Patent ID: 8608901
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: B08B,H01J

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus for nitriding or oxidizing a target substrate, the apparatus comprising: a process chamber configured to accommodate the target substrate; a gas supply mechanism configured to supply process gases into the process chamber; a plasma generation mechanism configured to turn gas into plasma within the process chamber; and a control mechanism configured to control an operation of the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the control mechanism includes a computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing a control program, which, when executed, causes the control mechanism to control the apparatus to conduct a running sequence, the running sequence comprising performing a cleaning cycle a plurality of times to remove metal contaminants within the process chamber in which the target substrate is not present, before performing a predetermined process for nitriding or oxidizing the target substrate placed within the process chamber, the cleaning cycle including, in an alternating manner, a first period of cleaning the process chamber by supplying only a first mixture gas consisting of oxygen gas and argon gas into the process chamber and generating first plasma of the first mixture gas, and a second period of cleaning the process chamber by supplying only a second mixture gas consisting of nitrogen gas and argon gas into the process chamber and generating second plasma of the second mixture gas, and wherein the running sequence comprises no period of cleaning the process chamber by use of a fluorine-containing compound inside the cleaning cycle or between the cleaning cycle and the predetermined process.