US 11,725,281 B2
Gas introduction structure, thermal processing apparatus and gas supply method
Shingo Hishiya, Nirasaki (JP); Sung Duk Son, Gyeonggi-do (KR); Masayuki Kitamura, Nirasaki (JP); and Satoru Ogawa, Oshu (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/909,246.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-117362 (JP), filed on Jun. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0407848 A1, Dec. 31, 2020
Int. Cl. C23C 16/40 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/22 (2006.01); H01L 21/285 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); C23C 16/44 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/45563 (2013.01) [C23C 16/22 (2013.01); C23C 16/4412 (2013.01); H01L 21/28562 (2013.01); H01L 21/67098 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas introduction structure for supplying a processing gas into a vertically-elongated processing container, comprising:
a processing gas supply pipe connected to a supply source of a first gas consisting of the processing gas and extending along a vertical direction of the processing container in the processing container, the processing gas supply pipe configured so that the first gas is introduced from a lower end toward an upper end of the processing gas supply pipe;
a dilution gas supply pipe connected to a supply source of a second gas consisting of a dilution gas and extending along the vertical direction of the processing container in the processing container; and
a connection pipe configured to bring an inside of the processing gas supply pipe into communication with an inside of the dilution gas supply pipe to supply the second gas from the dilution gas supply pipe to the processing gas supply pipe, the connection pipe connecting at least an upper portion of the processing gas supply pipe that is closer to the upper end than the lower end of the processing gas supply pipe and the dilution gas supply pipe,
wherein the processing gas supply pipe is structured not to be connected to the supply source of the second gas upstream of the processing container,
wherein the dilution gas supply pipe is structured not to be connected to the supply source of the first gas upstream of the processing container,
wherein the processing gas supply pipe has a plurality of gas discharge holes formed along the vertical direction between the lower end and the upper portion, and is configured to supply the first gas diluted with the second gas through the gas discharge holes, and
wherein the second gas, which has been supplied from the dilution gas supply pipe via the connection pipe to the processing gas supply pipe, dilutes the first gas in the upper portion of the processing gas supply pipe.