Charged beam irradiating apparatus having a cleaning means and a method of cleaning a charged beam irradiating apparatus

Claim 2

A charged beam irradiating apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates under conditions causing development of contaminants, the apparatus comprising: means for generating a charged beam; a vacuum chamber enclosing at least one part of the apparatus exposed by the charged beam and thus subject to deposit of the contaminants thereon; a gas introducing system connected to the chamber, the gas introducing system including means for producing electrically neutral active species and other species including at least one of electrons and positive ions, and for introducing a selected carried species, including substantially only the neutral active species, into the chamber to remove the contaminants from the at least one part; and a system for exhausting the removed contaminants from the chamber.

Claim 3

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sample chamber for holding a substrate for processing.

Claim 4

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the gas introducing system is capable of being operated during processing of the substrate.

Claim 5

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carried species consists essentially of either oxygen radicals or O 3 .

Claim 6

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carried species consists essentially of halogen radicals and either oxygen radicals or O 3 .

Claim 7

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the halogen radicals are fluorine radicals.

Claim 8

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises an electron gun chamber, an optical column chamber for controlling the electron beam, and a sample chamber, with at least one of those chambers being connected to the gas introducing system.

Claim 9

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas introducing system is operated during an interruption of the irradiation.

Claim 10

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heating means for heating the at least one part.

Claim 11

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the contaminants are polymerized contaminents.

Claim 12

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the means for generating a charged beam is located in a chamber separated from the vacuum chamber.

Claim 13

A charged beam irradiating apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates under conditions causing development of contaminants, the apparatus comprising: means for generating a charged beam; a vacuum chamber enclosing at least one part of the apparatus exposed by the charged beam and thus subject to deposit a gas introducing system connected to the chamber, the gas introducing system having a discharge tube for generating active species and a gas introduction port for connecting the discharge tube and the vacuum chamber, the discharge tube having a length sufficient to select electrically neutral and long life species from the active species for introduction into the chamber to remove the contaminants from the at least one part; and a system for exhausting the removed contaminants from the chamber.

Claim 14

A charged beam irradiating apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates under conditions causing development of contaminants, the apparatus comprising: means for generating a charged beam; a vacuum chamber enclosing at least one part of the apparatus exposed by the charged beam and thus subject to deposit a gas introducing system connected to the chamber, the gas introducing system having a discharge tube for generating active species and a gas introduction port for connecting the discharge tube and the vacuum chamber, the discharge tube having a length sufficient to select electrically neutral and long life species from the active species for introduction into the chamber to remove the contaminants from the at least one part; and a system for exhausting the removed contaminants from the chamber.

Claim 15

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the gas introducing system has an oxygen containing gas introducing tube and fluorine containing gas introducing tube.

Claim 16

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the selected neutral long life species are oxygen radicals and fluorine radicals.

Claim 17

A charged beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a heating means for heating the exposed part.

Claim 18

An electron beam exposing apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates under conditions causing development of contaminants, the apparatus comprising: means for generating an electron beam; a vacuum chamber enclosing parts of the apparatus exposed by the charged beam and thus subject to deposit of the contaminants thereon, said parts including electrodes of the beam generating means, apertures for limiting the electron beam, electrostatic deflectors for deflecting the electron beam, electron lenses for focusing the beam, and an exposed substrate; a gas introducing system connected to the chamber, the gas introducing system including means for producing electrically neutral active species and other species including at least one of electrons and positive ions, and for selectively carrying substantially only the neutral active species into the chamber to remove the contaminants from said parts of the apparatus; and a system for exhausting the removed contaminants from the chamber.

Claim 19

An electron beam exposing apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates under conditions causing development of contaminants, the apparatus comprising: means for generating an electron beam; a vacuum chamber enclosing parts of the apparatus exposed by the charged beam and thus subject to deposit of the contaminants thereon, said parts including electrodes of the beam generating means, apertures for limiting the electron beam, electrostatic deflectors for deflecting the electron beam, electron lenses for focusing the beam, and an exposed substrate; a gas introducing system connected to the chamber, the gas introducing system including means for producing electrically neutral active species and other species including at least one of electrons and positive ions, and for selectively carrying substantially only the neutral active species into the chamber to remove the contaminants from said parts of the apparatus; and a system for exhausting the removed contaminants from the chamber.