Film forming apparatus and film forming method

Abstract

To precisely measure a status in a treatment container in depositing an organic film on a substrate.SOLUTION: A film deposition apparatus includes a treatment container, a gas supply part, a sensor, and a cleaning part. The treatment container accommodates a substrate. The gas supply part supplies a first monomer gas and a second monomer gas into the treatment container to form an organic film on the substrate by a vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer. The sensor is connected to a space in the treatment container via first piping and measures a status in the treatment container. The cleaning part removes the organic film attached to the sensor by supplying a cleaning gas to the sensor via second piping connected to the first piping.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a film forming apparatus that forms an organic film on a substrate by vapor deposition polymerization. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-25087 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a film formation apparatus and a film formation method that can accurately measure the state inside a processing chamber when an organic film is formed on a substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a film formation apparatus including a processing vessel, a gas supply unit, a sensor, and a cleaning unit. The processing vessel accommodates a substrate. The gas supply unit supplies a first monomer gas and a second monomer gas into the processing vessel to form an organic film on the substrate by vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer. The sensor is connected to the space within the processing vessel via a first pipe and measures the condition within the processing vessel. The cleaning unit removes the organic film adhering to the sensor by supplying a cleaning gas to the sensor via a second pipe connected to the first pipe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to various aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to accurately measure the state inside a processing chamber when an organic film is formed on a substrate. [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 flowchart showing an example of a film forming method. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the opening degree of the APC valve. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the film thickness of an organic film formed on a substrate. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the temperature and the cleaning rate for each cleaning gas. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a part of a film forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosed film forming apparatus and film forming method will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the disclosed film forming apparatus and film forming method are not limited to the following embodiments.

[0009] When forming an organic film on a substrate using vapor deposition polymerization, the deposition rate of the organic film formed on the substrate varies depending on the conditions inside the processing vessel (e.g., the pressure inside the processing vessel) in which the substrate is placed. Therefore, in order to form an organic film of a desired thickness on the substrate, it is necessary to accurately measure the conditions inside the processing vessel and control the film forming apparatus according to the measured conditions inside the processing vessel. The conditions inside the processing vessel are measured by various sensors. The sensors are exposed to the space inside the processing vessel to measure the conditions inside the processing vessel.

[0010] When vapor deposition polymerization is performed in a processing vessel, organic films adhere not only to the substrates contained in the processing vessel but also to the sidewalls of the processing vessel. As a result, organic films also adhere to the sensor that measures the state inside the processing vessel. If a large amount of organic film adheres to the sensor, the accuracy of the sensor's measurement may decrease. This decrease in sensor measurement accuracy makes it difficult to accurately measure the state inside the processing vessel, making it difficult to control the film formation conditions according to the actual state inside the processing vessel. This makes it difficult to form an organic film of the desired thickness on the substrate.

[0011] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a technique that can accurately measure the state inside a processing chamber when an organic film is formed on a substrate.

[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 a first embodiment. The film formation apparatus 10 according to this embodiment forms a polymer organic film on a substrate W by vapor deposition polymerization using a plurality of types of monomers. The film formation apparatus 10 includes an apparatus main body 100 and a control device 200. The apparatus main body 100 includes a processing chamber 109 that accommodates the substrate W.

[0013] The processing vessel 109 has a lower vessel 101 and an exhaust duct 102 made of a metal such as aluminum. The lower vessel 101 constitutes the lower part of the processing vessel 109. The lower vessel 101 is grounded. A heater 170b is embedded in the sidewall of the lower vessel 101. When an organic film is formed on a substrate W, the heater 170b heats the sidewall of the processing vessel 109 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C), thereby suppressing adhesion of the organic film to the sidewall of the processing vessel 109. In addition, an opening 105 is formed in the sidewall of the lower vessel 101, through which the substrate W is loaded and unloaded. The opening 105 is opened and closed by a gate valve G.

[0014] The exhaust duct 102 is provided at the top of the lower vessel 101 and forms part of the sidewall of the processing vessel 109. In this embodiment, the vertical cross section of the exhaust duct 102 has a hollow rectangular shape, and is configured to be curved into a ring shape along the periphery of the top of the lower vessel 101. A slit-shaped exhaust port 103 is formed in the exhaust duct 102 along the extension direction of the exhaust duct 102. The exhaust port 103 is arranged outside the area of ​​the substrate W, along the periphery of the substrate W accommodated in the processing vessel 109, and exhausts gas from inside the processing vessel 109.

[0015] One end of an exhaust pipe 106a is connected to the exhaust duct 102. The other end of the exhaust pipe 106a is connected to one end of an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 107. The other end of the APC valve 107 is connected to one end of an exhaust pump 108 via an exhaust pipe 106b. The exhaust pipe 106b is an example of a third pipe. The exhaust pump 108 exhausts gas from the processing vessel 109, and the pressure inside the processing vessel 109 is adjusted by adjusting the opening of the APC valve 107. The other end of the exhaust pump 108 is connected to an exhaust pipe 106c, and the gas exhausted by the exhaust pump 108 is sent to a decomposition device or the like via the exhaust pipe 106c.

[0016] The exhaust pipes 106a, 106b, and 106c are provided with heaters 170f, 170h, and 170j, respectively. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heaters 170f, 170h, and 170j heat the exhaust pipes 106a, 106b, and 106c to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). This prevents the organic film from adhering to the exhaust pipes 106a, 106b, and 106c when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. The APC valve 107 is also provided with a heater 170g, which heats the APC valve 107 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C) when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. This prevents the organic film from adhering to the APC valve 107 when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. The exhaust pump 108 is also provided with a heater 170i, and the heater 170i heats the exhaust pump 108 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150° C.) when an organic film is formed on the substrate W. This prevents the organic film from adhering to the APC valve 107 when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. The heater 170i is an example of a second heater.

[0017] Further, a sensor 150 is connected to the exhaust duct 102 via a pipe 151. The sensor 150 is connected to the inner space of the processing vessel 109 via the pipe 151 and the exhaust duct 102. The pipe 151 is an example of a first pipe. The sensor 150 measures the state inside the processing vessel 109, and the measurement result is output to the control device 200. In this embodiment, the sensor 150 is, for example, a pressure sensor. The pressure inside the processing vessel 109 is measured by the sensor 150.

[0018] The sensor 150 is provided with a heater 170m. The heater 170m is an example of a first heater. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heater 170m heats the sensor 150 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). This prevents the organic film from adhering to the sensor 150 when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. The pipe 151 is also provided with heaters 170k and 170l. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heaters 170k and 170l heat the pipe 151 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). This prevents the organic film from adhering to the pipe 151 when the organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0019] A cleaning unit 160 is connected to the pipe 151 via a pipe 161 and a valve 162. The pipe 161 is an example of a second pipe. The cleaning unit 160 removes an organic film adhering to the sensor 150 by supplying a cleaning gas to the pipe 151 via the pipe 161. In this embodiment, the cleaning gas is, for example, ozone gas, and the cleaning unit 160 is, for example, an ozonizer that generates ozone gas.

[0020] When the cleaning gas is supplied into the pipe 151, the heater 170m may be controlled so that the temperature of the sensor 150 is lower than the temperature (e.g., 150° C.) of the sensor 150 when an organic film is formed on the substrate W. This prevents the cleaning gas from being deactivated by the heat of the sensor 150 and a decrease in the efficiency of removing the organic film by the cleaning gas.

[0021] Here, the sensor 150 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 170m, but even when heated to the predetermined temperature by the heater 170m, it is difficult to completely eliminate the thickness of the organic film adhering to the sensor 150. Therefore, when a process for forming an organic film on the substrate W is repeated, the thickness of the organic film adhering to the sensor 150 gradually increases. Note that it is also possible to further suppress the adhesion of the organic film to the sensor 150 by further heating the sensor 150 with the heater 170m. However, the heat resistance temperature of the sensor 150 may not be very high. Therefore, it is difficult to heat the sensor 150 to a higher temperature.

[0022] When the thickness of the organic film adhering to the sensor 150 increases, the accuracy of measurement by the sensor 150 may decrease. When the accuracy of measurement by the sensor 150 decreases, it becomes difficult to accurately determine the state inside the processing vessel 109, and therefore it becomes difficult to control the film formation conditions according to the state inside the processing vessel 109. This makes it difficult to maintain the desired quality of the organic film formed on the substrate W, such as the film thickness of the organic film formed on the substrate W.

[0023] Therefore, in this embodiment, before the thickness of the organic film adhering to the sensor 150 increases and the accuracy of measurement by the sensor 150 decreases, the cleaning unit 160 supplies a cleaning gas to the sensor 150. This makes it possible to remove the organic film adhering to the sensor 150, and to suppress a decrease in the accuracy of measurement by the sensor 150. This makes it possible to maintain the quality of the organic film formed on the substrate W, such as the film thickness of the organic film formed on the substrate W, at a desired quality.

[0024] A support structure 110 on which the substrate W is placed is provided within the processing vessel 109. The support structure 110 has a stage 111 and a support portion 112. The stage 111 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and the substrate W is placed on the upper surface of the stage 111. The support portion 112 is made of a metal such as aluminum and has a cylindrical shape, and supports the stage 111 from below.

[0025] A heater 170a is embedded in the stage 111. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heater 170a heats the substrate W placed on the upper surface of the stage 111 to a temperature (e.g., 80°C) suitable for forming the organic film by vapor deposition polymerization.

[0026] Furthermore, a flow path 115 through which a temperature-controlling fluid flows is formed within the stage 111. A temperature control mechanism such as a chiller unit (not shown) is connected to the flow path 115 via pipes 116a and 116b. The temperature-controlling fluid adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the temperature control mechanism is supplied to the flow path 115 via pipe 116a, and the temperature-controlling fluid that has flowed through the flow path 115 is returned to the temperature control mechanism via pipe 116b. The temperature of the stage 111 is controlled by the temperature-controlling fluid circulating within the flow path 115.

[0027] The support 112 is disposed in the lower chamber 101 so as to pass through an opening formed in the bottom of the lower chamber 101. A flange 118 made of a conductive material is connected to the lower end of the support 112. A lifting mechanism 119 is connected to the lower surface of the flange 118. The lifting mechanism 119 raises and lowers the support structure 110. The bottom of the lower chamber 101 and the flange 118 are connected via a metal bellows 117. This maintains the airtightness of the processing chamber 109 even when the lifting mechanism 119 raises and lowers the support structure 110. The bellows 117 and the flange 118 are grounded via the lower chamber 101. The stage 111 is connected to the flange 118 via the support 112 and is also grounded via the flange 118.

[0028] A shower head 130 is provided above the annular exhaust duct 102. The shower head 130 is supported by an insulating member 104 disposed above the exhaust duct 102. The insulating member 104 and the shower head 130 form a ceiling portion of the processing vessel 109.

[0029] A diffusion chamber 131 for diffusing gas is formed within the shower head 130. Pipes 125a to 125c for supplying gas into the diffusion chamber 131 are connected to the upper surface of the shower head 130. A ring-shaped slit-shaped outlet 132a that communicates with the diffusion chamber 131 is formed on the lower surface of the shower head 130. The gas supplied from the pipes 125a to 125c into the diffusion chamber 131 diffuses within the diffusion chamber 131 and is discharged from the outlet 132a into the space within the processing vessel 109.

[0030] A heater 170c is provided on the upper surface of the shower head 130. The heater 170c is an example of a third heater. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heater 170c heats the shower head 130 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). This prevents the organic film from adhering to the inner wall of the diffusion chamber 131 when the organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0031] Furthermore, a pipe 141 is provided at approximately the center of the shower head 130 so as to penetrate the shower head 130. A valve 142 is provided in the pipe 141. An RPU (Remote Plasma Unit) 140 is connected to the pipe 141. The RPU 140 converts a gas such as oxygen gas into plasma. After the substrate W on which an organic film has been formed by vapor deposition polymerization is unloaded, the valve 142 is controlled to an open state, and radicals contained in the plasma generated by the RPU 140 are supplied into the processing container 109 through an opening 132b at the lower end of the pipe 141. The radicals supplied into the processing container 109 remove the organic film adhering to the inside of the processing container 109.

[0032] The apparatus main body 100 is also provided with a gas supply unit 120. The gas supply unit 120 supplies a first monomer gas and a second monomer gas into the processing vessel 109, thereby forming an organic film by vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer on the substrate W accommodated in the processing vessel 109. The gas supply unit 120 includes a raw material supply source 121a, a raw material supply source 121b, an inert gas supply source 121c, vaporizers 122a-122b, MFCs (Mass Flow Controllers) 123a-123c, and valves 124a-124c.

[0033] The raw material supply source 121a is a supply source of a first monomer. In this embodiment, the first monomer is, for example, isocyanate. The liquid of the first monomer supplied from the raw material supply source 121a is vaporized by the vaporizer 122a, and the flow rate is adjusted by the MFC 123a. Then, when the valve 124a is controlled to be in an open state, the first monomer is supplied to the diffusion chamber 131 of the shower head 130 via the pipe 125a. The pipe 125a is an example of a fourth pipe. A heater 170d is provided in the pipe 125a. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heater 170d heats the pipe 125a to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). This prevents the organic film from adhering to the inner wall of the pipe 125a when the organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0034] The raw material supply source 121b is a supply source of the second monomer. In this embodiment, the second monomer is, for example, an amine. The liquid second monomer supplied from the raw material supply source 121b is vaporized by the vaporizer 122b, and the flow rate is adjusted by the MFC 123b. Then, when the valve 124b is controlled to be open, the second monomer is supplied to the diffusion chamber 131 of the shower head 130 via the pipe 125b. The pipe 125b is an example of a fifth pipe. A heater 170e is provided in the pipe 125b. When an organic film is formed on the substrate W, the heater 170e heats the pipe 125b to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). This prevents the organic film from adhering to the inner wall of the pipe 125b when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. The heaters 170d and 170e are examples of a fourth heater.

[0035] The first monomer gas supplied through pipe 125a and the second monomer gas supplied through pipe 125b are mixed while diffusing in diffusion chamber 131. The mixed gas of the first monomer and the second monomer is then supplied into processing vessel 109 through outlet 132a, and an organic film is formed by vapor deposition polymerization on substrate W placed on stage 111. In this embodiment, a polymer film having a urea bond is formed on substrate W.

[0036] The inert gas supply source 121c is a supply source of an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. The flow rate of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source 121c is adjusted by an MFC 123c. When a valve 124c is controlled to be open, the inert gas is supplied to a diffusion chamber 131 of the shower head 130 via a pipe 125c. The inert gas supplied into the diffusion chamber 131 diffuses within the diffusion chamber 131 and is discharged into the space within the processing vessel 109 from a discharge port 132a.

[0037] The control device 200 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 100 via the input / output interface based on the recipe, etc. stored in the memory.

[0038] [Film forming method] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a film forming method. The processes illustrated in FIG. 2 are realized by the control device 200 controlling the respective parts of the device main body 100.

[0039] First, the temperature and pressure inside the processing vessel 109 are adjusted to predetermined temperatures and pressures (S100). In step S100, the heater 170a heats the stage 111 to a temperature (e.g., 80°C) suitable for forming an organic film by vapor deposition polymerization. The heater 170b heats the sidewall of the processing vessel 109 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). The heaters 170f, 170h, and 170j heat the exhaust pipes 106a to 106c to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). The heater 170g heats the APC valve 107 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). The heater 170i heats the exhaust pump 108 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C). Furthermore, the pipe 151 is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 150° C.) by the heater 170k and the heater 170l, and the sensor 150 is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 150° C.) by the heater 170m.

[0040] In step S100, the valve 124c is controlled to be open to prevent gas diffusion into the lower chamber 101 where the substrate W is transferred and to confirm that the film formation processing position in the processing chamber 109 is at a low pressure. Then, an inert gas is supplied into the processing chamber 109 via the shower head 130, and the gas inside the processing chamber 109 is exhausted by the exhaust pump 108. Then, the control device 200 adjusts the aperture of the APC valve 107 according to the pressure inside the processing chamber 109 measured by the sensor 150.

[0041] Then, after the temperature and pressure inside the processing vessel 109 have stabilized, a substrate is loaded into the processing vessel 109 (S101). In step S101, the lifting mechanism 119 lowers the support structure 110, and the gate valve G is opened. Then, a transfer device (not shown) loads the substrate W into the lower vessel 101 through the opening 105 and places it on the stage 111. Then, the gate valve G is closed, and the lifting mechanism 119 raises the support structure 110 to a film formation processing position in the processing vessel 109.

[0042] Next, the pressure inside the processing vessel 109 is adjusted (S102). In step S102, the valve 124c is controlled to be in an open state, an inert gas is supplied into the processing vessel 109 through the shower head 130, and the gas inside the processing vessel 109 is exhausted by the exhaust pump 108. Then, the controller 200 adjusts the aperture of the APC valve 107 in accordance with the pressure inside the processing vessel 109 measured by the sensor 150, thereby controlling the pressure inside the processing vessel 109 to a pressure (e.g., 1 Torr) suitable for forming an organic film by vapor deposition polymerization.

[0043] Next, an organic film is formed on the substrate W by vapor deposition polymerization (S103). Step S103 is an example of a film formation process. In step S103, the valve 124c is controlled to be closed, and the valves 124a and 124b are controlled to be open, and isocyanate and amine gases are supplied into the processing chamber 109 via the shower head 130. As a result, an organic film of a polymer having a urea bond is formed on the surface of the substrate W on the stage 111. At this time, the isocyanate and amine gases that have not contributed to the film formation also flow to the sensor 150, etc., and a small amount of organic film is also formed on the surface of the sensor 150.

[0044] Then, the substrate W on which the polymer organic film has been formed is unloaded from the processing vessel 109 (S104). In step S104, the valves 124a and 124b are controlled to be in a closed state, the support structure 110 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 119, and the gate valve G is opened. Then, the substrate W is unloaded from the stage 111 through the opening 105.

[0045] Next, the control device 200 determines whether an organic film has been formed on a predetermined number of substrates W (e.g., 25 substrates) (S105). If an organic film has not been formed on the predetermined number of substrates W (S105: No), short-term cleaning is performed (S106). In step S106, the lifting mechanism 119 raises the support structure 110, and the RPU 140 converts, for example, oxygen gas into plasma. Then, the valve 142 is controlled to be open, and radicals contained in the plasma generated by the RPU 140 are supplied into the processing vessel 109 from the opening 132b via the piping 141. This removes the organic film adhering to the inside of the processing vessel 109.

[0046] On the other hand, if an organic film has been formed on a predetermined number of substrates W (S105: Yes), the control device 200 determines whether or not to end the film formation process (S107). If the film formation process is to be ended (S107: Yes), the film formation method shown in this flowchart ends.

[0047] On the other hand, if the film formation process is not to be terminated (S107: No), the control device 200 controls the power supplied to the heater 170a embedded in the stage 111, and changes the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 150°C) (S108).

[0048] Then, after the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 has stabilized, long-term cleaning is performed (S109). In step S109, the lifting mechanism 119 raises the support structure 110, and the RPU 140 converts, for example, oxygen gas into plasma. Then, the valve 142 is controlled to be open, and radicals contained in the plasma generated by the RPU 140 are supplied into the processing vessel 109 through the opening 132b of the pipe 141. This removes organic films adhering to the inside of the processing vessel 109. In step S109, cleaning is performed for a longer period of time than the short-term cleaning performed in step S106.

[0049] Next, the control device 200 controls the power supplied to the heater 170a embedded in the stage 111 so that the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 becomes a temperature suitable for forming an organic film by vapor deposition polymerization (e.g., 80°C), and starts changing the temperature of the stage 111 (S110).

[0050] Then, cleaning of the sensor 150 is performed until the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 stabilizes (S111). Step S111 is an example of a cleaning process. In step S111, the valve 162 is controlled to be in an open state, and a cleaning gas such as ozone gas is supplied from the cleaning unit 160 into the pipe 151 via the pipe 161. This removes the organic film adhering to the surface of the sensor 150, and the accuracy of measurement by the sensor 150 is restored.

[0051] Next, the control device 200 refers to the measurement result of a temperature sensor (not shown) embedded in the stage 111 and determines whether the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 has reached a predetermined temperature (e.g., 80°C) (S112). If the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 has not reached the predetermined temperature (S112: No), the control device 200 executes the process shown in step S112 again. On the other hand, if the temperature of the upper surface of the stage 111 has reached the predetermined temperature (S112: Yes), the process shown in step S101 is executed again.

[0052] In this embodiment, a change in the temperature of the stage 111 is started in step S110, and cleaning of the sensor 150 is performed in step S111 until it is determined in step S112 that the temperature of the stage 111 has stabilized at, for example, 80° C. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the waiting time until the temperature of the stage 111 stabilizes.

[0053] [Influence of organic film attached to sensor 150] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the opening degree of the APC valve 107. The horizontal axis of FIG. 3 represents the cumulative film thickness of the organic film formed on multiple substrates W. When the organic film is formed on multiple substrates W, the thickness of the organic film adhering to the surface of the sensor 150 increases. In this embodiment, the sensor 150 is, for example, a capacitance manometer. When the thickness of the organic film adhering to the diaphragm of the capacitance manometer increases, the difference between the pressure value measured by the capacitance manometer and the actual pressure value inside the processing vessel 109 increases.

[0054] The aperture of the APC valve 107 is adjusted based on the measurement value of the capacitance manometer, thereby adjusting the pressure in the processing container 109 to a predetermined constant pressure. Therefore, if the deviation between the pressure value measured by the capacitance manometer and the actual pressure value in the processing container 109 becomes large, it becomes difficult to adjust the pressure in the processing container 109 to the predetermined constant pressure. Therefore, when organic films are formed on multiple substrates W, the aperture of the APC valve 107 changes significantly, as shown in FIG. 3, for example. In the example of FIG. 3, because the pressure value measured by the capacitance manometer deviates from the actual pressure value in the processing container 109, the pressure in the processing container 109 cannot be adjusted to the predetermined constant pressure even if the aperture of the APC valve 107 changes.

[0055] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the film thickness of an organic film formed on a substrate W. The film thickness of an organic film formed on a substrate W by vapor deposition polymerization is affected by temperature and pressure. Therefore, if the pressure inside the processing vessel 109 cannot be adjusted to a predetermined constant pressure due to the influence of the organic film adhering to the sensor 150, the film thickness of the organic film formed on the substrate W changes, for example, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, it is difficult to form an organic film of a predetermined thickness on the substrate W.

[0056] In contrast, in this embodiment, the organic film adhering to the sensor 150 is removed by the cleaning gas every time the formation of the organic film is completed on a predetermined number of substrates W. This prevents the measurement accuracy of the sensor 150 from being reduced due to the influence of the organic film adhering to the sensor 150, and enables accurate measurement of the state inside the processing vessel 109 when the organic film is formed on the substrate W. Therefore, an organic film having a predetermined thickness can be formed on the substrate W with high accuracy.

[0057] [Cleaning gas] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between temperature and cleaning rate for each cleaning gas. In the experimental results shown in FIG. 5, different types of cleaning gas were supplied to a sample on which an organic film had been formed, and the etching rate of the organic film for each gas was measured as the cleaning rate. In the experimental results shown in FIG. 5, when ozone gas (O3) was used as the cleaning gas, the pressure inside the container containing the sample was 500 Torr. In addition, in the experimental results shown in FIG. 5, when fluorine gas (F2) was used as the cleaning gas, the pressure inside the container containing the sample was 80 Torr.

[0058] 5, with ozone gas (O3), a cleaning rate of approximately 0.03 μm / min is obtained when the sample temperature is 200° C. In this embodiment, the sensor 150 is heated to, for example, 150° C. by the heater 170 m. However, in this embodiment, ozone gas is supplied into the pipe 151 connected to the sensor 150, so the surface of the sensor 150 is exposed to a high concentration of ozone gas. Therefore, even in this embodiment, it is expected that a sufficient cleaning rate of approximately several tens of nm / min will be obtained.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 5, a sufficient cleaning rate is obtained even when fluorine gas is used as the cleaning gas. Fluorine gas has a higher cleaning rate than ozone gas at a lower temperature than ozone gas. Therefore, using fluorine gas can reduce the cleaning time. However, depending on the material of the sensor 150, fluorine gas may cause damage. In such cases, it is preferable to use ozone gas instead of fluorine gas as the cleaning gas.

[0060] The first embodiment has been described above. As described above, the film forming apparatus 10 in this embodiment includes a processing vessel 109, a gas supply unit 120, a sensor 150, and a cleaning unit 160. The processing vessel 109 accommodates a substrate W. The gas supply unit 120 supplies a first monomer gas and a second monomer gas into the processing vessel 109 to form an organic film on the substrate W by vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer. The sensor 150 is connected to the space within the processing vessel 109 via a pipe 151 and measures the condition within the processing vessel 109. The cleaning unit 160 supplies a cleaning gas to the sensor 150 via a pipe 161 connected to the pipe 151 to remove an organic film adhering to the sensor 150. This allows the condition within the processing vessel 109 to be accurately measured when an organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the sensor 150 is provided with a heater 170m that heats the sensor 150 when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel 109. The heater 170m may be controlled so that the temperature of the sensor 150 when the cleaning gas is supplied into the piping 151 is lower than the temperature of the sensor 150 when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel 109. This prevents the cleaning gas from being deactivated by the heat of the piping 151, which can reduce the efficiency of removing the organic film by the cleaning gas.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the sensor is a pressure sensor that measures the pressure inside the processing chamber 109. This allows the pressure inside the processing chamber 109 to be measured accurately when an organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the first monomer is an isocyanate, the second monomer is an amine, and the organic film is a polymer film having a urea bond. The deposition rate of such organic films decreases as the temperature increases, but it is difficult to completely reduce the deposition rate to zero. Therefore, organic films also deposit on the sensor 150, which is exposed to the space within the processing vessel 109 via the pipe 151. Therefore, in this embodiment, a cleaning gas is supplied to the sensor 150 via the pipe 161 connected to the pipe 151, thereby removing the organic film adhering to the sensor 150. This allows the state within the processing vessel 109 to be accurately measured when an organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the cleaning gas is ozone gas, which can remove organic films adhering to the sensor 150.

[0065] The film formation method in the above-described embodiment includes a film formation process and a cleaning process. In the film formation process, a first monomer gas and a second monomer gas are supplied into a processing vessel 109 accommodating a substrate W, thereby forming an organic film on the substrate W by vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer. In the cleaning process, a cleaning gas is supplied to a sensor 150 via a pipe 161 connected to a pipe 151 that connects the space within the processing vessel 109 to a sensor that measures the condition within the processing vessel 109, thereby removing the organic film adhering to the sensor 150. This allows the condition within the processing vessel 109 to be accurately measured when an organic film is formed on the substrate W.

[0066] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment, a cleaning gas is supplied to the pipe 151 during cleaning of the sensor 150. A part of the cleaning gas supplied to the pipe 151 reaches the surface of the sensor 150, while the other part is exhausted by the exhaust pump 108 via the exhaust duct 102. In contrast, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, a valve 152 is provided in the pipe 151 between the processing chamber 109 and a connection portion between the pipe 151 and the pipe 161. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a part of the film forming apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment. The valve 152 is controlled to an open state when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing chamber 109, and is controlled to a closed state when the cleaning gas is supplied into the pipe 151.

[0067] In this embodiment, when cleaning the sensor 150, the valve 162 is controlled to an open state, and the valve 152 is controlled to a closed state. This allows the cleaning gas to fill the pipe 151 between the valve 152 and the sensor 150. This allows more ozone gas to reach the surface of the sensor 150, and organic films adhering to the sensor 150 can be removed efficiently. Note that when cleaning the sensor 150, a state in which the valve 152 is controlled to a closed state and the pipe 151 is filled with cleaning gas, and a state in which the valve 152 is controlled to an open state and the cleaning gas in the pipe 151 is exhausted may be repeated multiple times. This allows the ozone gas that contributed to removing the organic films adhering to the sensor 150 to be replaced in the pipe 151 with ozone gas supplied from the cleaning unit 160, and thus organic films adhering to the sensor 150 can be removed more efficiently.

[0068] (Third embodiment) In the first embodiment, the cleaning gas is supplied to the pipe 151. In contrast to this, in the present embodiment, the cleaning gas is also supplied to other parts through which the gas containing the mixed first and second monomers may pass, as shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus 10 according to the third embodiment.

[0069] In this embodiment, the cleaning gas is supplied to the pipe 125a via the pipe 163a and to the pipe 125b via the pipe 163b, thereby removing organic films adhering to the inner walls of the pipes 125a and 125b.

[0070] In this embodiment, the cleaning gas is supplied to the diffusion chamber 131 of the shower head 130 via the pipe 163c. This makes it possible to remove organic films adhering to the inner walls of the diffusion chamber 131 of the shower head 130.

[0071] In this embodiment, the cleaning gas is supplied to the exhaust pipe 106b between the APC valve 107 and the exhaust pump 108 via the pipe 163d. This makes it possible to remove organic films adhering to the inside of the exhaust pump 108 and the output side of the exhaust pump 108.

[0072] When a cleaning gas is supplied into the pipe 125a, the heater 170d may be controlled so that the temperature of the pipe 125a is lower than the temperature (e.g., 150°C) of the pipe 125a when an organic film is formed on the substrate W. When a cleaning gas is supplied into the pipe 125b, the heater 170e may be controlled so that the temperature of the pipe 125b is lower than the temperature (e.g., 150°C) of the pipe 125b when an organic film is formed on the substrate W. When a cleaning gas is supplied into the diffusion chamber 131, the heater 170c may be controlled so that the temperature of the diffusion chamber 131 is lower than the temperature (e.g., 150°C) of the diffusion chamber 131 when an organic film is formed on the substrate W. When a cleaning gas is supplied into the exhaust pump 108, the heater 170i may be controlled so that the temperature of the exhaust pump 108 is lower than the temperature (e.g., 150°C) of the exhaust pump 108 when an organic film is formed on the substrate W. This prevents the cleaning gas from being deactivated by thermal decomposition, which can reduce the efficiency of removing the organic film with the cleaning gas.

[0073] (Fourth embodiment) In the third embodiment, cleaning gas from one cleaning unit 160 is supplied to each portion through which a gas containing a first monomer and a second monomer may pass. In contrast, in the present embodiment, a cleaning unit is provided in each portion through which a gas containing a first monomer and a second monomer may pass, and cleaning gas is supplied from the corresponding cleaning unit. Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus 10 in the fourth embodiment.

[0074] 8, the film forming apparatus 10 includes cleaning units 160a to 160c in addition to the cleaning unit 160. The cleaning unit 160a supplies cleaning gas to the pipe 125a via the pipe 163a. ​​The cleaning unit 160a also supplies cleaning gas to the pipe 125b via the pipe 163b. This reduces the number of cleaning gas molecules that are deactivated before reaching the inner walls of the pipes 125a and 125b from the cleaning unit 160a. This allows organic films adhering to the inner walls of the pipes 125a and 125b to be efficiently removed.

[0075] Furthermore, the cleaning unit 160b supplies the cleaning gas to the diffusion chamber 131 via the pipe 163c. This reduces the number of cleaning gas molecules that are deactivated before reaching the inner wall of the diffusion chamber 131 from the cleaning unit 160b. This allows the organic film adhering to the inner wall of the diffusion chamber 131 to be removed efficiently.

[0076] Furthermore, the cleaning unit 160c supplies the cleaning gas to the exhaust pipe 106b between the APC valve 107 and the exhaust pump 108 via the pipe 163d. This reduces the number of cleaning gas molecules that are deactivated before reaching the exhaust pump 108 from the cleaning unit 160c. This makes it possible to efficiently remove organic films adhering to the inside of the exhaust pump 108 and the output side of the exhaust pump 108.

[0077] [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.

[0078] In the first and second embodiments described above, the cleaning unit 160 supplies, as a cleaning gas, for example, ozone gas or fluorine gas to the pipe 151 via the pipe 161, but the disclosed technology is not limited to this. In another embodiment, the cleaning unit 160 may convert a gas such as oxygen gas into plasma and supply radicals contained in the plasma to the pipe 151 via the pipe 161. Alternatively, radicals contained in the plasma generated by the RPU 140 may be supplied to the pipe 151 via another pipe.

[0079] Similarly, in the third embodiment described above, the cleaning unit 160 may convert a gas such as oxygen gas into plasma and supply radicals contained in the plasma to each part of the apparatus body 100. Alternatively, radicals contained in the plasma generated by the RPU 140 may be supplied to each part of the apparatus body 100 via other piping.

[0080] Similarly, in the fourth embodiment described above, the cleaning unit 160 and the cleaning units 160a to 160c may convert a gas such as oxygen gas into plasma and supply radicals contained in the plasma to each part of the apparatus body 100.

[0081] In each of the above-described embodiments, the sensor 150 is, for example, a pressure sensor, but the disclosed technology is not limited to this. The sensor 150 may be another sensor, such as a temperature sensor, as long as it is a sensor that can measure the state inside the processing vessel 109.

[0082] In the above-described embodiments, a polymer film having a urea bond has been described as an example of an organic film formed by vapor deposition polymerization. However, the disclosed technology is not limited to this, and the film formed by the film forming apparatus 10 may be any other film as long as it is a polymer organic film formed by vapor deposition polymerization. Another example of a polymer organic film formed by vapor deposition polymerization may be, for example, a polymer film having an imide bond. In this case, the first monomer is, for example, a carboxylic acid anhydride, and the second monomer is, for example, an amine.

[0083] 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]

[0084] G Gate Valve S P Processing Space W substrate 10 Film deposition equipment 100 Device body 101 Lower vessel 102 Exhaust duct 103 Exhaust port 104 Insulating material 105 Opening 106 Exhaust pipe 107 APC valve 108 Exhaust pump 109 Processing vessel 110 Support structure 111 Stages 112 Support part 115 Flow path 116 Piping 117 Bellows 118 flange 119 Lifting mechanism 120 Gas supply unit 121a Raw material source 121b Raw material supply source 121c Inert Gas Source 122 Vaporizer 123 MFC 124 Valve 125 Piping 130 shower head 131 Diffusion Chamber 132a Discharge port 132b opening 140 RPU 141 Piping 142 Valve 150 sensors 151 Piping 152 Valve 160 Cleaning Department 161 Piping 162 Valve 163 Piping 170 Heater 200 control device

Claims

1. a processing vessel in which a substrate is accommodated; a gas supply unit that supplies a gas of a first monomer and a gas of a second monomer into the processing chamber through a gas supply pipe to form an organic film on the substrate by vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer; a sensor connected to a space within the processing vessel via a first pipe and configured to measure a state within the processing vessel; a cleaning unit that removes an organic film attached to the sensor by supplying a cleaning gas to the sensor through a second pipe connected to the first pipe; Equipped with the first pipe and the second pipe are separate from the gas supply pipe and a third pipe between the processing vessel and an exhaust pump that exhausts gas from the processing vessel; the sensor is provided with a first heater that heats the sensor when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel; The first heater comprises: A film forming apparatus that controls the temperature of the sensor when the cleaning gas is supplied into the first pipe to be lower than the temperature of the sensor when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel.

2. a valve provided in the first pipe between a connection portion of the first pipe and the second pipe and the processing vessel; The valve is the first and second monomer gases are supplied into the processing vessel while being controlled to be in an open state; 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe is controlled to be in a closed state when the cleaning gas is supplied into the first pipe.

3. 3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a state in which the valve is controlled to a closed state and the first pipe is filled with the cleaning gas, and a state in which the valve is controlled to an open state and the cleaning gas in the first pipe is exhausted are repeated multiple times.

4. The cleaning unit includes:

4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning gas is supplied into the third pipe through a pipe disposed between the first pipe and the third pipe, thereby removing an organic film adhering to an inside of the exhaust pump.

5. the exhaust pump is provided with a second heater that heats the exhaust pump when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel; The second heater comprises:

5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the temperature of the exhaust pump when the cleaning gas is supplied into the third pipe is controlled to be lower than the temperature of the exhaust pump when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel.

6. The cleaning unit includes:

6. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning gas is supplied into the shower head through a pipe disposed between the first pipe and a shower head that supplies the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas into the processing chamber, thereby removing an organic film adhering to an inside of the shower head.

7. the shower head is provided with a third heater that heats the shower head when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel; The third heater is 7. The film formation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the temperature of the shower head when the cleaning gas is supplied into the shower head is controlled to be lower than the temperature of the shower head when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel.

8. The cleaning unit includes:

8. The film forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning gas is supplied into the fourth pipe via a pipe between the first pipe and a fourth pipe that supplies the gas of the first monomer to the shower head, and the cleaning gas is supplied into the fifth pipe via a pipe between the first pipe and a fifth pipe that supplies the gas of the second monomer to the shower head, thereby removing an organic film adhering to the fourth pipe and the fifth pipe.

9. the fourth pipe and the fifth pipe are provided with a fourth heater that heats the fourth pipe and the fifth pipe when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel; The fourth heater is 9. The film forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the temperatures of the fourth pipe and the fifth pipe when the cleaning gas is supplied into the fourth pipe and the fifth pipe are controlled to be lower than the temperatures of the fourth pipe and the fifth pipe when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel.

10. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor that measures a pressure inside the processing chamber.

11. 11. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first monomer is an isocyanate, the second monomer is an amine, and the organic film is a film of a polymer having a urea bond.

12. 12. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning gas is ozone gas.

13. a film-forming step of supplying a gas of a first monomer and a gas of a second monomer via a gas supply pipe into a processing vessel containing a substrate, thereby forming an organic film on the substrate by vapor deposition polymerization of the first monomer and the second monomer; a cleaning process for removing an organic film adhered to the sensor by supplying a cleaning gas to the sensor through a second pipe connected to a first pipe connecting the space within the processing vessel and the sensor for measuring a state within the processing vessel; Including, the first pipe and the second pipe are separate from the gas supply pipe and a third pipe between the processing vessel and an exhaust pump that exhausts gas from the processing vessel; the sensor is provided with a first heater that heats the sensor when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel; The first heater comprises: A film forming method in which the temperature of the sensor when the cleaning gas is supplied into the first pipe is controlled to be lower than the temperature of the sensor when the first monomer gas and the second monomer gas are supplied into the processing vessel.

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