Method of cleaning exhaust pipe

Abstract

There is provision of a method of cleaning an exhaust pipe of a film forming apparatus for removing a component adhering to the exhaust pipe which is generated from a source gas for forming film supplied from a gas supply part to a processing chamber of the film forming apparatus. The method includes a step of supplying a cleaning gas from the gas supply part to the exhaust pipe via the processing chamber while the film forming apparatus is operating but a film forming process is not performed in the processing chamber, in order to remove the component by causing the component to vaporize upon reacting with the cleaning gas. The cleaning gas to be supplied is capable of causing the component adhering to the exhaust pipe to change into an evaporable substance by chemical reaction in an atmosphere inside the exhaust pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of cleaning an exhaust pipe for removing a component adhering to the exhaust pipe in a film forming apparatus, the film forming apparatus including a processing chamber, a gas supply part configured to supply gas to the processing chamber, and the exhaust pipe connected to the processing chamber, the component being generated from a source gas for forming film when the source gas is supplied into the processing chamber from the gas supply part, the method comprising:
 supplying, while the film forming apparatus is operating but a film forming process is not performed in the processing chamber, a cleaning gas from the gas supply part to the exhaust pipe via the processing chamber, in order to remove the component by causing the component to vaporize upon reacting with the cleaning gas, the cleaning gas being capable of causing the component adhering to the exhaust pipe to change into an evaporable substance by chemical reaction in an atmosphere inside the exhaust pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a cleaning gas supply part is provided in a vicinity of a joint between the processing chamber and the exhaust pipe, and   the cleaning gas is also supplied from the cleaning gas supply part directly to the exhaust pipe without passing through the processing chamber, while the supplying is being performed.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the source gas is a gas of a compound including Si and one of Cl and H, or including Si, Cl, and H. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the source gas is a gas capable of forming chlorosilane polymer in the exhaust pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning gas is ClF 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 checking a remaining state of the component adhering to the exhaust pipe by monitoring the evaporable substance, the checking being performed in parallel with the supplying.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing maintenance of an inside of the exhaust pipe with the exhaust pipe opened to the atmosphere, after the supplying.