Tokyo Electron Limited

Motoyama Eng. Works, Ltd.

Yasuhiro Chiba

Mitsuaki Komino

Osamu Uchisawa

Flow sensors 41 and 42 for detecting a flow load including the presence of a flow of gas are provided in supply lines 2a through 2d for supplying a given gas into a treatment chamber 6. A CPU 40 is provided for previously storing control parameters corresponding to the presence of a flow of gas. The presence of a flow of gas or a flow of IPA is detected by the flow sensors 41, 42 or an IPA supply pump 43, and detected signals are transmitted to the CPU 40. On the basis of a control signal outputted from the CPU 40, a cartridge heater 14, inner and outer tube heaters 25 and 26 and an insulation heater 52 are controlled. Thus, a control parameter adopted in accordance with the presence of a flow of gas to be used is determined, so that the control parameter previously stored in a data table 100 is selected in accordance with a control mode to control the temperature or pressure of the gas.

Method and system for controlling gas system

A pressure and flow rate of a gas flowing into or out of a processing chamber are controlled, so as to decrease or increase an atmosphere in the processing chamber higher or lower than a target pressure to obtain a target pressure. During a first period, an opening speed of an opening degree adjusting device provided in an inlet pipe communicating to the processing chamber is controlled to a first target value toward a first predetermined functional approximation line (for example a function of second degree) as ideal value. During the rest of periods other than the first period, the opening speed is controlled stepwise to two or more predetermined target values so that the processing chamber reaches the target pressure. During a period before the first period, the opening speed may be controlled to a second target value among the two or more target values, based on a control amount for the opening degree adjusting device. During another period after the first period, the opening speed may be controlled toward a second predetermined functional approximation line (e.g., linear) as ideal value, which has a larger change than the first functional approximation line, until the second target value reaches the target pressure.

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Sendai, Japan

Yasuhiro Chiba