Processing unit, substrate processing device, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Abstract

Provided is a technology comprising a supply part for supplying gas, and a plurality of exhaust ports for exhausting the gas, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports include: a first exhaust port provided in a direction opposing the supply part; a second exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting a straight line extending from the supply part to the first exhaust port, and configured such that an angle formed by the intersecting straight line and the straight line extending from the supply part to the first exhaust port is less than 90°; and a third exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting the straight line extending from the supply part to the first exhaust port, and configured such that an angle formed by the intersecting straight line and the straight line extending from the supply part to the first exhaust port is 90° or more.

Description

Processing section, substrate processing apparatus and semiconductor device manufacturing method

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

[0002] As one step in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a substrate processing step may be performed in which a processing gas (e.g., a raw material gas, a reactive gas, etc.) is supplied to a substrate to form a film on the substrate, and a large amount of processing gas accumulated in a tank is supplied all at once in a very short period of time (see, for example, Patent Publication No. 2022-085236).

[0003] The present disclosure provides techniques that can improve the uniformity of gas flow over the surface of a substrate.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a technology having a supply unit that supplies a gas and a plurality of exhaust ports that exhaust the gas, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports include: a first exhaust port that is arranged in a direction facing the supply unit; a second exhaust port that is arranged on a line that intersects with a line extending from the supply unit to the first exhaust port, and the angle that the line forms with the line extending from the supply unit to the first exhaust port is less than 90°; and a third exhaust port that is arranged on a line that intersects with a line extending from the supply unit to the first exhaust port, and the angle that the line forms with the line extending from the supply unit to the first exhaust port is 90° or more.

[0005] According to the present disclosure, the uniformity of the gas flow over the substrate surface can be improved.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, partially cut along a vertical plane along the depth direction. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1, partially cut along a horizontal direction, illustrating the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an inner tube of a processing vessel of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the outer tube side. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the flow of source gas inside a cylindrical portion in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of a control unit of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0007] <Aspects of the Present Disclosure> Below, aspects of the present disclosure will be described mainly with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Note that all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships between elements, the ratios of elements, etc. shown in the drawings 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.

[0008] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified in the specification, each element is not limited to one, and may be present in plural. Furthermore, in the drawings, substantially identical elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations in the specification will be omitted.

[0009] <Overall Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus> First, the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure will be described. Note that in each of Figures 1 to 6, the up-down direction H of the apparatus indicates the vertical direction, the width direction W of the apparatus indicates the horizontal direction, and the depth direction D of the apparatus indicates the horizontal direction.

[0010] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a control unit 280 that controls each unit and a processing furnace 202. The processing furnace 202 has a heater 207 as a heating means. The heater 207 is cylindrical and is installed in the vertical direction of the apparatus by being supported on a heater base (not shown). The heater 207 also functions as an activation mechanism that thermally activates the processing gas. The control unit 280 will be described in detail later.

[0011] A reaction tube 203 constituting a processing vessel is arranged upright inside the heater 207 and concentrically with the heater 207. The reaction tube 203 is made of, for example, quartz (SiO ２ ) or silicon carbide (SiC) or other heat-resistant material.

[0012] 2, the reaction tube 203 has a cylindrical inner tube 12 as a processing section, and a cylindrical outer tube 14 provided outside the inner tube 12 so as to surround the inner tube 12. That is, the outer tube 14 and the inner tube 12 constitute the reaction tube 203. The outer tube 14 surrounds the inner tube 12, thereby forming a gap as an exhaust space S between the inner tube 12 and the outer tube 14. The inner tube 12 is disposed concentrically with the outer tube 14. The inner tube 12 is an example of a tubular member.

[0013] The inner tube 12 has a cylindrical sidewall that is covered at the top and accommodates multiple substrates inside. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the inner tube 12 is formed in a ceiling-like shape with an open lower end and a closed upper end with a flat wall. The outer tube 14 is also formed in a ceiling-like shape with an open lower end and a closed upper end with a flat wall. Note that, in the present disclosure, it is not essential that the inner tube 12 accommodate multiple substrates.

[0014] 2, a supply buffer 222 is formed as a supply unit (also referred to as a nozzle chamber) in the exhaust space S formed between the inner pipe 12 and the outer pipe 14. That is, the supply buffer 222 is a supply space in which a nozzle is disposed as a supply (hereinafter also referred to as a supply pipe) that supplies a processing gas to the inside of the inner pipe 12. The supply unit 222 is also included in the processing unit. The supply buffer 222 will be described in detail later.

[0015] 1, a processing chamber 201 is formed inside the inner tube 12 as a processing space for processing wafers 200 as substrates. The processing chamber 201 is also capable of accommodating a boat 217, which is an example of a holder capable of holding the wafers 200 in a horizontal position and aligned vertically in multiple stages, and the inner tube 12 surrounds the accommodated wafers 200. The plurality of wafers 200 are arranged inside the inner tube 12 along the axial direction of the inner tube 12. Details of the inner tube 12 will be described later.

[0016] The lower end of the reaction tube 203 is supported by a cylindrical manifold 226. The manifold 226 is made of a metal such as a nickel alloy or stainless steel, or is made of a material such as SiO ２The manifold 226 is made of a heat-resistant material such as silicon carbide (SiC) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). A flange is formed at the upper end of the manifold 226, and the lower end of the outer tube 14 is placed on this flange. An airtight member 220 such as an O-ring is disposed between this flange and the lower end of the outer tube 14, making the inside of the reaction tube 203 airtight.

[0017] A seal cap 219 is airtightly attached to the opening at the lower end of the manifold 226 via an airtight member 220 such as an O-ring, and the opening side at the lower end of the reaction tube 203, i.e., the opening of the manifold 226, is airtightly closed. The seal cap 219 is made of a metal such as a nickel alloy or stainless steel, and is formed in a disk shape. The seal cap 219 is made of a material such as SiO ２ Alternatively, the outside may be covered with a heat-resistant material such as SiC.

[0018] A boat support 218 for supporting the boat 217 is provided on the seal cap 219. The boat support 218 is made of, for example, SiO ２ It is made of heat-resistant materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and functions as a heat insulating part.

[0019] The boat 217 is installed upright on a boat support stand 218. The boat 217 is made of, for example, SiO ２ 2, the boat 217 has a bottom plate (not shown) fixed to a boat support base 218 and a top plate disposed above the bottom plate, and a plurality of support columns are installed between the bottom plate and the top plate. In the present disclosure, the boat 217 has a plurality of support columns including a first support column 217a, a second support column 217b, and a third support column 217c.

[0020] The boat 217 holds a plurality of wafers 200 to be processed in the processing chamber 201 in the inner tube 12. As shown in Fig. 2, the plurality of wafers 200 are supported by supports 217a, 217b, and 217c of the boat 217 while maintaining a horizontal posture and spaced apart at a fixed interval and with their centers aligned. The loading direction of the plurality of wafers 200 is the axial direction of the reaction tube 203. In other words, the centers of the substrates are aligned with the central axis of the boat 217, and the central axis of the boat 217 coincides with the central axis of the reaction tube 203.

[0021] A rotation mechanism 267 that rotates the boat 217 is provided below the seal cap 219. A rotation shaft 265 of the rotation mechanism 267 passes through the seal cap 219 and is connected to the boat support base 218. The rotation mechanism 267 rotates the boat 217 via the boat support base 218, thereby rotating the wafers 200.

[0022] The seal cap 219 is vertically raised and lowered by an elevator 115 as a lifting mechanism provided outside the reaction tube 203 , and the boat 217 can be carried in and out of the processing chamber 201 .

[0023] The manifold 226 is provided with a plurality of nozzle supports that support a gas nozzle 342a, a nozzle 340, a nozzle 341, and a gas nozzle 342c that supply gas to the inside of the processing chamber 201, and the nozzle supports penetrate the manifold 226. The nozzles 340 and 341 correspond to the first nozzles in the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, four nozzle supports are provided. In FIG. 1, the nozzle 341 and the nozzle support 350c are illustrated as examples. The nozzle supports are made of a material such as a nickel alloy or stainless steel.

[0024] Gas supply pipes 310a to 310d are connected to one end of the nozzle support parts, respectively, for supplying gas into the processing chamber 201. Gas nozzle 342a, nozzle 340, nozzle 341, and gas nozzle 342c are connected to the other end of the nozzle support parts, respectively. The gas nozzles 342a and 342c are made of, for example, SiO ２ Alternatively, the gas nozzles 342a and 342c may be made of a heat-resistant material such as SiC. Details of the gas nozzles 342a and 342c will be described later.

[0025] (Gas Supply Pipe) The gas supply pipe 310a is connected to the corresponding gas nozzle 342a via a nozzle support (not shown). The gas supply pipe 310d is connected to the corresponding gas nozzle 342c via a nozzle support (not shown). The gas supply pipe 310b is connected to the nozzle 340 via a nozzle support (not shown). The gas supply pipe 310c is connected to the nozzle 341 via a nozzle support 350c (not shown).

[0026] The gas supply pipe 310a is provided with, in order from the upstream side in the gas flow direction, a gas supply source 360a that supplies an assist gas as a gas, a mass flow controller (MFC) 320a that is an example of a flow rate controller, and a valve 330a that is an on-off valve. The gas supply pipe 310b is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a gas supply source 360b that supplies a source gas as a gas, an MFC 320b, a tank 322b, and a valve 330b.

[0027] The gas supply pipe 310c is provided with, in order from the upstream direction, a gas supply source 360c for supplying a source gas as a gas, an MFC 320c, a tank 322c, and a valve 330c. The gas supply pipe 310d is provided with, in order from the upstream direction, a gas supply source 360d for supplying a reactant gas as a gas, an MFC 320d, and a valve 330d.

[0028] Here, it is not necessary to limit the source gases supplied from the nozzle 340 and the nozzle 341 to the same, and it goes without saying that different source gases may be supplied. Although not shown in the drawings, each gas nozzle in the present disclosure may be supplied with nitrogen (N ２ ) A gas supply pipe for supplying gases etc. is also provided together with the MFC and valves.

[0029] A plurality of exhaust slits, including a main exhaust slit 236, a first sub-exhaust slit 238, and a second sub-exhaust slit 239, are formed in the side wall of the inner pipe 12. The plurality of exhaust slits correspond to the plurality of exhaust ports of the present disclosure. The plurality of exhaust slits exhaust gas supplied to the interior of the inner pipe 12 to an exhaust space S outside the inner pipe 12. The plurality of exhaust slits are provided to penetrate the side wall of the inner pipe 12. The main exhaust slit 236 corresponds to the first exhaust port of the present disclosure. The first sub-exhaust slit 238 corresponds to the second exhaust port of the present disclosure. The second sub-exhaust slit 239 corresponds to the third exhaust port of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the number of exhaust slits is five, consisting of one main exhaust slit 236, two first sub-exhaust slits 238, and two second sub-exhaust slits 239. That is, the number of exhaust slits in the present disclosure is configured to be greater than the number of support columns 217a, 217b, and 217c of the boat 217 serving as a holder.

[0030] An exhaust unit 230 serving as an exhaust port is formed in the outer tube 14 of the reaction tube 203. The exhaust unit 230 is formed below the lower end of the first exhaust port 236 and connects the exhaust space S to the outside of the reaction tube 203. As shown in FIG. 2 , the first exhaust port is disposed on the opposite side of the supply unit 222, and in a plan view, the supply unit 222, the exhaust unit 230, and the first exhaust port 236 described below are arranged to be aligned on a straight line passing through the center of the substrate. A plurality of exhaust slits and exhaust units 230, including the above-mentioned main exhaust slit 236, first sub-exhaust slit 238, and second sub-exhaust slit 239, may also be included in the processing unit.

[0031] The exhaust duct 231 is provided with a pressure sensor 245 that detects the pressure inside the processing chamber 201, and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 244 that serves as a pressure regulator. The downstream side of the vacuum pump 246 is connected to a waste gas treatment device (not shown). Thus, by controlling the output of the vacuum pump 246 and the aperture of the APC valve 244, the processing chamber 201 can be evacuated to a predetermined pressure (vacuum level).

[0032] In addition, a temperature sensor (not shown) serving as a temperature detector is installed inside or on the outer wall of the reaction tube 203, and the power supplied to the heater 207 is adjusted based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor, so that the temperature inside the processing chamber 201 has a desired temperature distribution.

[0033] In this specification, the processing temperature refers to the temperature of the wafer 200 or the temperature of the processing chamber 201, and the processing pressure refers to the pressure in the processing chamber 201. Furthermore, the processing time refers to the time the processing continues. These terms also apply to the following description.

[0034] <Main configuration> Next, the supply section 222 that supplies gas, the first nozzle (nozzles 340, 341), and the multiple exhaust slits including the first exhaust port 236, the second exhaust port 238, and the third exhaust port 239 in the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0035] 2, the supply section 222 is provided on the side wall of the cylindrical portion of the inner pipe 12 and is a region that protrudes outward from the side wall. The supply section 222 is formed in the exhaust space S between the outer peripheral surface 12c of the inner pipe 12 and the inner peripheral surface 14a of the outer pipe 14. The supply section 222 is divided into three sections along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion by the third partition 18c and the fourth partition 18d.

[0036] The supply section 222 is formed between the first partition 18a and the second partition 18b, and between the inner pipe 12 and the arc-shaped top plate 20 that connects the tip of the first partition 18a and the tip of the second partition 18b. Both the first partition 18a and the second partition 18b are continuous with the inner pipe 12.

[0037] A third partition 18c and a fourth partition 18d are formed inside the supply section 222, extending from the outer peripheral surface 12c of the inner tube 12 toward the top plate 20. The third partition 18c and the fourth partition 18d are lined up in this order from the first partition 18a side toward the second partition 18b side.

[0038] The top plate 20 is spaced apart from the outer tube 14. The tip of the third partition 18c opposite the wafer 200 and the tip of the fourth partition 18d opposite the wafer 200 reach the top plate 20.

[0039] The first partition 18a and the second partition 18b form a central portion 222b of the divided portions of the supply section 222. Return nozzles 340 and 341 that supply source gas are provided in the central portion 222b.

[0040] At the boundary between the central portion 222b of the supply part 222 and the cylindrical part, a fan shape is formed by an imaginary arc connecting both ends of the cylindrical part in the circumferential direction and the center C1 of the wafer 200.

[0041] The central angle θ1 of this sector is preferably 15 degrees or more and 45 degrees or less. If the central angle θ1 of the sector is less than 15 degrees, it becomes difficult to uniformly expose the entire surface of the wafer to the source gas. Furthermore, if the central angle θ1 of the sector exceeds 45 degrees, the circumferential width of the cylindrical portion of the supply unit 222 becomes wider, which requires providing more gas nozzles in the supply unit 222, resulting in increased manufacturing costs and equipment downtime even when inexpensive tubular nozzles are used. In the present disclosure, the central angle θ1 of the sector can be set arbitrarily.

[0042] 2, a supply slit 235b may be formed in a central portion 222b of the supply unit 222 on the inner circumferential surface 12a on the supply slits 235a and 235c side of the inner tube 12. The supply slit 235b opens over the entire central portion 222b in the vertical direction H of the apparatus and the entire width direction W of the apparatus. It is sufficient that the entire nozzles 340 and 341 in the vertical direction H and the entire width direction W of the apparatus face the wafer 200 inside the inner tube 12 (the cylindrical portion thereof), and the supply slit 235 is not an essential component.

[0043] (First Nozzles) The two nozzles 340, 341 serving as the first nozzles are arranged along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion of the inner tube 12 and are configured to be able to supply the same source gas. In the present disclosure, the source gas is configured to be flash-supplied from the two nozzles 340, 341. The flash supply will be described later.

[0044] 2, the nozzle 341 is configured to be plane-symmetrical to the nozzle 340 with respect to the imaginary plane A. The nozzles 340, 341 are disposed adjacent to each other along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion of the inner tube 12. In the present disclosure, the number of nozzles 340, 341 is two, but the number may be one, or any number greater than or equal to two.

[0045] 3, nozzle 340 and nozzle 341 are straight nozzles. However, nozzle 340 may be regarded as an outward pipe and nozzle 341 as a return pipe, and the upper ends of the outward pipe and the return pipe may be connected in some way to form a configuration (return nozzle) in which the source gas flows through each of them.

[0046] (Injection Holes) The nozzles 340 and 341 each have three or more rows of injection holes 234 extending in the vertical direction. The same source gas is injected from the injection holes 234. The source gas is injected radially in a plan view.

[0047] In the present disclosure, it is not essential that the nozzles 340, 341 have three or more rows of injection holes arranged in the vertical direction, but may have three or more injection holes arranged in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate and along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion. Also, in the present disclosure, the number of injection holes can be set arbitrarily to one, two, four or more.

[0048] Of the injection holes 234 provided in the two nozzles 340, 341 arranged side by side in the central part 222b of the supply section 222, the injection holes 234 arranged on both sides in the width direction W inject the raw material gas toward the outermost side of the wafer 200.

[0049] 2, the injection direction of each injection hole 234 that injects the source gas toward the outermost side of the wafer 200 in a plan view is illustrated by a dotted arrow. A space is formed between the wafer 200 and each injection hole 234 that injects the source gas toward the outermost side of the wafer 200, allowing the source gas to travel straight along the injection direction. In other words, in the present disclosure, no other structure such as a partition wall is provided between the injection hole 234 and the wafer 200 in the injection direction.

[0050] <Multiple Exhaust Ports> As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of exhaust slits (hereinafter referred to as multiple exhaust ports) including at least two of the first exhaust port 236, the second exhaust port 238, and the third exhaust port 239 are formed in the side wall of the cylindrical portion and exhaust the raw material gas from inside the cylindrical portion.

[0051] (First Exhaust Port) The first exhaust port 236 is formed in the sidewall of the cylindrical portion on the opposite side to the supply unit 222 with respect to the center C1 of the wafer 200. That is, the first exhaust port 236 is provided in a direction facing the supply unit 222. The first exhaust port 236 opens on the side of each wafer 200 and exhausts the source gas and the like that has flowed over the wafers 200. The first exhaust port 236 can be formed as a single opening extending between the side of the uppermost wafer 200 and the side of the lowermost wafer 200, or as multiple holes distributed between them.

[0052] 3 shows the opening width W1 of the first exhaust port 236, the opening width W2 of the second exhaust port 238, and the opening width W3 of the third exhaust port 239. The opening widths of the multiple exhaust ports are widths along the circumferential direction of the inner pipe 12. Also, Fig. 3 shows the opening area D1 of the first exhaust port 236, the opening area D2 of the second exhaust port 238, and the opening area D3 of the third exhaust port 239. The opening areas of the multiple exhaust ports correspond to the cross-sectional flow path area of ​​the gas discharged from each exhaust port.

[0053] 2, the first exhaust port 236 faces the first support pillar 217a of the boat 217. The opening width W1 of the first exhaust port 236 is configured to be larger than the width of the first support pillar 217a at the same height. The opening width W1 of the first exhaust port 236 is also configured to be larger than the opening width W2 of the second exhaust port 238 and the opening width W3 of the third exhaust port 239 at the same height.

[0054] 3 , in the present disclosure, the first exhaust port 236 has a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction aligned with the axial direction of the cylindrical portion. The opening area D1 of the first exhaust port 236 is larger than the opening area D2 of the second exhaust port 238 and the opening area D3 of the third exhaust port 239. The opening area D1 of the first exhaust port 236 is also larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first support pillar 217a. Note that the cross-sectional area of ​​the first support pillar 217a is the area of ​​a vertical cross section of the support pillar 217a, whose longitudinal direction is aligned with the axial direction of the cylindrical portion, cut along a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the first support pillar 217a.

[0055] The shape of the first exhaust port 236 is not limited to a rectangle, and may be a triangle, a polygon, a rhombus, a trapezoid, or an ellipse. Furthermore, when a plurality of first exhaust ports 236 are provided, the shape of the plurality of first exhaust ports 236 may be at least one of a triangle, a rectangle, a polygon, a rhombus, a trapezoid, and an ellipse, or a combination thereof.

[0056] (Second Exhaust Port) The second exhaust port 238 opens on both sides of an imaginary plane A in plan view. As shown in FIG. 2 , the imaginary plane A is set to pass through the circumferential center of the cylindrical portion at the boundary between the supply unit 222 and the cylindrical portion and the axis of the cylindrical portion in plan view. The axis of the cylindrical portion overlaps with the center of the wafer 200. That is, the imaginary plane A is set to pass from the supply unit 222 to the first exhaust port 236 in plan view.

[0057] The two second exhaust ports 238 form a pair of openings, sandwiching the first exhaust port 236 at the same height as the first exhaust port 236. The second exhaust ports 238 are provided on a line intersecting a line extending from the supply unit 222 to the first exhaust port 236. That is, as shown in FIG. 2 , the second exhaust ports 238 are provided on a first virtual line L1 intersecting the surface direction of the virtual plane A. The first virtual line L1 is a line connecting the center of the second exhaust port 238 and the center C1 of the wafer 200 in a plan view. In the present disclosure, the angle between the first virtual line L1 and the virtual plane A is an obtuse angle. In the present disclosure, the angle between the first virtual line L1 and the virtual plane A is not limited to an obtuse angle.

[0058] 2 , the opening width W2 of each of the two second exhaust ports 238 in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion is smaller than the opening width W1 of the first exhaust port 236 at the same height and is larger than the opening width W3 of the third exhaust port 239. In the present disclosure, the width of the second exhaust port 238 may be equal to or larger than the opening width of the first exhaust port 236, and the opening width of the second exhaust port 238 may be equal to or smaller than the opening width of the third exhaust port 239.

[0059] 2, the nozzles 340, 341 and the two second exhaust ports 238 are configured symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane A. In the present disclosure, it is not essential that the nozzles 340, 341 and the pair of exhaust slits are configured symmetrically with respect to the imaginary plane A.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 3, the opening area D2 of the second exhaust port 238 is smaller than the opening area D1 of the first exhaust port 236 and larger than the opening cross section D3 of the third exhaust port 239.

[0061] (Third Exhaust Port) The third exhaust port 239 is a pair of openings that are open on both sides of the imaginary plane A in a plan view. Each of the two second exhaust ports 239 is provided between the supply unit 222 and the first exhaust port 236 along the circumferential direction of the inner tube 12. In addition, in the present disclosure, the second exhaust port 238 is provided between the first exhaust port 236 and the third exhaust port 239 along the circumferential direction of the inner tube 12. Note that in the present disclosure, it is not essential to provide the second exhaust port 238 between the first exhaust port 236 and the third exhaust port 239.

[0062] 2 , the third exhaust port 239 is provided on a third virtual line L3 that is perpendicular to the surface direction of the virtual plane A in a plan view. The third virtual line L3 is a straight line that connects the center of the third exhaust port 239 and the center C1 of the wafer 200 in a plan view. In the present disclosure, the angle θ2 (acute angle) formed by the straight line extending from the supply unit 222 toward the first exhaust port 236 and the first virtual line L1 passing through the second exhaust port 238 in a plan view is smaller than the angle θ3 (right angle) formed by the third virtual line L3. Note that in the present disclosure, the angle θ3 does not necessarily have to be a right angle; it may be a right angle (90°) or greater.

[0063] The third exhaust port 239 is provided perpendicular to the direction from the supply unit 222 toward the first exhaust port 236. Here, "perpendicular" means that the angle θ3 formed with the third virtual line L3 is a right angle. Therefore, this "perpendicular direction" does not simply mean a right angle, but has a small range. A specific angle θ3 is, for example, 80° to 100°. The same meaning is also used for "near a right angle."

[0064] 3, the opening area D3 of the third exhaust port 239 is smaller than the opening area D1 of the first exhaust port 236 and the opening area D2 of the second exhaust port 238. Furthermore, the opening width W3 of the third exhaust port 239 is smaller than the opening width W1 of the first exhaust port 236 and the opening width W2 of the second exhaust port 238 at the same height.

[0065] In the present disclosure, the opening widths of the first exhaust port 236 and the pair of second exhaust ports 238 along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion can be set arbitrarily. Note that, for ease of viewing, counter buffers are not shown in Figure 3. The counter buffers will be described later.

[0066] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure further includes tanks 322b and 322c connected to the nozzles 340 and 341. The tanks 322b and 322c can store the source gas alone so that the source gas is not mixed with the carrier gas. The tanks 322b and 322c supply the stored source gas in pulses to the nozzles 340 and 341 almost simultaneously via on-off valves.

[0067] That is, the present disclosure enables flush supply of a high-concentration source gas. In flush supply, a large amount of source gas stored in the tanks 322b and 322c is supplied from the tanks 322b and 322c to the process chamber 201 through the nozzles 340 and 341 (first nozzles) in a very short time at once. The source gas supplied at a large flow rate is also called a "flash flow." The flush flow source gas flows at a relatively high speed over the surface of the wafer 200 inside the cylindrical portion of the inner tube 12 during the film formation process.

[0068] By flush supply, the entire surface of the wafer 200 is exposed to a high-speed flow of source gas during the film formation process. A high-speed gas flow is one of the most effective means for promoting gas replacement inside fine structures such as trenches and holes formed on the surface of the wafer 200, and is particularly useful in processing patterned wafers with high aspect ratios.

[0069] The present disclosure is not limited to flush supply of raw material gases, and may also be applied to, for example, ammonia (NH ３ ) may be applied to a large flow rate supply using a general MFC.

[0070] In the present disclosure, the supply unit 222 and the support columns (the first support column 217a, the second support column 217b, and the third support column 217c) of the boat 217 are configured so as not to overlap with each other when the raw material gas is flushed. However, there are cases where at least one of the exhaust ports overlaps with the raw material gas when the raw material gas is flushed. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 (or FIG. 4), there are cases where the first exhaust port overlaps with the support column 217a of the boat. That is, the first support column 217a is arranged so as to overlap with each other on a straight line extending from the supply unit 222 to the first exhaust port 236 in a plan view. On the other hand, the second support column 217b and the third support column 217c are arranged so as to overlap with the third exhaust port 239 in a plan view. Furthermore, in this case, the second support column 217b and the third support column 217c are arranged so as to be symmetrical with respect to the straight line extending from the supply unit 222 to the first exhaust port 236 in a plan view.

[0071] Furthermore, it is more preferable that the total instantaneous maximum flow rate of the source gases is 12 slm or more and 50 slm or less. If the total instantaneous maximum flow rate of the source gases is less than 12 slm, the flow velocity on the wafer 200 may not be sufficiently high (e.g., 10 m / s or more), resulting in insufficient step coverage of the formed film. Furthermore, if the total instantaneous maximum flow rate of the source gases exceeds 50 slm, the configuration of the supply system for storing the source gases in a tank at high pressure without decomposing them becomes complicated, increasing the cost of the device. In the present disclosure, the total instantaneous maximum flow rate of the source gases injected in a pulsed manner is not limited to this and can be changed as appropriate.

[0072] 2, the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure further includes gas nozzles 342a and 342c as injection devices for supplying assist gas. The gas nozzles 342a and 342c are provided in the portions 222a and 222c on both sides of the supply unit 222. In the present disclosure, the gas nozzles 342a and 342c are not essential. Note that the gas nozzles 342a and 342c are not limited to tubular members such as nozzles, as long as they are capable of injecting gas.

[0073] 2, partition walls are provided between the cylindrical portion and both side portions 222a, 222c of the supply portion 222 in the width direction W. Supply slits 235a, 235c are formed in the partition walls. The gas nozzles 342a, 342c have a plurality of injection holes 344 extending in the vertical direction.

[0074] 2 , the reaction tube 203 according to the present disclosure includes a counter nozzle 343 as a second nozzle for supplying an assist gas. That is, the type of gas supplied from the counter nozzle 343 is different from the types of gas supplied from the nozzles 340 and 341. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the gas supplied from the counter nozzle 343 is a gas that does not react with the gas supplied from the nozzles 340 and 341.

[0075] One or more counter nozzles 343 can be provided as counter nozzles at a position where, in a plan view, the angle between a second virtual line L2 connecting the spray direction of the counter nozzle 343 and the center C1 of the wafer 200 and the virtual plane A is an obtuse angle.

[0076] The counter-nozzle 343 is housed inside a counter-buffer 222d, which serves as a buffer portion that supplies gas. Similar to the supply buffer 222, the counter-buffer 222d is a region that is provided on the side wall of the cylindrical portion of the inner pipe 12 and protrudes outward from the side wall. The counter-buffer 222d can be provided between the first exhaust port 236 and the two second exhaust ports 238 in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion, or between the supply portion 222 and the two second exhaust ports 238.

[0077] 2 , in the present disclosure, four counter buffers 222d are provided in the inner pipe 12. The four counter buffers 222d are provided in pairs on both sides of two second exhaust ports 238. Each pair of counter buffers 222d is provided near the second exhaust port 238. One of the pair of counter buffers 222d constitutes a counter buffer 222d arranged on both sides of the first exhaust port 236, and is provided near the first exhaust port 236. Therefore, of the four counter buffers 222d, the pair of counter buffers 222d provided on both sides of the first exhaust port 236 is provided near the first exhaust port 236 and the first sub-exhaust slit 238.

[0078] In the present disclosure, the counter nozzle 343 is not essential. A temperature sensor may be disposed in the counter buffer 222d. Note that the injection device of the buffer unit of the present disclosure is not limited to a tubular member such as a nozzle, as long as it is capable of injecting the processing gas.

[0079] (Controller) Next, the controller 280 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the substrate processing apparatus 10, and the controller 280 (i.e., controller) of the substrate processing apparatus 10 is configured as a computer. This computer includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 121a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 121b, a storage device 121c, and an I / O port 121d.

[0080] The RAM 121b, the storage device 121c, and the I / O port 121d are configured to be able to exchange data with the CPU 121a via an internal bus 121e. The control unit 280 is connected to an input / output device 122 configured as, for example, a touch panel.

[0081] The storage device 121c is configured by, for example, a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc. A control program for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus, a process recipe describing procedures and conditions for substrate processing (to be described later), etc. are readably stored in the storage device 121c.

[0082] The process recipe is a combination of procedures in the substrate processing step described below that are executed by the control unit 280 to obtain a predetermined result, and functions as a program. Hereinafter, the process recipe, control program, etc. will be collectively referred to simply as a program (program product).

[0083] In this specification, when the term "program" is used, it may include only a process recipe, only a control program, or both. The RAM 121b is configured as a memory area (i.e., a work area) where programs and data read by the CPU 121a are temporarily stored.

[0084] The I / O port 121d is connected to the above-mentioned MFCs 320a to 320d, valves 330a to 330d, pressure sensor 245, APC valve 244, vacuum pump 246, heater 207, temperature sensor, rotation mechanism 267, elevator 115, and the like.

[0085] The CPU 121a is configured to read and execute a control program from the storage device 121c, and also to read a process recipe from the storage device 121c in response to an input of an operation command from the input / output device 122, etc.

[0086] The CPU 121a is configured to control the flow rate adjustment of various gases by the MFCs 320a to 320d, the opening and closing of the valves 330a to 330d, and the opening and closing of the APC valve 244, in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe. The CPU 121a is also configured to control the pressure adjustment by the APC valve 244 based on the pressure sensor 245, the start and stop of the vacuum pump 246, and the temperature adjustment by the heater 207 based on the temperature sensor. The CPU 121a is also configured to control the rotation and rotation speed adjustment of the boat 217 by the rotation mechanism 267, the lifting and lowering of the boat 217 by the elevator 115, etc.

[0087] The control unit 280 is not limited to being configured as a dedicated computer, but may also be configured as a general-purpose computer. For example, the control unit 280 of the present disclosure can be configured by preparing an external storage device 123 that stores the above-mentioned program and installing the program in a general-purpose computer using this external storage device 123. Examples of external storage devices include magnetic disks such as hard disks, optical disks such as CDs, magneto-optical disks such as MOs, and semiconductor memories such as USB memories.

[0088] <Substrate Processing Method> Next, a substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the present disclosure, as an example of a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a cycle process will be described in which a film formation process is performed by alternately supplying a source gas and a reactive gas to a processing chamber.

[0089] First, in step S1 in Fig. 6, wafers 200 are loaded into a boat 217. The boat 217 is carried into the inner tube 12, thereby accommodating the substrates inside the cylindrical portion of the inner tube 12. Next, in step S2 in Fig. 6, after the boat 217 is carried into the inner tube 12, the pressure and temperature inside the inner tube 12 are adjusted. Next, four steps of film formation processes 1 to 4 are carried out in sequence. Each step will be described in detail below.

[0090] 6, the source gas is sprayed toward the wafer 200 using the nozzles 340 and 341, while the sprayed source gas is exhausted to the outside of the cylindrical portion using the first exhaust port 236, the two second exhaust ports 238, and the third exhaust port 239. Specifically, a flash supply is performed in which the source gas is released from the nozzles 340 and 341 instantaneously, i.e., in a relatively short time.

[0091] As the source gas, for example, a gas containing Si and a halogen can be used. As the gas containing Si and a halogen, for example, tetrachlorosilane (SiCl ４ ) gas, hexachlorodisilane (Si ２ Cl ６ ) gas, octachlorotrisilane (Si ３ Cl ８As the Si- and halogen-containing gas, one or more of these gases can be used.

[0092] In this disclosure, a "large flow rate" means a mass flow rate [kg / s] of 8×10 －４ kg / s or more. －４ The mass flow rate [kg / s] is, for example, N ２ In terms of gas volumetric flow rate [slm], this corresponds to approximately 38 slm or more. In this specification, 1 [slm] is defined as 1 [L / m]. At high flow rates, various difficulties in gas supply are likely to occur, such as the generation of vortices and backflows in the processing chamber 201.

[0093] The volumetric flow rate [slm] is calculated by dividing the mass flow rate by the density of the gas species. Therefore, the volumetric flow rate can be used as a flow rate applicable to the present disclosure regardless of the gas species.

[0094] The intermittent flush supply operation causes the source gas to be adsorbed onto the surface of the wafer 200. The adsorption forms a film on the base film of the wafer 200. The above steps S1 and S3 constitute the substrate processing method according to the present disclosure.

[0095] (Film Forming Process 2) In the film forming process 2, first, in step S4 in Fig. 6, the supply of the source gas and the carrier gas is stopped. Next, by controlling an exhaust pump such as the vacuum pump 246 and the APC valve 244, the source gas is evacuated so that the pressure inside the reaction tube 203 becomes a predetermined pressure (i.e., vacuum degree). By the evacuation, the source gas remaining in the inner tube 12 is evacuated from the inner tube 12 to the outside. In the film forming process 2, an inert gas, for example, N ２ If the gas is supplied into the inner tube 12 as a purge gas, the effect of exhausting the remaining source gas is further enhanced.

[0096] (Film Forming Process 3) In film forming process 3, in step S5 in FIG. 6, reactive gas is supplied into the inner tube 12 using gas nozzles 342a and 342c. In step S5, while the reactive gas is being supplied into the inner tube 12, it is exhausted from a plurality of exhaust slits. For example, by supplying an N-containing gas, the film on the base film of the wafer 200 reacts with the N-containing gas. A nitride film is formed on the wafer 200 by the reaction. Alternatively, O may be used as the reactive gas. ２ and H ２ When the mixed gas is used, an oxide film is formed.

[0097] 6, after forming a predetermined film, the reaction gas is evacuated to a predetermined pressure (degree of vacuum) inside the reaction tube 203 by controlling an exhaust pump such as the vacuum pump 246 and the APC valve 244. The N remaining in the inner tube 12 after contributing to the film formation is removed by the vacuum evacuation. ２ The contained gas is exhausted to the outside from the inside of the inner tube 12. In the film forming process 4, an inert gas, for example, N 2 used as a carrier gas, ２ When the gas is supplied into the inner tube 12 as a purge gas, the remaining N ２ The effect of exhausting the reaction gas of the contained gas from the inner tube 12 is further enhanced.

[0098] The above-described film formation steps 1 to 4 constitute one cycle, and in step S7 in FIG. 6, the cycle of film formation steps 1 to 4 is performed a predetermined number of times to form a film of a predetermined thickness on wafer 200. In the present disclosure, film formation steps 1 to 4 are repeated a predetermined number of times. In the present disclosure, film formation steps 1 to 4 may also be performed one at a time without being repeated.

[0099] After the above-described film formation process is completed, the pressure in the inner tube 12 is returned to normal pressure (i.e., atmospheric pressure) in step S8 in FIG. ２ An inert gas such as a gas is supplied into the inner pipe 12 and then exhausted. As a result, the inside of the inner pipe 12 is purged with the inert gas, and any gas remaining in the inner pipe 12 is removed from the inside of the inner pipe 12. Thereafter, the atmosphere inside the inner pipe 12 is replaced with the inert gas, and the pressure inside the inner pipe 12 is returned to normal pressure.

[0100] 6, the substrate processing according to the present disclosure is completed by unloading the wafer 200 from the inner tube 12. The above series of steps constitutes a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the wafer 200 according to the present disclosure.

[0101] The term "wafer" used in this specification may refer to the wafer itself or to a laminate of the wafer and a predetermined layer or film formed on its surface. The term "surface of a wafer" used in this specification may refer to the surface of the wafer itself or to the surface of a predetermined layer or the like formed on the wafer. When described in this specification, "forming a predetermined layer on a wafer" may mean forming a predetermined layer directly on the surface of the wafer itself or forming a predetermined layer on a layer or the like formed on the wafer. When used in this specification, the term "substrate" is synonymous with the term "wafer".

[0102] (Effects) According to this aspect, at least one or more of the following effects (a) to (j) can be obtained.

[0103] (a) According to the present disclosure, there is a supply buffer 222 that supplies gas and a plurality of exhaust slits that exhaust the gas, and among the plurality of exhaust slits, the opening area D1 of the main exhaust slit 236 that is arranged in a direction opposite the supply buffer 222 is configured to be larger than the opening area of ​​the other exhaust slits. Therefore, since the opening area D1 (flow path cross-sectional area) of the main exhaust slit 236 that is arranged opposite the supply buffer 222 is configured to be large, the flow rate of the gas in the direction flowing from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236 can be increased.

[0104] This suppresses the generation of vortices due to the large volume of gas flow F1 from the supply buffer 222 toward the main exhaust slit 236, as shown in FIG. 4, and allows the gas to be exhausted from the main exhaust slit 236 without stagnation.

[0105] (b) According to the present disclosure, the second sub-exhaust slit 239 is provided at a position that is line-symmetrical with respect to a straight line extending between the supply buffer 222 and the main exhaust slit 236. Specifically, the second sub-exhaust slit 239 constitutes a pair of openings that sandwich an imaginary plane A that is set to pass from the supply buffer to the main exhaust slit 236 in a plan view. Therefore, of the gas that is radially injected from the supply buffer 222, the gas flow F2 that is injected toward the outermost side of the wafer 200 is exhausted from the second sub-exhaust slit 239 without generating a vortex.

[0106] Therefore, the gas flow F2 discharged from the second sub-exhaust slit 239 prevents the gas flow F1 discharged from the main exhaust slit 236 from heading toward the inside of the inner tube 12, thereby suppressing back diffusion of gas.

[0107] (c) According to the present disclosure, the pair of second sub-exhaust slits 239 are arranged perpendicular to the direction from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236. In addition, the pair of second sub-exhaust slits 239 are arranged on a straight line that intersects with the straight line from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236, and the angle that this straight line makes with the straight line from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236 is 90° or more.

[0108] Therefore, the second sub-exhaust slit 239 is provided at a location in the processing space formed inside the inner pipe 12 where the opening area is largest (i.e., the width of the inner pipe 12 in the apparatus width direction W is greatest) and the flow velocity is smallest. Therefore, even if the flow velocity of the gas flowing from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236 increases, stagnation is unlikely to occur. In addition, the opening area D3 of the second main exhaust slit 236 is smaller than the opening areas of the other exhaust slits, so back diffusion can be suppressed.

[0109] (d) According to the present disclosure, the first sub-exhaust slit 238 as a sub-exhaust section is located relatively close to the main exhaust slit 236 as the main exhaust section, which is expected to have the effect of suppressing gas stagnation while suppressing back diffusion of gas discharged from the main exhaust slit 236.

[0110] (e) According to the present disclosure, the first sub-exhaust slit 238 serving as a sub-exhaust section is provided between the main exhaust slit 236 and the second sub-exhaust slit 239, and the first sub-exhaust slit 238 is provided on a first imaginary line L1 that intersects with a straight line extending from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236. Also, as shown in FIG. 2 , the angle θ2 between the first imaginary line L1 and the straight line extending from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236 is configured to be smaller than the angle θ3 between the first imaginary line L1 and a third imaginary line L3 along which the second sub-exhaust slit 239 passes. In other words, the first sub-exhaust slit is configured as a pair of openings that sandwich an imaginary plane A on both sides in a plan view between the main exhaust slit 236 and the second sub-exhaust slit 239. This allows the first sub-exhaust slit 238 serving as a sub-exhaust section to be provided relatively close to the main exhaust slit 236 serving as the main exhaust section. Therefore, it is expected that the effect of suppressing back diffusion of the gas discharged from the main exhaust slit 236 and suppressing the accumulation of the gas can be achieved.

[0111] (f) According to the present disclosure, the second sub-exhaust slit 238 is provided between the main exhaust slit 236 and the second sub-exhaust slit 239, thereby providing the first sub-exhaust slit 238 as a sub-exhaust section relatively close to the main exhaust slit 236 as a main exhaust section. Furthermore, the opening area D2 of the first sub-exhaust slit 238 is configured to be smaller than the opening area D1 of the main exhaust slit 236 and larger than the opening area D3 of the second sub-exhaust slit 239. Therefore, it is expected that the effect of suppressing gas stagnation while suppressing back diffusion of gas exhausted from the main exhaust slit 236 can be achieved.

[0112] (g) According to the present disclosure, the counter buffer 222d is provided near the first sub-exhaust slit 238. That is, the first sub-exhaust slit 238 is provided near the counter buffer 222d, among the multiple counter buffers 222d, that is provided near the main exhaust slit 236. This allows the first sub-exhaust slit 238, which serves as a sub-exhaust section, to be provided relatively close to the main exhaust slit 236, which serves as the main exhaust section. Therefore, it is expected that the effects of suppressing gas accumulation while suppressing back diffusion of gas exhausted from the main exhaust slit 236 can be expected.

[0113] (h) According to the present disclosure, supply buffer 222 is provided with first nozzles (nozzles 340, 341) and is configured to flush-supply gas from the first nozzles. At the timing of this flush supply, supply buffer 222 is configured not to overlap with the multiple supports of boat 217, and first support 217a of the multiple supports of boat 217 overlaps with main exhaust slit 236, and second sub-exhaust slit 239 is positioned near third support 217C that does not overlap with main exhaust slit 236.

[0114] Therefore, when gas is supplied from the nozzles 340, 341 in a flashing manner, even if the main exhaust slit 236 and the first support 217a of the boat 217 overlap, the large flow of gas from the supply buffer 222 toward the main exhaust slit 236 can exhaust the gas without generating vortices, and the large flow of gas can be maintained within the reaction tube 203. Furthermore, since the gas is discharged from the second sub-exhaust slit 239 at a position that does not overlap with the second support 217b and the third support 217c, the gas flow F3 discharged from the second sub-exhaust slit 239 can suppress a reaction between the surfaces of the second support 217b and the third support 217c that are located near the second sub-exhaust slit 239 and the remaining gas.

[0115] This effect is further promoted by configuring the opening area D1 of the main exhaust slit 236 to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first support pillar 217a. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, by configuring the opening area D1 of the main exhaust slit 236 to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first support pillar 217a, the gas flow F1 discharged from the main exhaust slit 236 is separated and discharged to both sides of the first support pillar 217a. This prevents the large flow of gas flowing from the supply buffer 222 toward the main exhaust slit 236 from generating a vortex between the first support pillar 217a and the main exhaust slit 236. Note that a similar effect can be expected even if the opening width W1 of the main exhaust slit 236 is configured to be larger than the width of the first support pillar 217a.

[0116] (i) According to the present disclosure, a counter nozzle 343 is arranged in the counter buffer 222d as a buffer section, and the assist gas supplied from the counter nozzle 343 is configured to be of a different type from the gas supplied from the return nozzles 340 and 341, and is configured not to react with the gas supplied from the return nozzles 340 and 341.

[0117] Therefore, the gas supplied from the counter nozzle 343 can promote the discharge of gas through the main exhaust slit 236, the first sub-exhaust slit 238, and the second sub-exhaust slit 239 without reacting with the gas supplied from the return nozzles 340 and 341.

[0118] (j) According to the present disclosure, the shape of the main exhaust slit 236 can be at least one of a triangle, a square, a polygon, a rhombus, a trapezoid, and an ellipse, or a combination of these. Therefore, regardless of the shape of the main exhaust slit 236, the main exhaust slit 236 is configured to flush-supply gas, and therefore the flow velocity of the gas flow F1 in the direction from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236 can be increased. This allows the large flow of gas flowing from the supply buffer 222 to the main exhaust slit 236 to be exhausted from the main exhaust slit 236 without stagnation.

[0119] <Other Aspects of the Present Disclosure> The present disclosure has been described based on the above-disclosed embodiments, but the descriptions and drawings that form part of this disclosure should not be understood to limit the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-disclosed embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0120] For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example of forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be suitably applied to, for example, a case where a film is formed using a single-wafer-type substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time.

[0121] In the above-described embodiment, a film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall type processing furnace. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be suitably applied to a case where a film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace.

[0122] When using these substrate processing apparatuses, each process can be performed using the same processing procedures and conditions as in the above-described embodiments and modifications, and the same effects as in the above-described embodiments and modifications can be obtained.

[0123] The present disclosure may be configured by partially combining the configurations included in the above-disclosed multiple embodiments, modifications, and aspects. In the present disclosure configured by combining the configurations, the processing procedures and processing conditions executed may be configured similarly to the processing procedures and processing conditions described in the aspects of the present disclosure, for example.

[0124] The present disclosure includes various embodiments not described above, and the technical scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the invention-specifying matters in the scope of the claims that are appropriate from the above description.

[0125] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-221575, filed on December 27, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A processing unit having a supply unit for supplying gas and a plurality of exhaust ports for exhausting the gas, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports include a first exhaust port provided in a direction facing the supply unit, a second exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting with a straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port, the angle formed by the straight line and the straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port being configured to be less than 90°, and a third exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting with a straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port, the angle formed by the straight line and the straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port being configured to be 90° or more.

2. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the third exhaust port is provided at a position line-symmetric with respect to a straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port.

3. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the third exhaust port has a pair of openings that open while sandwiching a virtual plane set to pass through the first exhaust port from the supply unit in a plan view from both sides.

4. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the third exhaust port is provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the supply unit to the first exhaust port.

5. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first exhaust port is configured to have a larger opening area than other exhaust ports.

6. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the second exhaust port is configured to have a larger opening area than the third exhaust port.

7. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the opening area of the second exhaust port is smaller than the opening area of the first exhaust port and larger than the opening area of the third exhaust port.

8. Further, a buffer unit is provided in the vicinity of the second exhaust port, the processing unit according to claim 6 or claim 7.

9. The processing unit according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the second exhaust port has a pair of openings that open while sandwiching a virtual plane set to pass through the first exhaust port from the supply unit in a plan view from both sides.

10. The supply unit is provided with a first nozzle, and the gas is configured to be flash-supplied from the first nozzle, the processing unit according to claim 1.

11. Further, a fixture having a plurality of struts inside is arranged, and the supply unit and the struts are configured not to face each other at the timing when the gas is flash-supplied from the first nozzle, the processing unit according to claim 10.

12. Further, a holder having a plurality of struts inside is arranged, and at the timing when the gas is flash-supplied from the first nozzle, at least one of the plurality of struts overlaps with the first exhaust port, and the third exhaust port is arranged near the other struts that do not overlap with the first exhaust port. The processing unit according to claim 10.

13. The opening area of the first exhaust port is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of the strut. The processing unit according to claim 12.

14. The supply unit is provided with a first nozzle, the buffer unit is provided with a second nozzle, and the gas supplied from the second nozzle is configured to be different in type from the gas supplied from the first nozzle. The processing unit according to claim 8.

15. The gas supplied from the second nozzle is a gas that does not react with the gas supplied from the first nozzle. The processing unit according to claim 14.

16. The shape of the first exhaust port is at least one of a triangle, a quadrilateral, a polygon, a rhombus, a trapezoid, an ellipse, or a combination thereof. The processing unit according to claim 1.

17. A holder having a plurality of struts inside is arranged, and the number of the plurality of exhaust ports is configured to be larger than the number of the struts. The processing unit according to claim 1.

18. The supply unit and the buffer unit are configured to protrude outward. The processing unit according to claim 14.

19. A processing apparatus comprising a processing unit having a supply unit for supplying gas and a plurality of exhaust ports for exhausting the gas, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports include a first exhaust port provided in a direction facing the supply unit, a second exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting a straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port, and an angle formed by the straight line and the straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port is configured to be less than 90°, and a third exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting a straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port, and an angle formed by the straight line and the straight line from the supply unit to the first exhaust port is configured to be 90° or more.

20. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising: a step of loading a substrate into a processing unit including a supply unit that supplies a gas and a plurality of exhaust ports that exhaust the gas, wherein the plurality of exhaust ports include a first exhaust port provided in a direction facing the supply unit, a second exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting a straight line from the supply unit toward the first exhaust port and configured such that an angle formed by the straight line and the straight line from the supply unit toward the first exhaust port is less than 90°, and a third exhaust port provided on a straight line intersecting a straight line from the supply unit toward the first exhaust port and configured such that an angle formed by the straight line and the straight line from the supply unit toward the first exhaust port is 90° or more; a step of supplying the gas to the substrate.

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