Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

An insulating film having features such as a low dielectric constant, a low etching rate and a high insulating property is formed. An oxycarbonitride film is formed on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (a) supplying a gas containing an element to the substrate; (b) supplying a carbon-containing gas to the substrate; (c) supplying a nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and (d) supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a process vessel configured to accommodate a substrate;   an element-containing gas supply system configured to supply a gas containing an element into the process vessel;   a carbon-containing gas supply system configured to supply a carbon-containing gas into the process vessel;   a nitrogen-containing gas supply system configured to supply a nitrogen-containing gas into the process vessel;   an oxygen-containing gas supply system configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas into the process vessel;   a heater configured to heat the substrate in the process vessel; and   a control unit configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to form an oxycarbonitride film on the substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including:
 (a) performing a set a predetermined number of times, the set including: (a-1) supplying the gas containing the element to the substrate; (a-2) supplying the carbon-containing gas to the substrate; and (a-3) supplying the nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and 
 (b) supplying the oxygen-containing gas to the substrate, 
 wherein the processes (a-1) through (a-3) are non-simultaneously performed, and the processes (a) and (b) are non-simultaneously performed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system and the heater to form a layer containing the element having a thickness ranging from less than one atomic layer to several atomic layers in the process (a-1). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system and the heater to form a continuous layer containing the element, a discontinuous layer containing the element or a layer formed by overlaying the continuous layer and the discontinuous layer in the process (a-1). 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system and the heater to form a deposition layer by depositing the element in the process (a-1), and the deposition layer comprises a continuous deposition layer containing the element, a discontinuous deposition layer containing the element or a layer formed by overlaying the continuous deposition layer and the discontinuous deposition layer. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system and the heater to form a continuous chemical adsorption layer of the gas containing the element or a discontinuous chemical adsorption layer of the gas containing the element in the process (a-1). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the carbon-containing gas supply system and the heater to form a discontinuous chemical adsorption layer of the carbon-containing gas in the process (a-2). 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the nitrogen-containing gas supply system and the heater to thermally nitride a layer formed on the substrate under a condition where a nitridation reaction of the layer by the nitrogen-containing gas is unsaturated in the process (a-3). 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to thermally oxidize a layer formed on the substrate under a condition where an oxidation reaction of the layer by the oxygen-containing gas is unsaturated in the process (b). 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to perform the cycle including the set and the process (b) one or more times wherein the set is performed one or more times. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to alternately perform the set and the process (b) one or more times, wherein the set is performed one or more times. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to perform each of the processes (a-1), (a-2), (a-3) and (b) under non-plasma atmosphere. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to supply each gas in thermally activated state to the substrate in the processes (a-1), (a-2), (a-3) and (b). 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulating unit configured to regulate a pressure in the process vessel,
 and the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system, the heater and the pressure regulating unit to adjust a composition of the oxycarbonitride film by controlling an inner pressure of the process vessel, or by controlling the inner pressure and a gas supply time in at least one of the processes (a-1), (a-2), (a-3) and (b).   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulating unit configured to regulate a pressure in the process vessel,
 and the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system, the heater and the pressure regulating unit to adjust concentration of at least one of the element, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in the oxycarbonitride film by controlling an inner pressure of the process vessel, or by controlling the inner pressure and a gas supply time in at least one of the processes (a-1), (a-2), (a-3) and (b).   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to perform the processes (a-1) through (a-3) and (b) separately. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to perform the processes (a-1) through (a-3) and (b) without mixing the gas containing the element, the carbon-containing gas, the nitrogen-containing gas and the oxygen-containing gas with one another. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to perform the processes (a-1) through (a-3) and (b) separately by performing gas substitution processes between the processes (a-1) and (a-2), the processes (a-2) and (a-3), the processes (a-3) and (b) and the processes (b) and (a-1) 
     
     
         18 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a process vessel configured to accommodate a substrate;   an element-containing gas supply system configured to supply a gas containing an element into the process vessel;   a carbon-containing gas supply system configured to supply a carbon-containing gas into the process vessel;   a nitrogen-containing gas supply system configured to supply a nitrogen-containing gas into the process vessel;   an oxygen-containing gas supply system configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas into the process vessel;   a heater configured to heat the substrate in the process vessel; and   a control unit configured to control the element-containing gas supply system, the carbon-containing gas supply system, the nitrogen-containing gas supply system, the oxygen-containing gas supply system and the heater to form an oxycarbonitride film on the substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including:
 (a) performing a set a predetermined number of times, the set including: (a-1) supplying the gas containing the element to the substrate; (a-2) supplying the carbon-containing gas to the substrate; (a-3) supplying the gas containing the element to the substrate; and (a-4) supplying the nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and 
 (b) supplying the oxygen-containing gas to the substrate, 
 wherein the processes (a-1) through (a-4) are non-simultaneously performed in order, and the processes (a) and (b) are non-simultaneously performed.