Abstract: A plasma etching method for etching a film containing a tungsten element using plasma, wherein the film containing a tungsten element is etched by using a gas containing a silicon element, a gas containing a halogen element, and a gas containing a carbon element and an oxygen element.

Abstract: A sample-processing system that improves total system processing efficiency, and reduces a sample-processing time, by establishing a functionally independent relationship between a rack conveyance block with rack supply, conveyance, and recovery functions, and a processing block with sample preprocessing, analysis, and other functions. A buffer unit with random accessibility to multiple racks standing by for processing is combined with each of multiple processing units to form a pair, and the system is constructed to load and unload racks into and from the buffer unit through the rack conveyance block so that one unprocessed rack is loaded into the buffer unit and then upon completion of process steps up to automatic retesting, unloaded from the buffer unit. Functional dependence between any processing unit and a conveyance unit is thus eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention is a device that creates a template based on design data without performing an exposure simulation, etc., and an object thereof is to provide a pattern matching image forming device capable of forming an image that is commensurate with the size of the actual pattern. As one mode for achieving the object above, there is proposed a pattern matching image forming device that, in forming a matching image, shrinks or enlarges design data based on a desired pattern size, and that forms a matching image based on a pattern thus shrunk or enlarged.

Abstract: A processing instrument with configurable processing conditions makes it possible to simplify operations, prevent operation errors, and reuse, without modification, installed software having a track record in operation. An operation terminal includes a research work processing section with software having a track recording in operation that provides a function which receives processing conditions from an input section, a function which executes processing according to processing conditions, and a function which displays results of the processing. A fixed processing condition database stores fixed processing conditions set to a predetermined values.

Abstract: When a semiconductor wafer placed in a chamber and having films thereon is etched using plasma generated in the chamber, a change in the amount of lights with at least two wavelengths, obtained from the wafer surface during the processing, is detected. The time between the time at which the amount of a light with one of two wavelengths is maximized and the time at which the amount of a light with the other wavelength is minimized is compared with a predetermined value to determine the state of etching processing.