U.S. patent application number 09/886273 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-27 for chemical vapor deposition system.
Invention is credited to Ko, Sang-Tae.
Application Number | 20010054382 09/886273 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18688415 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010054382 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ko, Sang-Tae |
December 27, 2001 |
Chemical vapor deposition system
Abstract
A CVD system in which a vacuum container is separated into a
plasma generating space and a film forming space by a conductive
partition wall having plural penetration holes, radicals generated
in the plasma generating space are introduced into the film forming
space only through the penetration holes of the partition wall, and
material gas supplied from outside into the partition wall is
introduced into the film forming space through the internal space
of the partition wall, which is communicating with the film forming
space through plural diffusion holes while separated from the
plasma generating space and the penetration holes, and a film is
formed on the substrate by the radicals and material gas introduced
into the film forming space. In the CVD system, the penetration
holes (25) of the conductive partition wall (14) are formed so that
the hole diameter at the film forming space (16) side may be equal
to or larger than the hole diameter at the plasma generating space
(15) side. Besides, the penetration holes (25) are formed of
structures (30) independent from the conductive partition wall
(14).
Inventors: |
Ko, Sang-Tae; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P.
2033 K STREET N. W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20006-1021
US
|
Family ID: |
18688415 |
Appl. No.: |
09/886273 |
Filed: |
June 22, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
118/723E |
Current CPC
Class: |
C23C 16/45565 20130101;
H01J 37/32623 20130101; C23C 16/45502 20130101; C23C 16/452
20130101; H01J 37/32357 20130101; H01J 37/32422 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
118/723.00E |
International
Class: |
C23C 016/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 23, 2000 |
JP |
2000-188664 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A CVD system for producing plasma in a vacuum container to
generate radicals, and forming a film on a substrate by the
radicals and material gas, wherein a conductive partition wall is
disposed in the vacuum container to separate it into two
compartments, one of them is formed as a plasma generating space
containing high frequency electrode, and the other is formed as a
film forming space with a substrate holding mechanism for mounting
substrates, said conductive partition wall has plural penetration
holes for communicating between said plasma generating space and
film forming space, and also has an inner space separated from the
plasma generating space and communicating with the film forming
space through plural diffusion holes, the material gas is supplied
from outside into the inner space of the conductive partition wall,
and is introduced into the film forming space through the plural
diffusion holes, and a high frequency electric power is applied to
said high frequency electrode to generate plasma discharge in the
plasma generating space, and radicals formed in the plasma
generating space are introduced into the film forming space through
the plural penetration holes opened in the conductive partition
wall, characterized that said penetration holes are formed to be
same or larger in diameter at the film forming space side as
compared with that at the plasma generating space side.
2. The CVD system according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the
penetration holes is a cylindrical shape from the plasma generating
space side toward the film forming, space side, a shape consisting
of a cylindrical portion from the plasma generating space side
toward the film forming space side and a conical portion widening
in diameter consecutive to the cylindrical portion, or a shape
consisting of a cylindrical portion from the plasma generation
space toward the film forming side and a conical portion widening
in diameter consecutive to the cylindrical portion and a
cylindrical portion of widen diameter consecutive to the conical
portion.
3. The CVD system according to claim 2, wherein the penetration
holes are formed to satisfy the condition of uL/D>1, where u is
the gas flow velocity in the penetration hole, L is the substantial
length of the penetration holes, and D is the binary
diffusivity.
4. The CVD system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
the penetration holes are formed of structures independent from the
conductive partition wall.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a chemical vapor deposition
(referred to as CVD in this specification) system, and more
particularly to a CVD system suited for forming a film on a large
flat panel substrate.
[0003] 1. Description of the Related Art
[0004] As a manufacturing method of liquid crystal display, a
method of using high temperature polysilicon TFT (thin film
transistor) and a method of using low temperature polysilicon TFT
have been known. In the manufacturing method of using high
temperature polysilicon TFT, in order to obtain a silicon oxide
film of high quality, a quartz substrate which can be fit for a
high temperature exceeding 1000.degree. C. is used. By contrast, in
manufacture of low temperature polysilicon TFT, an ordinary glass
substrate for TFT is used, so that it is necessary to form a film
at low temperature (for example, 400.degree. C.). The manufacturing
method of liquid crystal display by using low temperature
polysilicon TFT docs not require any special substrate, and is
hence widely employed recently, and its production is
expanding.
[0005] In manufacture of liquid crystal display by using low
temperature polysilicon TFT, when forming a silicon oxide film
appropriate as gate insulating film at low temperature, plasma
enhanced CVD is used.
[0006] When forming a silicon oxide film by the plasma enhanced
CVD, silane and tetracthoxy silane (TEOS) are used as
representative material gas.
[0007] When forming a silicon oxide film by plasma enhanced CVD,
using silane or the like as material gas, in a conventional plasma
enhanced CVD system, the material gas and oxygen are introduced in
the front space of the substrate, plasma is produced by mixed gas
of material gas and oxygen, and the substrate is exposed to the
plasma, so that a silicon oxide film is formed on the surface of
the substrate. In such a conventional plasma enhanced CVD system,
the material gas is directly supplied into the plasma produced in
the plasma enhanced CVD system. Accordingly, in the conventional
plasma enhanced CVD system, ions of high energy are injected from
the plasma existing in the front space of the substrate to the film
forming surface of the substrate, and the silicon oxide film is
damaged, and film properties are impaired. Further, since the
material gas is directly introduced into the plasma, the material
gas and plasma react violently with each other to generate
particles, thereby lowering the yield.
[0008] To solve the problems, in the previous Japanese Patent
Application (unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. JP
P2000-345349A), it has been attempted to improve the conventional
plasma enhanced CVD system, and a new CVD system was proposed.
[0009] The CVD system proposed in JP P2000-345349A is a system for
producing plasma in a vacuum container to generate radicals, and
forming a film on the substrate by the radical and material gas. A
conductive partition wall is disposed in the inside of the vacuum
container. Thereby, the inside of the vacuum container is separated
by the conductive partition wall into two compartments. One of
these two compartments is formed as a plasma generating space
containing high frequency electrode, and the other is formed as a
film forming space with a substrate holding mechanism for mounting
substrate, The conductive partition wall has plural penetration
holes for communicating between the plasma generating space and
film forming space, and also has an inner space separated from the
plasma generating space and communicating with the film forming
space through plural diffusion holes. The material gas is supplied
from outside into the inner space of the conductive partition wall,
and is introduced into the film forming space through the plural
diffusion holes. On the other hand, radicals formed in the plasma
generating space are introduced into the film forming space through
the plural penetration holes opened in the conductive partition
wall. Herein, the size (length and diameter) and structure of the
penetration holes and diffusion holes are determined so that the
material gas introduced in the film forming space may not diffuse
reversely into the plasma generating space as for the penetration
holes, and so that the radicals introduced in the film forming
space may not diffuse reversely into the inner space of the
conductive partition wall as for the diffusion holes By the CVD
system proposed in JP P2000-345349A, worsening of film properties
of silicon oxide film formed on the glass substrate can be
prevented, and the product yield can be improved.
[0010] However, by the CVD system proposed in JP P2000-345349A,
when a silicon oxide film is formed on a glass substrate of a wide
area, for example, 370 mm.times.470 mm, it was often insufficient
in the aspect of uniformity, in both film thickness and quality of
silicon oxide film. That is, in a conductive partition wall 14 of
the CVD system proposed in JP P2000-345349A shown in an enlarged
view in FIG. 5, a local abnormal discharge (hollow cathode
discharge) is induced in an inner space 32 of the opening at the
side of a plasma generating space 15 of penetration holes 25
communicating between the plasma generating space 15 side and film
forming space 16 side divided by the conductive partition wall 14,
which has been considered to lead to unstable plasma.
[0011] The penetration holes of the conductive partition wall which
determine the uniformity of film quality and thickness of the
silicon oxide film formed on the wide substrate are most important
parts demanding the highest precision in manufacture because they
have essential functions for preventing gas leak from the inner
space of the conductive partition wall filled with material gas,
preventing abnormal discharge in the penetration holes, and
realizing smooth transfer of neutral radicals.
[0012] Therefore, the CVD system proposed in JP P2000-345349A had a
room for further studies in the aspects of performance such as
improvement of uniformity of thickness and quality of the film
formed on the substrate, optimum structure for penetration holes,
and means for manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] It is hence an object of the present invention to present a
CVD system capable of forming a film of uniform thickness and
uniform quality over a wide area, by enhancing the plasma
stability, operating stably and continuously, achieving a high
product yield, by further improving the CVD system proposed in JP
P2000-345349A capable of preventing inverse diffusion of material
gas into the plasma forming region, in the case of forming a
silicon oxide film on a wide substrate by using material gas such
as silane, on the basis of the CVD using radicals generated by
plasma, in manufacture of large liquid crystal display using low
temperature polysilicon TFT.
[0014] It is also an object to present a CVD system capable of
stably maintaining many functions of the conductive partition wall,
especially the penetration holes, including prevention of gas leak
from the conductive partition wall filled with material gas,
prevention of abnormal discharge in the penetration holes
communicating from the plasma generating space to the film forming
space, and efficient transfer of neutral radicals from the plasma
generating space side to the film forming side.
[0015] To achieve these objects, the CVD system of the present
invention is characterized by the following structure.
[0016] That is, the CVD system of the present invention is a CVD
system for producing plasma in a vacuum container to generate
radicals, and forming a film on the substrate by the radicals and
material gas. A conductive partition wall is disposed in the inside
of the vacuum container. Thereby the inside of the vaccum container
is separated by the conductive partition wall into two
compartments. One of these two compartments is formed as a plasma
generating space containing high frequency electrode, and the other
is formed as a film forming space with a substrate holding
mechanism for mounting substrate. The conductive partition wall has
plural penetration holes for communicating between the plasma
generating space and film forming space, and also has an inner
space separated from the plasma generating space and communicating
with the film forming space through plural diffusion holes. The
material gas is supplied from outside into the inner space of the
conductive partition wall, and is introduced into the film forming
space through the plural diffusion holes. A high frequency electric
power is applied to the high frequency electrode to generate plasma
discharge in the plasma generating space. And radicals formed in
the plasma generating space are introduced into the film forming
space through the plural penetration holes opened in the conductive
partition wall.
[0017] In this CVD system, plasma is generated by using oxygen gas,
and a thin film is deposited on the surface of a substrate by using
material gas such as silane. And the inner space of the vacuum
container used as the treating compartment is separated by a
conductive partition wall into a plasma generating space and a film
forming space. So that the processing surface of the substrate
disposed in the film forming space is not exposed to the plasma.
Besides, being separated by the conductive partition wall, the
material gas introduced in the film forming space is sufficiently
prevented from moving to the plasma generating space side. That is,
the conductive partition wall has plural penetration holes, and the
plasma generating space and film forming space at both sides of the
conductive partition wall communicate with each other only through
the penetration holes, and the size and structure of the
penetration holes are determined so that the material gas
introduced in the film forming space may not diffuse reversely into
the plasma generating space side.
[0018] The size and structure of the penetration holes are same as
proposed in the previous Japanese Patent Application (JP
P2000-345349A), that is, the condition of uL/D>1 is satisfied,
where u is the gas flow velocity in penetration holes, L is the
substantial length of penetration holes (see FIG. 3, FIG. 4, in
these cases, L is the length of the portion of the minimum
diameter), and D is the binary diffusivity (mutual gas diffusion
coefficient of two types of gases of material gas and process gas,
in this case; oxygen gas). In the diffusion holes, too, when the
same condition as in the penetration holes is applied, it is
effective to prevent the radicals introduced in the film forming
space from diffusing reversely into the inner space of the
conductive partition wall, and the penetration holes and diffusion
holes of the partition wall in the CVD system of the present
invention arc formed to satisfy this condition.
[0019] It is a feature of the CVD system of the present invention
that the diameter of penetration hole at the film forming space
side arc designed to be equal to or larger than the diameter of
penetration hole at the plasma generating space side.
[0020] The shape of penetration holes that has an equal or larger
diameter at the film forming space side as compared with diameter
at the plasma generating space side is realized by, for example, a
cylindrical shape from the plasma generating space side toward the
film forming space side, or a shape consisting of a cylindrical
portion from the plasma generating space side toward the film
forming space side and a conical portion widening in diameter
consecutive to the cylindrical portion, or a shape consisting of a
cylindrical portion from the plasma generating side toward the film
forming side and a conical portion widening in diameter consecutive
to the cylindrical portion and a cylindrical portion of widen
diameter consecutive to the conical portion.
[0021] By forming the penetration holes in such characteristic
shape, the portion satisfying the hollow cathode discharge
condition can be eliminated. As a result, the stability of plasma
is enhanced, and abnormal discharge is prevented at the plasma
generating space side of penetration holes communicating from the
plasma generating space side to the film forming space side, and as
a result neutral radicals can be transferred efficiently from the
plasma generating space side to the film forming side. Thus, stable
operation is realized continuously, which results in a high
production throughput, while maintaining the capability of forming
a uniform film in thickness and quality over a wide area can be
presented.
[0022] For example, by the CVD system of the present invention, a
film thickness distribution of .+-.5.2%, which is better than in
prior plasma enhanced CVD where .+-.10%-15% uniformity is typically
obtained, could be obtained on a glass substrate of 370
mm.times.470 mm (thickness of silicon oxide film: 200 nm).
[0023] In the CVD system of the present invention as the before
described, the penetration holes can be formed by a structure
independent from the conductive partition wall. Thus, the
penetration holes can be processed precisely and at a low cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a first preferred
embodiment of a CVD system of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing a second preferred
embodiment of a CVD system of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of internal structure of
a partition wall of the CVD system of the present invention, FIG. 4
is a schematic enlarged view of an internal structure of another
embodiment of the partition wall of the CVD system of the present
invention.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic enlarged view of internal structure of
the partition wall in the prior CVD system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described
below while referring to the accompanying drawings.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an embodiment of a CVD
system of the present invention is explained. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,
in this CVD system, preferably, silane is used as material gas, and
a silicon oxide film is formed on the top of an ordinary glass
substrate 11 for TFT as a gate insulating film. A container 12 of
the CVD system is a vacuum container for keeping the inside in a
desired vacuum state by an exhausting mechanism 13 in a film
forming process. The exhausting mechanism 13 is connected to an
exhaust port 12b-1 formed in the vacuum container 12.
[0030] Inside of the vacuum container 12, a partition wall 14
formed of a conductive materials is disposed in a horizontal state,
and the partition wall 14 of, for example, a rectangular plane
shape is arranged so as to form an enclosed state as its peripheral
edge is pressed to the lower side of a conductive fixing portion
22.
[0031] Thus, the vacuum container 12 is separated into two upper
and lower compartments by the partition wall 14, and the upper
compartment forms a plasma generating space 15, and the lower
compartment forms a film forming space 16. The partition wall 14
has a specified thickness, and has a form of a flat plate on the
whole, having a plane shape similar to the horizontal sectional
shape of the vacuum container 12. An inner space 24 is formed in
the partition wall 14.
[0032] The glass substrate 11 is disposed on a substrate holding
mechanism 17 disposed in the film forming space 16. The glass
substrate 11 is substantially parallel to the partition wall 14,
and is disposed so that its film forming surface (upper side) may
be in face with the lower side of the partition wall 14.
[0033] The potential of the substrate holding mechanism 17 is held
at a grounding potential 41, same as the potential of the vacuum
container 12. A heater 18 is provided in the substrate holding
mechanism 17. By this heater 18, the temperature of the glass
substrate 11 is held at a specified temperature.
[0034] The structure of the vacuum container 12 will be explained.
The vacuum container 12 is, for the ease of its assembling,
composed of an upper container 12a for forming the plasma
generating space 15, and a lower container 12b for forming the film
forming space 16. The upper container 12a and lower container 12b
are assembled to compose the vacuum container 12, and the partition
wall 14 is provided between them at this time. The partition wall
14 is disposed so that its peripheral edge may contact with an
electrically conductive member 22 which has the same potential as
the vacuum container 12. As a result, the plasma generating space
15 and film forming space 16 separated between the upper side and
lower side of the partition wall 14 are formed. By the partition
wall 14 and upper container 12a, the plasma generating space 15 is
formed.
[0035] In the first embodiment of the CVD system according to the
present invention shown in FIG. 1, the region of generating plasma
19 in the plasma generating space 15 is composed of the partition
wall 14, upper container 12a, and a flat electrode (high frequency
electrode) 20 disposed nearly in the middle position between them.
Plural holes 20a are formed in the electrode 20. The electrode 20
is supported and fixed by two insulating members 21a, 21b provided
along the inner side of the upper container 12a. In the ceiling of
the upper container 12a, a power lead-in bar 29 connected to the
electrode 20 is provided. By the power lead-in bar 29, high
frequency power for discharge is supplied into the electrode 20.
The electrode 20 functions as high frequency electrode. The power
lead-in bar 29 is covered with an insulator 31, and is insulated
from other metallic parts.
[0036] The partition wall 14 is at the grounding potential 41
through an electrically conductive fixing portion 22.
[0037] A oxygen gas lead-in pipe 23a for feeding oxygen gas from
outside into the plasma generating space 15, and a cleaning gas
lead-in pipe 23b for feeding cleaning gas such as fluoride gas are
provided through the insulating member 21a.
[0038] The inside of vacuum container 12 is separated into the
plasma generating space 15 and film forming space 16 by means of
the partition wall 14, and the partition wall 14 has plural
penetration holes 25 formed at uniform intervals in a state of
penetrating through the inner space 24. The size (length and
diameter, etc.) and structure of penetration holes 25 are formed
for preventing the material gas introduced in the film forming
space 16 from diffusing reversely to the plasma generating space 15
side. And the plasma generating space 15 and film forming space 16
are communicated with each other only through these penetration
holes 25.
[0039] In the below, the mechanism that the material gas does not
diffuse reversly to the plasma generation space is explained.
[0040] When a film forming method is conducted using the CVD system
of the present invention, the glass substrate 11 is transferred
into the vacuum container 12 by means of a transfer robot (not
shown in the drawings) and is disposed on the substrate holding
mechanism 17. The inside of the vacuum container 12 is evacuated by
means of the exhaust mechanism 13 and the pressure is reduced and
maintained at a predetermined vacuum state. Next oxygen gas is fed
through the oxygen gas lead-in pipe 23a into the plasma generating
space 15 of the vacuum container 12.
[0041] The mass flow rate of the oxygen gas at this time is
controlled by means of an external mass flow controller (not shown
in the drawings).
[0042] On the other hand, material gas, for example, silane is led
into an inner space 24 of the partition wall 14 through a material
gas lead-in pipe 28, and led into the film forming space 16 through
diffusion holes 26.
[0043] The flow velocity (u) of the oxygen can be obtained using
the below described expressions (1) and (2), based on oxygen mass
flow rate (Qo.sub.2), pressure (Po.sub.2), and temperature (T) of
partition wall section:
Qo.sub.2=.rho.o.sub.2uA (1)
Po.sub.2=.rho.o.sub.2RT/M (2)
[0044] Where
[0045] .rho.o.sub.2 Density of oxygen gas
[0046] M: Molecular weight of oxygen
[0047] R: Universal gas constant
[0048] T: Absolute temperature of the partition wall section
[0049] A: Total cross sectional area of the smallest diameter
portion of the penetration holes 25 formed in the partition wall
14
[0050] u: Flow velocity of the oxygen gas flowing through the
penetration holes 25
[0051] The relation uL/D>1 is derived as follows. For example,
regarding the relation between the oxygen and the silane that are
transferring through the penetration holes 25, an expression (3)
shown below is established by using the silane gas density (.rho.
SiH.sub.4), diffusion flow velocity (u.sub.SiH.sub..sub.4), and the
binary diffusivity (DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2). When the characteristic
length of the penetration holes (the length of the portion of the
minimum diameter) is represented by L, the expression (3) can be
approximated by expression (4). As a result of a comparison between
both sides of the expression (4), the diffusion flow velocity
(u.sub.SiH.sub..sub.4) of the silane is expressed by
-DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2L. Therefore, the oxygen flow velocity, as
obtained from the above expressions (1) and (2), is represented by
u, and the diffusion flow velocity of the silane is represented by
-DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2/L. The ratio between the absolute values of
these two flow velocity values is the value of
.vertline.-u/(DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2/L).-
vertline.=uL/DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2, which represents the ratio between
the flow velocity of oxygen and the diffusion velocity of silane.
Setting the value of uL/DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2 to exceed 1 means that
the flow velocity of oxygen due to convection is greater than the
diffusion velocity of silane. That is, the arrangement of the value
of uL/DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2 to exceed 1 means that the diffusion
influence of silane is less, and the silane should not pass through
the penetration holes 25.
.rho..sub.SiH.sub..sub.4u.sub.SiH.sub..sub.4=-DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2grad.rho..-
sub.SiH.sub..sub.4 (3)
.rho..sub.SiH.sub..sub.4u.sub.SiH.sub..sub.4.apprxeq.-DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2
.rho..sub.SiH.sub..sub.4/L (4)
[0052] Next, a particular example is described below. The above
expressions will produce a value of uL/DSiH.sub.4-o.sub.2, as equal
to about 11 in the following case: the temperature in the partition
wall 14 is 300.degree. C., the smallest diameter of the penetration
holes 25 formed in the partition wall 14 is 0.5 mm, the length (L)
of a portion of the diameter 0.5 mm is 3 mm, the total number of
penetration holes 25 is 500, the flow rate of oxygen gas is 500
sccm (=500 cm.sup.3/minute at the normal state), and the pressure
in the film forming space 16 is 100 Pa. This indicates that,
compared to the diffusion of the silane gas, since the flow
influence is very large, the diffusion of the silane gas into the
plasma generation space 15 is reduced.
[0053] FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of an internal structure
of the partition wall 14, and FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged view
of an internal structure of another embodiment of the partition
wall 14.
[0054] The penetration hole 25 is formed of one independent
structure 30. Accordingly, the penetration hole 25 can be processed
finely in a separate process of the partition wall 14 when
manufacturing the partition wall 14, and the independent structures
30 having thus finely processed penetration holes 25 are assembled
into the main body of the partition wall 14 in the final process,
and crimped and fixed as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.
[0055] The structure 30 is mainly composed of aluminum, and is
formed in box or cylinder, but the shape is not limited to them.
The structure 30 may be formed of any material, as far as it has a
coefficient of thermal expansion almost equal to that of the member
for composing the partition wall 14 so that gap may not be formed
between the partition wall 14 and structure 30 even if the
temperature of the partition wall 14 rises due to heat from the
substrate, and it has no problem in processability and does not
have large loss probability of the radicals on its surface of the
penetration holes.
[0056] The inner space 24 formed in the partition wall 14 is a
space for diffusing the material gas introduced from outside into
the partition wall 14 and supplying uniformly into the film forming
space 16. Plural diffusion holes 26 for supplying the material gas
into the film forming space 16 are formed in a lower plate 27c of
the partition wall 14.
[0057] In the inner space 24, a material gas lead-in pipe 28 for
feeding material gas from outside is connected to the upper side of
the partition wall (see FIG. 1, FIG. 2). The material gas lead-in
pipe 28 is connected from the side.
[0058] Further, in the inner space 24, a pierced uniform plate 27b
having plural holes for supplying the material gas uniformly from
the diffusion holes 26 is disposed almost horizontally. Thc inner
space 24 of the partition wall 14 is divided into upper and lower
spaces by the uniform plate 27b.
[0059] Therefore, the material gas introduced into the inner space
24 of the partition wall 14 through the material lead-in pipe 28 is
fed into the upper space, and reaches the lower space through the
holes in the uniform plate 27b, and is diffused into the film
forming space 16 through the diffusion holes 26.
[0060] In this structure, the material gas can be supplied
uniformly into the entire film forming space 16, but the internal
structure of the partition wall 14 is not particularly limited to
the above structure as far as the material gas can be supplied
uniformly in the entire film forming space 16.
[0061] The penetration hole 25 can have the following shapes. The
one is a cylindrical shape from the plasma generating space 15 side
toward the film forming space 16 side. And the others are a shape
consisting of a cylindrical portion from the plasma generating
space 15 side toward the film forming space 16 side and a conical
portion widening in diameter consecutive to the cylindrical
portion, and a shape consisting a cylindrical portion from the
plasma generation space side toward the film formation side and a
conical portion widening in diameter consecutive to the cylindrical
portion and a cylindrical portion of widen diameter consecutive to
the conical portion.
[0062] FIG. 3 shows the penetration hole 25 in a cylindrical shape
from the plasma generating space 15 side toward the film forming
space 16 side. In this case, the diameter of the opening of the
penetration hole 25 facing the plasma generating space 15 is
defined to such an extent that the opening of the penetration hole
25 may not expand to induce hollow cathode discharge, and the size
and shape of the penetration hole 25 should satisfy the before
described condition proposed in the previous Japanese Patent
Application (JP P2000-345349A).
[0063] FIG. 4 shows the penetration hole 25 in a shape consisting
of a cylindrical portion from the plasma generating space 15 side
toward the film forming space 16 side and a conical portion
widening in diameter consecutive to the cylindrical portion and a
cylindrical portion of widen diameter consecutive to the conical
portion. In the case of FIG. 4, too, owing to the same reason as
mentioned above, the diameter of the opening of the penetration
hole 25 facing the plasma generating space 15 and the size and
shape of the penetration hole 25 should satisfy the same condition
as in FIG. 3.
[0064] In this case, the diameter of the conical portion is not
particularly limited, because it is open in the film forming space
16 and hence hollow cathode discharge is not induced.
[0065] In short, it is a feature of the present invention that the
penetration holes 25 are formed to have the specific shape that the
diameter, at the opening facing the film forming space 16, is equal
to the diameter at the plasma generating space 15 side or larger
than that at the plasma generating space 15 side, and to have the
specific size which can satisfy the condition of uL/D>1 proposed
by JP2000-345349A as the before described. Thereby, the abnormal
discharge is not induced at the openings of penetration holes 25
facing the plasma generating space 15, and the reverse diffusion of
material gas from the film forming space 16 to the plasma
generating space 15 through penetration holes 25 is not
occurred.
[0066] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the CVD system of the
present invention. A characteristic feature of the embodiment shown
in FIG. 2 is that the insulating member 21a is disposed at the
inner side of the ceiling of the upper container 12a, and that the
electrode 20 is disposed at its lower side. In the electrode 20,
such hole 20a as in the first embodiment in FIG. 1 is not formed,
but a single plate is formed. By the electrode 20 and partition
wall 14, a plasma generating space 15 is formed by a parallel plate
type electrode structure. The other configuration is substantially
same as in the first embodiment in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, substantially
same elements as explained in FIG. 1 are identified with same
reference numerals, and duplicate explanation is omitted. Further,
the action and effect of the CVD system in the second embodiment
are same as in the first embodiment.
[0067] In the before described CVD system of the present invention,
the film forming method is explained. By a conveying robot not
shown, a glass substrate 11 is carried into a vacuum container 12,
and is put on a substrate holding mechanism 17 The inside of the
vacuum container 12 is evacuated by an exhausting mechanism 13, and
is reduced and held in a specific vacuum state. Through an oxygen
gas lead-in pipe 23a, oxygen gas is guided into the plasma
generating space 15 of the vacuum container 12.
[0068] On the other hand, material gas, for example, silane is led
into an inner space 24 of the partition wall 14 through a material
gas lead-in pipe 28, The silane is first introduced into the upper
side of the inner space 24, mixed uniformly through a uniform plate
27b, moved to the lower side, and led into the film forming space
16 through diffusion holes 26 directly without contacting with the
plasma. The substrate holding mechanism 17 provided in the film
forming space 16 is heated by a heater 18 to be held at a specified
temperature preliminarily.
[0069] In this state, a high frequency power is supplied to the
electrode 20 through a power lead-in bar 29. Discharge is caused by
this high frequency power, and an oxygen plasma 19 is formed around
the electrode 20 in the plasma generating space 15. As the oxygen
plasma 19 is generated, radicals, (in strict sense, neutral
radicals) are generated, and they are introduced into the film
forming space 16 through the penetration holes 25, while the
material gas is introduced into the film forming space 16 through
the inner space 24 and diffusion holes 26 of the partition wall 14.
As a result, the radicals and the material gas come into contact
with each other for the first time in the film forming space 16,
and chemical reaction is induced, and a silicon oxide is deposited
on the surface of the glass substrate 11, thereby forming a thin
film.
[0070] The CVD system according to the invention is also applicable
to nitride film, fluoride film, and carbide film, by changing the
material gas and others.
[0071] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained as the
before described by referring to the accompanying drawings, but the
invention is not limited to these embodiments alone. And it can be
changed and modified in various forms within the technical scope as
understood from the claims given below.
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