Vacuum processing apparatus

• US 5,647,945 A
• Filed: 06/07/1994
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Sumi, Matsuse, Kimihiro, Osada, Hatsuo, Lee, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, T.
• Application Number:
  US08/255,924
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345, 156/643.1, 156/646.1, 216/66-71, 216/79
• US Class Current: 156/345.38
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4411 Cooling of the reaction chamber walls C23C16/45572 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4557 Heated nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45572 Cooled nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 8/06 using gases C23C8/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67103 mainly by conduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 156/916 Differential etching apparatus including chamber cleaning means or shield for preventing deposits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/935 Gas flow control

Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus includes: a vacuum processing chamber for processing a target object; a processing gas supply source for supplying a processing gas by which a process is performed to the target object in the vacuum processing chamber; a processing gas supply pipe for supplying the processing gas from the processing gas supply source into the vacuum processing chamber; and a pressure reducing valve for keeping the gas supply pipe at a lower pressure than the atmospheric pressure when the processing gas is to be supplied to the vacuum processing chamber.

Claims

1. A vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum processing chamber for processing a target object;

a processing gas supply source for supplying a processing gas by which a process is performed to the target object in said vacuum processing chamber;

a cleaning gas supply source for supplying a cleaning gas containing ClF₃ gas for cleaning the interior of said vacuum processing chamber;

a processing gas supply pipe for supplying the processing gas from said processing gas supply source into said vacuum processing chamber;

a cleaning gas supply pipe for supplying said cleaning gas from said cleaning gas supply source to said vacuum processing chamber; and

a pressure reducing valve for keeping said cleaning gas supply pipe at a lower pressure than the atmospheric pressure when the cleaning gas is to be supplied to said vacuum processing chamber.

2. A vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an additional pressure reducing valve for maintaining the pressure within said processing gas supply pipe at a level lower than the atmospheric pressure when said processing gas is supplied to said vacuum processing chamber.