JP6211973B2 - Deposition equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus.

  Miniaturization and high integration of semiconductor integrated circuit devices are still continuing. When the semiconductor element is miniaturized, the degree of integration of the semiconductor integrated circuit device is improved. At the same time, the operation speed of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be increased. In addition, the semiconductor elements themselves are being improved and developed every day in search of more stable electrical characteristics.

  As the improvement and development of semiconductor elements progress, the time required to manufacture one semiconductor integrated circuit device increases. This is because the number of processes required for manufacturing increases.

  Such miniaturization / high integration of semiconductor integrated circuit devices and progress in improvement / development of semiconductor elements increase the number of processes for the manufacturing process, and increase the manufacturing time required for each semiconductor integrated circuit device. It is one of the causes to make it. In order to suppress such an increase in manufacturing time, it is important to improve the throughput in each processing step.

  One solution for improving the throughput in each processing step is a batch type process in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers are processed at a time. A substrate processing apparatus that performs batch processing is described in Patent Document 1, for example. The substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is a batch type vertical substrate processing apparatus.

JP 2009-218600 A

  The batch type vertical substrate processing apparatus has an advantage that throughput can be improved because a plurality of semiconductor wafers are processed at a time. However, in the film forming process, there is a situation that the film thickness of the formed thin film tends to be thicker at the peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer than at the central portion of the semiconductor wafer.

  The present invention provides a film forming apparatus capable of improving the in-plane uniformity of the film thickness of a thin film to be formed.

A film forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is a film forming apparatus that performs a film forming process on a surface to be processed of a plurality of objects to be processed, wherein the plurality of objects to be processed are stacked in a height direction. A process chamber to be accommodated, a film formation process gas discharge section for discharging a film formation process gas into the process chamber, an inert gas discharge section for discharging an inert gas into the process chamber, and exhausting the process chamber. An exhaust mechanism, and a control unit that controls the film formation process, wherein the film formation process gas discharge unit discharges the film formation process gas in a horizontal direction along a surface to be processed of the object to be processed, The inert gas discharge unit discharges the inert gas in a height direction along a space generated between a peripheral edge of the object to be processed and a side wall of the processing chamber, and the control unit A film forming procedure for discharging the film forming process gas in the horizontal direction from a film processing gas discharge unit; and the inert gas. A purge procedure for discharging the inert gas in the height direction from the discharge unit and purging the film forming process gas from the processing chamber is repeated to execute the film forming process on the target object. In the purging procedure, the inert gas is allowed to flow in an air curtain shape in a space generated between a peripheral portion of the object to be processed and a side wall of the processing chamber, and the film forming processing gas remaining in the space is allowed to flow. Purge efficiently.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a film forming apparatus capable of improving the in-plane uniformity of the film thickness of a thin film to be formed.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Plan view showing an example of a ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle Timing chart showing an example of gas supply timing in hafnium oxide film deposition process Longitudinal sectional view showing the flow of hafnium source gas during the hafnium deposition process Longitudinal sectional view showing the flow of inert gas during the purge process Sectional view of wafer after hafnium oxide film formation according to reference example Sectional drawing of the wafer after hafnium oxide film formation using the film-forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment Timing chart showing a variation of gas supply timing in hafnium oxide film deposition process Horizontal sectional view showing a first modification of the discharge direction of the inert gas in the purge process Horizontal sectional view showing a second modification of the discharge direction of the inert gas in the purge process A longitudinal sectional view showing a modification of the film forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention Longitudinal sectional view showing the flow of inert gas during the purge process The top view which shows one modification of a ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that common parts are denoted by common reference numerals throughout the drawings.

<Deposition system>
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a film forming apparatus 100 is a vertical batch type film forming apparatus that performs a film forming process by stacking a plurality of objects to be processed on a boat in a height direction. The film forming apparatus 100 includes a cylindrical outer tube 101 having a ceiling and a cylindrical inner tube 102 provided inside the outer tube 101 and having an upper end opened. The outer tube 101 and the inner tube 102 are made of, for example, quartz, and a plurality of objects to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer (for example, a silicon wafer; hereinafter abbreviated as a wafer) 1, are accommodated inside the inner tube 102. A processing chamber 103 is formed in which film formation processing is performed on the plurality of wafers 1 collectively. The film forming apparatus 100 of this example forms, for example, a hafnium oxide film as a film on the surface to be processed of the wafer 1. Note that the film formed by the film forming apparatus 100 is not limited to the hafnium oxide film.

  On one of the side walls of the inner tube 102, as a gas introduction part for introducing a film forming process gas into the processing chamber 103, there are a source gas supply tube 104a and an oxidizing gas supply tube 104b extending vertically, for example, vertically. Is provided. The source gas supply pipe 104 a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104 b are connected to the film forming process gas supply mechanism 105.

  The film forming process gas supply mechanism 105 of this example includes a hafnium source gas supply source 106a that is a source of supply of hafnium source gas and an oxidizing gas supply source 106b that is a source of supply of oxidizing gas.

  The hafnium source gas supply source 106a is connected to the source gas supply pipe 104a via a flow rate controller (MFC) 107a and an on-off valve 108a. The oxidizing gas supply source 106b is connected to the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b through a flow rate controller (MFC) 107b and an on-off valve 108b.

  The source gas supply pipe 104a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b are each made of a quartz pipe, penetrate the sidewall of the manifold 109 inward, bend in the height direction inside the manifold 109, and extend vertically. A plurality of gas discharge holes 110 are formed at predetermined intervals in vertical portions of the source gas supply pipe 104a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b. As a result, the gas is discharged from the gas discharge hole 110 in a horizontal direction substantially uniformly toward the inside of the processing chamber 103. In FIG. 1, the vertical portion of the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b is not shown.

An example of the hafnium source gas supplied from the hafnium source gas supply source 106a is a gas containing tetrakisdimethylaminohafnium (Hf (NCH ₃ ) ₂ ) ₄ : TDMAH). An example of the oxidizing gas is a gas containing ozone (O ₃ ).

  An exhaust port 111 for exhausting the inside of the processing chamber 103 is formed on the other side wall of the inner tube 102. The exhaust port 111 communicates with a space defined by the outer tube 101 and the inner tube 102. The space functions as an exhaust space 111 a, and the exhaust space 111 a is connected to an exhaust mechanism 113 that exhausts the inside of the processing chamber 103 through an exhaust pipe 112. The exhaust mechanism 113 includes, for example, an exhaust device 114 such as a vacuum pump. In addition to exhausting the atmosphere inside the processing chamber 103, the pressure inside the processing chamber 103 is set to a pressure required for processing. Or

  The open side end (lower end side) of the outer tube 101 is connected to a manifold 109 formed of, for example, stainless steel in a cylindrical shape via a seal member 115 such as an O-ring. The manifold 109 supports the lower end side of the outer tube 101. Further, the open side end (lower end side) of the inner pipe 102 is connected to, for example, an inner pipe support part 116 provided in a collar shape around the inner side of the manifold 109.

  From the lower side of the manifold 109, a plurality of objects to be processed, for example, boats 150 on which the wafers 1 can be placed in multiple stages along the height direction are placed in the processing chamber 103 through the inner side of the inner tube support part 116. It can be inserted. The boat 150 is made of quartz and has a plurality of columns 151. A plurality of grooves (not shown) are formed in the support column 151, and the plurality of wafers 1 are supported by the plurality of grooves (not shown).

  The boat 150 is placed on the table 118 via a quartz heat insulating cylinder 117. The table 118 is supported on a rotating shaft 120 that opens and closes an opening on the lower end side of the manifold 109, for example, passing through a lid 119 made of stainless steel. For example, a magnetic fluid seal 121 is provided in a through portion of the lid portion 119 through which the rotation shaft 120 passes, and supports the rotation shaft 120 so as to be rotatable while hermetically sealing. Between the peripheral part of the cover part 119 and the lower end of the manifold 109, for example, a seal member 122 made of an O-ring is interposed. Thereby, the sealing property in the processing chamber 103 is maintained. The rotating shaft 120 is attached to the tip of an arm 123 supported by an elevating mechanism (not shown) such as a boat elevator, for example. As a result, the boat 150, the lid portion 119, and the like are integrally moved up and down and inserted into and removed from the processing chamber 103.

  Around the outer periphery of the outer tube 101, a heating device 124 is provided so as to surround the outer tube 101. The heating device 124 heats the plurality of wafers 1 accommodated in the processing chamber 103.

Furthermore, the film forming apparatus 100 includes an inert gas supply mechanism 200 that supplies an inert gas. The inert gas supply mechanism 200 includes an inert gas supply source 201 serving as an inert gas supply source. The inert gas supply source 201 is connected to a ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 via a flow rate controller (MFC) 202 and an on-off valve 203. An example of the inert gas is nitrogen (N ₂ ) gas. The ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 is made of, for example, a quartz tube, and is disposed below the processing chamber 103 through the side wall of the manifold 109 inward. The ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 is provided between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 (side wall of the processing chamber 103).

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204.
As shown in FIG. 2, the ring-shaped inert supply nozzle 204 includes, for example, a straight tubular introduction portion 204a that introduces an inert gas (N ₂ ) from the inert gas supply mechanism 200, and a straight tubular introduction portion 204a. The ring-shaped discharge part 204b is connected and discharges an inert gas. The ring-shaped discharge portion 204b corresponds to between the peripheral edge portion of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 (side wall of the processing chamber 103), and is disposed between them. The inner diameter of the ring portion 204c of the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b is set to be larger than the diameters of the boat 105, the heat retaining cylinder 117, and the table 118, and the boat 150 , the heat retaining cylinder 117, And the table 118 can pass through.

  A plurality of gas discharge holes 205 are formed at predetermined intervals in the ring-shaped discharge portion 204 b toward the processing chamber 103. As a result, the inert gas discharged from the plurality of gas discharge holes 205 is formed in a cylindrical air curtain shape along the height direction in a cylindrical space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the inner tube 102. Can be shed. The inert gas thus flowed in the shape of a cylindrical air curtain is exhausted from the open upper end of the inner tube 102. The inert gas exhausted from the upper end flows into the exhaust space 111 a and is exhausted by the exhaust mechanism 113 through the exhaust pipe 112.

  As described above, the film forming apparatus 100 includes the peripheral portion of the wafer 1 and the inner tube 102 in the processing chamber 103 along the height direction from the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 included in the film forming apparatus 100. A cylindrical air curtain can be made to flow in a cylindrical space between the two. Further, the inert gas flowed in the shape of a cylindrical air curtain is exhausted from the open upper end of the inner tube 102. As described above, in one embodiment, an inert gas that flows in a cylindrical air curtain shape along the height direction in the cylindrical space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the inner tube 102 is transferred into the processing chamber 103. Used for purging.

  A control unit 130 is connected to the film forming apparatus 100. The control unit 130 includes a process controller 131 including, for example, a microprocessor (computer), and the process controller 131 controls each component of the film forming apparatus 100. A user interface 132 and a storage unit 133 are connected to the process controller 131.

  The user interface 132 includes an input unit including a touch panel display and a keyboard for an operator to perform command input operations in order to manage the film forming apparatus 100, and a display that visualizes and displays the operation status of the film forming apparatus 100. Etc. are provided.

  The storage unit 133 corresponds to a control program for realizing various processes such as a film forming process executed by the film forming apparatus 100 under the control of the process controller 131 and each component of the film forming apparatus 100 according to processing conditions. A so-called process recipe including a program for executing the processing is stored. The process recipe is stored in a storage medium in the storage unit 133. The storage medium may be a hard disk or a semiconductor memory, or a portable medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD, or flash memory. Further, the process recipe may be appropriately transmitted from another apparatus via, for example, a dedicated line.

  The process recipe is read from the storage unit 133 as required by an operator instruction from the user interface 132, and the process controller 131 executes processing according to the read process recipe. Thereby, the film forming apparatus 100 executes a process according to the film forming method of the hafnium oxide film, for example, under the control of the process controller 131, so that the hafnium oxide film is formed on the surface to be processed of the wafer 1. Is deposited.

<Example of film formation process>
Next, an example of a film forming process of a hafnium oxide film using the film forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an example of gas supply timing in the film forming process of the hafnium oxide film.

  First, as shown in a period T1 in FIG. 3, hafnium source gas (TDMAH) containing a hafnium source is discharged into the processing chamber 103 from the gas discharge hole 110 of the source gas supply pipe 104a. Thereby, hafnium is deposited on the surface to be processed of the wafer 1. At this time, the hafnium source gas is discharged in the horizontal direction toward the center of the rotating wafer 1 and along the surface to be processed, as shown in FIG. The hafnium source gas discharged in the horizontal direction is drawn along the horizontal direction into the exhaust port 111 formed in the side wall of the inner tube 102 while diffusing above the surface to be processed of the rotating wafer 1, thereby The gas is exhausted through 111a and the exhaust pipe 112. Thus, in the period T1 (hafnium deposition process period), the processing gas (hafnium source gas) is caused to flow in the processing chamber 103 in the horizontal direction along the surface to be processed.

Next, as shown in a period T2 in FIG. 3, the discharge of the hafnium source gas is stopped. Thereafter, the inside of the processing chamber 103 is evacuated. In the timing chart shown in FIG. 3, the “exhaust” period is omitted. Following the exhaust, an inert gas (N ₂ ) is discharged from the gas discharge hole 205 of the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 into the processing chamber 103. Thereby, the inside of the processing chamber 103 is purged. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the inert gas passes through a cylindrical space formed between the peripheral edge of the rotating wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102, for example, at a height orthogonal to the horizontal direction. It discharges in the shape of a cylindrical air curtain along the direction. The inert gas discharged in the height direction is drawn into the open upper end of the inner pipe 102 along the height direction and is exhausted through the exhaust space 111a and the exhaust pipe 112. As described above, in the period T <b> 2 (the purge process period), the inert gas is caused to flow in the process chamber 103 along the height direction which is perpendicular to the surface to be processed of the wafer 1, for example.

Next, as shown in a period T3 in FIG. 3, the discharge of the inert gas is stopped. Thereafter, the inside of the processing chamber 103 is evacuated, and subsequently, oxidizing gas (O ₃ ) is discharged into the processing chamber 103 from a gas discharge hole 110 (not shown) of the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b. Thereby, hafnium deposited on the surface to be processed of the wafer 1 is oxidized. The oxidizing gas is discharged in the horizontal direction along the surface to be processed of the wafer 1 as in the gas discharge state shown in FIG. The oxidizing gas discharged in the horizontal direction is drawn into the exhaust port 111 formed in the side wall of the inner pipe 102 along the horizontal direction, and is exhausted through the exhaust space 111 a and the exhaust pipe 112. In a period T3 (a period for oxidizing the deposited hafnium), an oxidizing gas is allowed to flow in the processing chamber 103 along the surface to be processed in the horizontal direction.

  Next, as shown in a period T4 in FIG. 3, after discharge of the oxidizing gas is stopped and the inside of the processing chamber 103 is exhausted, a purge process similar to that in the period T2 in FIG. 3 is performed.

  Such a period T1 to T4 is defined as one cycle, and this one cycle is repeated a set number of times until the thickness of the hafnium oxide film formed on the surface to be processed of the wafer 1 reaches the designed thickness. . In this way, the film forming apparatus 100 can form a hafnium oxide film on the processing surface of the wafer 1.

<Effects of One Embodiment>
6A is a cross-sectional view of a wafer after forming a hafnium oxide film using the film forming apparatus according to the reference example, and FIG. 6B is a wafer after forming a hafnium oxide film using the film forming apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. FIG.

  The purge process by the film forming apparatus according to the reference example is a normal purge process. For example, the inert gas is supplied along the surface to be processed of the wafer 1 using an inert gas supply pipe similar to the source gas supply pipe 104a. In the horizontal direction. When the hafnium oxide film 2 is formed on the surface to be processed of the wafer 1 while repeating such a purge process, a deposition process, and an oxidation process, as shown in FIG. There is a situation that the thickness t2 tends to be thicker than the film thickness t1 of the central portion C (t1 <t2).

  This is because the peripheral portion E of the wafer 1 tends to increase the supply amount of the hafnium source gas compared to the central portion C. The space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 has a large conductance. Therefore, the hafnium source gas discharged from the gas supply pipe 104a is not only between the spaces between the wafers 1 placed in multiple stages in the height direction, but also between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner pipe 102. It also flows into space. As a result, the supply amount of the hafnium source gas to the peripheral portion E of the wafer 1 is larger than the central portion C, and the film thickness t2 of the peripheral portion E of the wafer 1 is larger than the film thickness t1 of the central portion C. Become thicker.

  Therefore, the film forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment focuses on the hafnium source gas remaining in the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102. That is, by efficiently purging the hafnium source gas remaining in the space between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102, the hafnium source gas that has flowed in excess of the central portion C of the wafer 1 is removed. cut back.

  For this reason, the film forming apparatus 100 according to the embodiment is configured such that, as described above, an inert gas is cylindrically formed along the height direction in the cylindrical space between the peripheral portion of the wafer 1 and the inner tube 102. Flow in the shape of a mold air curtain.

  According to the film forming apparatus 100 according to such an embodiment, the hafnium source gas remaining above the peripheral portion E of the wafer 1 or between the peripheral portion of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 is removed. As compared with the case where the active gas is allowed to flow in the horizontal direction, the purging can be performed more efficiently. Further, by changing the discharge amount of the inert gas, the purge amount for purging the hafnium source gas existing above the peripheral portion E can be controlled. For example, when the discharge amount of the inert gas is increased, the purge amount of the hafnium source gas existing above the peripheral portion E increases. Conversely, when the discharge amount of the inert gas is reduced, the purge amount of the hafnium source gas existing above the peripheral portion E is reduced. As a result, the formed hafnium oxide film 2 is controlled so that the film thickness t2 of the peripheral portion E and the film thickness t1 of the central portion C are substantially the same (t1≈t2). It becomes possible. Therefore, in-plane uniformity of the film thickness of the thin film to be formed can be improved as compared with the film forming apparatus according to the reference example.

  As described above, according to the film forming apparatus 100 according to the embodiment, the flow of the inert gas in the purge process is changed from the horizontal direction to the height direction. Thus, in the purge process in which the inert gas is flowed in the horizontal direction, the hafnium source gas remaining above the peripheral portion E of the wafer 1 or between the peripheral portion of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 is efficiently removed. The situation that it cannot be purged can be improved.

  Further, the discharge amount of the inert gas is controlled, and the purge amount of the hafnium source gas existing above the peripheral portion E is controlled. By controlling the purge amount of the hafnium source gas existing above the peripheral portion E, the film thickness t2 of the hafnium oxide film 2 formed on the peripheral portion E is formed on the central portion C. The hafnium oxide film 2 can be controlled independently of the film thickness t1. For this reason, the film thickness t2 of the hafnium oxide film 2 formed on the peripheral portion E is set to be approximately equal to the film thickness t1 of the hafnium oxide film 2 formed on the central portion C. Can be controlled.

  Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, there can be obtained an advantage that a film forming apparatus capable of improving the in-plane uniformity of the film thickness of a thin film to be formed can be provided.

<Regarding Modification of One Embodiment>
Next, some modifications of the present invention will be described.

<Modifications related to inert gas supply timing>
First, a modified example relating to the supply timing of the inert gas will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing a modification of gas supply timing in the hafnium oxide film formation process.

As shown in FIG. 7, the modified example of the gas supply timing is different from the example of the gas supply timing shown in FIG. 3 in that the inert gas (N ₂ ) is used during the hafnium deposition process shown in the period T1. ).

  As described above, the inert gas used for the purge process is a cylindrical gas generated between the peripheral edge of the rotating wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 even during the hafnium deposition process shown in the period T1. You may make it discharge in space in the shape of a cylindrical air curtain along the height direction.

  As an advantage of this modification, for example, it becomes easier to flow the hafnium source gas toward the upper side of the surface to be processed of the wafer 1. The cylindrical space formed between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 is different depending on the diameter of the processing chamber 103 of the film forming apparatus and the diameter of the wafer 1 put into the processing chamber 103. The conductance may be larger than the space between the wafers 1 placed in multiple stages along the vertical direction. Gas tends to flow toward a space with a large conductance rather than a space with a small conductance. For this reason, if the conductance of the cylindrical space is larger than the space between the wafers 1, the hafnium source gas discharged from the source gas supply pipe 104 a flows into the space between the wafers 1. The situation becomes difficult.

  In such a case, for example, in the hafnium deposition process period shown in the period T1, the inert gas is discharged into the cylindrical space in the form of a cylindrical air curtain along the height direction, for example, even slightly. Keep it. In this way, it is possible to make it difficult for the hafnium source gas to flow into the cylindrical space. For this reason, the hafnium source gas is more likely to efficiently flow into the space between the wafers 1 than in the case where the inert gas does not flow along the height direction in the cylindrical space. The advantage that the source gas can be supplied more efficiently to the surface to be processed of the wafer 1 can be obtained.

<Modifications related to inert gas discharge direction>
FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing a first modification of the inert gas discharge direction in the purge process. FIG. 8 shows the flow of the inert gas in the purge process.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the purge process shown in the period T <b> 2 and the period T <b> 4 in FIG. 3, the inert gas is not only along the height direction but also horizontally along the surface to be processed of the wafer 1. You may make it flow. In the first modification shown in FIG. 8, the source gas supply pipe 104a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b are used for the inert gas flowing in the horizontal direction. The flow of the inert gas discharged from the source gas supply pipe 104a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b is indicated by reference numeral 210 in FIG. In addition, the inert gas discharged in the shape of a cylindrical air curtain along the height direction in the cylindrical space formed between the peripheral edge of the rotating wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102. , Indicated by reference numeral 211.

Thus, as indicated by reference numeral 210 in FIG.
(3) Inert gas is discharged into the cylindrical space formed between the peripheral edge of the rotating wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102 in the form of a cylindrical air curtain along the height direction. about
(4) Both the inert gas is discharged along the horizontal direction above the processing surface of the rotating wafer 1. By performing both (3) and (4) at the same time, it is possible to control the purge amount not only at the peripheral portion E of the wafer 1 but also at the central portion C.

  FIG. 9 is a horizontal sectional view showing a second modification of the inert gas discharge direction in the purge process.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in addition to the source gas supply pipe 104a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b, in addition to the source gas supply pipe 104a and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b, in order to add the inert gas in the height direction and also flow in the horizontal direction in the purge process, An inert gas supply pipe 104c for supplying an inert gas having a structure may be further added.

  In the second modification shown in FIG. 9, the inert gas is discharged only from the inert gas supply pipe 104c during the purge process, but the source gas supply pipe 104a, the oxidizing gas supply pipe 104b, The inert gas may be discharged simultaneously from three of the inert gas supply pipes 104c.

<Modified example related to arrangement position of ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle>
FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification of the film forming apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  In the film forming apparatus 100 according to the example shown in FIG. 1, the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 passes through the side wall of the manifold 109 and is disposed below the processing chamber 103. However, the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 is not limited to being disposed below the processing chamber 103.

  For example, in the film forming apparatus 100 a illustrated in FIG. 10, the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 is disposed above the processing chamber 103. In the film forming apparatus 100a, the flow of the inert gas during the purge process is upward in a cylindrical space formed between the peripheral edge of the wafer 1 and the side wall of the inner tube 102, as shown in FIG. It becomes a cylindrical air curtain shape along the height direction from the bottom to the bottom. 10 and 11, the illustration of the inert gas supply mechanism 200 is omitted, but the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 of the film forming apparatus 100 a is not provided in the film forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1. Similarly to the above, the inert gas supply mechanism 200 is connected, and the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply 200.

  As described above, the flow of the inert gas in the form of a cylindrical air curtain in the purge process may be directed not only from below to above but also from above to below.

  When the flow of the inert gas is directed from the upper side to the lower side as in the film forming apparatus 100a, the upper end side of the inner tube 102 is closed without being opened as shown in FIG. The second exhaust pipe 112a may be provided below the inner pipe support portion 116 provided around the inner side of the inner exhaust pipe 112a and exhausted from the second exhaust pipe 112a.

<Modified example related to structure of ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle>
FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a modification of the ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle.

  The ring-shaped inert gas supply nozzle 204 shown in FIG. 2 has, for example, a ring-shaped discharge portion 204b made of a quartz tube, and a plurality of gas discharge holes 205 are formed in the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b. there were. However, the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2, and may be formed of, for example, a porous material 206 that can discharge an inert gas in the height direction. Good.

  In the case where the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b is formed of the porous material 206, the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b is exposed from almost the entire surface, or from the substantially entire surface of the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b facing the processing chamber 103 side. Inert gas can be discharged. For this reason, it is possible to obtain an advantage that the flow of the inert gas in the form of a cylindrical air curtain can be formed as a laminar flow more than or equal to the ring-shaped discharge portion 204b having a plurality of discharge holes 205. it can.

  Although the present invention has been described according to one embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the embodiment of the present invention, the above-described embodiment is not the only embodiment.

In the one embodiment, the film formation of the hafnium oxide film is exemplified, but the hafnium film may be formed without oxidizing hafnium. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the formation of a hafnium oxide film or a hafnium film, but an insulating film typified by oxide or nitride, a conductive film typified by a metal film or a doped silicon film, or a non-doped type. The present invention can also be applied to film formation such as a silicon film without impairing its advantages.
In addition, the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wafer, 103 ... Processing chamber, 104a ... Raw material gas supply pipe, 104b ... Oxidation gas supply pipe, 113 ... Exhaust mechanism, 130 ... Control part, 204 ... Inert gas supply nozzle, 204a ... Straight tubular introduction part, 204b A ring-shaped discharge portion, 204c, a ring portion, 205, a gas discharge hole, 206, a porous material.

Claims (7)

A film forming apparatus for performing a film forming process on the processing surfaces of a plurality of objects to be processed,
A processing chamber for storing the plurality of objects to be processed stacked in a height direction; and
A film forming process gas discharge unit for discharging a film forming process gas into the processing chamber;
An inert gas discharge section for discharging an inert gas into the processing chamber;
An exhaust mechanism for exhausting the processing chamber;
A controller for controlling the film forming process,
The film forming process gas discharge unit discharges the film forming process gas in a horizontal direction along a surface to be processed of the object to be processed,
The inert gas discharge unit discharges the inert gas in a height direction along a space generated between a peripheral portion of the object to be processed and a side wall of the processing chamber,
The controller is
A film forming procedure for discharging the film forming process gas in the horizontal direction from the film forming process gas discharge unit;
A purge procedure for discharging the inert gas in the height direction from the inert gas discharge unit and purging the film forming process gas from the processing chamber;
Repeatedly performing the film forming process on the object to be processed,
In the purging procedure, the inert gas is allowed to flow in an air curtain shape in a space formed between a peripheral portion of the object to be processed and a side wall of the processing chamber, and the film forming processing gas remaining in the space is efficiently The film forming apparatus is characterized by purging automatically .   The said inert gas discharge part has a ring-shaped site | part provided in the ring shape correspondingly between the peripheral part of the said to-be-processed object, and the side wall of the said process chamber. Deposition device.   The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ring-shaped part has a plurality of discharge holes for discharging the inert gas in the height direction.   The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ring-shaped portion is formed of a porous material capable of discharging the inert gas.   5. The exhaust mechanism exhausts the film forming process gas from the processing chamber in the horizontal direction and exhausts the inert gas from the processing chamber in the height direction. The film-forming apparatus as described in any one of these.   The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further discharges the inert gas in a height direction in the film forming procedure. The film forming process gas discharge unit can further discharge the inert gas into the process chamber,
The controller is
7. The film formation according to claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is further discharged in the horizontal direction from the film formation process gas discharge unit during the purge procedure. 8. apparatus.

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