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 including a vacuum pump configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container and an exhaust valve for adjusting an exhaust rate,the method repeating 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, while keeping the vacuum pump running entirely through the cycle and using the exhaust valve based on definitions that a totally closed state and a totally open state of the exhaust valve are a valve opening degree of 0 to 2% and a valve opening degree of 90 to 100% thereof, respectively,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 in the totally closed state both entirely through the adsorption step;
- 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 in the totally open state;
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 entirely through the reaction step, but starting supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve in the totally open state, and then setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state to gradually increase pressure inside the process container while keeping on supplying the reactive gas into the process container and exhausting gas from inside the process container; 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 in the totally open state,wherein the reaction step first sets the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from the totally open state to the predetermined open state with a first decreasing rate for a second period, and then sets the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from the predetermined open state with a second decreasing rate more moderate than the first decreasing rate after the second period.
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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.
10 Citations
15 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 including a vacuum pump configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container and an exhaust valve for adjusting an exhaust rate, the method repeating 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, while keeping the vacuum pump running entirely through the cycle and using the exhaust valve based on definitions that a totally closed state and a totally open state of the exhaust valve are a valve opening degree of 0 to 2% and a valve opening degree of 90 to 100% thereof, respectively, 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 in the totally closed state both entirely through the adsorption step; -
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 in the totally open state; 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 entirely through the reaction step, but starting supplying the reactive gas into the process container by setting the reactive gas valve open while exhausting gas from inside the process container by setting the exhaust valve in the totally open state, and then setting the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from a predetermined open state to gradually increase pressure inside the process container while keeping on supplying the reactive gas into the process container and exhausting gas from inside the process container; 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 in the totally open state, wherein the reaction step first sets the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from the totally open state to the predetermined open state with a first decreasing rate for a second period, and then sets the exhaust valve to gradually decrease its valve opening degree from the predetermined open state with a second decreasing rate more moderate than the first decreasing rate after the second period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification