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

Abstract

A General Metal Delivery Source (GMDS) for delivery of volatile metal compounds in gaseous form to processing apparatus has a reaction chamber holding a solid metal source material and connecting to the processing apparatus, and having an outlet for provision of the volatile metal compounds, a source heater coupled to 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. The plasma generation apparatus dissociates reactive gas molecules providing 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.

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;    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 maimer 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 method for providing volatile metal compounds at an outlet of a reaction chamber, comprising steps of: 
 (a) flowing a reactive gas from a gas source into a gas delivery conduit connected to a heated reaction chamber holding a solid metal source;    (b) striking a plasma in the flowing reactive gas, thereby forming at least a monatomic species of the reactive gas;    (c) forming the volatile metal compound in the reaction chamber through chemical reaction between the heated metal source and at least the monatomic reactive gas; and    (d) delivering the volatile metal compound at an outlet of the reaction chamber.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the reaction chamber and the gas delivery conduit comprise a common quartz tubing.  
   
   
       9 . The method 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 method of  claim 7  wherein the plasma generation apparatus comprises a helical resonator.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the solid metal source material is Tantalum and the reactive gas is Chlorine.  
   
   
       12 . 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;  
   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.    
   
   
       13 . The processing system of  claim 12  wherein the gas delivery conduit and the reaction chamber comprise a common quartz tubing.  
   
   
       14 . The processing system of  claim 12  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.  
   
   
       15 . The processing system of  claim 12  wherein the plasma generation apparatus comprises a helical resonator.  
   
   
       16 . The processing system of  claim 12  wherein the solid metal source material is Tantalum and the reactive gas is Chlorine.  
   
   
       17 . The processing system of  claim 12  configured for and dedicated to chemical vapor deposition.  
   
   
       18 . The processing system of  claim 12  configured for and dedicated to atomic layer deposition.  
   
   
       19 . 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;    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 inlet port.    
   
   
       20 . 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;    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 inlet port.    
   
   
       21 . An apparatus for providing volatile metal compounds at an outlet of a reaction chamber, comprising: 
 a means for flowing a reactive gas from a gas source into a gas delivery conduit connected to a heated reaction chamber holding a solid metal source;    a means for striking a plasma in the flowing reactive gas, thereby forming at least a monatomic species of the reactive gas;    a means for forming the volatile metal compound in the reaction chamber through chemical reaction between the heated metal source and at least the monatomic reactive gas; and    a means for delivering the volatile metal compound at an outlet of the reaction chamber.