Substrate processing apparatus and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention promotes supplying gases to spaces between adjacent substrates without reducing the number of substrates which can be collectively processed. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber for storing and processing substrates stacked in multiple stages in horizontal posture; at least one processing gas supply nozzle which extends running along an inner wall of the processing chamber in the stacking direction of the substrates and supplies a processing gas to the inside of the processing chamber; a pair of inactive gas supply nozzles which are provided so as to extend running along the inner wall of the processing chamber in the stacking direction of the substrates and so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides thereof along the circumferential direction of the substrates and which supply the inactive gas to the inside of the processing chamber; and an exhaust line for exhausting the inside of the processing chamber.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber for storing and processing substrates stacked in multiple stages in horizontal posture;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying at least one type of processing gas to the inside of the processing chamber;   an inactive gas supply unit for supplying an inactive gas to the inside of the processing chamber; and   an exhaust unit for exhausting an atmosphere of the inside of the processing chamber,   wherein   the processing gas supply unit has at least one processing gas supply nozzle which extends running along an inner wall of the processing chamber in the stacking direction of the substrates and which supplies the processing gas to the inside of the processing chamber, and   the inactive gas supply unit has a pair of inactive gas supply nozzles which are provided so as to extend running along the inner wall of the processing chamber in the stacking direction of the substrates and so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides thereof along the circumferential direction of the substrates, and which supply the inactive gas to the inside of the processing chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control section for controlling at least the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit,   wherein   the control section controls the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit such that a supply flow quantity of the inactive gas is greater than a supply flow quantity of the processing gas.   
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heating unit for heating an atmosphere in the processing chamber; and   a control section for controlling at least the heating unit;   wherein   the control section   controls the heating unit such that a temperature of the atmosphere in the processing chamber becomes a certain processing temperature.   
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a thermal decomposition temperature of the processing gas is lower than the processing temperature.   
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a control section for controlling at least the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit,   wherein   the control section   controls the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit such that a supply flow quantity of the inactive gas is greater than a supply flow quantity of the processing gas.   
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pair of straightening vanes outside of the inactive gas nozzles, respectively, which are located on the inner side of the processing chamber with respect to the inactive gas ejection port.   
   
   
       7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pair of straightening vanes each of which extends between the inactive gas supply nozzle and the substrate in the vertical direction and located substantially parallel to the orientation of the inactive gas ejection port.   
   
   
       8 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 an outer tube;   an inner tube which is installed inside the outer tube with at least the lower end thereof being opened, and which stores the substrates stacked in multiple stages in horizontal posture;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying at least one type of processing gas to the inside of the inner tube;   an inactive gas supply unit for supplying an inactive gas to the inside of the inner tube; and   an exhaust hole provided at a position opposing the processing gas supply nozzle on the side wall of the inner tube,   wherein   the processing gas supply unit   has at least one processing gas supply nozzle which is vertically installed inside the inner tube so as to extend in the stacking direction of the substrates and which has at least one processing gas ejection port for supplying the processing gas, and   the inactive gas supply unit   has a pair of inactive gas supply nozzles which are provided so as to be vertically installed, inside the inner tube, extending in the stacking direction of the substrates and so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides thereof along the circumferential direction of the substrates and which have at least one inactive gas ejection port for supplying the inactive gas.   
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a preliminary chamber is formed projecting outward in the radial direction in the inner tube,   the processing gas supply nozzle is provided in the preliminary chamber, and   the processing gas ejection port is located outward in the radial direction with respect to an inner peripheral surface of the inner tube.   
   
   
       10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a first straight line connecting the processing gas supply nozzle and the exhaust hole is configured to pass the vicinity of the center of each substrate.   
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the processing gas ejection port is configured to be opened substantially parallel to the first straight line.   
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 second and third straight lines, connecting each of the pair of the inactive gas supply nozzles and the exhaust hole, respectively, are configured to sandwich the first straight line from both sides thereof.   
   
   
       13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the inactive gas ejection port is configured to be opened substantially parallel to the second and third straight lines.   
   
   
       14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 the inactive gas ejection port is configured to be opened in the outward orientation with respect to the second and third straight lines.   
   
   
       15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a heating unit for heating an atmosphere in the processing chamber; and   a control section for controlling at least the processing gas supply unit,   wherein,   the control section   controls the heating unit such that a temperature of the atmosphere in the processing chamber becomes a certain processing temperature.   
   
   
       16 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein
 a thermal decomposition temperature of the processing gas is lower than the processing temperature.   
   
   
       17 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a control section for controlling at least the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit,   wherein   the control section   controls the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit such that a supply flow quantity of the inactive gas is greater than a supply flow quantity of the processing gas.   
   
   
       18 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the control section   controls the processing gas supply unit and the inactive gas supply unit such that a supply flow quantity of the inactive gas is greater than a supply flow quantity of the processing gas.   
   
   
       19 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
 loading substrates stacked in multiple stages in horizontal posture to the inside of a processing chamber;   processing the substrates, by supplying a processing gas, to the inside of the processing chamber, from at least one processing gas supply nozzle which extends running along an inner wall of the processing chamber in the stacking direction of the substrates, and by supplying an inactive gas, to the inside of the processing chamber, from a pair of inactive gas supply nozzles which are provided so as to extend running along the inner wall of the processing chamber in the stacking direction of the substrates and so as to sandwich the processing gas supply nozzle from both sides thereof along the circumferential direction of the substrates; and   unloading the processed substrates from the processing chamber.   
   
   
       20 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to  claim 19 , wherein
 in the step of processing the substrates, a flow quantity of the inactive gas supplied from each of the pair of the inactive gas supply nozzles is set to be equal to or greater than a flow quantity of the processing gas supplied from the processing gas supply nozzle.