BATCH CVD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESS
First Claim
1. A batch CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method for a semiconductor process in a batch CVD apparatus,the apparatus comprisinga vertically long process container configured to accommodate a plurality of target objects,a holder configured to support the target objects at intervals in a vertical direction inside the process container,a source gas supply system configured to supply a source gas into the process container, the source gas supply system including a source gas valve for adjusting supply of the source gas,a reactive gas supply system configured to supply a reactive gas into the process container, the reactive gas supply system including a reactive gas valve for adjusting supply of the reactive gas, andan exhaust system configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container, the exhaust system including an exhaust valve for adjusting an exhaust rate,the method being preset to repeat a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times and thereby to form a product film having a predetermined thickness on the target objects, the cycle comprising:
- an adsorption step of adsorbing the source gas onto the target objects, while supplying the source gas into the process container by first setting the source gas valve open for a first period and then setting the source gas valve closed, without supplying the reactive gas into the process container by keeping the reactive gas valve closed, and without exhausting gas from inside the process container by keeping the exhaust valve closed;
then, a first intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve open;
then, a reaction step of causing the reactive gas to react with the source gas adsorbed on the target objects, without supplying the source gas into the process container by keeping the source gas valve closed, while supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open, and exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state; and
then, a second intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to have a valve opening degree larger than that at end of the reaction step.
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Abstract
A batch CVD method repeats a cycle including adsorption and reaction steps along with a step of removing residual gas. The adsorption step is preformed while supplying the source gas into the process container by first setting the source gas valve open for a first period and then setting the source gas valve closed, without supplying the reactive gas into the process container by keeping the reactive gas valve closed, and without exhausting gas from inside the process container by keeping the exhaust valve closed. The reaction step is performed without supplying the source gas into the process container by keeping the source gas valve closed, while supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open, and exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state.
302 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A batch CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method for a semiconductor process in a batch CVD apparatus,
the apparatus comprising a vertically long process container configured to accommodate a plurality of target objects, a holder configured to support the target objects at intervals in a vertical direction inside the process container, a source gas supply system configured to supply a source gas into the process container, the source gas supply system including a source gas valve for adjusting supply of the source gas, a reactive gas supply system configured to supply a reactive gas into the process container, the reactive gas supply system including a reactive gas valve for adjusting supply of the reactive gas, and an exhaust system configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container, the exhaust system including an exhaust valve for adjusting an exhaust rate, the method being preset to repeat a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times and thereby to form a product film having a predetermined thickness on the target objects, the cycle comprising: -
an adsorption step of adsorbing the source gas onto the target objects, while supplying the source gas into the process container by first setting the source gas valve open for a first period and then setting the source gas valve closed, without supplying the reactive gas into the process container by keeping the reactive gas valve closed, and without exhausting gas from inside the process container by keeping the exhaust valve closed; then, a first intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve open; then, a reaction step of causing the reactive gas to react with the source gas adsorbed on the target objects, without supplying the source gas into the process container by keeping the source gas valve closed, while supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open, and exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state; and then, a second intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to have a valve opening degree larger than that at end of the reaction step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A batch CVD (chemical vapor deposition) apparatus for a semiconductor process, the apparatus comprising:
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a vertically long process container configured to accommodate a plurality of target objects; a holder configured to support the target objects at intervals in a vertical direction inside the process container; a source gas supply system configured to supply a source gas into the process container, the source gas supply system including a source gas valve for adjusting supply of the source gas; a reactive gas supply system configured to supply a reactive gas into the process container, the reactive gas supply system including a reactive gas valve for adjusting supply of the reactive gas; an exhaust system configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container, the exhaust system including an exhaust valve for adjusting an exhaust rate; and a control section configured to control an operation of the apparatus, wherein the control section is preset to execute a batch CVD method, which repeats a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times and thereby to form a product film having a predetermined thickness on the target objects, the cycle comprising an adsorption step of adsorbing the source gas onto the target objects, while supplying the source gas into the process container by first setting the source gas valve open for a first period and then setting the source gas valve closed, without supplying the reactive gas into the process container by keeping the reactive gas valve closed, and without exhausting gas from inside the process container by keeping the exhaust valve closed, then, a first intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve open, then, a reaction step of causing the reactive gas to react with the source gas adsorbed on the target objects, without supplying the source gas into the process container by keeping the source gas valve closed, while supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open, and exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state, and then, a second intermediate step of removing residual gas from inside the process container, without supplying either of the source gas and the reactive gas into the process container by keeping both of the source gas valve and the reactive gas valve closed, while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve to have a valve opening degree larger than that at end of the reaction step.
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Specification