Patent ID: 9159548
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: C23C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for using a film formation system for a semiconductor process, the film formation system including: a film formation apparatus for forming a high-dielectric constant thin film on target substrates together, the film formation apparatus including: a gas supply apparatus for supplying a process gas into the film formation apparatus, the gas supply apparatus including: a cooling portion disposed on the liquid material supply passage immediately before the nozzle and configured to cool the liquid material to a set temperature lower than a boiling temperature of the solvent, a carrier gas supply passage configured to supply the carrier gas to the nozzle, a heater configured to heat an interior of the vaporizing chamber to vaporize the liquid material thus atomized and thereby to generate the process gas, a gas supply passage configured to supply the process gas from the vaporizing chamber to the process chamber, a pressure detector configured to detect pressure inside the vaporizing chamber; and a pressure adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber, wherein the method comprising: a preparatory stage of determining a set pressure range of pressure inside the vaporizing chamber for the liquid material cooled at the set temperature, the set pressure range being used for generating the process gas by the gas supply apparatus; and a film formation stage of performing a film formation process by the film formation system, thereafter, wherein the preparatory stage includes: obtaining a first limit value of pressure at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being inhibited due to an increase in the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber, obtaining a second limit value at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being unstable and the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber starts pulsating movement due to a decrease in the pressure, and determining the set pressure range to be defined by an upper limit lower than the first limit value and a lower limit higher than the second limit value, said determining the set pressure range being made such that the lower limit is 40% to 60% of the upper limit, wherein the film formation stage includes: wherein said generating the process gas in the film formation stage includes delivering the liquid material from the nozzle into the vaporizing chamber while controlling an operation of the pressure adjusting mechanism to cause the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber to fall within the set pressure range with reference to pressure detection values obtained by the pressure detector.