US-12618149-B2 - Cleaning method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium

Abstract

There is provided a technique that includes removing a substance adhering to the interior of the process container by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times under a first temperature, the cycle including: (a) supplying one gas of a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas into the process container after a substrate is processed; and (b) supplying the other gas different from the one gas of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container where the one gas remains.

Inventors

• Keigo Nishida
• Kenichi Ishiguro
• Takashi Ozaki

Assignees

• Kokusai Electric Corporation

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231009

Priority Date

20200831

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: removing a substance existing in a process container by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times under a first temperature, the cycle including: (a) supplying a first gas selected from a group consisting of a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas into the process container; and (b) supplying a second gas selected from the group consisting of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container where the first gas remains, the second gas being different from the first gas, wherein (b) includes: (b1) supplying the second gas into the process container in a state where exhaust of an interior of the process container is stopped; and (b2) supplying the second gas into the process container in a state where the exhaust of the interior of the process container is performed.
2. 2 . A cleaning method, comprising: removing a substance existing in a process container by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times under a first temperature, the cycle including: (a) supplying a first gas selected from a group consisting of a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas into the process container; and (b) supplying a second gas selected from the group consisting of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container where the first gas remains, the second gas being different from the first gas, wherein (b) includes: (b1) supplying the second gas into the process container in a state where exhaust of an interior of the process container is stopped; and (b2) supplying the second gas into the process container in a state where the exhaust of the interior of the process container is performed.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in (a), the interior of the process container is filled with the first gas, and wherein in (b), the second gas is mixed with the first gas that has filled the interior of the process container.
4. 4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in (b), after the supply of the first gas into the process container is stopped, the supply of the second gas into the process container is started.
5. 5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in (a), the first gas is supplied into the process container in a state where exhaust of the interior of the process container is performed.
6. 6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the cycle further includes (c) exhausting the interior of the process container in a state where the supply of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container is stopped.
7. 7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (a) is set as a first pressure, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (b1) is set as a second pressure higher than the first pressure, and wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (b2) is set as a third pressure equal to or higher than the second pressure.
8. 8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the cycle further includes (c) exhausting the interior of the process container in a state where the supply of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container is stopped, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (a) is set as a first pressure, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (b1) is set as a second pressure higher than the first pressure, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (b2) is set as a third pressure equal to or higher than the second pressure, and wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (c) is set as a fourth pressure lower than the third pressure.
9. 9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the cycle further includes (c) exhausting the interior of the process container in a state where the supply of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container is stopped, wherein the method further comprises (d) heating and exhausting the interior of the process container under a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (a) is set as a first pressure, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (b1) is set as a second pressure higher than the first pressure, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (b2) is set as a third pressure equal to or higher than the second pressure, wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (c) is set as a fourth pressure lower than the third pressure, and wherein an internal pressure of the process container in (d) is set as a fifth pressure lower than the third pressure.
10. 10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a supply flow rate of the first gas in (a) is larger than a supply flow rate of the second gas in (b).
11. 11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a supply time of the second gas in (b) is longer than a supply time of the first gas in (a).
12. 12 . The method of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the substance existing in the process container is removed by performing the cycle the predetermined number of times, and a portion of a by-product produced at that time is removed.
13. 13 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first gas is the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas, and the second gas is the fluorine-containing gas.
14. 14 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a NH 3 gas, a N 2 H 2 gas, a N 2 H 4 gas, and a N 3 H 8 gas, and wherein the fluorine-containing gas includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a F 2 gas, a ClF 3 gas, a ClF gas, a NF 3 gas, and a HF gas.
15. 15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas includes a NH 3 gas, and the fluorine-containing gas includes a HF gas.
16. 16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the substance existing in the process container contains silicon and oxygen.
17. 17 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the act of removing the substance existing in the process container is performed under a non-plasma atmosphere.
18. 18 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising (d) heating and exhausting the interior of the process container under a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature.
19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the substance existing in the process container is removed by performing the cycle the predetermined number of times, and a portion of a by-product produced at that time is removed, and wherein in (d), the by-product remaining in the process container is sublimated.
20. 20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the act of removing the substance existing in the process container and (d) are performed one or more times.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/461,386, filed Aug. 30, 2021, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,827,979 on Nov. 28, 2023, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-145841, filed on Aug. 31, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a cleaning method, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a substrate processing apparatus, and a recording medium. BACKGROUND In the related art, as a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a process of cleaning an interior of a process container after a substrate is processed may be carried out. SUMMARY Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a technique capable of enhancing an effect of cleaning an interior of a process container. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a technique that includes removing a substance adhering to an interior of the process container by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times under a first temperature, the cycle including: (a) supplying one gas of a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas into the process container after a substrate is processed; and (b) supplying the other gas different from the one gas of the nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing gas and the fluorine-containing gas into the process container where the one gas remains. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration view of a vertical process furnace of a substrate processing apparatus suitably used in embodiments of the present disclosure, in which a portion of the process furnace 202 is shown in a vertical cross section. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration view of a vertical process furnace of a substrate processing apparatus suitably used in embodiments of the present disclosure, in which a portion of a process furnace 202 is shown in a cross section taken along a line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a controller 121 of a substrate processing apparatus suitably used in embodiments of the present disclosure, in which a control system of a controller 121 is shown in a block diagram. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing timings of gas supply in substrate processing of embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing timings of gas supply, and a set pressure and a set temperature in a process chamber in a cleaning process of embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the Present Disclosure Embodiments of the present disclosure will be now described mainly with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and dimensional relationships, ratios, and the like of various elements on a figure may not match actual ones. Further, dimensional relationships, ratios, and the like of various elements among plural figures may not be matched. (1) Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus As shown in FIG. 1, a process furnace 202 includes a heater 207 as a temperature regulator (a heating part). The heater 207 has a cylindrical shape and is supported by a holding plate to be vertically installed. The heater 207 also functions as an activation mechanism (an excitation part) configured to thermally activate (excite) a gas. A reaction tube 203 is disposed inside the heater 207 to be concentric with the heater 207. The reaction tube 203 is made of, for example, a heat resistant material such as quartz (SiO2) or silicon carbide (SiC), and has a cylindrical shape with its upper end closed and its lower end opened. A manifold 209 is disposed below the reaction tube 203 in a concentric relationship with the reaction tube 203. The manifold 209 is made of, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel (SUS), and has a cylindrical shape with its upper and lower ends opened. The upper end of the manifold 209 engages with the lower end of the reaction tube 203. The manifold 209 is configured to support the reaction tube 203. An O-ring 220a as a seal member is installed between the manifold 209 and the reaction tube 203. Similar to the heater 207, the reaction tube 203 is vertically installed. A process container (reaction container) mainly includes the reaction tube 203 and the manifold 209. A process chamber 201 is formed in a hollow cylindrical portion of the process container. The process chamber 201 is configured to be capable of accommodating wafers 200 as substrates. The wafers 200 are processed in the process chamber 201. Nozzles 249a to 249c as first to third supply parts are installed in the process chamber 201 to penetrate a sidewall of the manifold 209. The nozzles 249a to 249c will be also ref