Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
Pumping liner for chemical vapor deposition

Abstract:

One or more pumping liners are provided for use in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A pumping liner encircles a deposition chamber within which a wafer is placed and into which a precursor is introduced to form a thin film on a surface of the wafer. The pumping liner regulates a rate and uniformity at which a gas is removed from the deposition chamber, which in turn affects a duration or degree to which different portions of the wafer are exposed to the precursor. Controlling exposure of the wafer to the precursor promotes uniformity of the film formed on the wafer as well an ability to regulate the thickness of the film formed on the wafer. In an embodiment, a pumping liner has at least one of relatively small liner apertures, an increased number of liner apertures or a non-uniform distribution of liner apertures within a body of the pumping liner.