Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided to deposit a film including a reaction product on a substrate by repeating a supply cycle of sequentially supplying at least two kinds of reaction gases reactable with each other to a surface of the substrate in a chamber. The substrate processing apparatus includes a turntable provided in the chamber and having a concave portion for receiving the substrate formed in its surface and through-holes formed in the concave portion, a lifting mechanism including lift pins used when transferring the substrate placed on the concave portion, and a control unit configured to control the lifting mechanism. The control unit controls the lifting mechanism to carry the substrate out of the concave portion by moving the lifting pins upward in a vertical direction and inward in a radial direction of the turntable after the lifting pins contact the substrate through the through-holes.

Abstract: A support structure for a suspended injector includes a suspended injector having a tubular vertical portion extending in a vertical direction, one or more chamfered portions formed by chamfering an outer peripheral surface near an upper end of the tubular vertical portion, a pair of holding members each having a flat surface formed on an inner peripheral surface of each of the pair of holding members to engage with each of the chamfered portions, each of the pair of holding members holding the tubular vertical portion of the suspended injector by sandwiching the tubular vertical portion of the suspended injector from both sides each of the pair of holding members, and a support structure part configured to fixedly support the pair of holding members, and configured to suspend and support the suspended injector.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus for sequentially supplying reaction gases, which mutually react, into a chamber to deposit a film on a substrate includes a turntable rotatable and including a concave portion on an upper surface, a bottom portion of the concave portion having a through hole, a substrate supporting member attachable to and detachable from the concave portion, an upper surface of the substrate supporting member mounting the substrate, a lower surface of the substrate supporting member having a first protruding portion, a drive mechanism moving up and down the turntable and revolving the turntable, a lid member located lower than the turntable, an upper surface of the lid member having a second protruding portion, and a control unit revolving the turntable to cause the first protruding portion to contact the second protruding portion and cause the substrate supporting member to be spun a predetermined angle relative to the turntable.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a first hole portion formed through a sidewall of the process chamber and horizontally extending outward and a second hole portion formed to be contiguous with the first hole portion and defining a supply channel for a process gas. The apparatus also includes a gas nozzle, a plurality of seal members and an annular spacer. A proximal end of the gas nozzle is inserted into the first hole portion. The plurality of seal members is spaced apart from each other between an outer circumferential surface of the gas nozzle and the first hole portion. The annular spacer is inserted into the first hole portion and is pressed against an annular surface of an opening periphery of the second hole portion by the gas nozzle in a state where the proximal end of the gas nozzle is engaged with the annular spacer.

Abstract: A ready for rotation state detection device is configured to detect a state in which a substrate, which is placed on a concave portion formed in a surface of a turntable, will not fly out of the concave portion when the turntable is rotated in a chamber. The ready for rotation state detection device includes a ready for rotation state detection unit configured to detect that a height of a surface of an end of the substrate is equal to or lower than a predetermined value indicating that the turntable is rotatable, upon receiving the substrate on the concave portion.

Abstract: A support structure for a suspended injector includes a suspended injector having a tubular vertical portion extending in a vertical direction, one or more chamfered portions formed by chamfering an outer peripheral surface near an upper end of the tubular vertical portion, a pair of holding members each having a flat surface formed on an inner peripheral surface of each of the pair of holding members to engage with each of the chamfered portions, each of the pair of holding members holding the tubular vertical portion of the suspended injector by sandwiching the tubular vertical portion of the suspended injector from both sides each of the pair of holding members, and a support structure part configured to fixedly support the pair of holding members, and configured to suspend and support the suspended injector.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a chamber and a turntable provided in the chamber. The turntable includes a concave portion in its upper surface. A bottom portion of the concave portion has a through hole. A substrate supporting member is detachably placed on the concave portion so that a lower surface thereof is exposed from the through hole, and includes a substrate receiving portion. A drive mechanism moves up and down and rotates the turntable. A rotary unit rotatable by air is provided under the turntable. An air supply unit is provided. A controller causes the drive mechanism to rotate and move down the turntable so that the rotary unit supports the exposed lower surface of the substrate supporting member. The controller causes the air supply unit to supply air to the rotary unit so that the substrate supporting member rotates a predetermined angle relative to the turntable.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus for sequentially supplying reaction gases, which mutually react, into a chamber to deposit a film on a substrate includes a turntable rotatable and including a concave portion on an upper surface, a bottom portion of the concave portion having a through hole, a substrate supporting member attachable to and detachable from the concave portion, an upper surface of the substrate supporting member mounting the substrate, a lower surface of the substrate supporting member having a first protruding portion, a drive mechanism moving up and down the turntable and revolving the turntable, a lid member located lower than the turntable, an upper surface of the lid member having a second protruding portion, and a control unit revolving the turntable to cause the first protruding portion to contact the second protruding portion and cause the substrate supporting member to be spun a predetermined angle relative to the turntable.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming films on substrates mounted on a rotary table by rotating the rotary table and causing the substrates to sequentially pass through areas to which process gases are supplied, including: recess portions formed in one surface of the rotary table along a circumferential direction and configured to accommodate the substrates; mounting portions disposed with the recess portions and configured to support regions of the substrates closer to centers than peripheral edge portions thereof; groove portions formed within the recess portions so as to surround the mounting portions; communication paths formed so as to extend from regions of the groove portions existing at a side of a rotational center of the rotary table toward an external area of the recess portions; and an exhaust port through which an interior of a vacuum container is vacuum-exhausted.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a first hole portion formed through a sidewall of the process chamber and horizontally extending outward and a second hole portion formed to be contiguous with the first hole portion and defining a supply channel for a process gas. The apparatus also includes a gas nozzle, a plurality of seal members and an annular spacer. A proximal end of the gas nozzle is inserted into the first hole portion. The plurality of seal members is spaced apart from each other between an outer circumferential surface of the gas nozzle and the first hole portion. The annular spacer is inserted into the first hole portion and is pressed against an annular surface of an opening periphery of the second hole portion by the gas nozzle in a state where the proximal end of the gas nozzle is engaged with the annular spacer.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is configured to include a process chamber, a turntable provided in the process chamber, and a substrate receiving area provided in one surface of the turntable and including a regulation part formed therearound to regulate a position of a substrate. A transfer mechanism is provided outside the process chamber, and a lifting member is configured to support the substrate and to move up and down in order to transfer the substrate between the transfer mechanism and the turntable. An exhaust mechanism is configured to selectively evacuate a gap between the substrate receiving area and the substrate before the lifting member places the substrate on the substrate receiving area.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is configured to include a process chamber, a turntable provided in the process chamber, and a substrate receiving area provided in one surface of the turntable and including a regulation part formed therearound to regulate a position of a substrate. A transfer mechanism is provided outside the process chamber, and a lifting member is configured to support the substrate and to move up and down in order to transfer the substrate between the transfer mechanism and the turntable. An exhaust mechanism is configured to selectively evacuate a gap between the substrate receiving area and the substrate before the lifting member places the substrate on the substrate receiving area.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided to deposit a film including a reaction product on a substrate by repeating a supply cycle of sequentially supplying at least two kinds of reaction gases reactable with each other to a surface of the substrate in a chamber. The substrate processing apparatus includes a turntable provided in the chamber and having a concave portion for receiving the substrate formed in its surface and through-holes formed in the concave portion, a lifting mechanism including lift pins used when transferring the substrate placed on the concave portion, and a control unit configured to control the lifting mechanism. The control unit controls the lifting mechanism to carry the substrate out of the concave portion by moving the lifting pins upward in a vertical direction and inward in a radial direction of the turntable after the lifting pins contact the substrate through the through-holes.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a vessel loading unit on which a substrate vessel configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at a first interval is loaded, a substrate holder configured to hold the plurality of substrates at a second interval which is smaller than the first interval, a substrate transfer unit capable of supporting the substrates and configured to transfer the plurality of substrates between the substrate holder and the substrate vessel and includes at least two substrate supporting parts stacked with the first interval therebetween and configured to be simultaneously advanced and retreated relative to the substrate vessel and individually advanced and retreated relative to the substrate holder, and a control unit configured to control an upper one of the at least two substrate supporting parts to be in an inoperative state when a lower one is supporting the substrate.

Abstract: A ready for rotation state detection device is configured to detect a state in which a substrate, which is placed on a concave portion formed in a surface of a turntable, will not fly out of the concave portion when the turntable is rotated in a chamber. The ready for rotation state detection device includes a ready for rotation state detection unit configured to detect that a height of a surface of an end of the substrate is equal to or lower than a predetermined value indicating that the turntable is rotatable, upon receiving the substrate on the concave portion.

Abstract: The present invention is a processing apparatus comprising a transfer mechanism including at least one transfer plate, the transfer mechanism being configured to cause, when a substrate to be processed is placed on an upper surface of the transfer plate, the transfer plate to move while maintaining the substrate to be processed placed horizontally thereon. The transfer plate has a cantilevered support structure horizontally extending from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof in a fore and aft direction. An upper surface of the transfer plate is provided with a plurality of support projections configured to horizontally support the substrate to be processed at a substantially central position thereof and a rear position thereof in the fore and aft direction. The substrate to be processed is not supported on the distal portion of the transfer plate.

Abstract: When a substrate is transferred by a holding arm to a multiple tier wafer boat, contact between the holding arm and the substrate is prevented. When the wafer boat is not subjected to a thermal effect, a normal height position of a ring member is obtained by relatively elevating and lowering a transfer base member with respect to the wafer boat. Before a wafer, which is not yet thermally processed, is transferred to the wafer boat, a height position of the corresponding ring member is obtained. By comparing a difference between the normal height position of the ring member and the height position of the ring member before the wafer is transported, with a threshold value, whether to transfer the wafer by the wafer transfer mechanism to the wafer boat can be judged.

Abstract: When a substrate is transferred by a holding arm to a multiple tier wafer boat, contact between the holding arm and the substrate is prevented. When the wafer boat is not subjected to a thermal effect, a normal height position of a ring member is obtained by relatively elevating and lowering a transfer base member with respect to the wafer boat. Before a wafer, which is not yet thermally processed, is transferred to the wafer boat, a height position of the corresponding ring member is obtained. By comparing a difference between the normal height position of the ring member and the height position of the ring member before the wafer is transported, with a threshold value, whether to transfer the wafer by the wafer transfer mechanism to the wafer boat can be judged.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a vessel loading unit on which a substrate vessel configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates at a first interval is loaded, a substrate holder configured to hold the plurality of substrates at a second interval which is smaller than the first interval, a substrate transfer unit capable of supporting the substrates and configured to transfer the plurality of substrates between the substrate holder and the substrate vessel and includes at least two substrate supporting parts stacked with the first interval therebetween and configured to be simultaneously advanced and retreated relative to the substrate vessel and individually advanced and retreated relative to the substrate holder, and a control unit configured to control an upper one of the at least two substrate supporting parts to be in an inoperative state when a lower one is supporting the substrate.

Abstract: To provide a processing system for a process object capable of preventing a transport arm mechanism from being thermally damaged, so as to effectively perform a transport operation of the process object. A processing system 2, which takes out a process object W from a storage box 6 for process object, and thermally process the process object, includes: a vertical processing unit 24; a process-object transport area 10 disposed below the processing unit; a plurality of process-object boats 20 configured to hold the process objects; a boat elevating means 68 configured to vertically move the process-object boat 20; a boat table for transport 52, on which the process-object boat can be placed; and a transport arm mechanism configured to transport the process objects between the storage box 6 and the process-object boat 20 placed on the boat table for transport 52. The transport arm mechanism 56 is vertically moved by an arm elevating means 58.