# US 9,437,421 B2 · Substrate processing apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor device and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

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- Number: US 9,437,421 B2
- Document ID: US9437421B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/162,318
- Filed: 2014-01-23
- Published: 2014-07-31
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-30
- Assignees: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
- Applicants: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
- Inventors: Yuji Takebayashi; Masakazu Shimada; Atsushi Morikawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437421B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/6306: {of the semiconductor materials}
- C23C 16/405: {of refractory metals or yttrium}
- C23C 16/452: by activating reactive gas streams before {their} introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by {ionisation} or addition of reactive species
- 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 16/45561: {Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber}
- H10P 14/6334: {using decomposition or reaction of gaseous or vapour phase compounds, i.e. chemical vapour deposition (deposition by physical ablation of a target H10P14/6329)}
- H10P 14/69395: {the material containing zirconium, e.g. ZrO2}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- C23C 16/45578: {Elongated nozzles, tubes with holes}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- 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 substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber in which a substrate is accommodated; a source gas supply system configured to supply a source gas onto the substrate; first and second reactive gas supply systems configured to supply a reactive gas onto the substrate via first and second interconnected reactive gas supply pipes, wherein a gas storage unit is installed at the second reactive gas supply pipe to store the reactive gas and the reactive gas is supplied onto the substrate via the gas storage unit; and a control unit configured to control the source gas supply system to supply the source gas onto the substrate and to control the first and second reactive gas supply systems to supply the reactive gas onto the substrate via the first and second reactive gas supply pipes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a process chamber configured to accommodate a substrate;
a source gas supply system configured to supply a source gas onto the substrate;
a first reactive gas supply system configured to supply a reactive gas onto the substrate via a first reactive gas supply pipe connected to the process chamber at a first location of the process chamber;
a second reactive gas supply system configured to supply the reactive gas onto the substrate via a second reactive gas supply pipe having one end connected to the first reactive gas supply pipe and other end connected to the process chamber at a second location of the process chamber different from the first location of the process chamber, and via a gas storage unit installed at the second reactive gas supply pipe and configured to store the reactive gas; and
a control unit configured to control the source gas supply system, the first reactive gas supply system and the second reactive gas supply system to alternately supply the source gas and the reactive gas onto the substrate,
wherein the first reactive gas supply system and the second reactive gas supply system are controlled to supply the reactive gas onto the substrate via the first reactive gas supply pipe and the second reactive gas supply pipe simultaneously.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first reactive gas supply system and the second reactive gas supply system to store the reactive gas in the gas storage unit when the source gas is supplied onto the substrate.

### Claim 3

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a process chamber configured to accommodate a substrate;
a first reactive gas supply line connected to the process chamber at a first location of the process chamber and configured to supply a reactive gas onto the substrate accommodated in the process chamber;
a first valve configured to open and close the first reactive gas supply line;
a second reactive gas supply line having one end connected to the first reactive gas supply line at an upstream side of the first valve and other end connected to the process chamber at a second location of the process chamber different from the first location of the process chamber to supply the reactive gas onto the substrate accommodated in the process chamber;
a gas storage unit installed in line with the second reactive gas supply line;
a second valve installed between the first reactive gas supply line and the gas storage unit, and configured to open and close the second reactive gas supply line;
a third valve installed between the gas storage unit and the process chamber and configured to open and close the second reactive gas supply line; and
a control unit configured to open the second valve with the first valve and the third valve closed such that the reactive gas is stored in the gas storage unit, and open the first valve and the third valve when the reactive gas is supplied onto the substrate accommodated in the process chamber such that the reactive gas is supplied onto the substrate via the first reactive gas supply line and the second reactive gas supply line simultaneously.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third reactive gas supply system including: a third reactive gas supply pipe having one end connected to the first reactive gas supply pipe and other end connected to the process chamber at a third location different from the first and the second locations of the process chamber; and a second gas storage unit installed in line with the third reactive gas supply pipe,
wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first reactive gas supply system, the second reactive gas supply system and the third reactive gas supply system such that the reactive gas is supplied onto the substrate via the first reactive gas supply pipe, the second reactive gas supply pipe and the third reactive gas supply pipe simultaneously.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first reactive gas supply system comprises a reactive gas activation device installed in line with the first reactive gas supply pipe at an upstream side of an interface between the first and the second reactive gas supply pipes, and
the control unit is further configured to control the first reactive gas supply system and the second reactive gas supply system such that, when the source gas is supplied onto the substrate, the reactive gas from the reactive gas activation device is stored in the gas storage unit via the second reactive gas supply pipe.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the reactive gas activation device comprises an ozonizer, and the reactive gas supplied onto the substrate via the reactive gas activation device comprises ozone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second reactive gas supply system comprises a pressure gauge installed at the gas storage unit, and a vent line connected to the second reactive gas supply pipe between the reactive gas activation device and the gas storage unit, and
the control unit is configured to supply the reactive gas to the vent line by stopping a supply of the reactive gas into the gas storage unit when the reactive gas is stored in the gas storage unit and the pressure gauge is at a predetermined value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
a source gas supply line configured to supply a source gas onto the substrate accommodated in the process chamber; and
a fourth valve configured to open and close the source gas supply line,
wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first valve, the second valve, the third valve and the fourth valve to perform: opening the fourth valve with the first valve closed such that the source gas is supplied onto the substrate in the process chamber via the source gas supply line; opening the second valve with the first valve and the third valve closed such that the reactive gas is stored in the gas storage unit; and opening the first valve and the third valve such that the reactive gas is supplied onto the substrate via the first reactive gas supply line and the second reactive gas supply line simultaneously.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the process chamber is further configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates stacked vertically,
the source gas supply system comprises a source gas nozzle connected to the source gas supply pipe and extending along a stacked direction of the plurality of substrates stacked in the process chamber, the source gas nozzle including a source gas discharge hole configured to discharge the source gas onto the substrates,
the first reactive gas supply system comprises a first reactive gas nozzle connected to the first reactive gas supply pipe and extending along the stacked direction of the plurality of substrates, the first reactive gas nozzle including a first reactive gas discharge hole configured to discharge the reactive gas onto the substrates, and
the second reactive gas supply system comprises a second reactive gas nozzle connected to the second reactive gas supply pipe and extending along the stacked direction of the plurality of substrates, the second reactive gas nozzle including a second reactive gas discharge hole configured to discharge the reactive gas onto the substrates.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a nozzle accommodating portion installed at an inside wall of the process chamber and projecting outward,
wherein the source gas nozzle, the first reactive gas nozzle, and the second reactive gas nozzle are disposed in the nozzle accommodating portion.