Support, substrate processing device, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Abstract

Provided is a technology which makes it possible to prevent or reduce sticking of a substrate to a support. Provided is a technology having: a plurality of columns; a placement part on which a substrate provided to each column is placed; and a first opening configured so that a gas for preventing sticking due to film formation flows to a contact part in contact with the substrate.

Description

Supporting tool, substrate processing apparatus, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a supporting tool, 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 process of forming a film on a substrate may be performed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In recent years, when forming a thick film on a substrate, sticking of the substrate to a boat may occur, which may cause a deterioration in the quality of the substrate. Therefore, it may be required to prevent the sticking of this substrate to the supporting tool.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-69330

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of suppressing the sticking of a substrate to a supporting tool.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a technique having a plurality of support columns, a mounting portion provided on each support column for mounting a substrate, and a first opening portion configured such that a gas for preventing sticking due to film formation flows through a contact portion that contacts the substrate.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the sticking of a substrate to a supporting tool.

[0007] It is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a reactor of a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in an embodiment of the present disclosure. It is a block diagram showing a controller of a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in an embodiment of the present disclosure. It is a main part enlarged view showing a state where the furnace mouth part of the reactor of the substrate processing apparatus preferably used in an embodiment of the present disclosure is opened. It is a main part enlarged view showing a state where the furnace mouth part of the reactor of the substrate processing apparatus preferably used in an embodiment of the present disclosure is blocked. (A) is a main part enlarged view showing a contact part of the first embodiment of the present disclosure, (B) is a plan view of the contact part, and (C) is a side view of the contact part. It is a sequence diagram for explaining a substrate processing step preferably used in an embodiment of the present disclosure. (A) is a main part enlarged view showing a contact part of a modified example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure, (B) is a plan view of the contact part, and (C) is a side view of the contact part. It is a main part enlarged view showing the periphery of the mounting portion of the second embodiment of the present disclosure. (A) is a main part enlarged view showing the periphery of the mounting portion of the third embodiment of the present disclosure, and (B) is a plan view of the mounting portion.

[0008] Hereinafter, one aspect of this disclosure will be described with reference primarily to Figures 1 to 6. It should be noted that the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to those of reality. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements do not necessarily correspond between multiple drawings.

[0009] First, Figure 1 will illustrate the substrate processing apparatus 1 and reactor 2 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. The substrate processing apparatus 1 in this disclosure is configured as an example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

[0010] The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a housing (not shown), and a reactor 2 is provided inside the housing. The reactor 2 consists of a reaction tube 5 as a processing vessel, a manifold 8 to which a gas exhaust pipe 6 and a gas supply pipe 7 are connected, a seal cap 11 that closes the furnace opening 9 provided at the lower end of the manifold 8 and seals the processing chamber 4 (described later), and a heater 12 (not shown) that has heater wires and a heat insulating material to heat the wafer 3 as a substrate.

[0011] The reaction tube 5, manifold 8, and seal cap 11, etc., constitute a processing chamber 4 in which predetermined processing is performed on the substrate 3.

[0012] The gas supply pipe 7 penetrates the manifold 8 from the side and extends to the top within the reaction pipe 5. The gas supply pipe 7 is equipped with a valve 1 3, which acts as the main valve for adjusting the flow rate of the process gas supplied to the processing chamber 4, and the gas supply pipe 7 branches into three pipes, 7a, 7b, and 7c, upstream of the valve 1 3.

[0013] The gas supply pipe 7a is equipped with a first gas supply source 14 that supplies the first processed gas from the upstream side, a first mass flow controller (MFC) 15 as a means for controlling the gas flow rate, and a valve 16 as the first valve. The gas supply pipe 7b is equipped with a second gas supply source 17 that supplies the second processed gas from the upstream side, a second MFC 18, and a valve 19 as the second valve. The gas supply pipe 7c is equipped with a third gas supply source 21 that supplies the third processed gas from the upstream side, a third MFC 22, and a valve 23 as the third valve.

[0014] In reactor 2, each processing gas is supplied from gas supply source 14, gas supply source 17, and gas supply source 21, its flow rate is adjusted by MFC 15, MFC 18, and MFC 22, and after being mixed in the gas supply pipe 7 via valves 16, 19, and 23, it is introduced from the gas supply pipe 7 to the top of processing chamber 4 via valve 13.

[0015] The first processing gas supply system mainly consists of a gas supply pipe 7a, an MFC 15, and a valve 16. A gas supply source 14 may also be included in the first processing gas supply system. The second processing gas supply system mainly consists of a gas supply pipe 7b, an MFC 18, and a valve 19. A gas supply source 17 may also be included in the second processing gas supply system. The third processing gas supply system mainly consists of a gas supply pipe 7c, an MFC 22, and a valve 23. A gas supply source 21 may also be included in the third processing gas supply system.

[0016] In this specification, the term "processing gas" may refer to only the first processing gas, only the second processing gas, only the third processing gas, or all of them. Similarly, the term "processing gas supply system" may refer to only the first processing gas supply system, only the second processing gas supply system, only the third processing gas supply system, or all of them.

[0017] A gas exhaust pipe 6 is provided in communication with the manifold 8. A pressure sensor 24, which is a pressure detector (pressure detection unit) for detecting the pressure in the processing chamber 4, and a vacuum pump 26, which is a vacuum evacuation device, are connected to the gas exhaust pipe 6 via an Auto Pressure Controller (APC) valve 25, which is a pressure regulator (pressure adjustment unit). The vacuum pump 26 is configured to evacuate the processing chamber 4 to a predetermined pressure (vacuum level).

[0018] The gas exhaust pipe 6 downstream of the vacuum pump 26 is connected to a waste gas treatment facility (not shown), etc. The APC valve 25 is an on / off valve that can be opened and closed to evacuate and stop the vacuum evacuation of the treatment chamber 4, and can also adjust the pressure in the treatment chamber 4 by adjusting the valve opening to adjust the conductance. The exhaust system mainly consists of the gas exhaust pipe 6, pressure sensor 24, and APC valve 25. The vacuum pump 26 may also be included in the exhaust system.

[0019] Furthermore, the boat 27, which serves as a support for holding multiple substrates 3 in a horizontal position in multiple stages, is configured to be raised and lowered relative to the processing chamber 4 by a boat elevator 28, which serves as a lifting mechanism. A seal cap 11 is attached to the boat elevator 28, and the seal cap 11 supports the boat 27 vertically.

[0020] A gas port 33 (see Figures 3 and 4) is formed at the lower end of the boat's rotating shaft 31 and boat rotation mechanism 32, which communicates with the internal flow path of the boat, as described later. The tip (downstream end) of a gas inlet pipe 34 is connected to this gas port 33. The base end (upstream end) of the gas inlet pipe 34 is connected to the seal cap 11 from below, and the base end of the gas inlet pipe 34 opens onto the upper surface of the seal cap 11. A valve 35, which acts as a first gas valve and is an on / off valve, is also provided in the gas inlet pipe 34.

[0021] A first gas supply pipe 36 is provided, penetrating from above through the lower surface of the manifold 8 and the furnace opening 9. A reaction gas supply source (not shown) for supplying reaction gases such as NH3 gas is connected to the base end (upstream side) of the gas supply pipe 36, and reaction gases are supplied from the reaction gas supply source. The tip (downstream end) of the gas supply pipe 36 opens to the lower surface of the furnace opening 9. Furthermore, when the furnace opening 9 is closed by the seal cap 11 via an airtight member 37 such as an O-ring, the gas introduction pipe 34, the gas supply pipe 36, and the gas port 33 are in airtight communication.

[0022] Furthermore, a second gas supply pipe, 38, is connected downstream of valve 35 in the gas inlet pipe 34. Valve 39, which acts as a second gas valve and is an on / off valve, is provided in the gas supply pipe 38, and is connected to a purge gas supply source (not shown) on the base end (upstream side) of valve 39. An inert gas, such as nitrogen (N2) gas, is supplied from the purge gas supply source as a cooling purge gas.

[0023] Specifically, the gas inlet pipe 34 branches into two, with valves 35 and 39 provided upstream of the branching point. Either the reaction gas from the gas supply pipe 36 or the purge gas from the gas supply pipe 38 is supplied to the gas port 33 via valves 35 and 39.

[0024] Furthermore, a temperature sensor 41 (see Figure 2), which will be described later, is installed inside the reaction tube 5. By adjusting the power supplied to the heater 1 2 based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 41, the temperature of the processing chamber 4 is configured to achieve the desired temperature distribution.

[0025] In Figure 1, 42 is a controller acting as a control unit, and is configured to control the operation of the heater 12, boat rotation mechanism 32, MFC 15, MFC 18, MFC 22, valve 13, valve 16, valve 19, valve 23, valve 35, valve 39, APC valve 25, vacuum pump 26, and boat elevator 28, etc.

[0026] Next, the details of the control unit 42 will be described in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 42 is configured as a computer equipped with a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 43, Random Access Memory (RAM) 44, storage device 45, and I / O ports 46. The RAM 44, storage device 45, and I / O ports 46 are configured to exchange data with the CPU 43 via an internal bus 47. An input / output device 48, configured as, for example, a touch panel, is connected to the control unit 42.

[0027] The storage device 45 is composed of, for example, an EEPROM, flash memory, or a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). The storage device 45 contains, in a readable format, control programs that control the operation of the substrate processing device, and process recipes that describe the procedures and conditions for the substrate processing described later. The process recipe is a combination of steps in the substrate processing process described later that can be executed by the control unit 42 to obtain a predetermined result, and functions as a program. Hereinafter, this process recipe and control program will be collectively referred to simply as a program (program product). In this specification, the term "program" may include only the process recipe, only the control program, or both. The RAM 44 is configured as a memory area (work area) where programs and data read by the CPU 43 are temporarily held.

[0028] The I / O port 46 is connected to the MFCs 15, 18, and 22, valves 13 and 16, 19, and 23, pressure sensor 24, APC valve 25, vacuum pump 26, heater 12, temperature sensor 41, boat rotation mechanism 32, boat elevator 28, and valves 35, 39, etc.

[0029] The CPU 43 constitutes the central part of the control unit 42 and is configured to read and execute control programs from the storage device 45, as well as to read process recipes from the storage device 45 in response to input of operation commands from the input / output device 48. The CPU 43 is configured to control the flow rate adjustment operations of various gases by MFCs 15, 18, and 22, the opening and closing operations of valves 13, 16, 19, and 23, and valves 35 and 39, the opening and closing operations of the APC valve 25 and the pressure adjustment operations of the APC valve 25 based on the pressure sensor 24, the starting and stopping of the vacuum pump 26, the temperature adjustment operations of the heater 12 based on the temperature sensor 41, the rotation and rotation speed adjustment operations of the boat 27 by the boat rotation mechanism 32, and the raising and lowering operations of the boat 27 by the boat elevator 28, etc., in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe.

[0030] The control unit 42 can be configured by installing the above-mentioned program stored in an external storage device (for example, a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD or DV, or a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory or memory card) 49 onto a computer. The storage device 45 and the external storage device 49 are configured as recording media that can be read by a computer. Hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to simply as recording media. In this specification, the term recording media may include only the storage device 45, only the external storage device 49, or both.

[0031] Furthermore, the means of supplying a program to the computer are not limited to supplying it via the external storage device 49. For example, the program may be supplied without using the external storage device 49 by means of a communication line, communication network, communication system, etc.

[0032] Next, Figures 3 and 4 will describe the details of the lower part of boat 27 and its surrounding area.

[0033] The boat rotation mechanism 32 has a support section 51 fixed to the boat elevator 28 and a double-tube rotating shaft 31. The rotating shaft 31 has a central shaft 52 that is fixed so as not to rotate and an outer ring shaft 55 that is rotatable between the support section 51 and the central shaft 52 via bearings 53 and 54. The upper end of the outer ring shaft 55 is fixed to the bottom plate 56 of the boat 27, and the outer ring shaft 55 and the boat 27 rotate together via a worm gear 57 driven by a motor (not shown).

[0034] The central shaft 52 has an internal shaft channel 58 that penetrates the central shaft 52 in the axial direction, and the lower end (upstream end) of the internal shaft channel 58 is in communication with the gas port 33. The upper end of the central shaft 52 is inserted through a hole (not shown) formed in the lower center of the bottom plate 56, and the internal shaft channel 58 is in communication with an internal bottom plate channel 59 formed in the bottom plate 56. The boat 27 also has a plurality of support columns 61 and a mounting portion 63 provided on each support column 61 for mounting the base plate 3. Inside each support column 61, an internal support column channel 62 is formed in the axial direction, and each internal support column channel 62 is in communication with the internal bottom plate channel 59.

[0035] The mounting section 63 is formed to protrude from each support column 61 toward the center. A mounting section internal flow path 64 is formed within the mounting section 63, and one end (upstream end) of the mounting section internal flow path 64 is in communication with the shaft internal flow path 58. In addition, the mounting section 63 has an opening 65 as a first opening that opens upward, and the opening 65 is in communication with the other end (downstream end) of the mounting section internal flow path 64. Therefore, the support column internal flow path 62 and the mounting section internal flow path 64 are in communication with the outside through the opening 65. The support column internal flow path 62 and the mounting section internal flow path 64 are also simply referred to as flow path 62 and flow path 64, respectively.

[0036] Furthermore, multiple mounting sections 63 are formed at predetermined pitches in the height direction of the support column 61, and by being placed on the mounting sections 63, multiple substrates 3 are held horizontally in multiple stages on the boat 27. At this time, the substrates 3 and the mounting sections 63 come into contact only through contact sections 66 (see Figure 5), which will be described later. Here, the contact sections 66 are formed to protrude upward from the surface of the mounting section 63 on which the substrates 3 are placed, and are the parts that come into contact with the substrates 3 when the substrates 3 are placed on the mounting section 63.

[0037] Furthermore, the configuration of the internal flow channels 62 in the support column, the internal flow channels 64 in the mounting section, and the opening 65 is not limited to the embodiment shown in Figure 3 or Figure 4. For example, the diameter of the internal flow channels 62 in the support column may be gradually increased towards the top of the support column 61 so that the pressure of the gas flowing into each internal flow channel 64 in the mounting section is equal or approximately equal.

[0038] The gas introduced into the gas inlet pipe 34 from the gas supply pipe 36 or gas supply pipe 38, such as an inert gas, flows through the internal shaft passage 58, the internal bottom plate passage 59, the internal support column passage 62, and the internal mounting section passage 64, and is ejected from the opening 65. The gas ejected from the opening 65 is supplied from the back side of the substrate 3 placed on the mounting section 63 to the area around the contact portion 66 between the mounting section 63 and the substrate 3.

[0039] Therefore, gas can be directly supplied from the boat 27, which includes the shaft channel 58, the bottom plate channel 59, the support column channel 62, the mounting section channel 64, and the opening 65, to the back side of the substrate 3 and the contact area 66 with the substrate 3. For example, by supplying an inert gas, the area around the contact area 66 can be purged with the inert gas, preventing the adhesion of processing gases, etc., to the contact area 66. In addition, since the gas can be supplied directly, the stirring up of particles can be suppressed. Furthermore, by efficiently blowing inert gas onto the substrate 3 during the cooling of the substrate after processing, the cooling efficiency can be improved.

[0040] Furthermore, magnetic fluid seals 67 and 68 are provided between the outer ring shaft 55 and the support portion 51, and between the central shaft 52 and the outer ring shaft 55, respectively, and these magnetic fluid seals 67 and 68 airtightly seal the spaces between the outer ring shaft 55 and the support portion 51, and between the central shaft 52 and the outer ring shaft 55. In addition, a fluid seal (not shown) is formed between the central shaft 52 and the bottom plate 56, airtightly sealing the space between the central shaft 52 and the bottom plate 56. This configuration allows gas to be supplied to the substrate 3 from the boat 27, which includes the shaft internal flow path 58, the bottom plate internal flow path 59, the support column internal flow path 62, the mounting portion internal flow path 64, and the opening 65, while the boat 27 is rotated. Thus, gas can be supplied evenly to the entire surface of the substrate 3.

[0041] The gas supply mechanism is comprised of a gas port 33, a gas inlet pipe 34, a gas supply pipe 36, a gas supply pipe 38, a valve 35, a valve 39, and the like. The gas supply mechanism may also include a boat 27.

[0042] Figures 5(A) to 5(C) show one aspect of the contact portion 66. As shown in Figure 5(C), the mounting portion 63 is cylindrical in shape, projecting from the support column 61 toward the center of the boat 27. The contact portion 66 is formed at the highest point on the circumferential surface of the mounting portion 63, from the tip to the base, parallel to the axis of the mounting portion 63. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5(B), the contact portion 66 is formed to cross the opening 65. That is, when the substrate 3 is placed, the contact portion 66 covers a part of the opening 65, and the remainder is covered by the substrate 3.

[0043] The inert gas supplied to the shaft channel 58 flows sequentially through the bottom plate channel 59, the support column channel 62, and the mounting section channel 64, and is supplied from the opening 65 toward the back surface of the substrate 3. A portion of the contact area 66 is located between the back surface of the substrate 3 and the mounting section 63, and a gap equal to the height of the contact area is formed. Therefore, the inert gas is blown directly onto the contact area 66 and flows through the gap along the back surface of the substrate 3. As a result, the area around the contact area 66 is efficiently purged with the inert gas, preventing film formation on the back surface of the substrate 3 and around the contact area 66, and preventing the substrate 3 and the mounting section 63 from sticking together due to film formation.

[0044] Next, referring to the sequence diagram of FIG. 6, an example of a sequence of a process of forming a film on a substrate (hereinafter also referred to as a film formation process) as one step of a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device (device) using the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. Here, an example of forming a film on the substrate 3 by alternately supplying a first processing gas (source gas) and a second processing gas (reaction gas) to the substrate 3 will be described.

[0045] Note that the processing temperature in this specification means the temperature of the substrate 3 or the temperature of the processing chamber 4, and the processing pressure means the pressure of the processing chamber 4.

[0046] (Wafer Charge and Boat Load) In the wafer charge process, a plurality of substrates 3 are loaded (wafer charged) onto the boat 27. At this time, the valve 39 may be opened, and N2 gas (purge gas) as an inert gas may be supplied from the gas supply pipe 38 to the back surface of the substrate 3 and the periphery of the contact portion 66 through the opening 65.

[0047] Also, in the boat load process, the boat 27 is raised by the boat elevator 28 and carried into (boat loaded) the processing chamber 4. The seal cap 11 is in a state of hermetically closing (sealing) the furnace mouth portion 9 via the airtight member 37, and the gas introduction pipe 34 and the gas supply pipe 36 are communicated. At this time, after the boat 27 is raised, the valve 39 is opened until the furnace mouth portion 9 is closed by the seal cap 11, and an inert gas (purge gas) is directly supplied from the gas supply pipe 38 to the substrate 3 through the axial flow path 58, the bottom plate flow path 59, the support flow path 62, and the placement portion flow path 64 through the opening 65.

[0048] Also, in the boat load process, the rotation of the boat 27 and the substrate 3 by the boat rotation mechanism 32 is started. That is, the boat 27 and the substrate 3 are rotated and raised and carried into the processing chamber 4. At this time, only the outer ring shaft 55 rotates integrally with the boat 27, and the central shaft 52 does not rotate. The rotation of the boat 27 and the substrate 3 by the boat rotation mechanism 32 is continuously performed at least until the processing of the substrate 3 is completed.

[0049] (Pressure and Temperature Adjustment) Once the boat 27 has been loaded into the processing chamber 4, the valve 39 is closed, and the processing chamber 4, i.e., the space where the substrate 3 is located, is evacuated (reduced pressure exhaust) by the vacuum pump 26 so that it reaches a predetermined pressure (vacuum level). At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 4 is measured by the pressure sensor 24, and the APC valve 25 is feedback controlled based on the measured pressure information. The vacuum pump 26 is kept running at all times, at least until the processing of the substrate 3 is completed.

[0050] Furthermore, the substrate 3 in the processing chamber 4 is heated by the heater 12 so that it reaches a predetermined temperature. At this time, the amount of power supplied to the heater 12 is feedback-controlled based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 41 so that the processing chamber 4 has a predetermined temperature distribution. The heating of the processing chamber 4 by the heater 12 is continued at least until the processing of the substrate 3 is completed.

[0051] (Film deposition process) Once the temperature in processing chamber 4 stabilizes at the preset processing temperature, the next step is executed.

[0052] First, valves 16 and 13 are opened to supply a predetermined processing gas into the gas supply pipe 7. The flow rate of the processing gas is adjusted by the MFC 15 and supplied to the processing chamber 4 from the gas supply pipe 7, and then exhausted from the gas exhaust pipe 6.

[0053] At this time, valve 23 is opened simultaneously with valve 16, and inert gas is allowed to flow into the gas supply pipe 7. The flow rate of the inert gas is regulated by MFC 22 and supplied to the processing chamber 4 along with the processing gas, and exhausted through the gas exhaust pipe 6. By supplying the processing gas to the substrate 3, a film with a thickness of, for example, less than one atomic layer to several atomic layers is formed on the outermost surface of the substrate 3.

[0054] Furthermore, valve 39 is opened to supply inert gas from opening 65. Consequently, the area around the contact portion 66 is purged with inert gas, preventing film formation on the substrate 3 around the contact portion.

[0055] After a film is formed on the surface of the substrate 3, valve 16 is closed to stop the supply of processing gas. At this time, APC valve 25 is left open, and the processing chamber 4 is evacuated using a vacuum pump 26 to remove any unreacted or residual processing gas that has contributed to film formation from the processing chamber 4. At this time, valves 39 and 23 are left open to maintain the supply of inert gas to the processing chamber 4. The inert gas acts as a purge gas, thereby enhancing the effect of removing residual gas from the processing chamber 4. In particular, it is expected to be effective in removing processing gas (residual gas) from the surface of the substrate 3.

[0056] Furthermore, during the film formation process, valve 39 is opened and the supply of inert gas from opening 65 is continued; however, the method of supplying inert gas is not limited to continuous supply.

[0057] For example, the supply and cessation of inert gas may be repeatedly performed during the film deposition process. Alternatively, inert gas may be supplied after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the film deposition process. Furthermore, during the film deposition process, inert gas may be supplied when the film thickness formed on the surface of the substrate 3 (a value calculated from the gas flow rate and time) exceeds a threshold (for example, a calculated value of 1 μm). Needless to say, these aforementioned methods of supplying inert gas may also be combined.

[0058] (Purge and return to atmospheric pressure) After the film deposition process is complete, valve 23 is opened and inert gas is supplied to the processing chamber 4 from the gas supply pipe 7. Valve 39 is also left open and inert gas is supplied to the processing chamber 4 from the opening 65 and exhausted from the gas exhaust pipe 6. The inert gas acts as a purge gas. This purges the processing chamber 4, removing any remaining gases and reaction by-products from the processing chamber 4. Subsequently, the atmosphere in the processing chamber 4 is replaced with inert gas, and the pressure in the processing chamber 4 is returned to normal pressure (return to atmospheric pressure).

[0059] (Boat unloading and cooling, discharge) In the boat unloading process, after the processing chamber 4 is restored to atmospheric pressure, the seal cap 11 is lowered by the boat elevator 28, and the furnace opening 9 is opened. At this time, the valve 39 is opened, and inert gas is supplied from the opening 65. Then, with the processed substrate 3 supported by the boat 27, it is transported out of the reaction tube 3 through the furnace opening 9.

[0060] At this time, the boat 27 and the substrate 3 are continuously rotated by the boat rotation mechanism 32. That is, the boat 27 is lowered while rotating, with inert gas being directly supplied to the back surface of the substrate 3.

[0061] In the cooling process, which cools the substrate 3 to a transportable temperature, the boat 27 is continuously rotated by the boat rotation mechanism 32, and inert gas is continuously supplied to the back surface of the substrate 3 from the opening 65. This shortens the cooling time and suppresses the formation of an oxide film on the substrate 3. When the cooling process is completed, that is, when the temperature of the substrate 3 has cooled to a transportable temperature, the rotation of the boat 27 is stopped.

[0062] Finally, in the discharge process, after the processed substrate 3 is removed from the boat 27, the valve 39 is closed to stop the supply of inert gas from the opening 65, and the film deposition process of the substrate 3 is completed. Alternatively, the valve 39 may be closed and the supply of inert gas from the opening 65 stopped before the discharge process.

[0063] (Effects of this embodiment) According to this embodiment, one or more of the following effects can be obtained.

[0064] In this embodiment, an internal channel 58 is formed in the rotating shaft 31, a base plate 56, a support column 61, and a mounting section 63, respectively. An internal channel 64 is also formed in the mounting section 63, and a contact section 66 is formed that protrudes upward. The substrate 3 is configured to contact only the contact section 66. The inert gas that has flowed through the internal channel 58, base plate 59, support column 62, and mounting section 64 is directly supplied to the contact section 66 that contacts the back surface of the substrate 3 through an opening 65 formed in the mounting section 63.

[0065] Therefore, even during the process, the space between the substrate 3 and the mounting section 63 is purged with an inert gas, preventing the formation of a film between the substrate 3 and the mounting section 63, thus preventing adhesion between the substrate 3 and the mounting section 63 (boat 27) due to film formation. Furthermore, even when the cumulative instantaneous thickness becomes large, adhesion of the substrate 3 to the mounting section 63 (boat 27) can be suppressed.

[0066] Furthermore, by suppressing adhesion of the substrate 3 to the mounting section 63 (boat 27), processing can be continued without interruption even in processes with a large target film thickness.

[0067] Furthermore, since the inert gas is supplied directly from the back side of the substrate 3, the effect on film formation on the substrate 3 can be suppressed.

[0068] Furthermore, since only the contact portion 66 is in contact with the substrate 3, the contact area of ​​the substrate 3 is reduced, and an inert gas can be reliably supplied to the contact portion 66.

[0069] Furthermore, since a gap equal to the height of the contact portion 66 is formed between the substrate 3 and the mounting portion 63, an inert gas can be circulated through this gap, thereby improving the efficiency of inert gas purging.

[0070] (Other Embodiments) In this embodiment, the mounting portion 63 is cylindrical in shape, and the contact portion 66 is formed in a straight line from the tip to the base parallel to the axis of the mounting portion 63. However, the shapes of the mounting portion 63 and the contact portion 66 are not limited to these.

[0071] For example, as shown in Figures 7(A) to 7(C), the mounting portion 69 may be cylindrical in shape and connected to an arm portion 71 that protrudes from the support column 61 toward the center of the boat 27. The axis of the mounting portion 69 is parallel to the axis of the boat 27, and an opening 65 is located at the center of the upper surface of the mounting portion 69.

[0072] Furthermore, contact portions 72 are formed on the upper surface of the mounting portion 69, excluding the opening 65. That is, when the substrate 3 is placed on it, the contact portions 72 are formed around the opening 65. The contact portions 72 are formed in a stripe pattern, for example, as shown in Figure 7 (B). Note that the contact portions 72 are not limited to stripes; various patterns such as a grid can be selected.

[0073] When the substrate 3 is placed, multiple spaces are formed on the mounting portion 69 between the substrate 3, the mounting portion 69, and the contact portion 72. Therefore, for example, grooves extending radially from the opening 65 may be separately formed, and the multiple spaces may be configured to communicate through these grooves. With this configuration, the inert gas flows sequentially through the multiple spaces, and the area around the contact portion 72 can be efficiently purged with inert gas.

[0074] Furthermore, the grooves described above only need to allow the inert gas from the opening 65 to escape to the outside of the contact area 72. Therefore, the grooves do not need to be radial; they just need to face the contact area 72. In addition, to increase the flow velocity of the inert gas, a throttling section may be provided between the internal flow path 64 of the mounting section and the grooves.

[0075] Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in Figure 8. In Figure 8, components equivalent to those in Figure 5(A) are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0076] The supply of inert gas to the substrate 3 is not limited to the opening 65. For example, as shown in Figure 8, a nozzle 73 may be formed in the support column 61 as a second opening, and the inert gas may be supplied through the nozzle 73.

[0077] The nozzle 73 is formed between the mounting sections 63, 63. When the substrate 3 is placed on the mounting section 63, the nozzle 73 is configured to spray inert gas toward the surface of the substrate 3.

[0078] With the above configuration, the area around the contact portion 66 is purged with an inert gas, preventing adhesion due to film formation. Furthermore, contact between the surface of the substrate 3 and the atmosphere is prevented during loading and unloading of the boat 27, thereby suppressing the formation of an oxide film on the surface of the substrate 3.

[0079] Alternatively, a nozzle with a channel through which an inert gas flows may be provided on the support column 61, and a nozzle outlet 73 as a second opening may be provided in the nozzle, and the inert gas may be ejected towards the surface side of the substrate 3 through the outlet 73. In this case as well, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0080] In the second embodiment, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, although only the nozzle 73 is disclosed in the second embodiment, in addition to the nozzle 73, a flow path 64 and an opening 65 may be formed in the mounting portion 63 of the first embodiment. Also, either Figure 5(B) or Figure 7(B) can be applied as the mounting portion and contact portion.

[0081] Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 9(A) and 9(B). In Figures 9(A) and 9(B), components equivalent to those in Figures 5(A) and 5(B) are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0082] In the third embodiment, the mounting portion 74 is cylindrical and connected to an arm portion 75 that protrudes from the support column 61 toward the center of the boat 27. The mounting portion 74 also has a projection 76 that protrudes upward from the center as a contact portion. The projection 76 is, for example, cylindrical, and its upper surface contacts the substrate 3, thereby supporting the substrate 3.

[0083] Multiple openings 77, which serve as first openings, are formed around the projection 76 at equal angular intervals, for example, three openings at 120° intervals. That is, in a plan view, the openings 77 are evenly distributed around the projection 76 in the circumferential direction. Alternatively, an annular groove 78 may be formed around the projection 76, and the openings 77 may be formed facing the groove 78. The width of the groove 78 is larger than the diameter of the openings 77.

[0084] In the third embodiment, the internal flow path 79 of the mounting section includes a first internal flow path 79a for introducing inert gas from the internal flow path 62 of the support column into the mounting section 74, and a second internal flow path 79b for supplying the inert gas in the first internal flow path 79a to each opening 77.

[0085] Furthermore, the internal flow channels 79b of the second mounting section may be formed radially from the center of the mounting section 74, that is, in a direction away from the projection 76. In this case, each opening 77 is provided in the mounting section 74 facing away from the projection 76 and is also provided facing the groove 78.

[0086] Alternatively, a buffer section 79c for temporarily storing inert gas may be provided between the first mounting section internal flow path 79a and the second mounting section internal flow path 79b, and the second mounting section internal flow path 79b, which is parallel to the axis of the mounting section 74, may be formed between each opening 77 and the buffer section 79c.

[0087] In the third embodiment, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In the third embodiment, a plurality of openings 77 are formed around the projection 76, and inert gas is supplied to the projection 76 and its surroundings from the back side of the substrate 3 through each opening 77. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path for the inert gas can be increased, and the purging efficiency of the inert gas purging can be improved, thereby preventing film formation and adhesion between the substrate 3 and the projection 76.

[0088] Furthermore, when the internal flow path 79b of the second mounting section is formed in a direction away from the projection 76, each opening 77 is provided facing the groove 78. Therefore, the inert gas can be deflected along the peripheral wall of the groove 78, ensuring that the inert gas is reliably supplied around the projection 76.

[0089] Furthermore, if a buffer section 79c is provided between the first mounting section internal flow path 79a and the second mounting section internal flow path 79b, the second mounting section internal flow path 79b can be formed in a direction parallel to the axis of the mounting section 74, thereby ensuring that inert gas is reliably supplied around the projection 76.

[0090] In the first to third embodiments, an inert gas is supplied to the contact area and surrounding area to prevent film formation at the contact area, thereby preventing the substrate 3 from sticking to the mounting area. However, the method of preventing sticking is not limited to this.

[0091] For example, before the film deposition process and before the substrate 3 is loaded, an inhibitor raw material gas may be supplied to the contact area from the first opening (or second opening) to selectively inhibit film deposition on the contact area (inhibitor film). By forming an inhibitor film on the contact area, the formation of a film on the contact area during the film deposition process is prevented, and the substrate 3 can be prevented from sticking to the mounting area.

[0092] Alternatively, after the film formation process, while the substrate 3 is not placed on it, etching gas may be supplied to the contact area from the first opening (or second opening). By supplying etching gas, the film that adheres the substrate 3 to the mounting area can be etched, preventing the substrate 3 from sticking to the mounting area.

[0093] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, an internal flow channel 62 is formed within the support column 61, and an inert gas is supplied to the contact area via the internal flow channel 62. However, the supply of inert gas to the contact area is not limited to this.

[0094] For example, a quartz tube may be welded to the support column 61, an inert gas may be circulated within the quartz tube, and injection holes may be provided at heights corresponding to each mounting section, with the inert gas being supplied to the contact section from each injection hole.

[0095] Alternatively, a quartz pipe may be used as the support column 61. If a quartz pipe is used, it is desirable to make the quartz pipe elliptical or reduce the diameter of the pipe in order to provide a support section.

[0096] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, a mounting portion projecting toward the center of the boat 27 is provided on the support column 61, but a groove (support portion) may be carved into the support column 61 and the groove may be used as the mounting portion.

[0097] The above-described embodiments explain an example of forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at once. This disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be suitably applied to forming a film using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at once. In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be applied not only to semiconductor manufacturing apparatus but also to apparatus that processes glass substrates, such as LCD apparatus. Even when using these 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.

[0098] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications can be used in appropriate combinations. The processing procedure and processing conditions in this case can be the same as, for example, the processing procedure and processing conditions of the above-described embodiments and modifications.

[0099] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-182084, filed on 17 October 2024, and all of its disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0100] This apparatus is applied to a device for forming a thick film (e.g., 1 μm or more) on a substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) that is supported by a support.

[0101] 3 substrate 27 boat 61 support column 62 flow path 63 mounting section 64 flow path 65 opening 66 contact section

Claims

1. A support device comprising a plurality of support columns, a mounting section on each support column for placing a substrate, and a first opening configured to allow gas to flow through the contact section that contacts the substrate to prevent adhesion due to film formation.

2. The support according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is formed such that when the substrate is placed on the aforementioned mounting portion, the substrate covers at least a portion of the first opening.

3. The support according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is formed around the first opening when the substrate is placed on the aforementioned mounting portion.

4. The support according to claim 3, wherein the mounting portion has grooves formed radially from the first opening.

5. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion has a projection that supports the substrate.

6. The support device according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of the first openings are provided around the projection.

7. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion has a groove formed facing the contact portion.

8. The support according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first opening is configured to supply the gas to the back surface of the substrate placed on the mounting portion described above.

9. The support according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the support column is provided with a second opening for ejecting gas toward the surface of the substrate.

10. The support according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a nozzle attached to the support column and having a passage through which the gas flows, wherein the nozzle is provided with a second opening for ejecting the gas toward the surface of the substrate.

11. The support according to claim 5, wherein the first opening is provided evenly in the circumferential direction around the projection in a plan view.

12. The support according to claim 5, wherein the first opening is provided in a direction away from the projection.

13. The support according to claim 5, further comprising a gas flow path inside each of the support column and the aforementioned mounting portion, wherein the first opening is provided to face a groove with a diameter larger than the flow path.

14. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion has a buffer portion for temporarily storing the gas.

15. The support device according to claim 13, wherein the flow path is configured to expand toward the upper part of the support column.

16. The support device according to claim 7, further comprising a passage through which the gas flows inside each of the support column and the aforementioned mounting portion, and having a constricted portion between the passage and the groove.

17. The support according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or 11 to 16, wherein the gas is one of an inert gas, a film-forming inhibiting gas, or an etching gas.

18. The support according to claim 17, configured such that the inert gas is supplied when the substrate is placed on the aforementioned mounting section, and the film-forming inhibiting gas or the etching gas is supplied when the substrate is not placed on the aforementioned mounting section.

19. A substrate processing apparatus comprising a support device having a plurality of support columns, a mounting section on each support column for placing a substrate, and a first opening configured to allow gas to flow through the contact section that contacts the substrate to prevent adhesion due to film formation.

20. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: transporting a support device into a processing chamber with a substrate held in place by the support device, which is configured to have a plurality of support columns, a mounting section on each support column for placing a substrate, and a first opening in the contact section that contacts the substrate, through which a gas is configured to flow to prevent adhesion due to film formation; and processing the substrate.

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