Film deposition method and computer readable storage medium

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A film deposition method for depositing a 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 chamber, the film deposition method comprising steps of:
 placing the substrate on a turntable rotatably provided in the chamber;   rotating the turntable on which the substrate is placed;   supplying a first reaction gas from a first reaction gas supplying portion to the turntable;   supplying a second reaction gas from a second reaction gas supplying portion to the turntable, the second reaction gas supplying portion being separated from the first reaction gas supplying portion along a rotation direction of the turntable;   supplying a first separation gas from a separation gas supplying portion provided in a separation area located between a first process area in which the first reaction gas is supplied from the first reaction gas supplying portion and a second process area in which the second reaction gas is supplied from the second reaction gas supplying portion, in order to flow the first separation gas from the separation area to the process area relative to the rotation direction of the turntable in a thin space created between a ceiling surface of the separation area and the turntable;   supplying a second separation gas from an ejection hole formed in a center area located in a center portion of the chamber;   evacuating the chamber;   alternately supplying a third gas from a third reaction gas supplying portion and a fourth gas from a fourth reaction gas supplying portion to the substrate to deposit a reaction product that is different from a reaction product deposited from the first reaction gas and the second reaction gas, the third reaction gas supplying portion and the fourth gas supplying portion being arranged apart from each other in a rotation direction of the turntable,   wherein the step of alternately supplying the third reaction gas and the fourth reaction gas is carried out after the step of supplying the first reaction gas and the step of supplying the second reaction gas are alternately carried out.   
     
     
         2 . The film deposition method of  claim 1 , wherein the first reaction gas supplying portion serves also as the third reaction gas supplying portion, and the second reaction gas supplying portion serves also as the fourth reaction gas supplying portion. 
     
     
         3 . A computer readable storage medium storing a program to be used in a film deposition apparatus in which a film is deposited 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 chamber, the program comprising a group of steps that cause the film deposition apparatus to carryout the film deposition method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 . A film deposition method 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 method comprising steps of:
 placing the substrate on a turntable rotatably provided in the vacuum chamber;   rotating the turntable on which the substrate is placed;   supplying a first reaction gas from a first reaction gas supplying portion to the turntable;   supplying a second reaction gas from a second reaction gas supplying portion to the turntable, the second reaction gas supplying portion being separated from the first reaction gas supplying portion along a rotation direction of the turntable;   supplying a separation gas from a separation gas supplying portion provided in a separation area located between a first process area in which the first reaction gas is supplied from the first reaction gas supplying portion and a second process area in which the second reaction gas is supplied from the second reaction gas supplying portion, so that pressure in a thin space created between the turntable and a ceiling surface of the separation area is maintained to be greater than pressure in the first and the second process areas;   supplying a separation gas from an ejection hole formed in a center area located in a center portion of the vacuum chamber; and   evacuating the vacuum chamber,   wherein the ceiling surface of the separation area is configured so that a width thereof along the rotation direction becomes greater toward a circumference of the vacuum chamber.   
     
     
         5 . The film deposition apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first reaction gas is substantially exclusively evacuated through one of at least two evacuation openings provided in the vacuum chamber, and the second reaction gas is substantially exclusively evacuated through another one of the at least two evacuation openings, in the step of evacuating the vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The film deposition method of  claim 4 , further comprising a step of supplying a third reaction gas from a third reaction gas supplying portion provided away from the first and the second reaction gas supplying portions along the rotation direction of the turntable to the surface of the turntable, the surface being on the substrate receiving portion side. 
     
     
         7 . The film deposition method of  claim 6 , further comprising a step of supplying a fourth reaction gas from 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 to the surface of the turntable, the surface being on the substrate receiving portion side. 
     
     
         8 . The film deposition method of  claim 7 , further comprising 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,   wherein the step of depositing the first thin film and the step of depositing the second thin film are carried out alternately.   
     
     
         9 . The film deposition method of  claim 7 , wherein the first reaction gas supplying portion and the second reaction gas supplying portion serve also as the third reaction gas supplying portion and the fourth reaction gas supplying portion, respectively. 
     
     
         10 . A computer readable storage medium storing a program to be used in a thin film deposition apparatus in which a thin film is deposited 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 program comprising a group of steps that cause the film deposition apparatus to carry out the film deposition method of  claim 4 .