Abstract: In a process of annealing an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film (SiO2) or a silicon oxynitride film (SiON) provided in a processing chamber 6 within an atmosphere of an inert gas 2 guided from a first mass flow controller 3 via a gas inlet 7, an amount of SiO sublimated from the surface of the insulating film in the processing chamber 6 is measured by a mass spectrometer 10, and an amount of oxygen gas 4 guided to the processing chamber 6 from a second mass flow controller 5 is controlled by a controller 1 so that the SiO concentration does not exceed a predetermined level, thereby effectively controlling the SiO sublimation. As a result, the film deterioration caused by the SiO sublimation is prevented and an insulating film having a high reliability and good characteristics can be formed in a controllable manner.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided an air impurity measurement apparatus having, a collector which collects an impurity in the air into pure water; a divider which divides a collecting liquid obtained by said collector into at least two portions; an oxidizer addition unit which adds an oxidizer to at least one of divided collecting liquids obtained by said divider; and an analyzer which analyzes at least one of the collecting liquid to which the oxidizer is added and the collecting liquid to which the oxidizer is not added.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices uses a wafer carrier having conditioning units to control internal conditions of the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier stores and carries wafers between manufacturing equipments used in manufacturing processes. For each of the manufacturing processes, the method includes placing the wafer carrier on a load port, transferring the wafers from the wafer carrier into the manufacturing equipment through the load port, changing operating conditions of the conditioning units according to the process or test being carried out by the manufacturing equipment, returning the wafers into the wafer carrier through the load port after the completion of the process or test, and operating the conditioning units according to the changed operating conditions to control the internal conditions until the wafer carrier is carried to the next manufacturing equipment.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices uses a wafer carrier having conditioning units to control internal conditions of the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier stores and carries wafers between manufacturing equipments used in manufacturing processes. For each of the manufacturing processes, the method includes placing the wafer carrier on a load port, transferring the wafers from the wafer carrier into the manufacturing equipment through the load port, changing operating conditions of the conditioning units according to the process or test being carried out by the manufacturing equipment, returning the wafers into the wafer carrier through the load port after the completion of the process or test, and operating the conditioning units according to the changed operating conditions to control the internal conditions until the wafer carrier is carried to the next manufacturing equipment.