COATING APPARATUS AND COATING METHOD

• US 20100021631A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc. (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc. (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: MORIYAMA, Yoshikazu, HIRATA, Hironobu, SUZUKI, Kunihiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/255.230
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45572 Cooled nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/46 characterised by the method used for heating the substrate C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/14 Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/06 Silicon

Abstract

In a coating apparatus, a distributor plate 104 is disposed upstream of a silicon wafer 101 relative to the direction of flow of reactive gas. The distributor plate 104 has therein first through-holes 104a and second through-holes 104b arranged so as not to meet the first through-holes 104a. The reactive gas passes through the first through-holes 104a and flows down toward the silicon wafer 101. Further, a cooling gas passes through the second through-holes 104b.

Claims

1. A coating apparatus in which a film is formed on a surface of a substrate placed in a coating chamber by supplying a reactive gas to the inside of said coating chamber and heating said substrate, said coating apparatus comprising:

a distributor plate disposed upstream of said substrate relative to the direction of flow of said reactive gas;

wherein a cooling gas passes through the inside of said distributor plate.

2. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said distributor plate has therein a first through-hole extending in said direction of flow of said reactive gas and also has therein a second through-hole arranged so as not to meet said first through-hole; and

said reactive gas passes through said first through-hole and flows down toward said substrate, and said cooling gas passes through said second through-hole.

3. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a first flow path for supplying said reactive gas and said cooling gas to the inside of said coating chamber;

a second flow path for supplying said cooling gas to said distributor plate;

a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of said substrate; and

a controller for causing the flow of said cooling gas to be directed either through only said first flow path or through both said first and second flow paths, depending on said temperature measured by said temperature measuring device.

4. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a third flow path for receiving said cooling gas discharged from said distributor plate and introducing said cooling gas into said coating chamber; and

a fourth flow path for exhausting said cooling gas together with said reactive gas from said coating chamber, said cooling gas having been introduced from said third flow path into said coating chamber.

5. A coating apparatus in which a film is formed on a surface of a substrate placed in a coating chamber by supplying a reactive gas to the inside of said coating chamber and heating said substrate, said coating apparatus comprising:

a distributor plate disposed upstream of said substrate relative to the direction of flow of said reactive gas and including two flat plates and a connecting pipe, said two flat plates having through-holes therein and being spaced a predetermined distance from each other, said connecting pipe being connected between said through-holes;

wherein said reactive gas passes through the inside of said connecting pipe and flows down toward said substrate, and said cooling gas passes through between said two flat plates.

6. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a first flow path for supplying said reactive gas and said cooling gas to the inside of said coating chamber;

a second flow path for supplying said cooling gas to said distributor plate;

a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of said substrate; and

a controller for causing the flow of said cooling gas to be directed either through only said first flow path or through both said first and second flow paths, depending on said temperature measured by said temperature measuring device.

7. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a third flow path for receiving said cooling gas discharged from said distributor plate and introducing said cooling gas into said coating chamber; and

a fourth flow path for exhausting said cooling gas together with said reactive gas from said coating chamber, said cooling gas having been introduced from said third flow path into said coating chamber.

8. A coating apparatus in which a film is formed on a surface of a substrate placed in a coating chamber by supplying a reactive gas to the inside of said coating chamber and heating said substrate, said coating apparatus comprising:

a distributor plate disposed upstream of said substrate relative to the direction of flow of said reactive gas and including a first portion having a plurality of through-holes therein and a hollow second portion disposed along the periphery of said first portion;

wherein said reactive gas passes through said through-holes and flows down toward said substrate, and said cooling gas passes through said second portion.

9. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a first flow path for supplying said reactive gas and said cooling gas to the inside of said coating chamber;

a second flow path for supplying said cooling gas to said distributor plate;

a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of said substrate; and

a controller for causing the flow of said cooling gas to be directed either through only said first flow path or through both said first and second flow paths, depending on said temperature measured by said temperature measuring device.

10. The coating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a third flow path for receiving said cooling gas discharged from said distributor plate and introducing said cooling gas into said coating chamber; and

a fourth flow path for exhausting said cooling gas together with said reactive gas from said coating chamber, said cooling gas having been introduced from said third flow path into said coating chamber.

11. A coating method that supplies a reactive gas to the inside of a coating chamber and heats a substrate placed in said coating chamber to form a film on a surface of said substrate, said method comprising:

providing a distributor plate upstream of said substrate relative to the direction of flow of said reactive gas, said distributor plate having a through-hole therein; and

passing said reactive gas through said through-hole in said distributor plate so that said reactive gas flows down toward said substrate while flowing said cooling gas through the inside of said distributor plate.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said flowing said cooling gas is initiated when the temperature of said substrate has reached or exceeded a predetermined temperature.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flow rate of said cooling gas is varied in accordance with the temperature of said distributor plate or said substrate.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

supplying said reactive gas and a carrier gas to the inside of said coating chamber; and

causing said carrier gas to also flow through the inside of said distributor plate when the temperature of said substrate has reached or exceeded a predetermined temperature.