Patent ID: 7250376
Filing Date: 2007-07-31
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising the steps of: (a) synthesizing moisture in a moisture synthesizing portion, at a first temperature, from oxygen and hydrogen, by use of a catalyst; (b) while keeping the moisture in a gaseous state, transferring the synthesized moisture into a wafer heat treatment chamber to form a wet oxidative atmosphere around a wafer in the wafer heat treatment chamber; and (c) performing thermal oxidation to a silicon member on or over a first major surface of the wafer in the wet oxidative atmosphere in the wafer heat treatment chamber by heating the wafer up to a second temperature higher than the first temperature to form an insulating film, wherein the transport of the synthesized moisture in step (b) is performed while monitoring hydrogen gas by a gas sensor between the moisture synthesizing portion and the wafer heat treatment chamber.