Abstract: Processing gases respectively supplied from multiple gas supply lines into a processing vessel can be switched at a high speed in a uniform manner. A plasma processing apparatus includes the processing vessel configured to perform therein a plasma process to a target substrate; and a gas inlet member including first gas discharge holes and second gas discharge holes which are alternately arranged to be adjacent to each other and respectively communicate with a first gas supply line and a second gas supply line, which are switchable. Further, the first gas discharge holes and the second gas discharge holes independently and respectively introduce a first processing gas and a second processing gas, which are respectively supplied from the first gas supply line and the second gas supply line and used in the plasma process, into the processing vessel.

Abstract: An electrode having a gas discharge function, where the degree of freedom related to a maximum gas flow rate is abundant, an electrode cover member may be thinned, and a change of a gas behavior according to time is difficult to be generated in a processing chamber during gas introduction. The electrode includes: a base material having a plurality of gas holes; and an electrode cover member having a plurality of gas holes respectively corresponding to the plurality of gas holes of the base material in a one-to-one manner, fixed to the base material, and disposed facing a processing space in which the object is plasma-processed, wherein a gas hole diameter of the electrode cover member is larger than a gas hole diameter of the base material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus including a mounting table within a processing container. The mounting table includes a lower electrode. A shower head constituting an upper electrode is provided above the mounting table. A gas inlet tube is provided above the shower head. The shower head includes a plurality of downwardly opened gas ejection holes, and first and second separate gas diffusion chambers on the gas ejection holes. The first gas diffusion chamber extends along a central axis that passes through a center of the mounting table. The second gas diffusion chamber extends circumferentially around the first gas diffusion chamber. The gas inlet tube includes a cylindrical first tube wall and a cylindrical second tube wall provided outside the first tube wall, and defines a first gas inlet path inside the first tube wall, and a second gas inlet path between the first and second tube walls.

Abstract: An exhausting method includes determining an exhaust flow rate of a process gas to be a predetermined value that is less than or equal to a gas flow rate corresponding to a maximum process capability of a purification system when the process gas is diluted to a lower explosive limit; calculating a pressure drop amount per unit time to maintain the determined exhaust flow rate of the process gas, based on a relation between the exhaust flow rate and the pressure drop amount per unit time; and evacuating an inside of the chamber to maintain the determined exhaust flow rate, while controlling the pressure through an automatic pressure control valve by setting a target pressure value to be updated as a control value of the automatic pressure control valve at every predetermined time interval so as to achieve a calculated pressure drop amount per unit time.

Abstract: It is possible to prevent processing gases from being mixed when alternately supplying the processing gases while alternately switching the processing gases and to suppressed a transient phenomenon more efficiently as compared to conventional cases. When supplying at least two kinds of processing gases (e.g., a C4F6 gas and a C4F8 gas) into a processing chamber while alternately switching the at least two kinds of processing gases during a plasma process on a wafer, the supply of each processing gas can be alternately turned on and off by alternately setting an instruction flow rate of a mass flow controller to be a predetermined flow rate and a zero flow rate while a downstream opening/closing valve provided at a downstream side of the mass flow controller is open.

Abstract: An electrode having a gas discharge function, where the degree of freedom related to a maximum gas flow rate is abundant, an electrode cover member may be thinned, and a change of a gas behavior according to time is difficult to be generated in a processing chamber during gas introduction. The electrode includes: a base material having a plurality of gas holes; and an electrode cover member having a plurality of gas holes respectively corresponding to the plurality of gas holes of the base material in a one-to-one manner, fixed to the base material, and disposed facing a processing space in which the object is plasma-processed, wherein a gas hole diameter of the electrode cover member is larger than a gas hole diameter of the base material.

Abstract: A bolt-locking apparatus includes a plurality of fitting members 2 and 3 which are relatively non-rotatably fitted to heads of a plurality of bolts 5, and an engaging member 4 fitted to the plurality of fitting members 2 and 3 such that the engaging member 4 straddles the fitting members 2 and 3. Outer peripheral surfaces 2b and 3b of the fitting members 2 and 3 are non-circular in shape. The engaging member 4 includes a plurality of engaging holes (non-circular engaging portions) 8a and 8b which correspond to the non-circular outer peripheral surfaces 2b and 3b of the plurality of fitting members 2 and 3.

Abstract: An exhausting method includes determining an exhaust flow rate of a process gas to be a predetermined value that is less than or equal to a gas flow rate corresponding to a maximum process capability of a purification system when the process gas is diluted to a lower explosive limit; calculating a pressure drop amount per unit time to maintain the determined exhaust flow rate of the process gas, based on a relation between the exhaust flow rate and the pressure drop amount per unit time; and evacuating an inside of the chamber to maintain the determined exhaust flow rate, while controlling the pressure through an automatic pressure control valve by setting a target pressure value to be updated as a control value of the automatic pressure control valve at every predetermined time interval so as to achieve a calculated pressure drop amount per unit time.

Abstract: A substrate processing method capable of controlling the internal pressure of a processing chamber to a high pressure and exhausting gases within the processing chamber at a high rate. The substrate processing method is for use in a substrate processing apparatus having a processing chamber, a supply unit supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber, a first pipe connected to the processing chamber at one end thereof, a turbo molecular pump disposed in the first pipe, a first shutoff valve disposed between the processing chamber and the turbo molecular pump in the first pipe, a second pipe connected to the processing chamber at one end thereof, a pressure control valve disposed in the second pipe, and a dry pump connected to the other end of the first pipe and to the other end of the second pipe.

Abstract: A substrate processing method capable of controlling the internal pressure of a processing chamber to a high pressure and exhausting gases within the processing chamber at a high rate. The substrate processing method is for use in a substrate processing apparatus having a processing chamber, a supply unit supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber, a first pipe connected to the processing chamber at one end thereof, a turbo molecular pump disposed in the first pipe, a first shutoff valve disposed between the processing chamber and the turbo molecular pump in the first pipe, a second pipe connected to the processing chamber at one end thereof, a pressure control valve disposed in the second pipe, and a dry pump connected to the other end of the first pipe and to the other end of the second pipe.

Abstract: A semiconductor treating device (1) includes treating chamber (2) connected to a common transportation chamber (8) and treating a substrate (W) to be treated. A gas supply system (40) for supplying system (40) for supplying a predetermined gas to each of the treating chambers (2) is attached to each chamber. The gas supply system (40) has a primary side connection unit (23) connected to the source of the predetermined gas and has a flow rate control unit (13). The primary side connection unit (23) connected to the source of the predetermined gas and has a flow rate control unit (13). The primary side connection unit (23) is placed on the lower side of the corresponding treating chamber (2). The flow rate control unit (13) is placed on a gas line for supplying the gas from the primary side connection unit (23) to the corresponding treating chamber (2). The flow rate control unit (13) is provided such that at least a part of it is superposed on the upper side of the primary side connection unit (23).

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system includes a control section that refers to recipe information on a process sequence, thereby detects that a processing apparatus will shift from an ordinary operation state to a long idle state, and switches thermo-medium circulation apparatus from an ordinary mode to an energy-saving mode after the shift to the long idle state. The control section refers to recipe information on the process sequence or another process sequence, thereby detects that the processing apparatus will shift from the long idle state to the ordinary operation state, and switches the thermo-medium circulation apparatus from the energy-saving mode to the ordinary mode before the shift to the ordinary operation state. A thermo-medium is circulated at a first flow rate and at a second flow rate smaller than the first flow rate in the ordinary mode and the energy-saving mode, respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system includes a control section that switches a thermo-medium circulation apparatus between an ordinary mode and an energy-saving mode in correspondence with an ordinary operation state and a long idle state of a processing apparatus, respectively. The long idle state is an idle state of the processing apparatus longer than a predetermined threshold time period. A thermo-medium is circulated at a first flow rate and at a second flow rate smaller than the first flow rate in the ordinary mode and the energy-saving mode, respectively. The control section refers to recipe information on a process sequence, thereby detects that the processing apparatus will shift from the ordinary operation state to the long idle state, and switches the thermo-medium circulation apparatus from the ordinary mode to the energy-saving mode after the processing apparatus shifts to the long idle state.

Abstract: The invention comprises a lower electrode which is disposed in a processing chamber and holds a wafer W, and an exhaust ring mechanism disposed between the lower electrode and an inner wall of the processing chamber, wherein the exhaust ring mechanism has an exhaust ring, and a magnetic field forming section which forms a magnetic field parallel to the principal plane of the exhaust ring, and thereby preventing plasma leak from a plasma region to a non-plasma region by the formed magnetic field, and a plasma processing apparatus using the exhaust ring mechanism.