RAW MATERIAL GAS SUPPLY DEVICE, FILM FORMING APPARATUS, RAW MATERIAL GAS SUPPLY METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20140209022A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: INOUE, Mitsuya, TAKADO, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 9,563,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/712
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4481 by evaporation using carrier gas in contact with the source material C23C16/4486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7758 Pilot or servo controlled

Abstract

Provided is a raw material gas supply device for use in a film forming apparatus, which includes: a raw material container configured to accommodate a solid raw material; a carrier gas supply unit configured to supply a carrier gas to the container; a raw material gas supply path configured to supply a raw material gas containing a vaporized raw material from the container to the film forming apparatus; a flow rate measurement unit configured to measure a flow rate of the vaporized raw material; a pressure control unit configured to control an internal pressure of the container; and a control unit configured to control the pressure control unit to increase the internal pressure of the container when the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material is higher than a predetermined target value, and to decrease the internal pressure when the measured flow rate is lower than the target value.

Claims

1. A raw material gas supply device for use in a film forming apparatus which forms a film on a substrate, comprising:

a raw material container configured to accommodate a liquid or solid raw material;

a carrier gas supply unit configured to supply a carrier gas to a gas phase zone defined inside the raw material container;

a raw material gas supply path configured to supply a raw material gas containing a vaporized raw material from the raw material container to the film forming apparatus;

a flow rate measurement unit configured to measure a flow rate of the vaporized raw material flowing through the raw material gas supply path;

a pressure control unit configured to control an internal pressure of the raw material container; and

a control unit configured to compare the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material with a predetermined target value, and to control the pressure control unit to increase the internal pressure of the raw material container when the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material is higher than the predetermined target value, and to decrease the internal pressure of the raw material container when the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material is lower than the predetermined target value.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure control unit is arranged in the raw material gas supply path, and includes a pressure control valve having an adjustable opening degree.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure control unit includes a pressure control gas supply unit which is configured to supply a pressure control gas to the raw material gas supply path.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a buffer gas supply unit configured to supply a buffer gas to a downstream side of a position at which the pressure control gas is supplied in the raw material gas supply path,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the pressure control gas supply unit and the raw material gas supply path such that the sum of a supply amount of the pressure control gas and a supply amount of the buffer gas is constantly maintained.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a differential pressure generating unit provided in the raw material gas supply path,

wherein the differential pressure generating unit is configured to increase a difference in pressure between a first position at which the pressure control gas is supplied from the pressure control gas supply unit and a second position at which the buffer gas is supplied from the buffer gas supply unit.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the flow rate measurement unit includes:

a first flow rate measurement unit provided in a carrier gas flow path through which the carrier gas is supplied to the raw material container, and configured to measure a flow rate of the carrier gas flowing through the carrier gas flow path;

a second flow rate measurement unit configured to measure a flow rate of the raw material gas flowing through the raw material gas supply path; and

a flow rate calculation unit configured to calculate the flow rate of the vaporized raw material based on a difference between the measured flow rate of the carrier gas obtained by the first flow rate measurement unit and the measured flow rate of the raw material gas obtained by the second flow rate measurement unit.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the flow rate measurement unit includes:

a weight measurement unit configured to measure a weight of the raw material container that accommodates the raw material; and

a flow rate calculation unit configured to calculate the flow rate of the vaporized raw material responsive to a change in the weight of the raw material container measured at the weight measurement unit over time.

8. A film forming apparatus, comprising:

a raw material gas supply device according to claim 1; and

a film formation processing device provided at a downstream side of the raw material gas supply device and configured to form a film on a substrate using a raw material gas supplied from the raw material gas supply device.

9. A raw material gas supply method for use in a film forming apparatus which forms a film on a substrate, the method comprising:

supplying a carrier gas to a gas phase zone defined inside a raw material container, the raw material container accommodating a liquid or solid raw material;

vaporizing the raw material;

supplying a raw material gas containing the vaporized raw material from the raw material container to the film forming apparatus via a raw material gas supply path;

measuring a flow rate of the vaporized raw material flowing through the raw material gas supply path;

comparing the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material obtained by the flow rate measurement unit with a predetermined target value; and

controlling an internal pressure of the raw material container to be increased when the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material is higher than the predetermined target value, and to be decreased when the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material is lower than the predetermined target value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling an internal pressure of the raw material container is performed by adjusting an opening degree of a pressure control valve provided in the raw material gas supply path.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling an internal pressure of the raw material container is performed by supplying a pressure control gas to the raw material gas supply path.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

supplying a buffer gas to a downstream side of a position at which the pressure control gas is supplied in the raw material gas supply path; and

controlling a supply amount of the pressure control gas and a supply amount of the buffer gas such that a sum of the supply amount of the pressure control gas and the supply amount of the buffer gas becomes constant.

13. A non-transitory storage medium storing a program for controlling a raw material gas supply device for use in a film forming apparatus configured to form a film on a substrate,

wherein the program causes the raw material gas supply device to perform the method of claim 9.