Patent ID: 7795158

Claim:
An oxidation method for a semiconductor process comprising: placing a plurality of target substrates at intervals in a vertical direction within a process field of a process container; supplying an oxidizing gas and a deoxidizing gas to the process field respectively through first and second gas supply ports disposed adjacent to the target substrates on one side of the process field, each of the first and second gas supply ports being present over a length corresponding to the process field in a vertical direction; turning the oxidizing gas into plasma by a gas exciting mechanism, thereby activating the oxidizing gas, while the oxidizing gas is being supplied, wherein the gas exciting mechanism excites the oxidizing gas by an electrode supplied with RF power and extending along a recess formed in the process container over a length corresponding to the process field in a vertical direction, and wherein the first gas supply port is present in the recess; exhausting gas from the process field through an exhaust port disposed opposite to the first and second gas supply ports with the process field interposed therebetween, thereby causing the oxidizing gas and the deoxidizing gas to flow along surfaces of the target substrates; causing the oxidizing gas and the deoxidizing gas to react with each other, thereby generating oxygen radicals and hydroxyl group radicals within the process field; and performing an oxidation process on the surfaces of the target substrate by use of the oxygen radicals and the hydroxyl group radicals.