Appeal 2007-2134
Application 10/311,880
Appellants’ invention is directed to a film forming method and
apparatus. The method requires heating a portion of a gas supply means to a
temperature above the thermal decomposition point of an organic metal gas
with the proviso that the heating is conducted so that the gas supply means
portion is not heated to a temperature equal to or greater than a film forming
temperature. The gas supply means is used for forwarding the organic metal
gas to a substrate surface during a chemical vapor deposition process. The
claimed apparatus requires that the gas supply means includes a heater
incorporated at a substrate side of the gas supply means. Consistent with the
claimed method, the apparatus heater is capable of heating the organic metal
gas to a temperature higher than a thermal decomposition point but lower
than a film forming temperature. Claims 1 and 3 are illustrative and
reproduced below:
1. A thin film forming method of forming a thin film
containing a metal element on a substrate by chemical vapor
deposition which utilizes a thermal decomposition reaction of an
organometallic compound, characterized by comprising
heating, to a temperature higher than a thermal decomposition
point of an organic metal gas but lower than a film forming
temperature, an inside of a gas supply means for supplying an organic
metal gas to a surface of the substrate at uniform density, wherein the
heating occurs at a substrate-side of the gas supply means.
3. A thin film forming apparatus for forming a thin film
containing a metal element on a substrate by chemical vapor
deposition which utilizes a thermal decomposition reaction of an
organometallic compound, characterized by comprising
gas supply means provided in a reaction chamber to have a
plurality of ejection holes which supplies an organic metal gas to a
surface of the substrate at uniform density,
2
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