US Patent 7452826 Oxidation method and oxidation system

An oxidation method is capable of forming oxide films in an improved interfilm thickness uniformity. The oxidation method includes the steps of supplying an oxidizing gas and a reducing gas into a processing vessel 22 capable of being evacuated and holding a plurality of workpieces W arranged at predetermined pitches, and creating a process atmosphere containing active oxygen species and active hydroxyl species in the processing vessel 22 through the interaction of the oxidizing gas-and the reducing gas. At least either of the oxidizing gas and the reducing gas is jetted into an upstream region S1, a middle region S2 and a downstream region S3, with respect to the flowing direction of the gas, of a processing space S containing the workpieces W.