US 12,172,198 B2
Gas cluster processing device and gas cluster processing method
Kazuya Dobashi, Nirasaki (JP); Takehiko Orii, Nirasaki (JP); Yukimasa Saito, Nirasaki (JP); Kunihiko Koike, Hyogo (JP); Takehiko Senoo, Hyogo (JP); Koichi Izumi, Hyogo (JP); Yu Yoshino, Hyogo (JP); Tadashi Shojo, Hyogo (JP); and Keita Kanehira, Hyogo (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP); and IWATANI CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed by TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP); and IWATANI CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/585,274.
Application 17/585,274 is a division of application No. 16/496,714, granted, now 11,267,021, previously published as PCT/JP2018/004669, filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-057086 (JP), filed on Mar. 23, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0143655 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B08B 5/02 (2006.01); B08B 7/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 5/02 (2013.01) [B08B 7/0035 (2013.01); H01L 21/67028 (2013.01); H01L 21/02057 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas cluster processing method of performing a predetermined process on a workpiece by supplying a gas for generating a gas cluster to a cluster nozzle through a first pipe, spraying the gas from the cluster nozzle into a processing container maintained in a vacuum state, converting the gas into the gas cluster by an adiabatic expansion, and irradiating the workpiece disposed inside the processing container with the gas cluster, the method comprising:
controlling a flow rate of the gas to a predetermined flow rate;
discharging a portion of the gas from the first pipe; and
controlling a supply pressure of the gas in the first pipe to a predetermined supply pressure,
wherein the method further comprises:
controlling a set flow rate set by a flow rate of the gas controller to a first flow rate required for reaching the predetermined supply pressure until the supply pressure of the gas reaches the predetermined supply pressure;
measuring a flow rate of the gas discharged from the first pipe and flowing through a back pressure controller; and
controlling, based on measured flow rate of the gas, the set flow rate set by the flow rate controller to a second flow rate greater than a flow rate enough to maintain the predetermined supply pressure and less than the first flow rate.