Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a semiconductor substrate is provided which comprises a substrate holder for carrying the substrate thereon, a rotor for directly or indirectly supporting the substrate holder, a magnetic floating mechanism for magnetically floating and supporting the rotor in a non-contact state, and magnetic rotating mechanism for magnetically rotating the rotor. The magnetic floating mechanism and magnetic rotating mechanism are formed as a single integral unit structure. The unit structure includes a first set of windings for generating a magnetic field to provide the rotor with a rotating force, and a second set of windings for generating a magnetic field to float and support the rotor at a predetermined position. The first and second sets of windings are disposed on a single yoke plate made of a magnetic material.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing device has an electromagnet for levitating an object under electromagnetic forces, a displacement sensor for detecting the displacement of the levitated object, a controller for supplying a signal to the displacement sensor through a cable and a current to the electromagnet through a cable, and a protective plate of nonmagnetic metal material disposed between the displacement sensor and the levitated object. The controller includes a levitation control system having a noise removing filter for preventing an abnormal signal caused by the protective plate from being applied to the displacement sensor.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus including a substrate support mechanism for supporting a substrate 1 to be treated, a rotary impeller 4 placed to face the surface of the substrate 1 supported by the substrate support mechanism, and at least one nozzle 14 provided in an approximately central portion of the rotary impeller 4, wherein rotating the rotary impeller 4 produces a flow of gas passing through the nozzle 14 and flowing from the central portion of the rotary impeller 4 toward the outer periphery thereof, thereby drying the surface of the substrate supported in a stationary state by the substrate support mechanism.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing enables to rotatably support a levitated body non-contactingly disposed in a hermetically sealed container filled with a gaseous process substance of a corrosive nature, while without contaminating the gaseous environment and suffering from corrosion. The magnetic bearing has an electromagnet for supporting a levitated body, a displacement sensor for detecting a levitated position of the levitated body, and a controller for supplying signals and excitation currents to the displacement sensor and the electromagnet through cables. An electromagnet target of the magnetic bearing that generates variations in magnetic fields due to rotation of the levitated body, is constructed of a single piece of ferromagnetic material, and is provided with an electrical insulation structure oriented parallel to magnetic fluxes generated by the electromagnet.

Abstract: A spin processing apparatus can prevent contamination of workpieces by wear particles, and can operate at high efficiency while lowering the noise level associated with the operation of the apparatus. The spin processing apparatus includes a chamber, a spin holder disposed inside the chamber for holding workpieces, and driver device for rotating the spin holder. A supporting device is provided for rotatably supporting the spin holder in a non-contact manner through a magnetically-operated mechanism.

Abstract: A compact thin-film deposition apparatus can promote a stable growth of a high quality thin-film product of uniform quality. The apparatus comprises a vacuum-tight deposition chamber enclosing a substrate holding device for holding a substrate. An elevator device for moving the substrate holding device and a gas showering head for flowing a film forming gas towards the substrate are provided. A transport opening and an exhaust opening are provided on a wall section of the deposition chamber at a height corresponding to the transport position and the deposition position, respectively. The deposition chamber is provided with a flow guiding member, and the flow guiding member comprises a cylindrical member to surround an elevating path of the substrate holding device and a first ring member to vertically divide a chamber space at a height between the exhaust opening and the transport opening.

Abstract: A thin-film vapor deposition apparatus has a reaction chamber for holding therein a substrate in an atmosphere isolated from an ambient atmosphere. For depositing a thin film on the substrate, the temperature of an inner wall of the reaction chamber is adjusted to control the temperature of the atmosphere in the reaction chamber, and the temperature of the substrate is also adjusted independently of the temperature of the atmosphere in the reaction chamber, while the substrate is being rotated at a high speed in the reaction chamber. Reactant gases required to deposit a thin film on the substrate are ejected from a reactant gas elector head toward the substrate in the reaction chamber. Remaining and excessive gases are discharged out of the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A vapor feed supply system including a vaporizer device and a method of cleaning a vapor flow region employing such a vaporizer device enables thorough cleaning of the system, without having to degrade the overall system vacuum in the process of cleaning the vaporizer device. The method includes defining a cleaning fluid passage having a predetermined withstand pressure by isolating a cleaning region of the vapor flow region, and flowing a cleaning fluid into the cleaning fluid passage under a pressure so as to enable the cleaning fluid to remain in a liquid state at a cleaning temperature of the cleaning region.

Abstract: A reactant gas ejector head enables a process gas mixture of a uniform concentration and composition to be delivered to the surface of a substrate in a stable and uniform thermodynamic state by preventing premature reactions to occur along the gas delivery route. The reactant gas ejector head comprises an ejection head body having a back plate and a nozzle plate for defining a gas mixing space therebetween. The nozzle plate has numerous gas ejection nozzles. A gas supply pipe is communicated with the ejection head body through a center region of the back plate so as to separately introduce at least two types of gaseous substances into the mixing space. Gas distribution passages are formed between the back plate and the nozzle plate in such a way as to guide the at least two types of gaseous substances from the gas supply pipe to be directed separately towards peripheral regions of the gas mixing space.

Abstract: A thin-film vapor deposition apparatus has a reaction casing defining a reaction chamber, a stage for supporting a substrate, the stage being disposed in the reaction chamber, and a shower head supported on the reaction casing in confronting relation to the stage for discharging a material gas toward the substrate on the stage for depositing a thin film on the substrate. A plurality of flow path systems are disposed in various regions of the shower head and the reaction casing for passage therethrough a heating medium to control the temperatures of the regions under the control of a temperature controller.

Abstract: A motor having windings normally energizable by electric power from an AC power supply is stopped in case of an emergency such as a failure of the AC power supply. The motor has a rotor rotatably supported by magnetic bearings out of contact therewith. The windings of the motor are normally energized by a motor driver with the electric power from the AC power supply. When the AC power supply fails, a battery power supply supplies electric power to the windings of the motor to brake the rotor and also to the magnetic bearings to continuously operate the magnetic bearings. A switching controller which includes timers and logic circuit elements controls times to supply the electric power from the battery power supply to the windings of the motor and the magnetic bearings. The switching controller has timers for controlling the times.

Abstract: A reactant gas ejector head in a thin-film vapor deposition apparatus includes at least two reactant gas inlet passages for introducing reactant gases, a gas mixing chamber for mixing reactant gases introduced from the reactant gas inlet passages, and a nozzle disposed downstream of the gas mixing chamber for rectifying the mixed gases from the gas mixing chamber into a uniform flow and applying the uniform flow to a substrate.

Abstract: A method and a system for analyzing the operation of a parallel data system are disclosed. The history information of the access executed by a specific processor that has received a request for access to a plurality of data bases connected to a plurality of processors, the ID of the specific processor and the accessed data amount are collected and stored in a memory. The history information is compared with the time assumed from a predetermined time specified for the access to a unit amount of data in data bases, deciding whether the former is reasonable or longer than the latter. The transfer history information for the processor that has transferred an access request to the specific processor executing the access is compared with a predetermined transfer time specified for a unit amount of data, deciding whether the transfer time between the two processors is longer than an assumed transfer time.

Abstract: A magnetic levitation conveyor apparatus has levitation electromagnets, linear motors, and displacement sensors which are disposed outside of a tunnel, and a carriage of simple structure which is movable in the tunnel. The carriage is of canned structure for preventing gases from being generated. The carriage of canned structure allows the tunnel to have a reduced cross-sectional area and to be filled with a highly purified atmosphere such as of a high vacuum. The tunnel has substantially orthogonal branches at a branched point. In the branched point, the carriage can move, while being lifted out of contact with the tunnel partition, with a directional change from a main conveyor passage into a branched conveyor passage. The magnetic levitation conveyor apparatus is highly practical as it can control the carriage to be lifted and moved as described above.

Abstract: A positioning system stops a transport car traveling along a transport path at a predetermined stop position. The system includes a pair of members coupled together by a magnetic attraction force. One of the members is disposed at the stop position, while the other of the members is disposed on the transport car, and at least one of the members is attached to the stop position or the transport car through a damper. Alternatively, the system may include two pairs of members coupled together by a magnetic attraction force, in which one of each pair of the members is disposed at the stop position, while the other of each pair of the members is disposed on the transport car, and one member of one of the pairs of members is attached to a guide mechanism which restricts a direction of movement of the one member attached to the guide mechanism caused by the action of magnetic attraction force between the members.

Abstract: A robot with no mechanically contacting components are suitable for use in special environments such as semiconductor manufacturing processes where dust and lubrication are matters of important concern. The robot has a linear actuator composed of magnetic bearings and a linear motor for moving a robot arm linearly without mechanical contact, and a rotary actuator composed of magnetic bearings and a rotary motor for rotating a body which supports the linear actuator, around the rotary actuator without mechanical contact.