Film deposition apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, film deposition method, and computer-readable storage medium for film deposition method

• US 9,416,448 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2009
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Hitoshi, Honma, Manabu, Orito, Kohichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US12/547,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20100055297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,547 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45557 Pulsed pressure or control pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4584 the substrate being rotated
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence

Abstract

There is disclosed a film deposition apparatus and a film deposition method for depositing a film on a substrate by carrying out cycles of supplying in turn at least two source gases to the substrate in order to form a layer of a reaction product, and a computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing the film deposition apparatus to carry out the film deposition method.

Claims

1. A film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by carrying out a cycle of alternately supplying at least two kinds of reaction gases that react with each other to the substrate to produce a layer of a reaction product in a chamber, the film deposition apparatus comprising:

a rotation table provided in the chamber, the rotation table having a substrate receiving area for mounting the substrate thereon;

a first reaction gas supplying part configured to supply a first reaction gas to one surface of the rotation table on which the substrate receiving area is provided;

a second reaction gas supplying part configured to supply a second reaction gas to the one surface, the second reaction gas supplying part being separated from the first reaction gas supplying part along a circumferential direction of the rotation table;

a separation area located along the circumferential direction between a first process area to which the first reaction gas is supplied and a second process area to which the second reaction gas is supplied, the separation area including a separation gas supplying part from which a separation gas is supplied;

a first evacuation channel having an evacuation port between the first process area and the separation area;

a second evacuation channel having an evacuation port between the second process area and the separation area;

a first evacuation part connected to the first evacuation channel via a first valve;

a second evacuation part connected to the second evacuation channel via a second valve;

a first pressure detecting part interposed between the first valve and the first evacuation part;

a second pressure detecting part interposed between the second valve and the second evacuation part;

a process pressure detecting part provided in at least one of the first and second valves; and

a control part configured to output a control signal for regulating a flow ratio between gases flowing into the first and second evacuation channels and controlling opening of the first and second valves based on a pressure detection value detected from each of the first and second pressure detecting parts, and a pressure detection value detected from the process pressure detecting part, and compare the pressure detection value detected from each of the first and second pressure detecting parts and the pressure detection value detected from the process pressure detecting part, so that each of the pressure inside the chamber and the flow ratio between the gases flowing in the first and second evacuation channels becomes a predetermined value, respectively;

wherein the separation gas supplying part is provided inside a groove portion that extends in a radial direction of the chamber,

wherein the chamber includes a ceiling plate having a first ceiling surface and a second ceiling surface positioned higher than the first ceiling surface, the ceiling plate including a convex portion projecting from the second ceiling surface of the ceiling plate,

wherein the first ceiling surface is positioned closer to the rotation table than the second ceiling surface in a height direction of the film deposition apparatus,

wherein the separation gas supplied from the separation gas supplying part flows in a space between the first ceiling surface and the rotation table,

wherein the groove portion is formed in the first ceiling surface,

wherein when the first ceiling surface is positioned above the substrate receiving area in-between the first reaction gas supplying part and the second reaction gas supplying part, the separating gas is supplied to impede the first and second reaction gases from entering the space while gas adsorbed on the substrate can pass through the space.

2. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program embodied therein for causing the control part to execute

a first step of adjusting the opening of the first valve so that a pressure value of the process pressure detecting part becomes a predetermined value, and

a second step of adjusting the opening of the second valve so that the flow ratio becomes the predetermined value.

3. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the program is configured to cause the control part to repeat the first and second steps within a predetermined number of times until each of the pressure inside the chamber and the flow ratio becomes the predetermined value.

4. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the program is configured to cause the control part to execute a third step of adjusting an evacuation flow ratio of at least one of the first and second evacuation part after executing the second step so that the flow ratio becomes the predetermined value.

5. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the program is configured to cause the control part to repeat the first and second steps within a predetermined number of times until each of the pressure inside the chamber and the flow ratio becomes the predetermined value after executing the third step.

6. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control part is further configured to output a control signal performing a film deposition process by supplying inert gas from each of the first and second reaction gas supplying parts, adjusting the pressure inside the chamber and the flow ratio, and then switching the inert gas supplied from each of the first and second reaction gas supplying parts to the first reaction gas and the second reaction gas.

7. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second evacuation channels merge and connect to a common evacuation part instead of connecting to the first and second evacuation parts.

8. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second ceiling surfaces are located on both sides of the separation gas supplying part relative to a rotation direction for forming a narrow space between the rotation table and the first and second ceiling surfaces for allowing a separation gas to flow from the separation areas to the first and second process areas.

9. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a center portion area located at a center portion of the chamber for separating atmospheres of the first and second process areas,

wherein the center portion area has an ejection opening that ejects the separation gas to the one surface of the rotation table;

wherein the first and second reaction gases are evacuated from the evacuation ports along with the separation gas diffused on both sides of the separation area and the separation gas ejected from the center portion area.

10. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the center portion area is partitioned into a rotation center part of the rotation table and an upper surface side of the chamber, wherein a separation gas is purged to the center portion area.

18. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transfer chamber including a substrate transfer part;

the film deposition apparatus claimed in claim 1 for hermetically sealing the vacuum transfer chamber; and

a preparation chamber that can switch between atmospheres of a vacuum chamber and an atmospheric atmosphere.

11. A film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by carrying out a cycle of alternately supplying at least two kinds of reaction gases that react with each other to the substrate to produce a layer of a reaction product in a chamber, the film deposition apparatus comprising:

a rotation table provided in the chamber, the rotation table having a substrate receiving area for mounting the substrate thereon;

a first reaction gas supplying part configured to supply a first reaction gas to one surface of the rotation table on which the substrate receiving area is provided;

a second reaction gas supplying part configured to supply a second reaction gas to the one surface, the second reaction gas supplying part being separated from the first reaction gas supplying part along a circumferential direction of the rotation table;

a separation area located along the circumferential direction between a first process area to which the first reaction gas is supplied and a second process area to which the second reaction gas is supplied, the separation area including a separation gas supplying part from which a separation gas is supplied;

a first evacuation channel having an evacuation port between the first process area and the separation area;

a second evacuation channel having an evacuation port between the second process area and the separation area;

a first evacuation part connected to the first evacuation channel via a first valve;

a second evacuation part connected to the second evacuation channel via a second valve;

a first process pressure detecting part interposed between the first valve and the first evacuation part and configured to detect a pressure of the first evacuation channel;

a second process pressure detecting part interposed between the second valve and the second evacuation part and configured to detect a pressure of the second evacuation channel; and

a control part configured to compare a pressure detection value detected from each of the first and second pressure detecting parts and output a control signal for regulating a flow ratio between gases flowing into the first and second evacuation channels and controlling opening of the first and second valves based on a comparison result of a pressure detection value detected from each of the first and second pressure detecting parts so that each of the pressure inside the chamber and the pressure difference between the first and second process areas becomes a predetermined value, respectively;

wherein the separation gas supplying part is provided inside a groove portion that extends in a radial direction of the chamber,

wherein the chamber includes a ceiling plate having a first ceiling surface and a second ceiling surface positioned higher than the first ceiling surface, the ceiling plate including a convex portion projecting from the second ceiling surface of the ceiling plate,

wherein the first ceiling surface is positioned closer to the rotation table than the second ceiling surface in a height direction of the film deposition apparatus,

wherein the separation gas supplied from the separation gas supplying part flows in a space between the first ceiling surface and the rotation table,

wherein the groove portion is formed in the first ceiling surface,

wherein when the first ceiling surface is positioned above the substrate receiving area in-between the first reaction gas supplying part and the second reaction gas supplying part, the separating gas is supplied to impede the first and second reaction gases from entering the space while gas adsorbed on the substrate can pass through the space.

12. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control part includes a program for causing the control part to execute

a first step of adjusting the opening of the first valve so that a pressure value of the first process pressure detecting part becomes a predetermined value, and

a second step of adjusting the opening of the second valve so that the pressure difference becomes a predetermined value.

13. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the program is configured to cause the control part to repeat the first and second steps within a predetermined number of times until each of the pressure inside the chamber and the pressure difference becomes the predetermined value.

14. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the program is configured to cause the control part to execute a third step of adjusting an evacuation flow ratio of at least one of the first and second evacuation part after executing the second step so that the pressure difference becomes the predetermined value.

15. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the program is configured to cause the control part to repeat the first and second steps within a predetermined number of times until each of the pressure inside the chamber and the pressure difference becomes the predetermined value after executing the third step.

16. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control part is configured to output the control signal for performing a film deposition process by supplying inert gas from each of the first and second reaction gas supplying parts, adjusting the pressure inside the chamber and the pressure difference, and then switching the inert gas supplied from each of the first and second reaction gas supplying parts to the first reaction gas and the second reaction gas.

17. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein a total flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber before the switching of gases is set to be substantially equal to a total flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber after the switching of gases.

19. A film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by carrying out a cycle of alternately supplying at least two kinds of reaction gases that react with each other to the substrate to produce a layer of a reaction product in a chamber, the film deposition apparatus comprising:

a rotation table provided in the chamber, the rotation table having a substrate receiving area for mounting the substrate thereon;

a first reaction gas supplying part configured to supply a first reaction gas to one surface of the rotation table on which the substrate receiving area is provided;

a second reaction gas supplying part configured to supply a second reaction gas to the one surface, the second reaction gas supplying part being separated from the first reaction gas supplying part along a circumferential direction of the rotation table;

a separation area located along the circumferential direction between a first process area to which the first reaction gas is supplied and a second process area to which the second reaction gas is supplied, the separation area including a separation gas supplying part from which a separation gas is supplied;

first and second ceiling surfaces located on both sides of the separation gas supplying part relative to a rotation direction for forming a narrow space between the rotation table and the first and second ceiling surfaces for allowing the separation gas to flow from the separation area to the first and second process areas;

a center portion area located at a center part of the chamber, the center portion area having an ejecting port for ejecting the separation gas to the one surface of the rotation table;

a first evacuation channel having an evacuation port between the first process area and the separation area;

a second evacuation channel having an evacuation port between the second process area and the separation area;

a first gauge connected to the first evacuation channel and configured to measure a pressure of the first process area;

a second gauge connected to the second evacuation channel and configured to measure a pressure of the second process area;

a first pressure adjustment part configured to adjust the pressure of the first process area based on the pressure measured by first gauge;

a second pressure adjustment part configured to adjust the pressure of the second process area based on the pressure measured by the second gauge;

a first evacuation part connected to the first evacuation channel via the first pressure adjustment part; and

a second evacuation part connected to the second evacuation channel via the second pressure adjustment part;

a control part configured to compare a pressure detection value detected from each of the first and second process areas and output a control signal for regulating a flow ratio between gases flowing into the first and second evacuation channels and controlling opening of the first and second valves based on a comparison result of a pressure detection value detected from each of the first and second pressure detecting parts so that each of the pressure inside the chamber and the pressure difference between the first and second process areas becomes a predetermined value, respectively;

wherein the separation gas supplying part is provided inside a groove portion that extends in a radial direction of the chamber,

wherein the chamber includes a ceiling plate having the first ceiling surface and the second ceiling surface that is positioned higher than the first ceiling surface, the ceiling plate including a convex portion projecting from the second ceiling surface of the ceiling plate,

wherein the first ceiling surface is positioned closer to the rotation table than the second ceiling surface in a height direction of the film deposition apparatus,

wherein the separation gas supplied from the separation gas supplying part flows in a space between the first ceiling surface and the rotation table,

wherein the groove portion is formed in the first ceiling surface,

wherein when the first ceiling surface is positioned above the substrate receiving area in-between the first reaction gas supplying part and the second reaction gas supplying part, the separating gas is supplied to impede the first and second reaction gases from entering the space while gas adsorbed on the substrate can pass the space.

20. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the evacuation ports of the first and second evacuation channels are provided below the rotation table for evacuating the first and second reaction gases from the first and second process areas via a gap between a circumferential edge of the rotation table and an inner circumferential wall of the chamber.

21. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a first detoxifier provided downstream of the first evacuation part for detoxifying ejected matter from the first evacuation part; and

a second detoxifier provided downstream of the second evacuation part for detoxifying ejected matter from the second evacuation part.

22. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the separation area has a higher pressure than the first and second process areas.

23. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the separation gas supplying part has gas ejection ports provided at a rotation center part of the rotation table and at a circumferential edge part extending from one side to the other side of the rotation table.

24. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a heating part for heating the rotation table.

25. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second ceiling surfaces that form the narrow space have a distance of about 50 mm or more along an arc corresponding to a route through which a center of the substrate passes when the rotation table rotates.

26. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second ceiling surfaces at the separation area include a portion located upstream of the separation gas supplying part having an increasingly greater width relative to the rotation direction the closer the portion is to an outer edge part.

27. The film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second ceiling surfaces at the separation area include a portion located upstream of the separation gas supplying part having a sector shape.