Abstract: Processing gases respectively supplied from multiple gas supply lines into a processing vessel can be switched at a high speed in a uniform manner. A plasma processing apparatus includes the processing vessel configured to perform therein a plasma process to a target substrate; and a gas inlet member including first gas discharge holes and second gas discharge holes which are alternately arranged to be adjacent to each other and respectively communicate with a first gas supply line and a second gas supply line, which are switchable. Further, the first gas discharge holes and the second gas discharge holes independently and respectively introduce a first processing gas and a second processing gas, which are respectively supplied from the first gas supply line and the second gas supply line and used in the plasma process, into the processing vessel.

Abstract: A gas supply control method uses a pressure control flowmeter and first and second valves provided upstream and downstream, respectively, of the pressure control flowmeter in a gas supply line. The pressure control flowmeter includes a control valve and an orifice. The gas supply control method includes maintaining a pressure P1 of a first gas supply pipe between the orifice and the control valve and a pressure P2 of a second gas supply pipe between the orifice and the second valve so as to satisfy P1>2×P2. The supply of gas is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the second valve with the first valve being open and the control valve being controlled. A volume V1 of the first gas supply pipe and a volume V2 of the second gas supply pipe have a relationship of V1/V2?9.

Abstract: A gas supply system includes: a first flow channel connecting a first gas source and a chamber; a second flow channel connecting a second gas source and the first flow channel; a control valve, provided in the second flow channel, configured to control a flow rate of the second gas; an orifice provided downstream of the control valve and at a terminus of the second flow channel; a switching valve, provided at a connection point between the first flow channel and the terminus of the second flow channel, configured to control a supply timing of the second gas; an exhaust mechanism, connected to a flow channel between the control valve and the orifice in the second flow channel, configured to exhaust the second gas; and a controller configured to bring the control valve, the switching valve and the exhaust mechanism into operation.

Abstract: A gas supply system includes a first device to a third device. A plurality of integral units of the first device is configured to select one or more gases from one or more gas sources and supply the selected gases. The second device is configured to distribute plural gases from the integral units and supply the distributed gases while controlling flow rates of the distributed gases. The third device is configured to exhaust the gases within the gas supply system to a gas exhaust device.

Abstract: Throughput of the processing can be improved. A gas supply system includes a plurality of element devices which constitute the gas supply system and a base 212 on which the plurality of element devices are disposed. Some of the element devices are disposed on a surface 212a of the base 212, and the others are disposed on a surface 212b of the base 212, which is opposite to the surface 212a of the base 212. The plurality of element devices may be implemented by, for example, a flow rate controller FD and a secondary valve FV2. The secondary valve FV2 is disposed on the surface 212b, which is opposite to the surface 212a of the base 212 where the flow rate controller FD is disposed.

Abstract: An apparatus for dividing and supplying gas is provided with a flow rate control device, a plurality of divided flow passages of gas flowing from the flow rate control device, thermal-type mass flow sensors disposed to the divided flow passages, electrically-operated valves disposed on a downstream side of the thermal-type mass flow sensors, controllers that control the electrically-operated valves, and a flow ratio setting calculator that calculates a total flow rate, then calculates flow rates of the divided flow passages, and then inputs the calculated flow rates as set flow rates to each controllers. One of the divided flow passages with the highest set flow rate is put in an uncontrolled state, and opening degree for each of the rest divided flow passages is controlled, and then feedback control of the divided flow rate of each of the divided flow passages is implemented by each of the controllers.

Abstract: A gas supply control method uses a pressure control flowmeter and first and second valves provided upstream and downstream, respectively, of the pressure control flowmeter in a gas supply line. The pressure control flowmeter includes a control valve and an orifice. The gas supply control method includes maintaining a pressure P1 of a first gas supply pipe between the orifice and the control valve and a pressure P2 of a second gas supply pipe between the orifice and the second valve so as to satisfy P1>2×P2. The supply of gas is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the second valve with the first valve being open and the control valve being controlled. A volume V1 of the first gas supply pipe and a volume V2 of the second gas supply pipe have a relationship of V1/V2?9.

Abstract: In the present invention, a gas supply method includes a selecting step and an additive gas supply step. The selecting step involves selecting, in accordance with the type of target film to be processed, a combination of a gas chamber into which additive gas is supplied and the type of additive gas, the gas chamber being selected from a plurality of gas chambers which are divided from a gas injection unit for injecting plasma processing gases into a processing chamber in which a substrate formed with a processing target film is placed. In the additive gas supply step, the additive gas is supplied to the gas chamber on the basis of the combination selected in the selecting step.

Abstract: Processing gases respectively supplied from multiple gas supply lines into a processing vessel can be switched at a high speed in a uniform manner. A plasma processing apparatus includes the processing vessel configured to perform therein a plasma process to a target substrate; and a gas inlet member including first gas discharge holes and second gas discharge holes which are alternately arranged to be adjacent to each other and respectively communicate with a first gas supply line and a second gas supply line, which are switchable. Further, the first gas discharge holes and the second gas discharge holes independently and respectively introduce a first processing gas and a second processing gas, which are respectively supplied from the first gas supply line and the second gas supply line and used in the plasma process, into the processing vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for dividing and supplying gas is provided with a flow rate control device, a plurality of divided flow passages of gas flowing from the flow rate control device, thermal-type mass flow sensors disposed to the divided flow passages, electrically-operated valves disposed on a downstream side of the thermal-type mass flow sensors, controllers that control the electrically-operated valves, and a flow ratio setting calculator that calculates a total flow rate, then calculates flow rates of the divided flow passages, and then inputs the calculated flow rates as set flow rates to each controllers. One of the divided flow passages with the highest set flow rate is put in an uncontrolled state, and opening degree for each of the rest divided flow passages is controlled, and then feedback control of the divided flow rate of each of the divided flow passages is implemented by each of the controllers.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a process chamber of a processing apparatus including the process chamber and a gas supply mechanism. The gas supply mechanism includes a flow splitter, a first flow path communicating with an upstream end of the flow splitter, a first valve provided in the first flow path, a second flow path communicating with a downstream end of the flow splitter and connected to the process chamber, a second valve provided in the second flow path, a bypass flow path connecting the first flow path and the second flow path, and a bypass valve provided in the bypass flow path. The method includes a step of closing the first valve and the second valve and opening the bypass valve, and a step of cleaning the process chamber by introducing a gas through the bypass flow path into the process chamber after opening the bypass valve.

Abstract: There is provided a processing apparatus including a processing gas discharge unit provided within a processing chamber so as to face a mounting table and configured to discharge a processing gas into the processing chamber; a first space corresponding to a central portion of a processing target object; a second space corresponding to an edge portion of the processing target object; at least one third space formed between the first space and the second space; and a processing gas distribution unit including processing gas distribution pipes and valves. The spaces are provided within the processing gas discharge unit and partitioned by partition walls. At the spaces, there are formed discharge holes for discharging the processing gas. The processing gas distribution pipes communicate with the spaces, and the valves are opened or closed to allow adjacent processing gas distribution pipes to communicate with each other or be isolated from each other.

Abstract: A film deposition system which a cycle of alternately supplying a first reactive gas and a second reactive gas and exhausting them is repeated twice or more in a vacuum vessel to cause reaction between the two gases, thereby depositing thin films on substrate surfaces, the film deposition system includes: a plurality of lower members having substrate-placing areas on which substrates will be placed; a plurality of upper members so placed that they face the lower members to form processing spaces together with the substrate-placing areas; a first reactive gas supply unit and a second reactive gas supply unit for supplying a first reactive gas and a second reactive gas, respectively, to the processing spaces; a purge gas supply unit for supplying a purge gas in the period between a first reactive gas supply period and a second reactive gas supply period; exhaust openings, situated along circumferences of the processing spaces, for communicating the inside of the processing spaces with the atmosphere in the vacu