Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that are compatible with various processing gases when substrates are processed using processing gases.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate includes a mounting table that mounts the substrate, a partition that surrounds the mounting table, an inner chamber provided outside the partition, an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber, and a processing gas supply unit that supplies a processing gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting table, and the inner chamber is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber, and the outer chamber is provided so as not to come into contact with the processing gas supplied inside the inner chamber.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that houses and processes a substrate in a chamber. The chamber is usually formed of Al (aluminum), and the inner surface of the chamber is subjected to a surface oxidation treatment. Further, when hydrogen fluoride gas is supplied into the chamber, a part or all of the inner surface of the chamber is formed of Al or an Al alloy that has not been subjected to a surface oxidation treatment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The technology according to the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of coping with various processing gases when processing a substrate using a processing gas.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, including a mounting table on which the substrate is mounted, a partition wall surrounding the mounting table, an inner chamber provided outside the partition wall, an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber, and a processing gas supply unit that supplies a processing gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting table , a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the partition wall, and a sealing member provided on the lower surface of the shower head of the processing gas supply unit, and having, wherein the inner chamber is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber, and the outer chamber is provided so as not to contact the processing gas supplied into the inner chamber , in a state where the partition wall is raised, the upper surface of the partition wall abuts against the sealing member, and the lifting mechanism includes a drive shaft for raising and lowering the partition wall and a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, when processing a substrate using a processing gas, a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of corresponding to various processing gases can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0008] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, various processes such as etching are performed on a semiconductor wafer (substrate; hereinafter referred to as "wafer") using a processing gas, for example, in a vacuum atmosphere (reduced pressure atmosphere).

[0009] Etching has conventionally been performed by various methods. In particular, in recent years, with the miniaturization of semiconductor devices, a technique called Chemical Oxide Removal (COR) processing, which enables more fine-grained etching, has been used instead of conventional etching techniques such as plasma etching and wet etching.

[0010] COR processing is a process in which a processing gas is supplied to a wafer in a chamber maintained in a vacuum atmosphere, and the processing gas is reacted with, for example, a film formed on the wafer to generate a product. The product generated on the wafer surface by COR processing sublimates by performing a heat treatment in the next step, thereby removing the film on the wafer surface.

[0011] In COR processing, the frequency of using highly corrosive processing gases is increasing in the future. On the inner surface of the chamber in a substrate processing apparatus (wafer processing apparatus), a treatment having corrosion resistance against the processing gas is required. Furthermore, in order to cope with various processing gases, different treatments may be required on the inner surface of the chamber. For example, as in the substrate processing apparatus (COR processing apparatus) disclosed in Patent Document 1, although the inner surface of the chamber is usually subjected to a surface oxidation treatment, when using hydrogen fluoride gas, the inner surface of the chamber is formed of Al or an Al alloy that has not been subjected to a surface oxidation treatment.

[0012] However, in a conventional substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, since there is only one chamber, it is necessary to replace the chamber every time the processing gas is changed. This chamber replacement involves many tasks with heavy loads, such as a complete stop of the system on which the substrate processing apparatus is mounted, undocking of the substrate processing apparatus, and reconnection of gas supply lines, power supply lines, water supply lines, etc.

[0013] In addition, a so-called partition wall is provided in the substrate processing apparatus. The partition wall is provided so as to surround the wafer mounting table and forms a processing space for performing an etching process on the wafer mounted on the mounting table. With such a partition wall structure, even when an exhaust pipe for exhausting the inside of the chamber is provided at one location with respect to the chamber, it is possible to control the exhaust path from the processing space to the exhaust pipe during the etching process. Also, during the etching process, it is possible to make the flow of the processing gas in the processing space uniform while ensuring the airtightness of the processing space.

[0014] However, in a conventional substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, the above-mentioned partition wall is not considered. Therefore, there is room for improvement in conventional substrate processing apparatuses, particularly in chamber configurations including partition walls.

[0015] The technology according to the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of corresponding to various processing gases when processing a substrate using a processing gas. Hereinafter, a wafer processing apparatus as the substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment and a wafer processing method as the substrate processing method will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

[0016] <Configuration of Wafer Processing Apparatus> First, the configuration of the wafer processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views respectively showing the outline of the configuration of the wafer processing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the case where the wafer processing apparatus 1 is a COR processing apparatus that performs COR processing on the wafer W will be described as an example.

[0017] As described later, this embodiment is characterized in that the chamber 10 has a double structure, and further, by providing a partition wall 40 inside the chamber 10, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a triple structure. With this triple structure, a wafer processing apparatus 1 capable of corresponding to various processing gases is realized. Therefore, the other structures of the wafer processing apparatus 1 can be arbitrarily designed. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, one mounting table 20 for the wafer W to be described later may be provided, or as shown in FIG. 2, two mounting tables 20 may be provided.

[0018] Note that even when there is one mounting table 20 in the wafer processing apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the partition wall 40, the inner wall 50, and the elevating mechanism 70 are provided. In such a case, as described later, a processing space S surrounded by the mounting table 20, the partition wall 40, and the shower head 30 is formed, the flow of the processing gas in the processing space S can be made uniform, and the exhaust path from the processing space S can also be controlled. Also, regardless of the shape of the chamber 10, a processing space S having a substantially circular planar shape is formed by the partition wall 40, and a stable etching process can be performed in the processing space S. Further, since the volume of the processing space S is smaller than the internal space of the chamber 10, the supply amount of the processing gas can also be reduced.

[0019] Hereinafter, the configuration of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 will be described. The reference numerals of the components of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 correspond to the reference numerals of the components of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a chamber 10. The chamber 10 has a double structure and includes an inner chamber 11 and an outer chamber 12. A sealed space T (hereinafter referred to as "sealed space T") is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. On the upper surface of the inner chamber 11, a heater ring 13 for heating the inner chamber 11 is provided. Further, on the upper surface of the heater ring 13, a lid 14 is provided which airtightly covers the upper surface of the heater ring 13 and can seal the inside of the inner chamber 11. The outer chamber 12 is provided with an outer heater 391 (described later) for heating the outer chamber 12. The outer heater 391 is provided at an arbitrary position, for example, at the four corners of the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The detailed configuration of this chamber 10 and its surroundings will be described later.

[0021] The outer chamber 12 is provided with a gas supply pipe 15 for supplying an inert gas to the sealed space T and an intake pipe 16 for evacuating the sealed space T. These gas supply pipe 15 and intake pipe 16 are each provided at an arbitrary position in the outer chamber 12, for example, on the bottom plate. The details of the air supply system for supplying an inert gas to the sealed space T through the gas supply pipe 15 and the decompression system (exhaust system) for evacuating the sealed space T through the intake pipe 16 will be described later.

[0022] Inside the inner chamber 11, a plurality of, in this embodiment, two mounting tables 20, 20 for mounting the wafer W are provided. The mounting table 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and has an upper table 21 provided with a mounting surface for mounting the wafer W and a lower table 22 fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 and supporting the upper table 21. The upper table 21 includes, for example, an electrostatic chuck and adsorbs and holds the wafer W. The upper table 21 incorporates a temperature adjustment mechanism 23 for adjusting the temperature of the wafer W. The temperature adjustment mechanism 23 adjusts the temperature of the mounting table 20 by circulating a refrigerant such as water, for example, and controls the temperature of the wafer W on the mounting table 20.

[0023] In addition, although the mounting table 20 is fixed in the present embodiment, it may be configured to move up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown).

[0024] A support pin unit (not shown) is provided at a position below the mounting table 20 on the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The wafer W can be transferred between a support pin (not shown) driven up and down by this support pin unit and a transfer mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0025] A shower head 30 for supplying a processing gas to the wafer W placed on the mounting table 20 is provided on the lower surface of the lid 14. The shower head 30 is individually provided above the mounting tables 20, 20.

[0026] The shower head 30 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical frame body 31 with an open lower surface and supported by the lower surface of the lid 14, and a substantially disc-shaped shower plate 32 fitted on the inner surface of the frame body 31. The shower plate 32 is provided at a desired distance from the ceiling portion of the frame body 31. Thereby, a space 30a is formed between the ceiling portion of the frame body 31 and the upper surface of the shower plate 32. Further, a plurality of openings 32a penetrating the shower plate 32 in the thickness direction are provided in the shower plate 32. A gas supply pipe 33 is connected to the space 30a between the ceiling portion of the frame body 31 and the shower plate 32. Details of the air supply system for supplying the processing gas toward the wafer W placed on the mounting table 20 via the shower head 30 and the gas supply pipe 33 will be described later.

[0027] A seal member 34 is provided on the lower surface of the shower head 30, specifically, on the lower surface of the frame body 31. For example, a resin lip seal is used for the seal member 34. As will be described later, when the partition wall 40 is lifted by the lifting mechanism 70 and the heater plate 42 of the partition wall 40 comes into contact with the frame body 31, the seal member 34 hermetically seals the space between the heater plate 42 and the frame body 31. The seal member 34 is provided corresponding to each mounting table 20.

[0028] On the outer periphery of the mounting tables 20, 20, partition walls 40 configured to be movable up and down are provided. The partition walls 40 have two partition walls 41, 41 that individually surround the two mounting tables 20, 20, and a heater plate 42 provided on the upper surfaces of the partition walls 41, 41. The inner diameter of the partition wall 41 is set larger than the outer surface of the mounting table 20, and a gap is formed between the partition wall 41 and the mounting table 20. The detailed configuration of the partition wall 40 will be described later.

[0029] As described above, when the frame body 31 and the heater plate 42 come into contact with each other by the seal member 34 provided on the frame body 31, the space between the frame body 31 and the heater plate 42 is hermetically sealed. Further, on the protruding portion 52 of the inner wall 50 described later, when the protruding portion 52 and the partition wall 41 (lower flange portion 202 described later) come into contact with each other, a seal member 43 such as an O-ring made of resin that hermetically seals the space between the protruding portion 52 and the partition wall 41 is provided corresponding to each mounting table 20. Then, by raising the partition wall 40, bringing the heater plate 42 into contact with the seal member 34, and further bringing the lower flange portion 202 into contact with the seal member 43, a processing space S surrounded by the mounting table 20, the partition wall 40, and the shower head 30 is formed.

[0030] On the outer periphery of the mounting tables 20, 20, inner walls 50, 50 fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 are provided. The inner wall 50 has a substantially cylindrical main body portion 51 and a protruding portion 52 provided at the upper end of the main body portion 51 and protruding outwardly of the inner wall 50. The inner walls 50, 50 are arranged so as to individually surround the lower tables 22, 22 of the mounting tables 20, 20. The inner diameter of the main body portion 51 of the inner wall 50 is set larger than the outer diameter of the lower table 22, and an exhaust space V is formed between the inner wall 50 and the lower table 22 respectively. In this embodiment, the exhaust space V also includes the space between the partition wall 40 and the upper table 21. And as shown in FIG. 2, the height of the inner wall 50 is set such that when the partition wall 40 is raised to the wafer processing position by the elevating mechanism 70 described later, the seal member 43 provided on the protruding portion 52 and the lower flange portion 202 of the partition wall 41 come into contact with each other. Thereby, the inner wall 50 and the partition wall 40 are in airtight contact.

[0031] A plurality of slits 53 are formed at the lower end of the inner wall 50. The slit 53 is an exhaust port through which the processing gas is discharged. In this embodiment, the slits 53 are formed at substantially equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner wall 50.

[0032] Note that the inner wall 50 is fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. And the outer chamber 12 is configured to be heated by an outer heater 391 described later, and the inner wall 50 is also heated by this outer heater 391. The inner wall 50 is heated to a desired temperature so that foreign matters contained in the processing gas do not adhere to the inner wall 50.

[0033] An exhaust pipe 60 for exhausting the interior of the partition wall 40 and the interior of the inner chamber 11 is provided in the outer chamber 12. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided on the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12, inside the inner chamber 11, and outside the partition wall 40 and the inner wall 50. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided in common to the two inner walls 50, 50. That is, the processing gas from the two exhaust spaces V, V is discharged from the common exhaust pipe 60. Details of the exhaust system for exhausting the interior of the inner chamber 11 via the exhaust pipe 60 will be described later.

[0034] As described above, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a lifting mechanism 70 for raising and lowering the partition wall 40. The lifting mechanism 70 includes an actuator 71 disposed outside the chamber 10, a drive shaft 72 connected to the actuator 71 and extending vertically upward in the inner chamber 11 through the bottom plates of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, and a plurality of, for example, two guide shafts 73 having a tip connected to the partition wall 40 and the other base end extending to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 73 prevents the partition wall 40 from tilting when the partition wall 40 is raised and lowered by the drive shaft 72. Details of the configuration of the lifting mechanism 70 will be described later.

[0035] The above-described wafer processing apparatus 1 is provided with a control unit 80. The control unit 80 is a computer including, for example, a CPU, a memory, etc., and has a program storage unit (not shown). A program for controlling the processing of the wafer W in the wafer processing apparatus 1 is stored in the program storage unit. The above program may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium (not shown) and installed from the storage medium to the control unit 80. Further, the storage medium may be temporary or non-temporary.

[0036] <Configuration of Gas System> Next, the gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 1 described above will be explained. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a gas system (gas supply and exhaust) for the inside of the inner chamber 11 and a gas system (gas supply and decompression) for the sealed space T between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3, the processing gas supply unit 100 that supplies the processing gas to the inside of the inner chamber 11 has the above-described shower head 30 and gas supply pipe 33. The gas supply pipe 33 is connected to a processing gas supply source 101 configured to be able to supply the processing gas. The processing gas is selected according to the film to be etched. Further, the gas supply pipe 33 is provided with a flow rate adjustment mechanism 102 for adjusting the supply amount of the processing gas, and is configured to be able to individually control the amount of the processing gas supplied to each wafer W. Then, in the processing gas supply unit 100, the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply source 101 is supplied toward the wafer W placed on each mounting table 20 via the gas supply pipe 33 and the shower head 30.

[0038] The inert gas supply unit 110 that supplies the inert gas to the sealed space T has the above-described gas supply pipe 15. The gas supply pipe 15 is connected to an inert gas supply source 111 configured to be able to supply the inert gas. As the inert gas, for example, nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, etc. are used. Further, the gas supply pipe 15 is provided with a flow rate adjustment mechanism 112 for adjusting the supply amount of the inert gas, and is configured to be able to control the amount of the inert gas supplied to the sealed space T. Then, in the inert gas supply unit 110, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source 111 is supplied to the sealed space T via the gas supply pipe 15.

[0039] The exhaust part 120 that exhausts the inside of the inner chamber 11 has the above-described exhaust pipe 60. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided with a pressure regulating valve 121, a turbo molecular pump 122, and a valve 123, and a dry pump 124 is further connected thereto. In the exhaust part 120, the dry pump 124 exhausts the internal pressure of the inner chamber 11 to about medium vacuum, and the turbo molecular pump 122 exhausts the internal pressure of the inner chamber 11 to high vacuum.

[0040] The decompression part 130 that evacuates the sealed space T has the above-described intake pipe 16. The intake pipe 16 is provided with a valve 131, and a dry pump 124 is further connected thereto. In the decompression part 130, the dry pump 124 evacuates the sealed space T to reduce the pressure of the sealed space T to a desired degree of vacuum. By reducing the pressure of the sealed space T to the desired degree of vacuum in this way, the sealed space T can function as a vacuum heat insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 as described later.

[0041] In this embodiment, the dry pump 124 is provided in common for both the exhaust part 120 and the decompression part 130. However, since the exhaust part 120 includes the valve 123 and the decompression part 130 includes the valve 131, the exhaust of the inside of the inner chamber 11 by the exhaust part 120 and the decompression of the sealed space T by the decompression part 130 can be controlled individually.

[0042] <Configuration of partition wall and elevating mechanism> Next, the configuration of the above-described partition wall 40 and elevating mechanism 70 will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of the partition wall 40 and elevating mechanism 70. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the partition wall 40 and its surrounding configuration. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the partition wall 40 and its surrounding configuration.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the partition wall 40 is divided vertically and has two partition walls 41, 41 and one heater plate 42.

[0044] The two partition walls 41 each individually surround the two mounting tables 20, 20. Each partition wall 41 has a cylindrical portion 200, an upper flange portion 201, and a lower flange portion 202. The cylindrical portion 200 surrounds the mounting table 20. The upper flange portion 201 is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 200 and extends radially outward from the cylindrical portion 200. The lower flange portion 202 is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 200 and extends radially inward from the cylindrical portion 200.

[0045] The heater plate 42 is commonly provided on the two partition walls 41 and has a shape in which two rings are joined in a plan view. The heater plate 42 is provided on the upper surfaces of the upper flange portions 201, 201. The heater plate 42 incorporates a partition heater 210 such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater. The partition heater 210 adjusts the partition wall 40 to, for example, 120°C to 140°C. Thereby, for example, it is possible to suppress foreign matter contained in the processing gas from adhering to the partition wall 40.

[0046] According to the partition wall 40 having such a configuration, by raising the partition wall 40 to bring the heater plate 42 into contact with the seal member 34 and further bringing the lower flange portion 202 into contact with the seal member 43, a highly airtight processing space S can be formed. Also, the flow of the processing gas in the processing space S can be made uniform, and furthermore, the exhaust passage from the processing space S can be controlled.

[0047] Also, since the partition wall 40 has an upper and lower split structure, for example, only the exhaust structure by the lower partition wall 41 can be changed without changing the specifications of the upper heater plate 42. For example, an exhaust flow path is formed inside the partition wall 41, and a plurality of openings for communicating the processing space S and the exhaust flow path are formed on the inner surface of the partition wall 41. In such a case, the processing gas in the processing space S flows into the exhaust flow path inside the partition wall 41 through the plurality of openings and is discharged from the exhaust pipe 60.

[0048] Furthermore, since the partition wall 40 has an upper and lower split structure, for example, the partition wall 41 and the heater plate 42 can be processed individually, and the workability and procurement performance are improved.

[0049] The partition wall 40 and the heater plate 42 are each formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, for example. A coating having corrosion resistance against the processing gas is applied to the surface of the partition wall 41 and the surface of the heater plate 42, that is, the surface in contact with the processing gas (the contact gas surface). This coating is determined according to the type of the processing gas, and is, for example, nickel plating or the like.

[0050] Here, considering the temperature influence from the partition wall 40 to the wafer W, it is preferable that the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W placed on the mounting table 20 is larger. As shown in FIG. 3, the distance L between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W is larger than before, for example, 10 mm or more, and more preferably 15 mm or more. In such a case, since the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W can be increased, the temperature influence from the partition wall 40 to the wafer W is reduced. As a result, the process performance can be maintained with high precision.

[0051] Conventionally, a seal member is provided on the partition wall, and since a seal member and a partition wall heater exist above the partition wall, it has been difficult to achieve a layout that accommodates both the seal member and the partition wall heater when increasing the inner diameter of the partition wall. In this regard, in the present embodiment, since the seal member 34 is provided on the frame body 31 of the shower head 30, even if the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W is increased and the heater plate 42 becomes smaller, the partition wall heater 210 can be appropriately laid out inside the heater plate 42.

[0052] Note that an air supply unit (not shown) for supplying air to the partition wall 40 may be provided on the partition wall 40. In such a case, the partition wall 40 can be cooled by the air, and for example, the temperature reduction time of the partition wall 40 during maintenance can be shortened.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the elevating mechanism 70 has an actuator 71, a single drive shaft 72, and a plurality of, for example, two guide shafts 73. The drive shaft 72 is elevated by the actuator 71, and the partition wall 40 is elevated and lowered. At this time, the two guide shafts 73 prevent the partition wall 40 from tilting.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the drive shaft 72 is connected to the heater plate 42, and the other base end is connected to the actuator 71. The actuator 71 is provided outside the outer chamber 12. The drive shaft 72 penetrates the bottom plates of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 and extends vertically upward within the inner chamber 11. In the drive shaft 72, an adapter 360 is provided at the portions passing through the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, that is, the openings 314 and 334 (connection portions of the drive shaft 72) as described later. Further, in the drive shaft 72, a shaft seal portion 220 is provided on the adapter 360. Inside the shaft seal portion 220, a seal member 221 such as a resin O-ring is provided to block the space between the vacuum atmosphere and the atmospheric atmosphere.

[0055] The tip of the guide shaft 73 is connected to the heater plate 42, and the other base end extends to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 73 penetrates the bottom plates of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 and extends vertically upward within the inner chamber 11. In the guide shaft 73, an adapter 360 is provided at the portions passing through the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, that is, the openings 315 and 335 (connection portions of the guide shaft 73) as described later. Further, in the guide shaft 73, a shaft seal portion 222 is provided on the adapter 360. Inside the shaft seal portion 222, a seal member 223 such as a resin O-ring is provided to block the space between the vacuum atmosphere and the atmospheric atmosphere.

[0056] Since the shaft seal portions 220 and 222 are provided on the drive shaft 72 and the guide shaft 73 respectively in this way, the cost can be reduced compared with, for example, the conventional bellows seal structure. Further, in the case of the conventional bellows seal structure, it is necessary to provide a heater around the bellows in order to suppress foreign matter adhesion, but when the shaft seal structure is used as in the present embodiment, such a heater becomes unnecessary.

[0057] <Configuration of the chamber> Next, the chamber 10 described above and its surrounding configuration will be described. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the chamber 10 and its surrounding configuration. FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views showing an outline of the chamber configuration. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an outline of the inner chamber configuration, and FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an outline of the inner chamber configuration. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an outline of the outer chamber configuration, and FIG. 13 is a plan view showing an outline of the outer chamber configuration. In FIGS. 7 to 13, for ease of explanation of the configuration of the chamber 10, the illustration of the internal configuration of the inner chamber 11 is omitted.

[0058] [Configuration of the inner chamber and the outer chamber] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the chamber 10 has a double structure and includes an inner chamber 11 and an outer chamber 12. The inner chamber 11 is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber 12. Specifically, the inner chamber 11 can be attached and detached at the upper part of the outer chamber 12. When the inner chamber 11 is attached to the outer chamber 12, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. Further, the outer chamber 12 is provided so as not to be exposed inside the inner chamber 11 and so as not to contact the processing gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber 11.

[0059] The inner chamber 11 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. A coating having corrosion resistance against the processing gas is applied to the inner surface of the inner chamber 11, that is, the gas contact surface that contacts the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11. This coating is determined according to the type of the processing gas, and is, for example, nickel plating or the like.

[0060] The inner chamber 11 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container with an open upper surface as a whole. The inner chamber 11 has a substantially cylindrical side wall 300, a flange portion 301 that protrudes outward from the upper end of the side wall 300, and a bottom plate 302 provided so as to cover the opening lower surface at the lower end of the side wall 300.

[0061] A wafer W loading / unloading port 310 is formed on one side surface of the side wall 300. A plurality of, for example, three ports 311 are formed on the other side surface of the side wall 300. The port 311 is, for example, a port for connecting a member inside the inner chamber 11 and an external device.

[0062] The flange portion 301 is annularly provided above a side wall 320 (to be described later) of the outer chamber 12. The outer surface of the flange portion 301 is exposed to the outside of the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0063] A plurality of openings 312 to 315 are formed in the bottom plate 302. The opening 312 is an opening for installing the mounting table 20 and the inner wall 50, and is formed at two locations on the bottom plate 302. The opening 313 is an opening for inserting the exhaust pipe 60. The opening 314 is an opening for inserting the drive shaft 72. The opening 315 is an opening for inserting the guide shaft 73, and is formed at two locations on the bottom plate 302.

[0064] The outer chamber 12 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. As described above, since the outer chamber 12 is provided so as not to contact the processing gas supplied into the inner chamber 11, no coating is applied to the surface of the outer chamber 12. That is, the outer chamber 12 is a solid metal material.

[0065] The outer chamber 12 is generally a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped container with an open top surface. The outer chamber 12 has a substantially cylindrical side wall 320 and a bottom plate 321 provided at the lower end of the side wall 320 so as to cover the opening bottom surface.

[0066] On one side surface of the side wall 320, a loading / unloading port 330 for the wafer W is formed at a position corresponding to the loading port 310. Also, on the other side surface of the side wall 320, a plurality of, for example, three ports 331 are formed at positions corresponding to the ports 311.

[0067] A plurality of openings 332 to 335 are formed in the bottom plate 321. These openings 332 to 335 are formed at positions corresponding to the openings 312 to 315, respectively.

[0068] [Configuration of the Sealed Space] As shown in FIG. 7, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The sealed space T is formed between the side wall 300 and the side wall 320, between the flange portion 301 and the side wall 320, and between the bottom plate 302 and the bottom plate 321. The sealed space T is sealed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of seal members described later. Hereinafter, the seal structure of this sealed space T will be described.

[0069] Note that the adapter connects the inner chamber 11 and the outside of the inner chamber 11 (e.g., the outer chamber 12, etc.) when the inner chamber 11 is attached to the outer chamber 12. Further, the adapter may be attached from the inside of the inner chamber 11 or from the outside of the inner chamber 11 depending on its attachment position. The adapter is formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, and a coating having corrosion resistance against the processing gas is applied to the surface of the adapter, that is, the gas contact surface that contacts the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11. Further, for example, a resin O-ring is used as the sealing member.

[0070] First, the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the loading / unloading ports 310 and 330 of the wafer W will be described. An adapter 340 is provided at the loading / unloading port 310 of the inner chamber 11. The adapter 340 connects the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 340 has a substantially cylindrical main body portion 341 with both end faces open and a locking portion 342 that protrudes outward from the main body portion 341. The main body portion 341 extends horizontally from the loading / unloading port 310 to the loading / unloading port 330 along the inner surface of the loading / unloading ports 310 and 330. The locking portion 342 extends vertically along the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11.

[0071] Figs. 14 to 16 are explanatory views showing the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the loading / unloading port 310 of the inner chamber 11. In Fig. 16, in order to explain the configuration of the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11, the illustration of the adapter 340 is omitted. As shown in Figs. 14 to 16, the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the locking portion 342 of the adapter 340 are fastened by a plurality of first fastening members 343. Further, the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12 are fastened by a plurality of second fastening members 344. For example, screws are used as these fastening members 343 and 344.

[0072] A seal member 345 is provided between the inner surface of the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the side surface of the locking portion 342 of the adapter 340. The seal member 345 is provided annularly so as to surround the carry-in outlet 310.

[0073] The first fastening member 343 is provided outside the seal member 345. Here, when the first fastening member 343 is fastened from the locking portion 342 of the adapter 340 to the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 flows out into the sealed space T through the gap between the first fastening member 343 and its screw hole. Therefore, in order to suppress such outflow of the processing gas into the sealed space T and contact with the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, in this embodiment, the first fastening member 343 for fastening the inner chamber 11 and the adapter 340 is provided outside the seal member 345.

[0074] Also, the second fastening member 344 is provided inside the seal member 345. Here, when the second fastening member 344 is provided outside the seal member 345, the second fastening member 344 will communicate with the inside of the inner chamber 11. Therefore, the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 flows out into the sealed space T through the gap between the second fastening member 344 and its screw hole. Therefore, in order to suppress such outflow of the processing gas into the sealed space T and contact with the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, in this embodiment, the second fastening member 344 is provided inside the seal member 345.

[0075] In the example of FIG. 16, the seal member 345 is curved near the second fastening member 344 so as to avoid interference with the second fastening member 344, but the layout of the seal member 345 is not limited to this. For example, when the second fastening member 344 is provided closer to the inside (a position closer to the carry-in outlet 310) than in the example of FIG. 16, the curvature of the seal member 345 can be omitted.

[0076] In addition, in this embodiment, the sealing member 345 is provided in a single layer, but a plurality of them may be provided. For example, in addition to the sealing member 345 provided annularly so as to surround the loading / unloading opening 310, a sealing member (not shown) that individually surrounds the outer periphery of each second fastening member 344 may be provided.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 7, an adapter 346 is provided at the loading / unloading opening 330 of the outer chamber 12. This adapter 346 is fastened to the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12 by a fastening member (not shown) such as a screw. A sealing member 347 is provided between the adapter 346 and the side wall 320. Also, a sealing member 348 is provided between this outer adapter 346 and the inner adapter 340. These sealing members 347 and 348 are each provided annularly so as to surround the loading / unloading opening 330.

[0078] With the above sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the loading / unloading openings 310 and 330, and the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 does not flow out into the sealed space T.

[0079] Next, the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 313 and 333 (connection portions of the exhaust pipe 60) will be described. Adapters 350 are provided at the openings 313 and 333. The adapter 350 connects the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 350 extends vertically from the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12 to the exhaust pipe 60.

[0080] A sealing member 351 is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the adapter 350. The sealing member 351 is provided annularly so as to surround the openings 313 and 333.

[0081] With the above sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the openings 313 and 333, and the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 does not flow out into the sealed space T.

[0082] Next, the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 314 and 334 (connection portions of the drive shaft 72) will be described. An adapter 360 is provided at the openings 314 and 334. The adapter 360 connects the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 360 extends vertically from the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12 to the drive shaft 72.

[0083] A seal member 361 is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the adapter 360. The seal member 361 is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the openings 314 and 334.

[0084] With the above sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the openings 314 and 334, and the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 does not flow out into the sealed space T. Note that an adapter 360 is similarly provided at the openings 315 and 335 (connection portions of the guide shaft 73), and the sealed space T is sealed.

[0085] Note that the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the other openings 312 and 332 (installation portions of the mounting table 20 and the inner wall 50) and the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the ports 311 and 331 are both the same as the above sealing structure. That is, an adapter and a seal member are provided at each opening.

[0086] Next, the sealing structure of the sealed space T between the flange portion 301 and the upper surface of the side wall 320 will be described. A seal member 370 is provided between the lower surface of the flange portion 301 and the upper surface of the side wall 320. The sealed space T is sealed so that the external atmosphere does not flow into the sealed space T.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 17, a gap G is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion 301 and the upper surface of the side wall 320. This gap can suppress heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. Here, as described above, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired degree of vacuum by the depressurization unit 130, and between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, the sealed space T functions as a vacuum heat insulation layer. In this embodiment, since heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 is suppressed by the gap G, the function of the vacuum heat insulation layer of the sealed space T can be maintained.

[0088] As described above, the sealed space T is sealed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of seal members, which will be described later. Therefore, the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 does not flow out into the sealed space T, and as a result, the outer chamber 12 is suppressed from being exposed to the processing gas.

[0089] A plurality of spacers 380 are provided in the sealed space T. The spacers 380 are in contact with the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The spacers 380 are formed of, for example, stainless steel. By means of this spacer 380, the strength of the inner chamber 11 can be maintained. In other words, by providing the spacer 380, it is also possible to reduce the thickness of the inner chamber 11. Note that the installation position of the spacer 380 is arbitrary. For example, the spacer 380 may be installed at a location where the strength of the inner chamber 11 is weak.

[0090] [Configuration of Heater] As shown in FIG. 7, a heater ring 13 for heating the inner chamber 11 is provided on the upper surface of the flange portion 301 of the inner chamber 11. The heater ring 13 is provided in an annular shape. The heater ring 13 is exposed to the outside. Further, the inside of the heater ring 13 is maintained at atmospheric pressure, and an inner heater 390 such as a sheathed heater or a cartridge heater is incorporated in the heater ring 13. An outer heater 391 such as a sheathed heater or a cartridge heater for heating the outer chamber 12 is provided in the outer chamber 12. The outer heater 391 is provided at an arbitrary position, for example, at the four corners of the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. These inner heater 390 and outer heater 391 are controlled individually and can be adjusted to individual temperatures.

[0091] The inner heater 390 (heater ring 13) adjusts the inner chamber 11 to, for example, 100°C to 120°C. Thereby, for example, it is possible to suppress foreign matter contained in the processing gas from adhering to the inner chamber 11.

[0092] Further, as described above, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired degree of vacuum by the depressurizing portion 130 and functions as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. By this sealed space T which is the vacuum heat insulating layer, the inner chamber 11 can be thermally isolated, and the temperature adjustment of the inner chamber 11 can be performed efficiently.

[0093] The outer heater 391 adjusts the outer chamber 12 to, for example, 80°C to 100°C. Here, although the inner chamber 11 is thermally isolated by the sealed space T which is the vacuum heat insulating layer, there is some heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T. In particular, the volume of the outer chamber 12 is large, and the outer chamber 12 is connected to a wafer transfer device outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, etc., so some heat of the inner chamber 11 escapes through the outer chamber 12. Therefore, in the present embodiment, by adjusting the temperature of the outer chamber 12, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is appropriately controlled. That is, the outer heater 391 functions as an assist for the temperature adjustment of the inner chamber 11.

[0094] Note that the temperature of the outer chamber 12 adjusted by the outer heater 391 is arbitrary. However, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is controlled to be higher than the temperature of the outer chamber 12. For example, when the chamber has a single-layer structure as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the temperature of the chamber is adjusted to, for example, 120°C to 150°C. In this regard, in the present embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be suppressed lower than before.

[0095] Also, as described above, the partition wall 40 is adjusted to, for example, 120°C to 140°C by the partition wall heater 210. That is, the temperature of the partition wall 40 is controlled to be higher than the temperature of the inner chamber 11. By providing such a temperature difference between the partition wall 40 and the inner chamber 11, if the partition wall heater 210 is controlled, it becomes easy to control the temperature of the partition wall 40 and the temperature of the inner chamber 11. Note that the temperature of the partition wall 40 does not necessarily have to be higher than the temperature of the inner chamber 11, and may be the same, for example.

[0096] <Wafer processing method> Next, the wafer processing (COR processing) in the wafer processing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

[0097] First, with the partition wall 40 lowered to the retracted position, the wafer W is transported into the chamber 10 (inner chamber 11) by a transport mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1 and placed on each of the mounting tables 20, 20.

[0098] Thereafter, the partition wall 40 is raised to the wafer processing position. Thereby, the processing space S is formed by the partition wall 40.

[0099] Then, the exhaust unit 120 evacuates the inside of the inner chamber 11 to a desired pressure, and a processing gas is supplied from the processing gas supply unit 100 into the inside of the inner chamber 11, and COR processing is performed on the wafer W. Note that the processing gas in the processing space S passes through the exhaust space V and the slits 53 of each inner wall 50 and is discharged from the exhaust unit 120.

[0100] During the COR process, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is adjusted to, for example, 120°C to 150°C by the inner heater 390 (heater ring 13), and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 is adjusted to, for example, 80°C or lower by the outer heater 391. Also, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired degree of vacuum by the decompression unit 130 and functions as a vacuum heat insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. As a result, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently adjusted by the vacuum heat insulation layer.

[0101] Also, during the COR process, in order to adjust the pressure of the sealed space T, an inert gas may be supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T. For example, when a pressure difference occurs between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T, an inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T to adjust this pressure difference. Specifically, in order to suppress the inflow of the processing gas into the sealed space T, the pressure of the sealed space T is adjusted so that the inside of the inner chamber 11 does not become higher in pressure than the sealed space T. Alternatively, for example, the pressure of the sealed space T is monitored with a pressure gauge (not shown), and when the pressure becomes lower than a threshold value, an inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T.

[0102] When the COR process is completed, the partition wall 40 descends to the retracted position, and the wafers W on the respective mounting tables 20, 20 are carried out of the wafer processing apparatus 1 by a wafer transfer mechanism (not shown). Thereafter, the wafer W is heated by a heating device provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, and the reaction products generated by the COR process are vaporized and removed. Thereby, a series of COR processes is completed.

[0103] <Maintenance of Wafer Processing Apparatus> Next, the maintenance of the wafer processing apparatus 1 will be described. In this maintenance, for example, the inner chamber 11 is replaced. The replacement of the inner chamber 11 includes, for example, the case where the corrosion-resistant coating of the inner chamber 11 is changed when the processing gas is changed. Alternatively, for example, after performing COR processing on a plurality of wafers W, the inner chamber 11 that has deteriorated over time may be replaced.

[0104] First, the evacuation of the sealed space T by the decompression unit 130 is stopped, and an inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T. The supply of the inert gas is performed until the inside of the sealed space T reaches atmospheric pressure.

[0105] Thereafter, the lid 14 is removed to open the inside of the inner chamber 11 to the atmosphere. After removing the partition wall 40, the inner chamber 11 is replaced. Then, after forming the sealed space T between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, the sealed space T is decompressed to a desired degree of vacuum by the decompression unit 130. In this way, the preparation for the COR process is completed.

[0106] <Effect of the present embodiment> According to the above embodiment, since it has a triple structure of the partition wall 40, the inner chamber 11, and the outer chamber 12, while enjoying the effect of the double structure of the chamber 10 described later, the flow of the processing gas in the processing space S can be made uniform, and the exhaust from the processing space S can also be appropriately controlled.

[0107] In addition, in the conventional wafer processing apparatus, since there is one chamber, the heat of the partition wall is configured to dissipate heat to the chamber side. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, since the inner chamber 11 is provided between the partition wall 40 and the outer chamber 12, the partition wall 40 is less likely to be affected by external heat (the heat of the outer chamber 12), and the temperature uniformity of the partition wall 40 is improved.

[0108] In addition, according to the present embodiment, the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W can be increased, and the temperature influence from the partition wall 40 to the wafer W is reduced. As a result, the process performance can be maintained with high precision.

[0109] Also, according to the present embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double structure, even when it is necessary to change the coating on the chamber surface due to a change in the gas species of the processing gas, it is possible to cope only by replacing the inner chamber 11. In other words, it is not necessary to replace the outer chamber 12. Therefore, the load during chamber replacement, such as a full stop of the system in which the wafer processing apparatus is installed, undocking of the wafer processing apparatus, and rework of gas supply lines, power supply lines, water supply lines, etc., like a conventional wafer processing apparatus, can be reduced. In this way, the wafer processing apparatus 1 is configured to be able to cope with various processing gases (various gas processes) in a simple manner.

[0110] Also, according to the present embodiment, the outer chamber 12 does not come into contact with the processing gas supplied inside the inner chamber 11. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply a corrosion-resistant coating to the surface of the outer chamber 12, and a solid metal material can be used for the outer chamber 12.

[0111] Also, according to the present embodiment, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, and this sealed space T is sealed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of seal members. Particularly at the wafer W loading / unloading ports 310 and 330, a first fastening member 343 for fastening the inner chamber 11 and the adapter 340 is provided outside the seal member 345, and a second fastening member 344 for fastening the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 is provided inside the seal member 345. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the inflow of the processing gas into the sealed space T from the screw holes of the first fastening member 343 and the second fastening member 344, and the sealed space T can be reliably sealed. With the simple structure as described above, the sealing performance of the sealed space T can be ensured.

[0112] Further, according to the present embodiment, the sealed space T is evacuated to a desired degree of vacuum by the evacuation unit 130 and functions as a vacuum insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. Further, a gap G is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion 301 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, and the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 do not contact each other at other locations, so that the function of the vacuum insulation layer of the sealed space T can be maintained. Therefore, since the inner chamber 11 can be thermally isolated, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently adjusted. As a result, the load on the inner heater 390 can be reduced.

[0113] Further, according to the present embodiment, the pressure of the sealed space T can be adjusted by the inert gas supply unit 110. Therefore, during wafer processing, the pressure difference between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T can be suppressed, and the inflow of the processing gas into the sealed space T can be suppressed. Further, even when the inner chamber 11 is replaced, an inert gas can be supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T to make the inside of the sealed space T atmospheric pressure, and the replacement of the inner chamber 11 can be smoothly performed.

[0114] Further, according to the present embodiment, the evacuation of the inside of the inner chamber 11 by the evacuation unit 120 and the evacuation of the sealed space T by the evacuation unit 130 can be controlled individually. Therefore, the pressure inside the inner chamber 11 and the pressure of the sealed space T can be appropriately adjusted respectively.

[0115] Further, according to the present embodiment, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 by the inner heater 390 (heater ring 13) and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 by the outer heater 391 can be controlled individually. Therefore, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be appropriately adjusted.

[0116] In particular, in the present embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double structure including the sealed space T, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be suppressed to be lower than the temperature of the inner chamber 11. Therefore, the load on the outer heater 391 can be reduced. Further, for example, the time from when the wafer processing apparatus 1 is cooled down to when maintenance is performed can be shortened, and furthermore, the time until the wafer processing apparatus 1 is restored after maintenance can also be shortened.

[0117] In the above embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 provided with two mounting tables 20 as shown in FIG. 2 has been described. However, even for the wafer processing apparatus 1 provided with one mounting table 20 as shown in FIG. 1, the above effects can be enjoyed.

[0118] Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the description has been given based on the example of providing one or two mounting tables 20, but the number of mounting tables 20 provided is not limited to these. For example, the mounting table 20 may be three or more.

[0119] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or changed in various forms without departing from the scope and gist of the appended claims.

[0120] Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the case of performing COR processing on the wafer W has been described as an example. However, the technology of the present disclosure can also be applied to other wafer processing apparatuses using a processing gas, such as a plasma processing apparatus.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0121] 1 Wafer processing apparatus 11 Inner chamber 12 Outer chamber 20 Mounting table 40 Partition wall 100 Processing gas supply unit W Wafer

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a mounting table for mounting the substrate; a partition wall surrounding the mounting table; an inner chamber provided outside the partition wall; an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber; a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting table; a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the partition wall; a seal member provided on the lower surface of the shower head of the processing gas supply unit; and having, the inner chamber is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber, the outer chamber is provided so as not to contact the processing gas supplied into the inner chamber, in a state where the partition wall is raised, the upper surface of the partition wall and the seal member are in contact, the lifting mechanism, a drive shaft for lifting and lowering the partition wall; a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft. A substrate processing apparatus.

2. a partition wall heater for heating the partition wall; an inner heater for heating the inner chamber; an outer heater for heating the outer chamber; and having, the temperature of the inner heater is higher than the temperature of the outer heater. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. the temperature of the partition wall heater is higher than the temperature of the inner heater. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The contact gas surface of the partition wall and the contact gas surface of the inner chamber are coated with a coating having corrosion resistance to the processing gas. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. having an exhaust pipe for exhausting the inside of the partition wall and the inside of the inner chamber, the exhaust pipe is provided at one location inside the inner chamber and outside the partition wall. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a sealed space is formed between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, the substrate processing apparatus, a decompression unit for evacuating the space; an inert gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas to the space. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. having a control unit for performing control to evacuate the space by the decompression unit and function the space as a vacuum heat insulating layer. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6.

8. the control unit performs control to supply an inert gas to the space by the inert gas supply unit and adjust the pressure of the space. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7.

9. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, The substrate processing apparatus includes a mounting table for mounting a substrate, a partition wall surrounding the mounting table, an inner chamber provided outside the partition wall, an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber, a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting table, a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the partition wall, a seal member provided on the lower surface of the shower head of the processing gas supply unit, and has in a state where the partition wall is raised, the upper surface of the partition wall is in contact with the seal member, The lifting mechanism includes a drive shaft for raising and lowering the partition wall, a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft, and has The substrate processing method includes a step of accommodating a substrate inside the inner chamber, a step of forming a processing space with the partition wall and the processing gas supply unit, a step of processing the substrate while supplying a processing gas to the processing space in a state where the processing gas does not contact the outer chamber. A substrate processing method.

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