Method for forming metallic film and apparatus for forming the same

A method for the formation of a metal film which comprises the steps of feeding a raw material gas containing a halogen into an inlet vessel having a perforated plate made of metal;

• converting the raw material gas into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma;
• etching the perforated plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the perforated plate and the halogen contained in the raw material gas;
• passing a high-frequency electric current through an electrode having openings that allow the precursor to flow therethrough, and thereby converting a reducing gas into a plasma to generate a reducing gas plasma;
• and passing the precursor through the reducing gas plasma to remove the halogen from the precursor and directing the resulting metallic ion or neutral metal onto the substrate to form a thin metal film on the substrate.

A method for the formation of a metal film which comprises the steps of feeding a raw material gas containing a halogen into an inlet vessel having a perforated plate made of metal;

• converting the raw material gas into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma;
• etching the perforated plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the perforated plate and the halogen contained in the raw material gas;
• producing an atomic reducing gas between the perforated plate and a substrate by heating a reducing gas to a high temperature;
• and, after discharging the precursor from the inlet vessel, passing the precursor through the atomic reducing gas to remove the halogen from the precursor and directing the resulting metallic ion or neutral metal onto the substrate to form a thin metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film which comprises an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic perforated plate having discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a raw material gas in its internal volume;

• a first plasma generator for converting the raw material gas received in the inlet vessel into a plasma and thereby generating a raw material gas plasma;
• a reaction vessel housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• a rotating magnetic field generator for creating a rotating magnetic field between the perforated plate and the substrate;
• and a second plasma generator for generating a plasma from a reducing gas fed into the reaction vessel.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic discharge plate having a multitude of discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a chlorine-containing raw material gas in its internal volume;
• a chamber housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• first plasma generating means for converting the raw material gas within the inlet vessel into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma, and thereby etching the discharge plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the discharge plate and the chlorine contained in the raw material gas;
• second plasma generating means for converting a hydrogen-containing reducing gas within the chamber into a plasma to generate a reducing gas plasma;
• and
• chamber heating means for heating the chamber to a predetermined temperature;
• whereby the precursor is passed through the reducing gas plasma within the chamber to remove chlorine from the precursor by reduction, without allowing the precursor to deposit on the heated inner wall of the chamber, and the resulting metallic ion is directed onto the substrate to form a metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic discharge plate having a multitude of discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a chlorine-containing raw material gas in its internal volume;
• discharge plate heating means for heating the discharge plate to a predetermined temperature;
• a chamber housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• first plasma generating means for converting the raw material gas within the inlet vessel into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma, and thereby etching the discharge plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the discharge plate and the chlorine contained in the raw material gas;
• and
• second plasma generating means for converting a hydrogen-containing reducing gas within the chamber into a plasma to generate a reducing gas plasma;
• whereby the precursor, which has been produced by etching the heated discharge plate and is hence easy to reduce, is passed through the reducing gas plasma to remove chlorine from the precursor by reduction, and the resulting metallic ion is directed onto the substrate to form a metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic discharge plate having a multitude of discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a chlorine-containing raw material gas in its internal volume;
• discharge plate heating means for heating the discharge plate to a predetermined temperature;
• a chamber housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• first plasma generating means for converting the raw material gas within the inlet vessel into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma, and thereby etching the discharge plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the discharge plate and the chlorine contained in the raw material gas;
• second plasma generating means for converting a hydrogen-containing reducing gas within the chamber into a plasma to generate a reducing gas plasma;
• and
• chamber heating means for heating the chamber to a predetermined temperature;
• whereby the precursor, which has been produced by etching the heated discharge plate and is hence easy to reduce, is passed through the reducing gas plasma to remove chlorine from the precursor by reduction, without allowing the precursor to deposit on the heated inner wall of the chamber, and the resulting metallic ion is directed onto the substrate to form a metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic discharge plate having a multitude of discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a chlorine-containing raw material gas in its internal volume;
• a chamber housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• first plasma generating means for converting the raw material gas within the inlet vessel into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma, and thereby etching the discharge plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the discharge plate and the chlorine contained in the raw material gas;
• reducing gas heating means for heating a hydrogen-containing reducing gas to a high temperature and thereby producing an atomic reducing gas within the chamber between the substrate and the discharge plate;
• and
• chamber heating means for heating the chamber to a predetermined temperature;
• whereby the precursor is passed through the atomic reducing gas within the chamber to remove chlorine from the precursor by reduction, without allowing the precursor to deposit on the heated inner wall of the chamber, and the resulting metallic ion is directed onto the substrate to form a metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic discharge plate having a multitude of discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a chlorine-containing raw material gas in its internal volume;
• discharge plate heating means for heating the discharge plate to a predetermined temperature;
• a chamber housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• first plasma generating means for converting the raw material gas within the inlet vessel into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma, and thereby etching the discharge plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the discharge plate and the chlorine contained in the raw material gas;
• and
• reducing gas heating means for heating a hydrogen-containing reducing gas to a high temperature and thereby producing an atomic reducing gas within the chamber between the substrate and the discharge plate;
• whereby the precursor, which has been produced by etching the heated discharge plate and is hence easy to reduce, is passed through the atomic reducing gas to remove chlorine from the precursor by reduction, and the resulting metallic ion is directed onto the substrate to form a metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• an inlet vessel equipped with a metallic discharge plate having a multitude of discharge orifices bored therethrough and adapted to receive a chlorine-containing raw material gas in its internal volume;
• discharge plate heating means for heating the discharge plate to a predetermined temperature;
• a chamber housing the inlet vessel and a substrate;
• first plasma generating means for converting the raw material gas within the inlet vessel into a plasma to generate a raw material gas plasma, and thereby etching the discharge plate with the raw material gas plasma to produce a precursor composed of the metallic component contained in the discharge plate and the chlorine contained in the raw material gas;
• reducing gas heating means for heating a hydrogen-containing reducing gas to a high temperature and thereby producing an atomic reducing gas within the chamber between the substrate and the discharge plate;
• and
• chamber heating means for heating the chamber to a predetermined temperature;
• whereby the precursor, which has been produced by etching the heated discharge plate and is hence easy to reduce, is passed through the atomic reducing gas within the chamber to remove chlorine from the precursor by reduction, without allowing the precursor to deposit on the heated inner wall of the chamber, and the resulting metallic ion is directed onto the substrate to form a metal film on the substrate.

An apparatus for the formation of a metal film, the apparatus comprising:

• a reaction vessel in which a substrate to be treated is placed;
• an inlet vessel disposed within said reaction vessel and equipped with a copper discharge plate having a plurality of discharge orifices bored therethrough;
• temperature control means attached to said copper discharge plate;
• a raw material gas feed pipe inserted into said inlet vessel for feeding chlorine or hydrogen chloride;
• plasma generating means for generating a plasma of chlorine or hydrogen chloride within said inlet vessel;
• atomic reducing gas producing means for producing an atomic reducing gas within said reaction vessel, at least in the neighborhood of said substrate to be treated;
• and
• evacuation means for evacuating any gas from said reaction vessel and said inlet vessel.