# US 8,465,592 B2 · Film deposition apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,592 B2 - Document ID: US8465592B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/035,049 - Filed: 2011-02-25 - Published: 2011-06-23 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2008-08-25 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Hitoshi Kato; Manabu Honma; Anthony Dip - Inventors: Hitoshi Kato; Manabu Honma; Anthony Dip - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465592B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/45527: {characterized by the ALD cycle, e.g. different flows or temperatures during half-reactions, unusual pulsing sequence, use of precursor mixtures or auxiliary reactants or activations} - C23C 16/402: {Silicon dioxide} - C23C 16/45521: {the gas, other than thermal contact gas, being introduced the rear of the substrate to flow around its periphery} - C23C 16/45551: {for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A disclosed film deposition apparatus includes a turntable having in one surface a substrate receiving portion along a turntable rotation direction; a first reaction gas supplying portion for supplying a first reaction gas; a second reaction gas supplying portion for supplying a second reaction gas; a separation area between a first process area where the first reaction gas is supplied and a second process area where the second reaction gas is supplied, the separation area including a separation gas supplying portion for supplying a first separation gas in the separation area, and a ceiling surface opposing the one surface to produce a thin space; a center area having an ejection hole for ejecting a second separation gas along the one surface; and an evacuation opening for evacuating the chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A film deposition apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate by carrying out a cycle of alternately supplying at least two kinds of reaction gases that react with each other to the substrate to produce a layer of a reaction product in a vacuum chamber, the film deposition apparatus comprising: a turntable rotatably provided in the vacuum chamber; a substrate receiving portion that is provided in the turntable in order to place the substrate therein; a first reaction gas supplying portion and a second reaction gas supplying portion that are separated from each other along a rotation direction of the turntable, and supply a first reaction gas and a second reaction gas, respectively, to a surface of the turntable, the surface being on the substrate receiving portion side; a separation area located along the rotation direction between a first process area in which the first reaction gas is supplied and a second process area in which the second reaction gas is supplied, a center area that is located substantially in a center portion of the vacuum chamber in order to separate atmospheres of the first process area and the second process area, and in which an ejection hole is formed that ejects a separation gas to the surface of the turntable, the surface being on the substrate receiving portion side; and an evacuation opening provided in the vacuum chamber in order to evacuate the vacuum chamber, wherein the separation area includes a lower surface that is lower than a ceiling surface of each of the first and the second process areas in relation to the turntable and has a width becoming substantially greater toward a circumference of the vacuum chamber, the width being along the rotation direction, thereby to create in relation to the turntable a thin space, and a separation gas supplying portion that is positioned within the lower surface and supplies a separation gas to the thin space thereby to create separation gas flows from the separation area to the process area sides in relation to the rotation direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation gas supplying portion is positioned in the middle of the lower surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The film deposition apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lower surface is provided by a convex portion that is attached on a ceiling of the vacuum chamber, wherein the convex portion is provided with a groove portion that extends along a radius direction of the turntable and substantially bisects the lower surface, and wherein the separation gas supplying portion is housed in the groove portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower surface has a planar shape of a sector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower surface has a distance of about 50 mm or more along an arc corresponding to a route through which a center of the substrate placed in the substrate receiving portion of the turntable passes when the turntable rotates. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation gas supplying portion includes a separation gas nozzle that extends in a direction from a circumferential wall of the vacuum chamber to a rotation center of the turntable, so that the separation gas nozzle supplies the separation gas that separates the first process area and the second process area that are located on both sides of the separation area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation area includes a separation gas nozzle that extends in a direction from a circumferential wall of the vacuum chamber to a rotation center of the turntable and is away from the lower surface of the separation area, so that the separation gas nozzle supplies the separation gas, wherein the separation area substantially impedes from entering the separation area the first reaction gas and the second reaction gas supplied to the first process area and the second process area, respectively, that are located on both sides of the separation area along the rotation direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a member arranged between an outer circumference of the turntable and an inner circumferential surface of the vacuum chamber in the separation area, wherein a gap between the member and the outer circumference of the turntable is substantially the same as the height of the lower surface from the turntable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third reaction gas supplying portion that is provided away from the first and the second reaction gas supplying portions along the rotation direction of the turntable, and configured to supply a third reaction gas to the surface of the turntable, the surface being on the substrate receiving portion side. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The film deposition apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a fourth reaction gas supplying portion provided away from the first, the second, and the third reaction gas supplying portions along the rotation direction of the turntable and configured to supply a fourth reaction gas to the surface of the turntable, the surface being on the substrate receiving portion side. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The film deposition apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a controlling portion that controls alternately to carry out the steps of: supplying the first reaction gas and the second reaction gas from the first reaction gas supplying portion and the second reaction gas supplying portion, respectively, to a surface of the substrate, thereby depositing a first thin film, and supplying the third reaction gas and the fourth reaction gas from the third reaction gas supplying portion and the fourth reaction gas supplying portion, respectively, to the surface of the substrate, thereby depositing a second thin film. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The film deposition method of claim 10, wherein the first reaction gas supplying portion is connected to at least two gas supplying sources storing corresponding reaction gases, and the second reaction gas supplying portion is connected to other at least two gas supplying sources storing corresponding reaction gases. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the center area is defined by a rotation center portion of the turntable and an upper inner surface of the vacuum chamber, and wherein the center area is purged with a separation gas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a transfer chamber having a substrate transfer mechanism inside of the transfer chamber; the film deposition apparatus of claim 1 connected hermetically to the transfer chamber; and a preparation chamber that may be evacuated to a vacuum, the preparation chamber being connected hermetically to the transfer chamber.