Film forming equipment

Abstract

To suppress deposition adhering to an exhaust path.SOLUTION: A film deposition apparatus includes a stage, a first container, a gas supply part, a porous member and a heater. A substrate is placed on the stage. The first container houses the stage. The gas supply part supplies two kinds of monomer gases into the first container to form a polymer film on the substrate placed on the stage. The porous member is disposed on an outside of a treatment space that is a space above the substrate and takes therein a polymer formed by the two kinds of monomer gases discharged from the first container. The heater heats the porous member to a first temperature when a polymer film is formed on the substrate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Various aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a film deposition apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique in which a polymer having a urea bond is embedded in voids formed in a substrate, an oxide film is formed on the substrate, and then the polymer is depolymerized. The depolymerized polymer is released through the oxide film, thereby forming voids below the oxide film. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-207909 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a film forming apparatus capable of suppressing deposits from adhering to an exhaust path. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a film forming apparatus comprising a stage, a first container, a gas supply unit, a porous member, and a heater. A substrate is placed on the stage. The first container houses the stage. The gas supply unit supplies two types of monomer gas into the first container, thereby forming a polymer film on the substrate placed on the stage. The porous member is The gas supply pipe is disposed along the path of the gas exhausted from the space above the substrate placed on the stage, and the gas supply pipe is disposed along the path of the gas exhausted from the space above the substrate placed on the stage. The porous member is configured to capture a polymer formed by two types of monomer gases exhausted from the porous member. The heater heats the porous member to a first temperature when a polymer film is formed on the substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to various aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure, deposits adhering to the exhaust path can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the amount of polymer absorbed by porous members with different surface areas. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the amount of polymer absorbed by porous members with different surface areas. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the temperature of a member and the deposition rate (D / R) of a polymer deposited on the member. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the temperature of a member and the cleaning rate of a polymer laminated on the member. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a film forming method. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the film forming method. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosed film forming apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the disclosed film forming apparatus is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0009] However, not all of the monomers contained in the gas supplied into the processing vessel participate in the reaction, and the monomers that do not participate in the reaction are exhausted from the processing vessel. However, during the exhaust process, a polymerization reaction between the monomers may occur, and an organic film (hereinafter referred to as "deposit") may be formed in the exhaust path. If deposits are formed on the pressure control valve, exhaust pump, etc. installed in the exhaust path, it becomes difficult to maintain the predetermined pressure inside the processing vessel.

[0010] Therefore, in order to prevent polymerization reactions from occurring in the exhaust path, it is conceivable to heat the entire exhaust path. However, heating the entire exhaust path leads to an increase in the size of the apparatus due to the placement of heating elements and an increase in power consumption. Furthermore, when a trap placed in the exhaust path is used to capture unreacted monomers contained in the exhaust gas in the form of polymers, the polymers formed in the trap must be periodically removed. This requires the exhaust mechanism to be stopped periodically, which increases the downtime of the film formation apparatus.

[0011] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a technique that can suppress deposits from adhering to the exhaust path.

[0012] (First embodiment) [Configuration of Film Forming Apparatus 10] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film formation apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The film formation apparatus 10 includes an apparatus main body 200 and a control device 100 that controls the apparatus main body 200. The apparatus main body 200 includes a processing vessel 209. The processing vessel 209 includes a lower vessel 201, an exhaust duct 202, a support structure 210, and a shower head 230. The processing vessel 209 is an example of a first vessel.

[0013] The lower vessel 201 is made of a metal such as aluminum. The exhaust duct 202 is provided on the periphery of the upper part of the lower vessel 201. An annular insulating member 204 is disposed above the exhaust duct 202. The shower head 230 is provided above the lower vessel 201 and is supported by the insulating member 204. A support structure 210 on which a substrate W is placed is provided approximately in the center of the lower vessel 201. Hereinafter, the space within the processing vessel 209 surrounded by the lower vessel 201, the exhaust duct 202, the support structure 210, and the shower head 230 will be referred to as a processing space S. P It is defined as:

[0014] An opening 205 for loading and unloading the substrate W is formed in the sidewall of the lower vessel 201. The opening 205 is opened and closed by a gate valve G. The exhaust duct 202 has a hollow rectangular cross section and extends in an annular shape along the periphery of the upper part of the lower vessel 201. A slit-shaped exhaust port 203 is formed in the exhaust duct 202 along the direction in which the exhaust duct 202 extends. The exhaust port 203 is arranged outside the area of ​​the substrate W, along the periphery of the substrate W placed on the support structure 210, and is positioned in the processing space S. P Exhaust the gas inside.

[0015] One end of an exhaust pipe 206 is connected to the exhaust duct 202. The other end of the exhaust pipe 206 is connected to an exhaust device 208 having a vacuum pump or the like via a pressure adjustment valve 207 such as an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve. The pressure adjustment valve 207 is controlled by the control device 100, and the pressure in the processing space S P The pressure inside the chamber is controlled to a preset pressure.

[0016] Processing space S P In this embodiment, the porous member 250 is provided outside the region of the support structure 210 where the substrate W is placed in the vertical direction. Support structure 210 and the exhaust duct 202 Lower vessel 201 That is, the porous member 250 is Processing space S P Of The space above the substrate W placed on the stage 211 Between The porous member 250 is disposed on the outside. Above the substrate W placed on the stage 211 The porous member 250 incorporates a polymer formed from two types of monomer gases exhausted from the space. Processing space S P Of Above the substrate W placed in the lower container 201 of space If it is disposed outside, it is disposed on the lower surface of the insulating member 204 or the processing space S of the exhaust duct 202. P It may be placed on the side wall of the side.

[0017] A heater 251 is embedded in the lower container 201 below the porous member 250. The heater 251 is controlled by the control device 100 and heats the porous member 250 to a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is an example of a first temperature. In this embodiment, the predetermined temperature is a temperature at which the adsorption time of the monomer is, for example, in the range of 0.00001 milliseconds or more and 0.01 milliseconds or less. In this embodiment, the predetermined temperature is, for example, a temperature in the range of 130°C to 170°C. In this embodiment, the monomer is, for example, an isocyanate or an amine.

[0018] Heaters (not shown) are also provided on the sidewall of exhaust duct 202 and on the upper surface of shower head 230, and exhaust duct 202 and shower head 230 are heated to a temperature of, for example, 200° C. or higher. This makes it possible to suppress adhesion of reaction by-products (so-called deposits) to exhaust duct 202 and shower head 230. Heaters may also be provided in exhaust pipe 206, pressure adjustment valve 207, and exhaust device 208, and heated to a temperature at which deposits are less likely to adhere.

[0019] The support structure 210 has a stage 211 and a support portion 212. The stage 211 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and the substrate W is placed on the upper surface of the stage 211. The support portion 212 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and is cylindrical, and supports the stage 211 from below.

[0020] A heater 214 is embedded in the stage 211. The heater 214 heats the substrate W placed on the stage 211 in accordance with the power supplied thereto. The power supplied to the heater 214 is controlled by the control device 100.

[0021] Furthermore, a flow path 215 through which a coolant flows is formed within the stage 211. A chiller unit (not shown) is connected to the flow path 215 via pipes 216a and 216b. The coolant adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the chiller unit is supplied to the flow path 215 via pipe 216a, and the coolant that has circulated within the flow path 215 is returned to the chiller unit via pipe 216b. The stage 211 is cooled by the coolant circulating within the flow path 215. The chiller unit is controlled by the control device 100.

[0022] The support part 212 is disposed in the lower vessel 201 so as to pass through an opening formed in the bottom of the lower vessel 201. The support part 212 is raised and lowered by driving the lifting mechanism 240. When the substrate W is loaded, the support structure 210 is lowered by driving the lifting mechanism 240, and the gate valve G is opened. Then, the substrate W is loaded into the lower vessel 201 through the opening 205 and placed on the stage 211. Then, the gate valve G is closed, and the support structure 210 is raised by driving the lifting mechanism 240, and a film formation process is performed on the substrate W. When the substrate W is unloaded, the support structure 210 is lowered by driving the lifting mechanism 240, and the gate valve G is opened. Then, the substrate W is unloaded from the stage 211 through the opening 205.

[0023] The shower head 230 has a diffusion chamber 231a and a diffusion chamber 231b. The diffusion chamber 231a and the diffusion chamber 231b are not connected to each other. A gas supply unit 220 is connected to the diffusion chamber 231a and the diffusion chamber 231b. Specifically, a valve 224a, a mass flow controller (MFC) 223a, a vaporizer 222a, and a raw material supply source 221a are connected to the diffusion chamber 231a via a pipe 225a. The raw material supply source 221a is a supply source of isocyanate, an example of a monomer. The vaporizer 222a vaporizes the isocyanate liquid supplied from the raw material supply source 221a. The MFC 223a controls the flow rate of the isocyanate vapor vaporized by the vaporizer 222a. The valve 224a controls the supply and stop of the isocyanate vapor to the pipe 225a.

[0024] The diffusion chamber 231b is connected to a valve 224b, an MFC 223b, a vaporizer 222b, and a raw material supply source 221b via a pipe 225b. The raw material supply source 221b is a supply source of amine, which is an example of a monomer. The vaporizer 222b vaporizes the amine liquid supplied from the raw material supply source 221b. The MFC 223b controls the flow rate of the amine vapor vaporized by the vaporizer 222b. The valve 224b controls the supply and stop of the amine vapor to the pipe 225b.

[0025] The shower head 230 is also connected to a valve 224c, an MFC 223c, and an inert gas supply source 221c via pipes 225a and 225b. The inert gas supply source 221c is a supply source of an inert gas such as a rare gas or nitrogen gas. The MFC 223c controls the flow rate of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source 221c. The valve 224c controls the supply and stop of the inert gas to the pipes 225a and 225b.

[0026] The showerhead 230 is also connected to a valve 224d, an MFC 223d, and a cleaning gas supply source 221d via pipes 225a and 225b. The cleaning gas supply source 221d supplies a cleaning gas containing molecules including, for example, oxygen atoms or fluorine atoms. The MFC 223d controls the flow rate of the cleaning gas supplied from the cleaning gas supply source 221d. The valve 224d controls the supply and stop of the cleaning gas to the pipes 225a and 225b.

[0027] The diffusion chamber 231a is connected to the processing space S via a plurality of outlets 232a. P The diffusion chamber 231b is in communication with the processing space S through a plurality of outlets 232b. P The isocyanate vapor supplied into the diffusion chamber 231a through the pipe 225a diffuses within the diffusion chamber 231a and is discharged into the processing space S through the discharge port 232a. P The amine vapor, the inert gas, and the cleaning gas supplied into the diffusion chamber 231b through the pipe 225b diffuse in the diffusion chamber 231b and are discharged into the processing space S through the discharge port 232b. P The vapor of isocyanate and amine is discharged in a shower into the processing space S through the discharge ports 232a and 232b. P After being discharged into the processing space S P The polymer is mixed in the liquid phase and a film of the polymer having urea bonds is formed on the surface of the substrate W placed on the stage 211.

[0028] An RF (Radio Frequency) power supply 260 that supplies RF power for generating plasma is connected to the shower head 230 via a matching box 261. The shower head 230 functions as a cathode electrode with respect to the stage 211. P In cleaning the processing space S, gas is supplied from the gas supply unit 220 through the shower head 230. P A cleaning gas is supplied into the processing space S from an RF power source 260 via a matching box 261. PRF power is supplied to the processing space S P The cleaning gas is converted into plasma in the processing space S. P Internal cleaning is carried out.

[0029] The control device 100 includes a memory, a processor, and an input / output interface. The memory stores a control program, a processing recipe, etc. The processor reads the control program from the memory and executes it, and controls each part of the device main body 200 via the input / output interface based on the recipe, etc. stored in the memory.

[0030] [Structure of porous member 250] In this embodiment, the porous member 250 has a thickness of about 500 cm 3 The porous member 250 has a volume of 50,000,000 cm and has a plurality of pores with an opening diameter of about 1 μm. 2 In this embodiment, the surface area of ​​the porous member 250 is approximately 60,000,000 cm 2 is.

[0031] 2 and 3 are diagrams showing examples of the amount of polymer absorbed by porous members 250 with different surface areas. In the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the amount of polymer absorbed by a porous member having a surface area four times that of a structure with a flat surface and the amount of polymer absorbed by a porous member having a surface area twenty times that of the structure with a flat surface are shown. The surface of the porous member having four times the surface area has many recesses formed thereon, each with an opening diameter of 40 nm to 150 nm and a depth of 40 nm to 150 nm. Furthermore, the surface of the porous member having twenty times the surface area has many recesses formed thereon, each with an opening diameter of 80 nm to 2000 nm and a depth of 80 nm to 2000 nm. In the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the porous member to be tested was placed on a stage 211, and its temperature was adjusted by a heater 214.

[0032] For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the amount of polymer absorbed by a porous member with 20 times the surface area is about 5 times the amount of polymer absorbed by a porous member with 4 times the surface area, regardless of the temperature or pressure range. Therefore, by increasing the surface area of ​​the porous member, it is possible to increase the amount of polymer absorbed.

[0033] [Polymer deposition rate] Figure 4 shows an example of the relationship between the temperature of a component and the deposition rate (D / R) of the polymer deposited on that component. For example, as shown in Figure 4, as the component temperature decreases, the surface adsorption time of the raw material molecules increases, increasing the probability of collisions between molecules and increasing the D / R. On the other hand, as the component temperature increases, the surface adsorption time decreases, and the D / R becomes dominated by the probability of molecular collisions on the component surface. In other words, when the component temperature is 130°C or higher, the molecular adsorption time is 0.01 milliseconds or less, and the D / R becomes independent of the component temperature and dependent on the gas concentration. Furthermore, when the component temperature is 130°C or higher, the molecular surface adsorption time is sufficiently short that the gas diffuses into the porous component, allowing the gas to uniformly form a film within the porous component.

[0034] Here, when the temperature of the porous member 250 is low, the D / R of the polymer formed in the porous member 250 is high, and the pores on the surface of the porous member 250 are quickly blocked by the polymer. As a result, the polymer does not reach the pores inside the porous member 250, and as a result, it becomes difficult to incorporate a large amount of polymer into the porous member 250. Therefore, in this embodiment, the porous member 250 is heated to a certain temperature to reduce the D / R of the polymer formed in the porous member 250. As a result, the pores on the surface of the porous member 250 are not blocked by the polymer, and the polymer reaches the pores inside the porous member 250, and the polymer is incorporated into the entire porous member 250. Therefore, the polymer absorption capacity of the porous member 250 can be improved, and the polymer can be efficiently incorporated into the porous member 250.

[0035] However, if the temperature of the porous member 250 is too high, the polymerization reaction will not occur on the surface of the porous member 250, and the polymer will not be taken up into the porous member 250. Therefore, the temperature of the porous member 250 is preferably a temperature within the temperature range in which the polymerization reaction occurs on the surface of the porous member 250, but at which the depolymerization reaction will not occur excessively.

[0036] 4, the D / R of the polymer decreases as the temperature increases, and the decrease in D / R becomes gentler around 130°C. Then, the D / R hardly changes up to around 170°C, and then decreases again around 200°C. Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature of the porous member 250 is preferably 130°C to 170°C. This allows the polymer to be efficiently incorporated into the porous member 250.

[0037] [Removal of polymer trapped in porous member 250] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the temperature of a member and the cleaning rate of a polymer laminated on that member. In Fig. 5, in Experiment 1, cleaning was performed using plasma using oxygen gas, and in Experiment 2, cleaning was performed using plasma using NF3 gas. In Experiment 3, the member on which the polymer was laminated was exposed to oxygen gas, in Experiment 4, the member on which the polymer was laminated was exposed to fluorine gas, and in Experiment 5, the member on which the polymer was laminated was exposed to ozone gas. In Experiments 3 to 5, plasma was not used.

[0038] 5, in Experiments 1 and 2, cleaning rates of 10 to 1000 nm / min were obtained when the temperature of the polymer-laminated member was in the range of 100 to 200° C. Comparing Experiments 1 and 2, the plasma using oxygen gas had a higher cleaning rate than the plasma using NF3 gas.

[0039] Furthermore, in Experiment 3, the polymer cleaning rate could not be obtained unless the temperature of the polymer-laminated member was heated to 400°C or higher. On the other hand, in Experiments 4 and 5, a certain level of cleaning rate was obtained even when the temperature of the polymer-laminated member was approximately 100°C to 200°C. Therefore, when plasma is not used, it is preferable to use a gas that is more reactive than oxygen gas, such as fluorine gas or ozone gas. In addition, in all of the experimental results, a tendency was observed in which the cleaning rate improved by increasing the temperature of the polymer-laminated member.

[0040] [Film forming method] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a film forming method. The processes illustrated in FIG.

[0041] First, a substrate is loaded into the processing chamber 209 (S10). In step S10, the lifting mechanism 240 is driven to lower the support structure 210, and the gate valve G is opened. Then, the substrate W is loaded into the lower chamber 201 through the opening 205 and placed on the stage 211. Then, the gate valve G is closed, and the lifting mechanism 240 is driven to raise the support structure 210.

[0042] Next, a film forming process is performed on the substrate W (S11). In step S11, the heater 214 heats the substrate W on the stage 211 to a predetermined temperature. The heater 251 also heats the porous member 250 to a predetermined temperature. Then, gas is supplied from the gas supply unit 220 to the processing space S via the shower head 230. P An inert gas such as nitrogen gas is supplied into the processing space S through the exhaust port 203 by the exhaust device 208. P The gas in the processing space S is then exhausted from the gas supply unit 220 via the shower head 230. P The isocyanate and amine gases are further supplied into the processing space S by the pressure adjusting valve 207. PThe pressure inside the chamber 211 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure, whereby a film of a polymer having urea bonds is formed on the surface of the substrate W on the stage 211.

[0043] At this time, the isocyanate and amine gases that did not contribute to the film formation are taken into the porous member 250 and form polymers within the porous member 250. As a result, almost none of the isocyanate and amine gases that did not contribute to the film formation flows into the exhaust pipe 206, and polymer deposition on the pressure adjustment valve 207 and the exhaust device 208 is suppressed.

[0044] The main processing conditions in step S11 are, for example, as follows: Temperature of substrate W: 80[℃] Temperature of porous member 250: 150°C Pressure inside the processing vessel 209: 1 [Torr] Isocyanate gas: 10 [sccm] Amine gas: 10 sccm Inert gas (N2 gas): 200 [sccm] Film formation time: 120 seconds

[0045] Then, when a polymer film of a predetermined thickness is formed on the substrate W, the film formation process is stopped, and the substrate is unloaded from the processing container 209 (S12). In step S10, the lifting mechanism 240 is driven to lower the support structure 210, and the gate valve G is opened. Then, the substrate W is unloaded from the stage 211 through the opening 205.

[0046] Next, a first cleaning is performed to clean the inside of the processing vessel 209 (S13). In step S13, a gas is supplied from the gas supply unit 220 to the processing space S via the shower head 230. P The cleaning gas is supplied into the processing space S by the pressure adjusting valve 207. P The pressure in the processing space S is adjusted to a predetermined pressure. P RF power is supplied to the processing space S PThe cleaning gas is converted into plasma within the chamber, and active species contained in the plasma clean polymers adhering to the lower surfaces of the shower head 230 and the insulating member 204, the sidewall of the exhaust duct 202, the upper surface of the stage 211, and the like. During cleaning, the active species contained in the plasma decompose the polymers adhering to the lower surface of the shower head 230, etc., and turn them into non-depositable substances that are exhausted via the exhaust duct 202 and the exhaust pipe 206.

[0047] At this time, the active species contained in the plasma also decompose the polymers formed on the surface and in the pores of the porous member 250, turning them into non-depositable substances that are exhausted via the exhaust duct 202 and the exhaust pipe 206. When the polymers trapped in the porous member 250 are removed by cleaning, the ability of the porous member 250 to trap polymers is restored. Therefore, there is no need to open the processing vessel 209 to the atmosphere, remove the porous member 250 from the processing vessel 209, remove the polymers adhering to the porous member 250, or replace it with a porous member 250 that does not have any polymers adhering to it. This reduces the downtime of the film formation apparatus 10 and improves the throughput of the film formation process.

[0048] The main processing conditions in step S13 are, for example, as follows: Temperature of porous member 250: 150°C Pressure inside the processing vessel 209: 5 Torr Cleaning gas (O2 gas): 1000 [sccm] Cleaning time: 10 seconds

[0049] Next, the control device 100 determines whether or not to terminate the processing of the substrate W (S14). If the control device 100 determines not to terminate the processing of the substrate (S14: No), the processing shown in step S10 is executed again. On the other hand, if the control device 100 determines to terminate the processing of the substrate (S14: Yes), the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

[0050] The first embodiment has been described above. As described above, the film forming apparatus 10 in this embodiment includes the stage 211, the processing vessel 209, the gas supply unit 220, the porous member 250, and the heater 251. The substrate W is placed on the stage 211. The processing vessel 209 accommodates the stage 211. The gas supply unit 220 supplies two types of monomer gas into the processing vessel 209 to form a polymer film on the substrate W placed on the stage 211. The porous member 250 is The gas exhaust device is disposed along the path of the gas exhausted from the space above the substrate W placed on the stage 211. The heater 251 heats the porous member 250 to a first temperature when a polymer film is formed on the substrate W. This makes it possible to suppress deposits from adhering to the exhaust path.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the porous member 250 is provided between the stage 211 in the processing vessel 209 and the exhaust port 203 formed in the processing vessel 209. This allows the porous member 250 to efficiently capture the polymer formed from the two types of monomer gases exhausted from the processing vessel 209.

[0052] Moreover, the film forming apparatus 10 in the above-described embodiment further includes an RF power supply 260. The gas supply unit 220 supplies a cleaning gas into the processing vessel 209 when the substrate W is not placed on the stage 211. The RF power supply 260 converts the cleaning gas into plasma by supplying RF power into the processing vessel 209 when the substrate W is not placed on the stage 211, and the active species contained in the plasma remove the polymer film that has been incorporated into the porous member 250. This allows the polymer film that has been incorporated into the porous member 250 to be efficiently removed.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning gas is a gas having molecules containing oxygen atoms or fluorine atoms, which allows the polymer film trapped in the porous member 250 to be efficiently removed.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, during the film formation process, the porous member 250 is heated to a temperature at which the monomer adsorption time is, for example, in the range of 0.00001 milliseconds or more and 0.01 milliseconds or less. For example, during the film formation process, the porous member 250 is heated to a temperature in the range of 130°C to 170°C. This prevents the pores on the surface of the porous member 250 from being blocked by the polymer, allowing the polymer to reach the pores inside the porous member 250 and be incorporated into the entire porous member 250. Therefore, the polymer absorption capacity of the porous member 250 can be improved, and the polymer can be efficiently incorporated into the porous member 250.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the surface area of ​​the porous member 250 is 50,000,000 cm 2 As a result, the polymer can be continuously captured by the porous member 250 without saturating its polymer capturing effect while a polymer film is being formed on one substrate W. This makes it possible to suppress deposits from adhering to the exhaust path.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the gas supply unit 220 supplies an amine gas and an isocyanate gas as two types of monomer gases into the processing chamber 209, thereby forming a polymer film having a urea bond on the substrate W placed on the stage 211. During the film formation process, the exhaust gas contains the two types of monomers that did not contribute to the formation of the polymer film on the substrate W. By capturing these monomers in the porous member 250, it is possible to suppress deposits from adhering to the exhaust path.

[0057] In order to sufficiently remove the polymer trapped in the pores of the porous member 250 during cleaning, the cleaning must be performed for a long period of time. However, if a long cleaning period is performed each time a film formation process for one substrate W is completed, it becomes difficult to improve the overall throughput of the film formation process for multiple Ws. Therefore, when the film formation process for one substrate W is completed, a short cleaning period may be performed during the film formation process for one substrate W to remove the polymer trapped in the pores of the porous member 250 to an extent that the polymer trapping effect of the porous member 250 does not become saturated.

[0058] In this case, however, polymers that have not been completely removed will accumulate in the pores of the porous member 250. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, for example, it is preferable to perform a long cleaning period to thoroughly remove the polymers trapped in the pores of the porous member 250 each time film formation processing is completed for multiple substrates W. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing another example of a film formation method. Note that, except for the points described below, processes in Figure 7 that are assigned the same reference numerals as those in Figure 6 are the same as the processes described in Figure 6, and therefore redundant description will be omitted.

[0059] After the substrate W is unloaded in step S12, a first cleaning is performed to clean the inside of the processing vessel 209 (S20). The cleaning time in step S20 is the time required to remove the polymer trapped in the pores of the porous member 250 to the extent that the effect of trapping the polymer by the porous member 250 is not saturated during the film formation process on one substrate W, and is, for example, 10 seconds. Note that the conditions in step S20 other than the cleaning time are the same as the conditions in step S13 in FIG. 6.

[0060] Next, the control device 100 determines whether or not the film formation process has been completed for a predetermined number of substrates W (S21). If the control device 100 determines that the film formation process has not been completed for a predetermined number of substrates W (S21: No), the process shown in step S10 is executed again.

[0061] On the other hand, if the control device 100 determines that the film formation process for the predetermined number of substrates W has been completed (S21: Yes), a second cleaning is performed (S22). The cleaning time in step S22 is longer than the cleaning time in step S20. The cleaning time in step S22 is the time required to sufficiently remove the polymer trapped in the pores of the porous member 250, and is, for example, 600 seconds. Note that the conditions in step S22 other than the cleaning time are the same as the conditions in step S13 in FIG. 6. Then, the process shown in step S14 is performed. This makes it possible to improve the overall throughput of the film formation process for multiple W.

[0062] (Second embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, the porous member 250 is provided in the processing chamber 209. However, the disclosed technology is not limited to this, and the porous member 250 may be provided in the exhaust pipe 206, for example, as shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment. Note that, except for the points described below, components in FIG. 8 that are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 have the same or similar functions as the components in FIG. 1, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] In this embodiment, a porous member 250 and a heater 251 are provided on the side wall of the exhaust pipe 206. The heater 251 heats the porous member 250 to a temperature at which the adsorption time of the monomer is within a range of, for example, 0.00001 milliseconds or more and 0.01 milliseconds or less while a film formation process is being performed on the substrate W. For example, the heater 251 heats the porous member 250 to a temperature within a range of 130°C to 170°C.

[0064] The gas exhausted from the processing vessel 209 flows through the exhaust pipe 206 and passes through the porous member 250. At this time, a polymer film formed from a monomer contained in the exhaust gas is captured in the pores of the porous member 250. This prevents the formation of a polymer film downstream of the exhaust pipe 206 where the porous member 250 is disposed.

[0065] A plasma generation chamber 272 is connected to the exhaust pipe 206 between the part of the exhaust pipe 206 where the porous member 250 is provided and the pressure adjustment valve 207 via a pipe. A valve 273 is provided in this pipe. The plasma generation chamber 272 is an example of a second container. An RF power supply 270 is electrically connected to the plasma generation chamber 272 via a matching box 271. A cleaning gas supply source 221d is also connected to the plasma generation chamber 272 via a pipe. An MFC 223e and a valve 224e are provided in this pipe.

[0066] In this embodiment, cleaning of the inside of the processing vessel 209 and cleaning of the porous member 250 provided in the exhaust pipe 206 are performed independently of each other. When cleaning of the porous member 250 provided in the exhaust pipe 206 is performed, the valves 224e and 273 are opened, and a cleaning gas is supplied at a predetermined flow rate into the plasma generation chamber 272 under the control of the MFC 223e. The pressure in the plasma generation chamber 272 is adjusted under the control of the valve 273. RF power is supplied from the RF power supply 270 into the plasma generation chamber 272 via the matching box 271. As a result, the cleaning gas in the plasma generation chamber 272 is converted into plasma, and activated species contained in the plasma are supplied to the porous member 250 in the exhaust pipe 206 via the valve 273.

[0067] The main processing conditions for cleaning the porous member 250 inside the exhaust pipe 206 are, for example, as follows. Temperature of porous member 250: 150°C Pressure in plasma generation chamber 272: 5 [Torr] Cleaning gas (O2 gas): 1000 [sccm] Cleaning time: 10 seconds

[0068] As a result, polymers formed on the surface and inside the pores of the porous member 250 are decomposed by the active species contained in the plasma, becoming non-depositable substances that are discharged downstream from the exhaust pipe 206 in which the porous member 250 is disposed. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, it is possible to suppress deposits from adhering to the exhaust path.

[0069] [others] The technology disclosed in this application is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist thereof.

[0070] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the heater 251 heats the porous member 250 to the same temperature both during the film formation process on the substrate W and during the cleaning of the porous member 250. However, the disclosed technology is not limited to this. For example, the heater 251 may heat the porous member 250 to a first temperature during the film formation process on the substrate W, and may heat the porous member 250 to a second temperature higher than the first temperature during the cleaning of the porous member 250. The first temperature is a temperature at which the monomer adsorption time is, for example, in the range of 0.00001 milliseconds or more and 0.01 milliseconds or less, for example, a temperature in the range of 130°C to 170°C. The second temperature is, for example, a temperature of 300°C or more.

[0071] When cleaning the porous member 250, heating the porous member 250 to a second temperature higher than the first temperature promotes depolymerization of the polymer formed in the pores of the porous member 250, and makes it easier for the monomer to be released to the outside of the porous member 250. This allows the active species contained in the plasma to react with the monomer more efficiently, and the porous member 250 can be cleaned efficiently.

[0072] Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the porous member 250 is cleaned using plasma, but the disclosed technology is not limited to this. For example, the porous member 250 can also be cleaned in Experiment 4 using fluorine gas and Experiment 5 using ozone gas, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Therefore, even if plasma is not used, the porous member 250 may be cleaned by using a gas that is more reactive than oxygen gas, such as fluorine gas or ozone gas.

[0073] In the first embodiment described above, the porous member 250 is provided in the processing vessel 209, and in the second embodiment described above, the porous member 250 is provided in the exhaust pipe 206. However, the disclosed technology is not limited to this, and the porous member 250 may be provided in both the processing vessel 209 and the exhaust pipe 206. That is, the first embodiment and the second embodiment may be combined.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a polymer having a urea bond was used as an example of a polymer formed by polymerization of two types of monomers. However, a polymer having a bond other than a urea bond may also be used as the polymer formed by polymerization of two types of monomers. Examples of polymers having a bond other than a urea bond include polyurethanes having urethane bonds. Polyurethanes can be synthesized, for example, by copolymerizing a monomer having an alcohol group and a monomer having an isocyanate group. Furthermore, polyurethanes are depolymerized into a monomer having an alcohol group and a monomer having an isocyanate group when heated to a predetermined temperature.

[0075] It should be noted that the disclosed embodiments are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered limiting. Indeed, the above-described embodiments may be embodied in various forms. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] G Gate Valve S P Processing Space W substrate 10 Film deposition equipment 100 control device 200 Device body 201 Lower vessel 202 Exhaust duct 203 Exhaust port 204 Insulating materials 205 Opening 206 Exhaust pipe 207 Pressure Regulating Valve 208 Exhaust system 209 Processing vessel 210 Support structure Stage 211 212 Support part 214 Heater 215 Channel 216 Piping 220 Gas Supply Unit 221a Raw material source 221b Raw material source 221c Inert Gas Source 221d Cleaning gas supply source 222 Vaporizer 223 MFC 224 Valve 225 Piping 230 shower head 231 Diffusion Chamber 232 Discharge port 240 Lifting mechanism 250 Porous materials 251 Heater 260 RF power supply 261 Matching box 270 RF power supply 271 Matching box 272 Plasma Generation Chamber 273 Valve

Claims

1. a stage on which a substrate can be placed; a first container that houses the stage; a gas supply unit that supplies two types of monomer gases into the first container to form a polymer film on the substrate placed on the stage; a porous member that is disposed along a path of gas exhausted from a space above the substrate placed on the stage and captures a polymer formed by gases of two types of monomers exhausted from within the space above the substrate placed on the stage; a heater that heats the porous member to a first temperature when a polymer film is formed on the substrate; A film forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the porous member is provided between a stage in the first container and an exhaust port formed in the first container.

3. the gas supply unit supplies a cleaning gas into the first container when the substrate is not placed on the stage; 3. The film formation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an RF power source that supplies RF (Radio Frequency) power into the first container when the substrate is not placed on the stage to convert the cleaning gas into plasma, and removes the polymer film that has been incorporated into the porous member by active species contained in the plasma.

4. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the porous member is provided in an exhaust pipe that exhausts gas from the first container.

5. the gas supply unit supplies a cleaning gas into a second container that generates plasma for supplying activated species into the exhaust pipe provided with the porous member; 5. The film formation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising an RF power source that supplies RF power into the second container to convert the cleaning gas into plasma, and supplies active species contained in the plasma into the exhaust pipe in which the porous member is provided, thereby removing the polymer film that has been taken into the porous member by the active species.

6. 6. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning gas is a gas having molecules containing oxygen atoms or fluorine atoms.

7. 7. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the heater heats the porous member to a second temperature higher than the first temperature while the cleaning gas is being supplied.

8. 8. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature is a temperature at which an adsorption time of the monomer falls within a range of 0.00001 milliseconds or more and 0.01 milliseconds or less.

9. 8. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature is a temperature within a range of 130.degree. C. to 170.degree.

10. The surface area of ​​the porous member is 50,000,000 cm 2 The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the film forming apparatus is a film forming apparatus having the above configuration.

11. The gas supply unit 11. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an amine gas and an isocyanate gas are supplied into the first container as two types of monomer gases, thereby forming a polymer film having a urea bond on the substrate placed on the stage.

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