CVD APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING THE CVD APPARATUS

摘要

A method of cleaning a CVD apparatus that enables efficiently removing by-products, such as SiO2 and Si3N4, having stuck to and deposited on the surfaces of inside wall, electrode, etc. of a reaction chamber and the side wall of piping, etc. for exhaust path, etc. during the operation of film formation, and that minimizes the volume of cleaning gas discharged so as to decrease influences on global warming and other environmental matter, thereby enabling cost reduction. A CVD apparatus adapted to feed reaction gas into a reaction chamber so as to form a deposit film on a surface of substrate disposed in the reaction chamber, wherein an exhaust path for discharging exhaust gas from the inside of the reaction chamber by means of a pump is fitted with an exhaust gas reflux path for refluxing exhaust gas from a downstream side of the pump to an upstream side of the exhaust path, the exhaust gas reflux path fitted with a plasma generator.