Distribution of gas over a semiconductor wafer in batch processing
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus to evenly distribute gas over a wafer in batch processing. Several techniques are disclosed, such as, but not limited to, angling an injector to distribute gas towards a proximate edge of the wafer, and/or reducing the amount of overlap in the center of the wafer of gas from subsequent gas injections.
1. An apparatus for injecting gas onto a wafer, the apparatus comprising:
an arrangement comprising a plurality of wafers configured for batch processing;
a plurality of injectors, wherein an outlet of each injector of the plurality of injectors is aligned with a plane of a corresponding wafer of the plurality of wafers and is configured to direct a corresponding portion of a gas substantially parallel to the plane of the corresponding wafer; and
a plurality of rectification wings, wherein:
each pair of rectification wings from among the plurality of rectification wings is coupled to a corresponding injector of the plurality of injectors and is configured to deflect the corresponding portion of the gas away from a center of the corresponding wafer;
at least one rectification wing from among the plurality of rectification wings extends along the plane of the corresponding wafer and overlaps at least a portion of the corresponding wafer; and
the outlet of each injector of the plurality of injectors is interposed between a corresponding pair of rectification wings from among the plurality of rectification wings.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first rectification wing and a second rectification wing of the each pair of rectification wings are symmetrically arranged with respect to each other.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the each pair of rectification wings from among the plurality of rectification wings is positioned off center with respect to a center of the corresponding injector of the plurality of injectors.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to perform at least one of atomic layer deposition and molecular layer deposition.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a motor configured to spin at least one wafer of the plurality of wafers.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an injector of the plurality of injectors comprises an opening having a tapered angle or a rounded edge.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of nozzles, wherein each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is coupled to the corresponding injector of the plurality of injectors and is configured to direct the corresponding portion of the gas substantially parallel to the plane of the corresponding wafer.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an injector of the plurality of injectors comprises a non-symmetric opening.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the non-symmetric opening includes an oval-shaped portion.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the non-symmetric opening includes a rectangular-shaped portion.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a vertical arrangement of the plurality of wafers and the plurality of injectors.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of each injector of the plurality of injectors is configured to disperse the corresponding gas portion substantially evenly proximate to an edge of the plane of the corresponding wafer.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the each pair of rectification wings from among the plurality of rectification wings is configured to direct the corresponding portion of the gas towards the edge of the plane of the corresponding wafer.