Vacuum processing apparatus

• US 5,951,772 A
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Sumi, Osada, Hatsuo, Lee, Hideki, Matsuse, Kimihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Breneman, Bruce
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEJANDRO MULERO, LUZ L
• Application Number:
  US08/803,008
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 118/719, 118/715, 118/724, 118/723 R, 156/345, 134/1.1
• US Class Current: 118/723.00R
• 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 housing a target object for applying a predetermined treatment to the target object;

a mounting table, arranged within said vacuum processing chamber, for mounting a target object;

a processing gas supply system for independently supplying a processing gas for performing a specific process to the target object;

a cleaning gas supply system, arranged independently of said processing gas supply system, for supplying a cleaning gas containing ClF₃ to the mounting table; and

liquefaction-prevention heating means for preventing liquefaction of the cleaning gas by heating said cleaning gas supply system, said liquefaction prevention heating means including first and second heating means which respectively heat first and second zones of said cleaning gas supply system, and wherein said second heating means heats said second zone to a temperature higher than a temperature to which said first heating means heats said first zone.

2. A vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising heating means for heating a portion where liquefaction of the cleaning gas tends to occur in said cleaning gas supply system.

3. A vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second zone of the cleaning gas supply system is positioned on the downstream side of cleaning gas supply system relative to the first zone.

4. A vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a processing chamber housing a target object for applying a predetermined treatment to the target object;

a supporter for supporting the target object in the processing chamber;

a processing gas supply system for supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber, for performing a predetermined process on the target object;

a cleaning gas supply system arranged independently of said processing gas supply system, for supplying a cleaning gas containing ClF₃ into the processing chamber, the cleaning gas supply system including a feed pipe having one end connected to the processing chamber, through which the cleaning gas is supplied to the processing chamber;

liquefaction-prevention heating mechanism including a plurality of zones provided along the feed pipe and configured to control a temperature of each of the plurality of zones so as to produce a temperature gradient such that the temperature gradient increases toward said one end of the feed pipe.

5. A vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising at least one heating member provided on a portion of the feed pipe where liquefaction of the cleaning gas tends to occur in said feed pipe, for heating the portion to a temperature higher than the maximum temperature of said temperature gradient.