are supplied to the vacuum chamber.

6 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein in the second period, the sputtering gas is supplied to the vacuum chamber.

7 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the sputtering gas is started after the supply of the nitrogen radicals and the hydrogen radicals are started.

8 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the nitrogen radicals is started after the supply of the hydrogen radicals is started.

9 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the hydrogen radicals is started after the supply of the nitrogen radicals is started.

10 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the nitrogen radicals and the hydrogen radicals are stopped after the supply of the sputtering gas is stopped.

11 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the nitrogen radicals is stopped after the supply of the hydrogen radicals is stopped.

12 . The film formation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the first period, the supply of the hydrogen radicals is stopped after the supply of the nitrogen radicals is stopped.