Abstract: A single substrate processing film forming method including depositing an amorphous metal oxide film on a target substrate by chemical vapor deposition and reforming the metal oxide film in a reforming gas to remove an organic impurity contained in the film. The reforming gas is mixture of an excited oxygen gas with a non-excited oxygen gas. The reformation heats the film to a temperature higher than a crystallization temperature of the amorphous metal oxide film to perform crystallization at the same time.

Abstract: A heat-processing apparatus for deposition and reformation for forming a tantalum oxide film on a semiconductor substrate includes an airtight process chamber for accommodating the wafer and a worktable for supporting the wafer thereon. A heater for heating the wafer is disposed in the worktable. The process chamber is connected to an exhaust section for exhausting the process chamber. The process chamber is also connected to a section for supplying pentoethoxytantalum as a precursor of the tantalum oxide, a line for supplying an oxidizing gas, and a section for supplying a reforming gas for the tantalum oxide. The reforming gas consists of an excited oxygen gas containing no ions or electrons.