Method and apparatus for providing and integrating a general metal delivery source (GMDS) with atomic layer deposition (ALD)

1. A general metal delivery source for delivery of volatile metal compounds in gaseous form to processing apparatus, comprising:

a reaction chamber holding a solid metal source material and connecting to the processing apparatus, and having an outlet for delivery of the volatile metal compounds to said processing apparatus;

a source heater within the reaction chamber for heating said solid metal source material;

a gas source for providing a reactive gas;

a gas delivery conduit from the gas source to the reaction chamber for delivering gas species to the reaction chamber; and

a dissociation apparatus coupled to the gas delivery conduit prior to the reaction chamber;

wherein the dissociation apparatus dissociates the reactive gas molecules providing at least a monatomic reactive species to the reaction chamber, and the monatomic reactive species combine with metal from the heated solid metal source material forming the volatile metal compounds.

2. The general metal delivery source of claim 1 wherein the gas delivery conduit and the reaction chamber comprise a common quartz tubing.

3. The general metal delivery source of claim 1 wherein the gas source is valved in a manner that rapid pulses of reactive gas are provided to the reaction chamber, providing thereby rapid pulses of the volatile metal compounds at the reaction chamber outlet.

4. The general metal delivery source of claim 1 wherein the dissociation apparatus comprises a plasma generator.

5. The general metal delivery source of claim 1 wherein the plasma generation apparatus comprises a helical resonator.

6. The general metal delivery source of claim 1 wherein the solid metal source material is Tantalum and the reactive gas is Chlorine.

7. A processing system comprising:

a heated hearth for supporting a substrate in a process deposition chamber;

apparatus for exchanging substrates for sequential processing;

an inlet port for delivering a volatile metal compound as a precursor to the coating chamber; and a general metal delivery source connected to the inlet port, the general metal delivery source comprising:

a reaction chamber holding a solid metal source material and having an outlet for delivery of the volatile metal compounds to said coating chamber;

a heater within the reaction chamber for heating said solid metal source material;

a gas source for providing a reactive gas;

a gas delivery conduit from the gas source to the reaction chamber for delivering gas species to the reaction chamber; and

a plasma generation apparatus coupled to the gas delivery conduit prior to the reaction chamber;

wherein the plasma generation apparatus dissociates reactive gas molecules, providing at least a monatomic reactive species to the reaction chamber, and the monatomic reactive species combine with metal from the heated solid metal source material forming the volatile metal compounds delivered to the coating chamber.

8. The processing system of claim 7 wherein the gas delivery conduit and the reaction chamber comprise a common quartz tubing.

9. The processing system of claim 7 wherein the gas source is valved in a manner that rapid pulses of reactive gas are provided to the reaction chamber, providing thereby rapid pulses of the volatile metal compounds at the reaction chamber outlet.

10. The processing system of claim 7 wherein the plasma generation apparatus comprises a helical resonator.

11. The processing system of claim 7 wherein the solid metal source material is Tantalum and the reactive gas is Chlorine.

12. The processing system of claim 7 configured for and dedicated to chemical vapor deposition.

13. The processing system of claim 7 configured for and dedicated to atomic layer deposition.

14. A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system comprising:

an inlet port for delivering a volatile metal compound as a precursor for CVD processing; and

a general metal delivery source connected to the inlet port, the general metal delivery source comprising a reaction chamber holding a solid metal source material and having an outlet for delivery of the volatile metal compounds to said coating chamber, a heater within the reaction chamber for heating said solid metal source material, a gas source for providing a reactive gas, a gas delivery conduit from the gas source to the reaction chamber for delivering gas species to the reaction chamber, and a dissociation apparatus coupled to the gas delivery conduit prior to the reaction chamber;

wherein the dissociation apparatus dissociates reactive gas molecules, providing at least a monatomic reactive species to the reaction chamber, and the monatomic reactive species combine with metal from the heated solid metal source material forming the volatile metal compounds delivered to the inlet port.

15. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) system comprising:

an inlet port for repeated delivery of a volatile metal compound as a precursor for ALD processing; and

a general metal delivery source coupled to the inlet port, the general metal delivery source comprising a reaction chamber holding a solid metal source material and having an outlet for delivery of the volatile metal compounds to said coating chamber, a heater within the reaction chamber for heating said solid metal source material, a gas source for providing a reactive gas, a gas delivery conduit from the gas source to the reaction chamber for delivering gas species to the reaction chamber, and a dissociation apparatus coupled to the gas delivery conduit prior to the reaction chamber;

wherein the dissociation apparatus dissociates reactive gas molecules, providing at least a monatomic reactive species to the reaction chamber, and the monatomic reactive species combine with metal from the heated solid metal source material forming the volatile metal compounds delivered to the inlet port.