Abstract: An object of the present invention is to ensure the stable operation of a vacuum pump for discharging an unused source gas and reaction byproduct gases from a low-pressure processing chamber, to recover the reaction byproducts efficiently for the effective utilization of resources and reduction of running costs. A low-pressure CVD system has a processing vessel (10) for carrying out a low-pressure CVD process for forming a copper film, a source gas supply unit (12) for supplying an organic copper compound as a source gas, such as Cu(I)hfacTMVS, into the processing vessel (10), and an evacuating system (14) for evacuating the processing vessel (10). The evacuating system (14) includes a vacuum pump (26), a high-temperature trapping device (28) disposed above the vacuum pump (26) with respect to the flowing direction of a gas, and a low-temperature trapping device (30) disposed below the vacuum pump with respect to the flowing direction of a gas.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate (101) is placed in a predetermined processing vessel, and oxygen gas activated by, e.g., conversion into a plasma is supplied onto an insulating film (108). The surfaces of an interlevel insulating film (106) and insulating film (108) are exposed to the activated oxygen gas. After that, a ruthenium film (109) is formed by CVD.

Abstract: A film-forming unit of the invention includes a processing container in which a vacuum can be created, a stage arranged in the processing container, on which an object to be processed is placed, a process-gas supplying means for supplying a process gas into the processing container, and a heating means for heating the object to be processed placed on the stage. A division wall surrounds a lateral side and a lower side of the stage. An inert gas is introduced into a stage-side region surrounded by the division wall, by an inert-gas supplying means. A gap-forming member is arranged in such a manner that its inner peripheral portion is arranged above a peripheral portion of the object to be processed placed on the stage via a gap and its outer peripheral portion is arranged above the division wall via a gap.

Abstract: After a thin film is deposited on a treatment surface of a wafer and the wafer is transferred out of a treatment chamber, a contact projection of a clamp is brought into contact with a susceptor to heat the clamp. Next, a wafer is disposed on the susceptor by elevating the clamp when the wafer, on which a thin film is not deposited, is transferred in. Thereafter, the clamp is brought into contact with the wafer and the wafer is stabilized to a predetermined temperature. Thereafter, a thin film is deposited on a treatment surface of the wafer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to ensure the stable operation of a vacuum pump for discharging an unused source gas and reaction byproduct gases from a low-pressure processing chamber, to recover the reaction byproducts efficiently for the effective utilization of resources and reduction of running costs. A low-pressure CVD system has a processing vessel (10) for carrying out a low-pressure CVD process for forming a copper film, a source gas supply unit (12) for supplying an organic copper compound as a source gas, such as Cu(I)hfacTMVS, into the processing vessel (10), and an evacuating system (14) for evacuating the processing vessel (10). The evacuating system (14) includes a vacuum pump (26), a high-temperature trapping device (28) disposed above the vacuum pump (26) with respect to the flowing direction of a gas, and a low-temperature trapping device (30) disposed below the vacuum pump with respect to the flowing direction of a gas.

Abstract: A semiconductor device fabricating method includes a preparatory process that brings a first source gas containing tungsten atoms into contact with a workpiece and that does not bring a second source gas containing nitrogen atoms into contact with the workpiece, and a film forming process that forms a tungsten nitride film on the workpiece by using the first and the second source gases so as to fabricate a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device fabricating method is capable of preventing the tungsten nitride film from peeling off from a layer underlying the same when the tungsten nitride film is subjected to heat treatment.