Gas inlet device for atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and substrate processing apparatus using the same

Abstract

According to one embodiment, the gas inlet device includes: a gas flow block disposed above a chamber and having a plurality of gas flow paths therein for supplying gas to the chamber; a valve assembly coupled to one side of the gas flow block and having a plurality of valves for selectively opening and closing at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths; and a gas inlet pipe having one end coupled to the valve assembly and the other end communicating with the chamber, wherein at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths may be provided with a buffer space disposed adjacent to the gas inlet pipe for filling with the gas.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas inflow device and a substrate processing apparatus using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, to deposit a thin film of a predetermined thickness on a semiconductor substrate, a thin film manufacturing method such as physical vapor deposition (PVD), which uses physical collisions such as sputtering, or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which uses a chemical reaction, is used.

[0003] As the design rules for semiconductor devices become increasingly fine, the need for finer-patterned thin films increases, and the steps in the areas where thin films are formed also become significantly larger. As a result, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is increasingly being used, as it not only allows for the highly uniform formation of fine patterns with atomic layer thicknesses, but also offers excellent step coverage.

[0004] ALD suppresses gas-phase reactions by injecting source gases, reactant gases, and purge gases in a time-division fashion, thereby inducing a self-limited reaction on the substrate surface, allowing for precise control of thin film thickness. This allows for uniform thin film formation on surfaces such as fine-grained structures, as well as on capacitors with large step structures. Furthermore, by minimizing gas-phase reactions, ALD offers the advantages of high film density and lower deposition temperatures. While ALD has been hailed for its ability to produce uniform thin films through self-limiting reactions, careful control of various process parameters is essential to ensure high-quality thin films.

[0005] In particular, existing atomic layer deposition equipment has a problem that the gas flow time into the chamber is long, and the source gas is injected without being sufficiently purged, which can cause the reaction gas to transition to a CVD reaction in the gas phase instead of an ALD reaction, making it difficult to ensure a uniform thin film thickness.In addition, the amount of source gas that can be physically adsorbed to the substrate is small, which leads to a long deposition time and reduces productivity. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The embodiment is intended to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can shorten the transit time of gas flowing into the chamber and inject a large amount of gas to ensure a thin film deposition rate and thickness uniformity.

[0007] The technical problems to be solved in the embodiments are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One embodiment provides a gas inflow device including: a gas flow block disposed above a chamber and having a plurality of gas flow paths therein for supplying gas to the chamber; a valve assembly coupled to one side of the gas flow block and having a plurality of valves for selectively opening and closing at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths; and a gas inflow pipe having one end coupled to the valve assembly and the other end communicating with the chamber, wherein at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths is provided with a buffer space disposed adjacent to the gas inflow pipe for filling with the gas.

[0009] The gas may include a process gas and a purge gas, and among the plurality of gas passages, a gas passage for supplying the process gas may be closer to the chamber than a gas passage for supplying the purge gas.

[0010] The plurality of gas passages may include a first gas passage for supplying a process gas, a second gas passage for supplying a first purge gas, and a third gas passage for supplying a second purge gas, and the third gas passage may be disposed between the first and second gas passages.

[0011] The buffer space may include a first buffer space provided in the first gas flow path and a second buffer space provided in the third gas flow path, and the first and second buffer spaces may differ from each other in at least one of volume, length, and diameter.

[0012] The volume of the second gas passage may be smaller than the volumes of the first and third gas passages.

[0013] The gas flow block may include a heater that heats the gas flow path.

[0014] The gas flow block may further include a spacer block on at least one side of the buffer space for variably adjusting the volume of the gas flow path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, a buffer space capable of accommodating a large amount of gas is formed in the gas flow path, and a valve is disposed adjacent to the passage of the chamber, thereby ensuring the deposition rate and thickness uniformity of the thin film and maximizing overall productivity.

[0016] The effects obtained in this embodiment are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the gas flow path shown in FIG. [Figure 2B] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the gas flow path shown in FIG. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the valve assembly shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3B] 3 is a diagram illustrating a gas supply path of a gas inflow device according to an embodiment; FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the gas inflow device taken along line aa' shown in FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Terms such as "first," "second," etc. may be used to describe various elements, but such elements should not be limited by such terms. Also, relational terms such as "top / upper / upper side" and "bottom / lower / lower side," etc., used below, may be used to distinguish one entity or element from another, without necessarily requiring or implying a physical or logical relationship or sequence between the entities or elements.

[0020] The terms used in this application are used only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context, singular expressions include plural expressions.

[0021] Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment will be described using a Cartesian coordinate system, but is not necessarily limited to this. That is, in the Cartesian coordinate system, the x-axis and the y-axis are orthogonal to each other, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and the x-axis and the y-axis may intersect each other.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining another embodiment of the gas flow path shown in FIG.

[0024] 3A is an enlarged view of the valve assembly shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a view illustrating a gas supply path of a gas inflow device according to an embodiment.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, a substrate processing apparatus 10 of the present invention may include a process chamber 100 and a gas inlet device 200 communicating with the process chamber 100 to supply a gas for substrate processing.

[0026] The process chamber 100 includes a chamber body 110, a lid 120 installed on the upper surface of the chamber body 110, a gas injection unit 130 disposed in an internal space formed by the chamber body 110 and the lid 120 and having a plurality of gas injection holes H, a substrate support unit 140 on which a substrate is placed and disposed facing the lid 120 at a predetermined distance, a sealing ring 150 for maintaining airtightness between the chamber body 110 and the lid 120, and an exhaust pump 160 coupled to the chamber body 110 for discharging particles generated inside the process chamber 100 to the outside.

[0027] The chamber body 110 supports the lid 120, and an internal space formed by the chamber body 110 and the lid 120 may serve as a reaction space for substrate processing.

[0028] The cover 120 communicates with the gas inlet device 200 and serves as a passage for introducing process gases and / or purge gases for substrate processing (eg, thin film deposition, photolithography, etc.) into the process chamber 100 .

[0029] The gas injection unit 130 is located under the cover 120, and a number of holes H formed in the gas injection unit 130 serve to inject gases introduced through the cover 120 into the reaction space S.

[0030] The substrate support 140 serves to support the substrate within the process chamber 100 .

[0031] The process chamber 100 can deposit a thin film of uniform thickness on a substrate using a process such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD).

[0032] Although not shown, the process chamber 100 can be applied to not only a single-wafer chamber for processing a single substrate, but also a batch-type chamber for processing multiple substrates.

[0033] The gas inlet device 200 may include a gas inlet pipe 210 , a plurality of gas supplies 220 , a gas flow block 230 , and a valve assembly 240 .

[0034] The gas inlet pipe 210 may be connected to at least a portion of the cover 120 and communicate with the process chamber 100. Here, the gas inlet pipe 210 may be made of a highly durable metal material, for example, stainless steel (Steel Use Stainless, SUS).

[0035] The plurality of gas supply units 220 are installed outside the process chamber 100 and may include a first gas supply unit 221 for supplying a process gas (hereinafter referred to as a 'first gas' for convenience), a second gas supply unit 223 for supplying a first purge gas (hereinafter referred to as a 'second gas' for convenience), and a third gas supply unit 225 for supplying a second purge gas (hereinafter referred to as a 'third gas' for convenience). Here, the first gas may include a source gas or a reactant gas, and the second and / or third gas may be an inert gas such as argon (Ar), helium (He), or neon (Ne) or nitrogen (N2) that does not chemically react with the first gas.

[0036] The gas flow block 230 is disposed above the process chamber 100 in which the reaction space S is formed, and includes a first body 231 having an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape, a plurality of gas flow paths 233 that penetrate the inside of the first body 231 and are connected in series to each of the plurality of gas supply parts 220, and a heater (not shown) that heats at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths 233.

[0037] The first body 231 may have first to third inlets 2311a to 2311c formed on one side thereof, which are connected to the plurality of gas supply units 220, and first to third outlets 2313a to 2313c formed on the other side thereof, which are connected to the valve assembly 240.

[0038] Here, the first body 231 may be made of a material having high thermal conductivity, excellent heat insulation performance, and corrosion resistance against the first to third gases. For example, the first body 231 may be made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), stainless steel (SUS), quartz, and ceramic, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. The shape of the first body 231 is not limited to the above, and may be formed into a columnar shape having a circular or polygonal cross section.

[0039] The plurality of gas flow paths 233 include first to third gas flow paths 2331, 2333, and 2335 connected to the first to third gas supply parts 221, 223, and 225, respectively, and the first to third gas flow paths 2331, 2333, and 2335 may be arranged spaced apart from each other in a first direction (y-axis direction) intersecting the gas flow direction on the upper side of the cover 120.

[0040] Here, the third gas flow passage 2335 may be provided between the first gas flow passage 2331 and the second gas flow passage 2333, and the first gas flow passage 2331 may be disposed adjacent to the cover 120. That is, the first gas flow passage 2331, the third gas flow passage 2335, and the second gas flow passage 2333 are sequentially formed in the first direction based on the cover 120 of the chamber 100, with the first gas flow passage 2331 disposed closest to the cover 120 and the second gas flow passage 2333 disposed farthest from the cover 120.

[0041] The reason is that if the first gas passage 2331 supplying the process gas is located farther from the chamber 100 than the second and / or third gas passages 2333, 2335 supplying the purge gas, the process gas remaining between the first gas passage 2331 and the second and / or third gas passages 2333, 2335 is not sufficiently purged, causing particles to accumulate inside the gas flow block 200, and the flow path of the first gas passage 2331 becomes longer, resulting in reduced productivity.

[0042] In addition, if the second gas flow path 2333, which constantly supplies the second purge gas by opening the second valve 2433 described later, is located closer to the chamber 100 than the first and / or third gas flow paths 2331 and 2335, a decrease in purge efficiency may result in clogging of the inside of the gas flow path 233.

[0043] Therefore, the present invention maximizes process efficiency by sequentially arranging the first gas passage 2331, the third gas passage 2335, and the second gas passage 2333 near the cover 120 of the chamber 100 to efficiently purge gas remaining in each gas passage 233. The first gas passage 2331 is formed to penetrate the inside of the first body 231 in a second direction (x-axis direction) parallel to the gas flow direction between the first inlet 2311a and the first outlet 2313a.

[0044] The first gas passage 2331 includes a portion 2331a disposed adjacent to the gas inlet pipe 210 and another portion 2331b disposed adjacent to the first gas supply part 221, and the portion 2331a and the other portion 2331b of the first gas passage 2331 may have different diameters. For example, the portion 2331a of the first gas passage 2331 may be designed to have a larger diameter than the other portion 2331b.

[0045] A first buffer space 2331a may be formed in a portion 2331a of the first gas flow path 2331, extending radially outward relative to the other portion 2331b of the first gas flow path 2331 in order to pile up the first gas provided from the first gas supply portion 231 at a high concentration.

[0046] The growth rate of the thin film is determined by the adsorption concentration (amount) of the first gas. In the present invention, the first buffer space 2331a capable of accommodating a relatively large amount of the first gas is formed in the first gas passage 2331, and the first gas having a high concentration is supplied for a predetermined period of time by opening and closing the valve assembly 240 (described later), thereby increasing the growth rate of the thin film.

[0047] For example, the first buffer space 2331a may have a stepped shape with respect to the other portion 2231b of the first gas passage 2331 (see FIG. 1).

[0048] In another example, the first buffer space 2331a may have a tapered shape such that the diameter gradually increases toward the first outlet 2313a, i.e., the first buffer space 2331a may have a tapered shape with both sides facing each other in the gas flow direction being inclined (see FIG. 2A).

[0049] Meanwhile, the volume (or capacity) of the first buffer space 2331 a may be determined by the volume of the reaction space S corresponding to the space between the substrate support 140 and the chamber cover 120 .

[0050] The ratio of the volume of the first gas passage 2331, in which the first buffer space 2331a is provided, to the volume of the reaction space S may be approximately 1.0 to 2.0, and preferably 1.2. This is because if the volume ratio is less than 1.0, the concentration of the first gas flowing into the process chamber 100 does not meet the minimum concentration required for adsorption, resulting in reduced step coverage of the thin film, and if the volume ratio is greater than 2.0, the time-division period required to supply the first gas becomes longer, resulting in reduced productivity.

[0051] Therefore, a spacer block 235 for variably adjusting the volume of the first gas passage 2331 may be installed on at least one side of the first buffer space 2331a (see FIG. 2B). The spacer block 235 may have a through-hole (not shown) formed therein through which the first gas can flow, and may be made of the same material as the first body 231.

[0052] The second gas passage 2333 is formed between the second inlet 2311b and the second outlet 2313b to penetrate the inside of the first body 231 in a second direction (x-axis direction) parallel to the gas flow direction. Here, the diameter of the second gas passage 2333 may be constant.

[0053] The third gas flow passage 2335 is formed between the third inlet 2311c and the third outlet 2313c to penetrate the inside of the first body 231 in a second direction (x-axis direction) parallel to the gas flow direction.

[0054] The third gas passage 2335 includes a portion 2335a disposed adjacent to the gas inlet pipe 210 and another portion 2335b disposed adjacent to the third gas supply unit 225. The portion 2335a and the other portion 2335b of the third gas passage 2335 may have different diameters. For example, the portion 2335a of the third gas passage 2335 may be designed to have a larger diameter than the other portion 2335b.

[0055] A second buffer space 2335a may be formed in a portion 2335a of the third gas passage 2335, expanding radially outward relative to the other portion 2335b of the third gas passage 2335 to pile up the third gas provided from the third gas supply unit 225. Here, the second buffer space 2335a may be formed to have a stepped shape as described above, or may be formed to have an inclined shape such that the diameter gradually increases toward the third outlet 2313c.

[0056] The first and second buffer spaces 2331a and 2335a may all have the same volume, length, or diameter.

[0057] Alternatively, at least one of the volume, length, and diameter of the first and second buffer spaces 2331a, 2335a may be different from each other. Here, the relative volumes of the first and second buffer spaces 2331a, 2335a may be determined by the distance from the lid 120. For example, to increase the growth rate of the first gas adsorbed or reacted with the substrate, the first buffer space 2331a, which is disposed closer to the lid 120 among the plurality of buffer spaces 2331a, 2335a, may be formed to have a larger volume. Conversely, to shorten purge time and improve overall productivity, the second buffer space 2335a, which is disposed farther from the lid 120 among the plurality of buffer spaces 2331a, 2335a, may be formed to have a larger volume.

[0058] The valve assembly 240 can selectively control the supply of the first to third gases in a time-sharing manner in response to a control signal from a mass flow controller (not shown).

[0059] The valve assembly 240 may include a second body 241, a plurality of valves 243 attached to the second body 241 and selectively opening and closing at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths 233, a plurality of flow paths 245 formed to penetrate at least a portion of the second body 241 and each of the plurality of valves 243, and a heater (not shown) mounted inside the second body 241 and heating at least one of the plurality of flow paths 245.

[0060] The valve assembly 240 may be coupled to at least one side of the gas flow block 230 so as to be disposed near the lid 120 that communicates with the gas inlet pipe 210 .

[0061] The second body 241 is connected to the first body 231 by a fastener 250. First to third inlets 2411a to 2411c, which communicate with the first to third gas passages 2331, 2333, and 2335, are formed on one side of the second body 241, and a plurality of valves 243 are attached to the other side. In addition, one outlet 2413, which communicates with the gas inlet pipe 210, is formed on the bottom of the second body 241.

[0062] The second body 241 may be made of the same material as the first body 231, and for example, may be made of at least one material selected from aluminum (Al), stainless steel (SUS), quartz, and ceramic, which has high thermal conductivity, excellent heat insulation performance, and corrosion resistance against the first to third gases.

[0063] The plurality of valves 243 includes first to third valves 2431, 2433, and 2435 connected in parallel to each other, and a sealing member (not shown) may be provided at the interface where the second body 241 and the plurality of valves 243 come into contact with each other to smoothly maintain the pressure and airtightness of the flowing gas.

[0064] The first to third valves 2431, 2433, and 2435 may selectively open or close at least one of the plurality of gas passages 233 so that at least one gas is supplied into the process chamber 100 in a predetermined cycle.

[0065] The first valve 2431 controls the flow of the first gas flowing along the first gas flow path 2331. When a substrate processing process is performed, the first valve 2431 opens to allow the first gas to flow into the process chamber 100 through the gas inlet pipe 210. The first gas flowing into the process chamber 100 is adsorbed or reacted on the substrate through the gas injector 130. After the first gas is supplied for a predetermined first time period (T1), the first valve 2431 closes to prevent further inflow. When the first valve 2431 closes, the first gas can pile up (accumulate) at a high concentration in the first buffer space 2331a.

[0066] The second valve 2433 is connected to the second gas passage 2333 and can be kept open at all times to allow the second gas to constantly flow into the process chamber 100. Here, the second gas can be used as a carrier gas that increases the transport efficiency so that the first or third gas can be transported smoothly.

[0067] The third valve 2435 controls the flow of the third gas flowing along the third gas passage 2335 and alternately opens and closes with the first valve 2431. During a predetermined first time period (T1) during which the first gas is supplied, the third valve 2435 closes, allowing the third gas to fill the second buffer space 2335a. Thereafter, when the supply of the first gas is stopped, the third valve 2435 opens, allowing the third gas filling the second buffer space 2335a to flow into the process chamber 100 for a predetermined second time period (T2). The second gas flowing into the process chamber 100 purges the first gas remaining in a vapor phase on the substrate.

[0068] The plurality of flow passages 245 are formed to penetrate at least a portion of the second body 241 and the plurality of valves 243, respectively, and can communicate between the plurality of gas flow passages 233 and the plurality of valves 243. This will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 3A and 3B.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 3A, the multiple flow paths 245 include first to third flow paths 2451, 2452, 2453 that communicate with the first to third gas flow paths 2331, 2333, 2335, respectively, and fourth to sixth flow paths 2454, 2455, 2456 that communicate between the gas inlet pipe 210 and the first to third valves 2431, 2435, 2433.

[0070] The first flow path 2451 communicates with the first gas flow path 2331 , extends to a first branch point b 1 where the first valve 2431 is provided, and is formed to penetrate the front surface of the second body 241 and a part of the first valve 2431 .

[0071] The second flow path 2452 communicates with the second gas flow path 2333 , extends to a second branch point b 2 where the second valve 2435 is provided, and is formed to penetrate the front surface of the second body 241 and a part of the second valve 2435 .

[0072] The third flow path 2453 communicates with the third gas flow path 2335 , extends to a third branch point b 3 where the third valve 2433 is provided, and is formed to penetrate the front surface of the second body 241 and a part of the third valve 2433 .

[0073] The fourth to sixth flow paths 2454-2456 may be arranged in a zigzag pattern inside the second body 241 and the plurality of valves 243, respectively, to efficiently use space.

[0074] The fourth flow path 2454 is formed to partially penetrate the inside of the second body 241 and the second valve 2435, and is formed in a U-shape or a V-shape to connect between the second flow path 2452 and the third flow path 2453.

[0075] The fifth flow path 2455 is formed to partially penetrate the interior of the second body 241 and the third valve 2433, and is formed in a U-shape or a V-shape to connect between the third flow path 2453 and the first flow path 2451.

[0076] The sixth flow path 2456 is formed to penetrate a portion of the second body 241 and the first valve 2431, and is formed in a bent shape to connect the first flow path 2451 and the gas inlet pipe 210.

[0077] 3A and 3B, when the first valve 2431 is opened during a predetermined first time period (T1), the high-concentration first gas filling the first buffer space 2331a flows into the gas inlet pipe 210 through the first and sixth flow paths 2451 and 2456. The second valve 2435, which is constantly open, allows the second gas to flow so that the first gas can be smoothly transported, and the second gas flows into the gas inlet pipe 210 through the second, fourth, and fifth flow paths 2452, 2454, and 2455, merging with the first gas at the first branch point b1. During the first time period (T1), the third valve 2435 is closed, and the second buffer space 2335a is filled with the third gas.

[0078] If the third valve 2433 is opened during a predetermined second time period (T2), the third gas filled in the second buffer space 2335a flows into the gas inlet pipe 210 through the third, fifth, and sixth flow paths 2453, 2455, and 2456. Here, the second valve 2435, which is always maintained in an open state, allows the second gas to flow so that the third gas is smoothly transported, and the second gas flows into the gas inlet pipe 210 through the second and fourth flow paths 2452 and 2454, merging with the third gas at the third branch point b3. Here, the first valve 2431 is closed during the second time period (T2), and a high concentration of the first gas is filled into the first buffer space 2331a.

[0079] In the gas inflow device 200 according to one embodiment, the first gas flow path 2331 may be disposed close to the cover 120 so that the flow path of the first gas contributing to thin film formation is set to the shortest distance among the flow paths of the first to third gases. Also, a plurality of valves 243 for selectively blocking the flow of gas may be disposed between the cover 120 and the gas flow block 230 so that gas can be pre-filled during a rest period and the gas required for each process step can be immediately supplied.

[0080] In addition, to increase the efficiency of adsorption, reaction, or purging, a buffer space 2331a, 2335a capable of accommodating a large amount of gas is formed in at least one of the plurality of gas passages 233, and to shorten the process (or purging) time, the buffer space 2331a, 2335a can be disposed adjacent to the gas inlet pipe 210. This ensures uniformity in the deposition rate and thickness of the thin film, maximizing overall productivity.

[0081] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the gas inflow device taken along line aa' in FIG.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 4, a heater 237 for heating at least one of the plurality of gas passages 233 may be installed on the surface and / or inside the gas flow block 230 .

[0083] The heater 237 can supply a predetermined amount of heat so that at least one of the first to third gases flowing through the plurality of gas flow paths 233 maintains a constant temperature. The heater 237 can be formed of a planar heating element with a uniform temperature distribution so that the heat-generating portion is distributed over the entire area.

[0084] Generally, conventional heaters (not shown) are formed in a shape that wraps around the outside of a gas line (not shown) having a conduit shape. This lengthens the heat transfer path through the gas, reducing efficiency, and because heat is transferred locally to the gas line (not shown), there are limitations to maintaining a uniform gas temperature. In particular, if the gas temperature is not maintained uniformly, it can cause a phase change in the gas, leading to clogging of the gas line (not shown) and the generation of defective particles, which can have a negative impact on the quality and productivity of the thin film produced.

[0085] Therefore, unlike conventional heaters (not shown), the heater 237 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be formed in a form that is built into (or embedded in) the gas flow block 200. When the heater 237 is embedded in the gas flow block 200, the heat supplied from the heater 237 is conducted throughout the first body 231, thereby maintaining a uniform temperature of the gas moving along the gas passage 233. Furthermore, by omitting a separate gas line (not shown), the heater 237 is positioned closer to the gas, thereby improving heat transfer efficiency.

[0086] The heater 237 may be disposed inside the first body 231 at a predetermined interval radially outward from the gas passage 233 and formed to have a shape corresponding to the circumference of the gas passage 233, but the scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the heater 237 may be disposed on the surface of the first body 231, or may be formed only in one section of the gas passage 233 rather than in the entire section.

[0087] The heater 237 may include a plurality of heaters provided in all of the first to third gas passages 233 (2331, 2333, 2335) along the circumference of each gas passage 233. The heaters may be controlled to the same temperature, or may be controlled to different temperatures to maintain temperatures appropriate for each process step (adsorption, purging, reaction process, etc.). For example, the heater adjacent to the first gas passage 2331, which requires pyrolysis or chemical reaction, may be controlled to a higher temperature than the other heaters.

[0088] Alternatively, the heater 237 may be provided only in some of the first to third gas flow paths 2331, 2333, and 2335, and only a specific gas flow path may be heated.

[0089] Alternatively, the heater 237 may be disposed between the first to third gas passages 2331, 2333, and 2335 to simultaneously heat adjacent gas passages 233. This minimizes the temperature difference between the plurality of gas passages 233.

[0090] As such, the heater 237 installed on the surface and / or inside of the first body 231 adjusts the temperature of the gas flowing along the gas passage 233 to increase the reaction efficiency inside the process chamber 100 and prevent abnormal reactions from occurring due to cooling, etc.

[0091] The heater 237 can be applied to the surface and / or the interior of the valve assembly 240, and can heat at least one of the first to third gases flowing through the plurality of flow paths 245. However, to avoid redundant explanation, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0092] Although only a few of the embodiments have been described above, various other implementations are possible. The technical contents of the above-described embodiments can be combined in various forms and embodied in new embodiments as long as they are not mutually incompatible.

[0093] It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in all respects, but should be considered as illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are embraced within the scope of the present invention. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0094] The detailed description of the invention is fully set forth in the "Detailed Description" section above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0095] The substrate processing apparatus according to the above-described embodiments can be used in processes for manufacturing flat panel displays, solar cells, etc. in addition to processes for depositing thin films on semiconductor device substrates.

Claims

1. a gas flow block disposed above the chamber and having a plurality of gas passages therein for supplying gas to the chamber; a valve assembly coupled to one side of the gas flow block and including a plurality of valves for selectively opening and closing at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths; a gas inlet pipe having one end coupled to the valve assembly and the other end communicating with the chamber; a buffer space disposed adjacent to the gas inlet pipe in at least one of the plurality of gas flow paths and filled with the gas;

2. The gas includes a process gas and a purge gas, 2. The gas inlet apparatus for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow path for supplying the process gas among the plurality of gas flow paths is closer to the chamber than the gas flow path for supplying the purge gas.

3. The plurality of gas flow paths include: a first gas flow path for supplying a process gas; a second gas flow path that supplies a first purge gas; a third gas flow path that supplies a second purge gas; 2. The gas inlet device for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 1, wherein the third gas passage is disposed between the first and second gas passages.

4. The buffer space is a first buffer space provided in the first gas flow path; a second buffer space provided in the third gas flow path, 4. The gas inlet device for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 3, wherein the first and second buffer spaces are different from each other in at least one of volume, length, and diameter.

5. 4. The gas inlet device for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 3, wherein the second gas passage has a volume smaller than the volumes of the first and third gas passages.

6. 2. The gas inlet device for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow block includes a heater for heating the gas flow passage.

7. 10. The gas inlet device for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow block further comprises a spacer block on at least one side of the buffer space for variably adjusting the volume of the gas flow path.

8. a process chamber providing a reaction space; and a gas inflow device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The process chamber comprises: a substrate support portion that supports a substrate; a gas injection unit facing the substrate support unit and configured to inject gas onto the substrate; a cover formed on one surface of the gas injection unit.

9. 10. The substrate processing apparatus for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process according to claim 8, wherein a volume of the gas flow passage in which the buffer space is provided is greater than a volume between the substrate support and the lid.

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