Cleaning method

Abstract

In a process chamber of a substrate processing apparatus, such as an RTP apparatus, a carrier is placed and configured to carry out a contaminant that has been attached to it. In this state, a cleaning gas containing N 2 and O 2 is introduced into the process chamber, and cleaning is performed under conditions including a pressure of 133.3 Pa or less and a temperature of 700° C. to 1,100° C. This cleaning is repeatedly performed by sequentially replacing a plurality of carriers.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a process chamber including therein a process space having an inner surface defined by a quartz member and configured to accommodate a target substrate;   a heating device configured to heat the target substrate in the process chamber;   a pressure-reducing device configured to reduce a pressure inside the process chamber; and   a controller configured to control an operation of the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the controller includes a computer readable non-transitory storage medium that stores a control program for execution on a computer, and the control program, when executed, causes the controller to control the substrate processing apparatus to conduct a cleaning sequence for removing a metal existing as a contaminant in the process space, the cleaning sequence comprising:   introducing a cleaning gas containing N 2  and O 2  at a flow rate ratio (N 2 :O 2 ) of 1:0.1 to 3 into the process space, and performing cleaning under conditions including a pressure of 1.3 Pa to 666.6 Pa and a temperature of 900° C. to 1,100° C., while placing a contaminant removal carrier in the process space, thereby changing the metal to a secondary substance with a higher vapor pressure and allowing the secondary substance to be deposited on the contaminant removal carrier, and   then, unloading the contaminant removal carrier with part of the secondary substance deposited thereon from the process space.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the heating device includes an upper heat generating unit and a lower heat generating unit configured to heat the process space from above and from below, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a support mechanism configured to support the target substrate, the support mechanism includes substrate support pins configured to support and hold the target substrate inside the process space, and a liner setting portion configured to support a hot liner serving as a measurement target for measuring a temperature of the target substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a pyrometer configured to measure heat rays from the hot liner, thereby grasping a temperature of the target substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the support mechanism is configured to rotate about a vertical axis along with the target substrate supported thereon.