Gas supply apparatus and gas supply method

Abstract

A gas supply method for supplying a gas compound obtained by vaporizing a liquid compound stored in a storage vessel to a target location through a gas compound supply pipeline, the gas supply method including adjusting a temperature of the liquid compound or the gas compound within the storage vessel to be equal to or lower than a surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas supply method for supplying a gas compound obtained by vaporizing a liquid compound stored in a storage vessel to a target location through a gas compound supply pipeline, the gas supply method comprising adjusting a temperature of the liquid compound or the gas compound within the storage vessel to be equal to or lower than a surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline. 
     
     
         2 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , the gas supply method comprising a following initial operation step:
 Initial operation step: cooling the storage vessel to adjust the temperature of the liquid compound or the gas compound within the storage vessel to be equal to or lower than the surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline and then supplying the gas compound within the storage vessel to the target location through the gas compound supply pipeline.   
     
     
         3 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , the gas supply method comprising a following steady operation step:
 Steady operation step: supplying the gas compound within the storage vessel to the target location through the gas compound supply pipeline and supplying thermal energy to the storage vessel to compensate thermal energy consumed by vaporization of the liquid compound.   
     
     
         4 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , the gas supply method comprising adjusting the temperature of the liquid compound or the gas compound within the storage vessel to be within a set temperature range,
 wherein an upper limit of the set temperature range is a specific value equal to or lower than the surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline.   
     
     
         5 . The gas supply method according to  claim 4 , the gas supply method comprising cooling the storage vessel when the temperature of the liquid compound or the gas compound within the storage vessel has reached the upper limit of the set temperature range. 
     
     
         6 . The gas supply method according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the upper limit of the set temperature range is a specific value within a range of 5 to 40° C.,   wherein a lower limit of the set temperature range is a specific value within a range of 5 to 40° C.,   wherein a boiling point of the liquid compound at a gas pressure within the storage vessel is higher than the upper limit, and   wherein a melting point of the liquid compound at the gas pressure within the storage vessel is lower than the lower limit.   
     
     
         7 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , the gas supply method comprising:
 measuring the temperature of the liquid compound stored in the storage vessel; and   giving or receiving heat to or from the liquid compound based on the measured temperature to adjust the measured temperature of the liquid compound to be within a set temperature range,   wherein an upper limit of the set temperature range is a specific value equal to or lower than the surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline.   
     
     
         8 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , the gas supply method comprising:
 measuring the temperature of the gas compound present in the storage vessel; and   giving or receiving heat to or from the liquid compound based on the measured temperature to adjust the measured temperature of the gas compound to be within a set temperature range,   wherein an upper limit of the set temperature range is a specific value equal to or lower than the surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline.   
     
     
         9 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , the gas supply method comprising:
 measuring a pressure of the gas compound present in the storage vessel; and   controlling giving and receiving of heat to and from the liquid compound so as to adjust the pressure of the gas compound present in the storage vessel to be equal to or lower than a saturated vapor pressure of the liquid compound at a temperature set to be equal to the surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline, to thereby adjust the measured temperature of the gas compound or the liquid compound to be within a set temperature range.   
     
     
         10 . The gas supply method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target location is a CVD apparatus or an etching apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . A gas supply method using the gas supply apparatus according to  claim 1  for supplying a gas compound obtained by vaporizing a liquid compound stored in a storage vessel to a target location through a gas compound supply pipeline, the gas supply method comprising adjusting a temperature of the liquid compound or the gas compound within the storage vessel to be equal to or lower than a surrounding temperature of the gas compound supply pipeline.