Gas supplying apparatus and method of testing the same for clogs

Abstract

A gas supplying apparatus of a system for fabricating semiconductor devices is tested for clogs. The gas supplying apparatus includes a carrier gas supplying device for supplying at least one carrier gas, and a plurality of reactive gas supplying devices connected in parallel to the carrier gas supplying device. The reactive gas supplying devices gasify the reactive gas carried by the carrier gas. A wafer, on which a desired layer is to be formed, is situated in a process chamber into which the reactive gas is supplied from the reactive gas supplying devices. The gas supplying apparatus also includes pressure detecing devices for detecting the pressure of the carrier gas near each of the reactive gas supplying devices. The carrier gas is supplied under a predetermined pressure to the reactive gas supplying devices. The reactive gas supplying device to be tested for clogs is rendered operational while the other reactive gas supplying devices are shut down. The pressure of the carrier gas near an outlet of the carrier gas supplying device is compared to the pressure of the carrier gas near an inlet of the reactive gas supplying device being tested to determine if the device is clogged.

1 - 8 . (cancelled)  
   
   
       9 . (original) A semiconductor fabrication system comprising: 
 a carrier gas supplying device that includes a source of at least one carrier gas;    at least one reactive gas supplying device that includes a source of a reactive gas, and a gas injection valve;    a gas flow line connecting said at least one reactive gas supplying device to the carrier gas supplying device such that carrier gas flows from the carrier gas supplying device through said flow line and into the at least one reactive gas supplying device and thereby entrains the reactive gas;    a process chamber connected to an outlet of the gas injection valve of each said at least one reactive gas supplying device so as to receive the reactive gas thereform as entrained by the carrier gas;    a first pressure detecting device connected to said carrier gas supplying device so as to detect the pressure of the carrier gas issuing from said carrier gas supplying device; and    a second pressure detecing device disposed in the gas flow line between the carrier gas supplying device and the reactive gas supplying device to detect the pressure of the carrier gas entering said reactive gas supplying device, said second pressure detecting device also being disposed downstream of said first pressure detecting device with respect to the flow of the carrier gas through said flow line.    
   
   
       10 . (original) The semiconductor fabrication system of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one reactive gas supplying device comprises a plurality of reactive gas supplying devices connected in parallel to each other, and a respective said second pressure detecting device is connected to each of the reactive gas supplying devices.  
   
   
       11 . (original) The semiconductor fabrication system of  claim 10 , wherein the reactive gas supplying devices comprise a TEOS gas supplying device including a source of Tetra-Ethyl-Ortho-Silicate, a TEB gas supplying device including a source of Tri-Ethyl-Boron, and a TEPO gas supplying device including a source of Tri-Ethyl-Phosphorous.  
   
   
       12  (original) The semiconductor fabrication system of  claim 9 , wherein said second pressure detecting device comprises a mass flow meter.  
   
   
       13 . (original) The semiconductor fabrication system of  claim 9 , wherein said pressure detecting device comprises a pressure guage.  
   
   
       14 . (original) The semiconductor fabrication system of  claim 9 , and further comprising a switching valve movable between an open position and a closed position, and disposed between the reactive gas supplying device and the second pressure detecting device.  
   
   
       15 . (original) The semiconductor fabrication system of  claim 9 , wherein the source of reactive gas of each said at least one reactive gas supplying device is a source of reactive gas in its liquid phase, and said injection valve gasifies the liquid phase of the reactive gas and includes a movable diaphragm that controls the flow rate of the liquid phase of the reactive gas.  
   
   
       16 . (original) A method of testing a gas supplying apparatus for clogs, comprising: 
 supplying a carrier gas from a carrier gas supplying device, that comprises a source of at least one carrier gas, to a reactive gas supplying device;    detecting the pressure of the carrier gas adjacent an inlet of the reactive gas supplying device; and    comparing the pressure of the carrier gas detected adjacent the inlet of the reactive gas supplying device to a first pressure corresponding to the pressure under which the carrier gas is flowing from the carrier gas supplying device.    
   
   
       17 . (original) The method of  claim 16 , and further comprising detecting the pressure of the carrier gas adjacent an outlet of the carrier gas supplying device, and wherein said comparing comprises comparing the detected pressures of the carrier gas.  
   
   
       18 . (original) A method of testing a gas supplying apparatus for clogs, comprising: 
 supplying a carrier gas under pressure from a carrier gas supplying device to a plurality of reactive gas supplying devices disposed in parallel to each other in respective branches of a gas flow flow line connecting the reactive gas supplying devices to the carrier gas supplying device;    allowing carrier gas from the carrier gas supply device to flow through one of said branches to a respective one of said reactive gas supplying devices while preventing the flow of the carrier gas to the other said plurality of reactive gas supplying devices;    detecting the pressure of the carrier gas adjacent an inlet of the respective one of said reactive gas supplying devices while the carrier gas is prevented from flowing to the other said plurality of reactive gas supplying devices; and    comparing the pressure under which the carrier gas is supplied from the carrier gas supplying device to the pressure of the carrier gas detected adjacent the inlet of the respective one of said reactive gas supplying devices.    
   
   
       19 . (original) The method of  claim 18 , and further comprising detecting the pressure of the carrier gas adjacent an outlet of the carrier gas supplying device, and wherein said comparing comprises comparing the pressure of the carrier gas detected adjacent an outlet of the carrier gas supplying device to the pressure of the carrier gas detected adjacent the inlet of the respective one of said reactive gas supplying devices.  
   
   
       20 . (original) A method of operating a semiconductor fabrication system, comprising: 
 placing a semiconductor wafer in a processing chamber;    supplying a reactive gas to an injection valve connected to said process chamber;    supplying a carrier gas from a carrier gas supplying device to the injection valve such that the carrier gas entrains the reactive gas;    detecting the pressure under which the carrier gas flows into the injection valve;    comparing the detected pressure to a first pressure corresponding to the pressure under which the carrier gas is flowing from the carrier gas supplying device; and    allowing the reactive gas entrained by the carrier gas to flow into the process chamber via said injection valve to process the wafer only when the detected pressure is equal to or less than said first pressure.    
   
   
       21 . (original) The method of  claim 20 , wherein the carrier gas is supplied from a carrier gas supplying device that includes at least one source of the carrier gas, and wherein the pressure of the carrier gas adjacent an outlet of the carrier gas supplying device is detected as said first pressure.