JP2021098891A - Film deposition apparatus and film deposition method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a film deposition apparatus capable of uniformizing the thickness of a film, and a film deposition method.SOLUTION: A film deposition apparatus according to an aspect includes: a chamber capable of accommodating a processed object therein; an aerosol producing part capable of supplying aerosol including multiple particles and a gas to the inside of the chamber; a tubular-shaped supply part, one end of which is connected to the aerosol producing part and the other end of which is connected to the chamber; a first detecting part capable of detecting a status of the multiple particles at least either on the processed object or inside the chamber; at least one aerosol control part capable of controlling at least either of a flow velocity or a flow rate of the aerosol inside the supply part; and a controller capable of controlling the aerosol control part based on a detection value from the first detecting part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method.

There is a technique of supplying an aerosol containing a plurality of particles and a gas to the surface of a substrate or the like to form a film containing a plurality of particles on the surface of the substrate or the like. Further, a technique has been proposed in which the concentration of a plurality of particles contained in the aerosol is measured and feedback control is performed so that the concentration of the plurality of particles contained in the aerosol becomes substantially constant. Generally, such film formation is performed inside the chamber.

Here, the aerosol flow may be biased inside the chamber. When the flow of the aerosol is biased, even if the concentration of the particles contained in the aerosol is made substantially constant, the amount of particles deposited in the region where the aerosol flow is directed becomes larger than the amount of particles deposited in the other regions. Therefore, an in-plane distribution occurs in the thickness of the formed film.
Therefore, it has been desired to develop a technique capable of making the thickness of the film uniform.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-348659

An object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a film forming apparatus and a film forming method capable of making the film thickness uniform.

The film forming apparatus according to the embodiment has a tubular shape, a chamber capable of accommodating a processed material inside, an aerosol generating unit capable of supplying an aerosol containing a plurality of particles and a gas, and one of the chambers. Detects the state of the plurality of particles on a supply section with one end connected to an aerosol generator and the other end connected to a chamber, and at least either above or inside the chamber. To the possible first detection unit, at least one aerosol control unit capable of controlling at least one of the flow velocity and the flow rate of the aerosol inside the supply unit, and the detection value from the first detection unit. Based on this, a controller capable of controlling the aerosol control unit is provided.

It is a schematic diagram for exemplifying the film forming apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. (A) is a figure for exemplifying the distribution of the flow velocity of an aerosol. (B) is a schematic diagram for exemplifying the direction of aerosol flow. (A) is a figure for exemplifying the distribution of the flow velocity of an aerosol. (B) is a schematic diagram for exemplifying the direction of aerosol flow. (A) and (b) are diagrams for exemplifying the effect of the aerosol control unit. It is a graph for exemplifying the relationship between the passage of time and the flow velocity of an aerosol. It is a schematic diagram for exemplifying the film forming apparatus which concerns on other embodiment. It is a schematic perspective view for exemplifying the aerosol control unit which concerns on another embodiment. (A) to (d) are diagrams for exemplifying the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol. (A) to (d) are schematic views for exemplifying the direction of aerosol flow inside the chamber. It is a figure for demonstrating the effect of an aerosol control part.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be illustrated with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, similar components are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
Further, in general, the flow rate and the flow velocity have a positive correlation in one piping system. For example, as the flow rate decreases, so does the flow velocity. Therefore, in the following, the description of "flow velocity" can be replaced with "flow rate", and the description of "flow rate" can be replaced with "flow velocity".
The film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment generates an aerosol, supplies the produced aerosol toward the processed product, and deposits a plurality of particles contained in the aerosol on the surface of the processed product to form a film. can do. As used herein, the aerosol may include a plurality of particles and gases.

In this case, the particles can be solid or liquid. In the following, as an example, the case where the particles are solid will be described as an example. The material of the solid particles is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include metals such as carbon, ceramics, and platinum. The size of the solid particles is not particularly limited, but for example, the particle size can be 1 μm or less.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view for exemplifying the film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the film forming apparatus 1 may be provided with a chamber 2, an aerosol generation unit 3, a detection unit 4 (corresponding to an example of the first detection unit), an aerosol control unit 5, and a controller 6. it can.

The chamber 2 has a box shape and can have an airtight structure to the extent that dust does not enter from the outside. The inside of the chamber 2 is a region for forming a film on the surface of the processed product 100 using the aerosol 102.

When the turbulence of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 becomes large inside the chamber 2, the thickness of the formed film tends to be distributed in-plane. Therefore, the shape of the chamber 2 is preferably a shape that reduces the turbulence of the air flow. Further, although the processed object 100 is placed on the bottom side of the chamber 2, it is preferable to increase the size of the processed object 100 that can be processed or increase the number of processed objects 100 that can be processed. .. Therefore, the shape of the chamber 2 is, for example, a shape in which the cross-sectional dimension of the chamber 2 (the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the direction from the ceiling to the bottom of the chamber 2) gradually increases as it approaches the region where the workpiece 100 is placed. Is preferable. For example, the external shape of the chamber 2 can be a truncated cone or a truncated cone. The external shape of the chamber 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a quadrangular pyramid.

The processed product 100 for forming a film can be stored inside the chamber 2. For example, the processed object 100 can be placed on the bottom of the chamber 2 or placed on a mounting table provided at the bottom of the chamber 2. When a plurality of processed objects 100 are formed at the same time, the frame 21 can be provided on the bottom of the chamber 2 or the mounting table. The frame 21 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a plurality of convex portions arranged in a first direction and a plurality of convex portions arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The processed object 100 can be placed in the area defined by the convex portion.

Further, an exhaust unit 22 can be provided at the bottom of the chamber 2. For example, at least one hole can be provided in the frame 21, and the exhaust unit 22 can be connected to the hole. The exhaust unit 22 can exhaust the gas inside the chamber 2. By exhausting the gas inside the chamber 2 by the exhaust unit 22, the aerosol 102 inside the supply unit 23 provided on the ceiling of the chamber 2 is pulled out to the inside of the chamber 2. Then, inside the chamber 2, a flow 102a of the aerosol 102 from the ceiling side to the bottom side of the chamber 2 is formed.

The material, shape, size, etc. of the processed product 100 are not particularly limited. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the processed object 100 can be a substrate having a quadrangular planar shape or the like. Further, the processed product 100 can be made to have air permeability. If the processed material 100 has air permeability, the gas inside the chamber 2 can be exhausted through the processed material 100. For example, at least one hole can be provided in the region defined by the convex portion of the frame 21, and the exhaust portion 22 can be connected to the hole. By exhausting the gas inside the chamber 2 through the processed object 100, the aerosol 102 can be drawn into the surface of the processed object 100. Further, the processed object 100 can be held in the region defined by the convex portion of the frame 21.

The supply unit 23 can be provided on the ceiling of the chamber 2. The supply unit 23 can have a first portion 23a and a second portion 23b. The first portion 23a can be, for example, a tubular body extending from the bottom side of the chamber 2 toward the ceiling side. For example, one end of the first portion 23a can be connected to a hole provided in the ceiling of the chamber 2. The second portion 23b can be, for example, a tubular body extending in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first portion 23a extends. One end of the second portion 23b can be connected to the other end of the first portion 23a. The supply unit 23 may be a bent pipe or the like. An aerosol generation unit 3 can be connected to the other end of the second portion 23b. The aerosol 102 generated by the aerosol generation unit 3 can be supplied to the inside of the chamber 2 via the first portion 23a and the second portion 23b.

The aerosol generation unit 3 can generate the aerosol 102. Further, the aerosol generation unit 3 can supply the generated aerosol 102 to the supply unit 23. That is, the aerosol generation unit 3 can supply the aerosol 102 containing the plurality of particles 101 and the gas to the inside of the chamber 2.
The aerosol generation unit 3 can include a container 3a, a supply control unit 3b, a mixing unit 3c, and a gas supply unit 3d.

The container 3a can be connected to the mixing unit 3c via the supply control unit 3b. The container 3a has a tubular shape and can store a plurality of particles 101 inside. The container 3a can send a plurality of stored particles 101 to the supply control unit 3b by using, for example, gravity.

Further, a vibrating portion 3a1 may be provided on the outer surface of the container 3a. The vibrating unit 3a1 can apply kinetic energy to a plurality of particles 101 housed inside the container 3a by ultrasonic vibration, electromagnetic vibration, mechanical vibration, or the like. The vibrating portion 3a1 is not always necessary, and may be appropriately provided according to the shape and size of the plurality of particles 101. However, if the vibrating portion 3a1 is provided, the supply control of the plurality of particles 101 is controlled. The supply to the part 3b can be stabilized.

The supply control unit 3b can control the supply amount of the plurality of particles 101 from the container 3a to the mixing unit 3c, and control the start and stop of the supply of the plurality of particles 101. For example, the supply control unit 3b can change the size of the holes through which the plurality of particles 101 pass.

The mixing unit 3c can be provided between the gas supply unit 3d and the supply unit 23. The mixing unit 3c can generate the aerosol 102 by mixing the plurality of particles 101 supplied from the supply control unit 3b with the gas supplied from the gas supply unit 3d. For example, the mixing unit 3c can generate an aerosol 102 by charging a predetermined amount of particles 101 supplied from the supply control unit 3b into the flow of gas supplied from the gas supply unit 3d. In this case, the Venturi effect can be used to draw the plurality of particles 101 into the gas flow. The aerosol 102 generated by the mixing unit 3c is supplied to the inside of the chamber 2 via the supply unit 23.

The above is the case of the solid particles 101, but the aerosol can be produced in the same manner in the case of the liquid particles. For example, the liquid may be stored in the container 3a, and the liquid may be atomized and drawn into the gas flow by utilizing the Venturi effect in the mixing unit 3c.

The gas supply unit 3d can supply a predetermined flow rate of gas to the mixing unit 3c. The gas is not particularly limited as long as it does not easily react with the processed product 100 and the particles 101. The gas can be, for example, an inert gas such as helium gas or argon gas, nitrogen gas, air or the like.

The gas supply unit 3d can have a gas source 3d1, a flow rate control unit 3d2, and an on-off valve 3d3.
The gas source 3d1 can supply the gas to the flow rate control unit 3d2. The gas source 3d1 can be, for example, a cylinder in which high-pressure gas is stored, a factory pipe for supplying gas, or the like.

The flow rate control unit 3d2 can control the flow rate of the gas supplied to the mixing unit 3c. The flow rate control unit 3d2 can be, for example, an MFC (Mass Flow Controller) or the like. Further, the flow rate control unit 3d2 may indirectly control the gas flow rate by controlling the gas supply pressure. In this case, the flow rate control unit 3d2 can be, for example, an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) or the like.

The on-off valve 3d3 can switch between starting the gas supply and stopping the gas supply. The on-off valve 3d3 can be, for example, a two-way valve. If the flow rate control unit 3d2 has a function of switching between the start of gas supply and the stop of gas supply, the on-off valve 3d3 can be omitted.

The detection unit 4 can detect the state (for example, the deposited state) of the plurality of particles 101 on the processed object 100.
The detection unit 4 can directly detect, for example, the thickness of the film containing the plurality of particles 101. The detection unit 4 can be, for example, a laser range finder or the like. For example, when a laser range finder is used, the thickness of the film is detected from the difference between the position of the surface of the processed object 100 before the plurality of particles 101 are deposited and the position of the surface of the film containing the plurality of particles 101. be able to. Then, the detection unit 4 can detect the in-plane distribution of the film thickness, that is, the deposition state of the plurality of particles 101 by detecting the film thickness at a plurality of detection points.

In addition, the detection unit 4 can detect the number and distribution of the particles 101 in the vicinity of the surface of the processed object 100. The detection unit 4 can be, for example, a particle counter or the like. For example, the relationship between the number and distribution of particles 101 in the vicinity of the surface of the processed object 100 and the thickness of the film is obtained by performing simulations and experiments in advance, and the obtained data is stored in the storage unit of the controller 6. Keep it. Then, the calculation unit 6a of the controller 6 can calculate the thickness of the film from the data stored in the storage unit and the number and distribution of the detected particles 101. The arithmetic program can be stored in the storage unit of the controller 6.

The number and position of the detection points can be appropriately changed depending on the size of the chamber 2, the processed object, the film forming conditions, and the like. In this case, if the number of detection points is increased, the detection accuracy of the film thickness and the variation in thickness can be improved. However, if the number of detection points is too large, the above-mentioned calculation takes time, and the control of the aerosol control unit 5 may be delayed. For example, the number of detection points is preferably 3 or more. For example, the detection points can be the center and both ends of the region where the film is formed inside the chamber 2.

The detection unit 4 is provided on the outside of the chamber 2, for example, and can detect the state of the plurality of particles 101 through the windows provided on the side surface of the chamber 2. The windows provided on the sides of the chamber 2 can be formed from a translucent material such as glass.

Further, a detection unit 41 (corresponding to an example of the second detection unit) can be further provided between the gas supply unit 3d and the supply unit 23. The detection unit 41 can detect at least one of the flow rate and the flow velocity of the aerosol 102. The detection unit 41 can be, for example, at least one of a flow meter and a current meter.
The details of the detection unit 41 will be described later.

The aerosol control unit 5 controls the distribution of at least one of the flow velocity and the flow rate of the aerosol 102 in the direction intersecting the direction in which the first portion 23a extends, inside the first portion 23a of the supply unit 23. The aerosol control unit 5 can be connected to the first portion 23a of the supply unit 23. When viewed from the direction along the central axis of the first portion 23a, the aerosol control unit 5 is provided on the side opposite to the side on which the second portion 23b extends with respect to the central axis of the first portion 23a. be able to. The aerosol control unit 5 can introduce gas into the first portion 23a.

Next, the action and effect of the aerosol control unit 5 will be described.
FIG. 2A is a diagram for exemplifying the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 inside the supply unit 23. The distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 was obtained by simulation. The flow velocity is expressed by the shade of monotone color, and the brighter the color tone, the faster the flow velocity.
FIG. 2B is a schematic view for exemplifying the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 inside the chamber 2.
2 (a) and 2 (b) are cases where the gas is not introduced into the first portion 23a from the aerosol control unit 5.

FIG. 3A is a diagram for exemplifying the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 inside the supply unit 23. The distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 was obtained by simulation. The distribution of the flow velocity is represented by the shade of monotone color, and the brighter the color tone, the faster the flow velocity.
FIG. 3B is a schematic view for exemplifying the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 inside the chamber 2.
3 (a) and 3 (b) are the cases where the gas is introduced into the first portion 23a from the aerosol control unit 5.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a), the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 is substantially constant inside the second portion 23b of the supply unit 23. However, since the direction in which the first portion 23a extends intersects the direction in which the second portion 23b extends, the direction of flow of the aerosol 102 between the second portion 23b and the first portion 23a is different. Change. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2A, the flow velocity on the side with a small curvature (outside the corner) is faster than the flow velocity on the side with a large curvature (inside the corner). When a flow velocity distribution occurs at the connecting portion between the second portion 23b and the first portion 23a, a similar flow velocity distribution occurs inside the first portion 23a located downstream thereof. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, inside the first portion 23a, the flow velocity on the side opposite to the side on which the second portion 23b extends is faster than the flow velocity on the side on which the second portion 23b extends. Become.

When the flow velocity distribution occurs inside the first portion 23a, the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is tilted with respect to the central axis of the chamber 2 inside the chamber 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 tilts from the side where the flow velocity is high to the side where the flow velocity is slow. When the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is tilted inside the chamber 2, the thickness of the film in the region where the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is directed becomes thicker, and the thickness of the region where the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is not directed becomes thinner. That is, an in-plane distribution of film thickness occurs.

According to the findings obtained by the present inventor, the flow velocity can be reduced by introducing the gas into the region where the flow velocity is high inside the first portion 23a.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, if gas is introduced into the supply unit 23 from the aerosol control unit 5, the flow velocity on the side where the flow velocity is faster in FIG. 2A is slowed down, and FIG. 2 (a) In a), the flow velocity on the side where the flow velocity is slow can be increased. As described above, the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 tilts from the side where the flow velocity is high to the side where the flow velocity is slow. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B, the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is shown in FIG. 2B. The direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be different. In this way, the region where the thickness of the film becomes thick can be moved, so that the thickness of the film can be made uniform.

In this case, the detection unit 4 can detect the distribution of the film thickness and control the aerosol control unit 5 so that the distribution of the film thickness becomes smaller. The detection by the detection unit 4 may be performed at all times or at predetermined intervals.

The gas supplied from the aerosol control unit 5 can be the same type of gas as the gas contained in the aerosol 102. For example, when the gas contained in the aerosol 102 is air, the aerosol control unit 5 can introduce the ambient air into the first portion 23a. In this case, the aerosol control unit 5 may forcibly introduce air into the first portion 23a, or allow the surrounding air to be drawn into the flow inside the first portion 23a. You may.

When the gas is forcibly introduced into the first portion 23a, the aerosol control unit 5 can have, for example, the same configuration as the gas supply unit 3d described above. In this case, a flow rate control unit and an on-off valve can be provided separately to share the gas source. For example, the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be changed by changing the amount of gas introduced into the first portion 23a by the flow rate control unit.

If the ambient air is to be drawn into the internal flow of the first portion 23a, the aerosol control unit 5 may have, for example, an opening and closing opening. In this case, by changing the opening area, the amount of gas drawn into the internal flow of the first portion 23a, and by extension, the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be changed.

4 (a) and 4 (b) are diagrams for exemplifying the effect of the aerosol control unit 5. FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) show the distribution of the film thickness in shades of monotone color. In this case, the brighter the color tone, the thinner the film.
FIG. 4A shows a case where the aerosol control unit 5 maintains a state in which gas is not supplied to the inside of the first portion 23a. That is, FIG. 4A corresponds to the case where the aerosol control unit 5 is not provided.
FIG. 4B shows a case where the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the value detected by the detection unit 4. For example, this is a case where the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is changed according to the distribution of the film thickness.

When the film is formed while the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is tilted in one direction, an in-plane distribution of the film thickness is generated as shown in FIG. 4A. For example, the film thickness of the processed product 100a placed in the region where the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is directed becomes thicker. The film thickness of the processed product 100b placed at the position farthest from the region where the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is directed is thin, and the film thickness is uneven.

On the other hand, when the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is changed according to the film thickness distribution, as shown in FIG. 4B, the film thickness of the processed product 100a and the film thickness of the processed product 100b The film thickness can be about the same. In addition, it is possible to suppress the generation of a processed product having uneven film thickness. For example, in the case of FIG. 4A, the variation in film thickness was about 30%, but in the case of FIG. 4B, the variation in film thickness could be about 8%.

Next, the action and effect of the detection unit 41 will be described.
As described above, the aerosol 102 is not injected into the chamber 2, but is mainly exhausted by the exhaust unit 22 and is drawn out from the inside of the first portion 23a to the inside of the chamber 2. In this case, a plurality of particles 101 contained in the aerosol 102 may be deposited inside the holes provided in the frame 21. Further, when the gas inside the chamber 2 is exhausted through the processed object 100 having air permeability, the air permeability gradually deteriorates as a plurality of particles 101 are deposited on the processed object 100. Therefore, with the passage of time, the amount of exhaust gas by the exhaust unit 22 may decrease, and the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 flowing inside the first portion 23a may gradually decrease.

FIG. 5 is a graph for exemplifying the relationship between the passage of time and the flow rate of the aerosol 102 flowing inside the first portion 23a.
As described above, when the amount of exhaust gas by the exhaust unit 22 decreases with the passage of time, the flow rate of the aerosol 102 flowing inside the first portion 23a gradually decreases as shown in A in FIG. To do.

In this case, if the gas is always introduced from the aerosol control unit 5, the ratio of the amount of gas to the amount of aerosol 102 increases with the passage of time, and the accuracy of the direction control of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 becomes higher. It may get worse. If the accuracy of the direction control of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is deteriorated, the variation in film thickness may become large.

Therefore, the film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with a detection unit 41 that detects at least one of the flow rate and the flow velocity of the aerosol 102. Then, the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the value detected by the detection unit 41.

For example, the controller 6 controls the amount of gas introduced into the first portion 23a based on the detected value from the detection unit 41. In this case, for example, the gas can be introduced intermittently from the aerosol control unit 5 or the amount of gas introduced can be changed based on the value detected by the detection unit 41. In this case, the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the value detected by the detection unit 4 and the value detected by the detection unit 41. For example, as shown in B in FIG. 5, gas may be introduced intermittently from the aerosol control unit 5.

The controller 6 may include a calculation unit 6a such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit such as a memory. The controller 6 can be, for example, a computer or the like. A control program for controlling the operation of each element provided in the film forming apparatus 1 can be stored in the storage unit. For example, the controller 6 can control the aerosol control unit 5 based on the detection value by the detection unit 4, the detection value by the detection unit 4, and the detection value by the detection unit 41.

Here, the above-mentioned detection unit 4 directly or indirectly detects the deposition state of the plurality of particles 101 on the processed object 100. In this case, the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the thickness of the film and the number and distribution of the particles 101 in the vicinity of the surface of the processed object 100, but inside the chamber 2 above the detection unit 4. In this region, there are a plurality of particles 101 that have already been introduced inside the chamber 2. Therefore, if the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the value detected by the detection unit 4, the control may be delayed. If the control is delayed, the thickness of the film may vary or the in-plane distribution of the thickness may increase depending on the size of the chamber 2 and the film forming conditions.

When the control delay becomes a problem, the aerosol control unit 5 can be controlled based on the prediction model created by machine learning and the value detected by the detection unit 4. For example, the value detected by the detection unit 4 and the prediction model of the recurrent neural network can be used to predict the thickness of the film and the in-plane distribution of the thickness, and the aerosol control unit 5 can be controlled based on the prediction value. .. By doing so, the delay in control can be reduced. The prediction model can also be created by conducting experiments and simulations in advance.

Further, the detection unit 41 acquires the data of the flow rate of the aerosol 102 flowing in the pipe, predicts the velocity vector of the aerosol 102 inside the chamber 2 by using machine learning, and further processes from the predicted velocity vector. It is also possible to predict the behavior of the particle 101 in the vicinity of the object 100. Then, the flow rate of the aerosol 102 flowing in the pipe can be controlled according to the predicted value of the behavior of the particles 101 to make the thickness of the formed film uniform.

In the above, the case where the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the detection value by the detection unit 4 has been illustrated, but the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled based on the detection value by the detection unit 4 and the detection value by the detection unit 41. The same applies when doing so.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view for exemplifying the film forming apparatus 1a according to another embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 6, the film forming apparatus 1a may be provided with a chamber 2, an aerosol generation unit 3, a detection unit 42 (corresponding to an example of the first detection unit), an aerosol control unit 5, and a controller 6. it can.

The detection unit 42 can measure the vector of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 in the vicinity of the ceiling inside the chamber 2. The detection unit 42 may be, for example, a particle counter or the like to detect the number and behavior of the particles 101. The controller 6 can control the aerosol control unit 5 based on the value detected by the detection unit 42, the value detected by the detection unit 42, and the value detected by the detection unit 41.

For example, the value detected by the detection unit 42 and the prediction model of the recurrent neural network can be used to predict the thickness of the film and the in-plane distribution of the thickness, and the aerosol control unit 5 can be controlled based on the prediction value. .. The prediction model can also be created by conducting experiments and simulations in advance.

Since the detection unit 42 detects the number and behavior of the particles 101 in the vicinity of the ceiling inside the chamber 2, the distance between the aerosol control unit 5 to be controlled and the detection unit 42 can be shortened. Therefore, the control delay can be reduced as compared with the case of the detection unit 4 described above. Further, if the aerosol control unit 5 is controlled by using the prediction model as in the case of the detection unit 4 described above, the delay in control can be further reduced.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view for exemplifying the aerosol control unit according to another embodiment.
Arrows X, Y, and Z in FIG. 7 represent three directions orthogonal to each other. For example, when viewed from the direction along the central axis of the first portion 23a, the direction in which the second portion 23b extends is the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to the X direction is the Y direction. Further, the direction along the central axis of the first portion 23a is the Z direction.

In the case of the supply unit 23 illustrated in FIG. 1, the connecting portion between the first portion 23a and the second portion 23b had a bent form. However, the present invention is applicable to those in which the direction of flow of the aerosol 102 changes between the second portion 23b and the first portion 23a. That is, the connection form between the first portion 23a and the second portion 23b is not particularly limited. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the second portion 23b may be connected to an arbitrary position on the side wall of the first portion 23a.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the present embodiment, aerosol control units 5a to 5d are provided.
In the X direction, the aerosol control unit 5a is provided on the side opposite to the second portion 23b with respect to the central axis of the first portion 23a. The aerosol control unit 5a corresponds to the aerosol control unit 5 described above.
In the X direction, the aerosol control unit 5b is provided on the side of the second portion 23b with respect to the central axis of the first portion 23a.
In the Y direction, the aerosol control unit 5c is provided on one side of the central axis of the first portion 23a.
In the Y direction, the aerosol control unit 5d is provided on the side opposite to the aerosol control unit 5c with respect to the central axis of the first portion 23a.

Aerosol control units 5a to 5d can introduce gas into the first portion 23a.
8 (a) to 8 (d) are diagrams for exemplifying the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102.
The distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 was obtained by simulation. The flow velocity is expressed by the shade of monotone color, and the brighter the color tone, the faster the flow velocity.
9 (a) to 9 (d) are schematic views for exemplifying the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 inside the chamber 2.
8 (a) and 9 (a) show a case where the gas is introduced into the first portion 23a from the aerosol control unit 5a.
8 (b) and 9 (b) show a case where the gas is introduced into the first portion 23a from the aerosol control unit 5b.
8 (c) and 9 (c) show the case where the gas is introduced into the first portion 23a from the aerosol control unit 5c.
8 (d) and 9 (d) show the case where the gas is introduced into the first portion 23a from the aerosol control unit 5d.

As shown in FIG. 8A, if a gas flowing in the “−X direction” from the aerosol control unit 5a is introduced into the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 flowing in the “−Z direction” inside the first portion 23a, The flow of gas flowing in the "-X direction" is combined with the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 flowing in the "-Z direction" inside the first portion 23a, and the "-Z direction" and "-Z direction" and "-Z direction" are combined inside the chamber 2. A flow 102a of the aerosol 102 containing a flow component in the "X direction" can be formed. As shown in FIGS. 8 (b) to 8 (d), the directions of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be formed in the aerosol control units 5b to 5d into which the gas is introduced by the same principle as described above. Therefore, by selecting the aerosol control units 5a to 5d into which the gas is introduced, as shown in FIGS. 8 (a) to 8 (d) and 9 (a) to 9 (d), the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 You can change the direction. If the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be changed, the region where the thickness of the film becomes thick can be moved, so that the thickness of the film can be made uniform.

In the present embodiment, since the aerosol control units 5a to 5d are provided, the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be changed in four directions. Therefore, the thickness of the film can be made more uniform as compared with the case where one aerosol control unit 5 is provided.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for exemplifying the effects of the aerosol control units 5a to 5d.
FIG. 10 shows the distribution of the film thickness in shades of monotone color. In this case, the brighter the color tone, the thinner the film.
FIG. 10 shows a case where the aerosol control units 5a to 5d are selected based on the values detected by the detection unit 4. For example, this is a case where the aerosol control units 5a to 5d into which the gas is introduced are selected according to the distribution of the film thickness, and the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 is changed.

As illustrated in FIG. 4B, when one aerosol control unit 5 is used, the variation in film thickness can be about 8%. When the four aerosol control units 5a to 5d are selectively used, the variation in film thickness can be about 6% as shown in FIG. That is, the thickness of the film can be made more uniform.

In the above, the case where four aerosol control units 5a to 5d are provided has been illustrated, but at least one aerosol control unit may be provided. For example, when a plurality of aerosol control units are provided, the controller 6 can select the aerosol control unit to be controlled based on the detection values from the detection units 4 and 42. In this case, if the number of aerosol control units is increased, the direction of the flow 102a of the aerosol 102 can be controlled more precisely, so that the thickness of the film can be made more uniform.

Further, in the above, the four aerosol control units 5a to 5d are provided at the same positions in the Z direction, but the arrangement positions of the aerosol control units may be displaced in the Z direction. If the arrangement position of the aerosol control unit is deviated in the Z direction, it becomes easy to provide more aerosol control units.

The film forming method according to the present embodiment can include a step of supplying an aerosol 102 containing a plurality of particles 101 and a gas to the processed product 100. Further, in this step, the state of the plurality of particles 101 is detected on the processed object 100 and at least in any one of the spaces to which the aerosol 102 is supplied, and the aerosol is inside the supply unit 23 connected to the space. The distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102 in the direction intersecting the supply direction of the 102 can be controlled.
When controlling the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol 102, gas can be introduced into the aerosol 102 from the outside of the supply unit 23.
Since the contents of each element can be the same as those described above, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, changes, etc. can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof. Moreover, each of the above-described embodiments can be implemented in combination with each other.

1 film deposition equipment, 1a film deposition equipment, 2 chambers, 3 aerosol generators, 4 detectors, 5 aerosol control units, 6 controllers, 23 supply units, 41 detectors, 42 detectors, 100 processed products, 101 particles, 102 Aerosol, 102a flow

Claims (11)

A chamber that can store the processed material inside,
An aerosol generation unit capable of supplying an aerosol containing a plurality of particles and a gas inside the chamber,
A supply section that is tubular, one end connected to the aerosol generator and the other end connected to the chamber.
A first detector capable of detecting the state of the plurality of particles on the processed material and at least one inside the chamber.
At least one aerosol control unit capable of controlling at least one of the flow velocity and the flow rate of the aerosol inside the supply unit.
A controller capable of controlling the aerosol control unit based on the value detected from the first detection unit, and
A film forming apparatus equipped with. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol control unit can control at least one distribution of a flow velocity and a flow rate of the aerosol in a direction intersecting a direction in which the supply unit extends inside the supply unit. .. The supply unit has a first portion and a second portion.
The first portion is connected to the ceiling of the chamber and extends from the bottom side of the chamber toward the ceiling side.
The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second portion is connected to the aerosol generating portion and extends in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the first portion. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol control unit can introduce gas into the inside of the supply unit. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aerosol control unit has an opening that can be opened and closed. A second detection unit provided between the aerosol generation unit and the supply unit and capable of detecting at least one of the flow velocity and the flow rate of the aerosol is further provided.
The film forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller can control the amount of the gas introduced into the supply unit based on a value detected from the second detection unit. A plurality of the aerosol control units are provided, and the aerosol control unit is provided.
The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the controller can select the aerosol control unit to be controlled based on a value detected from the first detection unit. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the controller can control the aerosol control unit by using a detection value from the first detection unit and a prediction model. 6. The result of claim 6, wherein the controller can control the aerosol control unit by using the detection value from the first detection unit, the detection value from the second detection unit, and the prediction model. Membrane device. A step of supplying an aerosol containing a plurality of particles and a gas to a processed product is provided.
In the above step
The state of the plurality of particles is detected on the processed material and at least one of the spaces to which the aerosol is supplied.
A film forming method for controlling the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol in a direction intersecting the supply direction of the aerosol inside the supply unit connected to the space. The film forming method according to claim 10, wherein gas is introduced into the aerosol from the outside of the supply unit when controlling the distribution of the flow velocity of the aerosol.

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