Apparatuses for treating pluralities of discrete semiconductor substrates; and methods for treating pluralities of discrete semiconductor substrates

Abstract

The invention includes a method for treating a plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates. The discrete semiconductor substrates are placed within a reactor chamber. While the substrates are within the chamber, they are simultaneously exposed to one or more of H, F and Cl to remove native oxide. After removing the native oxide, the substrates are simultaneously exposed to a first reactive material to form a first mass across at least some exposed surfaces of the substrates. The first reactive material is removed from the reaction chamber, and subsequently the substrates are exposed to a second reactive material to convert the first mass to a second mass. The invention also includes apparatuses which can be utilized for simultaneous ALD treatment of a plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates.

1 - 16  (Canceled).  
   
   
       17 . A method for treating a plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates, comprising: 
 providing a reaction chamber comprising a pair of opposing sidewalls, the opposing sidewalls being a first sidewall and second sidewall, the reaction chamber comprising an inlet extending through the first sidewall and an outlet extending through the second sidewall, the first sidewall having a surface area that is reduced by at least about 30% due to the inlet, the second sidewall having a surface area that is reduced by at least about 30% due to the outlet;    placing the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates in the reaction chamber;    flowing oxygen within the chamber to simultaneously expose the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to the oxygen to form a uniform layer of oxide across exposed oxidizable surfaces of the semiconductor substrates;    after forming the oxide, flowing a first reactive material into the chamber through the inlet to simultaneously expose the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to the first reactive material within the chamber to form a first mass across at least some portions of the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates;    removing the first reactive material from within the reaction chamber through the outlet; and    after removing the first reactive material, flowing a second reactive material through the inlet to simultaneously expose the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates within the chamber to the second reactive material to convert the first mass to a second mass.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the exposure to oxygen comprises exposure to one or more of O 2 , O 3  and H 2 O 2 .  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the reaction chamber has hot internal peripheries of the first and second sidewalls during the exposing of the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to the first and second reactive materials.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the second mass is selected from the group consisting of TaO, TiN, TiSiN, TaSiN, TaSi, TaN, WN, W, Ti, AlO, HfO, ZrO, SiO, SiN, TiSi and WSi; with the listed compositions being shown in terms of the elements contained therein rather than in terms of a stoichiometric relationship of the elements.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the second mass comprises SiO, with the composition being shown in terms of the elements contained therein rather than in terms of a stoichiometric relationship of the elements.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the second mass comprises SiN, with the composition being shown in terms of the elements contained therein rather than in terms of a stoichiometric relationship of the elements.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein: 
 the second mass comprises SiN, with the composition being shown in terms of the elements contained therein rather than in terms of a stoichiometric relationship of the elements; and    the second mass is exposed to a second oxygen-containing material to form SiON from the SiN, with the composition SiON being shown in terms of the elements contained therein rather than in terms of a stoichiometric relationship of the elements.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the exposure to the second oxygen-containing material comprises exposure to one or more of O 2 , O 3  and H 2 O 2 .  
   
   
       25 - 81  (Canceled).  
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the first sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 50% due to the inlet.  
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the second sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 50% due to the inlet.  
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the first sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 70% due to the outlet.  
   
   
       85 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the second sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 70% due to the outlet.  
   
   
       86 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the first sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 50% due to the inlet, and wherein the second sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 50% due to the outlet.  
   
   
       87 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the first sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 90% due to the inlet.  
   
   
       88 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the second sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 90% due to the outlet.  
   
   
       89 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the first sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 70% due to the inlet, and wherein the second sidewall surface area is reduced by at least about 70% due to the outlet.