There is provided a configuration that includes: an intake damper and an intake fan configured to communicate with an intake port that sucks air to a transfer chamber connected to a process chamber; a valve of an inert gas introduction pipe configured to supply an inert gas to the transfer chamber; an exhaust fan and a first exhaust valve installed in the transfer chamber; a switch configured to select one of an atmospheric mode in which an atmosphere of the transfer chamber is an air atmosphere and a purge mode in which the atmosphere of the transfer chamber is an inert gas atmosphere; and a controller configured to control each of the intake damper, the intake fan, the valve of the inert gas introduction pipe, the exhaust fan, and the first exhaust valve to execute one of the atmospheric mode and the purge mode.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a TiN film. The method comprises: supplying TiCl.sub.4 gas to a substrate; purging the TiCl.sub.4 gas; supplying NH.sub.3 gas to the substrate; purging the NH.sub.3 gas; and supplying an inhibitor that inhibits adsorption of TiCl.sub.4 or NH.sub.3 to the substrate. A plurality of cycles each including the supplying the TiCl.sub.4 gas, the purging the TiCl.sub.4 gas, the supplying the NH.sub.3 gas, and the purging the NH.sub.3 gas are performed, at least a part of the plurality of cycles includes the supplying the inhibitor, and after the supplying the inhibitor is performed, the supplying the TiCl.sub.4 gas or the supplying the NH.sub.3 gas is performed without purging the inhibitor, or, after purging the inhibitor for a shorter time than the purging the TiCl.sub.4 gas or the purging the NH.sub.3 gas, the supplying the TiCl.sub.4 gas or the supplying the NH.sub.3 gas is performed.

Exemplary methods of forming a coating of material on a substrate may include forming a plasma of a first precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor. The first precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor may be provided in a first flow rate ratio. The methods may include depositing a first layer of material on the substrate. While maintaining the plasma, the methods may include adjusting the first flow rate ratio to a second flow rate ratio. The methods may include depositing a second layer of material on the substrate.

An atomic layer deposition method for depositing a film into surface features of a substrate is disclosed. The method may include the step of placing the substrate having surface features into a reactor. An organic passivation agent may be introduced into the 5 reactor, which may react with a portion of exposed hydroxyl radicals within the surface features. Subsequently, unreacted organic passivation agent may be purged, and then a precursor may be introduced. The precursor may react with the remaining exposed hydroxyl radicals that did not interact with the organic passivation agent. Subsequently, the unreacted precursor may be purged, and an oxygen source or a nitrogen source may 10 be introduced into the reactor to form a film within the surface features.

A method of forming a metal oxide layer includes at least the following steps. A substrate is provided in a process chamber of a deposition apparatus, where the substrate has a target layer formed thereon. A first gas and a second gas are introduced into the process chamber through a shower head of the deposition apparatus, so as to form a metal oxide film on the target layer, where the shower head is coated with a hydrophobic film. A patterned photoresist layer is formed on the metal oxide film. The metal oxide film is patterned by using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask, so as to form a patterned metal oxide film. The target layer is patterned by using the patterned metal oxide film as a mask.

There is provided a technique that includes a process container where a plurality of substrates to be processed is arranged in an inside of the process container; and a gas injector including a pipe extending along a direction in which the plurality of substrates is arranged, and configured to supply a gas into the process container, wherein the gas injector includes at least one first injection hole installed along a longitudinal direction of the pipe in a section where the plurality of substrates is arranged, and configured to supply the gas, and a plurality of second injection holes having an area smaller than a flow path cross-sectional area of the pipe, and installed to be opened obliquely to the longitudinal direction at a tip of the pipe.

A purge controlling system includes a purge module and a control module. The purge module is arranged in the load port and is electrically connected with the control module. The purge module includes an air curtain unit, a flow control unit and a sensing unit. The control module controls the purge module to provide adequate gas flow of purge gas into the air curtain unit and form a gas curtain according to the displacement value of the door assembly.

Embodiments described herein include processes and apparatuses relate to epitaxial deposition. A method for epitaxially depositing a material is provided and includes positioning a substrate on a substrate support surface of a susceptor within a process volume of a chamber body, where the process volume contains upper and lower chamber regions. The method includes flowing a process gas containing one or more chemical precursors from an upper gas inlet on a first side of the chamber body, across the substrate, and to an upper gas outlet on a second side of the chamber body, flowing a purge gas from a lower gas inlet on the first side of the chamber body, across the lower surface of the susceptor, and to a lower gas outlet on the second side of the chamber body, and maintaining a pressure of the lower chamber region greater than a pressure of the upper chamber region.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to isolator devices, components thereof, and methods associated therewith for substrate processing chambers. In one implementation, a substrate processing chamber includes an isolator ring disposed between a pedestal and a pumping liner. The isolator ring includes a first surface that faces the pedestal, the first surface being disposed at a gap from an outer circumferential surface of the pedestal. The isolator ring also includes a second surface that faces the pumping liner and a protrusion that protrudes from the first surface of the isolator ring and towards the outer circumferential surface of the pedestal. The protrusion defines a necked portion of the gap between the pedestal and the isolator ring.

Methods and devices are provided wherein rotational gas-flow is generated by vortex generators to decontaminate dirty gas (e.g., gas contaminated by solid particles) in pumping lines of vacuum systems suitable for use at a semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication facility. The vacuum systems use filterless particle decontamination units wherein rotational gas-flow is applied to separate and trap solid particles from gas prior to the gas-flow entering a vacuum pump. Methods are also described whereby solid deposits along portions of pumping lines may be dislodged and removed and portions of pumping lines may be self-cleaning.