VACUUM APPARATUS INCLUDING A PARTICLE MONITORING UNIT, PARTICLE MONITORING METHOD AND PROGRAM, AND WINDOW MEMBER FOR USE IN THE PARTICLE MONITORING
First Claim
1. A particle monitoring method of a vacuum apparatus having a vessel for defining a predetermined space, comprising the steps of:
- (a) exhausting a purge gas from the vessel via a purge gas exhaust line;
(b) monitoring particles within the purge gas exhaust line;
(c) controlling a flow rate of the purge gas exhausted from the vessel;
(d) supplying the purge gas into the vessel via a gas supply line;
(e) controlling a flow rate of the purge gas supplied into the vessel;
(f) supplying a corrosive processing gas into the vessel; and
(g) exhausting the processing gas from the vessel through a processing gas exhaust line,wherein a supply of the purge gas is started when exhaust of the purge gas is permitted through the purge gas exhaust line but not permitted through the processing gas exhaust line, and wherein the monitored particles include particles detached from the vessel due to the supply of the purge gas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a processing chamber for performing a manufacturing processing on a wafer. A gas supply line for introducing a purge gas is connected to an upper portion of the processing chamber, a valve being installed on the gas supply line. A rough pumping line with a valve is connected to a lower portion of the processing chamber. Installed on the rough pumping line are a dry pump for exhausting a gas in the processing chamber and a particle monitoring unit for monitoring particles between the valve and the dry pump. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, after the valve is opened, the purge gas is supplied to apply physical vibration due to shock wave in the processing chamber so that deposits are detached therefrom to be monitored as particles.
32 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A particle monitoring method of a vacuum apparatus having a vessel for defining a predetermined space, comprising the steps of:
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(a) exhausting a purge gas from the vessel via a purge gas exhaust line; (b) monitoring particles within the purge gas exhaust line; (c) controlling a flow rate of the purge gas exhausted from the vessel; (d) supplying the purge gas into the vessel via a gas supply line; (e) controlling a flow rate of the purge gas supplied into the vessel; (f) supplying a corrosive processing gas into the vessel; and (g) exhausting the processing gas from the vessel through a processing gas exhaust line, wherein a supply of the purge gas is started when exhaust of the purge gas is permitted through the purge gas exhaust line but not permitted through the processing gas exhaust line, and wherein the monitored particles include particles detached from the vessel due to the supply of the purge gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computer-executable program, stored in a storage medium, for performing a particle monitoring method of a vacuum apparatus having a vessel for defining a predetermined space, comprising:
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a processing gas supply module for supplying a corrosive processing gas into the vessel; a processing gas exhaust module for exhausting the processing gas from the vessel via a processing gas exhaust line; a first exhaust control module for controlling a flow rate of a gas exhausted from the vessel via the processing gas exhaust line; a purge gas supply module for supplying a purge gas into the vessel via a gas supply line; a purge gas exhaust module for exhausting the purge gas from the vessel via a purge gas exhaust line; a second exhaust control module for controlling a flow rate of a gas exhausted from the vessel via the purge gas exhaust line; a particle monitoring module for monitoring particles within the purge gas exhaust line; and a gas supply control module for controlling a flow rate of the purge gas supplied into the vessel, wherein the gas supply control module starts a supply of the purge gas when the second exhaust control module permits exhaust of the purge gas via the purge gas exhaust line and the first exhaust control module prohibits the exhaust of the purge gas via the processing gas exhaust line, and wherein the particles monitored by the particle monitoring module include particles detached from the vessel due to the supply of the purge gas. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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5. A computer-readable storage medium which stores therein a program, the program comprising:
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a processing gas supply module for supplying a corrosive processing gas into a vessel; a processing gas exhaust module for exhausting the processing gas from the vessel via a processing gas exhaust line; a first exhaust control module for controlling a flow rate of a gas exhausted from the vessel via the processing gas exhaust line; a purge gas supply module for supplying a purge gas into the vessel via a gas supply line; a purge gas exhaust module for exhausting the purge gas from the vessel via a purge gas exhaust line; a second exhaust control module for controlling a flow rate of a gas exhausted from the vessel via the purge gas exhaust line; a particle monitoring module for monitoring particles within the purge gas exhaust line; a gas supply control module for controlling a flow rate of the purge gas supplied into the vessel, wherein the gas supply control module starts a supply of the purge gas when the second exhaust control module permits exhaust of the purge gas via the purge gas exhaust line and the first exhaust control module prohibits the exhaust of the purge gas via the processing gas exhaust line, and wherein the particles monitored by the particle monitoring module include particles detached from the vessel due to the supply of the purge gas. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification