REACTOR WITH HEATED AND TEXTURED ELECTRODES AND SURFACES
A reactor for processing semiconductor wafers with electrodes and other surfaces that can be one of heated, textured and/or pre-coated in order to facilitate adherence of materials deposited thereon, and eliminate the disadvantages resulting from the spaulding, flaking and/or delaminating of such materials which can interfere with semiconductor wafer processing.
1 . A reactor which uses process gasses, said reactor comprising:
a reactor chamber;
an upper electrode located in said reactor chamber;
a heater to heat said upper electrode to a de-absorption temperature sufficient to de-absorb non-metal deposits from the upper electrode but insufficient to de-absorb metals deposits form the upper electrode.
2 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein:
said heater is incorporated into said electrode.
3 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein:
a chuck located in said reactor chamber; and
a lower electrode associated with said chuck.
4 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein:
said electrode is comprised of aluminum and the heater can heat the electrode to a maximum temperature of about 300° C. to about 350° C.
5 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein:
said electrode is comprised of graphite and the heater can heat the electrode to a maximum temperature of about 400° C. to about 500° C.
6 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein:
said electrode is comprised of silicon and the heater can heat the electrode to a maximum temperature of about 400° C. to about 500° C.
7 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein:
said reactor is adapted for etch processing.
8 . The reactor of claim 1 wherein said upper electrode is precoated with a film adhesion promoter.
9 . The reactor of claim 8 wherein said film adhesion promoter includes one or both of titanium (Ti) and titanium nitride (TiN).
10 . A reactor which uses process gasses, said reactor comprising:
a reactor chamber; and
an upper electrode located in said reactor chamber, said upper electrode being at ground;
said upper electrode having a texture that encourages deposits to adhere to the surface of the upper electrode, the texture comprised of a plurality of shaped features, each of the shaped features having a predetermined shape.
11 . The reactor of claim 10 wherein:
said reactor is adapted for etch processing.
12 . The reactor of claim 10 wherein said upper electrode is textured in an irregular pattern.
13 . The reactor of claim 10 wherein said upper electrode has a texture comprised of a plurality of scalloped features, and wherein the scalloped features are at least one of concave scallops and convex scallops.
14 . The reactor of claim 10 wherein said upper electrode is textured so that the plurality of shaped features defines a multiplicity of shaped peaks and a multiplicity of shaped valleys.
15 . The reactor of claim 14 wherein:
there is an average peak to peak width and an average valley depth;
an aspect ratio is defined as the average peak to peak width divided by the mean valley depth; and
the aspect ratio is chosen in order to maximize the formation of a deposit on the surface of the electrode which will cause good adherence of the by-products of the reaction carried on in the reactor onto the surface of the electrode.
16 . The reactor of claim 10 wherein said electrode is precoated with a film adhesion promoter.
17 . The reactor of claim 16 wherein said film adhesion promoter includes at least one of titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), iridium oxide (IrO 2 ), barium strontium titanate (BST), strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT), strontium titanate (STO), ruthenium (Ru), ruthenium oxide (RuO 2 ), and lead zirconium titanate (PZT).
18 . A reactor which uses process gases, said reactor comprising:
a reactor chamber including an internal surface with a pre-coating of an adhesion promoter;
wherein the adhesion promoter encourages the development of durable deposits thereon which will be less likely to interfere with the deposit of a film on a workpiece.
19 . The reactor of claim 18 wherein said film adhesion promoter includes one of titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), iridium oxide (IrO 2 ), barium strontium titanate (BST), strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT), strontium titanate (STO), ruthenium (Ru), ruthenium oxide (RuO 2 ), and lead zirconium titanate (PZT).
20 . A method of operating a reactor which comprises a reactor chamber, an upper electrode, a heater that heats said upper electrode, and gas inlets and outlets, the method comprising:
introducing process gas into said reactor chamber, the process gas including one or both of oxygen and chlorine;
performing a platinum etch process in said reactor chamber; and
heating the upper electrode with said heater to a temperature capable of decomposing one or both of platinum chloride and platinum dioxide so that a layer of material formed on the upper electrode during the platinum etch process comprises mostly platinum; and
wherein the upper electrode comprises one or both of silicon and graphite and the upper electrode is heated to a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 500° C.
21 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the layer of material formed on the upper electrode is more stable than a layer of material formed when heating the upper electrode with said heater to a temperature insufficient to decompose the one or both of platinum chloride and platinum dioxide.
22 . A method of operating a reactor which comprises a reactor chamber, an upper electrode, a heater that heats said upper electrode, and gas inlets and outlets, the method comprising:
introducing process gas into said reactor chamber, the process gas including one or both of oxygen and chlorine;
performing a platinum etch process in said reactor chamber; and
heating the upper electrode with said heater to a temperature capable of decomposing one or both of platinum chloride and platinum dioxide so that a layer of material formed on the upper electrode during the platinum etch process comprises mostly platinum.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the layer of material formed on the upper electrode is more stable than a layer of material formed when heating the upper electrode with said heater to a temperature insufficient to decompose the one or both of platinum chloride and platinum dioxide.