JP4634495B2 - Substrate processing apparatus and semiconductor device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus having a step of processing a substrate.

  Conventionally, a substrate processing step of forming a thin film on a substrate has been performed as one step of a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device such as a DRAM. Such a substrate processing step includes a processing chamber for storing and processing substrates stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture, a processing gas supply nozzle for supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber, and an exhaust line for exhausting the processing chamber. It has been implemented by a substrate processing apparatus. Then, a substrate holder supporting a plurality of substrates is carried into the processing chamber, and gas is passed between the substrates by supplying gas from the processing gas supply nozzle to the processing chamber while exhausting the processing chamber by the exhaust line. Thus, a thin film was formed on the substrate.

  However, in the above-described substrate processing step, it is difficult for gas to flow to the vicinity of the center of each substrate, and there is a difference in the gas supply amount between the vicinity of the outer periphery and the center of each substrate, and the in-plane uniformity of substrate processing There was a case where it falls. For example, a thin film formed near the outer periphery of the substrate may be thicker than a thin film formed near the center of the substrate.

  In order to promote the gas supply to the vicinity of the center of each substrate, a method of providing a ring-shaped rectifying plate between the peripheral edge of each substrate supported by the substrate holder and the inner wall of the processing chamber may be considered. However, in such a method, the substrate transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate to the substrate holder and the current plate may interfere (contact). If a wide substrate stacking pitch is secured to avoid such interference, the number of substrates that can be collectively processed may be reduced. Further, the substrate holder provided with the ring-shaped rectifying plate is easily damaged due to the complexity of the structure, and is expensive.

  A method of providing a pair of inert gas nozzles in the processing chamber so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzles from both sides is also conceivable in order to promote gas supply to the vicinity of the center of each substrate. That is, a method of encouraging the supply of the processing gas to the vicinity of the center of each substrate by sandwiching the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle with the inert gas supplied from the pair of inert gas nozzles is also conceivable. However, in this method, the processing gas supplied to the substrate is diluted with an inert gas, and the film formation rate may be reduced.

  The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of promoting gas supply to the vicinity of the center of each substrate and reducing dilution of the processing gas without reducing the number of substrates that can be processed at once. The purpose is to provide.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing chamber that accommodates and processes substrates stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture, and the substrate extends in the stacking direction of the substrates along the inner wall of the processing chamber. One or more processing gas supply nozzles for supplying a processing gas, and extending in the substrate stacking direction along the inner wall of the processing chamber and sandwiching the processing gas supply nozzle from both along the circumferential direction of the substrate A pair of inert gas supply nozzles for supplying an inert gas into the processing chamber, an inert gas nozzle provided in the inert gas supply nozzle, an exhaust line for exhausting the processing chamber, And a substrate processing apparatus in which the inert gas outlet is opened to inject an inert gas into a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber and the outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

  According to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to promote the supply of gas to the vicinity of the center of each substrate and dilute the processing gas without reducing the number of substrates that can be collectively processed. It becomes possible.

As described above, in the above-described substrate processing step, it is difficult for gas to flow to the vicinity of the center of each substrate, and there is a difference in the gas supply amount between the vicinity of the periphery of each substrate and the vicinity of the center. In some cases, the uniformity was degraded. For example, an Hf oxide film (HfO film) formed by supplying an amine-based Hf source gas and O ₃ gas onto the substrate, or an amine-based Zr source gas and O ₃ gas are supplied onto the substrate. In the formed Zr oxide film (ZrO film) or the like, the film formed near the outer periphery of the substrate may be thinner than the film formed near the center of the substrate.

  In order to facilitate the supply of gas between adjacent substrates, a method of providing a ring-shaped rectifying plate between the peripheral edge of each substrate supported by the substrate holder and the inner wall of the processing chamber is also conceivable. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a substrate holder provided with such a current plate. By providing a ring-shaped rectifying plate so as to surround the periphery of each substrate, it is possible to attach a film of a part of the processing gas to the rectifying plate and to thin the film formed near the outer periphery of the substrate. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a substrate holder that does not have a current plate.

  However, in such a method, the substrate transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate to the substrate holder and the current plate may interfere (contact). In order to avoid such interference, if a wide substrate stacking pitch is secured, the number of substrates that can be processed at one time is reduced, and the productivity of substrate processing may be reduced. Further, the substrate holder provided with the ring-shaped rectifying plate is easily damaged due to the complexity of the structure, and is expensive.

  In addition, a method of providing a pair of inert gas nozzles in the processing chamber so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides in order to promote the gas supply to the vicinity of the center of each substrate is also conceivable. FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a processing furnace provided with a pair of inert gas nozzles 22c'23d 'in the processing chamber 4' so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzles 22a'23a 'from both sides. The processing gas supply nozzles 22a'23a 'have jets 23a' and 23b ', and the inert gas nozzles 22c'23d' have jets 23c 'and 23d', respectively, toward the center of the wafer 10 'as a substrate. Each is provided so as to erupt. According to such a configuration, the gas flow of the processing gas supplied from the jet outlets 23a ′ and 23b ′ (arrows indicated by solid lines in the figure) is the inert gas supplied from the jet outlets 23c ′ and 23d ′. The flow (arrows indicated by broken lines in the drawing) is sandwiched from both sides to restrict the flow path, and the supply of gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 ′ is promoted.

  However, in such a method, the processing gas supplied to the wafer 10 'may be diluted with an inert gas, and the film formation rate may be reduced.

  Accordingly, the inventors have promoted the supply of gas to the vicinity of the center of each substrate without reducing the number of substrates that can be processed at once, and reduced the deposition rate by suppressing dilution of the processing gas. We conducted intensive research on how to avoid this problem. As a result, when supplying the processing gas into the processing chamber, the inert gas flows simultaneously from both sides of the processing gas, and the inert gas is injected into the space between the inner wall of the processing chamber and the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, The knowledge that the above-mentioned subject can be solved was acquired. The present invention is based on such knowledge obtained by the inventors.

<First Embodiment of the Present Invention>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(1) Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus First, a configuration example of a substrate processing apparatus 101 that performs a substrate processing process as one process of a semiconductor device manufacturing process will be described. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the substrate processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 111. In order to transfer the wafer (substrate) 10 made of silicon or the like into or out of the casing 111, a cassette 110 as a wafer carrier (substrate storage container) that stores a plurality of wafers 10 is used. A cassette stage (substrate storage container delivery table) 114 is provided in front of the inside of the casing 111. The cassette 110 is placed on the cassette stage 114 by an in-process transfer device (not shown), and is carried out of the casing 111 from the cassette stage 114.

  The cassette 110 is placed on the cassette stage 114 such that the wafer 10 in the cassette 110 is in a vertical posture and the wafer loading / unloading port of the cassette 110 faces upward by the in-process transfer device. The cassette stage 114 rotates the cassette 110 90 degrees in the vertical direction toward the rear of the casing 111 to bring the wafer 10 in the cassette 110 into a horizontal posture, and the wafer loading / unloading port of the cassette 110 is placed behind the casing 111. It is configured to be able to face.

  A cassette shelf (substrate storage container mounting shelf) 105 is installed at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction in the housing 111. The cassette shelf 105 is configured to store a plurality of cassettes 110 in a plurality of rows and a plurality of rows. The cassette shelf 105 is provided with a transfer shelf 123 in which a cassette 110 to be transferred by a wafer transfer mechanism 125 described later is stored. Further, a preliminary cassette shelf 107 is provided above the cassette stage 114, and is configured to store the cassette 110 in a preliminary manner.

  A cassette transfer device (substrate container transfer device) 118 is provided between the cassette stage 114 and the cassette shelf 105. The cassette transport device 118 includes a cassette elevator (substrate storage container lifting mechanism) 118a that can be moved up and down while holding the cassette 110, and a cassette transport mechanism (substrate storage container transport mechanism) as a transport mechanism that can move horizontally while holding the cassette 110. 118b. The cassette 110 is transported between the cassette stage 114, the cassette shelf 105, the spare cassette shelf 107, and the transfer shelf 123 by the linkage operation of the cassette elevator 118a and the cassette transport mechanism 118b.

  A wafer transfer mechanism (substrate transfer mechanism) 125 is provided behind the cassette shelf 105. The wafer transfer mechanism 125 includes a wafer transfer device (substrate transfer device) 125a capable of rotating or linearly moving the wafer 10 in the horizontal direction, and a wafer transfer device elevator (substrate transfer device) that moves the wafer transfer device 125a up and down. Elevating mechanism) 125b. The wafer transfer device 125a includes a tweezer (substrate transfer jig) 125c that holds the wafer 10 in a horizontal posture. The wafer 10 is picked up from the cassette 110 on the transfer shelf 123 by the linked operation of the wafer transfer device 125a and the wafer transfer device elevator 125b, and loaded into the boat (substrate holder) 11 described later (charging). Or the wafer 10 is unloaded (discharged) from the boat 11 and stored in the cassette 110 on the transfer shelf 123.

A processing furnace 202 is provided above the rear portion of the casing 111. An opening is provided at the lower end of the processing furnace 202. Such an opening is configured to be opened and closed by a furnace port shutter (furnace port opening / closing mechanism) 147. The configuration of the processing furnace 202 will be described later.

  Below the processing furnace 202, a boat elevator (substrate holder lifting mechanism) 115 is provided as a lifting mechanism for moving the boat 11 up and down and transporting the boat 11 into and out of the processing furnace 202. The elevator 128 of the boat elevator 115 is provided with an arm 128 as a connecting tool. On the arm 128, a seal cap 9 is provided in a horizontal position as a lid that supports the boat 11 vertically and that hermetically closes the lower end of the processing furnace 202 when the boat 11 is lifted by the boat elevator 115. ing.

  The boat 11 includes a plurality of holding members, and a plurality of (for example, about 50 to 150) wafers 10 are aligned in the vertical direction in a horizontal posture and in a state where the centers thereof are aligned in multiple stages. Configured to hold. The detailed configuration of the boat 11 will be described later.

  Above the cassette shelf 105, a clean unit 134a having a supply fan and a dustproof filter is provided. The clean unit 134a is configured to circulate clean air, which is a cleaned atmosphere, inside the casing 111.

  In addition, a clean unit (not shown) provided with a supply fan and a dustproof filter so as to supply clean air to the left end portion of the housing 111 opposite to the wafer transfer device elevator 125b and the boat elevator 115 side. Is installed. Clean air blown out from the clean unit (not shown) is configured to be sucked into an exhaust device (not shown) and exhausted outside the casing 111 after passing through the wafer transfer device 125a and the boat 11. .

(2) Operation of Substrate Processing Apparatus Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  First, the cassette 110 is placed on the cassette stage 114 by an in-process transfer device (not shown) so that the wafer 10 is in a vertical posture and the wafer loading / unloading port of the cassette 110 faces upward. Thereafter, the cassette 110 is rotated 90 ° in the vertical direction toward the rear of the casing 111 by the cassette stage 114. As a result, the wafer 10 in the cassette 110 assumes a horizontal posture, and the wafer loading / unloading port of the cassette 110 faces rearward in the housing 111.

  Next, after the cassette 110 is automatically transported to the designated shelf position of the cassette shelf 105 or the spare cassette shelf 107 by the cassette transporting device 118 and delivered and temporarily stored, the cassette shelf 105 to It is transferred from the spare cassette shelf 107 to the transfer shelf 123 or directly transferred to the transfer shelf 123.

  When the cassette 110 is transferred to the transfer shelf 123, the wafer 10 is picked up from the cassette 110 through the wafer loading / unloading port by the tweezer 125c of the wafer transfer device 125a, and the wafer transfer device 125a and the wafer transfer device elevator 125b are picked up. Is loaded (charged) into the boat 11 behind the transfer chamber 124. The wafer transfer mechanism 125 that has transferred the wafer 10 to the boat 11 returns to the cassette 110 and loads the next wafer 10 into the boat 11.

When a predetermined number of wafers 10 are loaded into the boat 11, the opening at the lower end of the processing furnace 202 closed by the furnace port shutter 147 is opened by the furnace port shutter 147. Subsequently, when the seal cap 9 is raised by the boat elevator 115, the boat 11 holding the wafers 10 to be processed is loaded into the processing furnace 202. After loading, arbitrary processing is performed on the wafer 10 in the processing furnace 202. Such processing will be described later. After the processing, the wafer 10 and the cassette 110 are discharged to the outside of the casing 111 in a procedure reverse to the above procedure.

(3) Configuration of Processing Furnace Next, the configuration of the processing furnace 202 of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the processing furnace of the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The processing furnace 202 according to the present embodiment is configured as a CVD apparatus (batch type vertical hot wall type reduced pressure CVD apparatus) as shown in FIG.

(Process tube)
The processing furnace 202 includes a vertical process tube 1 that is vertically disposed so that a center line is vertical and is fixedly supported by a casing 111. The process tube 1 includes an inner tube 2 and an outer tube 3. The inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 are each integrally formed into a cylindrical shape by a material having high heat resistance such as quartz (SiO ₂ ) and silicon carbide (SiC).

  The inner tube 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape with the upper end closed and the lower end opened. In the inner tube 2, there is formed a processing chamber 4 for storing and processing the wafers 10 stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture by a boat 11 as a substrate holder. The lower end opening of the inner tube 2 constitutes a furnace port 5 for taking in and out the boat 11 holding the wafer 10 group. Therefore, the inner diameter of the inner tube 2 is set to be larger than the maximum outer diameter of the boat 11 holding the wafer 10 group. The outer tube 3 is similar in size to the inner tube 2, is formed in a cylindrical shape with the upper end closed and the lower end opened, and is covered with a concentric circle so as to surround the outer side of the inner tube 2. The lower end portion between the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 is hermetically sealed by a manifold 6 formed in a circular ring shape. The manifold 6 is detachably attached to the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 for maintenance and inspection work and cleaning work on the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3. Since the manifold 6 is supported by the casing 111, the process tube 1 is installed vertically.

(Exhaust line)
An exhaust pipe 7 a serving as an exhaust line for exhausting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 4 is connected to a part of the side wall of the manifold 6. An exhaust port 7 for exhausting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 4 is formed at a connection portion between the manifold 6 and the exhaust pipe 7a. The inside of the exhaust pipe 7 a communicates with the inside of the exhaust path 8 formed of a gap formed between the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 through the exhaust port 7. The cross-sectional shape of the exhaust passage 8 is a circular ring shape having a constant width. In the exhaust pipe 7a, a pressure sensor 7d, an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 7b as a pressure adjusting valve, and a vacuum pump 7c as a vacuum exhaust device are provided in order from the upstream. The vacuum pump 7c is configured to be evacuated so that the pressure in the processing chamber 4 becomes a predetermined pressure (degree of vacuum). A pressure controller 236 is electrically connected to the APC valve 7b and the pressure sensor 7d. The pressure control unit 236 is configured to control the opening degree of the APC valve 7b based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 7d so that the pressure in the processing chamber 4 becomes a desired pressure at a desired timing. ing.

(Substrate holder)
A seal cap 9 that closes the lower end opening of the manifold 6 is brought into contact with the manifold 6 from the lower side in the vertical direction. The seal cap 9 is formed in a disk shape that is equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the outer tube 3, and is configured to be raised and lowered in a vertical position in a horizontal posture by a boat elevator 115 installed vertically outside the process tube 1. Has been.

On the seal cap 9, a boat 11 as a substrate holder for holding the wafer 10 is vertically supported and supported. The boat 11 includes a pair of end plates 12 and 13 on the upper and lower sides, and a plurality of holding members 14 provided vertically between the end plates 12 and 13. The end plates 12 and 13 and the holding member 14 are made of a heat resistant material such as quartz (SiO ₂ ) or silicon carbide (SiC). Each holding member 14 is provided with a plurality of holding grooves 15 at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction. Each holding member 14 is provided so that the holding grooves 15 face each other. By inserting the circumferential edges of the wafers 10 into the holding grooves 15 of the same step in the plurality of holding members 14, the plurality of wafers 10 are stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture and aligned with each other. It is configured to be retained.

A pair of auxiliary end plates 16 and 17 are supported by a plurality of auxiliary holding members 18 between the boat 11 and the seal cap 9 in the vertical direction. Each auxiliary holding member 18 is provided with a plurality of holding grooves 19. The holding groove 19 is configured so that a plurality of disk-shaped heat insulating plates 216 made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz (SiO ₂ ) or silicon carbide (SiC) are loaded in multiple stages in a horizontal posture. ing. The heat insulating plate 216 is configured to make it difficult for heat from a heater unit 20 described later to be transmitted to the manifold 6 side.

  A rotation mechanism 254 for rotating the boat is provided on the side of the seal cap 9 opposite to the processing chamber 4. A rotating shaft 255 of the rotating mechanism 254 passes through the seal cap 9 and supports the boat 11 from below. The wafer 10 can be rotated in the processing chamber 4 by rotating the rotating shaft 255. The seal cap 9 is configured to be moved up and down in the vertical direction by the boat elevator 115 described above, whereby the boat 11 can be transferred into and out of the processing chamber 4.

  A drive control unit 237 is electrically connected to the rotation mechanism 254 and the boat elevator 115. The drive control unit 237 is configured to control the rotation mechanism 254 and the boat elevator 115 to perform a desired operation at a desired timing.

(Heater unit)
Outside the outer tube 3, a heater unit 20 as a heating mechanism that heats the inside of the process tube 1 uniformly or with a predetermined temperature distribution is provided so as to surround the outer tube 3. The heater unit 20 is vertically installed by being supported by the housing 111 of the substrate processing apparatus 101, and is configured as a resistance heater such as a carbon heater, for example.

  In the process tube 1, a temperature sensor (not shown) as a temperature detector is installed. A temperature control unit 238 is electrically connected to the heater unit 20 and the temperature sensor. The temperature controller 238 controls the power supply to the heater unit 20 based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the processing chamber 4 has a desired temperature distribution at a desired timing. It is configured.

(Processing gas supply nozzle, inert gas supply nozzle)
A channel-shaped auxiliary chamber 21 protrudes radially outward of the inner tube 2 from the side wall of the inner tube 2 and extends long in the vertical direction at a position 180 degrees opposite to the exhaust port 7 on the side wall of the inner tube 2. It is formed to exist. The side wall of the preliminary chamber 21 constitutes a part of the side wall of the inner tube 2. Further, the inner wall of the preliminary chamber 21 is configured to form an inner wall portion of the processing chamber 4. Inside the preliminary chamber 21, a processing gas supply nozzle 22 a that extends in the stacking direction of the wafer 10 along the inner wall of the preliminary chamber 21 (that is, the inner wall of the processing chamber 4) and supplies a processing gas into the processing chamber 4. , 22b are provided. Further, inside the preliminary chamber 21, the processing gas supply nozzle extends in the stacking direction of the wafer 10 along the inner wall of the preliminary chamber 21 (that is, the inner wall of the processing chamber 4) and along the circumferential direction of the wafer 10. A pair of inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d are provided so as to sandwich 22 a and 22 b from both sides and supply an inert gas into the processing chamber 4.

  The processing gas introduction ports 23a and 23b which are upstream ends of the processing gas supply nozzles 22a and 22b, and the inert gas introduction ports 23c and 23d which are upstream ends of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d, Respectively, the side walls of the manifold 6 penetrate outward in the radial direction of the manifold 6 and project outside the process tube 1.

Process gas supply pipes 25a and 25b as process gas supply lines are connected to the process gas introduction ports 23a and 23b, respectively. A process of supplying a processing gas such as a gas obtained by vaporizing TEMAH (Hf [NCH ₃ C ₂ H ₅ ] ₄ , tetrakismethylethylaminohafnium) as a liquid source in order from the upstream side to the processing gas supply pipe 25a. A gas supply source 28a, an MFC (mass flow controller) 27a as a flow rate control device, and an open / close valve 26a are provided. The processing gas supply pipe 25b includes, in order from the upstream side, a processing gas supply source 28b for supplying a processing gas such as O ₃ (ozone) gas, an MFC (mass flow controller) 27b as a flow control device, and an open / close valve. 26b is provided.

Further, inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d serving as inert gas supply lines are connected to the inert gas introduction ports 23c and 23d, respectively. The inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d are provided with an inert gas supply source 28c and 28d for supplying an inert gas such as N ₂ gas, Ar gas, and He gas in order from the upstream side, and an MFC (flow control device). Mass flow controllers) 27c and 27d and open / close valves 26c and 26d are provided, respectively.

  A gas supply / flow rate controller 235 is electrically connected to the MFCs 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d and the on-off valves 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d. The gas supply / flow rate control unit 235 ensures that the type of gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 in each step to be described later becomes a desired gas type at a desired timing, and the flow rate of the supplied gas is set at a desired timing. The MFCs 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d and the open / close valves 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d are adjusted so that the concentration of the processing gas with respect to the inert gas becomes a desired concentration at a desired timing. Configured to control.

  A plurality of process gas jet nozzles 24a and 24b are provided in the cylindrical portion of the process gas supply nozzles 22a and 22b in the process chamber 4 so as to be arranged in the vertical direction, and the inert gas supply nozzle 22c in the process chamber 4 is provided. , 22d are provided with a plurality of inert gas outlets 24c, 24d arranged in a vertical direction. The number of processing gas jets 24 a and 24 b and inert gas jets 24 c and 24 d is configured to match the number of wafers 10 held on the boat 11, for example. For example, the height positions of the processing gas jets 24 a and 24 b and the inert gas jets 24 c and 24 d are set so as to face the space between the wafers 10 adjacent to each other on the top and bottom held in the boat 11. Yes. Note that the diameters of the processing gas outlets 24a and 24b and the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d may be set to different sizes so that the gas supply amount to each wafer 10 is uniform. Good.

An exhaust port 25 that is a slit-like through hole is elongated in the vertical direction at a position on the side wall of the inner tube 2 that is 180 degrees opposite to the auxiliary chamber 21, that is, a position on the exhaust port 7 side. The inside of the processing chamber 4 and the inside of the exhaust path 8 communicate with each other through an exhaust port 25. Therefore, the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the processing gas jets 24a and 24b of the processing gas supply nozzles 22a and 22b, and the processing chamber 4 from the processing gas jets 24a and 24b of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. The processing gas supplied to the inside flows into the exhaust passage 8 through the exhaust port 25, then flows into the exhaust pipe 7 a through the exhaust port 7, and is discharged outside the processing furnace 202. Has been.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the straight line connecting the processing gas supply nozzle 22a and the exhaust port 25 and the straight line connecting the processing gas supply nozzle 22b and the exhaust port 25 pass through the vicinity of the center of the wafer 10, respectively. It is configured. Note that the direction of the processing gas ejection ports 24a and 24b is set substantially parallel to these straight lines. That is, the processing gas ejection ports 24 a and 24 b are opened so as to supply the processing gas toward the center of the wafer 10. Further, the straight line connecting the inert gas supply nozzle 22c and the exhaust port 25, and the straight line connecting the inert gas supply nozzle 22c and the exhaust port 25 are a straight line connecting the processing gas supply nozzle 22a and the exhaust port 25, and a process. A straight line connecting the gas supply nozzle 22b and the exhaust port 25 is sandwiched from both sides. Note that the directions of the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d are set to open outward from these straight lines. The inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d are opened so as to inject the inert gas into the space (gap) between the inner wall of the processing chamber 4 and the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 10, not in the center direction of the wafer 10. ing. The side wall of the preliminary chamber 21 is configured to be substantially parallel to the direction of the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the processing gas and the inert gas are supplied into the processing chamber 4 at the same time, the processing gas jet nozzles 24a and 22b of the processing gas supply nozzles 22a and 22b enter the processing chamber 4. The gas flow of the processing gas (indicated by the solid line in the figure) supplied to the gas is an inert gas gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. The flow path (arrow indicated by a solid line in the figure) is sandwiched from both sides, and the flow path is restricted. For example, when an inert gas is supplied to the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, the pressure in the region becomes relatively high, and the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4 is increased. Inflow of the processing gas is suppressed. As a result, the supply of the processing gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is promoted, and the supply amount of the processing gas in the vicinity of the outer periphery and the center of each wafer 10 is made more uniform. Further, the processing gas is diluted with an inert gas in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and an excessively thick film is suppressed in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the wafer 10.

  Further, the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d supply the inert gas not in the center direction of the wafer 10 but in a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber 4 and the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 10. It is opened to inject. Therefore, the inert gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d mainly enters the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4. The flow hardly flows into the area where the wafer 10 group is held. As a result, the dilution of the processing gas supplied to the wafer 10 with the inert gas is suppressed, and a decrease in the film formation rate is avoided.

(controller)
The gas supply / flow rate control unit 235, the pressure control unit 236, the drive control unit 237, and the temperature control unit 238 also constitute an operation unit and an input / output unit, and are electrically connected to the main control unit 239 that controls the entire substrate processing apparatus. It is connected to the. These gas supply / flow rate control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, temperature control unit 238, and main control unit 239 are configured as a controller 240.

(4) Substrate Processing Step Next, as a step of manufacturing a semiconductor device (device) performed by the above-described substrate processing apparatus 101, an HfO ₂ film is formed by ALD using TEMAH gas and O ₃ gas as processing gases. An example of forming a film will be described. In the following description, the operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus 101 is controlled by the controller 240.

An ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) method, which is one of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) methods, uses at least two types of mutually reactive processing gases used for film formation under certain film formation conditions (temperature, time, etc.). In this method, the materials are alternately supplied onto the substrate, adsorbed onto the substrate in units of one atom, and a film is formed using a surface reaction. At this time, the film thickness is controlled by the number of cycles for supplying the reactive gas (for example, if the film forming speed is 1 kg / cycle, 20 cycles are performed when a 20 mm film is formed). For example, when an HfO ₂ film is formed by the ALD method, a low temperature of 180 to 250 ° C. is used using TEMAH (Hf [NCH ₃ C ₂ H ₅ ] ₄ , tetrakismethylethylaminohafnium) gas and O ₃ (ozone) gas. High quality film formation is possible.

  First, as described above, a group of wafers 10 to be processed is loaded into the boat 11 and loaded into the processing chamber 4. After carrying the boat 11 into the processing chamber 4, the following four steps (steps 1 to 4) are set as one cycle, and this cycle is repeated a predetermined number of times. In addition, while performing the following steps 1-4, it becomes possible to make the flow volume of the gas supplied to the wafer 10 surface more uniform by rotating the rotation mechanism 254.

(Step 1)
Both the open / close valve 26a of the processing gas supply pipe 25a and the APC valve 7b of the exhaust pipe 7a are opened, and the inside of the processing chamber 4 is exhausted by the vacuum pump 7c, and the processing gas is discharged from the processing gas outlet 24a of the processing gas supply nozzle 22a. The TEMAH gas is supplied into the processing chamber 4.

At the same time, the open / close valves 26c and 26d of the inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d are opened, and N ₂ gas as an inert gas is supplied from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d, respectively. Supply into the processing chamber 4. As a result, the TEMAH gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the processing gas outlet 24a of the processing gas supply nozzle 22a enters the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. The flow path is restricted by being sandwiched from both sides by the supplied N ₂ gas. For example, when an inert gas is supplied to the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, the pressure in the region becomes relatively high, and the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4 is increased. It will be suppressed that the TEMAH gas flows (escapes). As a result, the supply of TEMAH gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is promoted, and the supply amount of TEMAH gas near the outer periphery and the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is made more uniform. Further, the TEMAH gas is diluted with N ₂ gas in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and an excessively thick film is suppressed in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the wafer 10.

The inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d supply N ₂ gas to a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber 4 and the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 10, not in the center direction of the wafer 10. Spray. Therefore, the N ₂ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d mainly enters the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4. The flow hardly flows into the area where the wafer 10 group is held. As a result, dilution of the TEMAH gas supplied to the wafer 10 with N ₂ gas is suppressed, and a decrease in film formation rate is avoided.

The inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d supply N ₂ gas at a flow rate equal to or higher than the flow rate of the TEMAH gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a when supplying the TEMAH gas from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a. It is preferable to make it. That is, the N ₂ gas supplied from the inert gas ejection port 24c of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c flow, and the flow rate of N ₂ gas supplied from the inert gas treatment gas ejection port 24d of the inert gas supply nozzle 22d However, it is preferable that the flow rate of the TEMAH gas supplied from the processing gas outlet 24a of the processing gas supply nozzle 22a is equal to or higher than that. The flow rate of TEMAH gas and the flow rate of N ₂ gas are controlled by MFCs 27a, 27c, and 27d, respectively. As a result, the supply of TEMAH gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is further promoted. Further, dilution of the TEMAH gas with the N ₂ gas is further promoted in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4.

  In step 1, the opening degree of the APC valve 7b is appropriately adjusted so that the pressure in the processing chamber 4 is in the range of 20 to 900 Pa, for example, 50 Pa. The time for exposing the wafer 10 to the TEMAH gas is, for example, 30 to 180 seconds. The temperature of the heater unit 20 is set so that the temperature of the wafer 10 is in the range of 180 to 250 ° C., for example, 250 ° C. By supplying the TEMAH gas into the processing chamber 4, the gas molecules of the TEMAH gas react with the surface portion such as the base film on the wafer 10 (chemical adsorption).

(Step 2)
The open / close valve 26a of the processing gas supply pipe 25a is closed, and the supply of TEMAH gas into the processing chamber 4 is stopped. At this time, the APC valve 7b of the exhaust pipe 7a is kept open, and the inside of the processing chamber 4 is exhausted to, for example, 20 Pa or less by the vacuum pump 7c, and the remaining TEMAH gas is removed from the processing chamber 4. Further, when the opening / closing valves 26c and 28d of the inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d are opened to supply the N ₂ gas into the processing chamber 4, the effect of removing the remaining TEMAH gas from the processing chamber 4 is further enhanced.

(Step 3)
While the APC valve 7b of the exhaust pipe 7a is open, the open / close valve 26b of the processing gas supply pipe 25b is opened, and the inside of the processing chamber 4 is exhausted by the vacuum pump 7c, and the processing gas is supplied from the jet outlet 24b of the processing gas supply nozzle 22b. The O ₃ gas is supplied into the processing chamber 4.

At this time, the open / close valves 26c and 28d of the inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d are kept opened, and the inert gas is supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. N ₂ gas is supplied. As a result, the O ₃ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the outlet 24b of the processing gas supply nozzle 22b is supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. The flow path is restricted by being sandwiched from both sides by the N ₂ gas. For example, when an inert gas is supplied to the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, the pressure in the region becomes relatively high, and the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4 is increased. It is suppressed that the O ₃ gas flows (escapes). As a result, the supply of O ₃ gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is promoted, and the supply amount of O ₃ gas in the vicinity of the outer periphery and the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is made more uniform. In addition, the O ₃ gas is diluted with N ₂ gas in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and an excessively thick film is suppressed in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the wafer 10.

The inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d supply N ₂ gas to a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber 4 and the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 10, not in the center direction of the wafer 10. Spray. Therefore, the N ₂ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d mainly enters the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4. The flow hardly flows into the area where the wafer 10 group is held. As a result, the dilution of the O ₃ gas supplied to the wafer 10 with the N ₂ gas is suppressed, and a decrease in the film formation rate is avoided.

The inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d supply N ₂ gas at a flow rate equal to or higher than the flow rate of the O ₃ gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22b when supplying the O ₃ gas from the processing gas supply nozzle 22b. It is preferable to do so. That is, the N ₂ gas supplied from the inert gas ejection port 24c of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c flow, and the flow rate of N ₂ gas supplied from the inert gas treatment gas ejection port 24d of the inert gas supply nozzle 22d However, it is preferable that the flow rate of the O ₃ gas supplied from the ejection port 24b of the processing gas supply nozzle 22b is equal to or higher than that. The flow rate of O ₃ gas and the flow rate of N ₂ gas are controlled by MFCs 27b, 27c, and 27d, respectively. As a result, the supply of O ₃ gas between the wafers 10 is further promoted, and the O ₃ gas easily flows to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10. Further, dilution of O ₃ gas with N ₂ gas is further promoted in the gap between the periphery of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4.

In step 3, the opening degree of the APC valve 7b is appropriately adjusted so that the pressure in the processing chamber 4 is in a range of 20 to 900 Pa, for example, 50 Pa. The time for exposing the wafer 10 to the O ₃ gas is, for example, 10 to 300 seconds. The temperature of the heater unit 20 is set so that the temperature of the wafer 10 is in the range of 180 to 250 ° C., for example, 250 ° C. By supplying the O ₃ gas, the TEMAH gas chemically adsorbed on the surface of the wafer 10 and the O ₃ gas react with each other, and an HfO ₂ film is formed on the wafer 10.

(Step 4)
The on-off valve 26b of the processing gas supply pipe 25b is closed, and the supply of O ₃ gas into the processing chamber 4 is stopped. At this time, the APC valve 7b of the exhaust pipe 7a is kept open, and the inside of the processing chamber 4 is exhausted to 20 Pa or less by the vacuum pump 7c, and the remaining O ₃ gas is removed from the processing chamber 4. Further, when the open / close valves 26c and 26d of the inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d are opened to supply the N ₂ gas into the processing chamber 4, the effect of removing the remaining O ₃ gas from the processing chamber 4 is further enhanced.

Then, steps 1 to 4 described above are defined as one cycle, and this cycle is repeated a plurality of times to form a HfO ₂ film having a predetermined thickness on the wafer 10. Thereafter, the boat 11 holding the processed wafer 10 group is unloaded from the processing chamber 4 and the substrate processing step according to the present embodiment is completed.

(5) Effects according to the present embodiment According to the present embodiment, the following one or more effects are achieved.

According to the present embodiment, in step 1 described above, the TEMAH gas supplied from the processing gas outlet 24a of the processing gas supply nozzle 22a into the processing chamber 4 is injected into the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. It is sandwiched from both sides by N ₂ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the outlets 24c and 24d, and its flow path is restricted. For example, when N ₂ gas is supplied to the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, the pressure in the region becomes relatively high, and the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4 is increased. It is suppressed that TEMAH gas flows in. As a result, the supply of TEMAH gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is promoted, and the supply amount of TEMAH gas near the outer periphery and the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is made more uniform. Further, the TEMAH gas is diluted with N ₂ gas in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and an excessively thick film is suppressed in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the wafer 10.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d are not located in the center direction of the wafer 10 but between the inner wall of the processing chamber 4 and the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 10. N ₂ gas is injected into the space. Therefore, the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d
N ₂ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d mainly flows into the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and the group of wafers 10 is held. Little flow into the area. As a result, dilution of the TEMAH gas supplied to the wafer 10 with N ₂ gas is suppressed, and a decrease in the film formation rate can be avoided.

In the present embodiment, when the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d supply the TEMAH gas from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a, the N ₂ flow rate is equal to or higher than the flow rate of the TEMAH gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a. When the gas is supplied, the supply of TEMAH gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is further promoted. Further, the dilution of the TEMAH gas with the N ₂ gas is further promoted in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and the formation of an excessively thick HfO ₂ film near the outer periphery of the wafer 10 is further suppressed. The

Further, according to the present embodiment, the O ₃ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the outlet 24b of the processing gas supply nozzle 22b is supplied from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d. The flow path is restricted by being sandwiched from both sides by N ₂ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4. For example, when N ₂ gas is supplied to the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, the pressure in the region becomes relatively high, and the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4 is increased. O ₃ gas is prevented from flowing in. As a result, the supply of O ₃ gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is promoted, and the supply amount of O ₃ gas in the vicinity of the outer periphery and the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is made more uniform. In addition, the O ₃ gas is diluted with N ₂ gas in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and an excessively thick film is suppressed in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the wafer 10.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d are not located in the center direction of the wafer 10 but between the inner wall of the processing chamber 4 and the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 10. N ₂ gas is injected into the space. Therefore, the N ₂ gas supplied into the processing chamber 4 from the inert gas outlets 24 c and 24 d of the inert gas supply nozzles 22 c and 22 d mainly enters the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4. The flow hardly flows into the area where the wafer 10 group is held. As a result, dilution of the O ₃ gas supplied to the wafer 10 with the N ₂ gas is suppressed, and a decrease in the film formation rate can be avoided.

In the present embodiment, when the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d supply the O ₃ gas from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a, the flow rate is equal to or higher than the flow rate of the O ₃ gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22b. When N ₂ gas is supplied, the supply of O ₃ gas to the vicinity of the center of each wafer 10 is further promoted. Further, dilution of O ₃ gas with N ₂ gas is further promoted in the gap between the peripheral edge of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4, and an excessively thick HfO ₂ film is further suppressed near the outer periphery of the wafer 10. Is done.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the inflow of TEMAH gas or O ₃ gas into the gap between the periphery of the wafer 10 and the processing chamber 4 is suppressed, the side wall of the processing chamber 4 (the side wall of the inner tube 2). Film formation, adhesion of raw material components, and generation of foreign matter in the processing chamber 4 are suppressed. Then, the maintenance cycle of the substrate processing apparatus 101 is extended, and the productivity of the substrate processing apparatus 101 can be improved.

Further, in steps 3 and 4 of the present embodiment, if the N ₂ gas is supplied into the processing chamber 4 by opening the open / close valves 26c and 26d of the inert gas supply pipes 25c and 25d, the remaining TEMAH gas or The effect of removing the O ₃ gas from the processing chamber 4 is further enhanced. As a result, the time required for executing steps 3 and 4 is shortened, and the productivity of substrate processing can be increased.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a ring-shaped rectifying plate between the peripheral edge of each wafer 10 supported by the boat 11 and the inner wall of the processing chamber 4. Therefore, it is not necessary to ensure a wide stacking pitch of the wafers 10, and it is possible to suppress a reduction in the number of substrates that can be processed at once. As a result, the productivity of substrate processing can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a ring-shaped rectifying plate between the peripheral edge of each wafer 10 supported by the boat 11 and the inner wall of the processing chamber 4. Therefore, the production cost of the boat 11 and the substrate processing cost can be reduced.

<Second Embodiment of the Present Invention>
Below, the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is described, referring FIG. The present embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that the processing chamber 4 includes rectifying plates 31c and 31d. Other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment.

  The rectifying plates 31c and 31d extend in the vertical direction from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d serving as the inert gas outlets to the outside of the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d that are inside the processing chamber 4 (on the wafer 10 side). It is provided to exist. Specifically, the rectifying plate 31c is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction between the inert gas supply nozzle 22c and the wafer 10, and so as to be substantially parallel to the direction of the inert gas outlet 24c. It has been. The rectifying plate 31d is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction between the inert gas supply nozzle 22d and the wafer 10, and so as to be substantially parallel to the direction of the inert gas processing gas ejection port 24d. . A gas flow path is formed between the rectifying plate 31c and the side wall of the preliminary chamber 21 to guide the flow of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas outlet 24c. A gas flow path for inducing a flow of the inert gas supplied from the inert gas processing gas ejection port 24d is formed between the two. The rectifying plates 31c and 31d may be attached to the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d, or may be directly attached to the inner wall of the inner tube 2 or the like.

  By comprising in this way, inflow of the inert gas to the area | region where the wafer 10 group is hold | maintained is further suppressed. As a result, the dilution of the processing gas supplied to the wafer 10 by the inert gas is suppressed, and a decrease in the film formation rate is further avoided.

<Third Embodiment of the Present Invention>
Below, the 3rd Embodiment of this invention is described, referring FIG. The processing chamber 4 according to this embodiment has a processing gas exhaust port 35 for exhausting a processing gas and inert gas exhaust ports 35c and 35d for exhausting an inert gas, instead of the exhaust port 25, respectively. This is different from the above embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment.

  The processing gas exhaust port 35 is configured in the same manner as the exhaust port 25 described above. That is, the processing gas exhaust port 35 is elongated in the vertical direction as a slit-shaped through hole at a position 180 degrees opposite to the auxiliary chamber 21 on the side wall of the inner tube 2, that is, a position on the exhaust port 7 side. ing. Further, the inert gas exhaust ports 35c and 35d are elongated in the vertical direction as slit-like through holes at positions sandwiching the processing gas exhaust port 35 from both sides.

  With this configuration, the processing gas supplied from the processing gas outlets 24a and 24b is exhausted from the processing gas exhaust port 35, and the inert gas supplied from the inert gas outlets 24c and 24d Exhaust gas is exhausted from the inert gas exhaust ports 35c and 35d. As a result, the gas flow in the vicinity of the processing gas exhaust port 35 and the inert gas exhaust ports 35c and 35d becomes smooth.

<Other Embodiments of the Present Invention>
In the above-described embodiment, one or more process gas supply nozzles 22a and 22b for supplying a process gas into the process chamber 4 and the process gas supply nozzles 22a and 22b are provided so as to be sandwiched from both sides. A pair of inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d for supplying the active gas was individually provided. Then, the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a (for example, TEMAH gas) and the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22b (for example, O ₃ gas) are supplied from the inert gas supply nozzles 22c and 22d, respectively. It was sandwiched from both sides by active gas.

  However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. That is, when only the in-plane uniformity of the supply amount of any one of the plurality of processing gases supplied from one or more processing gas supply nozzles affects the in-plane uniformity of substrate processing (others) If the in-plane uniformity of the processing gas supply amount does not significantly affect the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing), only the processing gas that affects the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing is sandwiched by the inert gas from both sides. The processing gas that does not significantly affect the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing may not be sandwiched by the inert gas from both sides.

  In this case, at least one of the one or more processing gas supply nozzles (a processing gas supply nozzle that supplies a processing gas that does not significantly affect the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing) is supplied to another processing gas supply. When supplying a processing gas from a nozzle (a processing gas supply nozzle that supplies a processing gas that affects in-plane uniformity of substrate processing), the flow rate is higher than the flow rate of the processing gas supplied from the other processing gas supply nozzle. It may be configured to supply an inert gas.

For example, while the in-plane uniformity of the TEMAH gas supply amount greatly affects the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing, the in-plane uniformity of the O ₃ gas supply amount does not significantly affect the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing. In this case, only the TEMAH gas may be sandwiched by N ₂ gas from both sides, and the O ₃ gas may not be sandwiched by N ₂ gas from both sides. Then, the inert gas supply nozzle 22c and the processing gas supply nozzle 22b are N ₂ gas at a flow rate equal to or higher than the flow rate of the TEMAH gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a when supplying the TEMAH gas from the processing gas supply nozzle 22a. May be configured so as to be supplied respectively. If the inert gas supply nozzle 22d is not provided, the structure of the substrate processing apparatus can be simplified, and the substrate processing cost can be reduced.

<Still another embodiment of the present invention>
It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

  For example, the number of jet outlets opened in the gas introduction nozzle is not limited to the number of wafers to be processed, but can be increased or decreased according to the number of wafers to be processed. For example, the jet nozzles are not limited to be arranged to face each other between upper and lower adjacent wafers, but may be arranged every two or three wafers.

  The exhaust holes opened on the side wall of the inner tube are not limited to a series of long holes, but may be formed in a plurality of long holes, circular holes, polygonal holes, etc. May be.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the processing is performed on the wafer has been described. However, the processing target may be a photomask, a printed wiring board, a liquid crystal panel, a compact disk, a magnetic disk, or the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the film deposition by the ALD method has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the ALD but can be suitably applied to the film deposition by the CVD method. Furthermore, the substrate processing method according to the present invention can be applied to all substrate processing methods such as an oxide film forming method and a diffusion method.

<Preferred embodiment of the present invention>
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be additionally described.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing chamber for storing and processing substrates stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture;
One or more process gas supply nozzles that extend in the stacking direction of the substrates along the inner wall of the process chamber and supply a process gas into the process chamber;
A pair that extends in the stacking direction of the substrate along the inner wall of the processing chamber and that supplies the inert gas into the processing chamber provided to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both along the circumferential direction of the substrate. An inert gas supply nozzle,
An inert gas outlet provided in the inert gas supply nozzle;
An exhaust line for exhausting the processing chamber,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the inert gas outlet is opened so as to inject an inert gas into a space between an inner wall of the processing chamber and an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

  Preferably, a rectifying plate is provided in the processing chamber.

  Preferably, a rectifying plate is provided on the outer surface of the inert gas nozzle that is on the inside (substrate side) of the processing chamber from the inert gas outlet.

  Preferably, the inert gas has a rectifying plate for guiding the inert gas into a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber and the outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

  Preferably, the processing chamber has a processing gas supply port for exhausting the processing gas and an inert gas exhaust port for exhausting the inert gas.

  Preferably, when supplying the processing gas from the processing gas supply nozzle, the inert gas supply nozzle supplies the inert gas at a flow rate equal to or higher than the flow rate of the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle.

  Preferably, at least one processing gas supply nozzle among the one or more processing gas supply nozzles is supplied from the other processing gas supply nozzle when supplying the processing gas from the other processing gas supply nozzle. An inert gas is supplied at a flow rate higher than the flow rate of the processing gas.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a step of carrying a plurality of stacked substrates in a horizontal posture into a processing chamber, and one or more substrates extending in the stacking direction of the substrates along the inner wall of the processing chamber. A processing gas is supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle into the processing chamber, and is extended in the stacking direction of the substrate along the inner wall of the processing chamber and from both the processing gas supply nozzle along the circumferential direction of the substrate. Injecting an inert gas into a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber and the outer peripheral portion of the substrate from a pair of inert gas supply nozzles provided so as to sandwich the substrate, and processing the substrate after the processing And a step of carrying out the processing chamber.

1 is a vertical sectional view of a processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a horizontal sectional view of a processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a horizontal sectional view of the processing furnace of the substrate processing apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a horizontal sectional view of the processing furnace of the substrate processing apparatus concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a horizontal sectional view of a processing furnace provided with a pair of inert gas nozzles that sandwich a processing gas supply nozzle from both. It is a schematic block diagram of the board | substrate holder provided with the ring-shaped baffle plate. It is a schematic block diagram of the board | substrate holder which does not have a baffle plate. It is a schematic block diagram of the substrate processing apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

4 Processing chamber 7a Exhaust pipe (exhaust line)
10 Wafer (substrate)
22a Process gas supply nozzle 22b Process gas supply nozzle 24a Process gas outlet 24b Process gas outlet 22c Inert gas supply nozzle 22d Inert gas supply nozzle 24c Inert gas outlet 24d Inert gas outlet 101 Substrate processing apparatus

Claims (8)

A processing chamber for storing and processing substrates stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture;
One or more process gas supply nozzles that extend in the stacking direction of the substrates along the inner wall of the process chamber and supply a process gas into the process chamber;
Extending in the substrate stacking direction along the inner wall of the processing chamber and provided to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides , an inert gas is supplied into the processing chamber along the circumferential direction of the substrate. A pair of inert gas supply nozzles;
An inert gas outlet provided in the inert gas supply nozzle;
An exhaust line for exhausting the processing chamber,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the inert gas outlet is opened so as to inject an inert gas into a space between an inner wall of the processing chamber and an outer peripheral portion of the substrate. The processing chamber is configured inside an inner tube disposed inside the outer tube, and an exhaust port is provided in a side wall of the inner tube at a position facing the processing gas supply nozzle and the substrate.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 . The processing gas supply nozzle is configured such that a first straight line connecting the processing gas supply nozzle and the exhaust port passes through the vicinity of the center of the substrate, and the inert gas supply nozzle includes the pair of inert gases. A second straight line and a third straight line connecting the supply nozzle and the exhaust port are configured so as to sandwich the first straight line from both sides, respectively, and the inert gas ejection port includes the second straight line and the second straight line. Opened in a direction that opens outside the straight line 3
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2. A rectifying plate is provided on the outer surface of the inert gas nozzle that is inside the processing chamber from the inert gas outlet.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a substrate processing apparatus. A rectifying plate for inducing an inert gas is provided between the inner wall of the processing chamber and the outer periphery of the substrate.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a substrate processing apparatus. The inert gas supply nozzle supplies the inert gas at a flow rate higher than the flow rate of the process gas supplied from the process gas supply nozzle when supplying the process gas from the process gas supply nozzle. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1. The inert gas supply nozzle is formed in a cylindrical shape.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein A step of carrying substrates stacked in multiple stages in a horizontal posture into the processing chamber;
The processing gas is supplied into the processing chamber from one or more processing gas supply nozzles extending in the stacking direction of the substrate along the inner wall of the processing chamber, and the substrate is extended along the inner wall of the processing chamber. From a pair of inert gas supply nozzles provided so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides and into a space between the inner wall of the processing chamber and the outer peripheral portion of the substrate. Injecting an inert gas along the circumferential direction to process the substrate;
Unloading the substrate after processing from the processing chamber;
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

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