Patent ID: 7553518

Claim:
A method for processing substrates, comprising, in order, the steps of: a) obtaining a substrate processing apparatus comprising i) a stocker for storing a multiplicity of dummy substrates; ii) a reaction chamber for processing a plurality of process substrates; and iii) a boat for loading the process substrates and a portion of the dummy substrates into the reaction chamber; b) loading into the reaction chamber the boat having process substrates and a portion of the dummy substrates from the stocker; c) forming a film on the process substrates and a portion of the dummy substrates in the reaction chamber; d) transferring one or more dummy substrates having a film to the stocker, e) repeating steps b), c) and d) to produce additional process substrates with dummy substrates already having a film; f) transferring one or more dummy substrates having a film to the boat, g) moving the boat with the dummy substrates having a film to the reaction chamber; and h) introducing a cleaning gas into the reaction chamber to simultaneously clean said one or more dummy substrates and boat.