Substrate processing apparatus and method, and gas nozzle for improving purge efficiency

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a reaction vessel having a substrate supporting table for supporting a substrate to be processed, the reaction vessel having a first exhaust port formed at a first side of the substrate supporting table and a second exhaust port formed at a second side facing the first side of the substrate supporting table;
• a first processing gas supply unit, provided at the second side of the reaction vessel, for supplying a first laminar flow of a first processing gas into the reaction vessel;
• and
• a second processing gas supply unit, provided at the first side of the reaction vessel, for supplying a second laminar flow of a second processing gas into the reaction vessel,
• wherein the first and the second exhaust port have a first and a second slit shape, respectively, extended in a direction substantially normal to those of the first and the second laminar flow;
• the first exhaust port is connected to a first valve having a valve body in which a first opening corresponding to the first slit shape is provided;
• the second exhaust port is connected to a second valve having a valve body in which a second opening corresponding to the second slit shape is provided;
• and
• the first and the second opening are provided to be shifted in a direction substantially normal to extending directions of the first and the second slit shape, respectively.

A substrate processing method, comprising the steps of:

• supplying a laminar flow of a first processing gas from a first processing gas nozzle provided at a first side of a substrate to be processed towards a second side facing the first side of the substrate to be processed, along a surface of the substrate to be processed, thereby, allowing molecules of the first processing gas to be adsorbed on the surface of the substrate;
• removing the first processing gas from a processing space including the substrate to be processed and the first processing gas nozzle;
• supplying a laminar flow of a second processing gas towards the first side from a second processing gas nozzle provided at the second side, along the surface of the substrate to be processed, thereby, allowing the second processing gas to react with the molecules of the first processing gas adsorbed on the surface of the substrate;
• and
• removing the second processing gas from the processing space and the second processing gas nozzle.

A gas nozzle comprising:

• a hollow member extending from a first end to a second end;
• a conduction line accommodated in the hollow member and extended from a third end to a fourth end, the third and the fourth end corresponding to the first and the second end, respectively;
• plural openings formed in the conduction line along a length direction thereof;
• a slit shaped gas injection opening formed in the hollow member along the extending direction thereof;
• a gas introduction port provided at the third end of the conduction line;
• a gas exhaust port provided at the fourth end of the conduction line;
• and
• a gas introduction port provided at the hollow member to communicate with an inside thereof.