Film forming apparatus and film forming method

Abstract

Coating an insulating film on a substrate, heating the substrate at a pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure in a chamber, followed by the curing process performed at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure in a separate chamber. With this process, the desorption of the porogen from the insulating film during heating can be restrained therefore an insulating film of high quality can be formed.

1 . A method for forming a film, comprising: 
 (a) coating an insulating film on a substrate;    (b) heating the substrate coated with the insulating film at a first temperature and at a first pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure; and    (c) heating the substrate at a second temperature and at a second pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure after the step (b);    (d) measuring a film thickness of the insulating film in at least one of the step (a) and the step (b);    (e) inferring a relative permittivity of the insulating film corresponding to a value of the film thickness measured in the step (d); and    (f) controlling at least on of the first pressure in the step (b) and the second pressure in the step (c) corresponding to a value of the relative permittivity inferred in the step (e).    
   
   
       2 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is 100 kPa to 200 kPa.  
   
   
       3 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the insulating film is coated in an 
 atmosphere containing a component of an insulating film material.    
   
   
       4 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the second pressure is 100 Pa to 100 kPa.  
   
   
       5 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature.  
   
   
       6 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an insulating film material coated on the substrate in the step (a) is a porous type material.  
   
   
       7 . The method, as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the porous type material coated on the substrate in the step (a) is at least one of ALCAP, porous SiLK and CCIC.  
   
   
       8 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the insulating film coated on the substrate in the step (a) is an insulating film containing a porogen.  
   
   
       9 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step (b) has; 
 (d) heating the substrate at a first temperature, and    (e) heating the substrate at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and    wherein the method further comprises:    (f) measuring a concentration of a solvent evaporated while heating the insulating film in the step (d); and    (g) controlling the heating of the substrate in the step (f) so that the step (e) is terminated after the concentration of the solvent measured in the step (g) reaches a predetermined value and heat the substrate in the step (e) for a predetermined time period.    
   
   
       10 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 (h) measuring an amount of the porogen evaporated from the insulating film heated in the step (c); and    (i) controlling the heating process of the substrate so that the step (c) is terminated after the amount of the porogen measured in the step (h) reaches a predetermined value.    
   
   
       11 . A method for forming a film, comprising: 
 (a) heating a substrate coated with an insulating film containing a porogen at a first temperature and at a first pressure higher than an atomospheric pressure;    (b) heating the substrate at the first pressure and at a second temperature higher the first temperature after the step (a); and    (c) heating the substrate at a second pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure.    
   
   
       12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A method for forming a film, comprising: 
 (a) heating a substrate coated with an insulating film containing a porogen at a first temperature, and at a first pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure so that a solvent contained in the insulating film evaporates;    (b) measuring a concentration of the solvent evaporated in the heating process in the step (a);    (c) heating the substrate at a second temperature higher than the first temperature for a predetermined time period after the concentration of the solvent measured in the step (b) reaches a predetermined value;    (d) heating the substrate at a second pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure so that a porogen contained in the insulating film evaporates;    (e) measuring an amount of the porogen evaporated in the step (d); and    (f) terminating the step (d) when the amount of porogen measured in the step (e) reached a predetermined value.    
   
   
       14 . The method, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises, between the step (a) and the step (b): 
 (j) causing a plurality of pins for holding the substrate to hold the substrate;    (k) controlling a pressure on the substrate to become the first pressure while having the plurality of pins hold the substrate;    (l) lowering the plurality of pins after the step (k) so that the substrate is placed on a heating plate for heating the substrate.    
   
   
       15 .- 22 . (canceled)