IP Library Granted Patent US 12,444,576
Granted Patent B2
US 12,444,576 · App. 17/564,280 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Apparatus and method for treating substrate

Inventors: Jin Woo Choi (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Seung Jun Oh (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Jin Woo Nam (Chungcheongbuk-do, KR); Jang Hee Lee (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Young Hak Park (Chungcheongnam-do, KR); Ahn Na Seo (Chungcheongnam-do, KR)
Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
H01J37/3244H01J37/32834
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,444,576
App. No.
17/564,280
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate treating apparatus includes a process chamber having a reaction space with one or more insulation members exposed to the reaction space; a substrate support member supporting a substrate at the reaction space; a gas supply member selectively supplying a passivation gas and a process gas to the reaction space; a plasma source exciting a gas into a plasma; and a controller which controls the gas supply member and the plasma source, and after a substrate to be treated is taken into the reaction space and supported by the support member, the controller controls the gas supply member and the plasma source to supply the passivation gas and the process gas to the reaction space simultaneously or sequentially, and generate a plasma in the reaction space under the condition of stopping a supply of the passivation gas but supplying the process gas.

Claims (37)

1. A substrate treating apparatus comprising:

a process chamber having a reaction space with one or more insulation members exposed to the reaction space;

a substrate support member supporting a substrate at the reaction space, wherein the substrate includes silicon;

a gas supply member selectively supplying a passivation gas and a process gas to the reaction space, wherein the process gas includes a hydrogen;

a plasma source exciting a gas into a plasma; and

a controller,

wherein the controller is configured to control the gas supply member and the plasma source to supply and excite the process gas that reacts with germanium impurities adhered to the substrate including silicon, and

after a substrate to be treated is taken into the reaction space and supported by the support member, the controller is configured to control the gas supply member and the plasma source to perform:

a first step of supplying the passivation gas and the process gas to the reaction space simultaneously; and

a second step of generating a plasma in the reaction space under the condition of stopping a supply of the passivation gas but supplying the process gas,

wherein the process gas is introduced in a state in which the passivation gas remains in the reaction space.

2. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insulation member comprises a quartz, an A1203, an A1N, a Y203 or combinations thereof.

3. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passivation gas includes a nitrogen-based gas.

4. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasma excited from the passivation gas includes nitrogen radicals.

5. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plasma excited from the process gas includes hydrogen radicals.

6. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one exhaust hole are formed at the process chamber and connected to an exhaust line exhausting the reaction space, and the controller is configured to control a decompression member connected to the exhaust line so that a pressure of the reaction space reaches 50 mTorr to 1 Torr, and the passivation gas is controlled to be supplied at 10 sccm to 1000 sccm for 10 seconds to 60 seconds.

7. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the gas supply member so as to supply the process gas at 10 sccm to 1000 sccm and supply the passivation gas.

8. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the substrate support member so that a temperature of the substrate is adjusted to a first temperature during the second step, and then the temperature of the substrate is adjusted to a second temperature which is different from the first temperature.

9. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure of the reaction space reaches a value of greater than 300 mTorr and less than or equal to 1 Torr.

10. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the substrate support member so that a temperature of the substrate is between 50 degrees Celsius and 300 degrees Celsius during the second step.

11. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the process chamber is a vacuum chamber.

12. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one exhaust hole is formed at the process chamber and connected to an exhaust line exhausting the reaction space, and the controller is configured to control a decompression member connected to the exhaust line so that a pressure of the reaction space reaches a value of greater than 150 mTorr and less than or equal to 1 Torr.

13. A substrate treating apparatus comprising:

a process chamber having a reaction space with at least one insulation member being exposed to the reaction space, the at least one insulation member comprising a quartz, an A1203, an A1N, a Y203, or combinations thereof;

a substrate support member supporting a substrate at the reaction space, wherein the substrate includes silicon;

a gas supply member selectively supplying a passivation gas including a nitrogen-based gas and a process gas including a hydrogen to the reaction space;

a plasma source exciting the gas to a plasma; and

a controller,

wherein the controller is configured to control the gas supply member and the plasma source to supply the process gas with germanium impurities adhered to the substrate including silicon, and

the controller, after a substrate to be treated is taken into the reaction space and supported by the support member,

is configured to control the gas supply member and the plasma source to perform:

a first step of supplying the passivation gas and the process gas to the reaction space simultaneously; and

a second step of generating a plasma in the reaction space under the condition of stopping a supply of the passivation gas but supplying the process gas,

wherein the process gas is introduced in a state in which the passivation gas remains in the reaction space.

14. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one exhaust hole is formed at the process chamber and connected to an exhaust line exhausting the reaction space, and the controller is configured to control a decompression member connected to the exhaust line so that a pressure of the reaction space reaches a value of greater than 300 mTorr and less than or equal to 1 Torr.

15. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the process chamber is a vacuum chamber.

16. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to control the substrate support member so that a temperature of the substrate is between 50 degrees Celsius and 300 degrees Celsius during the second step.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2021
From: CHOI, JIN WOO; OH, SEUNG JUN; NAM, JIN WOO; LEE, JANG HEE; PARK, YOUNG HAK; SEO, AHN NA
To: SEMES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058496/0206 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0188108 · Dec 30, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220208515A1 · Jun 30, 2022
References Cited (21)
US 7323080B2 · Kim · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 10475626B2 · Collins · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20020007790A1 · Park · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20020111000A1 · Kawakami · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20060046355A1 · Parekh · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060068104A1 · Ishizaka · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20060137607A1 · Seo · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20070234961A1 · Takahashi · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20170162369A1 · Kang · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190326115A1 · Zheng et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20220208515A1 · Choi · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 103426818A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 108630513A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020170066081A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
TW 473913B · 2002 [cited by examiner]
TW 494502B · 2002 [cited by examiner]
TW I254989B · 2006 [cited by examiner]
TW I672742B · 2019 [cited by examiner]
“Understanding Vacuum and Vacuum Measurement” found at https://solarmfg.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Understanding-Vacuum-9.pdf written by Rea'l J. Fradette et al published 2016 (Year: 2016). [cited by examiner]
Office Action dated Apr. 16, 2023 issued by the Korean Patent Office in corresponding Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0188108, with English translation. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action issued by the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Mar. 31, 2025 in corresponding CN Patent Application No. 202111647647.X, with English translation. [cited by applicant]