IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,674,224
Granted Patent B2
US 11,674,224 · App. 16/852,478 · Granted Jun 13, 2023

Film forming method and film forming apparatus

Inventors: Yasuaki Kikuchi (Iwate, JP); Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Iwate, JP); Kazuteru Obara (Iwate, JP); Ryuji Kusajima (Miyagi, JP)
Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
C23C16/45527C23C16/345C23C16/4583
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,674,224
App. No.
16/852,478
Granted
Jun 13, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A film forming method includes: accommodating a substrate in a processing container of a film forming apparatus; supplying an inert gas to the processing container at a flow rate equal to an average flow rate of a plurality of gases to be supplied into the processing container in a film forming process and maintaining a pressure of the processing container to be substantially same as an average pressure of the processing container in the film forming process; and alternately supplying the plurality of gases into the processing container and forming a film on the substrate.

Claims (28)

1. A film forming method comprising:

a carry-in processing of accommodating a substrate in a processing container of a film forming apparatus;

subsequent to the carry-in processing, a film forming preparing processing of supplying only an inert gas to the processing container at a flow rate equal to an average flow rate of a plurality of gases to be supplied into the processing container in a film forming processing and maintaining a pressure of the processing container to be substantially same as an average pressure of the processing container in the film forming processing; and

subsequent to the film forming preparing processing, the film forming processing of alternately supplying the plurality of gases into the processing container and forming a film on the substrate by an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), and

providing a controller that is configured to control steps of the film forming method,

wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate of the inert gas equal to the average flow rate of the plurality of gases to be supplied into the processing container in the film forming processing and maintaining the pressure of the processing container to be substantially same as the average pressure of the processing container in the film forming processing, such that a wafer center temperature is stabilized during film forming preparing processing, and wherein the wafer center temperature is maintained within a range of 1° C. upon the transition to the film forming processing and during the film forming processing.

2. The film forming method according to claim 1 , wherein the average flow rate is calculated in advance based on flow rates of the plurality of gases measured when the plurality of gases are supplied into the processing container under same conditions as the film forming processing.

3. The film forming method according to claim 1 , wherein the average flow rate is calculated based on set flow rates of the plurality of gases in the film forming processing.

4. The film forming method according to claim 3 , wherein the average pressure is calculated in advance based on pressures inside the processing container detected when plurality of gases are supplied into the processing container under same conditions as the film forming processing.

5. The film forming method according to claim 4 , wherein the inert gas is continuously supplied in the film forming preparing processing.

6. The film forming method according to claim 5 , wherein a plurality of substrates is accommodated in the processing container.

7. The film forming method according to claim 6 , wherein the processing container extends vertically, and includes a gas supply pipe that extends along a longitudinal direction of the processing container and is configured to supply the plurality of gases into the processing container.

8. The film forming method according to claim 7 , wherein a plurality of gas holes is formed along the longitudinal direction in the gas supply pipe.

9. The film forming method according to claim 1 , wherein the average pressure is calculated in advance based on pressures inside the processing container detected when a plurality of gases are supplied into the processing container under same conditions as the film forming processing.

10. The film forming method according to claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is continuously supplied in the film forming preparing processing.

11. The film forming method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of substrates is accommodated in the processing container.

12. The film forming method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing container extends vertically, and includes a gas supply pipe that extends along a longitudinal direction of the processing container and is configured to supply a plurality of gases into the processing container.

13. The film forming method according to claim 12 , wherein a plurality of gas holes is formed along the longitudinal direction in the gas supply pipe.

14. A film forming apparatus comprising:

a processing container that extends in a vertical direction and accommodates a substrate;

a gas supply that supplies a plurality of gases into the processing container;

an exhaust port configured to exhaust an inside of the processing container; and

a controller that controls an overall operation of the film forming apparatus,

wherein the controller controls the gas supply and the exhaust port to perform a film forming process including:

a carry-in processing of accommodating the substrate in the processing container of the film forming apparatus;

subsequent to the carry-in processing, a film forming preparing processing of supplying only an inert gas to the processing container at a flow rate equal to an average flow rate of a plurality of gases to be supplied into the processing container in a film forming processing and maintaining a pressure of the processing container to be substantially same as an average pressure of the processing container in the film forming processing; and

subsequent to the film forming preparing processing, the film forming processing of alternately supplying the plurality of gases into the processing container and forming a film on the substrate by an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), and

wherein the controller controls the overall operation, including controlling the flow rate of the inert gas equal to the average flow rate of the plurality of gases to be supplied into the processing container in the film forming processing and maintaining the pressure of the processing container to be substantially same as the average pressure of the processing container in the film forming processing, such that a wafer center temperature is stabilized during film forming preparing processing, and such that the wafer center temperature is maintained within a range of 1° C. upon the transition to the film forming processing and during the film forming processing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2020
From: KIKUCHI, YASUAKI; YAMAGUCHI, TATSUYA; OBARA, KAZUTERU; KUSAJIMA, RYUJI
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 052435/0746 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-086435 · Apr 26, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200340111A1 · Oct 29, 2020