Substrate Processing Apparatus and Substrate Processing Method

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes: a mounting stand provided with a substrate mounting region in which a workpiece substrate is mounted; a process vessel for defining a process chamber including a first region and a second region through which the substrate mounting region passes in order; a precursor gas supply unit for supplying a precursor gas to the first region; a process gas supply unit for supplying a first gas or a second gas differing from the first gas to the second region; at least one plasma generating unit for generating plasma of the first gas or the second gas in the second region; and a control unit for executing a repetition control of repeating a first operation for supplying the first gas to the second region for a first time and a second operation for supplying the second gas to the second region for a second time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 a mounting stand provided with a substrate mounting region in which a workpiece substrate is mounted, the mounting stand being installed so as to rotate about an axis such that the substrate mounting region is moved in a circumferential direction;   a process vessel configured to define a process chamber which accommodates the mounting stand therein, the process chamber including a first region and a second region through which the substrate mounting region moving about the axis in the circumferential direction upon rotation of the mounting stand passes in order;   a precursor gas supply unit configured to supply a precursor gas to the first region;   a process gas supply unit configured to supply a first gas or a second gas differing from the first gas to the second region;   at least one plasma generating unit configured to generate plasma of the first gas or the second gas in the second region; and   a control unit configured to execute a repetition control of repeating a first operation for supplying the first gas to the second region for a first time and a second operation for supplying the second gas to the second region for a second time.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one plasma generating unit is at least two plasma generating units,
 wherein each of the at least two plasma generating units includes said process gas supply unit and each process gas supply unit is connected to a common process gas supply source.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the total sum of the first time and the second time differs in length from the time required for the mounting stand to make one revolution about the axis. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls a length of the first time, a length of the second time, a rotation speed of the mounting stand and a length of a process time such that, when starting and ending the repetition control, the workpiece substrate is located at the same position within the process vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control unit sets the process time to become equal to a time length which is a common multiple of a length of the time required for the mounting stand to make one revolution about the axis and a length of the total sum of the first time and the second time. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, if the mounting stand makes one revolution about the axis for x seconds, the process gas supply unit repeats the first operation and the second operation based on the first time and the second time which satisfy the following relational expression:
     xk± 1= m+n      
       where m is the first time (seconds, a natural number), n is the second time (seconds, a natural number), and k is an arbitrary natural number. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plasma generating unit includes an antenna configured to irradiate microwaves toward the second region, and a coaxial waveguide configured to supply the microwaves to the antenna,
 wherein line segments defining a cross-sectional outline of the antenna seen in a direction of the axis include two line segments which go away from each other as a distance from the axis increases, and   the coaxial waveguide is configured to supply the microwaves to the antenna from a gravity center of the antenna.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cross-sectional outline of the antenna seen in the direction of the axis is a shape having rotational symmetry. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cross-sectional outline of the antenna seen in the direction of the axis is a substantially equilateral triangular shape. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the precursor gas contains at least silane, the first gas contains at least nitrogen, and the second gas contains at least hydrogen. 
     
     
         11 . A substrate processing method implemented in a substrate processing apparatus which includes a mounting stand provided with a substrate mounting region in which a workpiece substrate is mounted, the mounting stand being installed so as to rotate about an axis such that the substrate mounting region is moved in a circumferential direction, and a process vessel configured to define a process chamber which accommodates the mounting stand therein, the process chamber including a first region and a second region through which the substrate mounting region moving about the axis in the circumferential direction upon rotation of the mounting stand passes in order, the method comprising:
 an adsorption process in which an adsorption layer is formed on a surface of the workpiece substrate by supplying a precursor gas to the first region;   a reaction process in which the surface of the workpiece substrate is subjected to reaction by supplying a first gas to the second region and generating plasma of the first gas; and   a modifying process in which the surface of the workpiece substrate is modified by supplying a second gas differing from the first gas to the second region and generating plasma of the second gas,   wherein a first operation for performing the reaction process for a first time and a second operation for performing the modifying process for a second time are repeated while rotating the mounting stand.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of plasma generating units disposed in the second region, the plasma generating units configured to generate plasma by using the first gas or the second gas in common. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the total sum of the first time and the second time differs in length from the time required for the mounting stand to make one revolution about the axis. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a length of the first time, a length of the second time, a rotation speed of the mounting stand and a length of a process time are controlled such that, when starting and ending repetition control, the workpiece substrate is located at the same position within the process vessel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the process time is set to become equal to a time length which is a common multiple of a length of the time required for the mounting stand to make one revolution about the axis and a length of the total sum of the first time and the second time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, if the mounting stand makes one revolution about the axis for x seconds, the first operation and the second operation is repeated based on the first time and the second time which satisfy the following relational expression:
     xk± 1= m+n      
       where m is the first time (seconds, a natural number), n is the second time (seconds, a natural number), and k is an arbitrary natural number. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the precursor gas contains at least silane, the first gas contains at least nitrogen, and the second gas contains at least hydrogen.