Abstract: An operating method of a vertical heat treatment apparatus which performs a film forming process by keeping the interior of a vertical reaction tube surrounded by a heating mechanism at a vacuum atmosphere and by supplying film forming gases to substrates accommodated within the reaction tube, includes: performing a film forming process with respect to the substrates by carrying a substrate holder holding a plurality of substrates in a shelf form into the reaction tube; carrying out the substrate holder from the reaction tube; and carrying a cooling jig into the reaction tube to cool an inner wall of the reaction tube so as to peel a thin film adhering to the inner wall of the reaction tube by a thermal stress and so as to collect the thin film in the cooling jig by thermophoresis.

Abstract: A method of operating vertical heat treatment apparatus includes: cleaning interior of vertical reaction chamber by supplying cleaning gas; pre-coating the interior of the reaction chamber by performing, a plurality of times, a cycle including alternately supplying the first gas and supplying the second gas while generating plasma from the second gas; eliminating charges by loading substrate holding unit holding a dummy semiconductor substrate or a conductive substrate into the reaction chamber and supplying the second gas while generating plasma from the second gas without supplying the first gas; loading the substrate holding unit holding a plurality of product semiconductor substrates into the reaction chamber; and forming thin film in the reaction chamber by performing, a plurality of times, a cycle including alternately supplying the first gas and supplying the second gas while generating plasma from the second gas.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes a first and second source gas suppliers configured to limitedly supply a source gas only to a first and second substrate areas, respectively, a reaction gas supplier configured to supply a reaction gas to the first substrate area and the second substrate area, a purge gas supplier configured to supply a purge gas for preventing the source gas supplied to one of the first and second substrate areas from being supplied to the other substrate area, a division-purpose substrate held between the first and second substrate areas in a substrate holding part, and a control part configured to output a control signal such that a first cycle including supplying the source gas and the reaction gas to the first substrate area and a second cycle including supplying the source gas and the reaction gas to the second substrate area are each performed plural times.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes: a gas supply part that supplies a film forming gas into a reaction chamber; and gas distribution adjusting members arranged above and below a region in which target substrates are disposed. The gas distribution adjusting members include a first plate-shaped member with convex and concave portions and a second plate-shaped member with convex and concave portions, the first plate-shaped member and the second plate-shaped member being arranged above and below each other, and the first plate-shaped member and the second plate-shaped member being arranged above a bottom plate of a substrate holding and supporting part and below a ceiling plate of a substrate holding and supporting part. The first plate-shaped member has a first surface area and the second plate-shaped member has a second surface area different from the first surface area.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: first and second source gas nozzles installed so as to extend in an arrangement direction of the substrates, each of the source gas nozzles including a plurality of gas ejection holes formed to eject the source gas toward central regions of the substrates at height positions corresponding to gaps between the substrates; a reaction gas supply unit configured to supply the reaction gas into the reaction vessel; first and second source gas supply lines respectively connected to the first and second source gas nozzles; first and second tanks respectively installed on the first and source gas supply lines, and configured to accumulate the source gas in a pressurized state; valves respectively installed at upstream and downstream sides of the first tank and at upstream and downstream sides of the second tank; and an exhaust port configured to evacuate the interior of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: An operating method of a vertical heat treatment apparatus which performs a film forming process by keeping the interior of a vertical reaction tube surrounded by a heating mechanism at a vacuum atmosphere and by supplying film forming gases to substrates accommodated within the reaction tube, includes: performing a film forming process with respect to the substrates by carrying a substrate holder holding a plurality of substrates in a shelf form into the reaction tube; carrying out the substrate holder from the reaction tube; and carrying a cooling jig into the reaction tube to cool an inner wall of the reaction tube so as to peel a thin film adhering to the inner wall of the reaction tube by a thermal stress and so as to collect the thin film in the cooling jig by thermophoresis.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus for performing a film forming treatment on a plurality of target substrates having a surface with convex and concave portions includes: a gas supply unit that supplies a film forming gas into a reaction chamber; and gas distribution adjusting members made of quartz and installed to be positioned respectively above and below a region in which the plurality of target substrates held and supported by a substrate holding and supporting unit are disposed, wherein if S is a surface area per unit region of the gas distribution adjusting members and S0 is a surface area per unit region obtained by dividing a surface area of the target substrate by a surface area calculated based on an external dimension of the target substrate, a value obtained by dividing S by S0 (S/S0) is set to be 0.8 or more.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing vessel configured to be vacuumed; a holding unit configured to hold a plurality of substrates and to be inserted into or separated from the processing vessel; a gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the processing vessel; a plasma generation box partitioned and formed by a plasma partition wall; an inductively coupled electrode located at an outer sidewall of the plasma generation box along its length direction; a high frequency power supply connected to the inductively coupled electrode through a feed line; and a ground electrode located outside the plasma generation box and between the processing vessel and the inductively coupled electrode and arranged in the vicinity of the outer sidewall of the plasma generation box or at least partially in contact with the outer sidewall.

Abstract: A method of operating vertical heat treatment apparatus includes: cleaning interior of vertical reaction chamber by supplying cleaning gas; pre-coating the interior of the reaction chamber by performing, a plurality of times, a cycle including alternately supplying the first gas and supplying the second gas while generating plasma from the second gas; eliminating charges by loading substrate holding unit holding a dummy semiconductor substrate or a conductive substrate into the reaction chamber and supplying the second gas while generating plasma from the second gas without supplying the first gas; loading the substrate holding unit holding a plurality of product semiconductor substrates into the reaction chamber; and forming thin film in the reaction chamber by performing, a plurality of times, a cycle including alternately supplying the first gas and supplying the second gas while generating plasma from the second gas.

Abstract: A driving method of a vertical heat treatment apparatus having a vertical reaction container with a heating part installed includes: performing a process of loading wafers by a substrate holder support to the reaction container; performing a film forming process of storing a first gas at a storage unit and pressurizing the first gas, and alternatively performing a step of supplying the first gas to the vacuum atmosphere reaction container and a step of supplying the second gas to the reaction container; subsequently performing a purge process of unloading the substrate holder support and supplying a purge gas into the reaction container to forcibly peel off a thin film attached to the reaction container; and while the purge process is performed, performing a process of repeating storing the purge gas at the storage unit, pressurizing the gas and discharging the gas into the reaction container.

Abstract: A vertical plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a plurality of target objects together at a time includes an activation mechanism configured to turn a process gas into plasma. The activation mechanism includes a vertically elongated plasma generation box attached to a process container at a position corresponding to a process field and confining a plasma generation area airtightly communicating with the process field, an ICP electrode disposed outside the plasma generation box and extending in a longitudinal direction of the plasma generation box, and an RF power supply connected to the ICP electrode. The ICP electrode includes a separated portion separated from a wall surface of the plasma generation box by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A vertical plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a plurality of target objects together at a time includes an activation mechanism configured to turn a process gas into plasma. The activation mechanism includes a vertically elongated plasma generation box attached to a process container at a position corresponding to a process field and confining a plasma generation area airtightly communicating with the process field, an ICP electrode disposed outside the plasma generation box and extending in a longitudinal direction of the plasma generation box, and an RF power supply connected to the ICP electrode. The ICP electrode includes a separated portion separated from a wall surface of the plasma generation box by a predetermined distance.