Substrate processing apparatus, gas supply structure, substrate processing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and program

Abstract

Provided is a technology comprising: a processing chamber accommodating a substrate holder that holds a plurality of substrates; a plurality of gas supply sections arranged in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the substrates and extending from the outside of the processing chamber to the inside of the processing chamber, the plurality of gas supply sections including a first gas introduction portion for introducing a first gas, a second gas introduction portion for introducing a second gas, and a mixing portion for mixing the first gas and the second gas together; and an accommodation section disposed laterally of the processing chamber, extending in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the substrates, and accommodating the plurality of gas supply sections.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus, gas supply structure, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a gas supply structure, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a program.

[0002] As one step in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, for example, a process of forming a film on the surface of a substrate contained in a processing chamber by supplying a mixed gas containing a plurality of gases is sometimes performed (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2011-187884 A

[0004] However, when the mixed gas is supplied, the temperature of the mixed gas may vary among the substrates accommodated in the processing vessel, which may result in non-uniform film formation among the substrates.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique that enables uniform film formation between substrates.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a technology including: a processing chamber accommodating a substrate holder that holds a plurality of substrates; a plurality of gas supply units arranged in a direction parallel to surfaces of the substrates, extending from the outside of the processing chamber to the inside of the processing chamber, and including a first gas inlet unit that introduces a first gas, a second gas inlet unit that introduces a second gas, and a mixing unit that mixes the first gas and the second gas; and a storage unit arranged on the side of the processing chamber, extending in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the substrates, and accommodating the plurality of gas supply units.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to perform a film formation process uniformly between substrates.

[0008] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a substrate support unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a gas supply system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5(a) is an explanatory diagram illustrating a gas supply system for a third gas and a fourth gas, FIG. 5(b) is an explanatory diagram illustrating a gas supply system for a first gas, FIG. 5(c) is an explanatory diagram illustrating a gas supply system for a second gas, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a gas exhaust system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a controller of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a gas nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8(a) is a plan view of the gas nozzle, and FIGS. 8(b) and 8(c) are front views of the gas nozzle.

[0009] <One Aspect of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same or corresponding reference symbols, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Note that all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships between elements on the drawings, the ratios of elements, etc. do not necessarily match those in reality. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships between elements, the ratios of elements, etc. do not necessarily match between multiple drawings.

[0010] (1) Configuration of the Substrate Processing Apparatus The general configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus 200, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line α-α′ in FIG. 1. For ease of explanation, nozzle 225a as a first gas introduction section, nozzle 225b as a second gas introduction section, and nozzle 223 as a third gas introduction section are additionally shown. As shown in FIG. 2, nozzle 223 and nozzles 225a and 225b are arranged side-by-side. Herein, nozzle 223 is arranged at the center of housing 227 in the horizontal direction, with nozzles 225a and 225b arranged on either side of it. Hereinafter, nozzles 225a and 225b may be collectively referred to simply as nozzle 225. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between housing 227, heater 211, and distributor. For convenience of explanation, only the distribution unit 222 and the nozzle 223 are shown, and the distribution units 224a and 224b and the nozzles 225a and 225b are omitted.

[0011] Next, a specific description will be given. The substrate processing apparatus 200 has a housing 201, which is provided with a reaction tube storage chamber 206 and a transfer chamber 217. The reaction tube storage chamber 206 is disposed above the transfer chamber 217.

[0012] The reaction tube storage chamber 206 includes a cylindrical reaction tube 210 extending in the vertical direction, a heater 211 as a heating unit (furnace body) installed on the outer periphery of the reaction tube 210, a gas supply system 212 as a gas supply mechanism, and a gas exhaust system 213 as a gas exhaust mechanism. Here, the reaction tube 210 is also referred to as a processing chamber, and the space inside the reaction tube 210 is also referred to as a processing space. The reaction tube 210 is capable of storing a substrate support unit 300, which will be described later.

[0013] The heater 211 has a resistance heater provided on the inner surface facing the reaction tube 210, and a heat insulating section surrounding them. Therefore, the heater 211 is configured to be less affected by heat on the outside, i.e., the side not facing the reaction tube 210. A heater control section 211a is electrically connected to the resistance heater of the heater 211. By controlling the heater control section 211a, it is possible to control the on / off and heating temperature of the heater 211. The heater 211 is capable of heating a gas, which will be described later, to a temperature at which it can be thermally decomposed. The heater 211 is also called a process chamber heating section or a first heating section.

[0014] The reaction tube storage chamber 206 is provided with a reaction tube 210, an upstream rectifier 214, and a downstream rectifier 215. The gas supply unit may include the upstream rectifier 214. The gas exhaust unit may include the downstream rectifier 215.

[0015] The gas supply system 212 is provided upstream of the reaction tube 210 in the gas flow direction, and gas is supplied to the reaction tube 210 from the gas supply system 212. The gas exhaust system 213 is provided downstream of the reaction tube 210 in the gas flow direction, and gas inside the reaction tube 210 is exhausted from the gas exhaust system 213.

[0016] An upstream rectifier 214 for rectifying the flow of gas supplied from the gas supply system 212 is provided between the reaction tube 210 and the gas supply system 212. That is, the gas supply system 212 is adjacent to the upstream rectifier 214. In addition, a downstream rectifier 215 for rectifying the flow of gas exhausted from the reaction tube 210 is provided between the reaction tube 210 and the gas exhaust system 213. The lower end of the reaction tube 210 is supported by a manifold 216.

[0017] The reaction tube 210, the upstream rectifier 214, and the downstream rectifier 215 have a continuous structure and are made of a material such as quartz or SiC. These are made of a heat-transmitting member that transmits heat radiated from the heater 211. The heat from the heater 211 heats the substrate S and the gas.

[0018] The housing constituting the gas supply system 212 is made of metal, and the housing 227 which is part of the upstream rectifier 214 is made of quartz or the like. The gas supply system 212 and the housing 227 are separable and are fixed together via an O-ring 229. The housing 227 is connected to the connection part 206a on the side of the reaction tube 210.

[0019] The housing 227 extends in a direction different from that of the reaction tube 210 when viewed from the reaction tube 210 side, and is connected to a gas supply system 212, which will be described later. The heater 211 and the housing 227 are adjacent to each other at an adjacent portion 227b between the reaction tube 210 and the gas supply system 212. The adjacent portion is referred to as the adjacent portion 227b.

[0020] The gas supply system 212 is located further back than the adjacent section 227b when viewed from the reaction tube 210. The gas supply system 212 includes a distribution section 224a that can communicate with a gas supply pipe 261 (described later), a distribution section 224b that can communicate with a gas supply pipe 271, and a distribution section 222 that can communicate with a gas supply pipe 251. A plurality of nozzles 223 are provided downstream of the distribution section 222, a plurality of nozzles 225a are provided downstream of the distribution section 224a, and a plurality of nozzles 225b are provided downstream of the distribution section 224b. Each nozzle is arranged in a vertical direction. FIG. 1 illustrates the distribution section 222 and the nozzles 223. Next to the gas supply system 212, a housing section 290 is located to the side of the reaction tube 210, extending in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate S, and housing a gas nozzle 220 serving as a gas supply section (gas supply structure) (described later).

[0021] Each nozzle 223, 225a, 225b has a nozzle (described later) at its tip (opposite the side communicating with the distributors 222, 224a, 224b). Each nozzle 223, 225a, 225b supplies gas into the processing space through the nozzle at its tip. The nozzles 223, 225a, 225b and the nozzles communicating with them are provided in a gas nozzle 220 (described later).

[0022] As will be described later, the distributor 222 is also called a source gas distributor because it can distribute the source gas. The nozzle 223 supplies the source gas, so it is also called a source gas supply nozzle.

[0023] The distributors 224a and 224b are also called reactive gas distributors because they can distribute the reactive gas.The nozzles 225a and 225b are also called reactive gas supply nozzles because they supply the reactive gas.

[0024] The gas supply pipes 251, 261, and 271 supply different types of gases as will be described later.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the distribution section 222 is provided with a plurality of blow-out holes 222c. The blow-out holes 222c are arranged so as not to overlap in the vertical direction. The plurality of nozzles 223 are connected so that the blow-out holes 222c provided in the distribution section 222 communicate with the interior of each nozzle 223. The nozzles 223 are arranged vertically between partition plates 226 (described later) or between the housing 227 and the partition plate 226.

[0026] The distribution unit 222 includes a distribution structure 222a connected to the nozzle 223, and an inlet pipe 222b. The inlet pipe 222b is configured to communicate with a gas supply pipe 251 of the gas supply unit 250, which will be described later.

[0027] The distribution structure 222a is disposed on the inner side of the heater 211 when viewed from the reaction tube 210. Therefore, the distribution structure 222a is disposed at a position where it is less susceptible to the influence of the heater 211.

[0028] An upstream heater 228 capable of heating at a lower temperature than the heater 211 is provided around the gas supply system 212 and the housing 227. The upstream heater 228 is configured to include two heaters 228a and 228b. Specifically, the upstream heater 228a is provided around the surface of the housing 227, between the gas supply system 212 and the adjacent portion 227b. The upstream heater 228b is provided around the gas supply system 212. The upstream heater 228 is also referred to as an upstream heating unit or a second heating unit.

[0029] Here, the low temperature is, for example, a temperature at which the gas supplied to the distribution section 222 does not re-liquefy, and further, a temperature at which the gas remains in a low decomposition state.

[0030] Similar to the distribution unit 222, the distribution unit 224a includes a distribution structure 224c connected to the nozzle 225a and an inlet pipe 224e. The inlet pipe 224e is configured to communicate with a gas supply pipe 261 of the gas supply unit 260, which will be described later. The distribution unit 224a and the nozzle 225a are connected so that a hole 224g provided in the distribution unit 224a communicates with the interior of the nozzle 225a. Similar to the distribution unit 222, the distribution unit 224b includes a distribution structure 224d connected to the nozzle 225b and an inlet pipe 224f. The inlet pipe 224f is configured to communicate with a gas supply pipe 271 of the gas supply unit 270, which will be described later. The distribution unit 224b and the nozzle 225b are connected so that a hole 224h provided in the distribution unit 224b communicates with the interior of the nozzle 225b. The nozzles 225a and 225b are arranged at positions that are line-symmetrical with respect to the nozzle 223, for example.

[0031] In this way, by providing a distribution section and a nozzle for each gas to be supplied, it is possible to prevent the gases supplied from the gas supply pipes from being mixed in the gas distribution sections.

[0032] At least a portion of the upstream heater 228a is arranged parallel to the extension direction of the nozzle 223 and the nozzles 225a and 225b. At least a portion of the upstream heater 228b is arranged along the arrangement direction of the distribution section 222. In this manner, low temperatures can be maintained inside the nozzles and the distribution section.

[0033] A heater control unit 228 is electrically connected to the upstream heater 228. Specifically, a heater control unit 228c is connected to the upstream heater 228a, and a heater control unit 228d is connected to the upstream heater 228b. By controlling the heater control units 228c and 228d, it is possible to control the on / off and heating temperature of the heater 228. Note that, although the description has been given using two heater control units 228c and 228d, this is not limiting, and one heater control unit or three or more heater control units may be used as long as the desired temperature control is possible. Note that the upstream heater 228 is also referred to as a second heater.

[0034] The upstream heater 228 is detachable, and when separating the gas supply system 212 and the housing 227, it can be removed from the gas supply system 212 and the housing 227 in advance. Alternatively, it may be fixed to each location, and when separating the gas supply system 212 and the housing 227, the gas supply system 212 and the housing 227 may be separated while the heater remains fixed to the gas supply system 212 and the housing 227.

[0035] A metal cover 212a made of, for example, metal may be provided between the upstream heater 228a and the housing 227. By providing the metal cover 212a, heat generated from the upstream heater 228a can be efficiently supplied to the housing 227. In particular, since the housing 227 is made of quartz, heat loss is a concern, but providing the metal cover 212a can suppress heat loss. Therefore, excessive heating is not required, and the power supply to the heater 228 can be suppressed.

[0036] A metal cover 212b may be provided between the upstream heater 228b and the housing that constitutes the gas supply system 212. By providing the metal cover 212b, the heat generated by the upstream heater 228b can be efficiently supplied to the distribution section, thereby reducing the power supply to the upstream heater 228b.

[0037] The upstream rectifier 214 has a housing 227 and a partition plate 226. The portion of the partition plate 226 that faces the substrate S extends horizontally so that it is at least larger than the diameter of the substrate S. The horizontal direction here refers to the direction toward the side wall of the housing 227. Multiple partition plates 226 are arranged vertically within the housing 227. The partition plates 226 are fixed to the side wall of the housing 227 and are configured to prevent gas from moving beyond the partition plate 226 to adjacent areas below or above. By preventing gas from moving beyond the partition plate 226, the gas flow described below can be reliably formed.

[0038] The partition plates 226 have a continuous structure without holes. Each partition plate 226 is provided at a position corresponding to the substrate S. Nozzles 223 and nozzles 225a and 225b are provided between the partition plates 226 and between the partition plates 226 and the housing 227. In other words, at least the nozzles 223 and nozzles 225a and 225b are provided for each partition plate 226.

[0039] It is desirable that the distance between each partition plate 226 and the nozzle 223 arranged above it be the same. In other words, the nozzle 223 is configured to be positioned at the same height as the partition plate 226 or the housing 227 arranged below it. In this way, the distance from the tip of the nozzle 223 to the partition plate 226 can be made the same, so that the resolution on the substrate S can be made uniform among multiple substrates.

[0040] The gas blown out from the nozzles 223 and 225 is adjusted by the partition plate 226 and supplied to the surface of the substrate S. The partition plate 226 is extended horizontally and has a continuous structure without holes, so that the main flow of the gas is restricted from moving vertically and moves horizontally. Therefore, the pressure loss of the gas reaching each substrate S can be made uniform across the vertical direction.

[0041] In this embodiment, the diameter of the blowout holes 222 c provided in the distribution section 222 is configured to be smaller than the distance between the partition plates 226 or the distance between the housing 227 and the partition plate 226 .

[0042] The downstream rectification section 215 is configured so that when the substrate S is supported on the substrate support section 300, the ceiling is higher than the position of the substrate S arranged at the top, and the bottom is lower than the position of the substrate S arranged at the bottom of the substrate support section 300.

[0043] The downstream rectifying section 215 has a housing 231 and a partition plate 232. The portion of the partition plate 232 that faces the substrate S extends horizontally so that it is at least larger than the diameter of the substrate S. The horizontal direction here refers to the direction toward the side wall of the housing 231. Furthermore, multiple partition plates 232 are arranged vertically. The partition plates 232 are fixed to the side wall of the housing 231 and are configured to prevent gas from moving beyond the partition plate 232 to adjacent areas below or above. By preventing gas from moving beyond the partition plate 232, the gas flow described below can be reliably formed. A flange 233 is provided on the side of the housing 231 that comes into contact with the gas exhaust system 213.

[0044] The partition plates 232 have a continuous structure without holes. The partition plates 232 are provided at positions corresponding to the substrates S, respectively, corresponding to the partition plates 226. It is desirable that the corresponding partition plates 226 and 232 have the same height. Furthermore, when processing the substrates S, it is desirable to align the height of the substrates S with the heights of the partition plates 226 and 232. With this structure, gas supplied from each nozzle forms a flow passing over the partition plate 226, the substrate S, and the partition plate 232, as indicated by the arrows in the figure. At this time, the partition plate 232 extends horizontally and has a continuous structure without holes. With this structure, the pressure loss of the gas exhausted from each substrate S can be made uniform. Therefore, the gas flow passing through each substrate S is formed horizontally toward the gas exhaust system 213, while vertical flow is suppressed.

[0045] By providing the partition plates 226 and 232, the pressure loss can be made uniform in the vertical direction upstream and downstream of each substrate S, so that a horizontal gas flow can be reliably formed with vertical flow suppressed across the partition plate 226, over the substrate S, and across the partition plate 232.

[0046] The gas exhaust system 213 is provided downstream of the downstream rectifier 215. The gas exhaust system 213 is mainly composed of a housing 241 and a gas exhaust pipe connection part 242. A flange 243 is provided on the housing 241 on the downstream rectifier 215 side.

[0047] The gas exhaust system 213 communicates with the space in the downstream rectification section 215. The housings 231 and 241 have a continuous height. The ceiling of the housing 231 is configured to be at the same height as the ceiling of the housing 241, and the bottom of the housing 231 is configured to be at the same height as the bottom of the housing 241.

[0048] The gas that has passed through the downstream rectifying section 215 is exhausted from the exhaust hole 244. At this time, since the gas exhaust structure does not have a configuration such as a partition plate, a gas flow including a vertical direction is formed toward the gas exhaust hole.

[0049] The transfer chamber 217 is installed at the bottom of the reaction tube 210 via a manifold 216. In the transfer chamber 217, a vacuum transfer robot (not shown) places (mounts) the substrate S on a substrate holder (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a boat) 300, and the vacuum transfer robot also takes out the substrate S from the substrate holder 300.

[0050] The transfer chamber 217 can accommodate the substrate holder 300, the partition plate support part 310, and the vertical drive mechanism part 400 constituting the first drive part that drives the substrate holder 300 and the partition plate support part 310 (collectively referred to as the substrate holder) in the vertical and rotational directions. In Fig. 1, the substrate holder 300 is shown raised by the vertical drive mechanism part 400 and stored in the reaction tube.

[0051] Next, the substrate support unit will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 and 4. The substrate support unit is composed of at least a substrate holder 300, and transfers the substrate S using a vacuum transfer robot through the substrate loading port 149 inside the transfer chamber 217, and transports the transferred substrate S into the reaction tube 210 to perform processing to form a thin film on the surface of the substrate S. The substrate support unit may also include a partition plate support unit 310.

[0052] The partition plate support part 310 has a plurality of disk-shaped partition plates 314 fixed at a predetermined pitch to support posts 313 supported between a base 311 and a top plate 312. The substrate holder 300 has a plurality of support rods 315 supported by the base 311, and is configured so that a plurality of substrates S are supported at predetermined intervals by these support rods 315.

[0053] A plurality of substrates S are placed at predetermined intervals on the substrate holder 300 by a plurality of support rods 315 supported by a base 311. The plurality of substrates S supported by the support rods 315 are separated by disk-shaped partition plates 314 fixed (supported) at predetermined intervals on supports 313 supported by a partition plate support part 310. Here, the partition plates 314 are arranged above and / or below the substrates S.

[0054] The predetermined intervals between the multiple substrates S placed on the substrate holder 300 are the same as the vertical intervals between the partition plates 314 fixed to the partition plate support parts 310. The diameter of the partition plates 314 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the substrates S.

[0055] The boat 300 supports multiple substrates S, for example, five substrates S, in multiple stages in the vertical direction using multiple support rods 315. The base 311 and the multiple support rods 315 are formed of a material such as quartz or SiC. Note that, although an example in which five substrates S are supported on the boat 300 is shown here, this is not limiting. For example, the boat 300 may be configured to be able to support approximately 5 to 50 substrates S. Note that the partition plate 314 of the partition plate support portion 310 is also called a separator.

[0056] The partition plate support part 310 and the substrate holder 300 are driven by the vertical drive mechanism part 400 in the vertical direction between the reaction tube 210 and the transfer chamber 217, and in the rotational direction around the center of the substrate S supported by the substrate holder 300.

[0057] The vertical drive mechanism section 400 constituting the first drive section has, as drive sources, a vertical drive motor 410, a rotation drive motor 430, and a boat lifting mechanism 420 equipped with a linear actuator as a substrate holder lifting mechanism that drives the substrate holder 300 in the vertical direction.

[0058] Next, the gas supply system will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5(a) to 5(c). As shown in Figure 5(a), a gas supply pipe 251 is provided with, in order from the upstream direction, a fourth gas source 252, a mass flow controller (MFC) 253 which is a flow rate controller (flow rate control part), and a valve 254 which is an on-off valve. The fourth gas source 252 is a gas source of a fourth gas which is, for example, a source gas.

[0059] A fourth gas supply system 250 (also referred to as a source gas supply system) is mainly composed of a gas supply pipe 251, an MFC 253, and a valve 254. The gas supply pipe 251 is connected to an inlet pipe 222b of the distributor 222.

[0060] A gas supply pipe 255 is connected to the supply pipe 251 on the downstream side of the valve 254. The gas supply pipe 255 is provided with, in order from the upstream direction, an inert gas source 256, an MFC 257, and a valve 258 which is an on-off valve.

[0061] A third inert gas supply system is mainly composed of a gas supply pipe 255, an MFC 257, and a valve 258. In the substrate processing step, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas source 256 acts as a purge gas for purging gas remaining in the reaction tube 210. The third inert gas supply system may be added to the fourth gas supply system 250.

[0062] 5B, the gas supply pipe 261 is provided with, in order from the upstream direction, a first gas source 262, an MFC 263 which is a flow rate controller (flow rate control section), and an on-off valve 264. The gas supply pipe 261 is connected to an inlet pipe 224e of the distributor 224a. The first gas source 262 is a gas source for a first gas, which is, for example, a reactive gas.

[0063] The first gas supply system 260 is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 261 , the MFC 263 , and the valve 264 .

[0064] A gas supply pipe 265 is connected to the supply pipe 261 on the downstream side of the valve 264. An inert gas source 266, an MFC 267, and an on-off valve 268 are provided in this order from the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 265. An inert gas is supplied from the inert gas source 266.

[0065] A first inert gas supply system is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 265, the MFC 267, and the valve 268. In the substrate processing step, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas source 266 acts as a purge gas for purging gas remaining in the reaction tube 210. The first inert gas supply system may be added to the first gas supply system 260.

[0066] 5C, a second gas source 272, an MFC 273 which is a flow rate controller (flow rate control unit), and an on-off valve 274 are provided in this order from the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 271. The gas supply pipe 271 is connected to an inlet pipe 224f of the distributor 224b.

[0067] The second gas source 272 is a source of a second gas, for example, a reactive gas.

[0068] The second gas supply system 270 is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 271 , the MFC 273 , and the valve 274 .

[0069] A gas supply pipe 275 is connected to the supply pipe 271 on the downstream side of the valve 274. An inert gas source 276, an MFC 277, and an on-off valve 278 are provided in this order from the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 275. An inert gas is supplied from the inert gas source 276.

[0070] A second inert gas supply system is mainly composed of a gas supply pipe 275, an MFC 277, and a valve 278. In the substrate processing step, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas source 276 acts as a purge gas for purging gas remaining in the reaction tube 210. A second inert gas supply system may be added to the second gas supply system 270.

[0071] It is desirable that no obstruction that would hinder the flow of the supplied gas be disposed between the nozzle 223, nozzles 225a, 225b and the substrate S. In particular, no obstruction should be disposed between the nozzle 223 that supplies a gas containing silicon-silicon bonds and the substrate S.

[0072] If a structure that obstructs the gas flow is used, the gas may collide with the obstruction, increasing the partial pressure. This may result in excessive decomposition of the gas. This may increase gas consumption and reduce the amount of undecomposed gas supplied to the recessed portion, potentially resulting in failure to achieve the desired step coverage.

[0073] Therefore, it is desirable to avoid providing obstacles in order to prevent the pressure from rising to a level at which decomposition is promoted. Although it has been described here that no obstacles are provided, some degree of obstacles may be present as long as the pressure does not rise to a level at which decomposition is promoted.

[0074] Next, the exhaust system will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The exhaust system 280, which exhausts the atmosphere in the reaction tube 210, has an exhaust pipe 281 communicating with the reaction tube 210, and is connected to the housing 241 via an exhaust pipe connector 242.

[0075] 6 , a vacuum pump 284 serving as a vacuum exhaust device is connected to the exhaust pipe 281 via a valve 282 serving as an on-off valve and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 283 serving as a pressure regulator (pressure adjustment unit), so that the reaction tube 210 can be evacuated to a predetermined pressure (degree of vacuum). The vacuum pump 284 may be included in the exhaust system. The exhaust system 280 is also called a process chamber exhaust system.

[0076] Next, the controller will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The substrate processing apparatus 200 has a controller 600 that controls the operation of each part of the substrate processing apparatus 200.

[0077] 7 shows an outline of the controller 600. The controller 600, which is a control unit (control means), is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 601, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 602, a storage unit 603 as a storage unit, and an I / O port 604. The RAM 602, the storage unit 603, and the I / O port 604 are configured to be able to exchange data with the CPU 601 via an internal bus 605. Data transmission and reception within the substrate processing apparatus 200 is performed in accordance with instructions from a transmission / reception instruction unit 606, which is also one of the functions of the CPU 601.

[0078] The controller 600 is provided with a network transceiver 683 that is connected to the host device 670 via a network. The network transceiver 683 is capable of receiving information, such as processing history and processing schedule, relating to the substrates S stored in the pod 111 from the host device.

[0079] The storage unit 603 is configured by, for example, a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc. The storage unit 603 readably stores a control program for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus, a process recipe describing procedures and conditions for substrate processing, etc.

[0080] The process recipe functions as a program, which is a combination of procedures in a substrate processing step (described later) that are executed by the controller 600 to obtain a predetermined result. Hereinafter, the process recipe, control program, etc. are collectively referred to as simply a program. In this specification, the term "program" may refer to a process recipe alone, a control program alone, or both. The RAM 602 is configured as a memory area (work area) in which programs, data, etc. read by the CPU 601 are temporarily stored.

[0081] The I / O port 604 is connected to each component of the substrate processing apparatus 200. The CPU 601 is configured to read and execute a control program from the storage unit 603, and to read a process recipe from the storage unit 603 in response to an input of an operation command from the input / output device 681. The CPU 601 is configured to be able to control the substrate processing apparatus 200 in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe.

[0082] The CPU 601 includes a transmission / reception instruction unit 606. The controller 600 according to this embodiment can be configured by installing the program into a computer using an external storage device 682 (e.g., a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, an optical disk such as a DVD, a magneto-optical disk such as an MO, or a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory) that stores (records) the program. The means for supplying the program to the computer is not limited to supplying the program via the external storage device 682. For example, the program may be supplied via a communication means such as the Internet or a dedicated line, without going through the external storage device 682. The storage unit 603 and the external storage device 682 are configured as computer-readable recording media. Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to simply as recording media. In this specification, the term "recording medium" may refer to the storage unit 603 alone, the external storage device 682 alone, or both.

[0083] (2) Configuration of Gas Supply Unit (Gas Nozzle) Next, the general configuration of the gas nozzle 220 as a gas supply unit in which the nozzles 223, 225a, 225b, etc. are provided will be described with reference to Figures 8(a) to 8(c). Figures 8(a) to 8(c) are explanatory views of the gas nozzle 220, with Figure 8(a) being a plan view of the gas nozzle 220 and Figures 8(b) and 8(c) being front views of the gas nozzle 220.

[0084] The gas nozzles 220 are arranged in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrates S and are configured to extend from the outside of the reaction tube 210 into the interior of the reaction tube 210. A plurality of gas nozzles 220 are arranged in the vertical direction to correspond to each of the plurality of substrates S supported by the substrate holder 300. That is, the gas nozzles 220 are provided in the accommodation section 290 in multiple stages along the direction in which the substrates S are stacked, and are arranged between the partition plates 226 and between the partition plates 226 and the housing 227 in accordance with the vertical spacing of the plurality of substrates S. With this configuration, a plurality of substrates S can be processed individually and at the same time.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 8A, each of the plurality of gas nozzles 220 includes a nozzle 223 and nozzles 225a and 225b disposed on both sides of the nozzle 223, which are arranged side by side.

[0086] 8( a), each of the plurality of gas nozzles 220 is provided with a mixing section 295 at the tip side (the side of the reaction tube 210 for processing the substrate S) of the nozzles 223, 225a, and 225b, which mixes the first gas and the second gas introduced from the nozzle 225a and the nozzle 225b, respectively. The nozzles 225a and 225b are connected to a mixed gas outlet 225d, which ejects a mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas, via the mixing section 295. As a result, the mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas mixed in the mixing section 295 is ejected from the mixed gas outlet 225d toward the substrate S supported by the substrate holder 300.

[0087] 8(a) to 8(c), a gas holding section 296 through which the third gas and the fourth gas introduced from the nozzle 223 pass (temporarily holds) is provided above the mixing section 295 and on the tip side of the nozzle 223 (on the side of the reaction tube 210 where the substrate S is processed). Because the mixing section 295 is provided at a position separate from the nozzle 223, the third gas and the fourth gas introduced into the nozzle 223 do not move to the mixing section 295, and the third gas and the fourth gas are not mixed with the first gas and the second gas in the mixing section 295. The tip side of the gas holding section 296 (on the side of the reaction tube 210 where the substrate S is processed) is connected to the third gas outlet 223b via the third gas branch path 223a. As a result, the third gas supplied through the nozzle 223 is ejected from the third gas outlet 223b toward the substrate S supported by the substrate holder 300.

[0088] Both the mixed gas outlet 225d and the third outlet 223b are provided on the end face of the gas nozzle 220. Specifically, as shown in Figures 8(b) and 8(c), on the end face of the gas nozzle 220, the mixed gas outlet 225d is provided on the lower side in the vertical direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate S; hereinafter, this direction will be simply referred to as the "vertical direction"), which is the loading direction of the substrates S. In contrast, the third outlet 223b is provided on the upper side in the vertical direction. Therefore, the mixed gas outlet 225d ejects the mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas on the lower side in the vertical direction, and the third outlet 223b ejects the third gas on the upper side in the vertical direction.

[0089] In this gas nozzle 220, the nozzles 225a, 225b, the mixing section 295, and the mixed gas outlet 225d constitute a mixed gas supply flow path that supplies a mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas to the vertically downward side. The tip sides of the nozzles 225a, 225b are each configured to bend vertically downward near the mixing section 295, thereby forming a mixed gas supply flow path that supplies a mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas to the vertically downward side. Furthermore, the nozzle 223, the third gas branch path 223a, and the third outlet 223b constitute a third gas supply flow path that supplies a third gas to the vertically upward side.

[0090] As shown in Fig. 8(a), the third gas branch passage 223a constituting the third gas supply flow path is formed so as to branch the gas flow from the nozzle 223 into multiple (e.g., three) flows. As a result, as shown in Fig. 8(b) and Fig. 8(c), multiple (e.g., three) third jet ports 223b are provided along a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction (hereinafter, this direction will be simply referred to as the "horizontal direction") (i.e., positioned side-by-side). All of the multiple third jet ports 223b have the same shape, e.g., are formed in a circular shape.

[0091] The mixed gas outlet 225d opens in the horizontal direction relative to the substrate S, and may be configured, for example, as shown in Fig. 8(b) by a single slit shape (horizontally elongated shape) whose longitudinal direction extends horizontally, or may be configured, for example, as shown in Fig. 8(c) by a plurality of circular holes arranged in the horizontal direction.

[0092] (3) Procedure of the semiconductor device manufacturing process (substrate processing process) Next, as one step of the semiconductor manufacturing process, a step of forming a thin film on the substrate S using the substrate processing apparatus 200 having the above-described configuration will be described. In the following description, the operation of each part of the substrate processing apparatus is controlled by the controller 600.

[0093] Here, a film formation process will be described in which a film is formed on a substrate S by alternately supplying the third gas, the first gas, and the second gas.

[0094] (Transfer Chamber Pressure Adjustment Process) Here, the pressure inside the transfer chamber 217 is adjusted to the same level as the vacuum transfer chamber 140. Specifically, an exhaust system (not shown) connected to the transfer chamber 217 is activated to exhaust the atmosphere inside the transfer chamber 217 to a vacuum level.

[0095] The heater 282 may be operated in parallel with this step. Specifically, the heater 282 a and the heater 282 b may be operated separately. When the heater 282 is operated, it is operated at least during the film treatment step 208 described later.

[0096] (Substrate Loading Process) Once the transfer chamber 217 has reached a vacuum level, the transfer of the substrate S begins. When the substrate S arrives at the vacuum transfer chamber 140, a gate valve (not shown) adjacent to the substrate loading port 149 is opened, and the substrate S is loaded into the transfer chamber 217 from the adjacent vacuum transfer chamber (not shown).

[0097] At this time, the substrate holder 300 is placed on standby in the transfer chamber 217, and the substrates S are transferred to the substrate holder 300. When a predetermined number of substrates S have been transferred to the substrate holder 300, the vacuum transfer robot is retracted to the housing 141, and the substrate holder 300 is raised to move the substrates S into the reaction tube 210.

[0098] When the substrate S is moved to the reaction tube 210 , it is positioned so that the surface of the substrate S is flush with the height of the partition plates 226 and 232 .

[0099] (Heating Step) After the substrate S is carried into the reaction tube 210, the pressure inside the reaction tube 210 is controlled to be a predetermined pressure, and the heater 211 is controlled to maintain the processing temperature at a predetermined temperature.

[0100] (Membrane Treatment Step) In the membrane treatment step S208, the following steps a and b are executed in sequence.

[0101] [Step a] In step a, a source gas as a fourth gas is supplied to the substrate S in the reaction tube 210 .

[0102] Specifically, the valve 254 is opened to allow the fourth gas to flow into the gas supply pipe 251. The flow rate of the fourth gas is adjusted by the MFC 253, and the fourth gas is supplied into the reaction tube 210 via the nozzle 223 and then exhausted. At this time, the fourth gas is supplied to the substrate S from the side of the substrate S (fourth gas supply). At this time, the valves 268 and 278 are opened to supply an inert gas into the reaction tube 210 via the nozzles 255 a and 255 b, respectively.

[0103] Examples of the processing conditions in this step include: processing temperature: 250 to 550° C., preferably 400 to 500° C. processing pressure: 100 to 4000 Pa, preferably 100 to 1000 Pa fourth gas supply flow rate: 0.1 to 3 slm fourth gas supply time: 1 to 100 seconds, preferably 1 to 30 seconds inert gas supply flow rate (per gas supply pipe): 0 to 10 slm

[0104] In this specification, when a numerical range such as "250 to 550°C" is expressed, it means that the lower limit and upper limit are included in the range. Therefore, for example, "250 to 550°C" means "250°C or higher and 550°C or lower." The same applies to other numerical ranges. In this specification, the processing temperature means the temperature of the substrate S or the temperature inside the reaction tube 210, and the processing pressure means the pressure inside the reaction tube 210. In addition, a gas supply flow rate of 0 slm means that the gas is not supplied. These also apply to the following explanations.

[0105] By supplying, for example, a chlorosilane-based gas as the fourth gas (source gas) to the substrate S under the above conditions, a Si-containing layer containing Cl is formed on the outermost surface of the substrate S as a base. The Si-containing layer containing Cl is formed on the outermost surface of the substrate S by physical adsorption or chemical adsorption of molecules of the chlorosilane-based gas, physical adsorption or chemical adsorption of molecules of a substance formed by partial decomposition of the chlorosilane-based gas, or deposition of Si due to thermal decomposition of the chlorosilane-based gas. The Si-containing layer containing Cl may be an adsorption layer (physical adsorption layer or chemical adsorption layer) of molecules of the chlorosilane-based gas or molecules of a substance formed by partial decomposition of the chlorosilane-based gas, or may be a deposition layer of Si containing Cl. In this specification, the Si-containing layer containing Cl will also be simply referred to as a Si-containing layer.

[0106] In this embodiment, when supplying the fourth gas to the substrate S, the inert gas is supplied from the mixed gas outlet 225d extending horizontally (arranged horizontally), thereby assisting in spreading the fourth gas to the left and right, and enabling the fourth gas to be supplied uniformly across the surface of the substrate S.

[0107] After the Si-containing layer is formed, the valve 254 is closed to stop the supply of the fourth gas into the reaction tube 210. Then, the reaction tube 210 is evacuated to remove gases remaining in the reaction tube 210 (purging). At this time, the valves 268 and 278 are left open, and an inert gas is supplied into the reaction tube 210. The inert gas acts as a purge gas. Here, the inert gas is, for example, nitrogen (N ２ Inert gases include argon (Ar) gas, helium (He) gas, neon (Ne) gas, and xenon (Xe) gas. One or more of these gases can be used as the inert gas.

[0108] [Step b] After step a is completed, the first gas and the second gas (reaction gas) are excited into a plasma state and supplied to the substrate S in the reaction tube 210, i.e., the Si-containing layer formed on the substrate S.

[0109] Specifically, valves 264 and 274 are opened to allow a first gas and a second gas to flow into gas supply pipes 261 and 271, respectively. The flow rates of the first gas and the second gas are adjusted by MFCs 263 and 273, respectively, and the gases are supplied into the reaction tube 210 via nozzles 255a and 255b (first gas and second gas supply). At this time, the first gas and the second gas supplied into the reaction tube 210 are excited into a plasma state using a plasma generating unit (not shown). At this time, valve 258 is opened to supply an inert gas as a third gas into the reaction tube 210 via nozzle 223.

[0110] Examples of processing conditions in this step include: processing temperature: 200 to 900°C, preferably 300 to 850°C, and more preferably 400 to 750°C; processing pressure: 13 to 400 Pa; first gas supply flow rate: 0.001 to 10 slm; first gas supply time: 10 to 600 seconds, preferably 1 to 50 seconds; second gas supply flow rate: 0.001 to 5 slm; second gas supply time: 10 to 600 seconds, preferably 1 to 50 seconds; inert gas supply flow rate (per gas supply pipe): 0 to 10 slm; RF power: 100 to 1000 W; RF frequency: 13.56 MHz or 27.12 MHz.

[0111] Under the above-described conditions, a first gas, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas, and a second gas, for example, an oxygen-containing gas, are excited into a plasma state and supplied to the substrate S, whereby at least a portion of the Si-containing layer formed on the substrate S is oxidized (modified). As a result, a silicon oxide layer (SiO layer) containing Si and O is formed on the top surface of the substrate S as a base. When the SiO layer is formed, impurities such as Cl contained in the Si-containing layer constitute a gaseous substance containing at least Cl during the process of the modification reaction of the Si-containing layer by the first gas and the second gas, and are discharged from the reaction tube 210. As a result, the SiO layer contains fewer impurities such as Cl than the Si-containing layer formed in step a. Here, the first gas is, for example, hydrogen (H ２ ) gas and deuterium ( ２ H ２ ) gas, etc. can be used. As the first gas, one or more of these can be used. Furthermore, as the second gas, for example, O ２ Gas, ozone (O ３ ) gas, hydrogen peroxide (H ２ O ２ ) gas, water vapor (H ２ As the second gas, one or more of these gases can be used.

[0112] As described above, the gas nozzle 220 is provided with the mixing section 295 that mixes the first gas and the second gas introduced from the nozzle 225 a and the nozzle 225 b, respectively. This allows the generation of oxide film formation contributing molecules such as H radicals and O radicals in the mixing section 295 before the first gas and the second gas reach the substrate S, thereby ensuring a high film formation rate.

[0113] As described above, the shape of the mixed gas outlet 225d that ejects the mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas is configured as a horizontally wide slit shape (horizontally elongated shape) or multiple round holes arranged horizontally, so that the mixed gas can be supplied uniformly across the surface of the substrate S.

[0114] If the treatment temperature is less than 200°C, the amount of H radicals and O radicals generated may be insufficient. By setting the treatment temperature to 200°C or higher, a sufficient amount of H radicals and O radicals can be generated, making it possible to form a SiO layer. By setting the treatment temperature to 300°C or higher, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained reliably. By setting the treatment temperature to 400°C or higher, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained more reliably.

[0115] If the processing temperature exceeds 900°C, the temperature inside the reaction tube 210 may tend to rise, which may result in ignition. By setting the processing temperature to 900°C or less, it is possible to suppress ignition. By setting the processing temperature to 850°C or less, the above-mentioned effects can be reliably obtained. By setting the processing temperature to 750°C or less, the above-mentioned effects can be more reliably obtained.

[0116] Furthermore, if the processing pressure is 13 Pa, the amount of H radicals and O radicals generated may be insufficient. By setting the processing pressure to 13 Pa or higher, a sufficient amount of H radicals and O radicals can be generated, making it possible to form a SiO layer.

[0117] If the processing pressure exceeds 400 Pa, the temperature inside the reaction tube 210 may tend to rise, which may result in ignition. By keeping the processing pressure at 400 Pa or less, it is possible to suppress ignition.

[0118] In this embodiment, the first gas and the second gas are mixed in the mixing section 295 immediately before being supplied to the substrate S. Therefore, even if the inside of the reaction tube 210 is at high temperature and pressure, the residence time of the mixed gas can be shortened, thereby preventing ignition inside the reaction tube 210.

[0119] Furthermore, if the supply flow rate ratio of the first gas to the second gas (flow rate of the second gas / flow rate of the first gas) is less than 0.2, the amount of H radicals and O radicals generated may be insufficient. By setting the ratio of the flow rate of the second gas to the flow rate of the first gas to 0.2 or more, sufficient amounts of H radicals and O radicals can be generated, making it possible to form a SiO layer. By setting this ratio to 0.5 or more, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained reliably. By setting this ratio to 1.0 or more, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained more reliably.

[0120] If the ratio of the flow rate of the second gas to the flow rate of the first gas exceeds 30, the temperature inside the reaction tube 210 may tend to be high, which may result in ignition. By setting the ratio to 30 or less, it is possible to suppress ignition. By setting the ratio to 20 or less, the above-mentioned effect can be reliably obtained. By setting the ratio to 10 or less, the above-mentioned effect can be more reliably obtained.

[0121] After the SiO layer is formed, the valves 264 and 274 are closed to stop the supply of the first gas and the second gas into the reaction tube 210. The supply of RF power to the electrodes (not shown) is also stopped. Then, gases remaining in the reaction tube 210 are removed from the reaction tube 210 (purging) using a procedure similar to that of purging in step a.

[0122] [Performing the Cycle a Predetermined Number of Times] By performing the above-described steps a and b asynchronously, i.e., non-synchronized, a predetermined number of times (n times, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1), a film of a predetermined thickness, such as a silicon oxide film (SiO film), can be formed on the surface of the substrate S as a base. It is preferable to repeat the above-described cycle multiple times. That is, it is preferable to make the thickness of the SiO layer formed per cycle thinner than the desired film thickness, and to repeat the above-described cycle multiple times until the thickness of the SiO film formed by stacking the SiO layers reaches the desired thickness.

[0123] (Substrate Unloading Step) In this step, the processed substrate S is unloaded from the transfer chamber 217 in the reverse order to the substrate loading step described above.

[0124] Although the gas flow formation is described as horizontal in the above, it is sufficient that the main gas flow is formed in a horizontal direction overall, and the gas flow may be diffused in a vertical direction as long as it does not affect the uniform processing of multiple substrates.

[0125] (4) Effects of the Embodiment According to the present embodiment, one or more of the following effects can be obtained.

[0126] (a) The multiple gas nozzles 220 are arranged in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate S, extend from the outside of the reaction tube 210 to the inside of the reaction tube 210, and include a nozzle 225a for introducing a first gas, a nozzle 225b for introducing a second gas, and a mixer 295 for mixing the first gas and the second gas. The mixed gas ejected from the multiple gas nozzles 220 configured in this manner can be introduced parallel to the surface of the substrate S. This makes it possible to suppress variations in the heating temperature of the mixed gas, make it possible to match the heating conditions, and make the film formation process uniform between substrates.

[0127] By providing a mixing section 295 for mixing the first gas and the second gas inside the gas nozzle 220, which is arranged in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate S and configured to extend from the outside of the reaction tube 210 into the inside of the reaction tube 210, it is possible to supply a mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas to the substrate S. In this way, by supplying a mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas to the substrate S rather than mixing the first gas and the second gas on the substrate S, it is possible to generate oxide film formation contributing molecules such as H radicals and O radicals before the gas reaches the substrate S, thereby improving the film formation rate.

[0128] (b) The mixing section 295, which includes the mixed gas outlet 225d for ejecting the mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas, is provided on the side of the reaction tube 210 where the substrate S is processed, thereby shortening the residence time of the mixed gas in the reaction tube 210. This makes it possible to prevent ignition even if the reaction tube 210 is exposed to high temperature and high pressure.

[0129] (c) The gas nozzle 220 is provided with a nozzle 223 that introduces an inert gas as a third gas. Therefore, when the first gas and the second gas are supplied from the nozzles 225 a and 225 b, the inert gas is supplied from the nozzle 223, thereby preventing the first gas and the second gas from flowing back into the nozzle 223.

[0130] (d) Since nozzle 223 is disposed between nozzle 225a and nozzle 225b, for example, when a raw material gas is supplied as a fourth gas from nozzle 223, an inert gas can be supplied from nozzles 225a and 225b to assist in widely supplying the fourth gas in the left-right direction.

[0131] (e) Since the mixing section 295 is provided at a position separate from the nozzle 223, the third gas and the fourth gas introduced into the nozzle 223 do not move to the mixing section 295, and it is possible to prevent the third gas and the fourth gas from being mixed with the first gas and the second gas in the mixing section 295.

[0132] (f) The mixed gas outlet 225d opens horizontally to the substrate S and is configured as a single slit shape (horizontally elongated shape) whose longitudinal direction extends horizontally, or a plurality of holes arranged horizontally, thereby enabling a film to be formed uniformly on the surface of the substrate S without generating vortices.

[0133] (g) By providing the gas nozzles 220 in multiple stages in the storage section 290 in the direction in which the multiple substrates S are stacked, gas can be supplied to each of the multiple substrates S individually, making it possible to uniformly process each of the multiple substrates S within its surface.

[0134] Other Aspects of the Present Disclosure The above describes specific aspects of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above aspects and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0135] In the above-described embodiment, the mixed gas outlet 225d is formed by arranging a plurality of slit-shaped or circular holes in a horizontal direction, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the mixed gas outlet 225d may be formed by arranging a plurality of triangular or polygonal holes in a horizontal direction.

[0136] In the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which a film is formed on a substrate S using the first gas, the second gas, and the fourth gas in the film formation process performed by the substrate processing apparatus, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. That is, other types of gases may be used as the process gases used in the film formation process to form other types of thin films.

[0137] In the above embodiment, the fourth gas is HCDS gas as an example, but is not limited to HCDS gas as long as it contains silicon and has a Si-Si bond. For example, tetrachlorodimethyldisilane ((CH ３ ) ２ Si ２ Cl ４ , abbreviated as TCDMDS) and dichlorotetramethyldisilane ((CH ３ ) ４ Si ２ Cl ２ , abbreviated as DCTMDS) may also be used.

[0138] In the above-described embodiment, the reaction state of the mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas can be changed by changing the volume of the mixing section 295, so that the desired mixed gas can be supplied relatively easily.

[0139] In the above-described aspects, a film formation process is used as an example of a process performed by a substrate processing apparatus, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is, the present disclosure can be applied to other substrate processes, such as annealing, diffusion, oxidation, nitriding, and lithography, in addition to film formation, as long as the process involves supplying gas to the substrate to be processed. Furthermore, the present disclosure can also be applied to other substrate processing apparatuses, such as annealing, etching, oxidation, nitriding, exposure, coating, drying, heating, and plasma-based processing apparatuses. The present disclosure may also incorporate a mixture of these apparatuses. Furthermore, some of the configurations of the above-described aspects may be added to, removed from, or replaced with other configurations.

[0140] It is preferable that the recipes used for each process are individually prepared according to the process content and stored in the storage device 603 via an electric communication line or an external storage device 682. Then, when starting each process, it is preferable that the CPU 601 appropriately selects an appropriate recipe according to the process content from among the multiple recipes stored in the storage device 603. This makes it possible to form films with various film types, composition ratios, film qualities, and film thicknesses with good reproducibility using a single substrate processing apparatus. It also reduces the burden on the operator, and enables each process to be started quickly while avoiding operational errors.

[0141] The above-mentioned recipes may not necessarily be newly created, but may be prepared by modifying an existing recipe already installed in the substrate processing apparatus. When modifying a recipe, the modified recipe may be installed in the substrate processing apparatus via an electric communication line or a recording medium on which the modified recipe is recorded. Alternatively, an existing recipe already installed in the substrate processing apparatus may be directly modified by operating the input / output device 122 provided in the existing substrate processing apparatus.

[0142] In the above-described various aspects and modifications, examples of forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time have been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described various aspects and modifications, and can be suitably applied, for example, to cases where a film is formed using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time. Furthermore, in the above-described various aspects and modifications, examples of forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall processing furnace have been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described various aspects and modifications, and can be suitably applied to cases where a film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall processing furnace.

[0143] Even when using these substrate processing apparatuses, each process can be performed using the same processing procedures and conditions as those in the various aspects and variations described above, and the same effects as those in the various aspects and variations described above can be obtained.

[0144] The various aspects and modifications described above can be used in appropriate combinations, and the processing procedures and processing conditions in such combinations can be, for example, the same as those in the various aspects and modifications described above.

[0145] S...substrate, 300...substrate holder, 210...reaction tube (processing chamber), 220...gas nozzle (gas supply structure), storage section...290, 295...mixing section, 223, 225a, 225b...nozzles

Claims

1. a processing chamber containing a substrate holder for holding a plurality of substrates; a plurality of gas supply units arranged in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, extending from the outside of the processing chamber to the inside of the processing chamber, each unit including a first gas inlet that introduces a first gas, a second gas inlet that introduces a second gas, and a mixer that mixes the first gas and the second gas; an accommodation unit disposed at a side of the processing chamber and extending in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, the accommodation unit accommodating the plurality of gas supply units; A substrate processing apparatus having:

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mixing section is provided on the side of a processing chamber where the substrate is processed.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas supply unit includes a third gas inlet unit that introduces a third gas.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the third gas inlet is disposed between the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the mixing section is provided at a position separated from the third gas introduction section.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas supply unit includes a mixed gas outlet for supplying the gas mixed in the mixer.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the mixed gas outlet is open in a horizontal direction relative to the substrate.

8. 7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the mixed gas outlet is composed of a plurality of holes.

9. 7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the mixed gas outlet is configured in a slit shape.

10. the first gas is a hydrogen-containing gas; 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas is an oxygen-containing gas.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the third gas is an inert gas.

12. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a fourth gas different from the third gas can be supplied to the third gas inlet portion.

13. 13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein an inert gas can be supplied to the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet when the fourth gas is supplied.

14. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing chamber accommodates a substrate holder for holding a stack of the substrates.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the gas supply units are accommodated in the accommodation unit in multiple stages in a direction in which the substrates are stacked.

16. 13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: a plurality of gas supply units inserted into the accommodation unit so as to be able to supply a mixed gas of the first gas and the second gas to each of the plurality of substrates in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the substrates in accordance with the vertical spacing of the plurality of substrates, and configured to extend from outside the processing chamber into the processing chamber.

17. a gas supply structure disposed in a direction parallel to a surface of a substrate, extending from the outside of a processing chamber for processing the substrate to the inside of the processing chamber, the gas supply structure comprising: a first gas inlet portion for introducing a first gas; a second gas inlet portion for introducing a second gas; and a mixing portion for mixing the first gas and the second gas.

18. A process of accommodating the substrate holder in a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus having: a processing chamber accommodating a substrate holder that loads and holds a plurality of substrates; a plurality of gas supply units arranged in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrates and extending from the outside of the processing chamber to the inside of the processing chamber and including a first gas inlet unit that introduces a first gas, a second gas inlet unit that introduces a second gas, and a mixing unit that mixes the first gas and the second gas; and a storage unit arranged on the side of the processing chamber and extending in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrates and accommodating the plurality of gas supply units; supplying a mixture of the first gas and the second gas to the plurality of substrates; A substrate processing method comprising:

19. a step of accommodating the substrate holder in a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus having: a processing chamber accommodating a substrate holder that holds a stack of substrates; a plurality of gas supply units that are arranged in a direction parallel to surfaces of the substrates, extend from the outside of the processing chamber into the interior of the processing chamber, and include a first gas inlet that introduces a first gas, a second gas inlet that introduces a second gas, and a mixer that mixes the first gas and the second gas; and a housing unit that is arranged on a side of the processing chamber and extends in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the substrates, and accommodates the plurality of gas supply units; supplying a mixture of the first gas and the second gas to the plurality of substrates; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having the above structure.

20. a step of accommodating the substrate holder in a substrate processing apparatus having: a processing chamber accommodating a substrate holder that holds a stack of substrates; a plurality of gas supply units that are arranged in a direction parallel to surfaces of the substrates and extend from the outside of the processing chamber to the inside of the processing chamber and include a first gas inlet that introduces a first gas, a second gas inlet that introduces a second gas, and a mixer that mixes the first gas and the second gas; and a housing unit that is arranged on a side of the processing chamber and extends in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the substrates and accommodates the plurality of gas supply units; supplying a mixture of the first gas and the second gas to the plurality of substrates; A program for causing a computer to execute the above in the substrate processing apparatus.