Semiconductor processing system including vaporizer and method for using same

Abstract

A semiconductor processing system including a semiconductor processing apparatus and a gas supply apparatus for supplying a process gas into the semiconductor processing apparatus includes a control section configured to control an operation of a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside a vaporizing chamber. The control section is preset to cause the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber to fall within a predetermined pressure range with reference to a pressure detection value obtained by a pressure detector. The predetermined pressure range is defined by an upper limit lower than a first limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being inhibited due to an increase in the pressure, and a lower limit higher than a second limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being unstable and the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber starts pulsating movement due to a decrease in the pressure.

1 . A semiconductor processing system comprising a semiconductor processing apparatus and a gas supply apparatus for supplying a process gas into the semiconductor processing apparatus,
 the semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:   a process chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate;   a support member configured to support the target substrate inside the process chamber;   a heater configured to heat the target substrate inside the process chamber; and   an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust gas from inside the process chamber, and   the gas supply apparatus comprising:   a container that forms a vaporizing chamber configured to vaporize a liquid material;   a nozzle configured to atomize the liquid material by a carrier gas and to supply the liquid material into the vaporizing chamber;   a liquid material supply passage configured to supply the liquid material to the nozzle;   a carrier gas supply passage configured to supply the carrier gas to the nozzle;   a heater configured to heat an interior of the vaporizing chamber to vaporize the liquid material thus atomized and thereby to generate the process gas;   a gas supply passage configured to supply the process gas from the vaporizing chamber to the process chamber;   a pressure detector configured to detect pressure inside the vaporizing chamber;   a pressure adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber; and   a control section configured to control an operation of the pressure adjusting mechanism, wherein the control section is preset control an operation of the pressure adjusting mechanism to cause the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber to fall within a predetermined pressure range with reference to a pressure detection value obtained by the pressure detector, and the predetermined pressure range is defined by an upper limit lower than a first limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being inhibited due to an increase in the pressure, and a lower limit higher than a second limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being unstable and the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber starts pulsating movement due to a decrease in the pressure.   
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower limit is higher than a pressure limit value at which a solvent of the liquid material stars being boiled in a tip of the nozzle due to a decease in the pressure. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower limit is set to be 40% to 60% of the upper limit. 
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure adjusting mechanism comprises a flow rate regulator disposed on the gas supply passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the process gas, and the control section is preset to control an operation of the flow rate regulator with reference to the pressure detection value. 
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas supply apparatus further comprises a solvent supply passage connected to the liquid material supply passage and configured to add a solvent to the liquid material, the pressure adjusting mechanism comprises a flow rate regulator disposed on the solvent supply passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the solvent, and the control section is preset to control an operation of the flow rate regulator with reference to the pressure detection value. 
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure adjusting mechanism comprises a flow rate regulator disposed on the carrier gas supply passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the carrier gas, and the control section is preset to control an operation of the flow rate regulator with reference to the pressure detection value. 
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas supply apparatus is configured to use as the liquid material a material containing a solid material dissolved in a solvent. 
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor processing apparatus is configured to form a thin film on the target substrate, and the gas supply apparatus is configured to supply as the process gas a gas that provide a component of the thin film. 
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle has a double tube structure formed of inner and outer tubes and configured to supply the liquid material from the inner tube and to supply the carrier gas from the outer tube. 
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the nozzle is attached to a cooling block configured to cool the liquid material, and the liquid material supply passage is connected to the nozzle through the cooling block. 
   
   
       11 . A method for using a semiconductor processing system comprising a semiconductor processing apparatus and a gas supply apparatus for supplying a process gas into the semiconductor processing apparatus,
 the semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:   a process chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate;   a support member configured to support the target substrate inside the process chamber;   a heater configured to heat the target substrate inside the process chamber; and   an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust gas from inside the process chamber,   the gas supply apparatus comprising:   a container that forms a vaporizing chamber configured to vaporize a liquid material;   a nozzle configured to atomize the liquid material by a carrier gas and to supply the liquid material into the vaporizing chamber;   a liquid material supply passage configured to supply the liquid material to the nozzle;   a carrier gas supply passage configured to supply the carrier gas to the nozzle;   a heater configured to heat an interior of the vaporizing chamber to vaporize the liquid material thus atomized and thereby to generate the process gas;   a gas supply passage configured to supply the process gas from the vaporizing chamber to the process chamber;   a pressure detector configured to detect pressure inside the vaporizing chamber; and   a pressure adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber, and   the method comprising:   obtaining a first limit value at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being inhibited due to an increase in the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber;   obtaining a second limit value at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being unstable and the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber starts pulsating movement due to a decrease in the pressure;   determining a predetermined pressure range defined by an upper limit lower than the first limit value and a lower limit higher than the second limit value; and   controlling an operation of the pressure adjusting mechanism to cause the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber to fall within the predetermined pressure range with reference to a pressure detection value obtained by the pressure detector.   
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the lower limit is higher than a pressure limit value at which a solvent of the liquid material stars being boiled in a tip of the nozzle due to a decease in the pressure. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the lower limit is set to be 40% to 60% of the upper limit. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the pressure adjusting mechanism comprises a flow rate regulator disposed on the gas supply passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the process gas, and the method comprises controlling an operation of the flow rate regulator with reference to the pressure detection value. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the gas supply apparatus further comprises a solvent supply passage connected to the liquid material supply passage and configured to add a solvent to the liquid material, the pressure adjusting mechanism comprises a flow rate regulator disposed on the solvent supply passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the solvent, and the method comprises controlling an operation of the flow rate regulator with reference to the pressure detection value. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the pressure adjusting mechanism comprises a flow rate regulator disposed on the carrier gas supply passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the carrier gas, and the method comprises controlling an operation of the flow rate regulator with reference to the pressure detection value. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the gas supply apparatus is configured to use as the liquid material a material containing a solid material dissolved in a solvent. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the semiconductor processing apparatus is configured to form a thin film on the target substrate, and the gas supply apparatus is configured to supply as the process gas a gas that provide a component of the thin film. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle has a double tube structure formed of inner and outer tubes and configured to supply the liquid material from the inner tube and to supply the carrier gas from the outer tube. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle is attached to a cooling block configured to cool the liquid material, and the liquid material supply passage is connected to the nozzle through the cooling block.