Importance

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Abstract

In order to remove oxides produced as a result of natural oxidation, from a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is transported into a preparatory chamber filled with an inert gas via a loading/unloading passage and held by open/close pins of a loading platform atop an intermediate cover lowered in the preparatory chamber; the intermediate cover then raises, the preparatory chamber and an intermediate chamber located immediately above the preparatory chamber are isolated; and the loading platform and the semiconductor wafer thereon are positioned in the intermediate chamber. Thereafter, a closed open/close cover located at the upper part of the intermediate chamber opens upward; a treatment gas from a treatment gas atmosphere chamber located immediately above the intermediate chamber flows into the intermediate chamber; and a process is performed for removing oxidation film from the semiconductor wafer surface. Then, the open/close cover lowers to isolate the treatment gas atmosphere chamber from the intermediate chamber, and by supplying an inert gas, treatment gas in the intermediate chamber is exhausted, and afterwards, the intermediate cover lowers, and the treated object is transported via the loading/unloading passage from the preparatory chamber to a load lock chamber. Thus, leakage of the treatment gas to the outside is prevented.

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First Claim