Vertical Substrate Processing with Adaptor for Film Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing semiconductor manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving uniform film thickness distribution, particularly at the outer peripheral regions of substrates, due to uneven gas flow and adsorption patterns during thin film formation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the arrangement of substrates in a vertical direction within a process vessel, with an adaptor blocking upper and lower spaces to enhance gas flow uniformity, and a cycle-based gas supply and exhaustion process to form films, including the use of specific precursor and reaction gases to promote uniform deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thin film is formed on a substrate by supplying precursor gas and oxidizing gas, then the film can be formed at relatively low temperature, but the outer peripheral portion of the substrate may have thick film thickness distribution relative to the central portion
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply process is segmented into multiple cycles, with each cycle consisting of precursor gas supply, oxidizing gas supply, and exhaust phases. This cyclic segmentation allows better control over gas distribution and reaction timing, improving film thickness uniformity while maintaining low temperature processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through cyclic gas supply and exhaust operations. By repeatedly supplying precursor gas, oxidizing gas, and exhausting reaction products in cycles, the system achieves uniform film deposition across the substrate surface, particularly improving outer peripheral region uniformity while keeping temperatures low
2Productivity
If gas is supplied continuously to form film, then productivity is improved, but film thickness uniformity deteriorates due to uneven gas flow and adsorption patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic gas supply cycles with distinct precursor gas supply, oxidizing gas supply, and exhaust phases. This periodic action maintains high productivity by continuously cycling through deposition steps while ensuring uniform film thickness by allowing proper gas distribution and reaction completion in each cycle phase
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by overlapping gas supply cycles and ensuring continuous film formation throughout the substrate. Multiple substrates are processed simultaneously in continuous cycles, maintaining high productivity while achieving uniform deposition through controlled gas flow patterns in each cycle
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly improves the uniformity of film thickness across the substrate, reducing concave or convex in-plane film thickness distributions and enhancing the reproducibility of thin film formation.
Implementation Method 1
a process of forming a thin film such as a silicon oxide film or the like on a substrate is often carried out by supplying, for example, a precursor gas containing silicon, an oxidizing gas and the like to the substrate
Implementation Method 2
the film can be formed at a relatively low temperature, for example by using a catalyst gas
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: vertically arranging and storing a plurality of substrates in a processing container and forming a condition where at least an upper region or a lower region relative to a substrate disposing region where the plurality of substrates are arranged is blocked off by an adaptor; and while maintaining the condition, forming films on the plurality of substrates by performing a cycle including the following steps a predetermined number of times in a non-simultaneous manner: supplying source gas to the plurality of substrates in the processing container from the side of the substrate disposing region; discharging the source gas from the interior of the processing container via exhaust piping; supplying reaction gas to the plurality of substrates in the processing container from the side of the substrate disposing region; and discharging the reaction gas from the interior of the processing container via the exhaust piping.