Vertical Substrate Processing with Disks for Film Thickness Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate processing apparatuses, the film thickness uniformity across multiple substrates is compromised due to non-uniform gas supply, particularly in vertical type film-forming apparatuses using multi-hole nozzles, leading to quality deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus is designed with a process chamber, a gas supplier, and a gas exhauster, featuring disks interposed between substrates to improve gas supply and exhaust efficiency, ensuring uniform gas distribution across all substrates by optimizing the distances and configurations of these components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a multi-hole nozzle is used to supply gas in a vertical type film-forming apparatus, then film formation can be performed on multiple substrates simultaneously, but the film thickness uniformity across substrates deteriorates due to non-uniform gas supply
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is segmented into multiple independent gas supply ports arranged at different heights and positions, allowing separate control of gas flow to different substrate regions. This segmentation enables uniform gas distribution across multiple substrates while maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
Different gas supply ports are positioned at specific locations (upper, middle, lower portions) with optimized distances from substrates, creating locally optimized gas supply conditions for each substrate position. This local quality adjustment ensures uniform film thickness across all substrates processed simultaneously
2Productivity
If substrates are stacked vertically in a boat to increase capacity, then productivity improves, but gas supply uniformity deteriorates causing film thickness variation between upper and lower substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is divided into multiple segments (gas supply ports) positioned at different vertical levels corresponding to different substrate positions in the stack. Each segment can be independently controlled to compensate for position-dependent gas distribution variations
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a single-point gas supply approach to a multi-dimensional gas supply network, with gas supply ports distributed in both vertical and radial dimensions. This dimensional expansion enables uniform gas reach to all substrates regardless of their vertical position
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a technique capable of adjusting a balance in film thickness between surfaces of a plurality of substrates stacked in a process chamber. According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: a process chamber capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates; a gas supplier configured to supply a process gas to the plurality of the substrates in the process chamber; a gas exhauster configured to discharge the process gas from the process chamber; and a plurality of disks interposed between the plurality of the substrates, respectively, and in vicinity of back surfaces of the plurality of the substrates.