Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and program product

Abstract

The present application provides a technology capable of efficiently performing etching of a surface of a substrate. A substrate processing apparatus has: a first placement portion on which a first container capable of housing a substrate is placed; a second placement portion on which a second container capable of housing the substrate is placed; a first supply system that supplies a substance X to the second container; a transfer machine capable of transferring the substrate between the first container and the second container; and a control portion configured to be capable of controlling the first supply system and the transfer machine so that the first supply system and the transfer machine perform the following processes: (a) transferring the substrate from the first container to the second container; (b) supplying the substance X to the substrate housed in the second container; and (c) transferring the substrate having adsorbed the substance X from the second container to the processing container after (b).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method and process product. Background Technology

[0002] As part of the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, the surface of the substrate is sometimes etched (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-137735 Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides a technique for efficiently etching the surface of a substrate.

[0007] One aspect of this disclosure provides a technology having:

[0008] A first mounting section for holding a first container capable of accommodating a substrate;

[0009] A second mounting section is provided to hold a second container capable of accommodating the substrate;

[0010] A first supply system that supplies substance X to the second container;

[0011] A transfer machine capable of transferring the substrate between the first container and the second container;

[0012] A processing container for processing the substrate; and

[0013] The control unit is configured to control the first supply system and the transfer machine to cause the first supply system and the transfer machine to perform the following processes:

[0014] (a) Transferring the substrate from the first container to the second container;

[0015] (b) Supplying the substance X to the substrate contained in the second container; and

[0016] (c) After (b), the substrate with the adsorbed substance X is transferred from the second container to the processing container.

[0017] Invention Effects

[0018] According to this disclosure, the surface etching of a substrate can be performed efficiently. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1This is a cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus 1, which is preferably used in one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the side.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic configuration diagram of the longitudinal processing furnace of the processing apparatus 1 preferred in one aspect of the present disclosure, and is a diagram showing the processing furnace 202 portion in a longitudinal sectional view.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal processing furnace of the processing apparatus 1, which is preferred in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The AA-line sectional view shows part of the processing furnace 202.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic configuration diagram of the controller 121 of the processing device 1 preferred in one embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a block diagram showing the control system of the controller 121.

[0023] Figure 5 (a) ~ Figure 5 (c) is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1 showing the case where the wafer 200 is transferred from the wafer cassette 9 to the wafer cassette 10 by performing step A. Figure 5 (d) is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1 showing the supply of purging gas to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10 by performing step D. Figure 5 (e) is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1 showing the situation where material X is supplied to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10 by performing step B. Figure 5 (f) ~ Figure 5 (i) is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the processing apparatus 1 showing the process of transferring a wafer 200 with adsorbed substance X from the wafer cassette 10 to the processing chamber 201 by performing step C.

[0024] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0025] 8 Loading ports (first loading section)

[0026] 9 wafer boxes (first container)

[0027] 10 wafer cassettes (second container)

[0028] 11 Wafer Cartridge (Second Loading Section)

[0029] 14. Wafer Cell Opener (Second Mounting Section)

[0030] 41 Transfer Machine

[0031] 121 Controller (Control Unit)

[0032] 200 wafers (substrate)

[0033] 201 Processing Room (Processing Container) Detailed Implementation

[0034] <One way of this disclosure>

[0035] The following is mainly based on Figures 1-4 , Figure 5 (a) ~ Figure 5 (i) will be used to illustrate one aspect of this disclosure. It should be noted that the figures used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements shown in the figures may not be consistent with the actual construction. In addition, the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements in multiple figures may not be consistent with each other.

[0036] (1) Composition of the processing device

[0037] First, use Figure 1 The configuration of the processing device 1 will be described below. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing device 1 preferably includes a frame 2, and a front maintenance opening 4 is provided at the lower part of the front wall 3 of the frame 2 as an opening for maintenance. The front maintenance opening 4 is opened and closed by a front maintenance door 5.

[0038] A wafer cassette loading / unloading outlet 6 is provided on the front wall 3 of the frame 2 to connect the inside and outside of the frame 2. The wafer cassette loading / unloading outlet 6 is opened and closed by a front gate 7, which serves as the loading / unloading outlet opening and closing mechanism. A loading port 8, which serves as a first placement part, is provided on the front side of the wafer cassette loading / unloading outlet 6. The first placement part is a substrate transport container transfer platform and a substrate transport container placement platform. The loading port 8 is configured to align the wafer cassette 9, which serves as the first container, with the wafer cassette 9 placed thereon.

[0039] The wafer cassette 9 is a hermetically sealed substrate transport container. The wafer cassette 9 is, for example, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod). The wafer cassette 9 is moved into or out of the loading port 8 by an in-process transport device (not shown). The front gate 7 is configured to open and close the wafer inlet / outlet of the wafer cassette 9 by opening and closing the cover of the wafer cassette 9 placed on the loading port 8. Alternatively, the front gate 7 may be included within the loading port 8.

[0040] A wafer cassette rack 11 (also simply called a shelf 11) serving as a substrate transport container is provided at the upper part of approximately the center of the frame 2 in the front-to-back direction. The wafer cassette rack 11 is configured to hold wafer cassettes 10, which serve as multiple substrate transport containers (as second containers). It should be noted that a humidity sensor 565, serving as a hygrometer (humidity detector), may also be provided inside the wafer cassette 10. The humidity sensor 565 is provided along the inner wall of the wafer cassette 10. In addition, a purge port 50 is formed on the wafer cassette 10 for discharging substances X (described later), purge gas, etc. The wafer cassette 10 may be constructed from a FOUP that moves within the semiconductor manufacturing plant, similar to the wafer cassette 9, or it may be constructed from a container different from the FOUP that moves within the semiconductor manufacturing plant. It should be noted that the wafer cassette rack 11 may also be constructed from a rotatable shelf.

[0041] When the wafer cassette 11 is configured to rotate, it includes vertically erected and intermittently rotating support columns 12 and shelf plates 13 that are radially supported on the support columns 12 at various positions in the upper, middle and lower layers, serving as multilayer substrate transport containers. The shelf plates 13 are configured to store the wafer cassette 10 in a state where at least one wafer cassette 10 is placed.

[0042] Below the wafer cassette holder 11 is a wafer cassette opener 14 serving as a second mounting section. This second mounting section is both a substrate transport container cover opening and closing mechanism and a substrate transport container mounting stage. The wafer cassette opener 14 has a configuration capable of mounting the wafer cassette 10. Alternatively, the wafer cassette opener 14 has a configuration that allows the cover of the wafer cassette 10 to be opened and closed. The wafer cassette opener 14 is configured as a port capable of opening and closing the wafer cassette 10.

[0043] A wafer cassette transport mechanism 15, serving as a container transport mechanism, is provided between the loading port 8, the wafer cassette holder 11, and the wafer cassette opener 14. The wafer cassette transport mechanism 15 is capable of lifting and lowering wafer cassettes 9 and 10 and moving them forward and backward in the horizontal direction. It is configured to transport wafer cassettes 9 and 10 between the loading port 8, the wafer cassette holder 11, and the wafer cassette opener 14.

[0044] A sub-frame 16 is provided in the lower part of the approximately central part in the front-rear direction of the frame 2, within the rear end range. A pair of loading and unloading outlets 19 are provided in two vertical layers on the front wall 17 of the sub-frame 16. A wafer cassette opener 14 is provided opposite to the upper and lower loading and unloading outlets 19. The loading and unloading outlets 19 are used to load and unload the substrate 200 into and out of the sub-frame 16.

[0045] As described below, in this method, a predetermined preparation process (a process of supplying heated purge gas after adsorbing the material X) is performed on the wafer 200 to be processed, which is housed in the wafer cassette 10. Then, the wafer 200, which has undergone this preparation process, is transferred to the processing chamber 201 via the transfer chamber 23 and the standby section 27, where predetermined processes such as etching and film deposition are performed. In order to perform this preparation process, the frame 2 in this method (excluding the sub-frame 16 and the processing furnace 202) is equipped with various devices as shown below.

[0046] First, the frame 2 (excluding the sub-frame 16 and the processing furnace 202) is provided with a gas supply path 549, which serves as an inlet for the substance X and purge gas. The gas supply path 549 is connected to a gas supply pipe 532a. On the gas supply pipe 532a, starting from the upstream side of the gas flow, a vaporizer 550, a mass flow controller (MFC) 541a (flow control unit), and a valve 543a (on / off valve) are sequentially provided. A gas supply pipe 532b is connected to the gas supply pipe 532a downstream of the valve 543a. On the gas supply pipe 532b, starting from the upstream side of the gas flow, an MFC 541b and a valve 543b are sequentially provided. The gas supply pipes 532a and 532b are made of a metal material such as SUS. A piping heater 507 (also simply called heater 507) is arranged on the outer periphery of the gas supply pipe 532b as a heating unit. The vaporizer 550 can be used to vaporize substance X by bubbling, boiling, or ultrasonic vibration. It should be noted that the location of the gas supply path 549 is schematic. The gas supply path 549 can also be configured to connect to the mounting section of the wafer cassette opener 14 and the wafer cassette holder 11. Alternatively, the gas supply path 549 can be connected to the gas supply port provided in the mounting section of the wafer cassette 10 of the wafer cassette opener 14 and the wafer cassette holder 11, which supplies gas to the wafer cassette 10.

[0047] Substance X is supplied to the wafer cassette 10 from gas supply pipe 532a via vaporizer 550, MFC 541a, valve 543a, and gas supply line 549.

[0048] Inactive gas is supplied to the wafer cassette 10 from gas supply pipe 532b via MFC 541b, valve 543b, and gas supply line 549. The inactive gas functions as a purge gas, carrier gas, or dilution gas.

[0049] The first supply system mainly consists of gas supply pipe 532a, MFC 541a, and valve 543a. This first supply system is also referred to as the Substance X Supply System. The second supply system mainly consists of gas supply pipe 532b, MFC 541b, and valve 543b. This second supply system is also referred to as the First Purge Gas Supply System and the First Inactive Gas Supply System.

[0050] Any or all of the aforementioned supply systems can also be configured as an integrated supply system 248, comprising valves 543a and 543b, MFCs 541a and 541b, etc. The integrated supply system 248 is configured to connect to gas supply pipes 532a and 532b respectively, and the controller 121 (described later) controls the supply of various substances (various gases) into the gas supply pipes 532a and 532b, i.e., the opening and closing of valves 543a and 543b, and the flow adjustment of MFCs 541a and 541b, etc. The integrated supply system 248 can be configured as a single or segmented integrated unit, allowing for assembly and disassembly of the gas supply pipes 532a and 532b on a unit-by-unit basis, enabling maintenance, replacement, and addition of the integrated supply system 248 on a unit-by-unit basis.

[0051] The wafer cassette opener 14 includes a mounting stage 21 for holding wafer cassettes 9 and 10, and an opening / closing mechanism 22 for opening and closing the covers of wafer cassettes 9 and 10. The wafer cassette opener 14 is configured such that by using the opening / closing mechanism 22 to open and close the covers of wafer cassettes 9 and 10 placed on the mounting stage 21, the wafer inlet / outlet of wafer cassettes 9 and 10 can be opened and closed.

[0052] The sub-frame 16 forms an airtight transfer chamber 23 relative to the space (wafer cassette transfer space) where the wafer cassette transport mechanism 15 and the wafer cassette rack 11 are arranged. A transfer machine 41, serving as a substrate transfer mechanism, is provided in the front region of the transfer chamber 23. The transfer machine 41 includes a wafer carrier plate 31 for holding the required number of wafers 200 (e.g., 4 in the illustration), and the wafer carrier plate 31 is capable of horizontal translation, horizontal rotation, or vertical lifting. The transfer machine 41 is configured to load and unload wafers 200 relative to the wafer boat 217, which serves as a substrate holder. Furthermore, the transfer machine 41 is configured to transport wafers 200 between the wafer cassette 9 placed on the loading stage 21 and the wafer cassette 10 placed on the loading stage 21.

[0053] A standby section 27 is configured to house the wafer 217 in the rear region of the transfer chamber 23 and keep it in standby mode. A vertical processing furnace 202 is provided above the standby section 27. The processing furnace 202 forms a processing chamber 201 inside, and the lower end of the processing chamber 201 becomes a furnace opening. The furnace opening is opened and closed by a furnace opening gate 219s, which serves as a furnace opening opening and closing mechanism. It should be noted that the processing chamber 201 is an example of a processing container for processing the wafer 200.

[0054] A crystal boat lifting mechanism 115 (substrate holder lifting mechanism, see below) for raising and lowering the crystal boat 217 is provided between the right end of the frame 2 and the right end of the standby part 27 of the sub-frame 16. Figure 2A sealing cover 219, which serves as a cover, is horizontally installed on the arm connected to the lifting platform of the crystal boat elevator 115. The sealing cover 219 vertically supports the crystal boat 217 and can airtightly seal the furnace opening when the crystal boat 217 is loaded into the processing chamber 201.

[0055] The crystal boat 217 is configured to hold multiple (e.g., 50 to 125) wafers 200 in a horizontal orientation with their centers aligned as a multilayer.

[0056] A cleaning unit (not shown) is positioned opposite the crystal boat lift 115. The cleaning unit consists of a supply fan and a dust filter, supplying a cleaning gas that is either purified ambient gas or an inactive gas. A notch alignment device (not shown) is provided between the transfer machine 41 and the cleaning unit as a substrate matching device to align the wafer 200 in the circumferential direction.

[0057] The cleaning gas blown out from the cleaning unit is drawn in through a pipe (not shown) after flowing to the notch alignment device and transfer machine 41 and crystal boat 217, and is configured to either exhaust to the outside of the frame 2 or blown into the transfer chamber 23 from the cleaning unit.

[0058] Next, the operation of processing device 1 will be explained.

[0059] When wafer cassette 9 is supplied to loading port 8, wafer cassette inlet / outlet 6 is opened via front gate 7. The wafer cassette 9, placed in loading port 8, is moved into the interior of frame 2 via wafer cassette inlet / outlet 6 by wafer cassette conveying mechanism 15, and placed on either shelf 13 of wafer cassette rack 11 or mounting platform 21 of wafer cassette opener 14. After the wafer cassette 9 is temporarily stored on wafer cassette rack 11, it is moved from shelf 13 to a wafer cassette opener 14 and transferred to mounting platform 21 by wafer cassette conveying mechanism 15. It should be noted that the wafer 200 housed in wafer cassette 9 on mounting platform 21 is housed in wafer cassette 10 via transfer machine 41. In this disclosure, purge gas is supplied to wafer cassette 10 from the second supply system at this time, as detailed below.

[0060] At this time, the inlet / outlet 19 is closed by the opening / closing mechanism 22, and the clean gas flows into and fills the transfer chamber 23. For example, the transfer chamber 23 is filled with nitrogen (N) gas as the clean gas, and thus the oxygen concentration is set to, for example, below 20 ppm, which is lower than the oxygen concentration inside the frame 2 (atmospheric ambient gas).

[0061] In this disclosure, substance X is then supplied from the first supply system to the wafer cassette 10, as detailed below.

[0062] As for the wafer cassette 10 placed on the mounting stage 21, its open side end face is pressed against the edge of the loading / unloading outlet 19 in the front wall 17 of the sub-frame 16, and the cover is removed by the opening / closing mechanism 22, and the wafer inlet / outlet is opened.

[0063] Then, wafer 200 is removed from wafer cassette 10 by transfer machine 41 and loaded into wafer boat 217. Transfer machine 41, which loads wafer 200 into wafer boat 217, returns to wafer cassette 10 to load the next wafer 200 into wafer boat 217.

[0064] During the loading operation of loading wafer 200 into wafer boat 217 via transfer machine 41 in one (upper or lower) wafer cassette opener 14, another wafer cassette 10 is transferred from wafer cassette rack 11 to another (lower or upper) wafer cassette opener 14 by wafer cassette transfer mechanism 15, while opening operation of wafer cassette 10 based on the other wafer cassette opener 14 is performed.

[0065] When a pre-specified number of wafers 200 are loaded into the wafer boat 217, the furnace opening of the processing furnace 202, which was closed by the furnace opening gate 219s, is opened by the furnace opening gate 219s. Next, the wafer boat 217 holding the wafer group is raised by the wafer boat elevator 115 and moved into the processing chamber 201.

[0066] After being moved in, the wafer 200 is subjected to arbitrary processing in the processing chamber 201. After processing, except for the matching process of the wafer using the notch alignment device, the wafer boat 217 containing the processed wafer 200 is moved out of the processing chamber 201 in a process that is roughly the reverse of the above steps, and the wafer cassette containing the processed wafer 200 is moved out of the frame 2.

[0067] (2) Composition of the processing furnace

[0068] Next, use Figure 2 To explain the structure of the processing furnace 202.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, the processing furnace 202 of the processing apparatus 1 has a heater 207 that functions as a temperature regulator (heating unit). The heater 207 is cylindrical and is vertically mounted by means of a support plate. The heater 207 also functions as an activation mechanism that activates the gas with heat.

[0070] A reaction tube 203 is arranged concentrically with the heater 207 inside the heater 207. The reaction tube 203 is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz (SiO2) or silicon carbide (SiC) and is formed into a cylindrical shape that is closed at the top and open at the bottom. A manifold 209 is arranged concentrically with the reaction tube 203 below the reaction tube 203. The manifold 209 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel (SUS) and is formed into a cylindrical shape that is open at both the top and bottom. The upper end of the manifold 209 is configured to engage with and support the lower end of the reaction tube 203. An O-ring 220a is provided between the manifold 209 and the reaction tube 203 as a sealing member. The reaction tube 203 is installed vertically, just like the heater 207. The processing container (reaction container) is mainly composed of the reaction tube 203 and the manifold 209. A processing chamber 201 is formed in the hollow part of the processing container. The processing chamber 201 is configured to accommodate a wafer 200, which serves as a substrate. Processing of the wafer 200 is performed within the processing chamber 201.

[0071] Nozzles 249a and 249b, serving as the first and second supply units, are respectively installed within the processing chamber 201, penetrating the side wall of the manifold 209. Nozzles 249a and 249b are also referred to as the first and second nozzles, respectively. Nozzles 249a and 249b are made of, for example, a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC. Nozzles 249a and 249b are connected to gas supply pipes 232a and 232b, respectively. Nozzles 249a and 249b are different nozzles, and nozzles 249a and 249b are arranged adjacent to each other.

[0072] On gas supply pipes 232a and 232b, MFCs 241a and 241b and valves 243a and 243b are sequentially installed from the upstream side of the gas flow, respectively. Gas supply pipe 232d is connected to gas supply pipe 232a downstream of valve 243a. Gas supply pipes 232c and 232e are connected to gas supply pipe 232b downstream of valve 243b, respectively. On gas supply pipes 232d and 232e, MFCs 241d and 241e and valves 243d and 243e are sequentially installed from the upstream side of the gas flow, respectively. Gas supply pipes 232a to 232e are made of, for example, a metal material such as SUS.

[0073] like Figure 3As shown, nozzles 249a and 249b are respectively positioned upright above the inner wall of the reaction tube 203 and the wafer 200 in a ring-shaped space when viewed from above. Specifically, nozzles 249a and 249b are positioned to the side of the wafer arrangement area, horizontally surrounding it, in a manner that follows the wafer arrangement area of ​​the wafer 200. When viewed from above, nozzles 249a and 249b are arranged along the inner wall of the reaction tube 203 (outer periphery of the wafer 200), sandwiching a straight line L passing through the center of the wafer 200 and the center of the exhaust port 231a within the processing chamber 201. Gas supply holes 250a and 250b are respectively provided on the sides of nozzles 249a and 249b for supplying gas. Gas supply holes 250a and 250b are respectively opened in a manner that is opposite to the exhaust port 231a when viewed from above, and can supply gas toward the wafer 200. Multiple gas supply holes 250a and 250b are provided in the reaction tube 203 from bottom to top.

[0074] Fluorine (F) material, used as an etchant, is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232a via MFC 241a, valve 243a, and nozzle 249a.

[0075] The raw material, which serves as a treatment agent, is supplied into the treatment chamber 201 from the gas supply pipe 232b via MFC 241b, valve 243b, and nozzle 249b. The raw material is used as a film-forming agent.

[0076] The reducing agent, which is used as a treatment agent, is supplied into the treatment chamber 201 through the gas supply pipe 232c via MFC 241c, valve 243c, and nozzle 249c.

[0077] Inactive gases are supplied to the treatment chamber 201 from gas supply pipes 232d and 232e via MFCs 241d and 241e, valves 243d and 243e, gas supply pipes 232a and 232b, and nozzles 249a and 249b, respectively. The inactive gases function as purge gases, carrier gases, and dilution gases.

[0078] The etchant supply system, consisting mainly of gas supply pipe 232a, MFC 241a, and valve 243a, is a substance supply system for F-containing materials. The processing agent supply system, consisting mainly of gas supply pipe 232b, MFC 241b, and valve 243b, is a raw material supply system. The processing agent supply system, consisting mainly of gas supply pipe 232c, MFC 241c, and valve 243c, is a reducing agent supply system. The second inactive gas supply system, consisting mainly of gas supply pipes 232d and 232e, MFC 241d and 241e, and valves 243d and 243e, is also referred to as the film-forming agent supply system. The second inactive gas supply system is also referred to as the second purge gas supply system and the second dilution gas supply system. In addition, valves 243a-243e, MFCs 241a-241e, and valves 543a, 543b, MFCs 541a, 541b can also be set as part of the integrated supply system 248.

[0079] An exhaust port 231a is provided below the side wall of the reaction tube 203 to discharge the ambient gas inside the processing chamber 201. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the exhaust port 231a is positioned opposite (facing) the nozzles 249a and 249b (gas supply ports 250a and 250b) across the wafer 200 when viewed from above. The exhaust port 231a can also be positioned along the side wall of the reaction tube 203 from bottom to top, i.e., along the wafer arrangement area. An exhaust pipe 231 is connected to the exhaust port 231a. On the exhaust pipe 231, a pressure sensor 245 (which detects the pressure inside the processing chamber 201) and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 244 (which acts as a pressure regulator) are connected to a vacuum pump 246, which serves as a vacuum exhaust device, via a pressure sensor 245 (which detects the pressure inside the processing chamber 201) and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 244 (which acts as a pressure regulator). The APC valve 244 is configured to open and close the valve while the vacuum pump 246 is operating, thereby controlling vacuum exhaust and stopping the vacuum exhaust within the processing chamber 201. Furthermore, while the vacuum pump 246 is operating, the valve opening is adjusted based on pressure information detected by the pressure sensor 245, thereby regulating the pressure within the processing chamber 201. The exhaust system mainly consists of the exhaust pipe 231, the APC valve 244, and the pressure sensor 245. Alternatively, the vacuum pump 246 may be included in the exhaust system.

[0080] Below the manifold 209 is a sealing cover 219, which serves as a furnace opening cover capable of sealing the lower opening of the manifold 209, i.e., the inlet and outlet gas of the wafer 200. The sealing cover 219 is made of a metal material such as SUS and is formed in a disc shape. An O-ring 220b, serving as a sealing member, is provided on the upper surface of the sealing cover 219, abutting against the lower end of the manifold 209. Below the sealing cover 219 is a rotation mechanism 267 for rotating the crystal boat 217 (described later). The rotation shaft 255 of the rotation mechanism 267 passes through the sealing cover 219 and is connected to the crystal boat 217. The rotation mechanism 267 is configured to rotate the wafer 200 by rotating the crystal boat 217. The sealing cover 219 is configured to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction by a crystal boat lift 115, which serves as a lifting mechanism and is provided outside the reaction tube 203. The crystal boat lift 115 is configured as a transport device (transport mechanism) that transports the wafer 200 to and from the processing chamber 201, that is, between the processing chamber 201 and the standby section 27 by raising and lowering the sealing cover 219.

[0081] Below the manifold 209 is a furnace gate 219s serving as a furnace gate cover. This furnace gate 219s can seal the lower end of the manifold 209, i.e., the inlet and outlet gas seal of the wafer 200, while the sealing cover 219 is lowered and the wafer boat 217 is removed from the processing chamber 201. The furnace gate 219s is made of a metal material such as SUS and is formed in a disc shape. An O-ring 220c, serving as a sealing component, is provided on the upper surface of the furnace gate 219s, abutting against the lower end of the manifold 209. The opening and closing actions (lifting, rotating, etc.) of the furnace gate 219s are controlled by a gate opening and closing mechanism 115s.

[0082] The crystal boat 217, serving as a substrate support, is configured such that multiple wafers 200, for example 25 to 200, are arranged horizontally and aligned at their centers in a vertical direction, supported by multiple layers, i.e., spaced apart. The crystal boat 217 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC. Multiple layers of heat-insulating plates 218, for example, made of heat-resistant materials such as quartz or SiC, support the lower part of the crystal boat 217.

[0083] A temperature sensor 263, serving as a temperature detector, is provided inside the reaction tube 203. By adjusting the energizing state of the heater 207 based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263, the temperature within the processing chamber 201 is adjusted to achieve the desired temperature distribution. The temperature sensor 263 is disposed along the inner wall of the reaction tube 203.

[0084] Next, the control unit used to control the above-mentioned processing device 1 will be described.

[0085] like Figure 4As shown, the controller 121, serving as the control unit (control mechanism), is configured as a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 121a, RAM (Random Access Memory) 121b, storage device 121c, and I / O port 121d. The RAM 121b, storage device 121c, and I / O port 121d are configured to exchange data with the CPU 121a via an internal bus 121e. The controller 121 is connected to an input / output device 122, such as a touch panel. Furthermore, the controller 121 can be connected to an external storage device 123. It should be noted that the processing device 1 can be configured to have one control unit or multiple control units. That is, one control unit can be used to control the processing timing described later, or multiple control units can be used to perform this control. Furthermore, multiple control units can be configured as a control system interconnected via a wired or wireless communication network, or the entire control system can be used to control the processing timing described later. In this specification, the term "control unit" is used not only when there is one control unit, but also when there are multiple control units or when there is a control system composed of multiple control units.

[0086] Storage device 121c is configured such as flash memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. Storage device 121c can readablely record and store control programs that control the operation of processing device 1, substrate processing steps and conditions (described later), and other process information. The process is configured by combining the steps of substrate processing (described later) performed by processing device 1 via controller 121 to obtain a predetermined result, thus functioning as a program. Hereinafter, process, control program, etc., will be simply referred to as a program (program product). Furthermore, process will be simply referred to as process. The term "program" is used in this specification in cases where only the process unit is included, only the control program unit is included, or both are included. RAM 121b is configured as a memory area (working area) that temporarily holds programs, data, etc., read by CPU 121a.

[0087] I / O port 121d is connected to the aforementioned MFC 241a~241e, 541a, 541b, valves 243a~243e, 543a, 543b, humidity sensor 565, pressure sensor 245, APC valve 244, vacuum pump 246, temperature sensor 263, heaters 207, 507, rotating mechanism 267, crystal boat lift 115, gate opening and closing mechanism 115s, etc.

[0088] CPU 121a is configured to read and execute a control program from storage device 121c, and to read the process from storage device 121c in response to inputs such as operation commands from input / output device 122. CPU121a is configured to control, according to the read process content, the flow rate adjustment of various substances (various gases) performed by MFCs 241a-241e, 541a, and 541b; the opening and closing of valves 243a-243e, 543a, and 543b; the opening and closing of APC valve 244 based on APC valve 244 and the pressure adjustment of pressure sensor 245 and APC valve 244; the starting and stopping of vacuum pump 246; the temperature adjustment of heaters 207 and 507 based on temperature sensor 263; the rotation and rotation speed adjustment of crystal boat 217 performed by rotating mechanism 267; the lifting and lowering of crystal boat 217 performed by crystal boat elevator 115; and the opening and closing of furnace gate 219s performed by gate opening and closing mechanism 115s.

[0089] The controller 121 can be configured to install the aforementioned program, which is recorded and stored in the external storage device 123, onto a computer. The external storage device 123 may include, for example, a hard disk such as an HDD, an optical disk such as a CD, a USB flash drive, or a semiconductor memory such as an SSD. The storage device 121c and the external storage device 123 constitute a recording medium that can be read by a computer. Hereinafter, they will be simply referred to collectively as recording media. The term "recording medium" is used in this specification in cases where only the storage device 121c is included, in cases where only the external storage device 123 is included, or in cases where both are included. It should be noted that the program can also be provided to the computer without using the external storage device 123, but using communication mechanisms such as the Internet or dedicated lines.

[0090] (2) Processing procedures

[0091] As a step in the manufacturing process (manufacturing method) of semiconductor devices, it mainly uses Figure 1 , Figure 5 (a) ~ Figure 5 (i) will be used to describe an example of a method (processing method) for processing a substrate using the processing apparatus 1 described above, namely, a process sequence in which the surface of the wafer 200, which serves as the substrate, is continuously etched, and a film is grown on the etched wafer 200. In the following description, the operation of each part constituting the processing apparatus 1 is controlled by the controller 121. It should be noted that the processing apparatus 1 is also referred to as a substrate processing apparatus, etching processing apparatus, etching device, film forming processing apparatus, or film forming apparatus, depending on the processing content. In addition, the processing method is also referred to as a substrate processing method, etching processing method, etching method, film forming processing method, or film forming method, depending on the processing content.

[0092] The following steps are performed in the processing sequence of this method:

[0093] (a) Step A of transferring wafer 200 from wafer cassette 9 to wafer cassette 10;

[0094] (b) Step B of supplying material X to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10; and

[0095] (c) Step C, which involves transferring the wafer 200 with the adsorbed substance X from the wafer cassette 10 to the processing chamber 201 after step B.

[0096] It should be noted that the following situations apply:

[0097] Between step B and step C, step F (f) is performed to allow the wafer cassette 10 to stand for a specified time.

[0098] It should be noted that the following examples illustrate the following situations:

[0099] Before step B, step D, which involves supplying heated purge gas to the wafer cassette 10, is performed with the wafer 200 loaded in the wafer cassette 10.

[0100] Furthermore, the following examples illustrate the following situations:

[0101] After step C, step G is performed, in which etchant is supplied to wafer 200 in processing chamber 201 and the etchant reacts with substance X to etch the surface of wafer 200.

[0102] Furthermore, the following examples illustrate the following situations:

[0103] After step G, step H is performed, in which a film-forming agent is supplied to the etched wafer 200 as a processing agent to form a film on the etched wafer 200.

[0104] The term "wafer" as used in this specification can refer to the wafer itself or to a laminate of the wafer and a specified layer or film formed on its surface. The term "surface of the wafer" as used in this specification can refer to the surface of the wafer itself or to the surface of a specified film, etc., formed on the wafer. The phrase "forming a specified film on the surface of the wafer" as used in this specification can refer to forming the specified film directly on the surface of the wafer itself or to forming the specified film on top of a film, etc., formed on the wafer. The term "substrate" as used in this specification has the same meaning as the term "wafer".

[0105] The terms "agent" and "substance" as used in this specification include at least one of gaseous and liquid substances. Liquid substances include mist substances. That is, substance X, etchant, treatment agent, and reducing agent may each include gaseous substances, liquid substances such as mist substances, or both.

[0106] (Temperature setting of gas supply pipe 532b)

[0107] First, the gas supply pipe 532b is heated by the pipe heater 507 to achieve the desired temperature. Then, the energization of the pipe heater 507 is controlled based on temperature information detected by a pipe temperature sensor (not shown) to achieve the desired temperature distribution within the gas supply pipe 532b.

[0108] (Step A: Transfer wafer 200 from wafer cassette 9 to wafer cassette 10)

[0109] Next, the wafer cassette 9 containing the wafer 200 to be processed arrives at the wafer cassette opener 14. The wafer 200 within the wafer cassette 9 is transferred by the transfer machine 41 to a designated wafer cassette 10 placed on the mounting stage 21 of the wafer cassette opener 14 (see [link]). Figure 5 (a) ~ Figure 5 (c) After being temporarily stored by the wafer cassette rack 11, the wafer cassette 10 is transported by the wafer cassette transfer mechanism 15 from the shelf 13 to one of the wafer cassette openers 14 and then transferred to the loading stage 21.

[0110] Sometimes, oxides are formed on the surface of wafer 200. These oxides sometimes comprise at least one of a non-stoichiometric silicon oxide film (SiOx film, where x is a real number less than 2) and a stoichiometric silicon oxide film (SiO2 film). Additionally, the oxides sometimes comprise at least one of native oxide films and chemically oxidized oxide films. It should be noted that, hereinafter, SiOx films and SiO2 films are collectively referred to as SiO films.

[0111] (Step D: Supply purge gas to wafer cassette 10)

[0112] Next, a purge gas is supplied to heat the wafer 200 housed within the wafer cassette 10 to the desired temperature (see [link]). Figure 5 (d)

[0113] Specifically, valve 543b is opened, allowing purge gas to flow into gas supply pipe 532b. The purge gas flow rate is adjusted by MFC 541b, and it is supplied to wafer cassette 10 via gas supply path 549 and exhausted from purge port 50. At this time, heated purge gas is supplied to wafer 200.

[0114] By supplying heated purge gas to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10 under the conditions described later, the moisture contained in the wafer 200 is evaporated and exhausted from the purge port 50. In this way, the wafer 200 inside the wafer cassette 10 can be dried.

[0115] Example of the processing conditions when supplying purge gas in step D:

[0116] Processing time: 1-10 minutes

[0117] Purging gas supply flow rate: 0.01~20slm, preferably 0.01~10slm.

[0118] For example, when a temperature sensor serving as a temperature detector is provided inside the wafer cassette 10, and a heater serving as a heating element is provided near the wafer cassette 10, the temperature inside the wafer cassette 10 can also be included in the processing conditions. Furthermore, when a pressure sensor serving as a pressure detector (pressure detection unit) and an APC valve serving as a pressure regulator (pressure adjustment unit) are provided near the purge port 50 of the wafer cassette 10, the pressure inside the wafer cassette 10 can also be included in the processing conditions. The same applies to step B described later.

[0119] It should be noted that the numerical range "0.01~20slm" in this specification refers to the inclusion of both the lower and upper limits within this range. Therefore, for example, "0.01~20slm" means "between 0.01slm and 20slm". Other numerical ranges follow the same principle. Furthermore, the processing temperature in this specification refers to the temperature of the space where the processing takes place (the temperature inside the wafer cassette 10 in steps D and B, and the temperature inside the processing chamber 201 in steps G and H). Additionally, the processing pressure in this specification refers to the pressure within the space where the processing takes place (the pressure inside the wafer cassette 10 in steps D and B, and the pressure inside the processing chamber 201 in steps G and H). Furthermore, the processing time refers to the duration of the continuous processing. Also, when the supply flow rate includes 0slm, 0slm refers to the condition where no substance (gas) is supplied. This also applies to the following description.

[0120] In step D, the dryness level of wafer 200 can be adjusted by controlling the supply flow rate and supply time of the purge gas. Furthermore, the supply flow rate and supply time of the purge gas can be controlled based on the measurement results of the humidity sensor 565 installed within the wafer cassette 10.

[0121] As a purge gas, an inert gas can be used, for example. Examples of inert gases include rare gases such as nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar), helium (He), neon (Ne), and xenon (Xe). One or more of these can be used as the purge gas.

[0122] (Step B: Supply material X to wafer 200)

[0123] Next, material X is supplied to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10 placed in the wafer cassette opener 14.

[0124] Specifically, valve 543a is opened, allowing substance X to flow into gas supply pipe 532a. Substance X is processed by vaporizer 550, its flow rate is adjusted by MFC 541a, and it is supplied to wafer cassette 10 via gas supply path 549 and discharged from purge port 50. At this time, substance X is supplied to wafer 200, exposing wafer 200 to substance X (substance X supply, exposure). At this time, valve 543b can also be opened, supplying carrier gas or dilution gas to wafer cassette 10 via gas supply path 549. When these gases are supplied, it is preferable to use feedback control of the energization status of heater 507 based on temperature information detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) to achieve the desired temperature distribution within wafer cassette 10.

[0125] Under the conditions described later, by supplying material X to wafer 200, it is possible to adsorb material X and at least one of the molecular structures constituting material X (hereinafter collectively referred to as material X) onto the surface of wafer 200.

[0126] As an example of the processing conditions when supplying substance X in step B:

[0127] Processing time: 1-10 minutes

[0128] Material X supply flow rate: 0.01~20slm, preferably 0.01~10slm

[0129] Inactive gas supply flow rate: 0-20 slm.

[0130] In step B, the supply flow rate and supply time of substance X can be controlled by MFC 541a, and the total amount of substance X supplied to wafer 200 can be adjusted. Furthermore, the supply flow rate and supply time of substance X can be controlled based on the measurement results of the humidity sensor 565 installed within wafer cassette 10.

[0131] In step G, described later, the substance X adsorbed on the wafer 200 reacts with the etchant supplied into the processing chamber 201 to produce a predetermined reaction product (etching seed), thereby promoting the etching reaction on the surface of the wafer 200. That is, the substance X adsorbed on the wafer 200 functions as a reaction-promoting substance that promotes the etching reaction process carried out in step G.

[0132] Therefore, by adjusting the amount of substance X supplied to wafer 200 in step B, the amount of substance X adsorbed by wafer 200 can be increased or decreased, thereby controlling the amount of etching on the surface of wafer 200 in step G described later.

[0133] For example, by increasing the supply flow rate of substance X to wafer 200 in step B, the amount of substance X adsorbed on wafer 200 can be increased, thereby increasing the amount of etching on the surface of wafer 200 in step G described later. Alternatively, for example, by decreasing the supply flow rate of substance X to wafer 200 in step B, the amount of substance X adsorbed on wafer 200 can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of etching on the surface of wafer 200 in step G described later.

[0134] In addition, the amount of substance X adsorbed on the wafer 200 can be increased or decreased by adjusting the temperature inside the wafer cassette 10 in step B, thereby controlling the amount of etching on the surface of the wafer 200 in step G described later.

[0135] For example, by increasing the temperature within the wafer cassette 10 in step B, the maximum amount of substance X that can exist per unit volume within the wafer cassette 10 (equivalent to the amount of saturated water vapor if substance X is water) can be increased. This increases the amount of substance X adsorbed by the wafer 200 in step B, thereby increasing the amount of etching on the surface of the wafer 200 in step G described later. Conversely, by decreasing the temperature within the wafer cassette 10 in step B, the amount of substance X adsorbed by the wafer 200 can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of etching on the surface of the wafer 200 in step G described later.

[0136] Alternatively, the amount of material X adsorbed on the wafer 200 can be increased or decreased by adjusting the supply time of material X to the wafer 200 in step B, thereby controlling the amount of etching on the surface of the wafer 200 in step G described later.

[0137] For example, by increasing the supply time of substance X to wafer 200 in step B, the amount of substance X adsorbed on wafer 200 in step B can be increased, thereby increasing the amount of etching on the surface of wafer 200 in step G described later. Alternatively, by shortening the supply time of substance X to wafer 200 in step B, the amount of substance X adsorbed on wafer 200 in step B can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of etching on the surface of wafer 200 in step G described later.

[0138] It should be noted that the amount of substance X adsorbed on wafer 200 in step B is preferably set to an amount that is almost entirely consumed by performing step G (described later). This prevents substance X from affecting the substrate processing in step H, which is performed after step G. It should also be noted that if the amount of substance X adsorbed on wafer 200 in step B is excessive or the amount of substance X consumed in step G is insufficient, for example, the temperature inside wafer cassette 10 can be raised after step B and before step C, thereby removing a portion of the adsorbed substance X from the surface of wafer 200. Alternatively, for example, all remaining substance X can be removed from the surface of wafer 200 by raising the temperature inside processing chamber 201 after step G and before starting step H.

[0139] As substance X, for example, it can be an oxygen- (O) and hydrogen- (H)-containing substance such as water (H2O) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

[0140] The aforementioned inert gases can be used as carrier gases or diluent gases. One or more of these inert gases can be used.

[0141] (Temperature setting inside processing chamber 201)

[0142] During the period from the completion of step B to its completion, the heater 207 heats the process chamber 201 to achieve the desired processing temperature. At this time, feedback control is applied to the energization of the heater 207 based on temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263 to achieve the desired temperature distribution within the process chamber 201.

[0143] (Step F)

[0144] After step B is completed and until step C, described later, is started, the wafer cassette 10 is left to stand on the stage 21 for a specified time.

[0145] (Step C: Transfer of wafer 200 into processing chamber 201)

[0146] Next, the wafer 200 with the adsorbed substance X is transferred into the processing chamber 201.

[0147] Specifically, the cover of the wafer cassette 10 placed on the mounting stage 21 is removed by the opening and closing mechanism 22, opening the wafer inlet and outlet. Then, the wafers 200 inside the wafer cassette 10 are removed by the transfer machine 41 and loaded into the wafer boat 217 located in the standby section 27 (see...). Figure 5 (f) ~ Figure 5When the processing chamber 201 reaches the desired processing temperature, the furnace gate 219s moves via the gate opening and closing mechanism 115s, and the lower end opening of the manifold 209 opens (gate opening). Then, the wafer boat 217 supporting the wafer 200 is lifted by the wafer boat elevator 115 and moved into the processing chamber 201 (wafer boat loading) (see [reference]). Figure 5 (i)). In this state, the sealing cap 219 is in a state where the lower end of the manifold 209, i.e. the inlet / outlet, is sealed by means of the O-ring 220b.

[0148] Then, vacuum venting (pressure reduction venting) is performed by vacuum pump 246 to bring the processing chamber 201 to the desired pressure (vacuum level). At this time, the pressure inside the processing chamber 201 is measured by pressure sensor 245, and APC valve 244 performs feedback control based on this measured pressure information. Additionally, rotation of the wafer 200 based on rotation mechanism 267 begins. Heating, venting, and rotation of the wafer 200 within the processing chamber 201 continue at least until the processing of the wafer 200 is completed.

[0149] (Step G: Etching)

[0150] After step C is completed, etchant is supplied to the wafer 200 in the processing chamber 201 that has adsorbed substance X.

[0151] Specifically, valve 243a is opened, allowing the etchant to flow into the gas supply pipe 232a. The etchant flow rate is adjusted via MFC 241a, supplied into the processing chamber 201 through nozzle 249a, and discharged from exhaust port 231a. At this time, etchant is supplied to wafer 200 from the side, exposing wafer 200 to the etchant (etchant supply, exposure). Alternatively, valves 243d and 243e can be opened to supply inactive gases into the processing chamber 201 through nozzles 249a and 249b, respectively.

[0152] By supplying an etchant to the wafer 200 under the processing conditions described later, the etchant can react with a portion of the molecular structure of the substance X pre-adsorbed on the wafer 200 and the crystal boat 217 to etch the surface of the wafer 200.

[0153] For example, if the oxide on the surface of wafer 200 contains silicon oxide (SiO2), the substance X pre-adsorbed on wafer 200 contains water (H2O), and the etchant supplied to processing chamber 201 contains hydrofluoric acid (HF) as an F-containing substance, then under the conditions described later, the reaction shown in the following formula can be carried out. That is, in step G, the oxide (SiO2) present on the surface of wafer 200 can be etched away using the etchant seed (HF2-, etc.) generated by the reaction of substance X (H2O) with the etchant (HF).

[0154] 2HF+H2O→HF2 － +H3O ＋

[0155] SiO2 + 2HF2 － +2H3O ＋ →SiF4+4H2O

[0156] As described above, according to this disclosure, etching of oxides (SiO2) on the surface of wafer 200 can be initiated by reacting etchant (HF) supplied to processing chamber 201 with trace amounts of substance X (H2O) pre-adsorbed on wafer 200, a part of its molecular structure (HxO).

[0157] When the etching of the oxide begins, the trace amounts of substance X (H2O) pre-adsorbed on the wafer 200 are consumed. However, in the reaction system of step G, substance X (e.g., water (H2O)) is generated through the etching of the oxide. Therefore, in step G, without the need to add substance X to the processing chamber 201, the above-described reaction can be repeated in a chain to etch the oxide on the surface of the wafer 200. It should be noted that in step G, when substance X is added to the processing chamber 201, sometimes the amount of substance X in the reaction system is excessive, which may hinder the etching reaction.

[0158] After etching the surface of wafer 200, valve 243a is closed to stop the supply of etchant to processing chamber 201. Then, a vacuum is applied to processing chamber 201 to remove any residual gaseous substances. At this time, valves 243d and 243e are opened, and inert gas is supplied to processing chamber 201 through nozzles 249a and 249b. The inert gas supplied from nozzles 249a and 249b acts as a purging gas, thereby purging processing chamber 201.

[0159] Examples of processing conditions for supplying the etchant in step G include:

[0160] Processing temperature: room temperature (25℃) to 170℃, preferably 25℃ to 150℃

[0161] Processing pressure: 10–4000 Pa, preferably 500–2000 Pa

[0162] Etching agent supply flow rate: 0.5–3 slm, preferably 1–2 slm

[0163] Etching agent supply time: 1–120 minutes, preferably 10–100 minutes

[0164] Inactive gas supply flow rate (per gas supply tube): 0-10 slm, preferably 1-5 slm.

[0165] In this case, if the processing temperature when the etchant is supplied in step G is lower than room temperature (25°C), the etching rate can be increased. However, if other processes such as film formation are performed before or after the etching process, the time (heating time and / or cooling time) for changing the processing temperature between the etching process and other processes is sometimes too long, resulting in reduced productivity.

[0166] By setting the processing temperature to above room temperature (25°C), it is possible to maintain a high etching rate while shortening the time between processing temperatures and other processes, thereby suppressing a decrease in productivity.

[0167] In addition, if the above processing temperature is set to a temperature higher than 170°C, the time for changing the processing temperature between other processes can be greatly shortened, but there is a problem of excessively low etching rate and reduced productivity.

[0168] By setting the processing temperature to below 170°C, the etching rate reduction can be suppressed while maintaining a significantly shorter processing temperature change time compared to other processes, thus suppressing productivity loss. By setting the processing temperature to below 150°C, the etching rate reduction can be further suppressed while maintaining a significantly shorter processing temperature change time compared to other processes, thus further suppressing productivity loss. By setting the processing temperature to below 130°C, the etching rate reduction can be significantly suppressed while maintaining a significantly shorter processing temperature change time compared to other processes, thus significantly suppressing productivity loss.

[0169] As described above, it is desirable to set the processing temperature to be between room temperature (25°C) and 170°C, preferably between 25°C and 150°C, and more preferably between 25°C and 130°C.

[0170] As described above, fluorine-containing substances, such as HF (fluorine-containing and hydrogen (H)-containing substances), can be used as etchants. Other etchants that can be used include, for example, fluorine (F2), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), chlorine trifluoride (ClF3), and chlorine fluoride (ClF). More than one of these can be used as an etchant.

[0171] (Step H: Substrate processing)

[0172] Then, for the surface-etched wafer 200, raw materials (film-forming agents) are supplied as a processing agent. In addition, in this step, raw materials and reducing agents are supplied to the wafer 200 together.

[0173] Specifically, valves 243b and 243c are opened, allowing the raw materials and reducing agent to flow into gas supply pipes 232b and 232c, respectively. The flow rates of the raw materials and reducing agent are adjusted by MFCs 241b and 241c, supplied to the processing chamber 201 via nozzle 249b, and discharged from exhaust port 231a. At this time, the raw materials and reducing agent, acting as processing agents, are supplied to the wafer 200 from the side, exposing the wafer 200 to the raw materials and reducing agent (raw materials + reducing agent supply, exposure). Alternatively, valves 243d and 243e can be opened to supply inactive gases into the processing chamber 201 via nozzles 249a and 249b, respectively.

[0174] Under the processing conditions described later, by supplying raw materials and a reducing agent to the wafer 200, a predetermined film can be formed on the surface of the etched wafer 200. For example, the surface of the wafer 200 exposed by the etching process is composed of single-crystal Si. Furthermore, by using the substances described later as raw materials and reducing agents, an epitaxial Si film can be grown on the surface of the wafer 200. At this time, through the action of the reducing agent, the surface of the wafer 200 and the processing chamber 201 can be maintained in a clean state, and epitaxial growth can be performed appropriately to form a high-purity epitaxial Si film.

[0175] After the specified film is formed on the surface of wafer 200, valves 243b and 243c are closed to stop the supply of raw materials and reducing agents to the processing chamber 201.

[0176] Examples of processing conditions for supplying raw materials and reducing agents in step D include:

[0177] Processing temperature: 500–650℃, preferably 550–600℃

[0178] Processing pressure: 4–200 Pa, preferably 1–120 Pa

[0179] Processing time: 10–120 minutes, preferably 20–60 minutes

[0180] Raw material supply flow rate: 0.1–5 slm, preferably 0.2–3 slm

[0181] Reducing agent supply flow rate: 1-20 slm, preferably 1-10 slm

[0182] Inactive gas supply flow rate (per gas supply pipe): 0-20 slm, preferably 0.1-10 slm.

[0183] As a processing agent (raw material), for example, silane (SiH4), silane (Si2H6), silane (Si3H8), and silane (Si4H) can be used. 10Hydrogenated silicon, etc. One or more of these can be used as raw materials.

[0184] As a reducing agent, substances containing hydrogen (H2), tritium (D2), or tritium (D2) can be used. More than one of these can be used as a reducing agent.

[0185] After step H, inert gases are supplied as purge gases into the treatment chamber 201 through nozzles 249a and 249b, and discharged from exhaust port 231a. This purges the treatment chamber 201, removing residual gases and reaction byproducts (post-purge). Then, the ambient gas in the treatment chamber 201 is replaced with an inert gas (inert gas replacement), and the pressure inside the treatment chamber 201 is restored to atmospheric pressure (atmospheric pressure restoration).

[0186] Then, the sealing cover 219 is lowered by the crystal boat lift 115, opening the lower end of the manifold 209. The processed wafer 200, supported by the crystal boat 217, is then moved from the lower end of the manifold 209 into the outside of the reaction tube 203, i.e., into the standby section 27. After the crystal boat is unloaded, the furnace gate 219s moves, and the lower opening of the manifold 209, i.e., the loading / unloading outlet, is sealed by the furnace gate 219s using an O-ring 220c.

[0187] The processed wafer 200, supported by the wafer boat 217 moved into the standby section 27, is transferred by the transfer machine 41 to the wafer cassette 9 placed on the loading stage 21. The wafer cassette 9 containing the processed wafer 200 is then transported by the wafer cassette transport mechanism 15 to the loading port 8 and moved out to the next process. It should be noted that, preferably, the wafer cassette containing the processed wafer 200 is not the wet wafer cassette 10 that is supplied with material X in step B, but rather the non-wet wafer cassette 9 that contains the wafer 200 to be processed in step A, which is not supplied with material X.

[0188] (3) The effect of this method

[0189] According to this method, one or more of the effects shown below can be obtained.

[0190] (a) In step B, material X is supplied to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10. In step C, the wafer 200 with material X adsorbed on its surface is transferred from the wafer cassette 10 to the processing chamber 201. This allows the etchant to react with material X in step G, and the reaction product (etching seed) generated by this reaction to promote the etching reaction. In this way, etching on the surface of the wafer 200 can be performed efficiently.

[0191] In step B, the wafer 200 is made to adsorb substance X, therefore, it is unnecessary to load the dummy wafer with adsorbed substance X onto the crystal boat 217 in step G. This allows for an increase in the number of wafers 200 processed in the processing chamber 201 at one time, thereby improving productivity.

[0192] By supplying material X to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10 in step B, the uniformity of the substrate between the adsorption state of material X on the wafer 200, i.e. the wetted state of the wafer 200, can be improved.

[0193] (b) By performing step D before step B and while the wafer 200 is loaded in the wafer cassette 10, the wafer 200 can be dried before the material X is adsorbed onto it. This ensures that the wetted state of the wafer 200 after step B is constant. As a result, the etching effect on the wafer 200 can be maintained consistently.

[0194] (c) In step B, material X is supplied to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 10 placed in the wafer cassette opener 14. That is, it is not necessary to supply material X to the wafer 200 in the transfer chamber 23 or the processing chamber 201. As a result, material X can be prevented from remaining in the transfer chamber 23, and uneven adsorption of material X between substrates or on the substrate surface can be avoided. In addition, it is possible to avoid inadequate substrate processing (film formation) due to material X remaining in the nozzles in the processing chamber 201.

[0195] (d) After step B and during the period until step C begins, step F is performed, allowing the wafer cassette 10 to stand for a predetermined time. This allows the material X adsorbed on the wafer 200 in step B to be fixed to the wafer 200. As a result, etching on the surface of the wafer 200 can be performed more efficiently in step G.

[0196] (e) In step B, the total amount of material X supplied to wafer 200 is adjusted based on the supply flow rate and supply time of material X, so that wafer 200 can adsorb the desired amount of material X. Thus, the amount of etching on the surface of wafer 200 in step G can be controlled.

[0197] (f) In step B, the controller 121 controls the first supply system based on the measurement results of the humidity sensor 565, thus enabling the wafer 200 to reliably adsorb the desired amount of substance X. Therefore, the amount of etching on the surface of the wafer 200 can be reliably controlled in step G. Furthermore, particle generation can be suppressed.

[0198] In addition, in step B, the humidity of the wafer 200 can be controlled within a wafer cassette 10 with a simpler mechanism including a humidity sensor 565 and a purge port 50.

[0199] (g) The wafer cell opener 14 is a port that enables the wafer cell 10 to be opened and closed. In this case, the above-mentioned effects can be effectively achieved.

[0200] (h) The same effect can be obtained by arbitrarily selecting the specified substance from the above-mentioned various substances X, various etchants, various treatment agents (raw materials, reducing agents), and various inactive gases.

[0201] (4) Variations

[0202] The processing timing or configuration of the processing device 1 in this method can be changed as shown in the following variations. These variations can be combined arbitrarily. Unless otherwise specified, the processing steps and processing conditions in each step of each variation can be set to be the same as the processing steps and processing conditions in each step of the above-described processing timing.

[0203] (Variation Example 1)

[0204] Alternatively, in step B, wafers 200 with and without adsorbed substance X can be produced. That is, in step B, substance X can be supplied to a portion of the multiple wafers 200 without supplying substance X to the other wafers 200.

[0205] For example, material X may be supplied to some wafers 200 housed in a portion of the multiple wafer cassettes 10, but not to wafers 200 housed in other wafer cassettes 10. This allows for the determination of whether or not material X is adsorbed onto the wafers 200, as described above. Alternatively, material X may be supplied to some wafers 200 housed in the processing chamber 201, but not to other wafers 200. By adjusting the number of wafers 200 for which material X is not supplied and the number of wafers 200 for which material X is supplied, the amount of etch seed generated in the processing chamber 201 and the amount of material X generated in the processing chamber 201 can be increased or decreased.

[0206] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can also be obtained. It should be noted that, in this case, it is preferable to display different colors and different icons in the input / output device 122, which is configured as, for example, a touch panel, so that wafers 200 with adsorbed substance X and wafers 200 without adsorbed substance X can be identified. In this way, when loading wafers 200 into the wafer boat 217, wafers 200 with adsorbed substance X can be arranged at equal intervals. Furthermore, wafers 200 in which substance X is adsorbed at specific locations within the processing chamber 201 can be arranged.

[0207] (Variation Example 2)

[0208] During step G, the etching amount may vary due to the arrangement of the wafers 200 within the processing chamber 201. In this case, in step B, it is also possible to ensure that the wafer 200 located at a position with a lower etching amount adsorbs a greater amount of substance X than the other wafers 200. That is, in step B, it is also possible to ensure that the amount of substance X supplied differs among a portion of the wafers 200 and other wafers 200.

[0209] For example, the amount of substance X supplied to the wafer 200 can be different for each of the plurality of wafer cells 10. Thus, the amount of substance X adsorbed on the wafer 200 can be different as described above.

[0210] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can also be obtained. Furthermore, in this modified example, the amount of substance X adsorbed on the wafer 200 can be varied according to the position within the processing chamber 201 in step B. Therefore, the etching amount on the surface of the wafer 200 can be adjusted according to the position within the processing chamber 201 in step G. As a result, for example, deviations in the etching amount on the surface of the wafer 200 between substrates can be suppressed based on the position within the processing chamber 201.

[0211] (Variation Example 3)

[0212] Step D can also be performed before step B begins, when the wafer cassette 10 is not loaded with wafers 200. Specifically, for example, step B can be performed after step A, thereby transferring the unprocessed wafers 200 from the wafer cassette 9 to the wafer cassette 10, which is now in a wet state, and step D can be performed before starting the next step A.

[0213] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can be achieved. Furthermore, in this modified example, since the humidity within the wafer cassette 10 can be restored to its initial state before starting the next step A, the wettability of the wafer 200 can be kept constant in step B. As a result, the uniformity of the etching process, i.e., the uniformity between substrates, can be improved.

[0214] (Variation Example 4)

[0215] Step D can also be performed after step B, in a state where no wafer 200 is loaded in the wafer cassette 10. Specifically, for example, step C can be performed after step B, thereby performing step D on the wafer cassette 10 in a wet state and without wafer 200 loaded.

[0216] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can also be achieved. Furthermore, in this modified example, the humidity within the wafer cassette 10 can be restored to its initial state after step C and before starting the next step B, thus ensuring a constant humidity state of the wafer 200 in the next step B. As a result, the uniformity of the etching process, i.e., the uniformity between substrates, can be improved.

[0217] (Variation Example 5)

[0218] Alternatively, step E, which involves supplying material X into the wafer cassette 10, can be performed before step A begins.

[0219] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can be achieved. Furthermore, in this modified example, by supplying material X into the wafer cassette 10 before loading the wafer 200, the humidity within the wafer cassette 10 can be adjusted before the wafer 200 adsorbs material X. This allows for more precise control of the amount of material X adsorbed onto the wafer 200. As a result, etching on the surface of the wafer 200 can be performed more efficiently.

[0220] (Variation Example 6)

[0221] Alternatively, not only can the wafer cassette opener 14 be set as the second mounting part, but the wafer cassette holder 11 can also be set as the second mounting part.

[0222] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can be achieved. Furthermore, in this modified example, from the end of step B to the beginning of step C, the wafer cassette 10 is in a standby state in the wafer cassette holder 11, thus allowing the material X to be sufficiently fixed to the wafer 200 during this period. Therefore, even without specifically setting a step to fix the material X to the wafer 200, etching on the surface of the wafer 200 can be performed efficiently. Additionally, the step of using the wafer cassette opener 14 to feed the material X to the wafer 200 can be omitted, and the material X can be supplied to the wafer 200 by the wafer cassette holder 11. This prevents the wafer cassette opener 14 from being occupied during the material X supply step. As a result, the transfer time of the wafer 200 between the wafer cassette 9 and the wafer cassette 10, and the transfer time of the wafer 200 between the wafer cassette 10 and the wafer boat 217, can be ensured in the wafer cassette opener 14. This improves the substrate processing productivity.

[0223] (Variation Example 7)

[0224] Material X can also be supplied to the wafer 200 housed in the wafer cassette 9 placed in the loading port 8.

[0225] In this modified example, the same effect as described above can be obtained. Furthermore, in this modified example, since material X is supplied to wafer 200 before step B begins, the amount of material X adsorbed onto wafer 200 can be more precisely adjusted. As a result, etching on the surface of wafer 200 can be performed more efficiently. It should be noted that wafer cassette 9 is transported to other processing units within the semiconductor device manufacturing plant. Material X has the potential to influence the processing in other processing units. Therefore, when material X is supplied to wafer cassette 9, it is preferable to perform a process to dry wafer cassette 9.

[0226] (Variation Example 8)

[0227] The humidity sensor 565 is not limited to being installed inside the wafer cassette 10, but can also be installed in the first supply system. The same effect as described above can be achieved in this modified example.

[0228] (Variation Example 9)

[0229] Alternatively, the moisture absorption state of the wafer 200 can be managed under conditions (flow rate, time, etc.) where a humidity sensor 565 is not installed in the wafer cassette 10 or the first supply system, but the wafer cassette 10 is supplied with a gas containing substance X.

[0230] <Other methods of this disclosure>

[0231] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of the manner in which this disclosure is made. However, this disclosure is not limited to the manner described above and various modifications can be made without departing from its essence.

[0232] For example, in the above-described manner, regarding the processed wafer 200, it is described that the wafer 200, which was to be processed in step A, is not supplied with material X and is housed in the same wafer cassette 9 as the wafer cassette in a non-wet state. However, this disclosure is not limited to the above-described manner. For example, step C may be performed after step B, and step D may be further performed on the wafer cassette 10, which is in a wet state and does not contain the wafer 200, thereby making the wafer cassette 10 in a dry state to house the processed wafer 200. In this case, the same effect as the above-described manner can also be obtained.

[0233] Alternatively, for example, in step B, the substance X supplied to wafer 200 can also be a mist-like substance. In this case, the same effect as described above can also be obtained.

[0234] Alternatively, for example, in step H, a semiconductor element-containing film can be formed on wafer 200 using a substance containing semiconductor elements other than Si. For example, a germanium (Ge)-containing substance such as monogerane (GeH4) can be used as a raw material to form a Ge-containing film on wafer 200. Alternatively, for example, a Si-containing substance and a Ge-containing substance can be used as raw materials to form a Si- and Ge-containing film on wafer 200. Alternatively, for example, a substance containing metallic elements such as tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), ruthenium (Ru), vanadium (V), and niobium (Nb) can be used as a raw material to form a metallic element-containing film on wafer 200. In these cases, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0235] Alternatively, for example, in step H, in addition to the epitaxial film, amorphous films, polycrystalline films, and their mixed-crystal films can also be formed on wafer 200. In these cases, the same effect as described above can also be obtained.

[0236] Alternatively, for example, in step H, instead of forming a film on wafer 200, the surface of wafer 200 may be modified to a predetermined surface. Alternatively, the surface of wafer 200 may be etched. In these cases, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

[0237] Preferably, the process used for each process is prepared independently corresponding to the processing content, and is pre-recorded and stored in the storage device 121c via an electrical communication line and an external storage device 123. Furthermore, at the start of each process, preferably, the CPU 121a selects an appropriate process from the multiple processes recorded and stored in the storage device 121c, corresponding to the processing content. This allows for various processes with good reproducibility to be performed in the processing device 1 for membranes of various types, compositions, qualities, and thicknesses. Additionally, it reduces the operator's workload, enabling rapid initiation of each process while avoiding operational errors.

[0238] The aforementioned process is not limited to newly created processes. For example, it can be prepared by modifying an existing process already installed in the processing unit 1. When modifying a process, the modified process can be installed in the processing unit 1 via an electrical communication line and a recording medium containing the process. Alternatively, the existing input / output device 122 of the existing processing unit can be operated to directly modify the existing process already installed in the processing unit.

[0239] In the above-described method, an example of processing using a batch processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time has been described. This disclosure is not limited to the above-described method; for example, it can also be applied to cases where processing is performed using a single-sheet processing apparatus that processes one or more substrates at a time. Furthermore, in the above-described method, an example of processing using a processing apparatus equipped with a hot-wall type processing furnace has been described. This disclosure is not limited to the above-described method; it can also be applied to cases where processing is performed using a processing apparatus equipped with a cold-wall type processing furnace.

[0240] When using these processing devices, each process can be performed under the same processing steps and conditions as described above, and the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0241] The above methods and variations can be used in appropriate combinations. The processing steps and conditions can be set to be the same as those in the above methods and variations.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, have: A first mounting section for holding a first container capable of accommodating a substrate; A second mounting section for holding a second container capable of accommodating the substrate; and A first supply system that supplies substance X to the second container; A transfer machine capable of transferring the substrate between the first container and the second container; A processing container for processing the substrate; as well as The control unit is configured to control the first supply system and the transfer machine to cause the first supply system and the transfer machine to perform the following processes: (a) Transferring the substrate from the first container to the second container; (b) Supplying the substance X to the substrate contained in the second container; and (c) After (b), the substrate with the adsorbed substance X is transferred from the second container to the processing container.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second supply system is provided to supply heated purge gas to the second container. The control unit is configured to control the second supply system so that the second supply system performs the following processes: (d) Supply the purging gas to the second container.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control unit operates (d) in the state where the substrate is not loaded in the second container.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control unit performs (d) after (b).

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, (d) is performed before (b).

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control unit operates (d) while the substrate is loaded in the second container.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, (d) is performed before (b).

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The process includes (e) supplying the substance X into the second container. (e) is performed before (a).

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The first mounting section is a port that allows the first container to be opened and closed. The second mounting section is a port that allows the second container to be opened and closed.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The first mounting section is a port that allows the first container to be opened and closed. The second mounting section is a shelf for mounting the second container.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The first supply system supplies the substance X to the substrate housed in the second container placed in the second mounting section.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second mounting section is a port that allows the second container to be opened and closed.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second mounting section is a shelf for mounting the second container.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, The first supply system supplies the substance X to the substrate housed in the first container placed in the first mounting section.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, The first supply system has a flow control unit for controlling the supply flow rate of the substance X. The flow control unit is configured to adjust the total amount of substance X supplied to the substrate based on the supply flow rate and supply time of the substance X.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, It has a hygrometer installed inside the second container or in the first supply system. The control unit is configured to control the first supply system based on the measurement results of the hygrometer.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that, The control unit is configured to control the transplanter so that the transplanter performs the following processes between (b) and (c): (f) Allow the second container to stand for a specified time.

18. A substrate processing method, characterized in that, It has the following processes: (a) Transferring the substrate from a first container capable of containing the substrate to a second container capable of containing the substrate; (b) Supplying substance X to the substrate contained in the second container; and (c) After (b), the substrate with the adsorbed substance X is transferred from the second container to the processing container for processing the substrate.

19. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that, It has the following processes: (a) Transferring the substrate from a first container capable of containing the substrate to a second container capable of containing the substrate; (b) Supplying substance X to the substrate contained in the second container; and (c) After (b), the substrate with the adsorbed substance X is transferred from the second container to the processing container for processing the substrate.

20. A program product, characterized in that, The program product contains a program that, via a computer, causes the substrate processing device to perform the following steps: (a) Transferring the substrate from a first container capable of containing the substrate to a second container capable of containing the substrate; (b) Supplying substance X to the substrate contained in the second container; and (c) After (b), the substrate with the adsorbed substance X is transferred from the second container to the processing container for processing the substrate.

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