1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vapor-phase process apparatus, a vapor-phase process method, and a substrate, and more particularly to a vapor-phase process apparatus, a vapor-phase process method, and a substrate capable of achieving high-quality process.
2. Description of the Background Art
A vapor-phase process apparatus for such a process as formation of a film on a surface of an object to be processed (hereinafter referred to as a “process object”) such as a substrate has conventionally been known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2005-005594, 2002-371361 and 2006-013326). In the vapor-phase process apparatus disclosed, for example, in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-005594, a plurality of flow-guide gas blowing portions are formed in positions (in an upper wall of a process chamber) opposed to the process object (substrate) arranged in a process chamber (a chamber). Then, the flow-guide gas is supplied into the process chamber from the flow-guide gas blowing portions so that contamination due to a by-product of a reaction gas (raw material gas) on a wall surface of the process chamber can be prevented and a rate of film deposition on a substrate surface and uniformity of a composition of a formed film can be maintained.
In addition, according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-371361, in order to efficiently vapor-deposit a film on a surface of a substrate serving as a process object, a pressing gas for pressing a raw material gas against the surface of the substrate is supplied from a process chamber wall portion (an upper wall) opposed to the substrate. In a pressing gas supply portion, a device like a nozzle is used in order to adjust a direction of supply of the pressing gas to an obliquely downward direction or to a horizontal direction. Moreover, according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-013326 as well, a flow-guide gas corresponding to the pressing gas described above is supplied through an upper wall of a process chamber into the process chamber. Further, a nozzle is used in order to adjust a direction of supply of the flow-guide gas to an obliquely downward direction.
The conventional vapor-phase process apparatus described above, however, has suffered from the following problems. Specifically, a structure of the upper wall of the process chamber in which the flow-guide gas blowing portions are provided has a predetermined, certain shape. In addition, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-005594, the flow-guide gas is supplied from a common gas supply source to the plurality of flow-guide gas blowing portions and a flow rate or the like cannot be controlled individually for each flow-guide gas blowing portion. Here, if types of processes for the surface of the process object are different (for example, materials for a film to be deposited in a film deposition process are different), conditions for film deposition are also different, and hence optimal conditions for a flow rate or distribution of the flow-guide gas supplied from the flow-guide gas blowing portions are also different. In the conventional vapor-phase process apparatus described above, however, if types of such processes are changed, it is difficult to optimize a flow rate or flow velocity distribution of the flow-guide gas depending on types of processes. Accordingly, it has been difficult to satisfactorily maintain process quality (for example, quality of a formed film), such as a rate of film deposition on the substrate surface and uniformity of a composition of a formed film.
Further, according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2002-371361 and 2006-013326, a plurality of nozzles supply the pressing gas (the flow-guide gas), however, these gases may not form such a gas layer as uniformly covering a wall portion (an upper wall) of the process chamber. Unless such a gas layer is formed, a part of the raw material gas reaches the upper wall and deposits originating from the raw material gas may adhere to the upper wall. When such deposits peel off from the upper wall (the wall portion) and result in deposit pieces, the deposit pieces may adhere to the surface of the process object, which results in large number of defects.
The present invention was made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vapor-phase process apparatus and a vapor-phase process method capable of satisfactorily maintaining quality of processes even when different types of processes are performed.
In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a vapor-phase process apparatus and a vapor-phase process method capable of performing a process less likely to cause defects on a processed surface.
Moreover, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a high-quality substrate subjected to a process excellent in uniformity or the like with the use of the vapor-phase process method above.