TWI817029B - Substrate processing device, substrate support and method for manufacturing semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that improves the uniformity of the thickness of a film formed on a substrate and suppresses metal contamination of the substrate and the film formed on the substrate. The solution is to provide a substrate processing device technology with: A substrate support tool has: a pillar made of metal, and a plurality of support parts provided on the pillar and configured to support a plurality of substrates in multiple stages; a processing chamber that accommodates a plurality of substrates supported on a substrate support; and a heater for heating a plurality of substrates accommodated in the processing chamber, At least the contact portions of the plurality of support portions that are in contact with the plurality of substrates are made of at least one of a metal oxide or a non-metallic substance.

Description

Substrate processing device, substrate support and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

This case relates to a substrate processing device, a substrate support, and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device.

As one of the manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices (devices), a plurality of substrates are stored in a processing chamber while being supported in multiple stages by a substrate support, and a film forming process is performed to form films on the plurality of accommodated substrates ( For example, refer to Patent Document 1). [Prior technical literature] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-170502

(The problem that the invention aims to solve)

In one of the manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices, it is required to improve the uniformity of the thickness of a film formed on a substrate and to suppress metal contamination of the substrate and the film formed on the substrate.

The present invention aims to provide a technology that improves the uniformity of the thickness of a film formed on a substrate and suppresses metal contamination of the substrate and the film formed on the substrate. (Means used to solve problems)

According to one aspect of this case, a substrate processing device technology is provided, which has: A substrate support tool having: a pillar made of metal, and a plurality of support parts provided on the pillar and configured to support a plurality of substrates in multiple stages; a processing chamber that accommodates the plurality of substrates supported on the substrate support; and a heater for heating the plurality of substrates accommodated in the processing chamber, At least the contact portions of the plurality of supporting portions that are in contact with the plurality of substrates are made of at least one of a metal oxide or a non-metallic substance. [Effects of the invention]

According to this aspect, the uniformity of the thickness of the film formed on the substrate can be improved, and metal contamination of the substrate and the film formed on the substrate can be suppressed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13 . The substrate processing apparatus 10 is an example of an apparatus configured to be used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.

(1)Structure of substrate processing apparatus The substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a processing furnace 202 provided with a heater 207 as a heating unit (heating mechanism, heating system). The heater 207 has a cylindrical shape and is vertically installed by being supported on a heater bottom (not shown) serving as a holding plate.

[Outer tube (outer cylinder) 203] Inside the heater 207, an outer tube (also referred to as an outer cylinder) 203 that constitutes a reaction vessel (processing vessel) concentrically with the heater 207 is disposed. The outer tube 203 is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz (SiO ₂ ) or silicon carbide (SiC), and is formed into a cylindrical shape with a closed upper end and an open lower end. Below the outer tube 203, a manifold (inlet flange) 209 is arranged concentrically with the outer tube 203. The manifold 209 is made of metal such as stainless steel (SUS), and is formed into a cylindrical shape with an upper end and a lower end open. An O-ring 220a as a sealing member is provided between the upper end of the manifold 209 and the outer tube 203. With the manifold 209 supported at the bottom of the heater, the outer tube 203 is installed vertically.

[Inner tube (inner cylinder) 204] Inside the outer tube 203, an inner tube (also referred to as an inner tube) 204 constituting a reaction vessel is disposed. The inner tube 204 is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC, and is formed into a cylindrical shape with a closed upper end and an open lower end. The processing vessel (reaction vessel) is mainly composed of the outer tube 203, the inner tube 204, and the manifold 209. The processing chamber 201 is formed in the cylindrical hollow part of the processing container (inside the inner tube 204).

The processing chamber 201 is configured to accommodate wafers 200 serving as substrates in a state of being arranged in a horizontal position in multiple stages in the vertical direction by wafer boats 217 to be described later. Inside the processing chamber 201 is a nozzle 410 (first nozzle), and a nozzle 420 (second nozzle) is provided to penetrate the side wall of the manifold 209 and the inner tube 204 . The nozzles 410 and 420 are respectively connected to the gas supply pipes 310 and 320 which are gas supply lines. In this way, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is provided with two nozzles 410 and 420 and two gas supply pipes 310 and 320, and is configured to supply a plurality of types of gases into the processing chamber 201. However, the processing furnace 202 of this embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned form.

[Gas supply department] As shown in FIG. 3 , the gas supply pipes 310 and 320 have mass flow controllers (MFC) 312 and 322 respectively provided with flow controllers (flow control units) in order from the upstream side. In addition, the gas supply pipes 310 and 320 are provided with valves 314 and 324 that are on-off valves, respectively. On the downstream side of the valves 314 and 324 of the gas supply pipes 310 and 320, gas supply pipes 510 and 520 for supplying inert gas are respectively connected. The gas supply pipes 510 and 520 are respectively provided with MFCs 512 and 522 of flow controllers (flow control units) and valves 514 and 524 of on-off valves in order from the upstream side.

The front ends of the gas supply pipes 310 and 320 are connected to the nozzles 410 and 420 respectively. The nozzles 410 and 420 are L-shaped nozzles, and their horizontal portions are configured to penetrate the side wall of the manifold 209 and the inner tube 204 . The vertical portions of the nozzles 410 and 420 protrude outward in the radial direction of the inner tube 204 and are provided inside the preparation chamber 201a formed in a channel shape (groove shape) extending in the vertical direction. It is disposed facing upward (upward in the arrangement direction of the wafers 200) along the inner wall of the inner tube 204. In addition, the nozzles 410 and 420 are arranged outside the opening 201b of the preparation chamber 201a. In addition, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3 , a third nozzle (not shown) and a fourth nozzle (not shown) connected to the gas supply pipes 330 and 340 that can supply the cleaning gas or the inert gas may also be provided. .

The nozzles 410 and 420 are provided to extend from the lower area of the processing chamber 201 to the upper area of the processing chamber 201 , and a plurality of gas supply holes 410 a and 420 a are respectively provided at positions facing the wafer 200 . Thereby, the processing gas is supplied to the wafer 200 from the gas supply holes (openings) 410a and 420a of the nozzles 410 and 420, respectively.

A plurality of gas supply holes 410a are provided from the lower part to the upper part of the inner tube 204, and each has the same opening area, and is arranged at the same opening pitch. However, the gas supply hole 410a is limited to the above-mentioned form. For example, the opening area may be gradually expanded from the lower part of the inner tube 204 toward the upper part. Thereby, the flow rate of the gas supplied from the gas supply hole 410a can be made more uniform.

A plurality of gas supply holes 420a are provided from the lower part to the upper part of the inner tube 204, and each has the same opening area, and is arranged at the same opening pitch. However, the gas supply hole 420a is not limited to the above-mentioned form. For example, the opening area may be gradually expanded from the lower part to the upper part of the inner tube 204 . Thereby, the flow rate of the gas supplied from the gas supply hole 420a can be made more uniform.

A plurality of gas supply holes 410a and 420a of the nozzles 410 and 420 are provided at a height from the lower part to the upper part of the wafer boat 217 which will be described later. Therefore, the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply holes 410a and 420a of the nozzles 410 and 420 is supplied to the wafer 200 accommodated in the wafer boat 217 from the lower part to the upper part, that is, the wafer 200 accommodated in the wafer boat 217 The entire domain of wafer 200. The nozzles 410 and 420 only need to extend from the lower area to the upper area of the processing chamber 201 , but it is ideal to extend to the vicinity of the top of the wafer boat 217 .

The raw material gas containing the first metal element (including the first metal gas and the first raw material gas) is supplied from the gas supply pipe 310 as the processing gas into the processing chamber 201 via the MFC 312, the valve 314, and the nozzle 410. The raw material is, for example, trimethylaluminum (Al(CH ₃ ) ₃ , abbreviated as the aluminum-containing raw material (Al-containing raw material gas, Al-containing gas). A metal-containing raw material gas (metal-containing gas) containing the metal element aluminum (Al) can be used. :TMA). TMA is an organic raw material, an alkyl aluminum in which an alkyl group is bonded to aluminum. Other raw materials can be metal-containing gases and organic raw materials, such as tetra(ethylmethylamino)zirconium (TEMAZ, Zr[N(CH ₃ )C ₂ H ₅ ] ₄ ) containing zirconium (Zr). TEMAZ is a liquid at normal temperature and pressure, and is vaporized by a vaporizer (not shown) to be used as a vaporized gas.

The reaction gas is supplied as a processing gas from the gas supply pipe 320 into the processing chamber 201 via the MFC 322, the valve 324, and the nozzle 420. The reaction gas may be an oxygen-containing gas (oxidizing gas, oxidizing agent) containing oxygen (O) as a reaction gas (reactant) that reacts with Al. As the oxygen-containing gas, for example, ozone (O ₃ ) gas can be used. In addition, the gas supply pipe 320 may be provided with an evaporation water tank (flash tank) 321 shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3 . By providing the evaporated water tank 321, a large amount of O ₃ gas can be supplied to the wafer 200.

In this embodiment, the source gas containing metal gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 410a of the nozzle 410, and the reaction gas containing oxygen gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 420a of the nozzle 420. Thereby, the raw material gas (metal-containing gas) and the reaction gas (oxygen-containing gas) are supplied to the surface of the wafer 200 , and a metal oxide film is formed on the surface of the wafer 200 .

Inert gas such as nitrogen (N ₂ ) gas is supplied from the gas supply pipes 510 and 520 into the processing chamber 201 through the MFCs 512 and 522, valves 514 and 524, and nozzles 410 and 420 respectively. In addition, the following describes an example of using N ₂ gas as an inert gas. However, the inert gas is other than N ₂ gas. For example, argon (Ar) gas, helium (He) gas, neon (Ne) gas, and xenon can also be used. Rare gases such as (Xe) gas.

The gas supply system (gas supply part) is mainly composed of nozzles 410 and 420. In addition, the processing gas supply system (gas supply part) may be constituted by the gas supply pipes 310 and 320, the MFCs 312 and 322, the valves 314 and 324, and the nozzles 410 and 420. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to use at least one of the gas supply pipe 310 and the gas supply pipe 320 as the gas supply part. The processing gas supply system may also be simply called a gas supply system. When the source gas flows from the gas supply pipe 310, the source gas supply system is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 310, the MFC 312, and the valve 314. However, it is also conceivable to include the nozzle 410 in the source gas supply system. In addition, the raw material gas supply system may also be called a raw material supply system. When a metal-containing raw material gas is used as the raw material gas, the raw material gas supply system may also be called a metal-containing raw material gas supply system. When the reaction gas flows from the gas supply pipe 320, the reaction gas supply system is mainly composed of the gas supply pipe 320, the MFC 322, and the valve 324. However, it is also conceivable to include the nozzle 420 in the reaction gas supply system. When oxygen-containing gas is supplied from the gas supply pipe 320 as the reaction gas, the reaction gas supply system may also be called an oxygen-containing gas supply system. In addition, the inert gas supply system is mainly composed of gas supply pipes 510 and 520, MFCs 512 and 522, and valves 514 and 524. The inert gas supply system may also be called a purge gas supply system, a dilution gas supply system or a carrier gas supply system.

The method of supplying gas in this embodiment is through preparation in an annular vertical space defined by the inner wall of the inner tube 204 and the ends of a plurality of wafers 200 , that is, in a cylindrical space. The gas is transported through the nozzles 410 and 420 arranged in the chamber 201a. Then, gas is ejected into the inner tube 204 from a plurality of gas supply holes 410a and 420a provided at positions of the nozzles 410 and 420 facing the wafer. More specifically, through the gas supply hole 410 a of the nozzle 410 and the gas supply hole 420 a of the nozzle 420 , the source gas and the like are ejected in a direction parallel to the surface of the wafer 200 , that is, in a horizontal direction.

[Exhaust part] The exhaust hole (exhaust port) 204a is a through hole formed in the side wall of the inner tube 204 at a position facing the nozzles 410 and 420, that is, at a position 180 degrees opposite to the preparation chamber 201a, for example, vertically. A slit-like through hole opened in an elongated direction. Therefore, the gas supply holes 410a and 420a of the nozzles 410 and 420 are supplied into the processing chamber 201, and the gas flowing on the surface of the wafer 200, that is, the residual gas (residual gas) flows through the exhaust hole 204a. The exhaust passage 206 is formed by a gap formed between the inner pipe 204 and the outer pipe 203 . Then, the gas flowing into the exhaust passage 206 flows into the exhaust pipe 231 and is discharged out of the treatment furnace 202 . In addition, the exhaust part is composed of at least an exhaust pipe 231.

The exhaust hole 204a is located at a position facing the plurality of wafers 200 (ideally, a position facing from the upper part to the lower part of the wafer boat 217), and supplies the wafers in the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply holes 410a and 420a. The gas near the circle 200 flows in the horizontal direction, that is, in the direction parallel to the surface of the wafer 200, and then flows into the exhaust path 206 through the exhaust hole 204a. That is, the gas remaining in the processing chamber 201 is exhausted parallel to the main surface of the wafer 200 through the exhaust hole 204a. In addition, the exhaust hole 204a is not limited to the case where it is configured as a slit-shaped through hole, and may be configured as a plurality of holes.

The manifold 209 is provided with an exhaust pipe 231 for exhausting the atmosphere in the processing chamber 201 . The exhaust pipe 231 is connected in order from the upstream side, a pressure sensor 245 as a pressure detector (pressure detection unit) that detects the pressure in the processing chamber 201, and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 243 as a vacuum exhaust pipe. Device vacuum pump 246. The APC valve 243 opens and closes the valve while the vacuum pump 246 is activated, so that vacuum exhaust and vacuum exhaust stop in the processing chamber 201 can be performed. Furthermore, by adjusting the valve opening while the vacuum pump 246 is activated, The pressure within the processing chamber 201 can be adjusted. The exhaust system, that is, the exhaust pipeline, is mainly composed of the exhaust hole 204a, the exhaust path 206, the exhaust pipe 231, the APC valve 243 and the pressure sensor 245. In addition, it is also conceivable to include the vacuum pump 246 in the exhaust system.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a sealing cover 219 serving as a furnace mouth cover capable of airtightly closing the lower end opening of the manifold 209 may be provided below the manifold 209 . The sealing cover 219 is configured to contact the lower end of the manifold 209 from the vertical lower side. The sealing cover 219 is made of metal such as SUS, and is formed into a disk shape. An O-ring 220b is provided on the upper surface of the sealing cover 219 as a sealing member that comes into contact with the lower end of the manifold 209. A rotation mechanism 267 for rotating the wafer boat 217 housing the wafer 200 is provided on the opposite side of the sealing cover 219 from the processing chamber 201 . The rotating shaft 255 of the rotating mechanism 267 passes through the sealing cover 219 and is connected to the wafer boat 217 . The rotation mechanism 267 is configured to rotate the wafer 200 by rotating the wafer boat 217 . The sealing cover 219 is configured to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction by the wafer boat lift 115 as a lifting mechanism that is installed vertically outside the outer tube 203 . The wafer boat lift 115 is configured to move the wafer boat 217 into and out of the processing chamber 201 by lifting and lowering the sealing cover 219 . The wafer boat elevator 115 is a transfer device (transfer mechanism) configured to transfer the wafer boat 217 and the wafer 200 accommodated in the wafer boat 217 inside and outside the processing chamber 201 .

The wafer boat 217 as a substrate support is configured to support a plurality of wafers 200 , for example, 25 to 200 wafers 200 , arranged in a horizontal position and aligned with each other in the vertical direction in multiple stages, that is, arranged at intervals. . Detailed description of Jingzhou 217 later. A heat insulation portion 218 made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or SiC is provided at a lower portion of the wafer boat 217 . With this configuration, the heat from the heater 207 is less likely to be transmitted to the sealing cover 219 side.

As shown in Figure 2, a temperature sensor 263 as a temperature detector is provided in the inner tube 204. According to the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263, the amount of power supplied to the heater 207 is adjusted. Thereby, the temperature in the processing chamber 201 is configured to have a desired temperature distribution. The temperature sensor 263 is formed into an L shape similarly to the nozzles 410 and 420 and is provided along the inner wall of the inner tube 204 .

With this configuration, the temperature of at least the region of the wafer boat 217 that supports the wafer 200 is maintained uniformly. There is a difference between the temperature of this soaking temperature area (soaking area T1) and the temperature of the area below T1. In addition, T1 is also called a substrate processing area. The longitudinal length of the substrate processing area is equal to or less than the longitudinal length of the uniform heat treatment area. In addition, the substrate processing area means a position in the longitudinal direction of the wafer boat 217 where the wafer 200 is supported (mounted). Here, the wafer 200 means at least one of a product wafer, a dummy wafer, and a filled dummy wafer. In addition, the substrate processing area means an area where the wafer 200 is held in the wafer boat 217 . That is, the substrate processing area is also called a substrate holding area.

[wafer boat (substrate support) 217] As shown in FIG. 4 , the wafer boat 217 has a bottom plate 12 and a top plate 11 which are two parallel plates, and a plurality of, for example, three pillars 15 that are provided substantially vertically between the bottom plate 12 and the top plate 11 . . The pillar 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In order to support the wafer 200 stably and simply, the number of the pillars 15 is ideally three, but may be more than three. At least the pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 are composed of, for example, a chromium oxide film (CrO film) that is coated (coated) with a metal oxide film (metal oxide film) on the stainless steel surface of a metal member. Stainless steels such as SUS316L, SUS836L, and SUS310S are ideal. Stainless steel contains metal elements (for example, Fe, Ni, Cr, Cu, etc.) that degrade the properties of the wafer 200 or the film formed on the wafer 200 . The situation in which these metal elements enter the wafer 200 as impurities or are formed in a film on the wafer 200 is called metal contamination.

The three pillars 15 are arranged in a roughly semicircular shape on the bottom plate 12 . The top plate 11 is fixed to the upper ends of three pillars 15 . As shown in FIG. 5 , the wafer boat 217 has a plurality of pillars 15 , and the pillars 15 serving as the reference are provided along the outer periphery of the supported wafer 200 . The pillars 15 serving as the reference are located on the reference line shown as a dotted line. On D, it is configured to be located at a left-right symmetrical position with respect to the reference line D.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 , each pillar 15 serves as a plurality of supporting portions (carrying units) that can support (mount) a plurality of wafers 200 in a substantially horizontal posture while being arranged at predetermined intervals (P) in the vertical direction. The support pins 16 of the placement part) will be arranged in multiple sections. The support pin 16 is made of stainless steel like the pillar 15 and protrudes toward the inside of the wafer boat 217 . As shown in FIG. 5 , each support pin 16 is formed in a cylindrical shape and protrudes toward the center of the wafer boat 217 , that is, the center of the wafer 200 . In this case, one support pin 16 is provided for each support pin 15 . That is, three support pins 16 are protrudingly provided in one stage. The three protruding support pins 16 support the wafer 200 by supporting the outer periphery of the wafer 200 . The support pin 16 is kept level as desired. By maintaining the level, interference of the wafer 200 coming into contact with the support pins 16 and the like during the transfer of the wafer 200 can be avoided, and a uniform gas flow can be ensured on the wafer in a state where the wafer 200 is supported on the wafer boat 217 .

Since the pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 in this embodiment are made of metal members, they can be made thinner than the pillars of conventional wafer boats made of quartz or SiC. For example, the diameter ϕ of the pillars of the conventional wafer boat is 19 mm, while the diameter ϕ of the pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 in this embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is 5 to 10 mm. The diameter of the pillar 15 is set in advance to a strength that can support the wafer 200 on the support pin 16 . Therefore, the diameter ϕ (5 to 10 mm) of the pillars 15 in this embodiment is an example. Depending on the number of pillars 15 , the diameter having the strength to support the wafer 200 is less than 5 mm. This embodiment is also included in this embodiment.

For example, if the diameter of the pillar 15 is small, the flow of the film-forming gas is less likely to be obstructed, and therefore stagnation is less likely to occur. Furthermore, because the surface area of the pillars 15 becomes smaller, the consumption of film-forming gas is reduced. Therefore, the decrease in film thickness uniformity caused by the decrease in the film thickness near each pillar 15 can be reduced. Furthermore, as the diameter of the support pin 15 is reduced, the diameter of the support pin 16 must also be reduced. However, according to this embodiment, the support pin 16 is made of stainless steel, which is the same metal member as the support pin 15 , so that the strength to support the wafer 200 can be ensured.

The support pins 16 are inserted into holes provided in the support posts 15 and fixed at predetermined intervals (P) (for example, 8 mm intervals) by welding or the like. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6 , the front end 16 a of the cylindrical support pin 16 can be rounded or chamfered.

In addition, at least the contact portion (contact portion) of the support pin 16 with the wafer 200 is surface-coated with a CrO film of a metal oxide film. Instead of the CrO film, at least the surface of the support pin 16 in contact with the wafer 200 may be coated with a silicon oxide film (SiO film) which is a non-metallic film (non-metallic film) that does not contain metallic elements.

Alternatively, a part or the entire surface of the support pin 16 may be coated with a CrO film, or at least the surface of the support pin 16 in contact with the wafer 200 may be coated with a SiO film. The portion to be surface-coated with the SiO film may be applied at least to the portion in contact with the wafer 200 , and more preferably, the surface coating may be applied to the entire portion protruding from the pillar 15 . Therefore, even if metal contamination cannot be sufficiently suppressed by the surface coating of the CrO film, metal contamination can be suppressed more reliably by coating the surface in contact with the wafer 200 with the SiO film.

In addition to the cylindrical shape, the support pin 16 (support portion) may be in the shape of a semi-cylinder, a quadrangular prism, a triangular prism, or other cylindrical shape having a flat surface on the contact surface side with the wafer 200 , or may be a cylindrical shape. plate shape. Alternatively, it may be in a semi-cylindrical shape having a curved surface on the contact surface side with the wafer 200 .

In addition, in this embodiment, a CrO film is used as one of the suitable examples of the metal oxide film for coating the surface of the support pin 15 or the support pin 16. However, it is not limited to this, and an aluminum oxide (AlO) film may also be applied. As one example of other suitable metal oxide films. In addition, as other metal oxide films, films of titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), hafnium oxide (HfO), etc. can also be applied. In addition, this embodiment describes an example in which the surface of the pillar 15 or the support pin 16 is coated with a CrO film of a metal oxide film. However, instead of the metal oxide film, silicon (Si), silicon oxide (SiO), or nitrogen may also be used. The surface is coated with a film of a non-metallic substance that does not contain metallic elements, such as silicon (SiN) or SiC. In addition, as a method of surface coating with Si, Si thermal spraying, which is easy to perform partial surface coating on the contact portion (contact portion), can also be used.

Furthermore, when the wafer boat 217 is used in the process of forming a metal-containing film on the wafer 200, the surface coating can also be performed with the metal contained in the metal-containing film. For example, when the wafer boat 217 is used in the process of forming an AlO film as a metal-containing film, aluminum (Al), a metal contained in the AlO film, may be thermally sprayed to perform the above-mentioned surface coating with Al.

In this embodiment, the support 15 is formed of metallic stainless steel. This makes it possible to reduce the diameter of the pillars of the wafer boat while ensuring the same strength as the pillars of the wafer boat such as quartz, thereby suppressing a decrease in film thickness occurring in the vicinity of the pillars of the wafer boat.

In addition, in this embodiment, at least part of the surface of the pillars 15 and support pins 16 constituting the wafer boat 217 is coated with at least one of a metal oxide film or a non-metal film. Thereby, metal contamination of the wafer 200 caused by the metal members constituting the wafer boat 217 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surface of at least the contact portion (contact portion) of the support pin 16 with the wafer 200 is coated with at least one of a metal oxide film or a non-metal film. Thereby, metal contamination of the wafer 200 caused by the support pins 16 in contact with the wafer 200 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surface of the pillar 15 is coated with at least one of a metal oxide film or a non-metal film. Thereby, metal contamination caused by the metal constituting the support 15 can be suppressed, and the level of metal contamination can be maintained at a lower level.

In addition, as in this embodiment, the surface of the support pins 15 and the support pins 16 other than the contact point with the wafer 200 is coated with at least one of a metal oxide film or a non-metal film, so that the surfaces of the support pins 15 and the like are When a film of deposits is formed, the stress generated between the surface of the pillars 15 and the like due to temperature changes and the film of the deposits can also be mitigated, thereby suppressing cracks or peeling of the deposits film and the resulting particles. produce. That is, when the film formation process is performed on the wafer 200 , a metal oxide film or a non-metal film having stress in the same direction as the film of deposits formed on the surface of the pillar 15 and the like during the film formation process is used as a stress buffer. The film is surface-coated on the surface of the pillar 15 and the like. In this case, the metal oxide film or non-metal film used in the surface coating is selected according to the type of film formed in the film forming process.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, both surfaces of the pillar 15 and the support pin 16 made of stainless steel are coated with at least one of a metal oxide film or a non-metal film. Thereby, the surface coating of the wafer boat 217 can be performed in one process. The CrO film on the surface of the stainless steel can be formed, for example, by passivation treatment of the stainless steel. Alternatively, instead of the CrO film, the surface coating may be performed with the same film type (for example, an AlO film, etc.) as the film formed in the film formation process of the wafer 200 , and the wafer 200 may not be mounted on the wafer 200 . The boat 217 is moved into the processing chamber 201, and the same process as the film formation process on the wafer 200 is performed, thereby performing surface coating.

In addition, in this embodiment, the surface of the pillar 15 is surface-coated with a CrO film or the like. However, the surface of the pillar 15 may not be surface-coated with a metal oxide film or a non-metal film, and the metal base material may be exposed on the surface.

According to the inventor's verification, it was confirmed that under conditions of 250°C or more and 400°C or less, by ensuring a distance of at least 8mm or more, preferably 12mm or more, between the member made of stainless steel and the Si wafer, stainless steel can be suppressed. Caused by metal contamination of Si wafers. Therefore, by placing the wafer 200 on the support pin 16 at a predetermined distance from the surface of the support pin 15 , the surface of the support pin 15 can be coated with a metal oxide film instead of a metal oxide film or a non-metal film. By forming the surface of the support pin 16 with at least one non-metal film, metal contamination of the wafer 200 and the like caused by the metal constituting the support pin 15 or the support pin 16 can be suppressed. In addition, when the wafer boat 217 is used under conditions of 400° C. or lower, for example, the predetermined distance is preferably 8 mm or more, more preferably 12 mm or more. By not performing surface coating treatment on the surface of the pillar 15 in this way, the wafer boat 217 can be easily manufactured compared to when surface coating treatment is performed.

(First modification) As shown in FIG. 7 , instead of the support pins 16 , a plurality of grooves 15 a carved in the support 15 may be used as support parts (placement parts), and the wafer 200 may be supported (placed) on the bottom surface 15 b of the grooves 15 a . The pillar 15 in the first modified example of this embodiment is surface-coated with a CrO film of a metal oxide film, as in the embodiment. In particular, at least the portion of the semicircular bottom surface 15b of the trench 15a that supports the wafer 200 (that is, the contact portion) is surface-coated with a CrO film. Alternatively, instead of the CrO film, at least the surface of the semicircular bottom surface 15b of the trench 15a that is in contact with the wafer 200 may be coated with a non-metallic SiO film. Alternatively, the groove 15a may be surface-coated with a CrO film, and at least the semicircular bottom surface 15b of the groove 15a that is in contact with the wafer 200 may be further coated with the SiO film.

(Second modification) As shown in FIG. 8 , the support pin 16 according to the second modification of the present embodiment has a mixed structure of a metal part 16 b made of a metal member and a quartz part 16 c made of a non-metallic member that does not contain a metal element. The metal part 16b has the same structure as the support pin 16 of the embodiment, and is inserted into the hole of the support 15 and fixed by welding. The wafer 200 is mounted on the quartz portion (quartz portion) 16c. The quartz portion 16 c is composed of a quartz piece (SiO) in the cylindrical support pin 16 of the above-described embodiment, and faces the wafer 200 placed on the support pin 16 The upper half ranges from the position (P2) at a predetermined distance (L2) where the support pin 15 does not affect the welding to the front end of the support pin 16. That is, in the second modification, at least the contact point between the wafer 200 and the support pin 16 is formed by the non-metallic quartz portion 16c. The quartz portion 16c may be made of other non-metallic materials such as SiC or SiN instead of quartz.

The metal portion 16b is a portion embedded in the hole of the pillar 15 and has a circular cross-section from the surface of the pillar 15 to the position P2, and a semicircular cross-section from the position P2 to the front end of the pillar 15. The quartz portion 16c has a semicircular cross-section and has a semicircular shape. However, the quartz portion 16c is not limited to a semi-cylindrical shape, and may also be in other columnar shapes. The contact surface with the wafer 200 may also be in a flat plate shape, a sheet shape, or other shapes. In this case, members having such shapes are collectively referred to as sheet members. The thickness T2 of the quartz portion 16 c in the vertical direction is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and less than 10 mm, and more preferably, 1 mm or more but less than 5 mm. When the thickness T2 is less than 0.5 mm, the quartz portion 16c may be damaged when the wafer 200 is placed. By setting the thickness T2 to 1 mm or more, it is possible to more reliably prevent the quartz portion 16c from being damaged when the wafer 200 is placed.

The metal portion 16b is surface-coated with at least one of a CrO film and a SiO film, the lower portion of the quartz portion 16c and the portion from the surface of the pillar 15 to the position P2.

The metal member constituting the support pin 15 and the metal member constituting the metal portion 16 b of the support pin 16 are joined by welding. After welding, by performing surface coating with CrO film or passivation treatment, the weld traces at the welded joint will be eliminated, and the surface condition will become the same CrO film surface as the unwelded joint, except for chromium (Cr) and oxygen (O). The impurity concentration can also be set to be the same as that of the unwelded area. In addition, since the contact surface with the wafer 200 is composed of the quartz portion 16d of a non-metallic member, the surface coating film such as the CrO film or the SiO film does not peel off due to the contact with the wafer 200.

In addition, the second modification example describes a form in which the surfaces of the pillars 15 and the metal portion 16c are surface-coated with a CrO film or the like. However, as a second modification, the surface of at least one of the pillars 15 and the metal part 16c may not be surface-coated with either a metal oxide film or a non-metal film, and the metal base material may remain exposed on the surface. A further variation of the example. By forming at least the contact point between the wafer 200 and the support pin 16 with the non-metallic quartz portion 16c, metal contamination of the wafer 200 and the like caused by the metal constituting the support 15 or the metal portion 16c can be suppressed. By not performing surface coating treatment on the surface of at least any one of the pillars 15 and the metal portion 16 c in this way, the wafer boat 217 can be easily produced compared to the case where the surface coating treatment is performed.

In addition, as another further modification of the second modification, the surface of the support pin 16 may be coated with a metal oxide film or a non-metal film such as a CrO film, and may be constructed with quartz coating or quartz flakes. A portion of the support pin 16 in contact with the wafer 200 . That is, the contact point between the support pin 16 and the wafer 200 may be made of CrO film and quartz.

(Third modification) The support pin 16 in the third modification of this embodiment is entirely made of non-metallic material or metal oxide such as quartz, SiC, SiN, and AlO. As shown in FIG. 9 , the support pin 16 is fixed to the support pillar 15 by inserting a screw 16 d into a screw hole. The screw hole is a recessed portion carved into the support pin 16 , and the screw 16 d is passed through. A columnar member provided in the hole of the support 15 . Other members constituting the wafer boat 217 are CrO film, which is a metal oxide film coated on the stainless steel surface, or SiO film, which is a non-metal film, or the like. A recessed portion engraved in the support pin 16 may also be formed in a hole without a threaded groove, and a pin-shaped fixing member without a threaded groove is inserted into the recessed portion instead of the screw 16 d, thereby fixing the support pin 16 to the pillar 15 . In addition, metal wire processing technology is used to hide the screw 16d to form a flat surface, thereby improving the coverage rate of the SiO film.

Alternatively, a convex portion may be provided on the support pin 16 on the support pin 15 side, and the support pin 16 may be inserted into a recessed portion or a through hole provided in the support pin 15 (a structure of fitting). The support pin 16 and the support pin 15 may be joined by welding, or the convex part of the support pin 16 may be formed into a screw shape, and the recessed part or through hole of the support pin 15 may be formed into a screw hole shape for fitting.

In addition, the third modification example is the same as the further modification example of the second modification example. The surface of the pillar 15 is not surface-coated with a metal oxide film or a non-metal film, and the metal base material is kept exposed on the surface. . As in this embodiment, by forming the support pins 16 in contact with the wafer 200 with non-metallic materials or metal oxides, metal contamination of the wafer 200 and the like caused by the metal constituting the pillars 15 can be suppressed. By not performing the surface coating treatment on the surface of the pillar 15 in this way, the wafer boat 217 can be easily produced compared to the case where the surface coating treatment is performed.

(Fourth modification) As shown in FIG. 10 , the structure of the wafer boat 217 in the fourth modification of this embodiment includes: Support posts 15 are provided on the outer peripheries of each of the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12 and hold the wafer 200; An auxiliary support 18 having a smaller diameter than the support 15 is provided on the outer periphery of each of the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12 . Moreover, the support pin 16 is provided in the support|pillar 15 as a support part (placement part) which supports (places) the wafer 200 similarly to the embodiment, the 2nd modification, or the 3rd modification.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 11, the auxiliary support|pillar 18 is provided in the position which distribute|distributes evenly among the support|pillar 15. Specifically, the wafer boat 217 is configured such that equal intervals are formed in the circumferential direction between the pillars 15 and the auxiliary pillars 18 or between the auxiliary pillars 18 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 11 , the wafer boat 217 has a plurality of pillars 15 , and a pillar 15 serving as a reference is provided in the direction in which the wafer 200 is supported. The pillar 15 serving as a reference is located on the reference line D of a dotted line. , the support pillar 15 and the auxiliary support support 18 are provided in positions that are bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the reference line D.

Moreover, the diameter of the auxiliary support|pillar 18 is smaller than the diameter of the support|pillar 15, and is comprised without the support pin 16. This is because the auxiliary pillar 18 is an auxiliary pillar. The number may not be 4. In this embodiment, three pillars 15 and four auxiliary pillars 18 are evenly provided in the circumferential direction of the wafer 200 between the pillars 15 and the auxiliary pillars 18 or between the auxiliary pillars 18 . However, it is not limited to this form. .

The pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 in this modification are configured to be thinner than the pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 in the embodiment, and four auxiliary pillars 18 are mounted thereon for the purpose of ensuring strength. For example, the diameter ϕ of the pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is 8 mm, the diameter of the pillars 15 of the wafer boat 217 in this modification shown in FIG. 11 is ϕ5 mm, and the diameter of the auxiliary pillar 18 is ϕ4 mm.

Next, the structure of the controller 121, which is a control unit (control means) that controls the operation of the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus 10, will be described using FIG. 12 .

As shown in FIG. 12 , the controller 121 of the control unit (control means) is a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 121a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 121b, a storage device 121c, and an I/O port 121d. The RAM 121b, the memory device 121c, and the I/O port 121d are configured to exchange data with the CPU 121a via the internal bus. The controller 121 is connected to an input/output device 122 configured as a touch panel or the like, for example.

The memory device 121c is composed of, for example, a flash memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or the like. In the memory device 121c, a control program for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus, a process recipe describing a program or conditions for a semiconductor device manufacturing method described later, and the like are stored in a readable manner. The process recipe is a program function that is combined so that each process (each step, each program, each process) of the semiconductor device manufacturing method described below can be executed on the controller 121 to obtain a predetermined result. Hereinafter, process recipes, control programs, etc. will also be collectively referred to as programs. When referred to as a program in this manual, it means when it includes only the process prescription alone, when it includes only the control program alone, or when it includes a combination of the process prescription and the control program. RAM 121b is a memory area (work area) configured to temporarily hold programs, data, etc. read by CPU 121a.

The I/O port 121d is connected to the above-mentioned MFC312, 322, 332, 342, 352, 512, 522, valves 314, 324, 334, 344, 354, 514, 524, pressure sensor 245, APC valve 243, Vacuum pump 246, heater 207, temperature sensor 263, rotating mechanism 267, wafer boat elevator 115, etc.

The CPU 121a is configured to read the control program from the storage device 121c, and to read the process prescription and the like from the storage device 121c in accordance with the input of operation instructions from the input/output device 122. The CPU 121a is configured to control the flow rate adjustment operations of various gases of the MFCs 312, 322, 332, 342, 352, 512, 522 and the valves 314, 324, 334, 344, 354, 514, 524 in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe. The opening and closing operation of the APC valve 243, the pressure adjustment operation of the APC valve 243 based on the pressure sensor 245, the temperature adjustment operation of the heater 207 based on the temperature sensor 263, the starting and stopping of the vacuum pump 246, and the rotating mechanism 267's rotation and rotation speed adjustment actions of the wafer boat 217, the lifting and lowering actions of the wafer boat 217 by the wafer boat lift 115, the receiving action of the wafer 200 to the wafer boat 217, etc.

The controller 121 can be stored in an external memory device (for example, a tape, a magnetic disk such as a floppy disk or a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD or DVD, an optical disk such as an MO, a USB memory or a memory card, etc. The above-mentioned program of the semiconductor memory) 123 is installed in the computer. The memory device 121c or the external memory device 123 is configured as a computer-readable recording medium. Hereinafter, these are also collectively referred to as recording media. In this case, the recording medium includes only the memory device 121c alone, only the external memory device 123 alone, or both of them. In addition, providing the program to the computer can also be performed using communication means such as the Internet or a dedicated line, without using the external memory device 123 .

(2) Substrate processing process (semiconductor device manufacturing process) An example of the process of forming a film on the wafer 200 will be described using FIG. 13 as a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device (device). In the following description, the operations of each component constituting the substrate processing apparatus 10 are controlled by the controller 121 .

The first example below is to perform the following processes a predetermined number of times to form an AlO film as a metal oxide film on a wafer 200, while heating the wafer 200 as a substrate at a predetermined temperature in the processing chamber 201 in which the wafer 200 is loaded. , a process in which TMA gas is supplied as a raw material gas to the processing chamber 201 from a plurality of gas supply holes 410 a opened in the nozzle 410 ; and a process in which O ₃ gas is supplied as a reaction gas from a plurality of gas supply holes 420 a opened in the nozzle 420 .

In this case, "wafer" refers to the wafer itself, or to a laminate of a wafer and a predetermined layer or film formed on its surface. In this case, "the surface of the wafer" means the surface of the wafer itself or the surface of a predetermined layer formed on the wafer. When it is described as "forming a predetermined layer on the wafer" in this case, it means that a predetermined layer is formed directly on the surface of the wafer itself, or a predetermined layer is formed on a layer formed on the wafer, etc. . In this case, the term "substrate" is also synonymous with the term "wafer".

Hereinafter, the substrate processing process including the film formation process S300 will be described using FIGS. 1 and 13 .

(Substrate moving process S301) Once the plurality of wafers 200 are loaded on the support pins 16 of the wafer boat 217 (wafer loading), as shown in FIG. The elevator 115 lifts and carries the wafer into the processing chamber 201 (wafer boat loading). In this state, the sealing cap 219 seals the lower end of the manifold 209 via the O-ring 220b.

(Atmosphere Adjustment Process S302) Next, the vacuum pump 246 is used to evacuate the processing chamber 201, that is, the space where the wafer 200 is present, so that the pressure (vacuum degree) becomes a desired pressure. At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is measured by the pressure sensor 245, and based on the measured pressure information, the APC valve 243 is feedback-controlled (pressure adjustment). The vacuum pump 246 is maintained in a constant operating state at least until the processing of the wafer 200 is completed. Then, heating is performed by the heater 207 so that the inside of the processing chamber 201 reaches a desired temperature. At this time, the amount of power supplied to the heater 207 is feedback-controlled (temperature adjustment) based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263 so that the temperature distribution in the processing chamber 201 becomes a desired one. Heating in the processing chamber 201 by the heater 207 continues at least until the processing of the wafer 200 is completed. In addition, when the wafer boat 217 is rotated, the rotation mechanism 267 is used to start the rotation of the wafer boat 217 and the wafer 200 . The rotation of the wafer boat 217 and the wafer 200 by the rotation mechanism 267 continues at least until the processing of the wafer 200 is completed. Alternatively, N ₂ gas may be supplied as an inert gas from the gas supply pipe 350 to the lower part of the heat insulating part 218 . Specifically, the valve 354 is opened, and the MFC 352 is used to adjust the N ₂ gas flow rate to a flow rate in the range of 0.1 to 2 slm. The flow rate of MFC352 is ideally set to 0.3slm~0.5slm.

[Film formation process S300] Next, the first process (raw material gas supply process), the purification process (residual gas removal process), the second process (reaction gas supply process), and the purification process (residual gas removal process) are sequentially performed a predetermined number of times N (N≧1) , forming an AlO film.

(First step S303 (first gas supply)) The valve 314 is opened, and the TMA gas of the first gas (raw material gas) flows in the gas supply pipe 310 . The TMA gas has a flow rate adjusted by the MFC 312, is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 410a of the nozzle 410, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231. At this time, TMA gas is supplied to the wafer 200 . At this time, the valve 514 may be opened at the same time, and an inert gas such as N ₂ gas may flow in the gas supply pipe 510 . The N ₂ gas flowing in the gas supply pipe 510 has a flow rate adjusted by the MFC 512 , is supplied into the processing chamber 201 together with the TMA gas, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 . The N ₂ gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the gas supply pipe 320 and the nozzle 420 , and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 .

At this time, the APC valve 243 is adjusted so that the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is, for example, 1 to 1000 Pa, preferably 1 to 100 Pa, and more preferably 10 to 50 Pa. By setting the pressure in the processing chamber 201 to 1000 Pa or less, residual gas removal described below can be appropriately performed, and the TMA gas can be suppressed from decomposing itself in the nozzle 410 and accumulating on the inner wall of the nozzle 410 . By setting the pressure in the processing chamber 201 to 1 Pa or more, the reaction speed of the TMA gas on the surface of the wafer 200 can be increased, and a practical film formation speed can be obtained. In addition, in this case, when the numerical range is described as 1 to 1000 Pa, for example, it means 1 Pa or more and 1000 Pa or less. That is, the numerical range includes 1Pa and 1000Pa. The same applies not only to pressure but also to all numerical values described in this case such as flow rate, time, and temperature.

The supply flow rate of the TMA gas controlled by the MFC312 is, for example, a flow rate in the range of 10 to 2000 sccm, ideally 50 to 1000 sccm, and more preferably 100 to 500 sccm. By setting the flow rate to 2000 sccm or less, residual gas removal described below can be appropriately performed, and the TMA gas can be suppressed from decomposing itself in the nozzle 410 and accumulating on the inner wall of the nozzle 410 . By setting the flow rate to 10 sccm or more, the reaction speed of the TMA gas on the surface of the wafer 200 can be increased, and a practical film formation speed can be obtained.

The supply flow rate of N ₂ gas controlled by MFC512 is, for example, a flow rate in the range of 1 to 30 slm, preferably 1 to 20 slm, and more preferably 1 to 10 slm.

The time for supplying the TMA gas to the wafer 200 is, for example, 1 to 60 seconds, preferably 1 to 20 seconds, and more preferably 2 to 15 seconds.

The heater 207 heats the wafer 200 to a temperature within a range of, for example, room temperature to 400°C, preferably 90 to 400°C, and more preferably 150 to 400°C. Set the temperature below 400°C. The lower limit of the temperature may vary depending on the characteristics of the oxidant used as the reaction gas. Furthermore, by setting the upper limit of the temperature to 400° C., when the wafer boat 217 is used to perform the substrate processing process disclosed in the above-described embodiment or its modification, the occurrence of metal contamination on the wafer 200 can be more reliably prevented. .

By supplying TMA gas into the processing chamber 201 under the above conditions, an Al-containing layer is formed on the outermost surface of the wafer 200 . The Al-containing layer is an Al-containing layer that can contain C and H in addition to the Al layer. The Al-containing layer is formed by physical adsorption of TMA on the outermost surface of the wafer 200, chemical adsorption of substances after partial decomposition of TMA, or thermal decomposition of TMA. It is formed by Al accumulation, etc. That is, the Al-containing layer may be an adsorption layer (physical adsorption layer or chemical adsorption layer) of TMA or a partially decomposed substance of TMA, or may be a deposited layer of Al (Al layer).

(Purification process S304 (residual gas removal process)) After the Al-containing layer is formed, the valve 314 is closed to stop the supply of TMA gas. At this time, the APC valve 243 remains open, and the vacuum pump 246 is used to evacuate the processing chamber 201 to remove the TMA gas remaining in the processing chamber 201 that has not reacted or contributed to the formation of the Al-containing layer. . The supply of N ₂ gas into the processing chamber 201 is maintained while the valves 514 and 524 are open. The N ₂ gas functions as a purge gas and can improve the effect of removing unreacted TMA gas remaining in the processing chamber 201 or contributing to the formation of the Al-containing layer from the processing chamber 201 .

Next, the second process (the process of supplying the reaction gas) is performed.

(Second process S305 (reactive gas supply process)) After the residual gas in the processing chamber 201 is removed, the valve 324 is opened, and the O ₃ gas of the reactive gas flows in the gas supply pipe 320 . The flow rate of the O ₃ gas is adjusted by the MFC 322 , and is supplied to the wafer 200 in the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 420 a of the nozzle 420 , and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 . That is, the wafer 200 is exposed to O ₃ gas. At this time, the valve 524 may be opened to flow N ₂ gas in the gas supply pipe 520 . The flow rate of the N ₂ gas is adjusted by the MFC 522, and the N 2 gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 together with the O ₃ gas, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 . The N ₂ gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the gas supply pipe 510 and the nozzle 410 , and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 . In addition, when the evaporated water tank 321 is provided on the upstream side of the valve 324 of the gas supply pipe 320, when the valve 324 is opened, the O ₃ gas accumulated in the evaporated water tank 321 is supplied into the processing chamber 201.

The O ₃ gas reacts with at least a part of the Al-containing layer formed on the wafer 200 in the first step S303. The Al-containing layer is oxidized to form an aluminum oxide layer (AlO layer) containing Al and O as a metal oxide layer. That is, the Al-containing layer is modified into an AlO layer.

(Purification process S306 (residual gas removal process)) After the AlO layer is formed, the valve 324 is closed to stop the supply of O ₃ gas. Then, the unreacted O ₃ gas or reaction by-products remaining in the processing chamber 201 or after contributing to the formation of the AlO layer are removed from the processing chamber 201 through the same processing procedure as the residual gas removal step after the raw material gas supply step. product.

[Predetermined number of implementations] The AlO film is formed on the wafer 200 by sequentially performing the above-mentioned cycle of the first process S303, the purification process S304, the second process S305, and the purification process S306 for a predetermined number of times N. The number of cycles is appropriately selected according to the film thickness necessary for the finally formed AlO film. In the determination process S307, it is determined whether the predetermined number of times has been executed. If the process is performed a predetermined number of times, a YES (Y) determination is made, and the film formation process S300 is completed. If the predetermined number of times has not been performed, the determination is No (N) and the film formation process S300 is repeated. In addition, it is ideal to repeat this cycle multiple times. The thickness of the AlO film (film thickness) is, for example, 10 to 150 nm, preferably 40 to 100 nm, and more preferably 60 to 80 nm. By setting the thickness to 150 nm or less, the surface roughness can be reduced, and by setting it to 10 nm or more, the occurrence of film peeling due to the stress difference with the underlying film can be suppressed.

(Atmosphere adjustment process S308 (post-purification and atmospheric pressure recovery)) Once the film formation process S300 is completed, the valves 514 and 524 are opened, and N ₂ gas is supplied from each of the gas supply pipes 310 and 320 into the processing chamber 201, and the N gas is supplied from the exhaust gas to the processing chamber 201. Pipe 231 exhaust. The N ₂ gas functions as a purge gas, and gases or by-products remaining in the processing chamber 201 are removed from the processing chamber 201 (post-purification). Then, the atmosphere in the processing chamber 201 is replaced with N ₂ gas (N ₂ gas replacement), and the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is restored to normal pressure (atmospheric pressure restoration).

(Substrate unloading process S309 (wafer boat unloading･wafer unloading)) Then, the sealing cover 219 is lowered by the wafer boat lift 115, the lower end of the manifold 209 is opened, and the processed wafer 200 is moved out from the lower end of the manifold 209 while being supported on the wafer boat 217. Outside of tube 203 (wafer boat unloading). The processed wafer 200 is carried out to the outside of the outer tube 203 and then taken out from the wafer boat 217 (wafer removal).

By performing such a substrate processing process, a desired film is deposited on the wafer 200 . That is, the processing uniformity of each wafer 200 supported on the wafer boat 217 or the processing uniformity within the plane of the wafer 200 can be improved.

The second example of this embodiment is to form a zirconium oxide film (ZrO film) containing Zr and O on the wafer 200 by performing the following process a predetermined number of times N´ (N´≧1 times). While heating the processing chamber 201 in which a plurality of wafers 200 are loaded as substrates at a predetermined temperature, TEMAZ gas is supplied as a source gas to the processing chamber 201 from a plurality of gas supply holes 410 a opened in the nozzle 410 . Engineering; and A process of supplying the reaction gas from the gas supply hole 420a opened in the nozzle 420.

(Substrate moving process S301) The substrate loading process S301 of the second example is the same as that of the first example.

(Atmosphere adjustment process S302) The atmosphere adjustment process S302 of the second example is the same as that of the first example.

[Film formation process S300] A step of forming a ZrO film of a high dielectric constant oxide film as a metal oxide film on the wafer 200 is performed.

(First step S303 (first gas supply)) The valve 314 is opened, and the TEMAZ gas of the source gas flows as the processing gas in the gas supply pipe 310 . The TEMAZ gas has a flow rate adjusted by the MFC 312, is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 410a of the nozzle 410, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231. At this time, TEMAZ gas is supplied to the wafer 200 . At this time, the valve 514 is opened at the same time, and N ₂ gas flows in the gas supply pipe 510 . The flow rate of the N ₂ gas flowing in the gas supply pipe 510 is adjusted by the MFC 512. The N ₂ gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 410 a of the nozzle 410 together with the TEMAZ gas, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 .

In order to prevent the TEMAZ gas from intruding into the nozzle 420 , the valve 524 is opened and the N ₂ gas flows in the gas supply pipe 520 . The N ₂ gas is supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the gas supply pipe 320 and the nozzle 420 , and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 .

At this time, the APC valve 243 is appropriately adjusted to set the pressure in the processing chamber 201 to a pressure in the range of 20 to 500 Pa, for example. The supply flow rate of the TEMAZ gas controlled by the MFC312 is, for example, a flow rate in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 g/min. The time for exposing the wafer 200 to TEMAZ, that is, the gas supply time (irradiation time), is set to a time in the range of 10 to 300 seconds, for example. At this time, the temperature of the heater 207 is set such that the temperature of the wafer 200 is within the range of 150°C to 400°C, for example. By supplying the TEMAZ gas, a Zr-containing layer is formed on the wafer 200. In the Zr-containing layer, organic substances (carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), etc.) derived from the TEMAZ gas remain slightly as residual elements.

(Purification process S304 (residual gas removal process)) After the TEMAZ gas is supplied for a predetermined time, the valve 314 is closed to stop the supply of the TEMAZ gas. At this time, the APC valve 243 of the exhaust pipe 231 remains open, and the vacuum pump 246 is used to exhaust the vacuum in the processing chamber 201, and the unreacted residues remaining in the processing chamber 201 or those contributed to the reaction are removed from the processing chamber 201. TEMAZ gas. At this time, the valve 524 remains open, and the supply of N ₂ gas into the processing chamber 201 is maintained. N ₂ gas acts as a purification gas.

(Second process S305 (reaction gas supply process)) After the residual gas in the processing chamber 201 is removed, the valve 324 is opened, and the O ₃ gas containing oxygen gas flows in the gas supply pipe 320 . The flow rate of the O ₃ gas is adjusted by the MFC 322, and is supplied into the processing chamber 201 from the gas supply hole 420a of the nozzle 420, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231. At this time, O ₃ gas is supplied to the wafer 200 . At this time, the valve 524 is opened at the same time, and an inert gas such as N ₂ gas flows in the gas supply pipe 520 . The N ₂ gas flowing in the gas supply pipe 520 has a flow rate adjusted by the MFC 522 , is supplied into the processing chamber 201 together with the O ₃ gas, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 231 .

When O ₃ gas flows, the APC valve 243 is appropriately adjusted, and the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is set to 110 Pa, for example. The total supply flow rate of O ₃ gas supplied from the nozzle 420 controlled by the MFC 322 is, for example, 70 slm. The flow rate of the O ₃ gas controlled by the MFC 322 and the APC valve 243 is, for example, set to a flow rate in the range of 7.0 m/s to 8.5 m/s. The partial pressure of the O ₃ gas is, for example, 9.0 Pa (approximately 8.0% of the pressure in the processing chamber 201) to 12.0 Pa (approximately 11.0% of the pressure in the processing chamber 201), and more preferably 11.0 Pa (the pressure in the processing chamber 201). 10.0% of the pressure). The concentration of O ₃ gas supplied into the processing chamber 201 is set to 250 g/Nm ³ . The time for exposing the wafer 200 to the O ₃ gas, that is, the gas supply time (irradiation time), is set to a time in the range of 30 to 120 seconds, for example. The temperature of the heater 207 at this time is set to the same temperature as in step S101. By supplying O ₃ gas, the Zr-containing layer formed on the wafer 200 will be oxidized to form a ZrO layer. At this time, organic matter (carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), etc.) derived from the TEMAZ gas will remain slightly in the ZrO layer.

In addition, in this embodiment, one nozzle 420 is used to supply O ₃ gas, but the number of nozzles is not limited. For example, three nozzles may be used to supply O ₃ gas.

(Purification process S306 (residual gas removal process)) After the ZrO layer is formed, the valve 324 is closed to stop the supply of O ₃ gas. Then, the unreacted O ₃ gas remaining in the processing chamber 201 or the O 3 gas contributed to the formation of the ZrO layer is removed from the processing chamber 201 through the same processing procedure as the residual gas removal step before the O ₃ gas supply step.

[Predetermined number of executions] By sequentially performing the above-mentioned first process S303, purification process S304, second process S305 and purification process S306 one or more times (predetermined number of times N´), a predetermined pattern is formed on the wafer 200 Thickness of ZrO film. It is ideal to repeat the above cycle multiple times. In this way, when the ZrO film is formed, the TEMAZ gas and the O ₃ gas are alternately supplied to the wafer 200 in a manner that does not mix them with each other (time division).

(Atmosphere adjustment process S308 (post-purification･atmospheric pressure recovery)) The atmosphere adjustment process S308 of the second example is the same as that of the first example.

(Substrate unloading process S309 (wafer boat unloading･wafer unloading)) The substrate unloading process S309 of the second example is the same as that of the first example.

Various typical embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and may be used in appropriate combinations. And, it is not limited to this.

For example, the above-mentioned embodiment shows an example in which the outer tube (outer tube) 203 and the inner tube (inner tube) 204 constitute the reaction vessel (processing vessel). However, the reaction vessel may be constituted by only the outer tube 203.

In addition, the first example of the above-described embodiment is an example of using TMA gas as the Al-containing gas, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, aluminum chloride (AlCl ₃ ) may also be used. As the O-containing gas, an example of using O ₃ gas is described, but it is not limited thereto. For example, oxygen (O ₂ ), water (H ₂ O), hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ), O ₂ plasma and A combination of hydrogen (H ₂ ) plasma and the like are also applicable. The inert gas is described as an example of using N ₂ gas, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, rare gases such as Ar gas, He gas, Ne gas, and Xe gas may also be used.

Furthermore, although an example in which Al-containing gas is used as the first gas is shown, the invention is not limited to this and the following gases can be used. For example, gas containing silicon (Si) element, gas containing titanium (Ti) element, gas containing tantalum (Ta) element, gas containing zirconium (Zr) element, gas containing hafnium (Hf) element, gas containing tungsten ( Gas containing the element W), gas containing the element niobium (Nb), gas containing the element molybdenum (Mo), gas containing the element tungsten (W), gas containing the element yttrium (Y), gas containing the element La (lanthanum) , gases containing strontium (Sr) element, etc. In addition, a gas containing plural elements described in this application may also be used. Furthermore, gases containing any of the elements described in this application may be used in plural.

Furthermore, although an example in which an oxygen-containing gas is used as the second gas is shown, the invention is not limited to this and the following gases can be used. For example, gas containing nitrogen (N) element, gas containing hydrogen (H) element, gas containing carbon (C) element, gas containing boron (B) element, gas containing phosphorus (P) element, etc. In addition, a gas containing plural elements described in this application may also be used. Furthermore, gases containing any of the elements described in this application may be used in plural.

In addition, the above is an example in which the first gas and the second gas are supplied sequentially, but the substrate processing apparatus 10 of the present invention may be configured to have an opportunity to supply the first gas and the second gas in parallel. In the process of supplying the first gas and the second gas in parallel, since the film formation rate can be greatly increased, the time of the film formation process S300 can be shortened, and the manufacturing processing capability of the substrate processing apparatus 10 can be improved.

In addition, the above is an example of forming an AlO film on a substrate. However, this case is not limited to this form. It can also be used for other membrane types. By appropriately combining the above gases, for example, containing titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), yttrium (Y) , La (lanthanum), strontium (Sr), silicon (Si) films, nitride films, carbonitride films, oxide films, oxycarbonitride films, oxynitride films, oxygen films containing at least one of these elements Carbon nitride films, boron nitride films, boron carbon nitride films, metal element monomer films, etc. are also applicable.

In addition, the above description is about the process of depositing a film on a substrate. However, this case is not limited to this form. It is also applicable to other processing. For example, the wafer 200 may be processed by supplying only the second gas (reactive gas). By supplying only the second gas to the wafer 200 , oxidation and other processes can be performed on the surface of the wafer 200 . In this case, deterioration (oxidation) of the member disposed in the low-temperature region can be suppressed.

In addition, the second example of the above-mentioned embodiment takes TEMAZ as an example as an organic raw material, but it is not limited to this, and other raw materials can also be applied. For example, organic Hf raw materials such as tetra(ethylmethylamino)hafnium (Hf[N(CH ₃ )CH ₂ CH ₃ ] ₄ , TEMAH), trimethylaluminum ((CH ₃ ) ₃ Al, TMA), etc. Organic Al raw materials, organic Si raw materials such as tris-dimethylaminosilane (SiH(N(CH ₃ ) ₂ ) ₃ , TDMAS), tetrakis-dimethylaminotitanium (Ti[N(CH ₃ ) ₂ ] ₄ , TDMAT) and other organic Ti raw materials, and organic Ta raw materials such as penta-dimethylaminotantalum (Ta(N(CH ₃ ) ₂ ) ₅ , PDMAT), etc. are also applicable.

In addition, the second example of the above-mentioned embodiment shows an example in which O ₃ gas is used in the film formation process. However, the invention is not limited to this. As long as it is an oxygen-containing gas, other raw materials may be used. For example, O ₂ , O ₂ plasma, H ₂ O, H ₂ O ₂ , N ₂ O, etc. are also applicable.

In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments, modifications, etc. can be used in appropriate combinations. In addition, the processing procedures and processing conditions at this time may be the same as those of the above-mentioned embodiment or modifications.

In addition, the above description is about a vertical substrate processing apparatus that processes a plurality of substrates at a time. However, the technology of this invention can also be applied to a single-chip apparatus that processes one substrate at a time.

In addition, the above-mentioned substrate processing performed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 is an example of film formation processing and is one of the manufacturing processes of the semiconductor device, but is not limited to this. Other substrate treatments are also possible. In addition to the semiconductor device manufacturing process, substrate processing performed in one of the manufacturing processes of a display device (display device), one of the ceramic substrate manufacturing processes, etc. can also be performed.

10:Substrate processing device 200: Wafer (substrate) 201:Processing room 207:Heater (heating part) 217: Wafer boat (substrate support)

[Fig. 1] is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a vertical processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus. [Fig. 2] is a schematic cross-sectional view along line A-A in Fig. 1. [Fig. [FIG. 3] is a schematic diagram of the gas supply system of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. [FIG. [FIG. 4] is a side view showing the wafer boat accommodated in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. [FIG. [Fig. 5] is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Fig. 4. [Fig. [FIG. 6] is an explanatory diagram showing the wafer supporting state of the wafer boat of FIG. 4. [FIG. [Fig. 7] is a side view of a pillar of the wafer boat according to the first modified example. [Fig. 8] is a side view of a pillar and a support pin of the wafer boat according to the second modification. [Fig. 9] is a side view of a pillar and a support pin of the wafer boat according to the third modification example. [Fig. 10] is a perspective view of a wafer boat according to a fourth modification example. [Fig. 11] is a cross-sectional view of the wafer boat of Fig. 10. [Fig. [FIG. 12] is a schematic block diagram of the controller of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, and shows the schematic block diagram of the control system of the controller. [FIG. 13] is a flowchart showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. [FIG.

10:Substrate processing device

115:Crystal Boat Lift

121:Controller

200: Wafer (substrate)

201:Processing room

201a:Preparatory room

202: Treatment furnace

203:Outer tube

204:Inner tube

204a:Exhaust hole

206:Exhaust path

207:Heater (heating part)

209:Manifold

217: Wafer boat (substrate support)

218:Thermal insulation department

219:Sealing cover

231:Exhaust pipe

243:APC valve

245: Pressure sensor

246:Vacuum pump

255:Rotating axis

267: Rotating mechanism

220a,220b:O-ring

310,320,350:Gas supply pipe

410:Nozzle

410a, 420a: Gas supply hole

T1: Uniform heating area

Claims (11)

A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that it is provided with: a substrate support having: a pillar made of metal; and a plurality of supporting parts provided on the pillar and configured to support a plurality of substrates in multiple stages; and a processing chamber. , which accommodates the plurality of substrates supported on the substrate support; and a heater, which heats the plurality of substrates accommodated in the processing chamber, and the plurality of supporting parts are formed by metal parts and sheet-like members The metal portion is directly fixed to the pillar and is made of metal. The sheet-like member is a contact portion in contact with the plurality of substrates and is not disposed between positions at a predetermined distance from the pillar. , and the range from the position of the predetermined distance to the front end of the plurality of substrate supporting parts is provided on the upper part of the metal part and is formed of at least one of a metal oxide or a non-metal oxide. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of support portions are composed of a plurality of support pins fixed to the pillars. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the metal portion among the plurality of supporting portions is covered with at least one of the film of the metal oxide or the film of the non-metallic substance. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pillar is covered with at least one of the film of the metal oxide or the film of the non-metallic substance. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least part of the support is not covered by the non-metal film or the metal oxide film, and the surface of the metal is exposed. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the non-metallic substance is at least one of silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the metal oxide is at least either chromium oxide or aluminum oxide. The substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the pillars have a plurality of recessed portions or through-holes, and the plurality of support pins each have a convex portion that fits into the plurality of recessed portions or through-holes. A substrate support tool, characterized by having: a pillar made of metal; and a plurality of support parts provided on the pillar and configured to support a plurality of substrates in multiple stages, the plurality of support parts being made of metal parts It is composed of a sheet-like member, the metal part is directly fixed to the pillar, and is made of metal. The sheet-like member is a contact portion in contact with the plurality of substrates, and is located at a predetermined distance from the pillar. The time is not configured and is preset from the previous A range from a predetermined distance to the front ends of the plurality of substrate supporting parts is provided on the upper part of the metal part and is formed of at least one of a metal oxide or a non-metal oxide. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, characterized by a process of moving a substrate supporter into a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus in a state where a plurality of substrates are supported by a plurality of support parts, the substrate supporter having: A pillar made of metal and a plurality of support portions provided on the pillar to support the plurality of substrates in multiple stages; a process of heating the plurality of substrates carried into the processing chamber; and from the aforementioned processing In the process of moving the plurality of substrates after treatment indoors, the plurality of supporting parts are composed of metal parts and sheet-like members. The metal part is directly fixed to the pillars and is made of metal. The sheet-like members The contact portion for contacting the plurality of substrates is not disposed between the position of the predetermined distance from the pillar, and the range from the position of the predetermined distance to the front end of the plurality of substrate supporting parts is provided on the metal The upper part of the part is formed of at least one of a metal oxide or a non-metal oxide. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the diameter of the support is 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

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