IP Library Granted Patent US 8,999,858
Granted Patent B2
US 8,999,858 · App. 13/727,193 · Granted Apr 7, 2015

Substrate processing apparatus and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,999,858
App. No.
13/727,193
Granted
Apr 7, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber configured to accommodate a substrate; a first gas supply unit configured to supply a first process gas containing a silicon element to the substrate; a second gas supply unit configured to supply a second process gas containing a silicon element and a chlorine element to the substrate; an exhaust unit configured to exhaust the first process gas and the second process gas; a cleaning gas bypass supply unit configured to supply a cleaning gas to the exhaust unit; a cleaning monitoring unit installed in the exhaust unit; a gas flow rate control unit configured to adjust an amount of the cleaning gas supplied; and a main control unit configured to control the gas flow rate control unit in response to a signal received from the cleaning gas monitoring unit.

Claims (24)

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

a film formation process in a process chamber including supplying a first process gas containing a silicon element to a substrate and supplying a second process gas containing a silicon element and a chlorine element to the substrate; and

a cleaning process including supplying a cleaning gas to an exhaust unit via a cleaning gas bypass line without passing through the process chamber configured to process the substrate, monitoring the exhaust unit, and controlling a flow rate of the cleaning gas in response to a signal received from a cleaning monitoring unit including at least one of a gas analysis unit configured to analyze a gas generated in the exhaust unit and a by-product monitoring unit configured to measure an amount of by-products in the exhaust unit.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring of the exhaust unit comprises measuring a temperature in the exhaust unit using the cleaning monitoring unit.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning process comprises:

a first cleaning process of cleaning a rear end of a main valve of the exhaust unit whenever the film formation process is performed; and

a second cleaning process of cleaning a reaction chamber and the exhaust unit whenever the film formation process is performed a predetermined number of times.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising suspending the supplying of the cleaning gas when a predetermined value is detected from the signal received from the cleaning monitoring unit.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying a warning message on at least one of an output device and a warning display unit when a predetermined value is detected from the signal received from the cleaning monitoring unit.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores a program that causes a computer to perform:

a film formation sequence including supplying a first process gas containing a silicon element to a substrate and supplying a second process gas containing a silicon element and a chlorine element to the substrate in a process chamber; and

a cleaning sequence including supplying a cleaning gas to an exhaust unit via a cleaning gas bypass line without passing through the process chamber configured to process the substrate, monitoring the exhaust unit, and controlling a flow rate of the cleaning gas in response to a signal received from a cleaning monitoring unit including at least one of a gas analysis unit configured to analyze a gas generated in the exhaust unit and a by-product monitoring unit configured to measure an amount of by-products in the exhaust unit.

7. The medium according to claim 6 , wherein the monitoring of the exhaust unit comprises measuring a temperature in the exhaust unit using the cleaning monitoring unit.

8. The medium according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning sequence comprises:

a first cleaning sequence of cleaning a rear end of a main valve of the exhaust unit whenever the film formation sequence is performed; and

a second cleaning sequence of cleaning a reaction chamber and the exhaust unit whenever the film formation sequence is performed a predetermined number of times.

9. The medium of claim 6 , further comprising suspending the supplying of the cleaning gas when a predetermined value is detected from the signal received from the cleaning monitoring unit.

10. The medium according to claim 6 , further comprising displaying a warning message on at least one of an output device and a warning display unit when a predetermined value is detected from the signal received from the cleaning monitoring unit.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising locking a predetermined unit when a predetermined value is detected from the signal received from the cleaning monitoring unit.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined value comprises a deterioration temperature of a seal member installed in the exhaust unit.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined unit comprises at least one of a door configured to open and close a housing of a substrate processing apparatus and an input device.

14. The medium according to claim 6 , further comprising locking a predetermined unit when a predetermined value is detected from the signal received from the cleaning monitoring unit.

15. The medium according to claim 14 , wherein the predetermined value comprises a deterioration temperature of a seal member installed in the exhaust unit.

16. The medium according to claim 14 , wherein the predetermined unit comprises at least one of a door configured to open and close a housing of a substrate processing apparatus and an input device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2018
From: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
To: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048008/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2013
From: KOSHI, YASUNOBU; SUZAKI, KENICHI; YOSHINO, AKIHITO
To: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
Reel/Frame 029797/0829 →