Film-forming apparatus

Abstract

A film-forming apparatus of the invention is a film-forming apparatus that includes: a processing container that defines a chamber, a pedestal arranged in the chamber, on which a substrate to be processed can be placed, a showerhead provided opposite to the pedestal, which has a large number of gas-discharging holes, a gas-supplying mechanism that supplies a process gas into the chamber through the showerhead, and a showerhead-temperature controlling unit that controls a temperature of the showerhead.

1 . A film-forming apparatus comprising: 
 a processing container that defines a chamber,    a stage arranged in the chamber, on which a substrate to be processed can be placed,    a showerhead provided opposite to the stage, which has a large number of gas-discharging holes,    a gas-supplying mechanism that supplies a process gas into the chamber through the showerhead, and    a showerhead-temperature controlling unit that controls a temperature of the showerhead, wherein    an infilling member and a fixing member for fixing the infilling member to the showerhead or the processing container are arranged between the showerhead and the processing container.    
   
   
       2 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the showerhead-temperature controlling unit includes: 
 a heating mechanism that heats the showerhead,  
 a cooling mechanism that cools the showerhead,  
 a temperature-detecting mechanism that detects a temperature of the showerhead, and  
 a controller that controls at least the heating mechanism, based on a result detected by the temperature-detecting mechanism.  
   
   
   
       21 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plasma-generating unit for generating plasma of the process gas in the chamber.    
   
   
       22 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 an inverting mechanism that inverts the showerhead by turning the showerhead outwardly from the chamber.    
   
   
       23 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the showerhead has: 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       24 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising 
 a plasma-generating unit for generating plasma of the process gas in the chamber.    
   
   
       25 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising 
 an inverting mechanism that inverts the showerhead by turning the showerhead outwardly from the chamber.    
   
   
       26 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein 
 the showerhead has: 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       27 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising 
 an inverting mechanism that inverts the showerhead by turning the showerhead outwardly from the chamber.    
   
   
       28 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein 
 the showerhead has 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       29 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 the showerhead has 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       30 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 24 , further comprising 
 an inverting mechanism that inverts the showerhead by turning the showerhead outwardly from the chamber.    
   
   
       31 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein 
 the showerhead has 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       32 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein 
 the showerhead has 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       33 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein 
 the showerhead has 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       34 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus comprising: 
 a processing container that defines a chamber,    a stage arranged in the chamber, on which a substrate to be processed can be placed,    a showerhead provided opposite to the stage, which has a large number of gas-discharging holes,    a gas-supplying mechanism that supplies a Ti-including gas and a reduction gas into the chamber through the showerhead,    a showerhead-temperature controlling unit that controls a temperature of the showerhead, and    a plasma-generating unit for generating plasma of the Ti-including gas and the reduction gas in the chamber,    wherein    an infilling member and a fixing member for fixing the infilling member to the showerhead or the processing container are arranged between the showerhead and the processing container.    
   
   
       35 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein 
 the showerhead-temperature controlling unit includes: 
 a heating mechanism that heats the showerhead,  
 a cooling mechanism that cools the showerhead,  
 a temperature-detecting mechanism that detects a temperature of the showerhead, and  
 a controller that controls at least the heating mechanism, based on a result detected by the temperature-detecting mechanism.  
   
   
   
       36 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising 
 an inverting mechanism that inverts the showerhead by turning the showerhead outwardly from the chamber.    
   
   
       37 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein 
 the showerhead has: 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       38 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 35 , further comprising 
 an inverting mechanism that inverts the showerhead by turning the showerhead outwardly from the chamber.    
   
   
       39 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein 
 the showerhead has: 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       40 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein 
 the showerhead has: 
 an upper plate,  
 a middle plate, and  
 a lower plate.  
   
   
   
       41 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the infilling member consists of quartz.  
   
   
       42 . A Ti-film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the infilling member consists of quartz.  
   
   
       43 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein 
 an insulating member for insulating the showerhead from the processing container is arranged between the showerhead and the processing container.    
   
   
       44 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein 
 a heater for heating the substrate to be processed is arranged in the stage, and    an electrode is arranged above the heater.    
   
   
       45 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein 
 the showerhead has a concave shape.    
   
   
       46 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein 
 the showerhead is controlled at a temperature not lower than 425° C.    
   
   
       47 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein 
 the gas-supplying mechanism includes a cleaning-gas source of a cleaning gas for cleaning a Ti film formed in the processing container.    
   
   
       48 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the reduction gas is an H 2  gas.  
   
   
       49 . A film-forming apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the Ti-including gas is a TiCl 4  gas.