Method and apparatus for silicon oxide deposition on large area substrates

Abstract

A method and apparatus for depositing a dielectric material at a rate of at least 3000 Angstroms per minute on a large area substrate that has a surface area of at least about 0.35 square meters is provided. In one embodiment, the dielectric material is silicon oxide. Also provided is a large area substrate having a layer of dielectric material deposited by a process yielding a deposition rate in excess of about 3000 Angstroms per minute and a processing chamber for fabricating the same.

1 . A method for depositing a dielectric material on a large area substrate, comprising: 
 placing a substrate having a surface area of at least 0.357 square meters on a substrate support assembly inside a processing chamber;    heating the substrate;    flowing at least one precursor gas into the processing chamber at a rate greater than about 730 sccm; and    forming a plasma from at least the precursor gas within the processing chamber; and    depositing a dielectric material at a rate greater than about 3000 to at least about 4,000 Angstroms per minute.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of heating the substrate further comprises: 
 heating the substrate between about 350 to about 440 degrees Celsius.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing a dielectric material further comprises: 
 depositing silicon oxide.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of flowing at least one precursor gas further comprises: 
 flowing a TEOS into a vaporizer coupled to the processing chamber; and    heating the vaporizer to a temperature between about 90 to about 150 degrees Celsius to generate the precursor gas.    flowing a resultant vapor into the processing chamber.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the flow rate of the precursor gas is in the range of from about 20 to about 100 grams per minute.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the flow rate of the precursor gas is at least about 2,320 sccm.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 maintaining the precursor gas disposed between the vaporizer and chamber at a temperature above about 90 degrees Celsius.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the precursor gas disposed between the vaporizer and processing chamber is about 90 to about 150 degrees Celsius.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 mixing helium with TEOS prior to entering the vaporizer.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a plasma further comprises: 
 applying about 5,000 Watts RF to energize the precursor gas.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the dielectric material is deposited at a rate of at least about 3500 to at least about 14,000 Angstroms per minute.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of flowing at least one precursor gas further comprises: 
 combining the precursor gas with oxygen.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the oxygen combined with the precursor gas is supplied at a rate of about 2,000 to about 15,000 sccm.  
   
   
       14 . A method for depositing a layer of silicon oxide on a large area substrate, comprising: 
 flowing TEOS at a rate of at least about 20 grams per minute through a vaporizer coupled to a processing chamber to generate a precursor gas;    mixing oxygen with the precursor gas to form a gas mixture;    forming a plasma from the gas mixture within the processing chamber; and    depositing silicon oxide on the substrate at a rate of at least 3000 Angstroms per minute.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 placing the substrate having a surface area greater than about 0.35 square meters on a substrate support assembly inside the processing chamber;    heating the substrate to a temperature between about 350 to about 440 degrees Celsius; and    flowing TEOS at a rate of at least about 20 to about 100 grams per minute through the vaporizer.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 placing the substrate in the processing chamber, wherein the processing chamber has an internal volume greater than or equal to about 380 liters.    
   
   
       17 . A large area substrate having a layer of silicon oxide deposited thereon by a method comprising: 
 placing a substrate on a substrate support assembly inside a processing chamber adapted to process large area substrates;    heating the substrate;    flowing at least one precursor gas into the processing chamber at a rate greater than about 20 grams per minute; and    forming a plasma from at least the precursor gas within the processing chamber; and    depositing a dielectric material over about at least 0.357 square meters of the substrate at a rate greater than 3000 Angstroms per minute.    
   
   
       18 . A large area substrate having a silicon oxide layer deposited by the method comprising: 
 placing a substrate in a processing chamber having an internal volume greater than or equal to about 380 liters;    flowing TEOS into the processing chamber at a rate of at least about 20 grams per minute;    forming a plasma within the processing chamber; and    depositing silicon oxide on the substrate at a rate of at least 3500 Angstroms per minute.    
   
   
       19 . A processing system, comprising: 
 a processing chamber;    a process gas source;    a housing;    a temperature controlled mass flow meter disposed in the housing and coupled to the gas source;    a vaporizer disposed in the housing and coupled between the mass flow meter and the processing chamber; and    a thermally insulating member disposed in the housing between the vaporizer and the mass flow meter.    
   
   
       20 . An apparatus for depositing a layer of silicon oxide on a large area substrate comprising: 
 a processing chamber having a processing volume greater than or equal to about 380 liters;    a gas distribution plate coupled to a lid of the processing chamber;    a substrate support disposed within the processing chamber below the gas distribution plate;    at least one heating element embedded within the substrate support;    a vaporizer coupled to the processing chamber and adapted to provide at least about 20 grams per minute of TEOS vapor to the processing chamber; and    a power source coupled to the gas distribution plate.