Film formation apparatus for semiconductor process and method for using the same

A film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process, comprising:

• a reaction chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate;
• a heater configured to heat an interior of the reaction chamber;
• an exhaust system configured to exhaust the interior of the reaction chamber;
• a film formation gas supply circuit configured to supply a film formation gas, for forming a product film on the target substrate, into the reaction chamber;
• a cleaning gas supply circuit configured to supply a cleaning gas, which contains a halogen acidic gas for removing a by-product film derived from the film formation gas, into the reaction chamber, the cleaning gas supply circuit including an upstream gas passage between a gas supply source of the halogen acidic gas and a flow rate controller;
• and
• a control section configured to control an operation of the apparatus,
• wherein the control section executes
• forming a first atmosphere inside the upstream gas passage, the first atmosphere being set for the halogen acidic gas to have an average molecular weight of 20 or more and 23 or less;
• supplying the halogen acidic gas from the gas supply source through the upstream gas passage having the first atmosphere thus formed and the flow rate controller, thereby supplying a cleaning gas containing the halogen acidic gas into the reaction chamber;
• and
• etching and removing a by-product film deposited on an inner surface of the reaction chamber, by use of the cleaning gas thus supplied.

A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a processor, which, when executed by the processor, cause a film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process to execute

• forming a first atmosphere inside an upstream gas passage between a gas supply source of a halogen acidic gas and a flow rate controller, the first atmosphere being set for the halogen acidic gas to have an average molecular weight of 20 or more and 23 or less;
• supplying the halogen acidic gas from the gas supply source through the upstream gas passage having the first atmosphere thus formed and the flow rate controller, thereby supplying a cleaning gas containing the halogen acidic gas into a reaction chamber of the film formation apparatus;
• and
• etching and removing a by-product film deposited on an inner surface of the reaction chamber, by use of the cleaning gas thus supplied.