Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, method of processing substrate and substrate processing apparatus for forming thin film containing at least two different elements

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising forming a thin film having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined composition on a substrate, the thin film comprising a first element and a second element different from the first element, by repeating a cycle a plurality of times, the cycle comprising:

(a) forming a first layer comprising the first element and having a thickness of several atomic layers or less than one atomic layer on the substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel accommodating the substrate; and

(b) forming a second layer comprising the first element and the second element by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to modify the first layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the steps (a) through (b) is carried out under a non-plasma, heated and decompressed atmosphere.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein only a surface layer of the first layer having the thickness of several atomic layers is modified in the step (b).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein only a part of a surface layer of the first layer having the thickness of several atomic layers is modified in the step (b).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein only a part of the first layer having the thickness of less than one atomic layer is modified in the step (b).

6. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising forming a thin film having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined composition on a substrate, the thin film comprising a first element, a second element different from the first element and a third element different from the first element and the second element, by repeating a cycle a plurality of times, the cycle comprising:

(a) forming a first layer comprising the first element and having a thickness of several atomic layers or less than one atomic layer on the substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel accommodating the substrate;

(b) forming a second layer comprising the first element and the second element by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to form a discontinuous layer comprising the second element on the first layer or to modify the first layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element; and

(c) forming a third layer comprising the first element, the second element, and the third element by supplying a gas containing the third element into the process vessel to modify the second layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the steps (a) through (c) is carried out under a non-plasma, heated and decompressed atmosphere.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein only a surface layer of the second layer is modified in the step (c).

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein only a part of a surface layer of the second layer is modified in the step (c).

10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising forming a thin film having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined composition on a substrate, the thin film comprising a first element, a second element different from the first element, a third element different from the second element and a fourth element different from the first element, the second element and the third element, by repeating a cycle a plurality of times, the cycle comprising:

(a) forming a first layer comprising the first element and having a thickness of several atomic layers or less than one atomic layer on the substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel accommodating the substrate;

(b) forming a second layer comprising the first element and the second element by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to form a discontinuous layer comprising the second element on the first layer or to modify the first layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element;

(c) forming a third layer comprising the first element, the second element and the third element by supplying a gas containing the third element into the process vessel to form a discontinuous layer comprising the third element on the second layer or to modify the second layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element; and

(d) forming a fourth layer comprising the first, the second element, the third element and the fourth element by supplying a gas containing the fourth element into the process vessel to modify the third layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the third layer by the gas containing the fourth element.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the steps (a) through (d) is carried out under a non-plasma, heated and decompressed atmosphere.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein only a surface layer of the third layer is modified in the step (d).

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein only a part of a surface layer of the third layer is modified in the step (d).

14. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising forming a thin film having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined composition on the substrate, the thin film comprising a first element and a second element different from the first element, by repeating a cycle a plurality of times, the cycle comprising:

(a) forming a first layer comprising the first element and having a thickness of several atomic layers or less than one atomic layer on the substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel accommodating the substrate; and

(b) forming a second layer comprising the first element and the second element by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to modify the first layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element.

15. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising forming a thin film having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined composition on the substrate, the thin film comprising a first element, a second element different from the first element and a third element different from the first element and the second element, by repeating a cycle a plurality of times, the cycle comprising:

(a) forming a first layer comprising the first element and having a thickness of several atomic layers or less than one atomic layer on the substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel accommodating the substrate;

(b) forming a second layer comprising the first element and the second element by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to form a discontinuous layer comprising the second element on the first layer or to modify the first layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element; and

(c) forming a third layer comprising the first element, the second element and the third element by supplying a gas containing the third element into the process vessel to modify the second layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element.

16. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising forming a thin film having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined composition on the substrate, the thin film comprising a first element, a second element different from the first element, a third element different from the second element and a fourth element different from the first element, the second element and the third element, by repeating a cycle a plurality of times, the cycle comprising:

(a) forming a first layer comprising the first element and having a thickness of several atomic layers or less than one atomic layer on the substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel accommodating the substrate;

(b) forming a second layer comprising the first element and the second element by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to form a discontinuous layer comprising the second element on the first layer or to modify the first layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element;

(c) forming a third layer comprising the first element, the second element and the third element by supplying a gas containing the third element into the process vessel to form a discontinuous layer comprising the third element on the second layer or to modify the second layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element; and

(d) forming a fourth layer comprising the first element, the second element, the third element and the fourth element by supplying a gas containing the fourth element into the process vessel to modify the third layer without saturating a modifying reaction of the third layer by the gas containing the fourth element.