Semiconductor processing system and method
Systems and methods are disclosed to perform semiconductor processing with a process chamber; a flash lamp adapted to be repetitively triggered; and a controller coupled to the control input of the flash lamp to trigger the flash lamp. The system can deploy a solid state plasma source in parallel with the flash lamp in wafer processing.
1. A method to deposit a film in a processing chamber, comprising:
(a) introducing a first precursor to deposit a thin layer, the deposition process is not self-limiting wherein the deposition thickness increases with deposition time; and
(b) triggering a flash lamp to generate thermal energy and triggering a plasma source to generate a plasma energy to modify the deposited layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step (a1), after step (a), of:
(a1) purging the first precursor.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) further comprising the introduction of a second precursor.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a step (b1) after step (b), of:
(b1) purging the second precursor.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a) and (b) until a desired film thickness is reached.
6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a) and (b) until a desired film thickness is reached.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a)-(b1) until a desired film thickness is reached.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises using plasma energy in the deposition process.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first precursor in step (a) comprises a CVD precursor.
10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second precursor in step (b) comprises process gases, selected from a group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia, NF 3 , silane, ozone, argon.
11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second precursor in step (b) comprises a CVD precursor.
12. A method to deposit a film in a processing chamber, comprising:
(a) introducing a first precursor to deposit a thin layer, the deposition process is not self-limiting wherein the deposition thickness increases with deposition time; and
(b) introducing a second precursor comprising process gases selected from a group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia, NF 3 , silane, ozone, argon; and
(c) either
triggering a flash lamp to generate thermal energy to modify the deposited layer; or
triggering a plasma source to generate a plasma energy to modify the deposited layer; or
triggering a flash lamp to generate thermal energy and triggering a plasma source to generate a plasma energy to modify the deposited layer.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
step (a1) after step (a) of purging the first precursor; and
step (c1) after step (c) of purging the second precursor.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a) through (c) until a desired film thickness is reached.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a) through (c1) until a desired film thickness is reached.
16. A method to deposit a film in a processing chamber, comprising:
(a) introducing a first precursor to deposit a thin layer, the deposition process is not self-limiting wherein the deposition thickness increases with deposition time;
(b) triggering a flash lamp to generate thermal energy; and
(c) triggering a plasma source to generate a plasma energy to modify the deposited layer;
wherein triggering the flash lamp and triggering the plasma source are performed either sequentially or contemporaneously.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
step (a1) after step (a), of purging the first precursor; and
step (a2) after step (a1) of introducing a second precursor,
step (b1) after step (b) of purging the second precursor.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a) through (c) until a desired film thickness is reached.
19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of the steps (a) through (c) until a desired film thickness is reached.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second precursor comprises one or more process gases selected from a group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia, NF 3 , silane, ozone, and argon.