Apparatus for producing a semiconductor device

Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing a semiconductor device can provide a uniform film on a substrate. A substrate is introduced into a reaction chamber or tube ( 51 ) which has gas feed ports ( 52, 53 ) and gas exhaust ports ( 54, 55 ). The substrate in the reaction tube ( 51 ) is heated to substantially a film forming temperature while supplying a prescribed gas to the reaction tube ( 51 ) through the gas feed ports ( 52, 53 ) and exhausting the prescribed gas from the reaction tube ( 51 ) through all the exhaust ports ( 54, 55 ). A film-forming gas is supplied to the reaction tube ( 51 ) to form a film on the substrate. The substrate with the film formed thereon is taken out of the reaction tube ( 51 ). Moreover, after the film formation on the substrate, a prescribed gas is supplied to the reaction tube ( 51 ) from the gas feed ports ( 52, 53 ) while being exhausted from the reaction tube ( 51 ) through all the exhaust ports ( 54, 55 ), thereby removing a residual gas in the reaction tube.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for producing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: 
 introducing a substrate into a reaction chamber which has at least one gas feed port and at least one gas exhaust port;    heating said substrate in said reaction chamber to substantially a film forming temperature while supplying a prescribed gas to said reaction chamber through said at least one gas feed port and exhausting said prescribed gas from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports; supplying a film-forming gas to said reaction chamber to form a film on said substrate; and    taking said substrate with said film formed thereon out of said reaction chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 1   , wherein in said substrate introducing step and said substrate taking-out step, a prescribed gas is supplied from said at least one gas feed port to said reaction chamber while being exhausted from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports.  
     
     
         3 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 2   , further comprising a residual gas removing step for removing a residual gas remaining in said reaction chamber after formation of said film on said substrate between said film forming step and said substrate taking-out step, wherein in said residual gas removing step, a prescribed gas is supplied to said reaction chamber from said at least one gas feed port while being exhausted from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports.  
     
     
         4 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to claim  2 , further comprising supplying a prescribed gas to said reaction chamber from said at least one gas feed port while exhausting said prescribed gas from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports before said substrate introducing step and after said substrate taking-out step.  
     
     
         5 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 4   , further comprising a residual gas removing step for removing a residual gas remaining in said reaction chamber after formation of said film on said substrate between said film forming step and said substrate taking-out step, wherein a prescribed gas is supplied to said reaction chamber from said at least one gas feed port while being exhausted from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports in said residual gas removing step as well.  
     
     
         6 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 1   , wherein said at least one exhaust port comprises a plurality of exhaust ports.  
     
     
         7 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 1   , wherein said substrate having a film-forming surface is disposed in said reaction chamber substantially horizontally with said at least one gas feed port and said at least one exhaust port being positioned in an opposed relation with respect to each other with said substrate interposed therebetween, and wherein said film-forming gas flows substantially in parallel with said film-forming surface of said substrate in said film forming step.  
     
     
         8 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 7   , wherein said at least one exhaust port comprises a plurality of exhaust ports.  
     
     
         9 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 8   , wherein in said film forming step, said film-forming gas is supplied to said reaction chamber a predetermined number of times while changing the direction of flow of said film-forming gas.  
     
     
         10 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 9   , further comprising supplying, immediately before and similar to said film forming step, a prescribed gas to said reaction chamber from said gas feed port to pass it along said film-forming surface of said substrate substantially in parallel therewith and exhausting said prescribed gas from the reaction chamber through said exhaust port.  
     
     
         11 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 10   , further comprising making the temperature of a portion of said reaction chamber which adjoins said gas feed port supplying said prescribed gas different from the temperature of the remaining portion thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 11   , further comprising making the temperature of a portion of said reaction chamber which adjoins said gas feed port supplying said prescribed gas lower than the temperature of the remaining portion thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 11   , wherein said film-forming gas is a gas mixture containing a plurality of kinds of gases, said gas mixture containing at least one kind of a nonreactive gas which is by itself unable to form a film on said substrate, said nonreactive gas being used as said prescribed gas.  
     
     
         14 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 13   , wherein said gas mixture contains a first gas which is in a gaseous state at room temperature and a second gas which is in a liquid state at room temperature, said first gas being used as said prescribed gas.  
     
     
         15 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 1   , wherein said prescribed gas is an inert gas which is unable to form a film on said substrate.  
     
     
         16 . The method for producing a semiconductor device according to    claim 1   , wherein said film-forming gas contains at least penta-ethoxy-tantalum.  
     
     
         17 . A method for producing a semiconductor device, comprising: 
 introducing a substrate into a reaction chamber which has at least one gas feed port and at least one gas exhaust port;    heating said substrate in said reaction chamber to substantially a film forming temperature;    supplying a film-forming gas to said reaction chamber to form a film on said substrate;    removing a residual gas remaining in said reaction chamber after formation of said film on said substrate while supplying a prescribed gas to said reaction chamber from said at least one gas feed port while exhausting said prescribed gas from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports; and    taking said substrate with said film formed thereon out of said reaction chamber.    
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for producing a semiconductor device, comprising: 
 a reaction chamber having at least one gas feed port and at least one exhaust port;    valves for opening and closing said at least one gas feed port and said at least one exhaust port;    a gas supply system for supplying a prescribed gas to said reaction chamber from said at least one gas feed port; and    a heater for heating said substrate in said reaction chamber to substantially a film forming temperature;    wherein at least in a substrate heating step in which said substrate is heated to substantially the film-forming temperature by said heater, or in a residual gas removing step in which a residual gas remaining in said reaction chamber is removed after a film forming step, said prescribed gas is supplied to said reaction chamber from said at least one gas feed port while being exhausted from said reaction chamber through all said exhaust ports.