Film Forming Apparatus and Film Forming Method

Abstract

To provide a film deposition apparatus and a film deposition method that can save the trouble for maintenance by supplying mutually different materials to a first material chamber and a second material chamber partitioned off from each other to reduce contamination with products with other materials and between the materials in the respective chambers.SOLUTION: A film deposition device deposits a film on an object through the molecular reaction between a first material and a second material, and comprises: a first material chamber where the first material is supplied and exhausted; a second material chamber where the second material is supplied and exhausted; a gate valve which partitions the inside and outside of the first material chamber from each other and the inside and outside of the second material chamber from each other; and a carrier which carries the object between the inside and outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method.

Background Art

[0002] Chemical vapor deposition is a method of forming a film on the surface of an object to be filmed by introducing a gas as a raw material into a reaction vessel in which the object to be filmed is placed, adding energy to decompose and react the raw material gas.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vacuum processing apparatus including a vacuum processing module having a processing vessel for accommodating a wafer, a vacuum transfer module having a transfer chamber connected to the processing vessel via a transfer port, and a gate valve for opening and closing the transfer port.

[0004] The vacuum processing module is provided with a first gas supply unit for supplying gas in a shower shape into the processing vessel and a first exhaust port for evacuating the inside of the processing vessel. The vacuum transfer module is provided with a second gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas into the transfer chamber and a second exhaust port for evacuating the inside of the transfer chamber.

[0005] From the first gas supply unit, a plurality of types of gases such as TiCl4 gas and H2 gas are supplied as film-forming gases. When the TiCl4 gas and the H2 gas react, a Ti film is formed on the surface of the wafer, while reaction products are deposited on the inner wall of the processing vessel. When the reaction products deposited on the inner wall become thick, they peel off and become particles that contaminate the wafer.

[0006] In the vacuum processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is configured to optimize the pressure difference between the transfer chamber and the processing vessel when opening the gate valve. As a result, the flow rate of the gas flowing from the transfer chamber into the processing vessel is suppressed, and the entrainment of particles accompanying the inflow of the gas is suppressed. As a result, contamination of the wafer by the entrained particles is suppressed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] In the vacuum processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the generation of particles is not suppressed. For this reason, for example, due to the air flow generated during the transfer of the wafer, particles may be lifted up. Therefore, it is required to suppress the generation of particles itself.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The film forming apparatus according to an application example of the present invention is a film forming apparatus that forms a film on an object by a molecular reaction between a first material and a second material, a first material chamber in which the first material is supplied and exhausted, a second material chamber in which the second material is supplied and exhausted, partition valves that respectively separate between the inside and the outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and the outside of the second material chamber, and conveyors that respectively convey the object between the inside and the outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and the outside of the second material chamber, and is characterized by including 、 The first material chamber and the second material chamber are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, The transporter has a function of raising and lowering a stage on which the object is placed, The stage moves up and down between a first position where the object is placed in the first material chamber and a second position where the object is placed in the second material chamber, When the stage is in the first position, the stage forms a part of the wall surrounding the first material chamber, mounted on the stage raising and lowering the stage This is the feature.

[0010] ​The film-forming method according to the application example of the present invention is a first material chamber in which a first material is supplied and exhausted, a second material chamber in which a second material is supplied and exhausted, partition valves that respectively separate between the inside and the outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and the outside of the second material chamber, and uses a film-forming apparatus including to perform film formation on an object by a molecular reaction between the first material and the second material. Specifically, there is a step of attaching the first material to the object inside the first material chamber,

Figure 1

Figure 2

Brief Description of Drawings

[0011]

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the film forming apparatus and the film forming method of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

[0013] 1. First Embodiment First, a film forming apparatus and a film forming method according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0014] 1.1. Film Forming Apparatus FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are cross-sectional views showing a film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. In each figure of the present application, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are set as three mutually orthogonal axes, and each axis is indicated by an arrow. Further, the Z-axis is a vertical axis, and the X-Y plane is a horizontal plane. In addition, the base end side of the arrow of each axis is referred to as the minus side of each axis, and the tip side is referred to as the plus side of each axis. In particular, the Z-axis plus side is referred to as "up" and the Z-axis minus side is referred to as "down".

[0015] The film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an apparatus for forming a film on the surface of an object 9 by an atomic layer deposition method (ALD: Atomic Layer Deposition), which is a kind of chemical vapor deposition method. In the atomic layer deposition method, a raw material (first material) and an oxidizing agent (second material) are sequentially attached to the surface of the object 9, and a film is formed by reacting these molecules with each other. The object 9 is not particularly limited and can be any product, part, material, etc.

[0016] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a first material chamber 2, a second material chamber 3, a raw material introduction part 22, a first exhaust part 24, an oxidizing agent introduction part 32, a second exhaust part 34, a shut-off valve 4, and a transporter 5.

[0017] The first material chamber 2 is a container into which the raw material gas G1 is introduced. The first material chamber 2 includes an upper chamber 201 and a lid portion 202. And the lower part of the first material chamber 2 can be opened and closed by a shut-off valve 4. Each part of the first material chamber 2 is connected via a sealing member such as an O-ring.

[0018] The second material chamber 3 is a container into which the oxidant gas G2 is introduced. The second material chamber 3 includes a lower chamber 301 and a bellows 303. The upper part of the second material chamber 3 can be opened and closed by a shut-off valve 4, and the lower part of the second material chamber 3 is closed by a transporter 5. The bellows 303 expands and contracts in the vertical direction according to the operation of the transporter 5. Each part of the second material chamber 3 is connected via a sealing member such as an O-ring.

[0019] The raw material introduction part 22 supplies the raw material gas G1 into the first material chamber 2. The raw material introduction part 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a raw material gas storage part 222, a valve 224, and a pipe 226.

[0020] The raw material gas storage part 222 stores the raw material gas G1. The pipe 226 connects the raw material gas storage part 222 and the first material chamber 2. The valve 224 is provided in the middle of the pipe 226 and adjusts the flow rate of the raw material gas G1 flowing through the pipe 226.

[0021] Examples of the raw material gas G1 include a gas containing a precursor of the material constituting the film. Specifically, for example, when forming a silicon-based film, as the raw material gas G1, secondary amines such as dimethylamine, methylethylamine, and diethylamine, and reactants of secondary amines and trihalosilanes such as tris(dimethylamino)silane, bis(diethylamino)silane, and bistertiarybutylaminosilane can be mentioned. Note that the raw material gas G1 may contain a carrier gas together with these raw materials.

[0022] The oxidizing agent introduction section 32 supplies the oxidizing agent gas G2 into the second material chamber 3. The oxidizing agent introduction section 32 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes an oxidizing agent gas storage section 322, a valve 324, and a pipe 326.

[0023] The oxidizing agent gas storage section 322 stores the oxidizing agent gas G2. The pipe 326 connects the oxidizing agent gas storage section 322 and the second material chamber 3. The valve 324 is provided in the middle of the pipe 326 and adjusts the flow rate of the oxidizing agent gas G2 flowing through the pipe 326.

[0024] Examples of the oxidizing agent gas G2 include gases containing ozone, plasma oxygen, water vapor, etc. Note that the oxidizing agent gas G2 may contain a carrier gas together with the oxidizing agent.

[0025] The first exhaust section 24 includes a pump 242, a valve 244, and a pipe 246. The second exhaust section 34 includes a pump 342, a valve 344, and a pipe 346.

[0026] Examples of the pumps 242 and 342 include dry vacuum pumps, oil rotary vacuum pumps, turbo molecular pumps, mechanical booster pumps, etc. The pipe 246 connects the pump 242 and the first material chamber 2. The valve 244 is provided in the middle of the pipe 246 and adjusts the pressure reduction rate, the ultimate pressure, etc. by the pump 242. The pipe 346 connects the pump 342 and the second material chamber 3. The valve 344 is provided in the middle of the pipe 346 and adjusts the pressure reduction rate, the ultimate pressure, etc. by the pump 342.

[0027] The partition valve 4 has a gate valve 40. The gate valve 40 is a gate valve for vacuum and can be opened and closed from the outside. When the gate valve 40 is opened, the inside of the first material chamber 2 and the inside of the second material chamber 3 are connected. When the gate valve 40 is closed, the inside of the first material chamber 2 and the inside of the second material chamber 3 are separated.

[0028] The transporter 5 includes a bottom part 501, a support column 502, and a stage 503. The bottom part 501 is connected to the bellows 303 and closes the lower part of the second material chamber 3. The support column 502 stands upright upward from the bottom part 501, and the stage 503 is connected to the upper end thereof. The stage 503 is a mounting table for placing the object 9.

[0029] The transporter 5 moves in the vertical direction with respect to the lower chamber 301 by the driving force supplied from a driving part (not shown). Thereby, the stage 503 moves in the vertical direction inside the second material chamber 3.

[0030] By positioning the stage 503 at the lowermost end, as shown in FIG. 1, the object 9 placed on the stage 503 can be arranged inside the second material chamber 3. Further, when the gate valve 40 is open, the transporter 5 can cause the object 9 placed on the stage 503 to enter the first material chamber 2, as shown in FIG. 2. At this time, when the stage 503 shown in FIG. 1 is positioned at the uppermost end, the stage 503 seals the lower surface of the lower chamber 301 via the seal member 504. Thereby, the stage 503 constitutes the lower part of the first material chamber 2, and the object 9 is enclosed inside the first material chamber 2.

[0031] In addition to the above configuration, the film forming apparatus 1 may be provided with a purge gas introduction part for introducing an inert gas (purge gas) such as nitrogen gas or argon gas as necessary, a heating part for heating the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3, a plasma generation part for irradiating the object 9 with plasma, an opening / closing door for opening and closing the first material chamber 2 or the second material chamber 3 from the outside, a control part for controlling the operations of each part in cooperation, and the like.

[0032] Note that, as described above, the film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an apparatus for forming a film by the atomic layer deposition method, which is a kind of chemical vapor deposition method. The film forming apparatus of the present invention can also be applied to the formation of a film by a chemical vapor deposition method other than the atomic layer deposition method. Specifically, various CVD (chemical vapor deposition) methods such as plasma CVD method, thermal CVD method, and mist CVD method can be mentioned. The atomic layer deposition method is a method of reacting the raw material molecules adsorbed on the surface of the object 9 by alternately repeating the introduction and exhaust of two or more kinds of gases, for example, the raw material gas G1 and the oxidant gas G2, to form a film. In this method, the film thickness of the film to be formed can be controlled with high precision. Therefore, in particular, a thin film can be formed evenly without unevenness. Further, in the atomic layer deposition method, since the raw material gas G1 and the oxidant gas G2 also penetrate into fine gaps to form a film, it is difficult for non-film-forming portions to occur, and a film with a uniform film thickness can be formed.

[0033] 1.2. Film Forming Method FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the film forming method according to the first embodiment. Note that the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is an example, and the order of each step may be changed or an arbitrary step may be added.

[0034] In step S102 shown in FIG. 3, the gate valve 40 is opened. Before this operation, the object 9 on which the film is to be formed is placed on the stage 503. In step S104, the stage 503 of the transporter 5 is raised relative to the lower chamber 301, and the object 9 is placed in the first material chamber 2. In step S106, the inside of the first material chamber 2 is evacuated. Thereby, the inside of the first material chamber 2 is brought into a reduced pressure state. The reduced pressure state means, for example, a pressure of 100 Pa or less. In step S108, the raw material gas G1 is supplied into the first material chamber 2. The supplied raw material gas G1 adheres to the surface of the object 9. In step S110, the inside of the first material chamber 2 is evacuated. Thereby, the excess raw material gas G1 that did not contribute to the adhesion is discharged. Thereafter, if necessary, an operation of supplying and exhausting a purge gas into the first material chamber 2 may be performed.

[0035] In step S116, the stage 503 of the transporter 5 is lowered relative to the lower chamber 301, and the object 9 is placed in the second material chamber 3. In step S118, the gate valve 40 is closed. In step S120, the inside of the second material chamber 3 is evacuated. Thereby, the inside of the second material chamber 3 is brought into a reduced pressure state. In step S122, an oxidant gas G2 is supplied into the second material chamber 3. The supplied oxidant gas G2 reacts with the molecules of the raw material gas G1 adhering to the surface of the object 9 to form a film. In step S124, the inside of the second material chamber 3 is evacuated. Thereby, the excess oxidant gas G2 that did not contribute to the reaction is discharged. Thereafter, if necessary, an operation of supplying and evacuating a purge gas into the second material chamber 3 may be performed.

[0036] In step S126, it is determined whether or not film formation is completed. If the film thickness of the film is sufficient, YES is selected in step S126 and the process proceeds to step S128, where the object 9 is taken out and film formation is completed. If the film thickness of the film is insufficient, NO is selected in step S126, and the process returns to step S102 again to continue film formation.

[0037] Examples of the constituent materials of the film to be formed include oxides such as silicon oxide, hafnium oxide, tantalum oxide, and titanium oxide, and nitrides such as aluminum nitride, titanium nitride, and tantalum nitride.

[0038] The film thickness of the film is not particularly limited, but as an example, it is preferably 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less, more preferably 2 nm or more and 300 nm or less, and even more preferably 4 nm or more and 200 nm or less. With such a film thickness, it can be formed uniformly and densely in a relatively short time.

[0039] As described above, the film forming method according to the present embodiment uses a film forming apparatus including a first material chamber 2 in which a source gas G1 (first material) is supplied and exhausted, a second material chamber 3 in which an oxidant gas G2 (second material) is supplied and exhausted, and partition valves 4 that partition between the inside and outside of the first material chamber 2 and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber 3, respectively. A film is formed on the object 9 by the molecular reaction between the source gas G1 and the oxidant gas G2. This film forming method has at least a step S108 and a step S122. In step S108, the source gas G1 is attached to the object 9 in the first material chamber 2. In step S122, the oxidant gas G2 is reacted with the source gas G1 attached to the object 9 in the second material chamber 3 to form a film.

[0040] According to such a configuration, since different materials are supplied to the mutually separated first material chamber 2 and second material chamber 3, the chance of the source gas G1 and the oxidant gas G2 reacting on the inner wall of the material chamber can be reduced. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the formation of a film due to the reaction product on the inner walls of the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3, and it is possible to suppress the generation of particles that cause contamination. In addition, since the labor of maintenance for removing the film formed on the inner wall is reduced, the film forming efficiency can be increased.

[0041] Further, the film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus that forms a film on the object 9 by the molecular reaction between the source gas G1 (first material) and the oxidant gas G2 (second material). The film forming apparatus 1 includes a first material chamber 2, a second material chamber 3, a partition valve 4, and a transporter 5. The first material chamber 2 has the source gas G1 supplied and exhausted. The second material chamber 3 has the oxidant gas G2 supplied and exhausted. The partition valve 4 partitions between the inside and outside of the first material chamber 2 and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber 3, respectively. The transporter 5 transports the object 9 between the inside and outside of the first material chamber 2 and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber 3, respectively.

[0042] According to such a configuration, a raw material gas G1 and an oxidant gas G2 are supplied to a first material chamber 2 and a second material chamber 3 separated from each other by a partition valve 4, and in accordance with the timing, an object 9 can be transported to the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3 by a transporter 5. As a result, it becomes difficult for the oxidant gas G2 to adhere to the inner wall of the first material chamber 2, and it becomes difficult for the raw material gas G1 to adhere to the inner wall of the second material chamber 3. As a result, the opportunity for the raw material gas G1 and the oxidant gas G2 to react on the inner wall can be reduced. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the formation of a film due to the reaction product on the inner wall of the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3, and it is possible to suppress the generation of particles that cause contamination. In addition, since the labor for removing the film formed on the inner wall is reduced, the film forming apparatus 1 is designed to reduce the running cost.

[0043] Furthermore, in the film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. According to such a configuration, since the occupied area of the film forming apparatus 1 can be reduced, the film forming apparatus 1 can be made more space-saving.

[0044] Also, in the film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transporter 5 has a function of raising and lowering a stage 503 on which the object 9 is placed. The stage 503 moves up and down between the uppermost end (first position) where the object 9 is arranged in the first material chamber 2 and the lowermost end (second position) where the object 9 is arranged in the second material chamber 3. When the stage 503 is at the uppermost end, the stage 503 constitutes a part of the wall surrounding the first material chamber 2 (the lower part of the first material chamber 2).

[0045] According to such a configuration, the stage 503 has both the function of placing the object 9 and the function of constituting the first material chamber 2. For this reason, the apparatus configuration can be simplified, and the transport procedure of the object 9 is also simple. Thereby, the manufacturing cost and the running cost of the film forming apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0046] 2. Second Embodiment Next, a film forming apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described. Figs. 4 to 6 are cross-sectional views showing a film forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[0047] Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described. In the following description, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the same matters will be omitted. In each figure, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0048] The film forming apparatus 1A shown in Figs. 4 to 6 is the same as the film forming apparatus 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that it includes an object holder 6.

[0049] The object holder 6 has a movable arm portion 62 and a drive portion 64 that drives the arm portion 62. As will be described later, the posture of the arm portion 62 changes between a holding posture for holding the object 9 and a non-holding posture for not holding the object 9. The arm portion 62 shown in Fig. 6 protrudes toward the center of the first material chamber 2 along the X-axis. The above-described holding posture refers to the protruding length of the arm portion 62 that can hold the object 9, and the non-holding posture refers to the protruding length of the arm portion 62 that does not reach the object 9.

[0050] According to such a configuration, when the arm portion 62 is in the holding posture, the object 9 can be held by the arm portion 62 instead of being placed on the stage 503. Therefore, different from the first embodiment, the raw material gas G1 can be supplied to the first material chamber 2 with the gate valve 40 closed. As a result, it becomes difficult for the raw material gas G1 to adhere to the stage 503, and the formation of a film on the stage 503 can be suppressed. As a result, the generation of particles that cause contamination can be further reduced.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a state where the stage 503 of the transporter 5 is lowered relative to the lower chamber 301 and the object 9 is placed in the second material chamber 3. FIG. 5 shows a state where the gate valve 40 is opened, the stage 503 of the transporter 5 is raised relative to the lower chamber 301, and the object 9 is placed in the first material chamber 2. In FIG. 5, the arm portion 62 is in a non-holding posture. Therefore, the arm portion 62 in the non-holding posture does not interfere with the stage 503 and does not prevent the conveyance of the object 9. In FIG. 5, the vertical position of the object 9 is adjusted to the vertical position of the arm portion 62. In this state, as shown in FIG. 6, the arm portion 62 is changed to the holding posture. As a result, the arm portion 62 is inserted between the object 9 and the stage 503. As a result, the object 9 is held by the arm portion 62 instead of the stage 503. After the object 9 is held by the object holder 6 in this manner, the stage 503 is lowered and the gate valve 40 is closed. Thereby, the state shown in FIG. 6 is entered.

[0052] In the state shown in FIG. 6, the supply of the raw material gas G1 can be enabled with the gate valve 40 closed. Thereby, as described above, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of the raw material gas G1 to the stage 503. As a result, the generation of particles is particularly suppressed, and the running cost of the film forming apparatus 1A can be further reduced. Also in the second embodiment as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0053] 3. Third Embodiment Next, a film forming apparatus and a film forming method according to the third embodiment will be described.

[0054] FIGS. 7 to 12 are cross-sectional views showing a film forming apparatus according to the third embodiment. Note that FIGS. 7, 9 to 12 are cross-sectional views taken along the X-Y plane, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-Z plane.

[0055] Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described. In the following description, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the descriptions of the same matters will be omitted. In each figure, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0056] 3.1. Film Deposition Apparatus The film deposition apparatus 1B shown in FIG. 7 is the same as the film deposition apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except that the arrangement order of the first material chamber 2, the second material chamber 3, etc. is different.

[0057] The film deposition apparatus 1B includes a first material chamber 2, a second material chamber 3, a third material chamber 7, a load lock chamber 8, a shut-off valve 4, and a transporter 5. In addition, the film deposition apparatus 1B includes a raw material introduction part, an oxidant introduction part, an exhaust part, etc. similar to those of the film deposition apparatus 1, but these are not shown in each figure.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, the second material chamber 3, the load lock chamber 8, and the first material chamber 2 are arranged in this order from the minus side of the X-axis toward the plus side of the X-axis. Also, the load lock chamber 8 and the third material chamber 7 are arranged in this order from the plus side of the Y-axis toward the minus side of the Y-axis.

[0059] The first material chamber 2 shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 includes a box-shaped first chamber 205 and a mounting table 206.

[0060] The second material chamber 3 shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 includes a box-shaped second chamber 305 and a mounting table 306.

[0061] The third material chamber 7 shown in FIG. 7 includes a box-shaped third chamber (not shown) and a mounting table (not shown). In the third material chamber 7, an oxidant gas is supplied in the same manner as in the second material chamber 3. For this reason, an oxidant introduction part and an exhaust part (not shown) are connected to the third material chamber 7.

[0062] The load lock chamber 8 shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 includes a box-shaped load lock chamber 805 and a mounting table 806. The load lock chamber 8 also includes an opening / closing door (not shown). Through this opening / closing door, an object 9 can be brought into the load lock chamber 8 from the outside or taken out of the load lock chamber 8. Further, an exhaust part (not shown) is connected to the load lock chamber 8.

[0063] The shut-off valve 4 shown in FIG. 7 includes a first gate valve 41, a second gate valve 42, and a third gate valve 43. These are all gate valves for vacuum and can be opened and closed from the outside.

[0064] The first gate valve 41 is provided between the load lock chamber 8 and the first material chamber 2. When the first gate valve 41 is opened, the inside of the load lock chamber 8 and the inside of the first material chamber 2 are connected.

[0065] The second gate valve 42 is provided between the load lock chamber 8 and the second material chamber 3. When the second gate valve 42 is opened, the inside of the load lock chamber 8 and the inside of the second material chamber 3 are connected.

[0066] The third gate valve 43 is provided between the load lock chamber 8 and the third material chamber 7. When the third gate valve 43 is opened, the inside of the load lock chamber 8 and the inside of the third material chamber 7 are connected.

[0067] The transporter 5 shown in FIG. 7 includes a first actuator 51, a second actuator 52, and a third actuator 53. These all transport the object 9 without impairing the decompressed state.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 7, the first actuator 51 includes a chamber 511, a drive part 512, a bellows 513, a rod 514, a temporary receiving part 515, a drive part 516, a bellows 517, and a rod 518.

[0069] The first actuator 51 extends the rod 514 to the minus side of the X-axis or retracts it to the plus side of the X-axis by the drive unit 512. Then, the first actuator 51 places the object 9 on the temporary receiving part 515 provided at the tip of the rod 514, and conveys the object 9 in that state. Also, the first actuator 51 extends the rod 518 to the plus side of the Z-axis or retracts it to the minus side of the Z-axis by the drive unit 516. When the rod 518 is extended, the rod 518 pushes up the rod 514 to the plus side of the Z-axis. Thereby, the temporary receiving part 515 can also be pushed up to the plus side of the Z-axis.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 7, the second actuator 52 includes a chamber 521, a drive unit 522, a bellows 523, a rod 524, a temporary receiving part 525, a drive unit 526, a bellows 527, and a rod 528.

[0071] The second actuator 52 extends the rod 524 to the plus side of the X-axis or retracts it to the minus side of the X-axis by the drive unit 522. Then, the second actuator 52 places the object 9 on the temporary receiving part 525 provided at the tip of the rod 524, and conveys the object 9 in that state. Also, the second actuator 52 extends the rod 528 to the plus side of the Z-axis or retracts it to the minus side of the Z-axis by the drive unit 526. When the rod 528 is extended, the rod 528 pushes up the rod 524 to the plus side of the Z-axis. Thereby, the temporary receiving part 525 can also be pushed up to the plus side of the Z-axis.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7, the third actuator 53 includes a chamber 531, a drive unit 532, a bellows 533, a rod 534, and a temporary receiving part 535. Also, although not shown, the third actuator 53 includes members similar to the drive unit 526, the bellows 527, and the rod 528. The operation of the third actuator 53 is the same as that of the second actuator 52 except for the different directions.

[0073] In addition, the film forming apparatus 1B includes a fourth gate valve 44, a fifth gate valve 45, and a sixth gate valve 46.

[0074] The fourth gate valve 44 is provided between the first material chamber 2 and the chamber 511. The fifth gate valve 45 is provided between the second material chamber 3 and the chamber 521. The sixth gate valve 46 is provided between the third material chamber 7 and the chamber 531.

[0075] The film forming apparatus 1B includes a third material chamber 7. The third material chamber 7 has the same function as the second material chamber 3. That is, in the third material chamber 7, the object 9 is brought into contact with the oxidizing gas. Therefore, the same process can be performed in parallel in the second material chamber 3 and the third material chamber 7. Thereby, the throughput of film formation can be increased. In the film forming method described later, since the film formation using the third material chamber 7 is the same as the film formation using the second material chamber 3, the description thereof is omitted.

[0076] 3.2. Film Forming Method FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the film forming method according to the third embodiment. Note that the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 is an example, and the order of each process may be changed, or an arbitrary process may be added.

[0077] In step S202 shown in FIG. 13, the first gate valve 41, the second gate valve 42, and the third gate valve 43 are closed. In step S204, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the object 9 is placed on the mounting table 806 in the load lock chamber 8. In step S206, the load lock chamber 8, the first material chamber 2, and the second material chamber 3 are evacuated. Thereby, the inside of the load lock chamber 8, the inside of the first material chamber 2, and the inside of the second material chamber 3 are brought into a reduced pressure state.

[0078] In step S208, the first gate valve 41 is opened. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the pressure of each part so that the pressure in the load lock chamber 8 becomes lower than the pressure in the first material chamber 2. Thereby, when the first gate valve 41 is opened, contaminants in the load lock chamber 8 are less likely to flow into the first material chamber 2. In step S210, the rod 514 of the first actuator 51 is extended to move the temporary receiving portion 515 to the load lock chamber 8. Then, the object 9 disposed in the load lock chamber 8 is received by the temporary receiving portion 515 and conveyed into the first material chamber 2 as shown in FIG. 9. Then, the object 9 is placed on the mounting table 206 shown in FIG. 8. At this time, the rod 514 of the first actuator 51 extends from the chamber 511 to the first material chamber 2 through the fourth gate valve 44. The receiving and leaving of the object 9 by the temporary receiving portion 515 can be performed by an operation of pushing up or releasing the rod 514 by the rod 518 shown in FIG. 8. Since the inside of the chamber 511 is exhausted by an exhaust portion (not shown), the influence of degassing associated with the operation can be minimized. After moving the object 9 to the first material chamber 2, in step S212, as shown in FIG. 10, the first gate valve 41 is closed. In step S214, the inside of the first material chamber 2 is exhausted. In step S216, a raw material gas is supplied into the first material chamber 2. In step S218, the inside of the first material chamber 2 is exhausted.

[0079] In step S220, the first gate valve 41 is opened. Also at this time, as in step S208, it is preferable to adjust the pressure of each part so that the pressure in the load lock chamber 8 becomes lower than the pressure in the first material chamber 2. In step S222, the object 9 is placed in the load lock chamber 8 by the first actuator 51. In step S224, the first gate valve 41 is closed.

[0080] In step S226, the second gate valve 42 is opened. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the pressure of each part so that the pressure in the load lock chamber 8 is lower than the pressure in the second material chamber 3. Thereby, when the second gate valve 42 is opened, contaminants in the load lock chamber 8 are less likely to flow into the second material chamber 3. In step S228, the object 9 is received by the temporary receiving portion 525 of the second actuator 52 and conveyed into the second material chamber 3 as shown in FIG. 11. Then, the object 9 is placed on the mounting table 306 shown in FIG. 8. At this time, the rod 524 of the second actuator 52 extends from the chamber 521 to the second material chamber 3 through the fifth gate valve 45. After inserting the temporary receiving portion 525 under the object 9, the object 9 can be placed on the temporary receiving portion 525 by pushing up the rod 524 with the rod 528 shown in FIG. 8. The inside of the chamber 521 is exhausted by an exhaust portion (not shown). In step S230, as shown in FIG. 12, the second gate valve 42 is closed. In step S232, the inside of the second material chamber 3 is exhausted. In step S234, an oxidant gas is supplied into the second material chamber 3. The supplied oxidant gas reacts with the molecules of the source gas adhering to the surface of the object 9 to form a film. In step S236, the inside of the second material chamber 3 is exhausted.

[0081] In step S238, the second gate valve 42 is opened. Also at this time, as in step S226, it is preferable to adjust the pressure of each part so that the pressure in the load lock chamber 8 is lower than the pressure in the second material chamber 3. In step S240, the object 9 is placed in the load lock chamber 8 by the second actuator 52. In step S242, the second gate valve 42 is closed.

[0082] In step S244, it is determined whether or not to finish film formation. If the film thickness of the film is sufficient, YES is selected in step S244 and the process proceeds to step S246, where the object 9 is taken out and film formation is finished. If the film thickness of the film is insufficient, NO is selected in step S244 and the process returns to step S208 again to continue film formation.

[0083] As described above, the film forming apparatus 1B according to the present embodiment includes a load lock chamber 8 that is adjacent to the first material chamber 2 via the first gate valve 41 and is adjacent to the second material chamber 3 via the second gate valve 42.

[0084] According to such a configuration, access to the inside is possible in the load lock chamber 8 that is independent of the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3. Thereby, the object 9 can be carried in and out without exposing the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3 to the outside air. As a result, it is possible to suppress the contamination of the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3 by the outside air.

[0085] In addition, in the film forming apparatus 1B according to the present embodiment, the partition valve 4 has the first gate valve 41 and the second gate valve 42. The first gate valve 41 separates the inside and the outside of the first material chamber 2, specifically, between the inside of the first material chamber 2 and the inside of the load lock chamber 8. The second gate valve 42 separates the inside and the outside of the second material chamber 3, specifically, between the inside of the second material chamber 3 and the inside of the load lock chamber 8.

[0086] By providing such a partition valve 4, it is possible to prevent the raw material gas supplied to the first material chamber 2 from flowing into the load lock chamber 8 and the oxidant gas supplied to the second material chamber 3 from flowing into the load lock chamber 8. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the formation of a film due to the reactant on the inner wall of the load lock chamber 8. Further, since the film forming apparatus 1B has the load lock chamber 8 interposed between the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3, the opportunity for the raw material gas and the oxidant gas to react on the inner wall of each material chamber can be further reduced. Thereby, the generation of particles that cause contamination can be further suppressed, and the maintenance effort can be further reduced.

[0087] Furthermore, in the film forming apparatus 1B according to the present embodiment, the transporter 5 includes a first actuator 51 and a second actuator 52. The first actuator 51 transports the object 9 between the inside and outside of the first material chamber 2, specifically, between the inside of the first material chamber 2 and the inside of the load lock chamber 8. The second actuator 52 transports the object 9 between the inside and outside of the second material chamber 3, specifically, between the inside of the second material chamber 3 and the inside of the load lock chamber 8.

[0088] By providing such a transporter 5, during the transportation process of the object 9, communication between the inside of the first material chamber 2 and the inside of the second material chamber 3 is prevented. That is, by using the first actuator 51 responsible for transportation inside and outside the first material chamber 2 and the second actuator 52 responsible for transportation inside and outside the second material chamber 3 in combination, individual transportation can be performed on both sides with the load lock chamber 8 interposed therebetween. Thereby, the chance of the raw material gas and the oxidant gas reacting during transportation can be further reduced.

[0089] Also, the film forming method according to the present embodiment is a method of forming a film on the object 9 using a film forming apparatus including a first material chamber 2, a second material chamber 3, a partition valve 4, a transporter 5, and a load lock chamber 8. As described above, this partition valve 4 includes a first gate valve 41 and a second gate valve 42. Also, as described above, the load lock chamber 8 is adjacent to the first material chamber 2 via the first gate valve 41 and is adjacent to the second material chamber 3 via the second gate valve 42. And the film forming method according to the present embodiment includes steps S208, S220 and steps S226, S238. In steps S208, S220, as described above, when opening the first gate valve 41, it is preferable that the pressure in the load lock chamber 8 is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the first material chamber 2. In steps S226, S238, as described above, when opening the second gate valve 42, it is preferable that the pressure in the load lock chamber 8 is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the second material chamber 3.

[0090] By adjusting the pressures of the respective parts as described above, it is possible to suppress the contaminants in the load lock chamber 8 from flowing into the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3. Thereby, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the quality of the film formed on the object 9.

[0091] Similarly, when opening the fourth gate valve 44, it is preferable that the pressure in the chamber 511 provided in the first actuator 51 is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the first material chamber 2. Also, when opening the fifth gate valve 45, it is preferable that the pressure in the chamber 521 provided in the second actuator 52 is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the second material chamber 3. Further, when opening the sixth gate valve 46, it is preferable that the pressure in the chamber 531 provided in the third actuator 53 is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the third material chamber 7. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the contaminants in the chambers 511, 521, 531 from flowing into the first material chamber 2, the second material chamber 3, and the third material chamber 7.

[0092] As described above, the film forming apparatus and the film forming method of the present invention have been described based on the illustrated embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the film forming apparatus of the present invention may be replaced with an apparatus having an arbitrary configuration in which each part of the above-described embodiment has a similar function, or an arbitrary component may be added to the above-described embodiment. Also, the film forming method of the present invention may be one in which an arbitrary-purpose process is added to the above-described embodiment.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0093] 1... Film forming apparatus, 1A... Film forming apparatus, 1B... Film forming apparatus, 2... First material chamber, 3... Second material chamber, 4... Shut-off valve, 5... Conveyor, 6... Object holder, 7... Third material chamber, 8... Load lock chamber, 9... Object, 22... Raw material introduction part, 24... First exhaust part, 32... Oxidizing agent introduction part, 34... Second exhaust part, 40... Gate valve, 41... First gate valve, 42... Second gate valve, 43... Third gate valve, 44... Fourth gate valve, 45... Fifth gate valve, 46... Sixth gate valve, 51... First actuator, 52... Second actuator, 53... Third actuator, 62... Arm part, 64... Driving part, 201... Upper chamber, 202... Cover part, 205... First chamber, 206... Mounting table, 222... Raw material gas storage part, 224... Valve, 226... Pipe, 242... Pump, 244... Valve, 246... Pipe, 301... Lower chamber, 303... Bellows, 305... Second chamber, 306... Mounting table, 322... Oxidizing agent gas storage part, 324... Valve, 326... Pipe, 342... Pump, 344... Valve, 346... Pipe, 501... Bottom, 502... Support column, 503... Stage, 504... Sealing member, 511... Chamber, 512... Driving part, 513... Bellows, 514... Rod, 515... Temporary receiving part, 516... Driving part, 517... Bellows, 518... Rod, 521... Chamber, 522... Driving part, 523... Bellows, 524... Rod, 525... Temporary receiving part, 526... Driving part, 527... Bellows, 528... Rod, 531... Chamber, 532... Driving part, 533... Bellows, 534... Rod, 535... Temporary receiving part, 805... Load lock chamber, 806... Mounting table, G1... Raw material gas, G2... Oxidizing agent gas, S102... Process, S104... Process, S106... Process, S108... Process, S110... Process, S116... Process, S118... Process, S120... Process, S122... Process, S124... Process, S126... Process, S128... Process, S202... Process, S204... Process, S206... Process, S208... Process, S210... Process, S212... Process, S214... Process, S216... Process, S218... Process, S220... Process, S222... Process, S224... Process, S226... Process, S228... Process, S230... Process, S232... Process, S234... Process, S236... Process, S238... Process, S240... Process, S242... Process, S244... Process, S246... Process

Claims

1. A film forming apparatus that forms a film on an object by a molecular reaction between a first material and a second material, comprising: a first material chamber for supplying and exhausting the first material; a second material chamber for supplying and exhausting the second material; partition valves that respectively separate between the inside and outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber; transfer devices that respectively transfer the object between the inside and outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber; The first material chamber and the second material chamber are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, The transfer device has a function of raising and lowering a stage on which the object is placed, The stage moves up and down between a first position where the object is placed in the first material chamber and a second position where the object is placed in the second material chamber, When the stage is in the first position, the stage forms a part of a wall surrounding the first material chamber. A film forming apparatus characterized by the above.

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an object holder having a movable arm portion and a driving portion for driving the arm portion, wherein the arm portion changes its posture between a holding posture for holding the object and a non-holding posture for not holding the object.

3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partition valve includes a first gate valve that separates between the inside and outside of the first material chamber and a second gate valve that separates between the inside and outside of the second material chamber.

4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transfer device includes a first actuator that transfers the object between the inside and outside of the first material chamber and a second actuator that transfers the object between the inside and outside of the second material chamber.

5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a load lock chamber that is adjacent to the first material chamber via the first gate valve and adjacent to the second material chamber via the second gate valve.

6. A film forming method of forming a film on an object by a molecular reaction between a first material and a second material, using a film forming apparatus comprising a first material chamber for supplying and exhausting the first material, a second material chamber for supplying and exhausting the second material, and partition valves that respectively separate between the inside and outside of the first material chamber and between the inside and outside of the second material chamber, the method comprising: a step of attaching the first material to the object placed on the stage in the first material chamber; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Lifting the stage to cause the second material in the second material chamber to react with the first material adhering to the object, and performing the film formation step; A film formation method characterized by comprising: A film formation method characterized by having the above.

7. The partition valve is: A first gate valve that separates the inside and outside of the first material chamber; A second gate valve that separates the inside and outside of the second material chamber; Comprising: The film forming apparatus includes a load lock chamber that is adjacent to the first material chamber via the first gate valve and adjacent to the second material chamber via the second gate valve, When the first gate valve is opened, the pressure in the load lock chamber is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the first material chamber, The film formation method according to claim 6, wherein when the second gate valve is opened, the pressure in the load lock chamber is adjusted to be lower than the pressure in the second material chamber. ​ ​ ​

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