IP Library Granted Patent US 10,450,654
Granted Patent B2
US 10,450,654 · App. 15/506,063 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

Radical gas generation system

Inventors: Kensuke Watanabe (Tokyo, JP); Yoichiro Tabata (Tokyo, JP); Shinichi Nishimura (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
C23C16/513C23C16/50H01J37/32348H01L21/31H05H1/2406H01J2237/3321H01L21/02274
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,450,654
App. No.
15/506,063
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a radical gas generation system according to the present invention, a process chamber apparatus includes a table that causes a target object to rotate. A radical gas generator includes a plurality of discharge cells. Each of the plurality of discharge cells includes an opening. The opening is connected to the inside of the process chamber apparatus and faces the target object. Through the opening, a radical gas is output. Of the plurality of discharge cells, a discharge cell located farther from a center position of the rotation of the target object in a plan view includes a larger facing surface area that is a region in which a first electrode member and a second electrode member face each other.

Claims (31)

1. A radical gas generation system comprising:

a radical gas generator that generates a radical gas from a source gas using a dielectric barrier discharge; and

a process chamber apparatus that is connected to said radical gas generator, accommodates a target object, and performs, on said target object, a process in which said radical gas is used, wherein

said process chamber apparatus includes a table on which said target object is placed, said table causing said target object to rotate,

said radical gas generator includes:

a plurality of discharge cells that cause said dielectric barrier discharge; and

a source gas supply unit that supplies said radical gas generator with said source gas,

each of said plurality of discharge cells includes:

a first electrode portion including a first electrode member;

a second electrode portion that is opposed to said first electrode portion and includes a second electrode member; and

an opening connected to the inside of said process chamber and facing said target object placed on said table, said radical gas generated from said source gas using said dielectric barrier discharge is output through said opening,

said plurality of discharge cells share said first electrode member, and

of said plurality of discharge cells, a discharge cell located farther from a center position of the rotation of said target object in a plan view includes a larger said second electrode member than a discharge cell located closer to the center position of the rotation of said target object in the plan view.

2. The radical gas generation system according to claim 1 , wherein

each of said plurality of discharge cells further includes a dielectric that faces a discharge space in which said dielectric barrier discharge occurs, and

said dielectric is made of single sapphire or quartz.

3. The radical gas generation system according to claim 1 , wherein

said radical gas generator has an internal gas pressure of 10 to 30 kPa, and

a distance between said first electrode portion and said second electrode portion is set at 0.3 to 3 mm.

4. The radical gas generation system according to claim 1 , wherein

said source gas comprises a nitrogen gas,

said radical gas generator generates, as said radical gas, a nitrogen radical gas from said nitrogen gas, and

said process chamber apparatus forms a nitride film on said target object using said nitrogen radical gas.

5. The radical gas generation system according to claim 1 , wherein

said source gas comprises an ozone gas or an oxygen gas,

said radical gas generator generates, as said radical gas, an oxygen radical gas from said ozone gas or said oxygen gas, and

said process chamber apparatus forms an oxide film on said target object using said oxygen radical gas.

6. The radical gas generation system according to claim 1 , wherein

said source gas comprises a hydrogen gas or water vapor,

said radical gas generator generates, as said radical gas, a hydrogen radical gas or hydroxyl (OH) radical gas from said hydrogen gas or said water vapor, and

said process chamber apparatus forms a metal film with enhanced hydrogen bonding on said target object using said hydrogen radical gas or said OH radical gas.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2024
From: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: TMEIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067244/0359 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2017
From: WATANABE, KENSUKE; TABATA, YOICHIRO; NISHIMURA, SHINICHI
To: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041358/0661 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180223433A1 · Aug 9, 2018