IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,577,653
Granted Patent B2
US 12,577,653 · App. 18/789,424 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Deposition system and method

Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng (Hsinchu, TW); Hsuan-Chih Chu (Hsinchu, TW); Yen-Yu Chen (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
C23C14/564B08B5/02B08B7/028B08B7/04B08B9/00B08B13/00C23C14/34C23C14/50B08B2209/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,577,653
App. No.
18/789,424
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A deposition system is provided capable of cleaning itself by removing a target material deposited on a surface of a collimator. The deposition system in accordance with the present disclosure includes a substrate process chamber. The deposition includes a substrate pedestal in the substrate process chamber, the substrate pedestal configured to support a substrate, a target enclosing the substrate process chamber, and a collimator having a plurality of hollow structures disposed between the target and the substrate, a vibration generating unit, and cleaning gas outlet.

Claims (49)

1 . A method, comprising:

determining a respective length of one or more adjustable hollow structures of a plurality of adjustable hollow structures of a collimator;

adjusting the respective length of the one or more adjustable hollow structures of the collimator; and

cleaning the collimator including:

introducing a scrubbing gas into the collimator through a scrubbing gas receiving port;

passing the scrubbing gas through a plurality of microchannels that are embedded within the collimator; and

introducing the scrubbing gas into a plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures through a plurality of scrubbing gas outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of hollow structures through respective sidewalls of the collimator that define the plurality of hollow spaces.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the respective length of the one or more adjustable hollow structures of the collimator further includes adjusting the length of the one or more adjustable hollow structures of the collimator based on at least one of the following of target profile measurement data, aspect ratio of a gap pattern on a substrate, and thin film thickness measurement.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining an aspect ratio of a gap pattern of a substrate.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein adjusting the respective length of the one or more adjustable hollow structures of the collimator being based on the aspect ratio of the gap pattern of the substrate.

5 . A method, comprising:

cleaning a collimator including:

determining a condition of a substrate process chamber;

placing the substrate process chamber in a chamber purging mode;

applying vibration to the collimator in the substrate process chamber; and

applying a scrubbing gas to the collimator;

after cleaning the substrate process chamber and the collimator, obtaining an aspect ratio of a gap pattern of a substrate;

determining respective lengths for each respective adjustable hollow structure of a plurality of adjustable hollow structures of the collimator based on the aspect ratio; and

adjusting one or more of the respective lengths of one or more respective adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures, and

wherein applying the scrubbing gas to the collimator includes:

introducing the scrubbing gas into the collimator through a scrubbing gas receiving port;

passing the scrubbing gas through a plurality of microchannels that are embedded within the collimator; and

introducing the scrubbing gas into a plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures through a plurality of scrubbing gas outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of hollow structures through respective sidewalls of the collimator that define the plurality of hollow spaces.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the one or more respective lengths of the one or more respective adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures includes rotating one or more inner hollow members of the one or more respective adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures relative to one or more outer hollow members of the one or more respective hollow structures of the plurality of hollow structures.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein applying the vibration to the collimator in the substrate process chamber further includes ultrasonically vibrating the collimator with a plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units are in close proximity to a periphery of the collimator.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units are embedded within the respective sidewalls of the collimator that define the plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures of the collimator.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the condition of the substrate process chamber includes cycling through one or more particle check wafers through the substrate process chamber.

11 . A method, comprising:

forming a film of a material on a substrate including:

determining a respective length of one or more of a plurality of adjustable hollow structures of a collimator; and

adjusting the respective length of the one or more of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures of the collimator;

cleaning the collimator including:

determining a condition of a substrate process chamber;

placing the substrate process chamber in a chamber purging mode;

applying vibration to the collimator in the substrate process chamber; and

applying scrubbing gas to the collimator including:

introducing the scrubbing gas into the collimator through a scrubbing gas receiving port;

passing the scrubbing gas through a plurality of microchannels that are embedded within the collimator; and

introducing the scrubbing gas into a plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures through a plurality of scrubbing gas outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures through respective sidewalls of the collimator that define the plurality of hollow spaces.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the condition of the substrate process chamber includes cycling through one or more particle check wafers through the substrate process chamber.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the film of the material on the substrate further includes positioning the substrate in the substrate process chamber.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the film of the material on the substrate further includes positioning the substrate on a substrate pedestal within the substrate process chamber.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein adjusting the one or more respective lengths of the one or more respective adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures includes rotating one or more inner hollow members of the one or more respective adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures relative to one or more outer hollow members of the one or more respective hollow structures of the plurality of hollow structures.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein applying the vibration to the collimator in the substrate process chamber further includes ultrasonically vibrating the collimator with a plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units are in close proximity to a periphery of the collimator.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units are embedded within the respective sidewalls of the collimator that define the plurality of hollow spaces of the plurality of adjustable hollow structures of the collimator.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic vibration generating units are positioned above and below the plurality of microchannels.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein determining the condition of the substrate process chamber includes cycling through one or more particle check wafers through the substrate process chamber.

Continuity (3)
Division 18447911 · Aug 10, 2023
Division 17384310 · Jul 23, 2021
Related Publication 20240392430A1 · Nov 28, 2024
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