Abstract: Pulsed laser beams are applied to an object to be measured. A first laser beam of a pulsed laser beam having a first wavelength which is oscillated immediately after the rise of the pulsed laser beam, and a second laser beam having a second wavelength which is oscillated thereafter are used. Based on a difference between an intensity of first interfered light of reflected light of the first laser beam or transmitted light thereof, and an intensity of reflected light of the second laser beam or transmitted light thereof, temperatures of the object to be measured, and whether the temperatures are on increase or on decrease are judged. The method and device can be realized by simple structures and can measure a direction of changes of the physical quantities.

Abstract: In a silicon oxide film evaluation method for evaluating the silicon oxide film formed on a silicon substrate, radiation of a plurality of incident angles is irradiated to the silicon oxide film, reflected radiation of the radiation of the plural incident angles on the silicon oxide film is measured, reflectances for the radiation of the plural incident angles is computed, based on the radiation of the plural incident angles and reflected radiation thereof, a dielectric function is computed, based on the reflectances for the plural incident angles, and film quality of the silicon oxide film is evaluated, based on the dielectric function. The silicon oxide film evaluation method and apparatus can evaluate film quality of the silicon oxide film formed on the silicon substrate in non-contact and non-destructively.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the ashing treatment in which a plasma generated by activating a gas containing at least oxygen is applied to a material to be treated, on which a coating film of an organic is formed, through a plasma-transmitting plate for capturing charged particles in the plasma and allowing the transmission of neutral active species, to thereby ash the coating film of the organic substance. The material to be treated is placed at a position at which charged particles of a high energy, which have been transmitted through the plasma-transmitting plate without being captured by the plasma-transmitting plate, impinge thereon together with the neutral active species which have been transmitted through the plasma-transmitting plate. Also, the ashing treatment process and apparatus includes a distance-adjusting device for adjusting the distance between the plasma-transmitting plate and the material to be treated, by changing the position of the material to be treated.

Abstract: A plasma treating method subjects an object surface to a plasma treating within a chamber. First, first and second gasses are supplied into the chamber, where the first gas includes hydrogen molecules as a main component, the second gas includes a quantity of hydrogen less than that included in the first gas and is selected from a group of materials consisting of organic compounds and inorganic compounds, the organic compounds include hydrogen and oxygen and the inorganic compounds include hydrogen. Second, plasma of a mixed gas which is made up of the first and second gasses is generated within the chamber to subject the object surface to the plasma treating. Preferably, the second gas is water vapor.

Abstract: To prevent after-corrosion of wiring or electrodes formed by patterning films of aluminum or an alloy thereof by reactive ion etching (RIE) using an etchant containing chlorine gas or its gaseous compounds, residual chlorine on the surface of the wiring or electrodes is removed by exposing it to a plasma generated in an atmosphere containing water vapor or to neutral active species extracted from the plasma. This treatment is performed either at the same time or after an ashing operation, an operation for removing a resist mask used in the aforesaid RIE by adding water vapor to an atmosphere containing oxygen. To perform the latter separate treatment, an automatic processing system is disclosed in which an after-treatment apparatus for removing residual chlorine is connected, via a second load lock chamber, to an ashing apparatus connected to a RIE apparatus by a load lock chamber which is capable of making a vacuum.

Abstract: A microwave plasma processing process and apparatus useful in the fabrication of integrated circuit (IC) or similar semiconductor devices, wherein the object or material to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer, is processed with plasma generated using microwaves transmitted through a microwave transmission window disposed perpendicular to an electric field of the progressive microwaves in the waveguide.

Abstract: A semiconductor double-chamber etching apparatus which can be manually operated in a maintenance area by connecting a movable manual operation panel, with a communication device, to any one of a plurality of relay stations provided on the etching apparatus facing maintenance area. In this case, the manual operation panel of the etching apparatus provided on a face of the etching apparatus facing a clean room is not used. The clean room is adjacent to the maintenance area, and is separated from the maintenance room by a partition wall.

Abstract: Plasma ashing methods, for moving a resist material formed on a ground layer of a semiconductor device during fabrication of said semiconductor, are performed by using one of three kinds of reactant gases each composed of three different gases. Plasma ashing is performed: at an ashing rate of 0.5 .mu.m/min at 160.degree. C. and with an activation energy of 0.4 eV when a reactant gas composed of oxygen, water vapor and nitrogen is used; at an ashing rate of 0.5 .mu.m/min at 140.degree. C., with an activation energy of 0.38 eV and without etching the ground layer when a reactant gas composed of oxygen, water vapor and tetrafluoromethane is used; and at an ashing rate of 0.5 .mu.m/min at 140.degree. C., with an activation energy of 0.4 eV when a reactant gas composed of oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen is used.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a semiconductor device, the dry etching of a resist layer of an organic material can be utilized without decreasing the yield of the semi-conductor layer, by using a resist layer of an organic material containing heavy metals in an amount of less than 20 ppb for each heavy metal.

Abstract: A microwave plasma processing apparatus used for etching or ashing processes of a semiconductor substrate, comprising a plasma generation chamber, into which a reactive gas and microwave power are introduced, a reaction chamber in which the substrate is disposed for processing, and a plasma shield plate separating the reaction chamber from the plasma generation chamber, the plasma shield plate being of electrically conductive material and having at least a hole for flowing the plasma into the reaction chamber and forming a portion of the plasma generation chamber. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of the invention further comprises a cover member disposed on a surface of the plasma shield plate facing the plasma generation chamber and made of inactive material with active species included in the plasma such as quartz and alumina ceramic.

Abstract: A downstream microwave plasma processing apparatus useful in fabricating an integrated circuit semiconductor device includes a waveguide, a microwave transmitting window perpendicular to a microwave electric field in the waveguide, a plasma generating chamber below the window and a reaction chamber separated from the plasma generating region by a gas-porous microwave shield. The microwave energy is transmitted into the plasma generating chamber through the microwave transmitting window, and generates a plasma which is confined therein by the shield. Radicals of a short-lived reactive gas, generated in the plasma, pass through the shield and impinge onto a workpiece placed in the reaction chamber. Uniform and effective downstream plasma etching or ashing is produced.

Abstract: A process for stripping an organic material, which comprises forming gases including a gas containing oxygen and a gas containing a halogen into plasma in a plasma chamber, and supplying an active species of the halogen in the gas formed plasma to a reaction chamber to strip the organic material in the reaction chamber, wherein one mole or more of water vapor based upon two moles of the halogen molecule is fed to the reaction chamber, and the active species of the halogen are removed before contact thereof with the organic material.

Abstract: A method removes a first layer of an organic matter which is formed on a second layer, where the first layer is subjected to an ion implantation. The method includes the steps of generating a plasma by exciting a gas which includes H.sub.2 O using a high-frequency energy source, and removing the first layer within the plasma.

Abstract: Plasma ashing methods, for moving a resist material formed on a ground layer of a semiconductor device during fabrication of said semiconductor, are performed by using one of three kinds of reactant gases each composed of three different gases. Plasma ashing is performed: at an ashing rate of 0.5 .mu.m/min at 160.degree. C. and with an activation energy of 0.4 eV when a reactant gas composed of oxygen, water vapor and nitrogen is used; at an ashing rate of 0.5 .mu.m/min at 140.degree. C., with an activation energy of 0.38 eV and without etching the ground layer when a reactant gas composed of oxygen, water vapor and tetrafluoromethane is used; and at an ashing rate of 0.5 .mu.m/min at 140.degree. C., with an activation energy of 0.4 eV when a reactant gas composed of oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen is used.

Abstract: After a semiconductor wafer is processed, a photoresist on the semiconductor wafer is removed by an irradiation of oxygen plasma while the wafer is cooled by a cooling device. The cooling device can be a susceptor or a stage on which the wafer is placed, and coolant flows through a pipe or duct installed thereto. Cooling of the wafer prevents the photoresist from being softened by the heat from the plasma. Thus, the inner side of the photoresist remains hard enough to support the affected surface portion of the photoresist, which is also difficult to remove, preventing the affected surface portion from sticking onto the surface of the wafer. Therefore, the affected portion can be more effectively irradiated by the plasma, and can be decomposed without leaving residue on the wafer. Reduced residue on the wafer surface contributes to improve production yield and quality of the products made from this wafer.

Abstract: A method for removing a resist layer, in which high doses of ions have been implanted, by etching in a first step and a second step performed sequentially. In the first step, a carbonized region produced in the resist layer due to the high dose ion implantation is etched by applying plasma using hydrogen as a reactive gas at a temperature lower than a softening point of the resist layer. In the second step, a lower region, left after firstly etching the upper region, of the resist layer is etched by a conventional method such as a downstream ashing method or a wet stripping method.

Abstract: In the present invention, a method for removing an organic resin material layer reduces residual substances upon removing an ion-implanted organic resin material layer. Inorganic contaminants adhered to the surface of organic resin material layer during ion-implantation are removed by etching, and thereafter, the layer is decomposed and removed by plasma irradiation of the organic resin material layer. An alkaline etchant is used for etching off inorganic contaminants.

Abstract: A method for removing a resist on a layer formed on a semiconductor substrate includes the steps of removing a portion of the resist by plasma processing and removing the remaining resist by a chemical process.This method prevents the entry of heavy metal particles contained in the resist into the semiconductor substrate, so that a functional region formed in the semiconductor substrate is not contaminated by the heavy metal particles. As a result, destruction of the functional elements formed in the functional region is prevented, and thus the minority carrier generation lifetime in the device is not reduced.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for plasma treatment by the use of a plasma generating chamber and a separate treating chamber in which an activated gas, excited in the plasma generating chamber, is introduced into the treating chamber, distributed within the treating chamber by a gas diffusing plate, and then is brought into contact with a material to be treated.

Abstract: A microwave plasma etching method and apparatus for performing substantially anisotropic etching to form micropatterns on IC substrates. A microwave power source creates a plasma from a gas with a relatively low pressure such as 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-4 Torr, so that the mean free path of the gas molecules exceeds the dimensions of the etching apparatus. A magnetic field is generated in a plasma generating chamber, a reaction chamber where in the substrate is mounted and a connecting chamber. The plasma discharge is enhanced by a cyclotron resonance magnetic field intensity corresponding to the frequency of the microwave power applied to the plasma chamber. The magnetic field creates a magnetic mirror which prevents the electrons in the plasma from entering into the reaction chamber so as to eliminate the generation of free radicals in which the reaction chamber which adversely affect the anisotropic etching ability.