METHOD OF DEPOSITING A FILM AND FILM DEPOSITION APPARATUS

• US 20140113436A1
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: KATO, Hitoshi, TANAKA, KEIICHI, KIKUCHI, HIROYUKI
• Granted Patent: US 9,153,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/478
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/24 Deposition of silicon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45527 characterized by the ALD cycle, e.g. different flows or temperatures during half-reactions, unusual pulsing sequence, use of precursor mixtures or auxiliary reactants or activations
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD

Abstract

A disclosed method of depositing a silicon film on a substrate mounted on a turntable and can pass by rotation through a first process area and a second process area, which are separately arranged along a peripheral direction in a cylindrical chamber set to have a first temperature capable of cutting a Si—H bond includes a molecular layer deposition step of supplying a Si₂H₆ gas set to have a second temperature less than the first temperature when the substrate passes through the first process area thereby forming a SiH₃ molecular layer on a surface of the substrate, and a hydrogen desorption step of causing the substrate, on a surface of which the SiH₃ molecular layer is formed, to pass through the second process area maintained to have the first temperature thereby cutting the Si—H bond and leaving only a silicon atomic layer on the surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a film for forming a silicon film on a substrate, which is mounted on a turntable and can pass by rotation through a first process area and a second process area, which are separately arranged along a peripheral direction in a chamber substantially in a cylindrical shape set to have a first temperature capable of cutting a Si—

H bond, the method comprising;

a molecular layer deposition step of supplying a Si₂H₆ gas set to have a second temperature less than the first temperature when the substrate passes through the first process area thereby forming a SiH₃ molecular layer on a surface of the substrate; and

a hydrogen desorption step of causing the substrate, on the surface of which the SiH₃ molecular layer is formed, to pass through the second process area maintained to have the first temperature thereby cutting the Si—

H bond and leaving only a silicon atomic layer on the surface of the substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second temperature is an ambient temperature.

3. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the first temperature is in a range of 540°

C. to 580°

C.

4. The method according to claim 3,

wherein the molecular layer deposition step is performed while the silicon film is exposed on the substrate, includes a molecular layer deposition reaction, which is to be produced under an atmosphere in a range of 430°

C. to 470°

C. when the turntable is fixed, and instantaneously forms an atmosphere in a range of 430°

C. to 470°

C. in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate by supplying the Si₂H₆ gas having the second temperature and by the rotation of the turntable.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein a cycle of the molecular deposition step and the hydrogen desorption step is continuously repeated a plurality of times.

6. The method according to claim 1,

wherein, in a space where the substrate moves from the first process area to the second process area, a first separating area is provided to separate the first process area from the second process area, the method further comprising:

a CVD reaction restriction step for causing the substrate to pass through the first separating area and supplying a purge gas onto the surface of the substrate thereby restricting a CVD reaction of SiH₃ from producing after the molecular layer deposition step.

7. The method according to claim 1,

wherein, in a space where the substrate moves from the second process area to the first process area, a second separating area is provided to separate the second process area from the first process area, the method further comprising:

a separation step for causing the substrate to pass through the second separating area and supplying a purge gas onto the surface of the substrate after the hydrogen desorption step.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second process area has an area wider than the first process area, and

the hydrogen desorption step is performed longer than the molecular layer deposition step.

9. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a seed layer formation step of forming a seed layer on the surface of the silicon substrate before the molecular layer deposition step is started.

11. The method according to claim 10,

wherein the seed layer formation step includes a process of supplying an organic aminosilane gas onto the surface of the silicon substrate.

12. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the substrate includes a plurality of substrates,

the plurality of substrates are mounted on the turntable along the peripheral direction,

the silicon film is simultaneously formed on the plurality of substrates by the rotation of the turntable.

13. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the Si₂H₆ gas is supplied while the Si₂H₆ gas is diluted by a purge gas.

14. A film deposition apparatus comprising:

a chamber that is substantially in a cylindrical shape and is set to have a first temperature capable of cutting a Si—

H bond;

a turntable, which is provided inside the chamber and is rotatable and on which a substrate is mounted;

a first process area, which is provided in the chamber in a peripheral direction, and inside which a Si₂H₆ gas having a second temperature less than the first temperature is supplied, a SiH₃ molecular layer is formed on the substrate by a molecular layer deposition method when the substrate passes through the first process area along with a rotation of the turntable; and

a second process area, which is provided apart from the first process area in the peripheral direction, and inside which the Si—

H bond of the SiH₃ molecular layer formed on the substrate is broken when the substrate passes through the second process area along with the rotation of the turntable to resultantly leave only a silicon atomic layer on the substrate.

15. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the second temperature is an ambient temperature.

16. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein the first temperature is in a range of 540°

C. to 580°

C.

17. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 16,

wherein when the SiH₃ molecular layer is formed in the first process area, the silicon film is exposed on the substrate, a molecular layer deposition reaction, which is to be produced under an atmosphere in a range of 430°

C. to 470°

C. when the turntable is fixed, is produced, and an atmosphere in a range of 430°

C. to 470°

C. is instantaneously formed in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate by supplying the Si₂H₆ gas having the second temperature and by the rotation of the turntable.

18. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the turntable is rotated a plurality of times, and processes performed in the first and second process areas are continuously repeated a plurality of cycles.

19. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first separating area, which is provided in a space where the substrate moves from the first process area to the second process area, and is configured to separate the first process area from the second process area,

wherein, in the first process area, a purge gas is supplied onto the surface of the substrate thereby restricting a CVD reaction of SiH₃ from producing.

20. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a second separating area provided in a space where the substrate moves from the second process area to the first process area, and is configured to separate the second process area from the first process area,

wherein, in the second separating area, a purge gas is supplied onto the surface of the substrate.