Method of cleaning a process tube with ClF.sub.3 gas and controlling the temperature of process
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorToshiharu Nishimura
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Abstract
A method of cleaning a process tube and a wafer boat, comprising the steps of, carrying wafers out of the process tube, controlling the temperature in the process tube saw as or lower than a process temperature and higher than a boiling point of ClF.sub.3, said process temperature being kept in the process tube when the process of forming film on the wafers is carried out in the process tube, and supplying ClF.sub.3 -contained cleaning gas into the process tube to react the cleaning gas with the film of the silicon oxide adhering to the inner wall of the process tube and the wafer boat.
Claims19
A method of cleaning a process tube, comprising the steps of:
- loading a process tube set at a film-forming temperature with a plurality of semiconductor wafers;
- supplying a process gas into the process tube to form a silicon oxide-based film on each of said wafers;
- taking the wafers out of the process tube;
- controlling the temperature within the process tube to a temperature not higher than said film-forming temperature but higher than 450.degree. C.;
- supplying a cleaning gas containing ClF.sub.3 into the process tube to carry out reactions between the cleaning gas and a silicon oxide-based film adhered to the inner wall of the process tube so as to remove said silicon oxide-based film;
- and
- setting the temperature within the process tube at said film-forming temperature in preparation for the loading of the process tube with wafers which are to be processed.
A method of cleaning a process tube, comprising the steps of:
- loading a process tube set at a film-forming temperature with a plurality of semiconductor wafers together with a boat and other support members;
- supplying a process gas into the process tube to form a silicon oxide-based film on each of said wafers;
- taking the wafers together with the boat and other support members out of the process tube;
- loading the process tube with the boat and other support members alone;
- controlling the temperature within the process tube to a temperature not higher than a film-forming temperature but higher than 450.degree. C.;
- supplying a cleaning gas containing ClF.sub.3 into the process tube to carry out reactions between the cleaning gas and a silicon oxide-based film adhered to the inner wall of the process tube, boat and other support members so a to remove said silicon oxide-based film;
- taking the boat and other support members out of the process tube;
- and
- setting the temperature within the process tube at a film-forming temperature in preparation for the loading of the process tube with wafers which are to be processed.
A method of cleaning a process tube, comprising the steps of:
- preparing a process tube having an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder;
- taking a wafer having a film formed thereon out of the process tube;
- controlling the temperature within the process tube to a temperature not higher than a film-forming temperature but higher than 450.degree. C.;
- and
- introducing a cleaning gas containing ClF.sub.3 into a lower region of the inner cylinder of the process tube such that the cleaning gas flows upward along the inner wall of the inner cylinder and, then, flows downward through a clearance formed between the inner and outer cylinders so as to cause the cleaning gas to perform reactions with a silicon oxide-based film adhered to the inner and outer surfaces of the inner cylinder and the inner surface of the outer cylinder and, thus, to remove the silicon oxide-based film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.