Abstract: A rotary valve (1) includes a valve body (2) formed with a chamber communication passage (24) for flowing a main fluid and a vent communication passage (25) for discharging the main fluid and a cylindrical valve member (3) rotatably held in the valve body (2) and formed with a main passage (31) for flowing the main fluid. The cylindrical valve member (3) is rotated to switch the connection of the main passage (31) between the chamber communication passage (24) and the vent communication passage (25). The rotary switching valve (1) further includes a purge gas passage for passing purge gas in a clearance (11) between the valve body (2) and the cylindrical valve member (3), the purge gas being supplied to the clearance (11) to prevent the main fluid from leaking out of the main passage (31).

Abstract: A method is used for removing a metal contaminant deposited on a quartz member selected from the group consisting of a reaction tube, wafer boat, and heat-insulating cylinder of a vertical heat processing apparatus for a semiconductor process. The method includes obtaining the quartz member unattached to the vertical heat processing apparatus; then, performing diluted hydrofluoric acid cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of diluted hydrofluoric acid; then, performing first purified water cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of purified water; then, performing hydrochloric acid cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of hydrochloric acid; and then, performing second purified water cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of purified water.

Abstract: A disclosed gas supplying apparatus includes a pressure controller that reduces a primary pressure thereby providing a secondary pressure greater than a process pressure at which a predetermined process is performed and less than the atmospheric pressure in a secondary pipe; a pressure sensor that measures a pressure in the secondary pipe; a first open/close valve provided in the secondary pipe; an open/close valve controller that opens or closes the first open/close valve; a pressure comparator that compares the pressure measured by the pressure sensor in the secondary pipe with a first set pressure that is greater than the process pressure by a predetermined pressure; and a controller that outputs a signal to the open/close valve controller thereby closing the first open/close valve, when the pressure comparator determines that the pressure in the secondary pipe is less than the first set pressure.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a first turntable including at least ten substrate receiving areas that receive corresponding 300 mm substrates; a first reaction gas supplying portion arranged in a first area inside the chamber to supply a first reaction gas; a second reaction gas supplying portion arranged in a second area away from the first reaction gas supplying portion along the rotation direction of the first turntable to supply a second reaction gas; and a separation area arranged between the first and the second areas. The separation area includes a separation gas supplying portion that supplies a separation gas that separates the first reaction and the second reaction gases, and a ceiling surface having a height so that a pressure in a space between the ceiling surface and the first turntable is higher with the separation gas than pressures in the first and the second areas.

Abstract: A thermal mass flow meter and a thermal mass flow control device addresses a thermal siphon error, even if they are in a compact and inexpensive structure, without using a flow path converting block. A control computing process portion is configured to correct a measurement error caused by thermal siphon by calculating a correction value based on a measurement value at time of depressurizing fluid flow path and flow rate measuring conduit to an atmospheric pressure or less, a difference between the measurement value and a measurement value at time of charging an actual fluid into the flow rate measuring conduit, kind of the actual fluid, pressure at time of charging the actual fluid, and flow ratio of the fluid flowing in the fluid flow path and the flow rate measuring conduit, storing the correction value, and correcting an actual measured output flow value by the stored correction value.

Abstract: A vaporizer for generating a process gas from a liquid material includes a heat-exchange lower block having a hollow internal space and disposed below the spray port of an injector inside the container. A run-up space for the atomized liquid material is defined between the spray port and the heat-exchange lower block, and an annular space continuous to the run-up space is defined between an inner surface of the container and the heat-exchange lower block. An internal heater is disposed in the internal space of the heat-exchange lower block and includes a carbon wire formed of woven bundles of carbon fibers and sealed in a ceramic envelope. The internal heater is configured to heat the atomized liquid material flowing through the annular space to generate the process gas.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a partitioning member that forms, in a chamber, a film deposition space including a turntable on which a substrate is placed, a first reactive gas supplying portion for supplying a first reactive gas toward the turntable, and a second reactive gas supplying portion for supplying a second reactive gas toward the turntable. The partitioning member is fabricated with material superior to material forming the chamber in corrosion resistance. The film deposition apparatus includes a pressure measurement portion that measures a pressure of the film deposition space, and a pressure measurement portion that measures a pressure of a space outside the film deposition space, so that the pressure of the space outside the film deposition space is kept slightly higher than the pressure of the film deposition space based on the pressure measurements.

Abstract: A gas supply unit and a gas supply system that are small-sized and inexpensive. The gas supply unit is installed on operation gas conveyance pipeline and has fluid control devices communicated via flow path blocks and controlling operation gas. The gas supply unit has the first flow path block, to one side of which an inlet open/close valve included in the fluid control devices is attached, and also has the second flow path block, to one side of which a purge valve included in the fluid control devices is attached. The first flow path block and the second flow path block are layered in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the operation gas. The inlet open/close valve and the purge valve are arranged between a mass flow controller installed on the operation gas conveyance pipeline and an installation surface where the unit is installed.

Abstract: There is provided a gas supply apparatus 10 which does not necessitate installation of a pressure type flow controller for each processing reactor and which enables a compact construction of the flow controller. The gas supply apparatus 10 includes gas supply sources 11a, 11b, gas introduction pipes 13a, 13b, a main gas pipe 15, and branch pipes 21a, 21b. A pressure type flow controller 30 is provided for the main gas pipe 15 and the branch pipes 21a, 21b. The pressure type flow controller 30 includes a pressure detector 17 provided in the main gas pipe 15, and control valves 23a, 23b and orifices 22a, 22b, both provided in the branch pipes 21a, 21b. An arithmetic circuit 40 determines a flow rate Qc based on a detected pressure P1 from the pressure detector 17, and an arithmetic control circuit 58 controls the control valves 23a, 23b based on a set flow rate signal Qs from a flow rate setting circuit 52 and on the flow rate Qc from the arithmetic circuit 40.

Abstract: A method for using a film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process forms a first atmosphere inside an upstream gas passage between a gas supply source of a halogen acidic gas and a flow rate controller. The first atmosphere is set for the halogen acidic gas to have an average molecular weight of 20 or more and 23 or less. Further, the using method supplies the halogen acidic gas from the gas supply source through the upstream gas passage having the first atmosphere thus formed and the flow rate controller, thereby supplying a cleaning gas containing the halogen acidic gas into a reaction chamber of the film formation apparatus. A by-product film deposited on an inner surface of the reaction chamber is etched and removed by use of the cleaning gas thus supplied.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal type mass flow meter and a thermal type mass flow control device which can lower a measurement error caused by an influence of a thermal siphon phenomenon so as to intend to improve a flow rate measurement precision while it is possible to construct a whole compactly and inexpensively with a simple structure, without using any flow path converting block.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system includes a gas supply system configured to supply water vapor into a process chamber that accommodates a target substrate. The gas supply system is provided with a gas generating apparatus for generating water vapor from purified water. The gas generating apparatus includes a first vaporizing section configured to spray the purified water along with a carrier gas and heat the purified water, so as to generate preparatory water vapor containing mist, and a second vaporizing section configured to vaporize mist contained in the preparatory water vapor, so as to generate process water vapor from the preparatory water vapor. In the second vaporizing section, a thin film having a mesh structure is disposed across a passage for the preparatory water vapor and configured to trap mist between the first vaporizing section and the process chamber.

Abstract: To provide a purge gas unit and a purge gas supply integrated unit having a smaller foot space, the purge gas unit comprises an input block for input of purge gas into the purge gas unit, the input block including a purge passage formed through the input block to provide an opening in a side surface of the input block and an input passage formed branching off from the purge passage; an output block for output of the purge gas from the purge gas unit; a communication block connected to the input block and the output block to provide communication between the input block and the output block.

Abstract: A rotary valve (1) includes a valve body (2) formed with a chamber communication passage (24) for flowing a main fluid and a vent communication passage (25) for discharging the main fluid and a cylindrical valve member (3) rotatably held in the valve body (2) and formed with a main passage (31) for flowing the main fluid. The cylindrical valve member (3) is rotated to switch the connection of the main passage (31) between the chamber communication passage (24) and the vent communication passage (25). The rotary switching valve (1) further includes a purge gas passage for passing purge gas in a clearance (11) between the valve body (2) and the cylindrical valve member (3), the purge gas being supplied to the clearance (11) to prevent the main fluid from leaking out of the main passage (31).

Abstract: Each of lines A, B is provided on each of opposite sides thereof with a tape heater 11, and a space for positioning a tape heater holding clip 13 therein is provided in each of locations between adjacent fluid control devices. The tape heaters 11 are held from opposite sides thereof to the line by the clip 13. The lines A, B provided with the heaters are each mounted on a line support member 10 removably attached to a base member 1. The line support member 10 has a heater insertion bore 14 formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof. A sheath heater 12 is inserted into the bore 14.

Abstract: Zero point shift based on thermal siphon effect occurring actually when a substrate is processed is detected accurately and corrected suitably. The semiconductor fabrication system comprises a gas supply passage (210) for supplying gas into a heat treatment unit (110), an MFC (240) for comparing an output voltage from a detecting unit for detecting the gas flow rate of the gas supply passage with a set voltage corresponding to a preset flow rate and controlling the gas flow rate of the gas supply passage to the set flow rate, and a control unit (300).

Abstract: Fluorine gas generators are connected with semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses through a gas supplying system including a storage tank that can store a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas generated in the on-site fluorine gas generators. When one or more of the on-site fluorine gas generators are stopped, fluorine gas is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses from the storage tank storing a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas, so as to keep the operations of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. Thereby obtained is a semiconductor manufacturing plant in which fluorine gas generated in the fluorine gas generators can be safely and stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and with superior cost performance.

Abstract: A method is used for removing a metal contaminant deposited on a quartz member selected from the group consisting of a reaction tube, wafer boat, and heat-insulating cylinder of a vertical heat processing apparatus for a semiconductor process. The method includes obtaining the quartz member unattached to the vertical heat processing apparatus; then, performing diluted hydrofluoric acid cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of diluted hydrofluoric acid; then, performing first purified water cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of purified water; then, performing hydrochloric acid cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of hydrochloric acid; and then, performing second purified water cleaning of cleaning the quartz member by use of purified water.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system including a semiconductor processing apparatus and a gas supply apparatus for supplying a process gas into the semiconductor processing apparatus includes a control section configured to control an operation of a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside a vaporizing chamber. The control section is preset to cause the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber to fall within a predetermined pressure range with reference to a pressure detection value obtained by a pressure detector. The predetermined pressure range is defined by an upper limit lower than a first limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being inhibited due to an increase in the pressure, and a lower limit higher than a second limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being unstable and the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber starts pulsating movement due to a decrease in the pressure.

Abstract: A gas supply unit and a gas supply system that are small-sized and inexpensive. The gas supply unit is installed on operation gas conveyance pipeline and has fluid control devices communicated via flow path blocks and controlling operation gas. The gas supply unit has the first flow path block, to one side of which an inlet open/close valve included in the fluid control devices is attached, and also has the second flow path block, to one side of which a purge valve included in the fluid control devices is attached. The first flow path block and the second flow path block are layered in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the operation gas. The inlet open/close valve and the purge valve are arranged between a mass flow controller installed on the operation gas conveyance pipeline and an installation surface where the unit is installed.