Methods and systems for depositing a layer
Systems for depositing materials and related methods are described. The systems allow condensing or depositing a precursor on a substrate, and then curing condensed or deposited precursor to form a layer.
1 . A system comprising:
a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber comprising a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a substrate cooling unit;
a precursor source for introducing a precursor in the reaction chamber via a gas injection system fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber, the precursor source comprising a precursor source heater;
a gas injection system heater arranged for heating the gas injection system; and,
a curing unit; and
a controller comprising:
a gas injection system temperature control unit arranged to maintain the gas injection system at a pre-determined gas injection system temperature, the gas injection system temperature being higher than a precursor source temperature;
a substrate support temperature control unit arranged to maintain the substrate support at a pre-determined substrate support temperature, the substrate support temperature being lower than the precursor source temperature; and
a curing unit control unit arranged for controlling the operation of the curing unit,
wherein the curing unit is configured to cure condensed or deposited precursor.
2 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the gas injection system comprises a showerhead injector, the showerhead injector comprising a showerhead injector heater.
3 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the curing unit comprises:
a lower electrode and an upper electrode, the lower electrode being comprised in the substrate support, the upper electrode being comprised the showerhead injector; and
a radio frequency power source arranged for generating a radio frequency power waveform, the radio frequency power source being electrically connected to one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode.
4 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the curing unit comprises one or more of an infrared source, a UV source, a microwave source, and a remote plasma source.
5 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the curing unit comprises a remote plasma source and wherein one or more mesh plates are positioned between the remote plasma source and the substrate support.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , the controller further comprising:
a gas flow control unit arranged to control gas flow into the gas injection system.
7 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the reaction chamber further comprises a substrate heating unit that is comprised in the substrate support.
8 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises a boron precursor and wherein curing the condensed or deposited precursor comprises exposing the precursor to a reactant.
9 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to:
maintain a second precursor source at a second precursor source temperature;
provide the second precursor, from the second precursor source, via the gas injection system, to the reaction chamber, thus condensing or depositing the second precursor on the substrate to form a condensed or deposited second precursor; and
cure the condensed or deposited second precursor by means of the curing unit.
10 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a precursor source temperature control unit arranged to maintain the precursor source at a pre-determined precursor source temperature.
11 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the precursor source at the precursor source temperature.
12 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to position a substrate on the substrate support.
13 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to provide a precursor, from the precursor source, via the gas injection system, to the reaction chamber, thus condensing or depositing the precursor on the substrate to form the condensed or deposited precursor.