Methods of using a gas phase reactor system including analyzing exhaust gas

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and system for performing a leak check of a gas phase reactor system. An exemplary system includes: a first exhaust system, the first exhaust system is connected to a reaction chamber via a first exhaust line; a bypass line, the bypass line is connected to a gas supply unit and connected to the first exhaust system; a gas detector, the gas detector is connected to the bypass line via a connecting line; a connecting line valve, the connecting line valve is connected to the connecting line; and a second exhaust system, the second exhaust system is connected to the connecting line. The method includes exhausting the connecting line using the second exhaust system, thereby removing residual gas in the connecting line that may otherwise affect the accuracy of the gas detector.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application filed on June 2, 2020 (application number: 202010488617.8, invention name: Method for using a gas phase reactor system for analyzing exhaust gas, applicant: ASM IP Private Holding Co., Ltd.). Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to gas phase methods and systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a gas phase system including a leak detection device and a method of detecting leaks in the system. Background Art

[0003] Gas phase reactors, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD), can be used for a variety of applications, including cleaning, depositing, and etching materials on substrate surfaces. For example, gas phase reactors can be used to clean, deposit, and / or etch layers on substrates to form semiconductor devices, flat panel displays, photovoltaic devices, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and the like.

[0004] A typical gas phase reactor system includes a reactor comprising a reaction chamber, one or more precursor and / or reactant gas sources fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber, one or more carrier gas sources and / or purge gas sources fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber, a gas distribution system for delivering gases (e.g., precursor gases and / or reactant gases and / or carrier gases or purge gases) to a substrate surface, and an exhaust source fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber.

[0005] Many gas-phase reactors include a gas supply unit that supplies the desired gases to the reaction chamber. The gas supply unit may include one or more sources (or connections to sources) of gases that may be solid, liquid, or gas at standard room temperature and pressure, valves including shutoff valves and / or control valves, pipelines, heaters, coolers, and the like. The gas supply unit may also include a housing surrounding the one or more sources, pipelines, valves, heaters, and / or coolers.

[0006] For various reasons, including safety, it may be desirable to detect gas leaks within a gas supply unit. For example, during operation of a gas-phase reactor system, a valve failure or a failure of a gas supply block may result in a gas leak, which in turn may make it difficult to control the gas flow rate and may cause the process and / or reactor system to fail. Therefore, it is generally desirable to detect gas leaks within a gas supply unit as quickly as possible.

[0007] Figure 1A gas phase reactor system 100 is shown, comprising a gas supply unit 102, a reactor 104, an exhaust system 106, a gas detector 108, and a controller 110. The system 100 also includes a gas inlet 112, valves 114-122, and an exhaust path 124.

[0008] In the example shown, the gas supply unit 102 and the reactor 104 are connected via a gas inlet 112. The process gas is supplied to the reactor 104 through a gas inlet valve 114 and the gas inlet 112. The gas inlet valve 114 may be part of the gas supply unit 102, and the gas inlet 112 may include a gas supply device, such as a nozzle, etc. The gas from the reactor 104 is discharged to the exhaust system 106 via an exhaust path 124. The exhaust system 106 may include, for example, a drying pump, a scrubber, etc. The exhaust path 124 may include an exhaust valve 116. The exhaust valve 116 can be used to control the pressure in the reactor 104 by being equipped with a pressure control device (e.g., a butterfly plate), and it can be controlled by an exhaust valve control unit (not shown) that communicates with a pressure gauge (not shown) installed at the reactor 104.

[0009] The system 100 also includes a bypass or shunt path 126. The shunt path 126 connects to the gas supply unit 102 and the exhaust path 124 and bypasses the gas inlet 112, the reactor 104, and the valve 116. The shunt path 126 is particularly useful in ALD-type processes to facilitate maintaining the process pressure in the reactor 104 during the process, because the shunt path 126 can be used to switch the direction of gas flow from the reactor 104 to the shunt path 126 by adjusting the valve movement without increasing or decreasing the gas flow rate. By maintaining a constant process pressure, pressure fluctuations in the gas supply line and the reactor 104 can be minimized, and the process can be more stable.

[0010] In the example shown, the diverter path 126 includes a first diverter valve 120, a second diverter valve 122, and a third diverter valve 118. When gas is supplied to the reactor 104, the first diverter valve 120 and the third diverter valve 118 are closed. When gas is supplied to the diverter path 126, the first diverter valve 120 and the third diverter valve 122 are open.

[0011] The gas detector 108 is fluidly coupled to the bypass path 126 to detect gas leakage within the gas supply unit 102. For example, when a valve or a portion of the integrated gas supply system block of the gas supply unit fails and external gas leaks into the gas supply unit 102 through the failed portion of the integrated gas supply system block, the gas detector 108 may detect the leaking gas and send a signal to the controller 110, and the controller 110 may cause a portion of the system 100 ( Figure 1 The operation in the dotted area) stops.

[0012] Figure 2 A leak check method 200 for a gas phase reactor system, such as the gas phase reactor system 100, is shown. The method 200 includes the following steps: loading a substrate into the reactor (step 202), leak checking a gas supply unit (step 204), determining whether a leak rate is greater than a predetermined value (step 206), starting substrate processing (step 208), stopping system operation (step 210), and ending processing and unloading the substrate (step 212).

[0013] During step 202, a substrate is loaded into a reactor (e.g., reactor 104). The substrate may be mounted on, for example, a susceptor or a heating block.

[0014] During steps 204 and 206, a leak check of the gas supply unit 102 is performed. During step 204, all valves of the gas supply unit 102 are opened, and the gas inlet valve 114 and the front-most valve (not shown) of the gas supply unit 102 are closed. Gases such as precursors, reactants, and other process gases flow from a gas reservoir or container (not shown) into the gas supply unit 102 through the gas inlet valve and the front-most valve. Instead, the first diverter valve 120, the second diverter valve 122, and the third diverter valve 118 are opened. In this case, all portions of the gas supply unit 102 are in fluid communication with the diverter path 126 and the gas detector 108, and are not in open fluid communication with the gas inlet 112 and the reactor 104, as well as with gas reservoirs or containers external to the gas supply unit 102. During step 204, the gas detector 108 detects any residual gas that has been exhausted from the gas supply unit 102 and flowed into the diverter path 126. In step 206, if the residual gas contains external gas from the atmosphere, such as N2 or O2, and thus the gas leakage rate exceeds a set value, the gas detector 108 can send a signal to the controller 110. If a leak is detected, the controller 110 can be configured to cause the operating system 100 to stop (step 210). Steps 204 and 206 can be performed during a pre-treatment step of the substrate (such as a preheating step).

[0015] Based on the detection results during step 206, a process can be executed (step 208). The process can be or include film deposition, etching, ashing, cleaning, etc. If the detection result exceeds a set value, the substrate processing system can stop operation (step 210). In other embodiments, the detection results can be synchronized with an interlock system. In this case, if the detection result exceeds a set value, the interlock system stops operation.

[0016] At step 212, when the process is completed, the substrate is unloaded from the reactor and the next substrate is loaded, and steps 202 to 212 are repeated. In other words, leak detection of the gas supply unit 102 is repeatedly performed before loading a substrate into the reaction chamber and processing the substrate from the reaction chamber.

[0017] Leak detection of gas supply unit 102 using system 100 and method 200 may exhibit low accuracy in detecting external gas due to trapped gas in region 128. Region 128 may be a gas pipe connecting diverter path 126 and gas detector 108. After completing steps 204 and 206, region 128 desirably contains minimal residual gas, or trapped gas, for accurate leak detection of gas supply unit 102. However, due to the subsequent substrate processing step 208 following leak detection steps 204 and 206, second diverter valve 122 is closed to protect gas detector 108 from process gas flowing into diverter path 126, thereby trapping gas in region 128. The trapped gas in region 128 may hinder accurate and precise leak detection during steps 204 and 206 before processing the next substrate. Alternatively, gas from the gas supply unit may accumulate in region 128 during steps 204 and 206, and the accumulated gas may make accurate detection of external gas difficult. Therefore, improved systems and methods for detecting leaks in gas phase reactor systems are desired.

[0018] Any discussion of problems and solutions presented in this paragraph has been included in this disclosure merely for the purpose of providing context for the disclosure and should not be considered as an admission that any or all of the discussions were known at the time the invention was made. Summary of the Invention

[0019] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to gas phase reactor systems and methods. Although the manner in which various embodiments of the present disclosure address shortcomings of existing methods and systems will be discussed in greater detail below, generally, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved systems and methods for detecting gas leaks within a gas phase reactor system.

[0020] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas-phase reactor system includes: a reactor including a reaction chamber; a gas supply unit connected to the reaction chamber via a gas supply line; a first exhaust system connected to the reaction chamber via a first exhaust line; a bypass line connected to the gas supply unit and to the first exhaust system; a gas detector connected to the bypass line via a connecting line; a connecting line valve connected to the connecting line; and a second exhaust system connected to the connecting line. According to exemplary aspects of these embodiments, the bypass line is connected to the gas supply line. The bypass line can also be connected to the first exhaust line. According to another aspect, the gas-phase reactor system includes a second exhaust line connected to the connecting line. The second exhaust line valve can be between the connecting line and the second exhaust system. In addition, the second exhaust system can be connected to a chamber, such as a platform chamber or an outer chamber. The gas detector can detect the flow rate and / or composition (e.g., nitrogen content and / or oxygen content) of the gas. The gas phase reactor system may further include a controller configured to: cause the gas phase reactor system to perform a leak test after a substrate is loaded into the reaction chamber and before the substrate is removed from the reaction chamber, cause the gas phase reactor system to perform a leak test while the substrate is heated to a desired process temperature, perform a leak test during a process cycle, stop the flow of gas to the reaction chamber when a gas detector detects a gas flow rate above a predetermined value, stop operation of the gas phase reactor system when the gas detector detects a gas flow rate above a predetermined value, vent a connecting line during processing of a substrate within the reaction chamber, and / or vent the connecting line by closing a connecting line valve and opening a second exhaust line valve.

[0021] According to at least one other embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for using a gas-phase reactor system includes the steps of providing a gas-phase reactor system, such as the gas-phase reactor system described herein, venting a connecting line, and analyzing gas exhausted from the gas-phase reactor system using a gas detector. The gas may be exhausted from a gas supply unit. The method may further include the step of closing a second exhaust line valve between the gas detector and the second exhaust system after venting the connecting line and before analyzing the gas. Additionally or alternatively, the method may include venting a bypass line during the analysis step. An exemplary method may include the step of loading a substrate into a reaction chamber, wherein the analysis step is performed after the loading step and before unloading the substrate from the reaction chamber. Alternatively, the method may include the step of loading a substrate into the reaction chamber, wherein the analysis step is performed before the loading step. During the analysis step, gas may be exhausted to the second exhaust system. The gas detector may be used to detect the composition and / or flow rate of the gas. For example, the gas detector may be used to determine whether the gas flow rate exceeds a predetermined level. In this case, the method may include stopping the flow of gas to the reaction chamber if the gas flow rate is above a predetermined level; stopping operation of the gas phase reactor system if the gas flow rate is above a predetermined level; and / or engaging an interlock system if the gas flow rate is above a predetermined level. The analyzing step may be performed while the substrate is being heated to a desired process temperature, during a process cycle, and / or after the substrate has been loaded into the reaction chamber and before the substrate is removed from the reaction chamber.

[0022] These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments having reference to the accompanying figures; the invention being not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] A more complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following illustrative drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 A prior art gas phase reactor system is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 A prior art leak detection method is shown.

[0026] Figure 3-7 10 and 10 illustrate a gas phase reactor system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 8 Shown are the results of a leak check using a system known in the art.

[0028] Figure 9Leak check results using a system or method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown.

[0029] It should be understood that the elements in the figures are shown for simplicity and clarity only and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the present invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the present invention disclosed should not be limited to the specific disclosed embodiments described below.

[0031] The present disclosure generally relates to gas-phase reactor systems and methods capable of detecting leaks. As described in greater detail below, the exemplary systems and methods described herein can be used to more accurately determine the composition, flow rate, and / or amount of gas leaking from one or more regions or sections of a gas-phase reactor system. Furthermore, the systems and methods described herein can more efficiently process substrates and perform leak detection compared to conventional methods and systems.

[0032] In the present disclosure, "gas" can include materials that are gases, vaporized solids, and / or vaporized liquids at room temperature and pressure, and can consist of a single gas or a mixture of gases, depending on the context. Gases other than process gases, i.e., gases introduced without passing through a gas distribution component (e.g., a showerhead), other gas distribution devices, etc., can be used, for example, to seal a reaction space that includes a sealing gas, such as a noble gas. The gas can be a reactant or precursor that participates in a reaction within the reaction chamber, and / or include an ambient gas (e.g., air).

[0033] In this disclosure, a "line" may refer to a conduit, such as a pipe, through which a gas flows. A line may include one or more valves, branches, etc. Exemplary lines as described herein may be formed from stainless steel.

[0034] In the present disclosure, since the workable range can be determined based on routine work, any two numbers of the variable can constitute the workable range of the variable, and any range indicated can include or exclude endpoints. In addition, any value of the variable indicated (whether or not it is indicated with "about") can refer to an exact value or an approximate value and include equivalents, and in some embodiments, can refer to an average value, a median value, a representative value, a majority of values, etc. In addition, in the present disclosure, in some embodiments, the terms "consisting of" and "having" independently refer to "typically or widely include", "including", "essentially consisting of" or "consisting of". In the present disclosure, in some embodiments, any defined meaning does not necessarily exclude common and customary meanings.

[0035] In the present disclosure, in some embodiments, "continuously" may mean one or more of the following: without loss of vacuum, without interruption in the timeline, without any material intervening in the step, without changing the processing conditions, immediately thereafter, as the next step, or without a discrete physical or chemical structure intervening between the two structures other than the two structures.

[0036] Now turning to the accompanying drawings, Figure 3 A gas-phase reactor system 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The gas-phase reactor system 300 includes a reactor 302 including a reaction chamber 304, a gas supply unit 306, a first exhaust system 308, a bypass line 310 coupled to the gas supply unit 306 and connected to the first exhaust system 308, a gas detector 312, and a second exhaust system 314. The gas-phase reactor system 300 may further include a controller 316 to control various parts or devices of the gas-phase reactor system 300.

[0037] Reactor 302 can include any suitable gas phase reactor. For example, reactor 302 can be configured as a chemical vapor deposition reactor, an atomic layer deposition reactor, an etching reactor, a cleaning reactor, an epitaxial reactor, etc. In some cases, reactor 302 can include a direct plasma configuration, and / or gas phase reactor system 300 can include a remote plasma unit coupled to reactor 302. Reactor 302 includes a gas inlet 318 for receiving gas from gas supply unit 306.

[0038] The gas supply unit 306 supplies one or more process gases (such as one or more precursors and / or one or more reactants) to the reaction chamber 304 through the gas inlet 318. The gas supply unit 306 may also provide a carrier gas and / or an inert gas to the reaction chamber through the gas inlet 318. The gas supply unit 306 may include an integrated gas supply block. Compared with a conventional pipeline-type gas supply system, the integrated gas block system is a modular or Lego-type gas supply system so as to make the entire gas supply path from the front valve to the back valve simple, compact and short, and reduce blind spots between the gas supply path and the valves. Therefore, in the integrated gas block system, gas supply or switching between gases can be faster than in a conventional pipeline system.

[0039] The first exhaust system 308 and the second exhaust system 314 may include any suitable device to exhaust the pipeline and / or the reaction chamber. For example, the first exhaust system 308 and / or the second exhaust system 314 may be or include a dry pump, a scrubber, a turbomolecular pump, etc. Figure 3 As shown, the second exhaust system 314 may be coupled to another chamber 320, such as a platform chamber for transferring substrates between a reactor and a cooler or load lock, or an outer chamber having a rotating arm surrounding multiple reactors in a multi-reactor chamber.

[0040] Line 338 may connect reactor 302 to first exhaust system 308. As shown, line 338 may include a valve 340, which may be coupled to and controlled by controller 316.

[0041] The bypass line 310 is coupled to the gas supply unit 306 and to the first exhaust system 308. The bypass line 310 includes a first bypass line valve 322 between the gas supply unit 306 and the first exhaust system 308. The bypass line 310 may additionally or alternatively include a second bypass line valve 324. The first bypass line valve 322 and the second bypass line valve 324 may include any suitable type of valve, such as a pneumatic valve. The first bypass line valve 322 and / or the second bypass line valve 324 may be coupled to and controlled by the controller 316.

[0042] The gas detector 312 can detect or measure the flow rate and / or composition of the gas. For example, the gas detector 312 can be or include, for example, a SPOES (self-plasma optical emission spectrometer), which decomposes the gas, analyzes and detects the gas type. For example, since nitrogen accounts for about 70% of the atmosphere, the gas detector 312 can be configured to detect nitrogen in the gas. In some cases, if nitrogen is detected by the gas detector 312 and the detected nitrogen exceeds a set value, it can be determined that external gas (e.g., from the environment surrounding the gas supply unit 306) has leaked into the gas supply unit 306 and / or elsewhere within the gas phase reactor system 300. Additionally or alternatively, the gas detector 312 can include a flow meter and / or a mass flow meter to determine the amount or flow rate of the leak.

[0043] The connecting line 330 may connect the bypass line 310 to the gas detector 312. The connecting line 330 may include a connecting line valve 332, which may be a pneumatic valve and may be coupled to the controller 316.

[0044] Controller 316 can be any suitable controller that can cause the various steps or functions described herein to be performed. According to various examples of the present disclosure, controller 316 receives a signal from gas detector 312 that can indicate the composition, flow rate, and / or amount of gas. As described in more detail below, controller 316 can be configured to cause one or more of the following: cause the gas phase reactor system to perform a leak test after a substrate is loaded into the reaction chamber and before the substrate is removed from the reaction chamber, cause the gas phase reactor system to perform a leak test while the substrate is heated to a desired process temperature, perform a leak test during a process cycle, stop the flow of gas to the reaction chamber when the gas detector detects a gas flow rate above a predetermined value, stop operation of the gas phase reactor system when the gas detector detects a gas flow rate above a predetermined value, vent a connecting line during processing of a substrate in the reaction chamber, and vent a connecting line by closing connecting line valve 332 and opening a second exhaust line valve 336 based on one or more signals received from gas detector 312.

[0045] The gas supply unit 306 and the reactor 302 are connected via a gas inlet 318. The process gas can be supplied to the reactor 302 through a gas inlet valve 326 in a gas inlet line 328. Although shown separately, the gas inlet valve 326 can be part of the gas supply unit 306. The gas inlet 318 can include a gas supply device, such as a showerhead or the like.

[0046] As shown, the gas phase reactor system 300 may include a second exhaust line 334 coupled to the connecting line 330. The second exhaust line 334 may also be coupled to the second exhaust system 314. The second exhaust line 334 may include a second exhaust line valve 336, which may be a pneumatic valve or the same or similar to a check valve (gas flows forward through the check valve without flowing back), and may be coupled to and controlled by the controller 316.

[0047] As described in more detail below, the use of gas-phase reactor system 300 provides several advantages over the use of conventional gas-phase reactor systems. For example, when processing a substrate using gas-phase reactor system 300, during substrate processing (e.g., deposition, etching, or cleaning steps), connecting line valve 332 (e.g., using controller 316) and second exhaust line valve 336 can be opened (e.g., using controller 316) so that residual gas trapped or accumulated in region (i.e., blind spot) 342 can be exhausted to second exhaust system 314 via second exhaust line 334. In other words, by employing this system, any gas that would otherwise be trapped in connecting line 330 can be mitigated, thereby improving the accuracy of measurements performed using gas detector 312. Additionally, process gases may include compounds generated by reactions between process gases in the region between reaction chamber 304 and first exhaust system 308; these compounds can deposit on and stick to first exhaust system 308. This can make switching gas exhaust to first exhaust system 308 awkward when switching between bypass line 310, which is coupled to gas supply unit 306 and to first exhaust system 308, and line 338, which is coupled between reaction chamber 304 and first exhaust system 308. However, using system 300, second exhaust line 334, and second exhaust system 314 can mitigate the abrupt transition to first exhaust system 308 and thereby provide more accurate analysis and detection of, for example, external gas leaking into gas supply unit 306 and other gas leaks within gas-phase reactor system 300. Furthermore, the outgassing effect of compounds deposited on the inner wall of line 338 can hinder smooth exhaust from bypass line 310. This effect is particularly severe in processes that generate many byproducts (e.g., powders), such as SiN processes using DCS (dichlorosilane) and NH₃ as process gases, and the accuracy of the analysis of gas leaking into gas supply unit 306 is reduced due to residual gas in bypass line 310. Therefore, the residual gas in the bypass line 310 must be removed to accurately analyze the leaked gas entering the gas supply unit 306 .

[0048] Figure 4-7 10 illustrate a gas phase reactor system 300 during processing according to additional embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 and 5The gas phase reactor system 300 is shown while being leak checked after loading a substrate within a reaction chamber (eg, reaction chamber 304 ) and before processing the substrate (eg, before introducing a reactant gas into the reaction chamber 304 ). Figure 6 and 7 Another example of a gas phase reactor system 300 is shown while performing a leak check step after loading a substrate and before processing the substrate. Figure 10 Yet another example of the gas phase reactor system 300 is shown while performing a leak checking procedure.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, after a substrate is loaded into the reaction chamber 304, the first bypass line valve 322, the second bypass line valve 324, and the second exhaust line valve 336 are initially opened or may be opened using the controller 316. The gas inlet valve 326 is initially closed or may be closed using the controller 316. The connecting line valve 332 is closed, for example, using the controller 316, for a period of time (e.g., less than 10 seconds) to remove any potential residual gas region 342 between the connecting line valve 332 and the gas detector 312.

[0050] Next, if Figure 5 As shown, the first bypass line valve 322, the connecting line valve 332, and the second bypass line valve 324 are opened (e.g., by using the controller 316). The gas inlet valve 326 is closed (e.g., by using the controller 316). The second exhaust line valve 336 is closed, for example, by using the controller 316, for a period of time, for example, less than 5 seconds. Next, the gas detector 312 begins to detect and analyze the gas exhausted from the gas supply unit 306 and / or other locations in the gas phase reactor system 300.

[0051] like Figure 6 As shown, according to another embodiment of the present invention, after a substrate is loaded into the reaction chamber 304, the first bypass line valve 322, the second bypass line valve 324, and the second exhaust line valve 336 are opened, or can be opened using, for example, the controller 316. The gas inlet valve 326 is closed, or can be closed using, for example, the controller 316. The connecting line valve 332 is closed, for example, using the controller 316, for a certain period of time (e.g., less than 10 or 5 seconds) to remove any potential residual gas from the region 342 between the connecting line valve 332 and the gas detector 312.

[0052] Next, if Figure 7As shown, first bypass line valve 322, connecting line valve 332, and second exhaust line valve 336 are opened or opened, for example, using controller 316. Gas inlet valve 326 is closed, for example, using controller 316. Second bypass line valve 324 is closed, for example, using controller 316, for a period of time, for example, less than 10 or 5 seconds. Gas detector 312 then begins detecting and analyzing the gas exhausted from gas supply unit 306. In this embodiment, the gas exhausted from gas supply unit 306 is exhausted to second exhaust system 314, thereby avoiding any blocking effects from first exhaust system 308 and / or first exhaust path (e.g., line 338). This procedure is particularly suitable for processes that can produce a large number of byproducts (e.g., powders), such as silicon nitride deposition processes using DCS and NH3 as process gases.

[0053] According to an exemplary example, during processing of a substrate, the connecting line valve 332 is closed and the second exhaust line valve 336 is opened (eg, using the controller 316 ) to prevent or mitigate any residual gas detected during processing of the substrate.

[0054] Figure 10 Another example is shown in which bypass line valve 322, connecting line valve 332, second bypass line valve 324, and second exhaust line valve 336 are opened during a leak check step. In this case, as described above, gas can be evacuated from line 342 by closing connecting line valve 332 for a period of time (e.g., less than 10 or 5 seconds) using, for example, controller 316 to remove any potential residual gas from region 342 between connecting line valve 332 and gas detector 312. Bypass line valve 322, connecting line valve 332, second bypass line valve 324, and second exhaust line valve 336 are then opened or can be opened during a leak check, for example, using controller 316, so that gas is exhausted to both first exhaust system 308 and second exhaust system 314 during the leak check. Valve 340 can be opened during this step. This example can be performed before or after processing a substrate.

[0055] Figure 8 Shows the use Figure 1 Leak check results for the gas phase reactor system shown. Figure 8 An integrated graph is shown which shows the nitrogen intensity of the gas supply unit 102 for each leak rate test when a plurality of substrates (four in the illustrative example) are processed in succession. Figure 8 In FIG. 1 , the Y-axis is the nitrogen intensity detected by the gas detector (e.g., gas detector 108) at each leak rate test. The X-axis is the substrate processing time including the leak detection step. For each substrate to be processed, about 150 seconds are required.

[0056] like Figure 8As shown, the greater the increase in leak rate, the greater the nitrogen intensity. However, the nitrogen intensity is not uniform and gradually increases as multiple substrates are processed in succession. In addition, the nitrogen intensity is detected during the entire substrate processing time, and the leak detection step is different from the substrate processing step. This is because the gas detector (e.g., gas detector 108) continuously detects nitrogen during the substrate processing step even if the valve 122 is closed. Figure 1 Residual gas trapped in the blind spot region 128 in the gas supply unit can accumulate in the blind spot region and affect the detection results of subsequent substrates. For example, some of the nitrogen intensity of the second substrate may come from residual gas trapped in the blind spot region during substrate processing of the first substrate. As a result, leak detection and analysis of the gas supply unit is inaccurate and unreliable.

[0057] In contrast, Figure 9 1 shows the leak check results using the gas phase reactor system 300 according to an example of the present invention. Figure 8 The results show the opposite, Figure 9 The leak detection step is clearly different from the substrate processing step. The nitrogen intensity is uniform regardless of the number of substrates processed. This is believed to be because the residual gas in the blind spot region 342 is exhausted to the second exhaust system 314 through the second bypass path before the leak detection step begins.

[0058] Thus, according to examples of the present disclosure, a set of values ​​(e.g., intensity, flow rate, etc.) can be generated. If the measured value (e.g., intensity, flow rate, etc.) exceeds the set value, the interlock system can be used to stop the operation of the system 300. As described above, during processing of the substrate at the substrate processing step, the connecting line valve 332 is closed and the second exhaust line valve 336 is opened to prevent any residual gas from being detected during processing of the substrate.

[0059] As described herein, the introduction of the second exhaust line 334 removes residual gas trapped between the second diverter valve and the gas detector, providing more accurate and reliable leak detection and analysis results for the gas supply unit. Furthermore, the method described herein for providing leak detection of the gas supply unit prior to processing a substrate can prevent potential damage to the substrate by synchronizing with an interlock system. Furthermore, detection can be performed during the substrate preheating step, so it does not affect production throughput.

[0060] The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure described above do not limit the scope of the present invention, as these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. In fact, various modifications to the present disclosure in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternative applicable combinations of the elements, will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the specification. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of using a gas phase reactor system, the method comprising the steps of: A gas phase reactor system is provided, the gas phase reactor system comprising: a reaction chamber; a gas supply unit, the gas supply unit being coupled to the reaction chamber via a gas supply line; a first exhaust system coupled to the reaction chamber via a first exhaust line; a bypass line coupled to the gas supply unit and the first exhaust system; a gas detector connected to the bypass line via a connecting line; a connecting line valve coupled to the connecting line; and a second exhaust system coupled to the connecting line; venting the connecting pipeline; Using the gas detector, the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system is analyzed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Gas is exhausted from the gas supply unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of closing a second exhaust line valve between the gas detector and the second exhaust system after the step of exhausting the connecting line and before the step of analyzing the gas.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of venting the bypass line during the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of loading a substrate into the reaction chamber, wherein the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system is performed after the step of loading a substrate and before the step of unloading the substrate from the reaction chamber.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of loading a substrate into the reaction chamber, wherein the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system is performed before the step of loading a substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein during the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system, the gas is exhausted to the second exhaust system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein during the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system, the gas is not discharged to the first exhaust system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the gas detector to determine whether a gas flow rate is above a predetermined level during the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising stopping the flow of gas to the reaction chamber if the gas flow rate is above the predetermined level.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising stopping operation of the gas phase reactor system if the gas flow rate is above the predetermined level.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising engaging an interlock system if the gas flow rate is above the predetermined level.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein during the step of analyzing the gas exhausted from the gas phase reactor system, the gas is exhausted to the first exhaust system and the second exhaust system.

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