Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method, high speed rotary valve, and cleaning method

• US 20050074983A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Shinriki, Hiroshi, Arami, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/785
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0035 by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45504 Laminar flow
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45548 having arrangements for gas injection at different locations of the reactor for each ALD half-reaction
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0407 with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0414 Plug channel at 90 degrees to the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02277 the reactions being activated by other means than plasma or thermal, e.g. photo-CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31691 with perovskite structure

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing vessel provided with a stage holding thereon a substrate to be processed and evacuated at an evacuation port, and a source gas supplying system that supplies plural source gases to the processing vessel separately in the form of a laminar flow, wherein the evacuation port has a slit-form shape extending in a direction generally intersecting perpendicularly to a direction of the laminar flow, the evacuation port is engaged with a valve having a valve body formed with a slit-form opening corresponding to the slit-form shape of the evacuation port, the slit-form opening being provided so as to cause a displacement with respect to the evacuation port in a direction generally intersecting perpendicularly to an extending direction of the evacuation port, the valve changing a degree of valve opening thereof via displacement of said slit-form opening.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a stage holding thereon a substrate to be processed and evacuated at an evacuation port; and

a processing gas supplying system that supplies plural processing gases to said processing vessel separately in the form of a laminar flow,

wherein said evacuation port has an evacuation opening extending in a direction generally intersecting perpendicularly to a direction of said laminar flow,

said evacuation port is engaged with a valve having a valve body formed with an opening corresponding to said evacuation opening of said evacuation port,

said opening being provided so as to cause a displacement with respect to said evacuation port in a direction generally intersecting perpendicularly to an extending direction of said evacuation port, said valve changing a degree of valve opening thereof via said displacement of said opening.

2. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opening is provided in a manner continuously movable with respect to the said evacuation port.

3. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve body is formed of a hollow cylindrical member formed with said opening, and wherein said valve has a rotation mechanism that causes a rotation in said hollow cylinder member.

4. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said valve body is held rotatably in a valve main body having a bearing surface of cylindrical form in a state of causing engagement with said bearing surface of cylindrical form, said valve body being formed with another opening communicating with said opening via a space inside said valve body, said valve main body being provided with an evacuation opening communicating with said another opening.

5. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation port comprises plural evacuation ports formed on first and second sides of said substrate to be processed.

6. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation port comprises first and second evacuation ports formed respectively at a first side and a second side of said substrate to be processed, said valve comprises first and second valves respectively provided on said first and second evacuation ports at said first side and said second side, said processing gas supplying system further comprising a first processing gas supply port provided on said second side of said substrate to be processed and supplying said first processing gas to said first evacuation port in the form of a first laminar flow along the surface of said substrate to be processed, and a second processing gas supply port provided on said first side of said processing vessel and supplying said second processing gas to said second evacuation port in the form of a second laminar flow along the surface of said substrate to be processed, wherein there is provided a control unit controlling said first and also second valves and said first and second processing gas supply ports.

7. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control unit controls said first and second valves and said first and second processing gas supply ports between:

a first state in which at least one of said first and second valves has a degree of valve opening and a purge gas is supplied from said first and second processing gas supply ports;

a second state in which said second valve is closed, said first valve has a first degree of valve opening, and said first processing gas supply port supplies said first processing gas and said second processing gas supply port supplies a purge gas; and

a third state in which said first valve is closed and said second valve has a second degree of valve opening and said processing gas supply port supplies said second processing gas and said first processing gas supply port supply a purge gas.

8. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein that said control unit controls said first and second valves and said first and second processing gas supply ports between:

a first state in which at least one of said first and second valves has a degree of valve opening and a purge gas is supplied from said first and second processing gas supply ports;

a second state in which said second valve is closed, said first valve is controlled so as to produce a predetermined processing pressure inside said processing vessel, and said first processing gas supply port supplies said first processing gas and said second processing gas supply port supplies a purge gas; and

a third state in which said first valve is closed, said second valve is controlled to as to produce a predetermined processing pressure inside said processing vessel, said second processing gas supply port supplies said second processing gas, and said first processing gas supply port supplies a purge gas.

9. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control unit changes said first and second valves and said first and second processing gas supply ports consecutively between said first state, said second state and said third state.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation port is formed at said first side of said substrate to be processed, said valve is provided in said evacuation port at said first side, wherein said processing gas supply system further comprises:

a processing gas supply nozzle provided at said second side of said substrate to be processed and supplying a first or second processing gas to said evacuation port in the form of a laminar flowing along a surface of said substrate to be processed; and

a control unit that controls said valve and said processing gas supply port between;

a first state in which said valve has a degree of valve opening and a purge gas is supplied from said processing gas supply port;

a second state in which said valve has a first degree of valve opening and said processing gas supply port supplies said first processing gas; and

a third state in which said valve has a second degree of valve opening and said processing gas supply port supplies said processing gas.

11. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation port is provided at a first side of said substrate to be processed, said valve is provided in said evacuation port at said first side, said processing gas supplying system further comprising:

a processing gas supply port provided at said second side of said substrate to be processed and supplying a first or second processing gas to said evacuation port in the form of a laminar flow along a surface of said substrate to be processed; and

a control unit that controls said valve and said processing gas supply port, said control unit controls said valve and said processing gas supply port between;

a first state in which said valve has a degree of valve opening and a purge gas is supplied from said processing gas supply port;

a second state in which said valve is controlled to as to form a predetermined processing pressure inside said processing vessel and said processing gas supply port supplies said first processing gas; and

a third state in which said valve is controlled such that a predetermined processing pressure is formed inside said processing vessel and said processing gas supply port supplies said second processing gas.

12. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said control unit changes said valve and said processing gas supply port consecutively between:

said first state;

said second state;

said first state; and

said third state.

13. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein that said processing gas supply system is located at a side closer to said substrate to be processed on said stage with respect to said evacuation port.

14. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing vessel has a reduced height at a central part thereof covering said substrate to be processed and held on said stage, as compared with both end parts which communicate with said central part.

15. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said processing vessel comprises a bottom part forming a substantially flush surface with a surface of said substrate to be processed and held on said stage;

and a ceiling part opposing to said bottom part, a height of said ceiling part calculated from said bottom part being decreased at said central part as compared with said both end parts.

16. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said processing vessel defines, at said central part, a processing space of 0.5-20 mm in height on said substrate to be processed.

17. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing vessel defines, at the central part, a processing space of preferably 0.5-8.0 mm in height on said substrate to be processed.

18. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation port is formed at least on one end of said processing vessel, in each of said evacuation ports, said valve body is formed of a hollow cylindrical member rotatable about a rotational axis extending parallel to an elongating direction of said evacuation port, and wherein said valve body is formed with plural openings each extending in direction of said rotational axis.

19. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing gas supply system includes bird'"'"'s beak form nozzle having a slit form opening therein so as to extend from said evacuation port toward said substrate to be processed and having a characteristic that decreases a conductance rapidly toward an exit side slit opening, at a side closer to said substrate to be processed and held on said stage, with respect to at least said evacuation port provided at an end of said processing vessel.

20. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said bird'"'"'s beak form nozzle having said slit form opening is connected with at least one supply line for source material supply and at least one supply line for a purge gas.

21. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in said evacuation port formed at least at one end of said processing vessel, said plural openings being formed so as to include at least one opening in such a positional relationship that, in a state in which said opening communicates with said at least one end part of said processing vessel, any of the other openings communicates with an evacuation conduit that evacuates an interior of said processing vessel and said gas supply port, and wherein said hollow cylindrical member can hold said openings in a positional relationship such that none of said openings make communicates with any of said end part of said processing vessel and said evacuation conduit evacuating said interior of said processing vessel and said nozzle.

22. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in each of said evacuation ports, said plural openings are formed so as to include at least one opening in such a positional relationship that, in a state in which said opening communicates with said at least one end part of said processing vessel, any other openings communicates with an evacuation conduit that evacuates an interior of said processing vessel, and wherein said hollow cylindrical member can hold said openings in a positional relationship such that none of said openings communicates with any of said end part of said processing vessel and said evacuation conduit evacuating said interior of said processing vessel and said nozzle.

23. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said substrate processing apparatus carries a radical source on said processing vessel, an inlet port being provided in an evacuation port at a first end part of said both end parts so as to be supplied with radicals from said radical source, and wherein said plural openings are formed on said hollow cylindrical member with such a positional relationship in that, in a state in which one of said plural openings is in communication with said first end part, the other one of said plural openings is in communication with said inlet port.

24. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is provided a gas supply line in said hollow cylindrical member that constitutes said valve body in said evacuation port formed at said second end part of said both end parts.

25. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is formed a nozzle of a bird'"'"'s beak form at said second end part of said both ends parts, and wherein at least one source supply line and at least one gas supply line for a purge are connected to said nozzle.

26. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation port is formed at first and second, mutually opposing end parts of said processing vessel respectively as a first evacuation port and a second evacuation port,

in each of said first and second evacuation ports, said valve body being formed of a hollow cylindrical member rotatable about an rotational axis extending in a parallel direction to an elongating direction of said evacuation port, said valve body being formed with at least first, second and third openings respectively extending in a direction of said rotational axis,

at first and second end parts of said processing vessel, there are provided first and second nozzles of a bird'"'"'s beak form at a side closer to said substrate to be processed and held on said stage with respect to said first and second evacuation ports as a source gas supply system, such that said first and second end parts extend toward said substrate to be processed from respective, corresponding evacuation ports, each of said first and second nozzles being provided with a source gas supply line and a purge gas line,

in said first evacuation port, said first through third openings being formed with such a positional relationship that, in a first state in which said third opening communicates with said first evacuation conduit that evacuates an interior of said processing vessel at a side of said first end part, said first opening communicates with said first end and said second slit-form opening communicates with said first nozzle, said first through third openings being formed with such a positional relationship that, in a second state in which said first slit-form opening communicates with said first evacuation conduit, none of said second and third openings communicates with any of said first end part, said first nozzle or said first evacuation conduit,

in said second evacuation port, said first through third openings being formed with such a positional relationship that, in a third state in which said third opening communicates with a second evacuation conduit that evacuates said interior of said processing vessel at a side of said second end part, said first opening communicates with said second end part and said second opening communicates with said second nozzle, said first through third openings being formed with such a positional relationship that, in a fourth state in which said first opening communicates with said second evacuation conduit, none of said second and third openings communicates with any of said second end part or said second nozzle or said second evacuation conduit.

27. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said first through third openings are formed in such a positional relationship that, in a fifth state in which said third opening communicates with said second end part, said third opening communicates with said radical source.

52. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation opening and said opening have the slit form.

28. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a stage holding thereon a substrate to be processed;

a processing gas inlet port formed in said processing vessel at a first side of said stage, said processing gas inlet port supplying a processing gas to said substrate to be processed in the form of a laminar flow;

a radical source formed on said processing vessel at a second side different from said first side with respect to said stage, said radical source supplying radicals to said substrate to be processed in the form of a laminar flow;

a first evacuation opening formed in said processing vessel at said first side;

a second evacuation opening formed in said processing vessel at said second side; and

an evacuation system connected to said first evacuation opening via a first variable conductance valve and connected to said second evacuation opening via a second variable conductance valve.

29. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein said radical source is a remote plasma source.

30. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a rotating mechanism rotating said substrate to be processed.

31. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said remote plasma source is connected to said evacuation system through a third variable conductance valve.

32. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said remote plasma source is connected to said substrate processing apparatus and also said evacuation system by a branched conduit having a first branch and a second branch, said first branch being connected to said remote plasma source via said second variable conductance valve, said second branch being connected to said evacuation system via said third variable conductance valve.

33. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said first and second variable conductance valves have substantially an identical construction.

34. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein said vessel has a flat form and wherein said processing gas inlet port forms a processing gas flow of a flat sheet-like form inside said processing vessel

35. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein said processing vessel defines a processing space of 0.5-20 mm in height above said substrate to be processed.

36. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein said processing vessel defines a processing space of preferably 0.5-8 mm in height above said substrate to be processed.

37. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said processing gas flow forms a laminar flow inside said processing vessel.

38. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a stage holding thereon a substrate to be processed and evacuated at an evacuation port;

a first processing gas supply nozzle formed in said processing vessel at a first side of said stage, said first processing gas supply nozzle introducing a first processing gas into said processing vessel in the form of a first laminar flow;

a second processing gas supply nozzle formed in said processing vessel at a second side of said stage, said second processing gas supply nozzle introducing a second processing gas into said processing vessel in the form of a second laminar flow;

a first evacuation opening of a slit-form formed in said processing vessel at said second side, said first evacuation opening evacuating said first laminar flow therethrough;

a second evacuation opening of a slit form formed in said processing vessel at said first side, said second evacuation opening evacuating said second laminar flow therethrough;

a first evacuation conduit connected to said first evacuation opening;

a second evacuation conduit connected to said second evacuation opening and provided with a conductance variable valve; and

a cleaning gas source connected to said second evacuation conduit at a position between said second evacuation opening and said conductance variable valve.

39. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein said cleaning gas source comprises a remote radical source forming radicals of said cleaning gas.

40. A high-speed rotary valve, comprising:

a main body, said main body being formed with;

a cylindrical internal space;

a slit-form suction port extending parallel to said cylindrical internal space in communication with said internal space; and

an evacuation opening communicating with said internal space;

a hollow cylindrical valve body provided rotatably in said main body in engagement with said internal space; and

a rotating mechanism causing said valve body to rotate to an arbitrary position, said valve body being formed with;

a first opening having a slit-form shape corresponding to said suction port; and

a second opening corresponding to the said evacuation opening.

41. The high-speed rotary valve as claimed in claim 40, wherein said first opening is formed in alignment in a direction parallel to an internal space of said cylindrical form and comprises third and fourth openings of a slit-form each extending in a direction parallel to said cylindrical internal space, said second opening being formed between said third opening and said fourth opening in a position generally opposing said third and fourth openings in a radial direction.

42. The high-speed rotary valve as claimed in claim 40, wherein said main body comprises a member of generally square columnar form defined therein with a cylindrical internal space, and wherein a cylindrical surface defining said cylindrical internal space forms a bearing surface that supports said valve body.

43. The high-speed rotary valve as claimed in claim 40, wherein said valve body is provided with rotary shafts at respective end parts thereof, said rotary shafts being supported by corresponding bearings at both ends of said square columnar member.

44. The high-speed rotary valve as claimed in claim 40, wherein said rotation mechanism comprises a servo motor.

45. The high-speed rotary valve as claimed in claim 40, further having a temperature control mechanism.

46. A substrate processing method, comprising the steps of:

(A) purging an interior of a processing vessel;

(B) introducing a processing gas into said processing vessel from-a first side of a substrate to be processed and evacuating, after processing gas molecules are adsorbed to a surface of said substrate to be processed, said processing gas from a second side opposite to said first side with respect to said substrate to be processed;

(C) purging, after said step (B), an interior of said processing vessel; and

(D) introducing, after said step (C), radicals into said processing vessel from said side of said substrate to be processed, causing oxidation in said processing gas molecules absorbed upon said surface of said substrate to be processed, and causing evacuation from said second side,

said radicals being formed by a radical source,

said radicals being caused to flow in said steps (A) and (C) to flow from said radical source to an evacuation system and supplied to said processing vessel in said step (D).

47. The substrate processing method as claimed in of the claim 46, wherein said radical source is driven continuously during said steps (A)-(D).

48. The substrate processing method as claimed in claim 46, wherein, in said steps (A)-(C), said purging step comprises the step of evacuating said processing vessel by using a part of a path used for supplying said radicals to said processing vessel from said radical source.

53. The substrate processing method as claimed in claim 46, wherein said processing gas is supplied from a first side of said stage along a surface of said substrate to be processed in the form a laminar flow.

54. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein said radical source is deenergized during an interval in which said processing gas is introduced into said processing vessel.

55. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein an oxidation processing gas is supplied to said radical source and wherein supply of said oxidation processing gas is interrupted during an interval in which said processing gas is introduced into said processing vessel.

56. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein an oxidation processing gas is supplied to said radical source, said first variable conductance valve is closed and said second conductance valve is set to a predetermined degree of valve opening during an interval in which said processing gas is supplied to said processing vessel, said first conductance valve is set to a predetermined degree of valve opening and said second variable conductance valve is closed during an interval in which said oxidation processing gas is supplied to said radical source.

57. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein said first and second conductance valves are opened at the same time when purging an interior of said processing vessel.

58. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein said radical source is connected further to said evacuation system via a third variable conductance valve, and wherein said first, second and third conductance valves are opened at the same time when purging an interior of said processing vessel.

59. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein said radical source is a remote plasma source supplied with an oxygen gas and producing oxygen radicals, said radicals being formed by the steps of supplying said oxygen gas to said remote radical source, and driving said remote plasma source so as to produce said oxygen radicals.

60. The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein said radical source is a remote plasma source supplied with a nitrogen gas and producing nitrogen radicals, said radicals being formed by the steps of supplying said nitrogen gas to said remote plasma source, and driving said remote plasma source so as to produce said nitrogen radicals.

49. A substrate processing method, comprising the steps of:

causing to flow a processing gas in a processing vessel along a surface of a substrate to be processed and held in said processing vessel from a first side to a second side oppose to said first side and causing adsorption of processing gas molecules upon said surface of said substrate to be processed;

purging an interior of said processing vessel inside; and

oxidizing said processing gas molecules adsorbed upon said surface of said substrate to be processed by causing to flow an oxidation processing gas in said processing vessel along said surface of said substrate to be processed from said first side to said second side,

wherein there is provided a step of activating said oxidation processing gas in said processing vessel at said first side by an ultraviolet optical excitation process to form radicals.

50. A cleaning method of a substrate processing apparatus, said substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a stage holding thereon a substrate to be processed and evacuated at first and second evacuation ports provided respectively to a first side and a second side of said stage; and

a source gas supply system supplying first and second source gases alternately respectively from said second side to said first side and from said first side to said second side in the form of a laminar flow, wherein there is provided a step of introducing a cleaning gas, in a state said processing vessel is evacuated at said first evacuation opening, into said processing vessel through said second evacuation opening from an evacuation conduit connected to said second evacuation opening.

51. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 50, wherein said cleaning gas includes radicals.

61. A substrate processing method in a substrate processing apparatus, said substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a stage for holding a substrate to be processed thereon, said processing vessel being evacuated at an evacuation port; and

a processing gas supplying system supplying plural processing gases to said processing vessel separately in the form of a laminar flow, said evacuation port having an evacuation opening extending in a direction where generally intersecting perpendicularly to a direction of said laminar flow flows, said evacuation port being engaged with a valve having a valve body, said valve body having an opening corresponding to an evacuation opening of said evacuation port, said opening being provided movably with respect to said evacuation port in a direction generally perpendicular to an elongating direction of said evacuation port, said valve changing a degree of valve opening as a result of displacement of said opening,

said substrate processing method comprising the steps of;

setting a degree of valve opening to a first value and evacuating an interior of said processing vessel from said evacuation port; and

setting a degree of valve opening to a second value smaller than said first value and supplying a processing gas to said processing vessel from said processing gas supplying system.

62. A substrate processing method in a substrate processing apparatus, said substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a state holding thereon a substrate to be processed;

a first processing gas inlet port formed in said processing vessel at a first side of said stage, said first processing gas inlet port supplying a processing gas to said substrate to be processed in the form of a laminar flow;

a second processing gas inlet port formed in said processing vessel at a second side different from said first side of said stage, said second processing gas inlet port supplying a second processing gas to said substrate to be processed in the form of a laminar flow;

a first evacuation port formed in said processing vessel at said first side, said first evacuation port extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction of said laminar flow from said first processing gas supplying port;

a second evacuation port formed in said processing vessel at said second side, said second evacuation port extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction of said laminar flow form said second processing gas supplying port;

a first valve engaging with said first evacuation port and having a first valve body, said first valve body having a first opening corresponding to said first evacuation port; and

a second valve engaging with said second evacuation port and having a second valve body, said second valve body having a second opening corresponding to said second evacuation port, said first opening being movable with respect to said first evacuation port in a direction generally perpendicular to an elongating direction of said first evacuation port, said second opening being provided movably with respect to said second evacuation port in a direction generally perpendicular to an elongating direction of said second evacuation port, said first valve changing a degree of valve opening as a result of displacement of said first opening, said second valve changing a degree of valve opening as a result of displacement of said second valve opening,

said substrate processing method comprising the steps of;

evacuating an interior of said processing vessel by setting said degree of valve opening to maximum for said first and second valves;

introducing said first processing gas into said processing vessel from said first processing gas supplying system by setting said degree of opening of said first valve to a first value and by setting said degree of opening of said second valve to a second value smaller than said first value;

evacuating an interior of said processing vessel by setting said degree of valve opening to maximum for said first and second valves; and

introducing said second processing gas into said processing vessel from said first processing gas supplying system by setting said degree of valve opening of said second valve to a third value and by setting said degree of valve opening of said first valve to a fourth value smaller than said third value.

63. A substrate processing method in a substrate processing apparatus, said substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a processing vessel provided with a stage for holding thereon a substrate to be processed;

a processing gas inlet provided in said processing vessel at a first side of said stage, said processing gas inlet supplying a processing gas to said substrate to be processed in the form of a laminar flow;

a radical source provided at a second side of said processing vessel different from said fist side with respect to said stage, said radical source supplying radicals to said substrate to be processed in the form of a laminar flow;

a first evacuation opening formed in said processing vessel at said first side;

a second evacuation opening formed in said processing vessel at said second side; and

an evacuation system coupled to said first evacuation port via a first variable conductance valve and to said second evacuation port via a second variable conductance valve,

said method comprising the steps of;

evacuating an interior of said processing vessel by setting a degree of valve opening to maximum for said first and second variable conductance valves;

introducing said processing gas into said processing vessel from said first processing gas supplying system by setting a degree of valve opening of said first conductance valve to a first value and by setting a degree of valve opening of said second variable conductance valve to a second, smaller value;

evacuating an interior of said processing vessel by setting a degree of valve opening of said first and second variable conductance valves to maximum; and

introducing said radicals into said processing vessel from said radical source by setting a degree of valve opening of said second variable conductance valve to a third value and by setting a degree of valve opening of said first variable conductance valve to a fourth value smaller than said third value.