Abstract: A heater supporting device for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided so as to improve the uniformity of a temperature property and the expected lifespan by preventing support pieces from being damaged and separated from piece holders, and preventing deterioration in adiabatic efficiency in the vicinity of a ceiling of a vertical type furnace. A heating element of a coil shape is disposed around an object. The support pieces are vertically connected in multiple. Hollows of an elliptical shape are formed between the respective support pieces. Concave insertions are formed on one of upper and lower surfaces of the respective support pieces, and convex insertions are formed on the other one of the upper and lower surfaces of the respective support pieces. The convex insertions are insert-fitted with the concave insertions. The support pieces are vertically connected in multiple by insert-fitting the concave insertions to the convex insertions.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a CVD apparatus that can efficiently remove a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 stuck and deposited onto the surface of an internal wall, an electrode, or the like in a reaction chamber in a film forming process, and a method for cleaning a CVD apparatus. A control monitors luminous intensity data of an F radical in a reaction chamber by optical emission spectroscopy and compares the data with calibrated prestored luminous intensity data, and ends cleaning after a predetermined time passes from reaching a luminous intensity saturation point. Furthermore, concentration data of SiF4 in a gas discharged from the reaction chamber are monitored by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and compared with prestored concentration data of SiF4 to decide that the predetermined time has passed when a predetermined cleaning end point concentration is reached, thereby ending the cleaning.

Abstract: Provided are a heating device, a substrate processing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which can suppress differences between heating bodies, and simultaneously, can suppress shearing of a holder due to thermal deformation of the heating element. The heating device comprises: a heating element including a mountain part and a valley part that are alternately connected in plurality in a meander shape with both ends being fixed; holding body receiving parts respectively installed at ends of the valley parts and formed as cutout parts having a width larger than a width of the valley part; an insulating body installed at an outer circumference of the heating element; and a holding body disposed in the holding body receiving part and fixed to the insulating body.

Abstract: Provided are a heating device, a substrate processing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The heating device comprises: a heating element including a mountain part and a valley part that are alternately connected in plurality in a meander shape with both ends being fixed; holding body receiving parts respectively installed at ends of the valley parts and formed as cutout parts having a width larger than a width of the valley part; an insulating body installed at an outer circumference of the heating element; a holding body disposed in the holding body receiving part and fixed to the insulating body; the heating element having a ring shape; the insulating body installed in a manner of surrounding the outer circumference of the heating element; and a fixation part configured to fix the heating element to an inner wall of the insulating body.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus comprises a reaction vessel configured to process a substrate, and a heating device. The heating device comprises at least one sidewall insulating part surrounding the reaction vessel, a ceiling insulating part placed on the sidewall insulating part and comprising a plurality of stress relief grooves, and a heating element installed at an inner side of the sidewall insulating part.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a CVD apparatus that can efficiently remove a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 stuck and deposited onto the surface of an internal wall, an electrode, or the like in a reaction chamber in a film forming process, and a method for cleaning a CVD apparatus. A control monitors luminous intensity data of an F radical in a reaction chamber by optical emission spectroscopy and compares the data with calibrated prestored luminous intensity data, and ends cleaning after a predetermined time passes from reaching a luminous intensity saturation point. Furthermore, concentration data of SiF4 in a gas discharged from the reaction chamber are monitored by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and compared with prestored concentration data of SiF4 to decide that the predetermined time has passed when a predetermined cleaning end point concentration is reached, thereby ending the cleaning.

Abstract: There is provided a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 which is stuck and deposited onto the surface of an internal wall, an electrode or the like in a CVD chamber in a film forming process, and furthermore, executing cleaning having a small damage over an upper electrode and a counter electrode stage (a lower electrode) and manufacturing a thin film of high quality, and a CVD apparatus cleaning method using the same. In a CVD apparatus cleaning method of introducing a cleaning gas to carry out plasma cleaning over an inside of a CVD chamber after forming a deposited film on a surface of a substrate, a frequency of an RF to be applied to an RF electrode is switched into a first frequency to be applied for forming a film and a second frequency to be applied when executing the plasma cleaning.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a cleaning method in a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 which is adhered to and deposited on the surfaces of an inner wall, an electrode and the like in a reaction chamber at a film forming step. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a cleaning method in which the amount of a cleaning gas to be discharged is very small, an influence on an environment such as global warming is also lessened and a cost can also be reduced. An energy is applied to a fluorine compound to react the fluorine compound, thereby generating a fluorine gas component and a component other than the fluorine gas component. Furthermore, the fluorine gas component and the component other than the fluorine gas component which are generated are separated from each other so that the fluorine gas component is separated and refined.

Abstract: A cleaning method for CVD apparatus wherein by-products such as SiO2 and Si3N4 adhered to and deposited on surfaces of the inner wall, electrodes and other parts of a reaction chamber at the stage of film formation can be removed efficiently. Furthermore, the amount of cleaning gas discharged is so small that the influence on environment such as global warming is little and cost reduction can be also attained. After the film formation on a base material surface by the use of CVD apparatus, a fluorinated cleaning gas containing a fluorcompound is converted to plasma by means of a remote plasma generator, and the cleaning gas having been converted to plasma is introduced into a reaction chamber so that any by-products adhered to inner parts of the reaction chamber is removed.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a cleaning method in a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 which is adhered to and deposited on the surfaces of an inner wall, an electrode and the like in a reaction chamber and the side wall of a piping of an exhaust path or the like at a film forming step, in which the amount of a cleaning gas to be discharged is very small, an influence on an environment such as global warming can also be lessened and a cost can also be reduced.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a cleaning method in a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 which is adhered to and deposited on the surfaces of an inner wall, an electrode and the like in a reaction chamber at a film forming step, in which the amount of a cleaning gas to be discharged is very small, an influence on an environment such as global warming is also lessened and a cost can also be reduced.

Abstract: A semiconductor water is contained in a reaction tube, and the reaction tube is exhausted through an exhaust pipe while supplying ammonia and dichlorosilane into the reaction tube. A silicon nitride film is deposited on an object to be heat-treated by a reaction of ammonia and dichlorosilane. Subsequently, TEOS is supplied into the reaction tube, while the reaction tube is exhausted through the exhaust pipe. A silicon oxide film is deposited on the object by resolving the TEOS. A semiconductor wafer an which a laminated layer of the silicon nitride film and the silicon oxide film is formed is unloaded from the reaction tube. Then, reactive products attached into the exhaust pipe and the reaction tube are removed, by conducting fluoride hydrogen thereinto, thereby cleaning the pipers The top end of the exhaust pipe is split into two vents, either one of which is used for discharging exhaust gas for forming films and the other one of which is used for discharging HF gas for cleaning the pipes.

Abstract: A cleaning method for CVD apparatus wherein by-products such as SiO2 and Si3N4 adhered to and deposited on surfaces of the inner wall, electrodes and other parts of a reaction chamber at the stage of film formation can be removed efficiently. Furthermore, the amount of cleaning gas discharged is so small that the influence on environment such as global warming is little and cost reduction can be also attained. After the film formation on a base material surface by the use of CVD apparatus, a fluorinated cleaning gas containing a fluorcompound is converted to plasma by means of a remote plasma generator, and the cleaning gas having been converted to plasma is introduced into a reaction chamber so that any by-products adhered to inner parts of the reaction chamber is removed.

Abstract: A semiconductor water is contained in a reaction tube, and the reaction tube is exhausted through an exhaust pipe while supplying ammonia and dichlorosilane into the reaction tube. A silicon nitride film is deposited on an object to be heat-treated by a reaction of ammonia and dichlorosilane. Subsequently, TEOS is supplied into the reaction tube, while the reaction tube is exhausted through the exhaust pipe. A silicon oxide film is deposited on the object by resolving the TEOS. A semiconductor wafer on which a laminated layer of the silicon nitride film and the silicon oxide film is formed is unloaded from the reaction tube. Then, reactive products attached into the exhaust pipe and the reaction tube are removed, by conducting fluoride hydrogen thereinto, thereby cleaning the pipes. The top end of the exhaust pipe is split into two vents, either one of which is used for discharging exhaust gas for forming films and the other one of which is used for discharging HF gas for cleaning the pipes.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is contained in a reaction tube, and the reaction tube is exhausted through an exhaust pipe while supplying ammonia and dichlorosilane into the reaction tube. A silicon nitride film is deposited on an object to be heat-treated by a reaction of ammonia and dichlorosilane. Subsequently, TEOS is supplied into the reaction tube, while the reaction tube is exhausted through the exhaust pipe. A silicon oxide film is deposited on the object by resolving the TEOS. A semiconductor wafer on which a laminated layer of the silicon nitride film and the silicon oxide film is formed is unloaded from the reaction tube. Then, reactive products attached into the exhaust pipe and the reaction tube are removed, by conducting fluoride hydrogen thereinto, thereby cleaning the pipes. The top end of the exhaust pipe is split into two vents, either one of which is used for discharging exhaust gas for forming films and the other one of which is used for discharging HF gas for cleaning the pipes.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically attaching a sub-assembly such as a strut to a main assembly such as a vehicle body frame in a production line. The method involves the steps of moving the sub-assembly including a separable engagement means to a predetermined location of the main assembly, anchoring the engagement means of the sub-assembly to a positioning part located at the predetermined location of the main assembly so as to temporarily attach the sub-assembly to the main assembly, moving an automatic fastening tool to the opposite side of the predetermined location of the main assembly to which the sub-assembly is attached and tightening fasteners in the automatic fastening tool onto the sub-assembly so as to permanently attach the sub-assembly to the predetermined location of the main assembly. The engagement means can then be removed.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically attaching a sub-assembly such as a strut assembly of a strut-type front suspension to a main assembly such as a vehicle body which is transported on a conveyor belt.