Method and apparatus for depositing a monolayer on a three dimensional structure

Abstract

In one embodiment, a processing apparatus may include a plasma chamber configured to generate a plasma; a process chamber adjacent the plasma chamber and configured to house a substrate that defines a substrate plane; an extraction system adjacent the plasma chamber and configured to direct an ion beam from the plasma to the substrate, the ion beam forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane; and a molecular chamber adjacent the process chamber, isolated from the plasma chamber and configured to deliver a molecular beam to the substrate, wherein the ion beam and molecular beam are alternately delivered to the substrate to form a monolayer comprising species from the ion beam and molecular beam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processing apparatus, comprising:
 a plasma chamber configured to generate a plasma;   a process chamber adjacent the plasma chamber and configured to house a substrate that defines a substrate plane;   an extraction system adjacent the plasma chamber and configured to direct an ion beam from the plasma to the substrate, the ion beam comprising ions that form a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane; and   a molecular chamber adjacent the process chamber, isolated from the plasma chamber and configured to deliver a molecular beam to the substrate,   wherein the ion beam and molecular beam are alternately delivered to the substrate to form a monolayer comprising species from the ion beam and molecular beam.   
     
     
         2 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is moved back and forth to alternately expose the substrate to the ion beam and to a molecular beam composed of silane (SiH 4 ), arsine (AsH 3 ), phosphine (PH 3 ), or diborane B 2 H 6 . 
     
     
         3 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas source configured to deliver a reactive gas to the plasma chamber, the reactive gas comprising at least one of: oxygen, nitrogen, nitrous oxide. 
     
     
         4 . The processing apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a bypass to deliver the reactive gas from the gas source directly to the process chamber without entering the plasma chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The processing apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a heater configured to heat the substrate to at least 300° C. when the reactive gas is delivered directly to the process chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the process chamber comprises a first sub-chamber adjacent the plasma chamber, and a second sub-chamber adjacent the molecular chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The processing apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a substrate stage, wherein the substrate stage is configured to transport the substrate between the first sub-chamber and second sub-chamber through a seal that restricts gas communication first sub-chamber and second sub-chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a rotary substrate stage wherein the rotary substrate stage is disposed within the process chamber and configured to move the substrate from a first position adjacent the plasma chamber to a second position adjacent the molecular chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The processing apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the extraction system comprises an extraction aperture having a wedge shape, wherein the molecular chamber comprises a set of injectors that define a wedge shape. 
     
     
         10 . The processing apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the plasma chamber defines a wedge shape and molecular chamber defines a wedge shaped chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The processing apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the substrate stage is configured to hold a plurality of substrates. 
     
     
         12 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a second plasma chamber configured to deliver second ion species and a second molecular chamber configured to deliver second molecular species. 
     
     
         13 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plasma chamber, molecular chamber and process chamber are arranged in a rotary chamber assembly, wherein the substrate is configured to rotate between a first position adjacent the plasma chamber and a second position adjacent the molecular chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The processing apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a rotary substrate stage comprising a plurality of substrate holders and a plurality of pumping slots, wherein the rotary substrate stage is disposed within the process chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The processing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the ion beam is a first ion beam, the plasma chamber is a first plasma chamber, and the molecular chamber is a first molecular chamber, wherein the rotary chamber assembly comprises:
 a second plasma chamber;   a second molecular chamber; and   an extraction system adjacent the first plasma chamber and the second plasma chamber, the extraction system comprising a first extraction aperture that is coupled to the first plasma chamber to direct the first ion beam to the substrate, and a second extraction aperture that is coupled to the second plasma chamber to direct a second ion beam to the substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the extraction system comprises an extraction aperture that generates the ion beam, the extraction aperture configured to modify a shape of a plasma sheath boundary adjacent the extraction aperture, wherein the ions exit the plasma sheath boundary at the non-zero angle. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 providing a substrate in a first position, the substrate having a surface that defines a substrate plane and a substrate feature that extends from the substrate plane, the substrate feature having at least one surface that extends at a non-zero angle with respect to the substrate plane;   directing an ion beam through an extraction system adjacent the substrate while in the first position, the ion beam comprising angled ions that are incident on the substrate at a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, the ion beam effective to form a first sub-monolayer comprising a first species on the substrate feature including the at least one surface; and   directing a molecular beam to the substrate when the substrate is in a second position when the first sub-monolayer is disposed on the substrate feature, the molecular beam being effective to form a second sub-monolayer of a second species that is configured to react with the first sub-monolayer of the first species to form a monolayer of a product material on the substrate feature including the at least one surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising transporting the substrate from the first position, wherein the substrate is in a first sub-chamber of a process chamber in the first position and the substrate is in a second sub-chamber of the process chamber in the second position that is isolated from the first sub-chamber.