# US 2021/0277518 A1 · Cleaning method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and substrate processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277518 A1 - Document ID: US20210277518A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/191,420 - Filed: 2021-03-03 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04 - Assignees: Kokusai Electric Corporation - Applicants: Kokusai Electric Corporation - Inventors: Keigo NISHIDA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277518A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/4405: {Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases} - C23C 16/345: {Silicon nitride} - C23C 16/40: Oxides - C23C 16/402: {Silicon dioxide} - C23C 16/45527: {characterized by the ALD cycle, e.g. different flows or temperatures during half-reactions, unusual pulsing sequence, use of precursor mixtures or auxiliary reactants or activations} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - H10P 14/6328: {Deposition from the gas or vapour phase} - H10P 14/69433: {the material being a silicon nitride not containing oxygen, e.g. SixNy or SixByNz} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract There is provided a technique that includes: removing a deposit that adheres to an interior of a process chamber by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including performing sequentially: (a) supplying a cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber until an internal pressure of the process chamber rises to a first pressure range; (b) exhausting the interior of the process chamber and supplying the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber in parallel to maintain the internal pressure of the process chamber within the first pressure range; and (c) exhausting the interior of the process chamber until the internal pressure of the process chamber reaches a second pressure that is below the first pressure range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning method comprising: removing a deposit that adheres to an interior of a process chamber by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including performing sequentially: (a) supplying a cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber until an internal pressure of the process chamber rises to a first pressure range, in a state where exhaust of the interior of the process chamber is stopped; (b) exhausting the interior of the process chamber and supplying the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber in parallel to maintain the internal pressure of the process chamber within the first pressure range; and (c) exhausting the interior of the process chamber until the internal pressure of the process chamber reaches a second pressure that is below the first pressure range, in a state where supply of the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber is stopped. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the first pressure range is a pressure range in which a desired etching rate is obtained by the cleaning gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the second pressure is a lower limit pressure value at which an etching reaction occurs due to the cleaning gas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The cleaning method of claim 2, wherein the second pressure is a lower limit pressure value at which an etching reaction occurs due to the cleaning gas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning gas is a gas including hydrogen fluoride. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cleaning method of claim 5, wherein the first pressure range is 150 Torr or higher and 400 Torr or lower. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The cleaning method of claim 5, wherein the second pressure is 100 Torr or higher. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The cleaning method of claim 6, wherein the second pressure is 100 Torr or higher. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The cleaning method of claim 5, wherein in (a) to (c), a member constituting a furnace opening formed at a lower portion in the process chamber is heated to have a temperature of 0 degree C. or higher and 100 degrees C. or lower. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cleaning method of claim 9, wherein the cleaning gas is supplied to a vicinity of the furnace opening from a gas discharge portion installed at the furnace opening. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the cycle is performed twice or more. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cleaning method of claim 11, wherein in at least a second cycle, (a) is started in a state where the internal pressure of the process chamber is maintained at the second pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein (b) is executed continuously without performing the other acts after executing (a). ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The cleaning method of claim 5, wherein the deposit is a silicon-containing material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cleaning method of claim 14, wherein the silicon-containing material includes silicon oxide. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: processing a substrate in a state where the substrate is accommodated in a process chamber, and cleaning an interior of the process chamber by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including performing sequentially: (a) supplying a cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber until an internal pressure of the process chamber rises to a first pressure range, in a state where exhaust of the interior of the process chamber is stopped; (b) exhausting the interior of the process chamber and supplying the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber in parallel to maintain the internal pressure of the process chamber within the first pressure range; and (c) exhausting the interior of the process chamber until the internal pressure of the process chamber reaches a second pressure that is below the first pressure range, in a state where supply of the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber is stopped. ### Claim 17 A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a process chamber in which a substrate is accommodated; an exhaust system configured to exhaust an interior of the process chamber; a cleaning gas supply system configured to supply a cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber; and a controller configured to be capable of controlling the exhaust system and the cleaning gas supply system to clean the interior of the process chamber by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including performing sequentially: (a) supplying the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber until an internal pressure of the process chamber rises to a first pressure range, in a state where exhaust of the interior of the process chamber is stopped; (b) exhausting the interior of the process chamber and supplying the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber in parallel to maintain the internal pressure of the process chamber within the first pressure range; and (c) exhausting the interior of the process chamber until the internal pressure of the process chamber reaches a second pressure that is below the first pressure range, in a state where supply of the cleaning gas to the interior of the process chamber is stopped.