# US 12,112,922 B2 · Plasma treatment apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,922 B2 - Document ID: US12112922B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/641,886 - Filed: 2021-05-27 - Published: 2024-02-08 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-27 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Inventors: Kentaro Kiyosue; Kohei Sato; Ryoichi Isomura; Koji Nagai; Tsutomu Matsuyoshi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112922B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow} - H01J 37/32: Gas-filled discharge tubes (heating by discharge H05B) - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A plasma treatment apparatus includes a treatment chamber 2 and a gas supply device 30 for supplying a treatment gas into the treatment chamber 2. The gas supply device 30 includes: a mass flow controller box 40 having an intake port 41 and an exhaust port 42; a plurality of pipes 43 to each of which a mass flow controller (43a) is attached; and a plurality of pipes 52 which are connected to the pipes 43 in the mass flow controller box 40 and connected to a plurality of pipes 54 as supply sources of the treatment gas by a plurality of joints 53 outside the mass flow controller box. At least one of the joints 53 is covered by a pipe cover 60 so that the joint 53 is hermetically sealed. The inside of the pipe cover 60 and the inside of the mass flow controller box 40 are communicated by a communicating member (circumferential pipe 61, tube 62). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plasma treatment apparatus comprising a treatment chamber and a gas supply device for supplying a treatment gas into the treatment chamber, the gas supply device comprising: a mass flow controller box having an intake port and an exhaust port; a plurality of first pipes which are located in the mass flow controller box and to each of which a mass flow controller is attached; and a plurality of second pipes which are connected to the plurality of first pipes in the mass flow controller box and connected to a plurality of third pipes as supply sources of the treatment gas by a plurality of first joints outside the mass flow controller box, wherein at least one of the first joints is covered by a first pipe cover so that the first joint is hermetically sealed, and an inside of the first pipe cover and an inside of the mass flow controller box are communicated by a first communicating member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first communicating member includes a circumferential pipe covering a circumference of the second pipe provided with the first pipe cover, among the second pipes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential pipe is made of a metallic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential pipe is made of a resin material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first communicating member includes a tube which is connected to the first pipe cover and the mass flow controller box in an attachable and detachable manner. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the tube is made of a resin material which can transmit visible light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first joints is covered by a second pipe cover so that the first joint is hermetically sealed, an inside of the second pipe cover and the inside of the mass flow controller box are communicated by a second communicating member, the second communicating member includes a tube which is connected to the second pipe cover and the mass flow controller box in an attachable and detachable manner, and the treatment gas to flow in the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe to which the second communicating member is applied is a gas having a higher boiling point than the treatment gas to flow in the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe to which the first communicating member is applied. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the treatment gas to flow in the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe to which the first communicating member is applied is H2, CH3F, CH4, Cl2, SO2, HBr, SiF4, NF3 or CO2, the treatment gas to flow in the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe to which the second communicating member is applied is SiCl4 or BCl3, and the treatment gas to flow in the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe to which the first communicating member or the second communicating member is not applied is Ar, He, O2, N2, CHF3, SF6 or CF4. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The plasma treatment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a heater is provided on circumferences of the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe to which the second communicating member is applied.