CVD film forming method in which a film formation preventing gas is supplied in a direction from a rear surface of an object to be processed

• US 6,210,486 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kawano, Yumiko, Mochizuki, Takashi, Mizukami, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): BUEKER, RICHARD R
• Application Number:
  US09/499,675
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 118/728, 118/729, 118/715, 118/500
• US Class Current: 118/728
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45521 the gas, other than thermal contact gas, being introduced the rear of the substrate to flow around its periphery
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4585 Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds

Abstract

A CVD film forming apparatus includes a susceptor, provided in a process chamber, having a surface of an area smaller than that of a wafer. A process gas is supplied to a top surface of the wafer mounted on the susceptor, thereby forming a CVD film on the top surface. A film formation preventing gas is supplied in a direction from the rear surface of the wafer toward a peripheral edge thereof at a flow rate which prevents the process gas from flowing to the rear surface of the wafer.

Claims

1. A CVD film forming apparatus comprising:

a process chamber;

a susceptor, provided in the process chamber, having a surface of an area smaller than that of an object to be processed, the surface being entirely covered by a first surface of the object to be processed mounted on the susceptor;

process gas supplying means for supplying a process gas to a second surface of the object to be processed mounted on the susceptor, thereby forming a film on the second surface; and

film formation preventing gas supplying means for supplying film formation preventing gas in a direction from the first surface of the object to be processed toward a peripheral edge thereof at a flow rate which can prevent the process gas from flowing to the first surface of the object to be processed, wherein;

the object to be processed is adapted to be mounted on the susceptor so as to have a projected portion in a peripheral portion of the object to be processed, which is projected from the susceptor;

the film formation preventing gas supplying means has a ring-shaped member constituting a passage through which the film formation preventing gas flows toward the peripheral edge of the object to be processed on a side of the first surface in the projected portion of the object to be processed; and

the ring-shaped member has an inner flange portion on an inner circumferential surface thereof, the inner flange portion having a surface adapted to oppose, with a predetermined gap, the first surface of the object to be processed mounted on the susceptor in the projected portion, thus defining a first part of the passage between the surface of the inner flange portion and the first surface of the object to be processed.

2. The CVD film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the susceptor has an electrostatic chuck for attracting the object to be processed by means of electrostatic force.

3. The CVD film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film formation preventing gas supplying means supplies an inert gas, reduction and/or process gas as film formation preventing gas.

4. The CVD film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped member includes a tapered portion opposing with a predetermined gap to the peripheral edge of the object to be processed, a second part of the passage being defined between the peripheral edge and the tapered portion.

5. The CVD film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, where the first part of the passage has a length L (m), a process gas has a diffusion constant D (m²/s) and the film formation preventing gas flows at a flow rate v (m/s), the length L and the flow rate v are set to satisfy a condition of Lv/D>

1.

6. The CVD film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped member is arranged apart from the susceptor and made of non-metallic material.