Method and apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates with hydroxyl radicals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates by reacting hydroxyl radicals with a precursor to cause the precursor to decompose and form a film which deposits on a substrate. Hydroxyl radicals, which are produced in a hydroxyl-ion producing apparatus outside of a chemical vapor deposition reactor, are mixed with a precursor to form a hydroxyl ions-precursor mixture. The hydroxyl ions-precursor mixture is introduced into the chemical vapor deposition reactor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for depositing a layer on a substrate in a chemical vapor deposition reaction zone comprising: 
 introducing a precursor into a chemical vapor deposition reaction zone containing a substrate; and    introducing hydroxyl radicals into the chemical vapor deposition reaction zone for reacting with the precursor to form a deposition layer on the substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said precursor comprises silane.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said precursor comprises silicon.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said precursor comprises an organometallic compound.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said precursor comprises a silicon-containing gas.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said introducing hydroxyl radicals into the chemical vapor deposition reaction zone comprises introducing hydroxyl radicals as a gas phase into said chemical vapor deposition zone.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said gas phase comprises a temperature ranging from about 100° C. to about 150° C.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising admixing, prior to said introducing the precursor, an inert gas with the precursor for delivering the precursor into the chemical vapor deposition reaction zone.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said inert gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, helium, argon, neon, krypton, xenon and radon, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said gas phase comprises at least about 10% by volume of said hydroxyl radicals.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said gas phase consists essentially of at least about 10% by volume of said hydroxyl radicals.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  where said gas phase consists of at least about 10% by volume of said hydroxyl radicals.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising producing said hydroxyl radicals prior to said introducing hydroxyl radicals into the chemical vapor deposition reaction zone.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said introducing hydroxyl radicals additional comprises introducing hydroxyl radicals at a pressure ranging from about 100 Torrance to about 200 Torrance.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said reacting with said precursor comprises decomposing said precursor to form said deposition layer.  
     
     
         16 . A method for forming a deposition layer in a chemical vapor deposition reactor comprising the step of: 
 a) producing hydroxyl radicals;    b) admixing the produced hydroxyl radicals with a precursor to produce a hydroxyl radicals-precursor mixture; and    c) introducing the hydroxyl radicals-precursor mixture of step (b) into the chemical vapor deposition reactor to form a deposition layer.    
     
     
         17 . The method  claim 16  wherein said producing hydroxyl radicals of step (a) comprises introducing a water-containing agent and ozone into a hydroxyl radical-producing reactor; and directing ultraviolet radiation into said hydroxyl radical-producing reactor to cause oxygen atoms to form from the ozone and react with the water-containing agent to produce hydroxyl radicals.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said water-containing agent comprises water.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  additional comprising removing, prior to said admixing of step (b), hydroxyl radicals from the hydroxyl radical-producing reactor.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said admixing of hydroxyl radicals with said precursor causes said hydroxyl radicals to react with said precursor.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said hydroxyl radicals and said precursor are reacting as said hydroxyl radicals-precursor mixture is being introduced into said chemical vapor deposition reactor.  
     
     
         22 . A chemical vapor deposition reactor for forming deposition films comprising: 
 a chemical vapor deposition reactor chamber;    a source of hydroxyl ion gas coupled to said chemical vapor deposition reactor chamber and including hydroxyl ion gas flowing into said chemical vapor deposition reactor chamber;    a pedestal disposed in said reactor chamber for supporting substrates in said reactor chamber;    a processing power source;    a processing gas-introducing assembly engaged to said reactor chamber for introducing a processing gas into said reactor chamber; and    a processing power-transmitting member disposed in proximity to said reactor chamber and connected to said processing power source for transmitting power into the reactor interior for forming deposition films.    
     
     
         23 . The chemical vapor depositions reactor of  claim 20  wherein said source of hydroxyl ion gas comprises a hydroxyl-ion producing reactor having at least one inlet port; 
 a source of water coupled to said at lease one inlet port;  
 a source of ozone gas coupled to said at least one inlet port; and  
 a source of ultraviolet radiation oriented to direct ultraviolet radiation into the hydroxyl-ion producing reactor.  
 
     
     
         24 . A chamber assembly for decomposing a precursor with hydroxyl radicals comprising: 
 a processing chamber having a support for a substrate and at least one port for receiving at least one gas;    a source of precursor gas coupled to the at least one port for flowing precursor gas into the processing chamber; and    a source of hydroxyl radical gas coupled to the at least one port for flowing hydroxyl radical gas into the processing chamber to cause said precursor gas to decompose.    
     
     
         25 . A reactor for processing substrates comprising a reactor chamber; 
 a hydroxyl-ion producing assembly coupled to said reactor chamber for producing hydroxyl ions and introducing the hydroxyl ions into the reactor chamber;    a pedestal disposed in said reactor chamber for supporting substrates in said reactor chamber;    a processing power source;    a processing gas-introducing assembly engaged to said reactor chamber for introducing a processing gas into said reactor chamber; and    a processing power-transmitting member disposed in proximity to said reactor chamber and connected to said processing power source for transmitting power into the reactor interior.