Research Progress on the Corrosion Failure Behavior of Coatings on Aluminum Alloy for Semiconductor Fabrication Equipment

doi:10.12068/j.issn.1005-3026.2025.20240182

Abstract

Abstract:

In the semiconductor fabrication equipment， the coatings on aluminum alloy often fail due to the coupling effect of high-temperature， vacuum and aggressive gases， including their plasma. In the chlorine-based plasma， the anodized coating has a high etching rate， leading to rapid removal， while the etching rate of Y₂O₃ coatings is approximately one in 50 of that of the anodized coating. In the fluorine-based plasma， both the anodized coating and Y₂O₃ coatings experience particle contamination due to the fluoride layer peeling. The corrosion resistance of the anodized coating can be significantly enhanced by adjusting the composition and temperature of the electrolyte or depositing a pure aluminum layer on the aluminum alloy surface. Additionally， improving the density of Y₂O₃ coatings can reduce their etching rate. Combining these strategies with remote plasma cleaning techniques can minimize the impact of charged particles on chamber materials， significantly reducing particle contamination in the reaction chamber. During the etching and thin film deposition processes， changes in the chamber surface composition can alter the plasma state， leading to various process defects.

Key words: semiconductor fabrication equipment, anodized coating, Y₂O₃ coating, corrosion fatigue behavior, halogen gas, plasma

CLC Number:

TG 178

Yang ZHAO, Yu-hang WANG, Tao ZHANG, Fu-hui WANG. Research Progress on the Corrosion Failure Behavior of Coatings on Aluminum Alloy for Semiconductor Fabrication Equipment[J]. Journal of Northeastern University(Natural Science), 2025, 46(3): 28-45.

Figures/Tables 29

Fig. 1 Flow chart of the integrated circuit fabrication process［4］

Fig. 2 Schematic of the inductively-coupled plasma etching chamber[8]

Table 1 Wet wiping/cleaning procedures[14-16]

湿法擦拭流程

湿法清洗流程

1. 启动腔室清洁

2. 冷却腔室

3. 泄压开腔

4. 湿洁净布擦拭面板

5. 使用N₂干燥面板

6. 关闭腔室

7. 加热腔室

8. 腔室检漏

9. 刻蚀/沉积工艺验证

10. 恢复运行

1. 启动腔室清洁

2. 冷却腔室

3. 泄压开腔

4. 拆卸腔室部件

5. 在清洗溶液中浸泡腔室部件

6. 烘干腔室部件

7. 更换腔室部件

8. 关闭腔室

9. 加热腔室

10. 腔室检漏

11. 刻蚀/沉积工艺验证

12. 恢复运行

Fig. 3 Cross-sectional schematic of the porous anodized aluminum[17]

Fig.4 Macro-morphology of the aluminum etching chamber after 1 800 wafer fabrications[18]

Fig. 5 Variations of the etching rate for the anodized coating with BCl3 gas flow at different positions[18]

Fig. 6 Macro-morphology of the anodized coating chamber[17]

Fig. 7 Cross-sectional morphology of the cracked anodized coating17]

Fig. 8 Surface morphology of the anodized coating treated by thermal cycling tests at various temperatures[16]

Fig. 9 Cross-sectional schematic illustrating fluorine radicals penetrating the defects/cracks in the anodized aluminum and reacting with the aluminum substrate[17]

Fig. 10 Failure processes of the anodized coating[17]

Fig. 11 Chemical composition changes of the Al2O3 sample[42]

Fig. 12 Chemical composition changes of the Al2O3 sample[42]

Fig. 13 Al 2p XPS spectra of the Al2O3 sample [42]

Fig. 14 Chemical composition changes of the Al2O3 sample[42]

Fig. 15 Schematic of using remote plasma source for chamber cleaning [50]

Fig. 16 Chemical composition changes of the aluminum alloy sample during plasma cleaning[51]

Fig. 17 Cross-sectional morphology of the Al2O3 window after 150 h cleaning by NF3 plasma[45]

Fig. 18 Variations in the generated particles between Non-Ce and 3 mM Ce samples[52]

Fig. 19 Breakdown voltage changes of the anodized coating before and after plasma exposure[53]

Fig. 20 In-situ particle monitoring during plasma etching[53]

Fig. 21 Cross-sectional morphology of the anodized coating[13,54]

Fig. 22 Chemical composition changes of the Y2O3 sample[15]

Fig. 23 TEM images and elemental analysis of particles flaked from the Y2O3 coatings [63]

Fig. 24 Cross-sectional morphology of the Y2O3 coatings prepared by various deposition methods[68]

Fig. 25 Cl atomic surface recombination coefficient as a function of surface temperatures for various materials[72]

Fig. 26 Chemical composition of the reactor walls at various surface conditions[74-75]

Fig. 27 Etching profile of the silicon gates[15]

Fig. 28 Variation in Si3N4 and SiO2 thickness, thickness uniformity with number of chamber use[14]

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