Patent ID: 7651568
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
1. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) system comprising: an upper chamber assembly coupled to a chamber sidewall at an upper interface and a lower chamber assembly coupled to the chamber sidewall at a lower interface to provide a processing chamber defining an isolated processing space within the processing chamber; a substrate holder provided within said processing chamber, and configured to support a substrate; a first process material supply system configured to supply a first process material to said processing chamber; a second process material supply system configured to supply a second process material to said processing chamber; and a power source configured to couple electromagnetic power to the processing chamber, wherein the upper interface or the lower interface or the upper interface and the lower interface include a sealing assembly comprising a plurality of elastomer sealing members configured to reduce the amount of external contaminants permeating through the upper or lower interfaces, respectively, into said isolated processing space of the processing chamber, wherein a film is formed on said substrate by alternatingly introducing said first process material and said second process material, wherein said sealing assembly comprises: a first discrete groove formed in a surface of said upper chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall or said upper chamber assembly and said chamber sidewall, or in a surface of said chamber sidewall or said lower chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall and said lower chamber assembly and configured to secure a first sealing member therein; and a second discrete groove formed in a surface of said upper chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall or said upper chamber assembly and said chamber sidewall, or in a surface of said chamber sidewall or said lower chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall and said lower chamber assembly adjacent to said first groove, said second groove configured to secure a second sealing member therein, said PEALD system further comprising: a first discrete cavity formed in said upper chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall or said upper chamber assembly and said chamber sidewall, or in a surface of said chamber sidewall or said lower chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall and said lower chamber assembly, and coupled to the upper or lower interfaces, respectively, at a position between said first and second grooves; a first passage coupled from said first cavity to an inert gas source that supplies an inert gas at a positive pressure to said first cavity in order to block or reduce external air and contaminants; a third discrete groove formed in at least one of said upper chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall or said upper chamber assembly and said chamber sidewall, or in a surface of said chamber sidewall or said lower chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall and said lower chamber assembly; a third sealing member secured in said third groove; a second discrete cavity formed in said upper chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall or said upper chamber assembly and said chamber sidewall, or in a surface of said chamber sidewall or said lower chamber assembly or said chamber sidewall and said lower chamber assembly, and coupled to the upper or lower interfaces, respectively, at a position between said second and third grooves; and a second passage coupled from said second cavity to a vacuum pump that evacuates said second cavity such that said external air and said contaminants are evacuated from said second cavity, wherein the first discrete cavity is closer to the processing chamber than the second discrete cavity.