Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing method comprising: a first step of cleaning a chamber by supplying gas containing fluorine; a second step of applying plasma while supplying a process gas, thereby removing the fluorine remaining in the chamber; and a third step of processing a substrate by applying plasma after seating the substrate on a substrate support part, wherein, the separation distance between a gas injection part and the substrate support part, the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber in the second step is set to be different from the separation distance between the gas injection part and the substrate support part, the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber in the third step.

Description

Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically, to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus capable of removing residues within a chamber.

[0002] Semiconductor devices can be manufactured by depositing thin films on a substrate using various substrate processing devices. Generally, a substrate processing device has a structure that includes a chamber for performing substrate processing, a gas injection unit such as a showerhead connected to a gas supply line to supply gas into the chamber, a susceptor installed inside the chamber on which the substrate is placed, and a substrate support unit such as an electrostatic chuck. During the thin film formation process using a substrate processing device having such a structure, reaction products are generated for thin film formation, and these generated reaction products are deposited on the inner walls of the chamber, showerheads, and other surfaces of the substrate. Since substrate processing devices utilized for semiconductor mass production process a large volume of substrates, if the substrate processing process continues while reaction products are attached inside the chamber, the reaction products detach from the inner walls of the chamber or showerheads, generating particles. Since the above particles can adhere to the substrate and cause deposition defects and reduce the yield of the semiconductor device, the substrate processing device may perform a preliminary deposition process in which, after depositing a certain number of thin films for a certain period of time or a certain number of films, the inside of the chamber is cleaned and a seasoning film is deposited inside the chamber to compensate for the change in chamber conditions caused by the cleaning.

[0003] However, if fluorine resulting from the cleaning process is contained in the seasoning film, the adhesion between the chamber and the seasoning film is weakened, which may cause problems such as particles falling onto the substrate.

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a substrate treatment method and a substrate treatment apparatus capable of suppressing falling particles and effectively removing residues within a chamber.

[0005] However, these tasks are exemplary and do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing method is provided. The substrate processing method is a substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a chamber having a processing space formed therein; a substrate support member installed within the chamber and capable of moving up and down and on which a substrate can be placed; a gas injection member located above the substrate support member and capable of injecting gas; a plasma power supply member including at least one RF power source connected to the chamber to form a plasma atmosphere in the processing space; and an exhaust member capable of exhausting gas inside the chamber to the outside. The method comprises a first step of cleaning the chamber by supplying a gas containing fluorine; a second step of removing fluorine remaining inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas; and a third step of processing the substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on the substrate support member. The method is characterized in that, in the second step, the distance between the gas injection member and the substrate support member, the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber is set to be different from the distance between the gas injection member and the substrate support member, the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber in the third step.

[0007] In the above substrate processing method, the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit in the second step may be greater than the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit in the third step.

[0008] In the above substrate processing method, the power of the plasma in the second step may be lower than the power of the plasma in the third step.

[0009] In the above substrate processing method, the pressure inside the chamber in the second step may be lower than the pressure inside the chamber in the third step.

[0010] In the above substrate processing method, the third step may include a step of forming a deposited film by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas onto the substrate.

[0011] In the above substrate processing method, the third step may include a step of pre-treating the substrate by supplying a reaction gas and applying plasma without supplying a process gas onto the substrate.

[0012] The above substrate processing method may include a fourth step of forming a seasoning film inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas after the second step and before the third step.

[0013] In the above substrate processing method, the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit in the second step may be greater than the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit in the fourth step.

[0014] In the above substrate processing method, the power of the plasma in the second step may be lower than the power of the plasma in the fourth step.

[0015] In the above substrate processing method, the pressure inside the chamber in the second step may be lower than the pressure inside the chamber in the fourth step.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus comprises a chamber in which a processing space is formed; a substrate support member installed within the chamber and capable of moving up and down and on which a substrate can be placed; a gas injection member located above the substrate support member and capable of injecting gas; a plasma power supply unit including at least one RF power source connected to the chamber to form a plasma atmosphere in the processing space; an exhaust unit capable of exhausting gas within the chamber to the outside; and a control unit for controlling the substrate support member, the gas injection member, the plasma power supply unit, and the exhaust unit. The control unit controls the substrate support, the gas injection unit, the plasma power supply unit, and the exhaust unit to perform a first step of cleaning the chamber by supplying a gas containing fluorine, a second step of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas, and a third step of processing the substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on the substrate support unit, wherein the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber in the second step is set to be different from the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber in the third step.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention as described above, a substrate treatment method capable of suppressing falling particles and effectively removing residues within a chamber can be implemented.

[0018] Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by these effects.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a substrate processing apparatus that performs a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIGS. 3 to 5 are drawings illustrating the gas flow rate and plasma power at each step in a substrate processing method according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inner wall of a chamber and a seasoning film to which the substrate treatment method according to a comparative example of the present invention is applied.

[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inner wall of a chamber and a seasoning film to which the substrate treatment method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0024] Hereinafter, several preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0025] Throughout the specification, when it is stated that one component, such as a film, region, or substrate, is located "on" another component, it may be interpreted that the one component is in direct contact "on" the other component, or that other components may exist interposed therebetween. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is located "directly on" another component, it is interpreted that no other components interposed therebetween exist.

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to drawings that schematically illustrate ideal embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, variations of the depicted shapes may be expected, for example, depending on manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Accordingly, embodiments of the inventive concept should not be interpreted as being limited to specific shapes of the areas depicted herein, but should include, for example, variations in shape resulting from manufacturing. Additionally, the thickness or size of each layer in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation. Identical reference numerals denote identical elements.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a substrate processing apparatus for performing a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a substrate processing device (100) comprising: a chamber (110) having a processing space (112) formed therein; a substrate support member (130) installed within the chamber (110) and capable of moving up and down and on which a substrate can be placed; a gas injection member (120) located above the substrate support member (130) and capable of injecting gas; a plasma power supply member (140) including at least one RF power source connected to the chamber (110) to form a plasma atmosphere in the processing space (112); an exhaust member (160) capable of exhausting gas within the chamber (110) to the outside; and a control member (170) for controlling the substrate support member (130), the gas injection member (120), the plasma power supply member (140), and the exhaust member (160).

[0029] The chamber (110) may define a processing space (112) for processing (depositing or etching) a thin film inside. For example, the chamber (110) may be configured to maintain airtightness and may be connected to a vacuum chamber (not shown) through an exhaust port to discharge gas within the processing space (112) and to control the vacuum level within the processing space (112). The chamber (110) may be provided in various shapes and may include, for example, a side wall portion defining the processing space (112) and a cover portion located on top of the side wall portion.

[0030] A gas injection unit (120) may be installed in the chamber (110) to supply gas (e.g., process gas, reaction gas, purge gas) supplied from outside the chamber (110) to the processing space (112).

[0031] In this specification, the process gas refers to a source gas in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The source gas may include a gas that serves as the source of the material to be deposited in the CVD process. That is, the source gas provides at least a portion of the material to be deposited as a thin film through a chemical reaction with a reaction gas. For example, in a CVD process for forming a silicon-containing thin film, silane (SiH4) or disilane (Si2H6) may be used as the source gas.

[0032] The above-mentioned reactant gas is a gas required to form a thin film to be deposited by causing a chemical reaction with the source gas in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The reactant gas is mixed with the source gas to promote the chemical reaction or to impart specific properties. For example, oxygen (O2) or nitrogen (N2) can be used as a reactant gas to react with the source gas to form silicon oxide (SiO2) or silicon nitride (Si3N4).

[0033] The purge gas mentioned above is a gas used to remove source gases or reaction gases remaining in the chamber during the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process. The purge gas helps prevent the source gases and reaction gases from mixing or reacting after deposition. Chemically inert gases are primarily used as purge gases. In some cases, a carrier gas that transports source gases into the chamber may also be used as a purge gas.

[0034] A gas injection unit (120) may be installed on the upper part of the chamber (110) facing the substrate support (130) to inject gas onto a substrate (S) placed on the substrate support (130). The gas injection unit (120) may include at least one inlet hole formed on the upper or side to receive gas from the outside, and a plurality of injection holes formed downward facing the substrate (S) to inject gas onto the substrate (S).

[0035] For example, the gas injection unit (120) may have various forms, such as a shower head or a nozzle. If the gas injection unit (120) is in the form of a shower head, the gas injection unit (120) may be attached to the chamber (110) in a manner that covers the upper part of the chamber (110). For example, the gas injection unit (120) may be attached to the side wall in the form of a cover for the chamber (110).

[0036] A substrate support member (130) is installed in the chamber (110) opposite to the gas injection member (120), and a substrate (S) can be placed on its upper surface. The substrate support member (130) may include a mounting plate on which the substrate (S) is placed and an electrostatic electrode inside the mounting plate. The substrate support member (130) can move up and down by means of a driving member (135) positioned at the bottom, and accordingly, a separation distance (d) between the gas injection member (120) and the substrate support member (130) can be set.

[0037] The substrate processing device (100) may include various types of units to form a plasma atmosphere inside the chamber (110).

[0038] The substrate processing device (100) may include, for example, a plasma power supply unit (140) illustrated in FIG. 2. The plasma power supply unit (140) may include at least one power source to form a plasma atmosphere inside the chamber (110). For example, the power source may have a frequency band in the range of 5 MHz to 60 MHz, optionally 13.56 MHz to 27.12 MHz.

[0039] A plasma power supply unit (140) may be connected to apply power to a gas injection unit (120). In this case, the gas injection unit (120) may be understood as a power supply electrode or an upper electrode. In a configuration where the plasma power supply unit (140) applies power to the gas injection unit (120), the gas injection unit (120) may be understood as a first plasma electrode, and in this case, an electrostatic electrode located within the substrate support unit (130) may be understood as a second plasma electrode installed opposite the first plasma electrode.

[0040] The power supplied from the plasma power supply unit (140) must be properly impedance matched between the plasma power supply unit (140) and the chamber (110) through the impedance matching unit (146) so that it can be effectively transmitted to the chamber (110) without being reflected back from the chamber (110).

[0041] Meanwhile, the substrate processing device (100) may include a remote plasma generator (RPG), unlike the configuration shown in FIG. 2 which generates plasma directly within the chamber. In this case, damage to the substrate caused by direct plasma can be reduced.

[0042] The exhaust unit (160) can exhaust gas inside the chamber (110) to the outside. The exhaust unit (160) for exhausting gas inside the chamber (110) and setting the pressure inside the chamber (110) may include a vacuum pump.

[0043] The control unit (170) can set the distance between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber (110) by controlling at least one of the substrate support unit (130), the gas injection unit (120), the plasma power supply unit (140), and the exhaust unit (160).

[0044] For example, the control unit (170) can set the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) by controlling the input / output signal for operating the driving unit (135) located at the bottom of the substrate support unit (130) to move the substrate support unit (130) up and down, and can set the power of the plasma by controlling the input / output signal for operating the plasma power supply unit (140), and can set the pressure inside the chamber (110) by controlling the input / output signal for operating the exhaust unit (160).

[0045] A substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first step (S10) of cleaning a chamber (110) by supplying a gas containing fluorine, a second step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110) by applying plasma while supplying a process gas, and a third step (S30) of processing a substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on a substrate support (130).

[0046] The first step (S10) of cleaning the chamber (110) may include a cleaning method using fluorine (F). That is, the inner wall of the chamber, showerhead, susceptor, etc., can be cleaned by injecting a cleaning gas containing fluorine into the chamber. The fluorine-containing gas may include one or more cleaning gases selected from NF3, C3F8, CF4, C2F6, SiF4, and F2.

[0047] According to the technical concept of the present invention, the second step (S20) for removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110) is implemented by supplying process gas and applying plasma, wherein i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) must be set to meet a predetermined standard provided according to the type of subsequent process of the second step (S20).

[0048] The third step (S30), which involves placing a substrate on a substrate support (130) and then applying plasma to process the substrate, may include, as an example, a step (S30a) of forming a deposited film by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas onto the substrate (S).

[0049] The above-mentioned deposited film may be a main layer to be formed on a substrate (S). For example, the above-mentioned deposited film may include an oxide film, a nitride film, or an oxynitride film formed on the substrate by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process is a process that combines plasma with a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to form a thin film at a lower temperature. The above-mentioned process gas includes a source gas, and the above-mentioned reactant gas may include, for example, a gas containing oxygen or a gas containing nitrogen.

[0050] The third step (S30), which involves placing the substrate on the substrate support (130) and then applying plasma to process the substrate, may, as another example, include a step (S30b) of pre-processing the substrate by applying plasma while supplying the reaction gas, without supplying the process gas to the substrate (S). The pre-processing step (S30b) may include a substrate processing process performed on the substrate (S) before performing the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process described above.

[0051] The first step (S10) of cleaning the chamber (110) by supplying the aforementioned fluorine-containing gas and the second step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110) by applying plasma while supplying process gas are performed without loading a substrate (S) into the chamber (110), whereas the third step (S30) of processing the substrate by applying plasma after mounting the substrate on the substrate support (130) is performed after loading the substrate (S) into the chamber (110) and mounting it on the substrate support (130).

[0052] Meanwhile, a substrate treatment method according to a modified embodiment of the present invention may optionally further include a fourth step (S25), which is a step of forming a seasoning film inside a chamber (110) by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas after the second step (S20) and before the third step (S30).

[0053] The fourth step (S25) is a process step that, after cleaning the inside of the chamber (110) (S10), seasons the inside of the chamber with a material identical to the material to be deposited in the subsequent step, a material with strong adhesion that does not detach even during the subsequent process, or a material that does not significantly affect the thin film to be deposited in the subsequent step even if particles are generated, thereby creating an optimal atmosphere in the chamber after cleaning to ensure stable production of semiconductor devices.

[0054] The fourth step (S25), which is the step of forming a seasoning film mentioned earlier, and the step (S30a), which is the step of forming a deposition film, are similar in that they form a thin film by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas, but they differ in the purpose of the process and the execution period.

[0055] FIGS. 3 to 5 are drawings illustrating the gas flow rate and plasma power at each step in a substrate processing method according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the gas flow rate and plasma power for each step in a substrate processing method in which a third step (S30) of processing a substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on a substrate support (130) is a step (S30a) of forming a deposited film by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas to the substrate (S).

[0057] Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in the second step (S20) for removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110), i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) is set to be different from i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the third step (S30a).

[0058] Specifically, the gap (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) in the second step (S20) may be greater than the gap between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) in the third step (S30a). Additionally, the power of the plasma in the second step (S20) may be greater than 0 but lower than the power of the plasma in the third step (S30a). Here, the power of the plasma may refer to the power of the power supply applied to the chamber to form the plasma. Also, the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the second step (S20) may be lower than the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the third step (S30a).

[0059] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the gas flow rate and plasma power for each step in a substrate processing method in which a third step (S30) of processing a substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on a substrate support (130) is a step (S30b) of pre-processing the substrate by applying plasma while supplying the reaction gas without supplying the process gas on the substrate (S).

[0060] Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, in the second step (S20) for removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110), i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) is set to be different from i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the third step (S30b).

[0061] Specifically, the gap (gap; d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) in the second step (S20) may be greater than the gap between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) in the third step (S30b). Additionally, the power of the plasma in the second step (S20) may be greater than 0 but lower than the power of the plasma in the third step (S30b). Here, the power of the plasma may refer to the power of the power supply applied to the chamber to form the plasma. Also, the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the second step (S20) may be lower than the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the third step (S30b).

[0062] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the gas flow rate and plasma power for each step in a substrate processing method that optionally further includes a fourth step (S25) of forming a seasoning film inside a chamber (110) by supplying process gas and reaction gas and applying plasma after the second step (S20) and before the third step (S30).

[0063] Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, in the second step (S20) for removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110), i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) is set to be different from i) the distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), ii) the power of the plasma, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the fourth step (S25) for forming a seasoning film.

[0064] Specifically, the gap (gap; d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) in the second step (S20) may be greater than the gap between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130) in the fourth step (S25) of forming the seasoning film. Additionally, the power of the plasma in the second step (S20) may be greater than 0, but lower than the power of the plasma in the fourth step (S25) of forming the seasoning film. Here, the power of the plasma may refer to the power of the power supply applied to the chamber to form the plasma. Additionally, the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the second step (S20) may be lower than the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the fourth step (S25) of forming the seasoning film.

[0065] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inner wall of a chamber and a seasoning film to which the substrate treatment method according to a comparative example of the present invention is applied. The substrate treatment method according to a comparative example of the present invention is a substrate treatment method that forms a seasoning film without performing the above-described fluorine removal step (S20 in FIG. 5).

[0066] Referring to FIG. 6, when fluorine (F) resulting from the cleaning process is contained in the seasoning film (111a), the adhesion between the chamber (110) and the seasoning film (111a) is weakened, and a problem arises in which particles fall onto the substrate.

[0067] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inner wall of a chamber and a seasoning film to which the substrate treatment method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The substrate treatment method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a substrate treatment method that forms a seasoning film as illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 (a) corresponds to a first step (S10) of cleaning the chamber (110), FIG. 7 (b) corresponds to a second step (S20) of removing fluorine, and FIG. 7 (c) corresponds to a fourth step (S25) of forming a seasoning film.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 7, a fluorine-free seasoning film (111b) can be realized by performing a second step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110) by supplying process gas and applying plasma. In this case, the adhesion between the chamber (110) and the seasoning film (111a) is weakened, thereby preventing particles from falling onto the substrate.

[0069] In addition, by performing a second step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110) by applying plasma while supplying process gas, the step of forming the aforementioned deposition film (S30a) or the step of pre-treating the substrate (S30b) can be performed without forming a separate seasoning film.

[0070] The above-described substrate processing method is performed using a substrate processing device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] A substrate processing device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a chamber (110) having a processing space (112) formed therein, a substrate support member (130) installed within the chamber (110) and capable of moving up and down and on which a substrate can be placed, a gas injection member (120) located above the substrate support member (130) and capable of injecting gas, a plasma power supply member (140) including at least one RF power source connected to the chamber (110) to form a plasma atmosphere in the processing space (112), an exhaust member (160) capable of exhausting gas inside the chamber (110) to the outside, and a control member (170) for controlling the substrate support member (130), the gas injection member (120), the plasma power supply member (140), and the exhaust member (160).

[0072] The control unit (170) controls the substrate support (130), the gas injection unit (120), the plasma power supply unit (140), and the exhaust unit (160) to perform a first step (S10) of cleaning the chamber by supplying a gas containing fluorine, a second step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber (110) by applying plasma while supplying process gas, and a third step (S30) of processing the substrate (S) by applying plasma after placing the substrate (S) on the substrate support unit (130), wherein the separation distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), the power of the plasma, or the pressure inside the chamber (110) in the second step (S20) is the same as the separation distance (d) between the gas injection unit (120) and the substrate support unit (130), the power of the plasma, or in the third step (S30). The pressure inside the chamber (110) is set to be different from the pressure.

[0073] Hereinafter, the structure and operation of the present invention will be explained in more detail through preferred embodiments and comparative examples. However, these are presented as merely examples of the present invention and should not be interpreted in any way as limiting the present invention. Details not described herein can be sufficiently technically inferred by those skilled in the art, so such descriptions are omitted.

[0074] Table 1 evaluates whether a thin film is formed after performing the fluorine removal step (S20) of the substrate treatment method according to the first experimental example of the present invention.

[0075] In Table 1, the process conditions are the process conditions for the step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas, where frequency is the frequency of the power applied to the chamber to form plasma, temperature is the chamber temperature, N2 is the flow rate of the purge gas (carrier gas), SiH4 is the flow rate of the process gas (source gas), Press is the pressure inside the chamber, Power is the power of the power applied to the chamber to form plasma (plasma power), Gap is the distance between the gas injection part and the substrate support part, and Time is the process time for performing the step (S20) of removing fluorine. The thin film thickness is the thin film thickness after performing the step (S20).

[0076] Process Conditions Thin Film Frequency (MHz) Temperature (°C) N2 (sccm) SiH4 (sccm) Press (Torr) Power (w) Gap (mm) Time (sec) Thickness Deposition Status Experiment Example 1 27.12400 7000 450 250 68 100 9Å X Experiment Example 2 27.12400 7000 450 450 68 100 11Å X Experiment Example 3 27.12400 7000 450 250 50 100 10Å X Experiment Example 4 27.12400 7000 450 450 50 100 12Å X Experiment Example 5 27.12400 7000 45025030100184ÅO Experimental Example 6 13.5640070004502306810010ÅX Experimental Example 7 13.5640070004504306810033ÅO Experimental Example 8 13.5640070004502305010038ÅO Experimental Example 9 13.56400700045023030100161ÅO

[0077] Referring to Table 1, experimental examples 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 as embodiments of the present invention can be determined not to have a thin film after performing the step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas, considering that the thickness of the native oxide film is about 9 to 11 Å.

[0078] In contrast, experimental examples 5, 7, 8, and 9 as comparative examples of the present invention can be seen as having a thin film deposited after performing the step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas, even considering that the thickness of the native oxide film is about 9 to 11 Å.

[0079] In Experimental Examples 5, 7, 8, and 9 as comparative examples of the present invention, the activation energy is high due to the relatively narrow spacing between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the relatively high plasma power, and the pressure inside the chamber, so nucleation is possible in the above-described step (S20), and accordingly, a thin film is deposited. In contrast, in Experimental Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 as embodiments of the present invention, the activation energy is low due to the relatively wide spacing between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the relatively low plasma power, and the pressure inside the chamber, so nucleation is impossible in the above-described step (S20), and accordingly, a thin film is not deposited.

[0080] Referring to Table 1, it can be seen that when the frequency band is 13.56 MHz, the plasma ion energy is higher than when the frequency band is 27.12 MHz, so the control standards for i) the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, ii) the plasma power, or iii) the pressure inside the chamber are stricter.

[0081] For example, it can be confirmed that when the frequency band of the plasma application power supply is 13.56 MHz, the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit must be managed to be 68 mm or more, whereas when the frequency band of the plasma application power supply is 27.12 MHz, the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit must be managed to be 50 mm or more.

[0082] Based on these results, a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention can be managed as follows for each frequency band of the plasma applied power supply, under the premise that in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine, the gap between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit is greater than the gap between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate, the power of the plasma in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine is lower than the power of the plasma in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate, and the pressure inside the chamber in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine is lower than the pressure inside the chamber in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate.

[0083] When the frequency band of the plasma application power is 27.12 MHz (HF), the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit (50 mm or more) in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine is greater than the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit (10 to 16 mm) in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate, the power of the plasma (15 to 50 W) in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine is lower than the power of the plasma (250 to 1500 W) in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate, and the pressure inside the chamber (1.0 to 4.0 Torr) in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine can be managed to be lower than the pressure inside the chamber (3.0 to 7.0 Torr) in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate.

[0084] When the frequency band of the plasma applied power is 13.56 MHz (RF), the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit (68 mm or more) in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine is greater than the distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit (10 to 16 mm) in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate, the power of the plasma (15 to 30 W) in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine is lower than the power of the plasma (250 to 1500 W) in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate, and the pressure inside the chamber (1.0 to 2.0 Torr) in the second step (S20) of removing fluorine can be managed to be lower than the pressure inside the chamber (3.0 to 7.0 Torr) in the third step (S30) of processing the substrate.

[0085] Table 2 evaluates the characteristics and composition of fallen particles and the residual fluorine concentration in the chamber in the substrate treatment method according to the second experimental example of the present invention.

[0086] Process P / C Number P / C Component RGA Fluorine Peak Experiment Example 10 Clean → Purge (15 sec) / Pump → Wafer In → Inert Gas Flow 1 3 4Si (Substrate), Al, F 1.02E-10 Experiment Example 11 Clean → Increase Purge (60 sec) / Pump → Wafer In → Inert Gas Flow 3 4Si (Substrate), Al, F 6.82E-11 Experiment Example 12 Clean → Purge (15 sec) / Pump → N2 or Ar Plasma (60 sec) → Wafer In → Inert Gas Flow 2 4Si (Substrate), Al, F 4.52E-11 Experiment Example 13 Clean → Purge (15 sec) / Pump → Pre-Treatment (60 sec) → Wafer In → Inert Gas Flow 4 Si (Substrate), Al, F 6.09E-12

[0087] Referring to Table 2, Experimental Example 13, as an embodiment of the present invention, shows that in a substrate treatment method applying the step (S20) of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas, the number of fallen particles is significantly reduced and the residual fluorine concentration inside the chamber is significantly reduced.

[0088] In contrast, in Experimental Examples 10, 11, and 12 as comparative examples of the present invention, it can be confirmed that the number of fallen particles is relatively large and the residual fluorine concentration in the chamber is relatively high.

[0089] The present invention has been described with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawings, but this is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible therefrom. Accordingly, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a chamber having a processing space; a substrate support member installed within the chamber and capable of moving up and down and on which a substrate can be placed; a gas injection member located above the substrate support member and capable of injecting gas; a plasma power supply member including at least one RF power source connected to the chamber to form a plasma atmosphere in the processing space; and an exhaust member capable of exhausting gas inside the chamber to the outside. A first step of cleaning the chamber by supplying a gas containing fluorine; A second step of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas; and A third step of processing the substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on the substrate support; Characterized in that, in the second step, the separation distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the plasma power, or the pressure inside the chamber is set to be different from the separation distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the plasma power, or the pressure inside the chamber in the third step. Substrate processing method.

2. In Paragraph 1, Characterized that the distance between the gas injection part and the substrate support part in the second step is greater than the distance between the gas injection part and the substrate support part in the third step. Substrate processing method.

3. In Paragraph 1, Characterized that the power of the plasma in the second step is lower than the power of the plasma in the third step. Substrate processing method.

4. In Paragraph 1, Characterized that in the second step, the pressure inside the chamber is lower than the pressure inside the chamber in the third step. Substrate processing method.

5. In Paragraph 1, The above third step includes the step of forming a deposited film by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas onto the substrate. Substrate processing method.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above third step includes a step of pre-treating the substrate by applying plasma while supplying a reaction gas without supplying a process gas onto the substrate. Substrate processing method.

7. In Paragraph 1, A substrate processing method comprising a fourth step of forming a seasoning film inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas and reaction gas after the second step and before the third step.

8. In Paragraph 7, Characterized that the distance between the gas injection part and the substrate support part in the second step is greater than the distance between the gas injection part and the substrate support part in the fourth step. Substrate processing method.

9. In Paragraph 7, Characterized that the power of the plasma in the second step is lower than the power of the plasma in the fourth step. Substrate processing method.

10. In Paragraph 7, Characterized that in the second step, the pressure inside the chamber is lower than the pressure inside the chamber in the fourth step. Substrate processing method.

11. A chamber in which a processing space is formed; A substrate support installed within the chamber, capable of moving up and down, and on which a substrate can be placed; A gas injection unit located above the substrate support and capable of injecting gas; A plasma power supply comprising at least one RF power source connected to the chamber to form a plasma atmosphere in the processing space; An exhaust unit capable of exhausting gas inside the chamber to the outside; and A control unit that controls the substrate support, the gas injection unit, the plasma power supply unit, and the exhaust unit; The above control unit is, A first step of cleaning the chamber by supplying a gas containing fluorine; A second step of removing residual fluorine inside the chamber by applying plasma while supplying process gas; and Control the substrate support, the gas injection unit, the plasma power supply unit, and the exhaust unit to perform a third step of processing the substrate by applying plasma after placing the substrate on the substrate support; In the second step, the separation distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the plasma power, or the pressure inside the chamber is set to be different from the separation distance between the gas injection unit and the substrate support unit, the plasma power, or the pressure inside the chamber in the third step. Substrate processing device.

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