Importance

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Abstract

It is an object to provide a cleaning method in a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO.sub.2 or Si.sub.3N.sub.4 which is adhered to and deposited on the surfaces of an inner wall, an electrode and the like in a reaction chamber at a film forming step. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a cleaning method in which the amount of a cleaning gas to be discharged is very small, an influence on an environment such as global warming is also lessened and a cost can also be reduced. An energy is applied to a fluorine compound to react the fluorine compound, thereby generating a fluorine gas component and a component other than the fluorine gas component. Furthermore, the fluorine gas component and the component other than the fluorine gas component which are generated are separated from each other so that the fluorine gas component is separated and refined. After a film forming process for a base material is carried out by a CVD apparatus, a separated and refined fluorine gas is then converted to a plasma to remove a by-product adhered into the reaction chamber.

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First Claim