Periodic Wafer Rotation Between Gas Cycles for Uniform Film Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing methods struggle to achieve uniform film formation on substrates due to variations in process gas distribution and temperature control, leading to inconsistencies in film thickness and quality.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus is designed with a process chamber, a process gas supply system, a rotating mechanism, and a controller. The controller coordinates the supply of process gas and the rotation of the substrate, ensuring that the gas is supplied while the substrate is stationary and rotated by a predetermined angle after each gas supply cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the substrate is rotated continuously during film formation, then gas distribution may improve, but film uniformity deteriorates due to inconsistent gas-substrate contact
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate rotation is implemented periodically rather than continuously. The substrate rotates at specific intervals between gas supply cycles, remaining stationary during gas supply. This periodic rotation ensures uniform gas distribution while maintaining consistent film formation conditions, resolving the contradiction between gas distribution improvement and film uniformity maintenance.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple gas supply cycles are performed, then film thickness increases, but process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply and substrate rotation are coordinated to create continuous useful action. While the substrate rotates during gas supply cycles, ensuring uniform exposure, the process maintains continuous film deposition. The rotation occurs during gas supply rather than requiring separate rotation steps, eliminating idle time and reducing total process time while achieving both increased film thickness and uniformity.
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 enables the formation of films with improved uniformity by ensuring consistent gas distribution and temperature control across the substrate, reducing thickness differences between the center and edge of the substrate.
Implementation Method 1
a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate; and a controller configured to control the process gas supply system and the rotating mechanism to supply the process gas in a state where the substrate is stopped while a cycle of supplying the process gas is performed a predetermined number of times; and rotate the substrate by a predetermined angle obtained by dividing a circumference of the substrate equally by the predetermined number of times
Implementation Method 2
The film-forming process may be performed on surface of each of the plurality of the substrates by supplying a process gas onto the plurality of the substrates accommodated in the boat and heating the plurality of the substrates
Implementation Method 3
supplying a process gas onto the plurality of the substrates accommodated in the boat and heating the plurality of the substrates
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a technique capable of forming a film on a substrate with good uniformity. According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including: processing a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle comprising: (a) supplying a source gas; (b) discharging at least the source gas; (c) supplying a reactive gas; and (d) discharging at least the reactive gas. The substrate is kept stationary while each cycle is performed, and a rotation angle of rotating the substrate is calculated based on the predetermined number of times after each cycle is completed.