Abstract: A gas-phase growth process for growing films of uniform thickness or having a prescribed pattern form or growing films sequentially onto a substrate and an apparatus related thereto. The films are grown by allowing an inert gas to flow over a reaction gas flow in parallel to the surface of the substrate. Optionally, the substrate surface could be irradiated by a UV light source which is directed from above the inert gas toward the substrate surface.

Abstract: A gas-phase growth process for forming a film of SiO.sub.2 Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 or Si.sub.x O.sub.y N.sub.z, which comprises reacting a mixture of an organic or inorganic silane with one or more reaction gases comprising O.sub.2, N.sub.2 O, NO.sub.2 NO, CO.sub.2 CO and NH.sub.3, with the proviso that the mixture of inorganic silane and O.sub.2 is excluded as a reaction gas combination of the present invention. The process comprises feeding a reaction gas into a reaction chamber which is kept at a reaction temperature below 500.degree. C., and subjecting the surface of a substrate chamber which is placed in the reaction chamber to UV irradiation. This irradiation excites the reaction gas, which allows a low-temperature gas-phase growth to proceed. The photo-excitation occurs selectively only at UV-irradiated sections, so that a film growth may occur selectively on the substrate surface within the range of UV irradiation.

Abstract: In the past a film of a transition metal silicide or an aluminum silicon alloy has been deposited on a semiconductor substrate by vacuum evaporation and used as an electrode or wiring of a semiconductor device. According to the present invention, the film is produced by a sputtering method wherein the silicon component of the film is not supplied from the target but from a gaseous silicon compound contained in the sputtering atmosphere.