Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and method for cleaning same

Abstract

An LPCVD apparatus is provided with a processing chamber and a reaction cooling apparatus. The reaction cooling apparatus is placed outside the processing chamber and is configured to generate hydrogen fluoride gas by reaction of hydrogen gas and fluorine gas and to cool the hydrogen fluoride gas. The hydrogen fluoride gas cooled by the reaction cooling apparatus is supplied into the processing chamber as a cleaning gas.

1 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber; and   a reaction cooling apparatus placed outside the processing chamber and configured to generate a cleaning gas by reaction of a combustible gas and a combustion-supporting gas and to cool the cleaning gas,   the cleaning gas which is cooled being supplied into the processing chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction cooling apparatus includes:
 a reaction chamber supplied with the combustible gas and the combustion-supporting gas and configured to cause the reaction; and   a water-cooling apparatus configured to cool the cleaning gas.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction cooling apparatus is configured to mix the combustible gas, the combustion-supporting gas, and a cooling gas. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the reaction cooling apparatus includes:
 an outer tube in connection with the processing chamber; 
 a middle tube placed in the outer tube and terminated at a position spaced from the processing chamber, the termination being opened to inside the outer tube; and 
 an inner tube placed in the middle tube and terminated at a position spaced from the processing chamber, the termination being opened to inside the outer tube, 
   one of the combustible gas and the combustion-supporting gas is supplied into the inner tube, and the other is supplied between the inner tube and the middle tube, and the cooling gas is supplied between the middle tube and the outer tube.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction cooling apparatus includes a heater configured to heat the cleaning gas. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the combustible gas is hydrogen gas, and the combustion-supporting gas is fluorine gas. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is a CVD apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber;   a combustible gas supply pipe configured to supply a combustible gas into the processing chamber;   a combustion-supporting gas supply pipe configured to supply a combustion-supporting gas into the processing chamber; and   at least one of another combustible gas supply pipe and another combustion-supporting gas supply pipe, one of the combustible gas supply pipe and the another combustible gas supply pipe for passing the combustible gas is temporally changed among them or one of the combustion-supporting gas supply pipe and the another combustion-supporting gas supply pipe for passing the combustion-supporting gas is temporally changed among them.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the combustible gas is hydrogen gas, and the combustion-supporting gas is fluorine gas. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is a CVD apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . A method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
 a first supplying a combustible gas and a combustion-supporting gas into a processing chamber; and   a second supplying the combustion-supporting gas into the processing chamber,   the first supplying and the second supplying being alternately performed.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein hydrogen gas is used as the combustible gas, and fluorine gas is used as the combustion-supporting gas. 
     
     
         13 . A method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
 supplying a combustible gas and a dilution gas into a processing chamber through a combustible gas supply pipe, and simultaneously supplying a combustion-supporting gas and a dilution gas into the processing chamber through a combustion-supporting gas supply pipe,   at least one of a first supply amount of the dilution gas supplied through the combustible gas supply pipe and a second supply amount of the dilution gas supplied through the combustion-supporting gas supply pipe being temporally changed.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein total amount of the first supply amount and the second supply amount is kept constant. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the supplying the combustible gas and the dilution gas and the simultaneously supplying the combustion-supporting gas and the dilution gas includes:
 a first supplying; and 
 a second supplying, 
   the first supply amount of the first supplying is more than the first supply amount of the second supplying,   the second supply amount of the second supplying is more than the second supply amount of the first supplying, and   the first supplying and the second supplying are alternately performed.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first supply amount and the second supply amount have each multiple values. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first supply amount and the second supply amount are each changed gradually. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein hydrogen gas is used as the combustible gas, and fluorine gas is used as the combustion-supporting gas. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein nitrogen gas is used as the dilution gas. 
     
     
         20 . A method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including a processing chamber, a combustible gas supply pipe configured to supply a combustible gas into the processing chamber, and a combustion-supporting gas supply pipe configured to supply a combustion-supporting gas into the processing chamber, at least one of the combustible gas supply pipe and the combustion-supporting gas supply pipe being provided in a plurality, the method comprising:
 temporally changing the supply pipe for passing the combustible gas or the combustion-supporting gas among the plurality of combustible gas supply pipes or the plurality of combustion-supporting gas supply pipes.