JP2013125762A - Film forming device and film forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a film forming device capable of improving throughput and forming a high-quality film when forming a film for a plurality of processed substrates.SOLUTION: A film forming device 11 includes: a processing container 12 comprising a bottom wall 16, an outer wall 17, and an inner wall 18; a support base 13 which can move in a vertical direction; a plasma generating mechanism 14; a gas supply mechanism 15; and a control unit which alternately controls first processing and second processing. The first processing moves the support base 13 to the lower side of the film forming device, forms a first space between a mounting part 37 and the inner wall 18, supplies a film forming gas to the first space by the gas supply mechanism 15, and performs film forming gas absorption treatment for a plurality of processed substrates W. The second processing moves the support base 13 to the upper side of the film forming device, forms a second space 71 different from the first space between the mounting part 37, the outer wall 17, and a dielectric window 46a, supplies a gas for plasma processing to the second space 71 by the gas supply mechanism 15, generates plasma by the plasma generation mechanism 14, and performs plasma processing for the plurality of processed substrates W.

Description

  The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method, and more particularly to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method used for manufacturing a semiconductor element.

  Conventionally, a semiconductor element such as an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit), a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), or a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor, that is, an insulating layer having an insulating property such as a silicon oxide film, for example, is formed. In general, the thermal CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method is generally used. However, when the silicon oxide film is formed by the above-described thermal CVD, it is necessary to expose the silicon substrate to a high temperature. Then, when a conductive layer is already formed on the silicon substrate with a relatively low melting point material, for example, a low melting point metal or a polymer compound, there is a problem of melting of the low melting point metal or a restriction on the order of the film forming process. There was a problem.

  On the other hand, from the viewpoint of high integration of devices in recent years, high-quality film quality free from impurities and physical defects in the insulating film and at the interface part is required, and the step coverage to the three-dimensional structure and the uniformity of processing. As a technique for solving these problems, an effective method is an ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) method capable of performing film formation by periodically supplying a reaction gas corresponding to an atomic unit to the substrate surface and performing highly accurate film thickness control. It is known to be one of

  Here, a technique for executing different deposition processes in a single chamber, that is, one chamber (processing vessel) using the ALD method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-138295 (Patent Document 1). .

JP 2007-138295 A

  According to Patent Document 1, an atomic layer deposition process, a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process (PECVD), or the like is performed in a state where the substrate stage is raised and close to the upper assembly, and the substrate stage is lowered and moved away from the upper assembly. The plasma process is performed in the state.

  In the process disclosed in Patent Document 1, in the atomic layer deposition process, first, the substrate stage is brought close to the upper assembly. Then, a precursor gas as a film forming gas is supplied into the chamber, an atomic layer is deposited on the surface of the substrate placed on the substrate stage, and a layer is formed by heating. Thereafter, the substrate stage is moved away from the upper assembly. In the plasma processing process, a plasma processing gas is supplied into the chamber, and a layer is formed by plasma CVD processing using the generated plasma. Such a series of steps is repeated until a desired film thickness is reached. In other words, a layer having a desired film thickness is formed by performing a cycle including the atomic layer deposition process and the plasma treatment process several times.

  However, such a process may not improve the throughput. That is, according to Patent Document 1, it takes time to fill a chamber with a gas necessary for each process in both the atomic layer deposition process and the plasma processing process. Furthermore, it takes time to set the optimum pressure required for processing in the chamber for each process and time for exhausting the filled gas for the next process.

  There is a limit to shortening the time required to fill the gas and the time required to obtain the optimum pressure. If such a time occurs in each cycle, it takes much time as a result to form a layer having a desired film thickness.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the film forming apparatus is a film forming apparatus that forms a film on a substrate to be processed. The film forming apparatus includes a bottom wall positioned on the lower side, an outer wall extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall, and an inner wall extending in the vertical direction and positioned on the inner side of the outer wall at a distance from the outer wall. A processing vessel for performing plasma processing on a plurality of substrates to be processed and film-forming gas adsorption processing on a plurality of substrates to be processed; a rod-shaped portion extending upward from the bottom wall side; and an upper end of the rod-shaped portion; A plate-like placement portion that can be supported by placing a plurality of substrates to be processed thereon, the placement portion is configured to be disposed inside the inner wall, and a support base that is movable in the vertical direction; A plate-shaped dielectric window that propagates microwaves and a plurality of slots are provided at positions facing the mounting portion in the vertical direction, and are provided above the dielectric window. A thin plate that emits microwaves to a window A plasma generating mechanism for generating plasma in a processing vessel using a microwave as a plasma source, a gas supply mechanism for supplying a plasma processing gas and a film forming gas into the processing vessel, And a control unit that controls to alternately perform a first process for performing a film forming gas adsorption process on the processing substrate and a second process for performing plasma processing on the plurality of substrates to be processed. Here, in the first process, the support base is moved downward to form a first space between the mounting portion and the inner wall, and a film forming gas is supplied to the first space by the gas supply mechanism. The film forming gas adsorption process is performed on a plurality of substrates to be processed. In the second process, the support base is moved upward to form a second space different from the first space between the mounting portion, the outer wall, and the dielectric window, and the gas supply mechanism causes the second process to be performed. In this process, a plasma processing gas is supplied to the space and plasma is generated by a plasma generation mechanism to perform plasma processing on a plurality of substrates to be processed.

  According to such a film forming apparatus, microwaves are used as a plasma source, and plasma is generated by a plasma generation mechanism including a dielectric window and a slot antenna plate, so that damage to a substrate to be processed in plasma processing is reduced. be able to. In addition, since film formation can be performed on a plurality of substrates to be processed at the same time, the time required for film formation processing per sheet can be reduced. In this case, when performing plasma processing as the second processing, the support base is moved upward to form a second space for performing plasma processing between the mounting portion, the outer wall, and the dielectric window. doing. As a result, the space for performing the plasma treatment can be made smaller than the space for the entire processing container, so that gas replacement and pressure adjustment in the second space can be performed efficiently and in a short time. Further, since the support substrate is moved upward to perform the plasma processing on the substrate to be processed, the plasma processing can be performed in a high plasma density region, and the time required for the plasma processing can be shortened. . Moreover, when performing the film-forming gas adsorption process, which is the first process, the support base is moved downward to form a first space between the mounting portion and the inner wall. Also in this case, the space for performing the film forming gas adsorption process can be made smaller than the space of the entire processing container. As a result, gas replacement and pressure adjustment in the first space can be efficiently performed in a short time. Furthermore, since the first space is configured to be different from the second space, mixing of the gas required for the first process and the gas required for the second process is suppressed. Then, in each process performed alternately, it is not necessary to strictly perform gas replacement and exhaust, and the time required for gas replacement and the time required for pressure adjustment can be greatly reduced. As a result, the throughput can be improved and a high-quality film based on suppression of gas mixing can be formed.

  Here, the plasma generation mechanism may include a plurality of dielectric windows and a plurality of slot antenna plates. With this configuration, when a film is formed on a plurality of substrates to be processed, a dielectric window and a slot antenna plate can be associated with each substrate to be processed. Processing can be performed.

  Moreover, you may comprise a support stand so that it can rotate centering | focusing on the center of the rod-shaped part extended in a longitudinal direction. In this way, in the first process, which is the film forming gas adsorption process, when the film forming gas is supplied to the plurality of substrates to be processed, the film forming gas can be supplied by rotating the support base. it can. Then, in the plurality of substrates to be processed supported by the support base, it is possible to eliminate the variation in the supply of the film forming gas to each substrate to be processed in the gas supply mechanism and the unevenness in the adsorption of the film forming gas. In addition, in the second processing in which plasma processing is performed, it is possible to eliminate variations and unevenness in plasma processing between the substrates to be processed due to variations and unevenness in the generated plasma at each position. Therefore, it is possible to improve the uniformity of processing between the substrates to be processed. Such improvement in the uniformity of processing between the substrates to be processed contributes to an improvement in the yield of semiconductor elements formed on the substrate to be processed, thereby improving productivity.

  Here, if the number of substrates to be processed supported by the support base is N, the plasma generation mechanism includes N dielectric windows and N slot antenna plates, and the control unit sets each substrate to be processed to each dielectric. You may comprise so that it may be arrange | positioned under a body window, a 2nd process may be performed, and a support stand may be rotated at an angle of 360 degrees / N each time a 2nd process is complete | finished. In this way, in the second process, that is, the plasma process, it is possible to perform the plasma process on each substrate to be processed with the plasma generated using the respective dielectric windows and the respective slot antenna plates. it can. As a result, it is possible to eliminate variations and unevenness in plasma processing caused by variations and unevenness between plasmas generated under each dielectric window, and improve the uniformity of plasma processing for each substrate to be processed.

  Here, the slot antenna plate may have a diameter of 300 mm or less. By doing so, the plasma density can be relatively increased in the generated plasma with respect to the introduced microwave power. Therefore, the plasma processing can be performed efficiently, the time required for the plasma processing can be shortened, and the throughput can be further improved.

  Further, the gas supply mechanism may be configured to supply the film forming gas from the one end side to the other end side of the substrate to be processed along the upper surface of the substrate to be processed. Thus, in the first process, when the film forming gas is supplied to the plurality of substrates to be processed, the supplied film forming gas can be brought into so-called surface contact with the substrate to be processed. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the efficiency of adsorption of the supplied deposition gas, and to perform the deposition gas adsorption process more efficiently. In addition, according to such a configuration, scattering of the film forming gas from the substrate to be processed can be reduced in the first space.

  Further, the gas supply mechanism can supply a cleaning gas for cleaning the inside of the processing container radially from the center side to the outside side of the support base, and the control unit can perform the first processing. The cleaning gas may be supplied by the gas supply mechanism. Thus, since the cleaning gas is supplied radially from the center side to the outer side of the support base, the replacement of the plasma processing gas and the exhaust of the second space are efficient after the second processing. Can be done automatically. Then, the time required for gas replacement can be shortened, and the throughput can be further improved.

  In another aspect of the present invention, the film forming method is a film forming method for forming a film on a substrate to be processed. The film forming method includes a bottom wall located on the lower side, an outer wall extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall, and an inner wall extending in the vertical direction, spaced from the outer wall and positioned on the inner side of the outer wall. A processing vessel for performing plasma processing on a plurality of substrates to be processed and film-forming gas adsorption processing on a plurality of substrates to be processed; a rod-shaped portion extending upward from the bottom wall side; and an upper end of the rod-shaped portion; A plate-like placement portion that can be supported by placing a plurality of substrates to be processed thereon, the placement portion is configured to be disposed inside the inner wall, and a support base that is movable in the vertical direction; A plate-shaped dielectric window that propagates microwaves and a plurality of slots are provided at positions facing the mounting portion in the vertical direction, and are provided above the dielectric window. A thin plate that emits microwaves to a window Including a slot antenna plate and a plasma generation mechanism for generating plasma in a processing container using a microwave as a plasma source, and a gas supply mechanism for supplying a plasma processing gas and a film forming gas into the processing container Use the device. Here, the support base is moved downward to form a first space between the mounting portion and the inner wall, and a film supply gas is supplied to the first space by the gas supply mechanism to form a plurality of substrates to be processed. And a second space different from the first space between the mounting portion, the outer wall, and the dielectric window by moving the support base upward. The second process is performed alternately, in which a plasma processing gas is supplied to the second space by the gas supply mechanism, plasma is generated by the plasma generation mechanism, and plasma processing is performed on the plurality of substrates to be processed.

  According to such a film formation method, throughput can be improved and a high quality film can be formed.

  Further, if the number of substrates to be processed supported by the support base is N, the plasma generation mechanism includes N dielectric windows and N slot antenna plates, and each substrate to be processed is disposed under each dielectric window. Then, the second process may be performed, and the support base may be controlled to rotate at an angle of 360 ° / N each time the second process is completed.

  In addition, the gas supply mechanism may be configured to control the film formation gas to be supplied from one end side to the other end side of the substrate to be processed along the upper surface of the substrate to be processed.

  In addition, when performing the first processing, the gas supply mechanism is configured to control to supply the cleaning gas for cleaning the processing container radially from the center side to the outer side of the support base. May be.

Alternatively, a silicon nitride film may be formed, and the gas supply mechanism may be configured to supply a DCS (Dichlorosilane: dichlorosilane (SiH ₂ Cl ₂ )) gas as a film forming gas.

  According to such a film forming apparatus and film forming method, a plasma is generated by a plasma generation mechanism including a microwave window as a plasma source, a dielectric window, and a slot antenna plate. Damage to the can be suppressed. In addition, since film formation can be performed on a plurality of substrates to be processed at the same time, the time required for film formation processing per sheet can be reduced. In this case, when performing plasma processing as the second processing, the support base is moved upward to form a second space for performing plasma processing between the mounting portion, the outer wall, and the dielectric window. doing. As a result, the space for performing the plasma treatment can be made smaller than the space for the entire processing container, so that gas replacement and pressure adjustment in the second space can be performed efficiently and in a short time. Further, since the support substrate is moved upward to perform the plasma processing on the substrate to be processed, the plasma processing can be performed in a high plasma density region, and the time required for the plasma processing can be shortened. . Moreover, when performing the film-forming gas adsorption process, which is the first process, the support base is moved downward to form a first space between the mounting portion and the inner wall. Also in this case, the space for performing the film forming gas adsorption process can be made smaller than the space of the entire processing container. As a result, gas replacement and pressure adjustment in the first space can be efficiently performed in a short time. Furthermore, since the first space is configured to be different from the second space, mixing of the gas required for the first process and the gas required for the second process is suppressed. Then, in each process performed alternately, it is not necessary to strictly perform gas replacement and exhaust, and the time required for gas replacement and the time required for pressure adjustment can be greatly reduced. As a result, the throughput can be improved and a high-quality film based on suppression of gas mixing can be formed.

It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and shows the case where a support stand is moved to the upper side. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and shows the case where a support stand is moved below. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of one slot antenna plate included in the film forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when viewed from the direction of arrow III in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a dielectric window is attached in the film forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is a schematic view seen from the direction of arrow III in FIG. 1. It is the schematic which looked at the supply state of the plasma processing gas by the plasma processing gas supply part contained in the film-forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 from the direction of arrow III in FIG. It is the schematic which looked at the supply state of the film-forming gas by the film-forming gas supply part contained in the film-forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 from the direction of arrow III in FIG. It is a simple chart figure which shows the flow of the film-forming process using the film-forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the distance from the lower surface of a dielectric material window, the electron temperature of plasma, and the electron density of plasma. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the microwave electric power input and the microwave electric power per unit area.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

1 and 2 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the main part of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a case where a support base (described later) included in the film forming apparatus is moved upward. FIG. 2 shows a case where a support base (described later) included in the film forming apparatus is moved downward. FIG. 3 is a view of a later-described slot antenna plate included in the film forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as viewed from the thickness direction, in this case, the upper side, that is, the direction of arrow III in FIG. . FIG. 4 is a view showing a state where a dielectric window (described later) included in the film forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is attached, and is a schematic view seen from the direction of arrow III in FIG. In this embodiment, the plurality of substrates to be processed supported by the support base are _four substrates, that is, the substrate to be processed W ₁ , the substrate to be processed W ₂ , the substrate to be processed W ₃ , and the substrate to be processed W ₄ . . In this embodiment, the vertical direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the vertical direction in the film forming apparatus.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the film forming apparatus 11 has a function as a plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing on a substrate to be processed _W 1 to _W-4, the substrate to be processed _W 1 to _W-4 It also has a function as a film forming gas adsorption device for adsorbing a film forming gas. Film-forming apparatus 11 includes a processing chamber 12 for performing in its interior, for example plasma treatment of four with respect to the processed substrate _W 1 to _W-4, and the adsorption treatment of the film forming gas four with respect to the processed substrate _W 1 to _W-4 A support table 13 that can be supported by placing _four substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ thereon, and a plasma generation mechanism 14 that generates plasma in the processing chamber 12 using a microwave as a plasma source. And a gas supply mechanism 15 for supplying a plasma processing gas and a film forming gas into the processing container 12, and a controller (not shown) for controlling the entire film forming apparatus 11. The control unit controls the entire film forming apparatus 11 such as the gas flow rate when supplying the plasma processing gas and the film forming gas, and the pressure in the processing container 12.

  The processing container 12 is positioned on the inner side of the outer wall 17 with a predetermined distance from the lower wall 16, the outer wall 17 extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall 16, and extends in the vertical direction. An inner wall 18 is provided. The bottom wall 16, the outer wall 17, and the inner wall 18 each have a predetermined thickness. The processing container 12 has a so-called double structure composed of an outer wall 17 and an inner wall 18.

  The bottom wall 16 is provided with an exhaust port 19 that is opened so as to penetrate a part of the bottom wall 16 in the thickness direction and exhausts the gas in the processing container 12. The exhaust port 19 is provided in an annular shape. An exhaust device (not shown) is connected to the lower side of the annular exhaust port 19 via an exhaust pipe (not shown). The exhaust device has a vacuum pump such as a turbo molecular pump. The inside of the processing container 12 can be depressurized to a predetermined pressure by the exhaust in the processing container 12 by the exhaust device and the gas supply mechanism 15.

  The outer wall 17 includes a first side wall 21 extending in the vertical direction and a first top wall 22 extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The first side wall 21 has a shape extending upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall 16. The first side wall 21 is cylindrical. The first top wall 22 has a shape extending from the upper end of the first side wall 21 toward the inner diameter side. The first top wall 22 has a disk shape. The first top wall 22 is provided with four round holes 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d. The four openings 23a to 23d are provided at predetermined intervals at 90 ° intervals that are 360 ° / 4 in the circumferential direction. These four openings 23a to 23d are shaped to receive four disk-shaped dielectric windows (described later) and four disk-shaped slot antenna plates, respectively, in the openings 23a to 23d.

The inner wall 18 includes a second side wall 24 extending in the vertical direction and a second top wall 25 extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The second side wall 24 is provided on the inner diameter side of the first side wall 21 with a predetermined distance from the first side wall 21 in the radial direction. The second side wall 24 is also cylindrical. The second top wall 25 has a shape extending from the upper end of the second side wall 24 toward the inner diameter side. The second top wall 25 has a disk shape. The second ceiling wall 25 is provided on the lower side of the first ceiling wall 22 with a predetermined distance from the first ceiling wall 22 in the vertical direction. At the center in the radial direction of the second top wall 25, a single large circular hole 26 is provided. The diameter of the opening 26, i.e., the inner diameter side end portion 27a, the radial length L ₁ between 27b of the second top wall 25 shown in FIG. 2, represented by the length L ₂ in FIG. 2 It is configured to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the mounting portion 37 described later.

The distance between the outer wall 17 and the inner wall 18 is a radial distance between the inner diameter surface 28 of the first side wall 21 constituting the outer wall 17 and the outer diameter surface 29 of the second side wall 24 constituting the inner wall 18. is the interval represented by the length L ₃ in Fig. A gap 32 is provided between the bottom wall 16 and the inner wall 18, specifically, between the upper surface 30 of the bottom wall 16 and the lower side end portion 31 of the second side wall 24 constituting the inner wall 18. Yes. Vertical spacing of the gap 32 is the distance represented by the length L ₄ in FIG. In the radial direction, the inner diameter surface 33 of the second side wall 24 is configured to be positioned on the outer diameter side of the inner diameter surface 35 of the outer diameter side wall 34 that constitutes the annular exhaust port 19.

  The inner wall 18 extends from the inner diameter surface 28 of the first side wall 21 constituting the outer wall 17 to the outer diameter surface 29 of the second side wall 24, and is provided with a plurality of rod-like support portions (spaced in the circumferential direction). (Not shown) is supported so as to maintain the positional relationship described above, that is, the positional relationship with the bottom wall 16 and the outer wall 17.

The support base 13 is attached to the bar-shaped portion 36 extending upward from the bottom wall 16 side and the upper end of the bar-shaped portion 36, and can support _four processed substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ mounted thereon. A disc-shaped mounting portion 37 is provided. The support base 13 attracts the _four substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ by an electrostatic chuck (not shown). The support base 13 movable in the vertical direction allows the entire support base 13 to be moved in the vertical direction by moving the rod-shaped portion 36 in the vertical direction. Note that the four substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ to be placed on the upper surface 39 of the placement portion 37 are spaced at predetermined intervals of 90 ° in the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. It is placed.

  The rod-shaped portion 36 is configured to extend vertically upward from the center of the bottom wall 16. In addition, the rod-shaped part 36 is cylindrical and is comprised from the insulating member.

The mounting portion 37 is provided so that the lower surface 38 is connected to the upper end portion of the rod-shaped portion 36 at the center of the disk-shaped radial direction. The upper surface 39 of the mounting portion 37 is a mounting surface on which the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ are mounted. The shape of the upper surface 39 is flat. The mounting portion 37 is configured to be disposed inside the inner wall 18. The diameter of the mounting portion 37 shown by the length L ₂ is made smaller than the inner diameter of the second side wall 24 shown by the length L ₅ in FIG. That is, a relation between the outer diameter side end portion 40a of the mounting portion 37, 40b and the inner diameter surface 33 of the second side wall 24, it is provided radial gap 41 shown by the length L ₆ in FIG. 2 Yes. The placement unit 37 can be set to a desired temperature by a temperature adjustment mechanism (not shown) provided inside the placement unit 37. In addition, a plurality of lifter pins (not shown) that are movable in the vertical direction and are used when loading and unloading the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ are built in the mounting portion 37. Three lifter pins are provided in a portion corresponding to the placement region on which the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ are placed.

  The support base 13 is configured to be rotatable about the center of the rod-shaped portion 36 extending in the longitudinal direction, that is, the vertical direction in FIG. The rotation center axis 42 is indicated by a three-dot chain line in FIG. The control of the rotational movement of the support base 13 is performed by the control unit described above, and details will be described later.

  The plasma generation mechanism 14 generates plasma in the processing container 12 using microwaves as a plasma source. The plasma generation mechanism 14 includes four dielectric windows 46a, 46b, 46c, and 46d that are provided at positions facing the mounting portion 37 in the vertical direction and propagate microwaves.

  Here, the configuration of the dielectric window 46a will be described. Specifically, the dielectric window 46a is provided so that the upper surface 39 of the mounting portion 37 and the lower surface 47 serving as the lower surface of the dielectric window 46a face each other. The shape of the lower surface 47 of the dielectric window 46a is flat. The dielectric window 46a is made of a dielectric. Specific examples of the material of the dielectric window 46a include quartz and alumina. Since the configuration of the other dielectric windows 46b to 46d is the same as the configuration of the dielectric window 46a, the description thereof is omitted.

  The dielectric windows 46a to 46d are attached so as to cover the four openings 23a to 23d of the processing container 12, respectively. Specifically, the disk-shaped dielectric windows 46a to 46d are provided so as to cover the four round hole-shaped openings 23a to 23d provided in the first top wall 22, respectively. The processing container 12 is configured to be hermetically sealed by the dielectric windows 46a to 46d and a seal member (not shown).

  In addition, the plasma generation mechanism 14 is provided with a plurality of slots 48 and is provided above the respective dielectric windows 46a to 46d, and microwaves are transmitted from the plurality of slots 48 to the dielectric windows 46a to 46d. Radiating slot antenna plates 49a, 49b, 49c, and 49d are included.

  Here, the configuration of the slot antenna plate 49a will be described. The slot antenna plate 49a has a thin plate shape and a disc shape. As shown in FIG. 3, two slots 48 are provided so as to be orthogonal to each other with a predetermined interval. A slot pair 50 indicated by a dotted line paired by two slots 48 is provided at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction. Also in the radial direction, a plurality of slot pairs 50 are provided at predetermined intervals. Note that the configuration of the other slot antenna plates 49b to 49d is the same as the configuration of the slot antenna plate 49a, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  The plasma generation mechanism 14 is disposed on the upper side of each of the microwave generator 51 that generates a microwave for plasma excitation provided outside the processing container 12 and the slot antenna plates 49 a to 49 d, and the coaxial waveguide 52. And a dielectric member 53 that propagates the microwave introduced in the radial direction.

  The microwave generator 51 having the matching 54 is connected to the upper part of the coaxial waveguide 52 into which the microwave is introduced, via the branching waveguide 56 and the mode converter 55. Four mode converters 55, coaxial waveguides 52, and dielectric members 53 are provided corresponding to the respective slot antenna plates 49a to 49d. For example, the TE mode microwave generated by the microwave generator 51 passes through the waveguide 56, is converted to the TEM mode by the mode converter 55, and propagates through the coaxial waveguide 52. For example, 2.45 GHz is selected as the frequency of the microwave generated by the microwave generator 51.

  Microwaves generated by the microwave generator 51 are propagated to the dielectric members 53 through the coaxial waveguides 52, and from the plurality of slots 48 provided in the slot antenna plates 49a to 49d, the dielectric window 46a. To ~ 46d. The microwaves transmitted through the dielectric windows 46a to 46d generate an electric field immediately below the respective dielectric windows 46a to 46d, thereby generating plasma. That is, microwave plasma to be subjected to plasma processing in the film forming apparatus 11 is generated by a radial line slot antenna (Radial Line Slot Antenna) including the slot antenna plates 49 a to 49 d configured as described above and the dielectric member 53. Yes.

  The gas supply mechanism 15 supplies a plasma processing gas and a film forming gas into the processing container 12. The gas supply mechanism 15 includes a plasma processing gas supply unit 61 that supplies a plasma processing gas into the processing container 12 and a film forming gas supply unit 62 that supplies a film forming gas into the processing container 12. .

  FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the plasma processing gas supply state by the plasma processing gas supply unit 61 included in the film forming apparatus 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as viewed from the direction of arrow III in FIG. is there. With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, eight plasma processing gas supply parts 61 are provided on the upper side of the first side wall 21 constituting the outer wall 17. A plasma processing gas is supplied into the processing container 12 through the eight plasma processing gas supply units 61. The eight plasma processing gas supply parts 61 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In this case, the adjacent plasma processing gas supply units 61 are provided at the same vertical height in the circumferential direction at intervals of 45 ° which is 360 ° / 8. The plasma processing gas supply unit 61 supplies a plasma processing gas from a plasma processing gas supply source (not shown) provided outside the processing container 12 through the plasma processing gas supply hole 63. Examples of the plasma processing gas include plasma excitation gas and an inert gas mainly for adjusting the pressure in the processing container 12.

Here, the plasma processing gas supplied from the plasma processing gas supply unit 61 is supplied obliquely with respect to the direction toward the radial center 64. In FIG. 5 indicates the direction of supply from the plasma processing gas supply unit 61, respectively arrow F _1. In this case, for example, the plasma processing gas supply holes 63 are provided so as to open obliquely in the same direction. In FIG. 5, the opening angle of each plasma processing gas supply hole 63 is inclined by an angle θ _{1 with} respect to the alternate long and short dash line 65 toward the center in the radial direction. By doing so, the plasma processing gas can be supplied uniformly in the processing container 12, specifically, in the second space described later.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a state in which a film forming gas is supplied by the film forming gas supply unit 62 included in the film forming apparatus 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as viewed from the direction of arrow III in FIG. With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, seven film forming gas supply units 62 are provided on the lower side of the second side wall 24 constituting the inner wall 18. A film forming gas is supplied into the processing container 12 via the seven film forming gas supply units 62. The seven deposition gas supply units 62 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on one side of the semicircular shape of the second side wall 24.

Here, the film forming gas supply unit 62 so as to be along the upper surface of the substrate to be processed W ₁ to _W-4, toward the other end side from one end side of the substrate W ₁ to _W-4, the film forming gas Configured to supply. 6 shows the direction of the supply from the film-forming gas supply unit 62, respectively arrow F _2. In this case, for example, the opening shape of the second side wall 24 of the semicircular one seven provided on the side film-forming gas supply holes 66, the other end 67b side from the one end 67a side of the substrate W ₁ You may make it provide so that it may extend straight toward.

In addition, the gas supply mechanism 15 includes a cleaning gas supply unit 68 that supplies a cleaning gas for cleaning the inside of the processing container 12. The cleaning gas supply unit 68 is provided so as to protrude from the lower surface 43 of the first ceiling wall 22 toward the support base 13 at the radial center of the first ceiling wall 22. A plurality of radial cleaning gas supply holes 69 are provided in the cleaning gas supply portion 68 provided so as to protrude. The cleaning gas supply unit 68 supplies the cleaning gas into the processing container 12 through the cleaning gas supply hole 69. In this way, when the cleaning gas is supplied radially from the center side to the outer side of the support base 13, the replacement of the plasma processing gas and the exhaust of the second space described later are efficient after the second processing. Can be done automatically. Then, the time required for gas replacement can be shortened, and the throughput can be further improved. For example, NF ₃ (nitrogen trifluoride) gas is used as the cleaning gas.

Here, when the support base 13 is moved upward, a second space 71 is formed between the mounting portion 37, the outer wall 17, and the dielectric windows 46a to 46d. Specifically, the second space 71 is a region indicated by a dot within a one-dot chain line in FIG. The second space 71 is smaller than the entire volume of the processing container 12. Plasma processing gas is supplied from the plasma processing gas supply unit 61 to the second space 71. The plasma processing gas supplied into the second space 71 mainly passes through the space 72 formed between the first side wall 21 and the second side wall 24, and the gap 32, and the exhaust port 19. Exhausted from. The main exhaust direction of the plasma processing gas is indicated by arrow A ₁ in FIG.

Further, when the support base 13 is moved downward, a first space 73 is formed between the placement portion 37 and the inner wall 18. Specifically, the first space 73 is a region indicated by dots within a two-dot chain line in FIG. The first space 73 is provided at a position different from the second space 71. Specifically, the first space 73 is provided on the lower side of the second space 71 so as to be separated from the second space 71. The first space 73 is also smaller than the entire volume of the processing container 12. A film forming gas is supplied from the film forming gas supply unit 62 to the first space 73. The film forming gas supplied into the first space 73 is mainly exhausted from the exhaust port 19 through the radial gap 41 between the mounting portion 37 and the second side wall 24. The main direction of exhaust of the deposition gas, indicated by arrow A ₂ in Fig.

  Next, a film forming method using the film forming apparatus 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a typical process when film formation is performed using the film formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a case where a silicon nitride (SiN) film is formed will be described.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, first, substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ are carried into the processing container 12 (FIG. 7A). A gate valve (not shown) provided in the processing container 12 is opened, and a first substrate W ₁ transported from the outside of the processing container 12 is transferred to the processing container by a transfer arm (not shown) provided outside the processing container 12. Then, it is transported onto the mounting portion 37 in the body 12. Thereafter, the mounting is raised the lifter pins provided inside the portion 37, receives the processed substrate W ₁ which has been carried. Thereafter, the transfer arm is retracted, the lifter pin is lowered, and the substrate W ₁ to be processed is placed at a predetermined location on the placement portion 37. Next, the support base 13 is rotated by 90 °. Then, similarly, the rise and fall of the lifter pins, placing the second sheet of the substrate to be processed W ₂ at a predetermined position of the mounting portion 37. In this way, the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ are sequentially placed at predetermined positions on the placement portion 37. Thereafter, the gate valve is closed. In this way, the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ are carried into the processing container 12.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the loaded substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ . Here, the plasma treatment in this case is an initial plasma nitriding treatment. That is, an initial plasma treatment process is performed (FIG. 7B). This initial plasma processing step may be omitted as necessary. That is, for example, if the initial plasma processing step can be replaced by cleaning the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ , the initial plasma step can be omitted. This initial plasma processing step is an optional step.

First, plasma processing gas is supplied from the plasma processing gas supply unit 61 to the second space 71, and microwave power is input to generate plasma. As the plasma processing gas, argon (Ar) gas, nitrogen (N ₂ ) gas, and ammonia (NH ₃ ) gas are used. Next, the support base 13 is moved upward. And the 2nd space 71 is formed between the mounting part 37, the outer wall 17, and the dielectric material windows 46a-46d. That is, the film forming apparatus 11 is set to the state shown in FIG. The support base 13 can be moved upward while generating plasma.

Here, the second space 71 is formed in the plasma generation region formed immediately below the dielectric windows 46a to 46d and on the lower side of the plasma generation region, and is formed by diffusing the plasma generated in the plasma generation region. Occupied by both of the plasma diffusion regions to be performed. A space where the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ supported on the placement unit 37 when the support base 13 is moved upward is a plasma diffusion region. In such a state, plasma nitriding is performed.

Here, the plasma nitriding process will be described. FIG. 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the distance from the lower surface 47 of the dielectric window 46a, the plasma electron temperature, and the plasma electron density in the processing container 12 when plasma is generated in the film forming apparatus 11. . In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis indicates the distance (mm) from the lower surface 47 of the dielectric window 46a, the left vertical axis indicates the plasma electron density (cm ⁻³ ), and the right vertical axis indicates the plasma. Indicates electron temperature (eV). The diamonds in FIG. 8 indicate the electron density of the plasma, and the circles in FIG. 8 indicate the electron temperature of the plasma. In FIG. 8, the distance of 0 (mm) refers to the position of the lower surface 47 of the so-called dielectric window 46a.

Referring to FIG. 8, a region immediately below dielectric window 46a, specifically, a region 74 having a distance up to about 10 mm indicated by hatching is a so-called plasma generation region. In this region 74, the electron temperature of the plasma is higher than about 2.0 eV. In addition, the electron density of plasma rapidly increases until the distance is about 10 mm, and then gradually decreases. A region exceeding 10 mm is a plasma diffusion region. In this region, the plasma electron temperature gradually decreases as the distance increases from about 2.0 eV. Also, the electron density of the plasma gradually decreases as the distance increases from about 7.0E ⁺¹¹ (cm ⁻³ ). Here, efficient plasma processing can be performed by positioning the substrate to be processed in a plasma diffusion region where the electron temperature of plasma and the electron density of plasma are relatively high. That is, by approximating the distance from the lower surface 47 of the dielectric window 46a shown by the length L ₇ of FIG. 1 to the upper surface 44 of the substrate W _1, the lower surface 47 side of the possible dielectric window 46a in the plasma diffusion region The plasma treatment can be efficiently performed in a region where the electron density of plasma is high.

  In the process conditions in this embodiment, the boundary between the plasma generation region and the plasma diffusion region is approximately 10 mm from the lower surface 47 of the dielectric window 46a. However, under the process conditions in other embodiments, the position of approximately 10 mm may be slightly back and forth. Specifically, for example, the boundary between the plasma generation region and the plasma diffusion region may be about 15 mm from the lower surface 47 of the dielectric window 46a.

Further, the configuration of the slot antenna plate as described above, the diameter of the slot antenna plate 49a indicated by the length L ₈ in FIG. 3, it may be about 300 mm. This will be described. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the input microwave power and the microwave power per unit area. In FIG. 9, the horizontal axis indicates the input microwave power (W), and the vertical axis indicates the microwave power per unit area (W / cm ² ). The rhombus in FIG. 9 indicates that the slot antenna plate has a diameter of 440 (mm), and the round shape in FIG. 9 indicates that the slot antenna plate has a diameter of 300 (mm).

Referring to FIG. 9, when a slot antenna plate of 440 (mm) is used, in order to obtain a microwave power per unit area of 7 (W / cm ² ), a microwave power of 10,000 (W) is used. It is necessary to input. On the other hand, when a slot antenna plate of 300 (mm) is used, in order to obtain the same microwave power per unit area of 7 (W / cm ² ), it is necessary to input microwave power of 6000 (W). Good. That is, when a 300 mm slot antenna plate is used as compared with a 440 mm slot antenna plate, the plasma density can be relatively increased and plasma processing can be performed efficiently.

  Next, when the initial plasma nitriding process is completed, a first purge process is performed (FIG. 7C). The first purge step is a step of adjusting the pressure in the processing container 12 while replacing the gas in the processing container 12. Specifically, first, the supply of the microwave power is stopped and the supply of the ammonia gas is stopped. That is, the supply of only the ammonia gas is stopped while the argon gas and the nitrogen gas are supplied as they are. Here, since the film forming apparatus 11 is always exhausted, the ammonia gas remaining in the processing container 12, specifically, mainly in the second space 71, can be exhausted in about several seconds. it can. During the first purge step, the support 13 starts to descend.

  After performing the first purge process, a film forming gas adsorption process is performed. That is, a film forming gas adsorption process is performed (FIG. 7D). In this case, the support base 13 is moved downward. A first space 73 is formed between the placement portion 37 and the inner wall 18. That is, the film forming apparatus 11 is set in the state shown in FIG. Next, the film forming gas is supplied from the film forming gas supply unit 62 to the first space 73 to adsorb the film forming gas. Here, DCS (dichlorosilane) gas is used as the film forming gas. In this case, approximately one molecular layer containing silicon atoms is formed as the chemical adsorption layer. Here, an adsorption layer of physical film forming gas molecules supplied in excess is formed on the chemical adsorption layer.

  When the film forming gas adsorption process is completed, the support table 13 is rotated (FIG. 7E). Here, the support base 13 is rotated by 90 °.

  After the support base 13 is rotated by 90 °, a second purge step is performed (FIG. 7F). The second purge step is also a step of adjusting the pressure in the processing container 12 while replacing the gas in the processing container 12. It is also a step of removing the physically adsorbed film forming gas molecules that have been physically adsorbed. Specifically, the supply of the deposition gas is stopped. Here, since the film forming apparatus 11 is always evacuated, the DCS gas remaining in the processing container 12, specifically, mainly in the first space 73 is evacuated in about several seconds. Can do. During the second purge step, the support 13 starts to rise.

  After performing the second purge process, the plasma treatment process is performed again. That is, a plasma nitriding process is performed (FIG. 7G). Specifically, first, microwave power is input to generate plasma. Next, ammonia gas is supplied, the support base 13 is moved upward again, the second space 71 is formed again, and plasma nitriding treatment in the second space 71 is performed. In this case, the upward movement of the support 13 may be started at the stage of generating the plasma by applying the microwave power.

  Thereafter, a first purge step shown in FIG. 7C, a film forming gas adsorption step shown in FIG. 7D, a second purge step shown in FIG. 7E, and a support base shown in FIG. The rotation process and the plasma nitridation process shown in FIG. 7G are set as one cycle, and these processes are repeated a plurality of times, and the film formation process is continued until a desired film thickness is obtained.

When the desired film thickness is reached, the substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ to be processed are carried out from the processing container 12 to the outside of the processing container 12. (Processed substrate carry-out step (FIG. 7H)). This process substrate carrying-out process follows the reverse process of the process substrate carrying-in process shown in FIG. That opens the gate valve (not shown) provided in the processing chamber 12, lift the substrate to be processed W ₁ of the first sheet by an increase in lifter pins by a transfer arm provided in the outer processing vessel 12 (not shown), the processing container 12 The first substrate to be processed W ₁ transported from the inside is transported outside the processing container 12. Next, the support base 13 is rotated by 90 °. Thereafter, similarly, sequentially unloading a substrate to be processed _W 2 to _W-4.

In this manner, the film forming process is performed on the _four substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ . According to such a film forming method, the plasma is generated by the plasma generating mechanism 14 including the dielectric windows 46a to 46d and the slot antenna plates 49a to 49d using microwaves as a plasma source. Damage to the processing substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ can be suppressed. In addition, since film formation can be performed simultaneously on the _four substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ , it is possible to reduce the time required for the film formation process per substrate. In this case, when performing the plasma processing as the second processing, the support base 13 is moved upward, and the plasma processing is performed between the mounting portion 37, the outer wall 17, and the dielectric windows 46a to 46d. A second space 71 is formed. As a result, the space for performing the plasma treatment can be made smaller than the space for the entire processing container 12, so that the gas replacement and the pressure adjustment in the second space 71 can be performed efficiently and in a short time. Furthermore, since the support base 13 is moved upward to perform the plasma processing on the substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ to be processed, the plasma processing can be performed in a region having a high plasma density, and the time required for the plasma processing is increased. Can be shortened. Further, when performing the film forming gas adsorption process, which is the first process, the support base 13 is moved downward to form a first space 73 between the mounting portion 37 and the inner wall 18. ing. Also in this case, the space for performing the film forming gas adsorption process can be made smaller than the space of the entire processing container 12. Then, gas replacement and pressure adjustment in the first space 73 can be performed efficiently and in a short time. Furthermore, since the first space 73 is configured to be different from the second space 71, the gas required for the first process and the gas required for the second process are prevented from being mixed. Then, in each process performed alternately, it is not necessary to strictly perform gas replacement and exhaust, and the time required for gas replacement and the time required for pressure adjustment can be shortened. As a result, the throughput can be improved and a high-quality film based on suppression of gas mixing can be formed.

The other in this case, the film forming gas supplying portion 62 included in the gas supply mechanism 15, as along the upper surface of the substrate to be processed W ₁ to _W-4, from one end of the substrate W ₁ to _W-4 A film forming gas is supplied toward the end side. Then, in the first process, when the film forming gas is supplied to the plurality of substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ , the film forming gas supplied to the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ is so-called surface contact. Can be made. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the efficiency of adsorption of the supplied deposition gas, and to perform the deposition gas adsorption process more efficiently. Further, according to this configuration, in the first space 73, it is also possible to reduce the scattering of the film forming gas from the target substrate W ₁ to _W-4 side.

In this case, the plasma generating mechanism 14, since the dielectric window 46 a to 46 d, and a slot antenna plate 49a-49d, and configured to include four copies each, four target substrate _W 1 to _W-4 when forming a film on, for each target substrate _W 1 to _W-4, since the dielectric window 46 a to 46 d, and a slot antenna plate 49a~49d can correspond, for more efficient plasma treatment It can be carried out.

Here, the number of substrates to be processed supported by the support base is four, and the plasma generation mechanism 14 includes four dielectric windows 46a to 46d and four slot antenna plates 49a to 49d. Then, the control unit performs second processing for each target substrate W ₁ to _W-4 were placed beneath each dielectric window 46 a to 46 d, each of the second process is completed, the support base 13 It is rotated at an angle of 90 °, which is 360 ° / 4. Then, in the second process, that is, the plasma process, each of the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ is generated using the dielectric windows 46a to 46d and the slot antenna plates 49a to 49d. Plasma treatment can be performed with plasma. Therefore, eliminating the variation or unevenness of the plasma processing due to variations or nonuniformity between plasma generated under each dielectric window 46 a to 46 d, improve the uniformity of the plasma processing for each target substrate W ₁ to _W-4 can do.

In this embodiment, for example, the time required for the first purge process is approximately 4 seconds, the time required for the film forming gas adsorption process is approximately 2 seconds, and the time required for the second purge process is approximately 4 seconds. Second, the time required for the plasma nitriding process is approximately 5 seconds, and the support rotation process can be performed during the second purge process, so that the total time for one cycle is approximately 17 seconds. . Here, in the case where film formation of 1.0 Å (angstrom) / 1 cycle is performed, it takes about 28 minutes to form a film of 100 Å. In about 28 minutes, since the four substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ can be formed, it is possible to form 8.5 substrates / hour on the substrate to be processed, thereby improving the throughput. be able to.

In the above-described embodiment, the rotation is performed by 90 °. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the support base 13 is simply rotatable with the center of the rod-shaped portion 36 extending in the longitudinal direction as the rotation center axis 42. You may comprise. In this way, in the first process, which is the film forming gas adsorption process, when the film forming gas is supplied to the plurality of substrates W _{1 to} W ₄ , the film is formed by rotating the support base 13. Gas can be supplied. Then, the support base a plurality of which are supported by the 13 target substrate W ₁ to _W-4, the supply of the deposition gas to each of the processed substrate W ₁ to _W-4 in the gas supply mechanism 15 variations or the deposition gas adsorption Unevenness can be eliminated. In addition, in the second process in which the plasma process is performed, it is possible to eliminate variations and unevenness in plasma processing between the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ due to variations and unevenness in the generated plasma at each position. Therefore, it is possible to improve the uniformity of processing between the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W ₄ . Such improved uniformity of processing between the target substrate W ₁ to _W-4 contributes to improved yield of the semiconductor devices formed on the substrate to be processed W ₁ to _W-4, to improve the productivity Can be planned.

In the above-described embodiment, the support base 13 is configured to be rotatable. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the support base 13 may not rotate. In this case, for example, the film forming gas supply unit 62 that supplies the film forming gas may rotate, or the film forming gas supplied by the film forming gas supply unit 62 may be supplied to each of the substrates to be processed W _{1 to} W _4. However, if it is strictly equal, both the support 13 and the film forming gas supply unit 62 need not be rotated.

  In the above embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus includes one support base. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to include a plurality of support bases. In other words, for example, a plurality of support bases may be provided for each substrate to be supported.

  In the above embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus is provided with four dielectric windows and four slot antenna plates for each of the four substrates to be processed. Alternatively, a single slot antenna plate may be used, and plasma processing may be performed on a plurality of substrates to be processed supported by a support base with a single dielectric window and a slot antenna plate. Further, three, five, or eight substrates may be processed at a time.

  In the above embodiment, the diameter of the slot antenna plate is 300 mm. However, the diameter is not limited to this, and may be 300 mm or less. In this case, the substrate to be processed may be carried in by a transfer module including a downsized transfer arm.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the silicon nitride film is formed has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is also applicable to the case where an oxynitride film is formed or an oxide film is formed. The

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to the thing of embodiment shown in figure. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same range or equivalent range as the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Film-forming apparatus, 12 Processing container, 13 Support stand, 14 Plasma generation mechanism, 15 Gas supply mechanism, 16 Bottom wall, 17 Outer wall, 18 Inner wall, 19 Exhaust port, 21 1st side wall, 22 1st top wall, 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, 26 opening, 24 second side wall, 25 second top wall, 27a, 27b, 31, 40a, 40b end, 28, 33, 35 inner diameter surface, 29 outer diameter surface, 30 , 39, 44 Upper surface, 32, 41 Clearance, 34 Side wall, 36 Bar-shaped portion, 37 Placement portion, 38, 43, 47 Lower surface, 42 Rotation center axis, 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d Dielectric window, 48 slots, 49a 49b, 49c, 49d Slot antenna plate, 50 slot pair, 51 microwave generator, 52 coaxial waveguide, 53 dielectric member, 54 matching, 55 mode converter 56 Waveguide, 61 Plasma processing gas supply unit, 62 Deposition gas supply unit, 63 Plasma processing gas supply hole, 64 Center, 65 Dotted line, 66 Deposition gas supply hole, 67a One end, 67b The other end, 68 cleaning gas supply unit, 69 cleaning gas supply hole, 71 second space, 72 space, 73 first space, 74 region.

Claims (12)

A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate to be processed,
A bottom wall located on the lower side, an outer wall extending upward from an outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall, and an inner wall located on the inner side of the outer wall at a distance from the outer wall and extending in the vertical direction. A processing vessel for performing plasma processing on the substrate to be processed and film forming gas adsorption processing on the plurality of substrates to be processed;
A rod-like portion extending upward from the bottom wall side, and a plate-like placement portion which is attached to the upper end of the rod-like portion and on which a plurality of the substrates to be processed can be placed and supported; The mounting portion is configured to be arranged inside the inner wall, and a support base that is movable in the vertical direction;
A plate-like dielectric window that is provided in a position facing the mounting portion in the vertical direction and that propagates microwaves, and a plurality of slots are provided, and the slot is provided on the upper side of the dielectric window. A plasma generating mechanism for generating plasma in the processing vessel using a microwave as a plasma source, including a thin slot antenna plate that radiates microwaves to the dielectric window from
A gas supply mechanism for supplying a plasma processing gas and a film forming gas into the processing container;
A control unit that controls to alternately perform a first process for performing a film forming gas adsorption process on a plurality of the substrates to be processed and a second process for performing a plasma process on the plurality of substrates to be processed. Including
In the first treatment, the support base is moved downward to form the first space between the mounting portion and the inner wall, and the gas supply mechanism forms the first space in the first space. A process of supplying a film gas and performing an adsorption process of the film forming gas on the plurality of substrates to be processed;
In the second treatment, the support base is moved upward to form a second space different from the first space between the mounting portion, the outer wall, and the dielectric window, and the gas A film forming apparatus, wherein the plasma processing gas is supplied to the second space by a supply mechanism and plasma is generated by the plasma generation mechanism to perform plasma processing on the plurality of substrates to be processed. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plasma generation mechanism includes a plurality of the dielectric windows and the slot antenna plates. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support base is rotatable with a center of the rod-shaped portion extending in a longitudinal direction as a rotation center axis. When the number of substrates to be processed supported by the support base is N,
The plasma generation mechanism includes N dielectric windows and N slot antenna plates,
The controller performs the second process by placing the substrates to be processed under the dielectric windows, and each time the second process is completed, the control base is moved to 360 ° / N. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the film forming apparatus is rotated at an angle. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the slot antenna plate has a diameter of 300 mm or less. The said gas supply mechanism supplies the said film-forming gas from the one end side of the said to-be-processed substrate toward the other end side so that it may follow the upper surface of the to-be-processed substrate. 2. The film forming apparatus according to 1. The gas supply mechanism can supply a cleaning gas for cleaning the inside of the processing container radially from the center side to the outer side of the support base,
The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit supplies the cleaning gas by the gas supply mechanism when performing the first processing. A film forming method for forming a film on a substrate to be processed,
A bottom wall located on the lower side, an outer wall extending upward from an outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall, and an inner wall located on the inner side of the outer wall at a distance from the outer wall and extending in the vertical direction. A processing vessel for performing a plasma treatment on the substrate to be processed and a film forming gas adsorption treatment on a plurality of substrates to be processed, a rod-shaped portion extending upward from the bottom wall side, and an upper end of the rod-shaped portion, There is provided a plate-like placement portion on which a plurality of the substrates to be processed can be placed and supported, and the placement portion is configured to be disposed inside the inner wall, and is supported in a vertically movable manner. A plate, a plate-like dielectric window that propagates microwaves, and a plurality of slots are provided at a position facing the mounting portion in the vertical direction, and are provided above the dielectric window. The dielectric from the slot A plasma generating mechanism including a thin plate-like slot antenna plate that radiates microwaves to a window and generating plasma in the processing vessel using microwaves as a plasma source; and a plasma processing gas and a film in the processing vessel A film forming apparatus including a gas supply mechanism for supplying a gas;
The support base is moved downward to form the first space between the mounting portion and the inner wall, and the film supply gas is supplied to the first space by the gas supply mechanism to A first process for performing an adsorption process of the film forming gas on the substrate to be processed, and moving the support base upward to move the support unit between the mounting portion, the outer wall, and the dielectric window. A plurality of substrates to be processed are formed by forming a second space different from the first space, supplying the plasma processing gas to the second space by the gas supply mechanism, and generating plasma by the plasma generation mechanism. The film-forming method which performs the 2nd process which performs a plasma process with respect to alternately. When the number of substrates to be processed supported by the support base is N,
The plasma generation mechanism includes N dielectric windows and N slot antenna plates,
Each of the substrates to be processed is placed under each of the dielectric windows to perform the first process, and each time the second process is completed, the support base is rotated at an angle of 360 ° / N. The film-forming method of Claim 8 controlled. The gas supply mechanism controls the film formation gas to be supplied from one end side to the other end side of the substrate to be processed along the upper surface of the substrate to be processed. 2. The film forming method described in 1. When performing the first treatment, the gas supply mechanism controls the cleaning gas for cleaning the inside of the processing container to be supplied radially from the center side to the outer side of the support base. The film forming method according to claim 8. The film formation is performed by forming a silicon nitride film,
The film forming method according to claim 8, wherein the gas supply mechanism supplies a DCS (dichlorosilane) gas as the film forming gas.

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