Abstract: A process apparatus includes a differential pumping device and a focused ion beam column. The differential pumping device includes a head which has a plurality of annular grooves formed in a surface thereof which faces a substrate to be processed. The annular grooves surround the center of the head. An orifice is formed inside an innermost one of the annular grooves and defines a processing space serving to achieve processing of a process surface of the substrate. A vacuum pump is connected to at least one of the annular grooves to suck gas from the one of the annular grooves with the surface of the head facing the processing surface of the substrate to create a high-level vacuum in the processing space. The focused ion beam column is equipped with a cylindrical chamber leading to the orifice in communication with the processing space. The chamber has disposed therein a focused ion beam optical system which works to emit a focused ion beam through the orifice.

Abstract: A focused energy beam apparatus includes a substrate support and a focused energy beam column equipped with a differential pumping device movable to a location facing an area of a process target surface of the substrate. The support supports a periphery of the substrate with a horizontal orientation. A positive pressure chamber is disposed below the substrate and exerts a positive pressure on the process target area to cancel deflection of the substrate arising from its own weight. A local depressurizing mechanism is arranged in the positive pressure chamber, out of contact with the substrate, and exerts a negative pressure on a lower surface of the substrate to cancel a suction force created by the differential pumping device. The local depressurizing mechanism is movable relative to the substrate following movement of the differential pumping device while facing the differential pumping device through the substrate.

Abstract: A differential pumping apparatus for creating a high vacuum inside a processing space includes a displacement drive unit configured to move a substrate to be processed or a head, to adjust parallelism and distance between a surface to be processed and a surface of the head. Gap measurement devices are placed at three or more locations along the periphery of the surface of the head to provide distance information. A gap control unit is configured to control the displacement drive unit in response to the distance information between the surface to be processed and the surface adapted to face the surface to be processed, so that the surface to be processed and the surface adapted to face the surface to be processed are parallel.

Abstract: Polarized light emitted from a light source and transmitted through a light transmission region formed in a mask is radiated onto an exposure target object placed on a stage. The polarized light is radiated onto the exposure target object from a direction inclined by approximately 50° to approximately 70° in relation to a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a top surface of the stage.

Abstract: A laser irradiation apparatus includes a light source configured to generate a laser beam, a projection lens configured to irradiate a predetermined region of an amorphous silicon thin film deposited on each of a plurality of thin film transistors on a glass substrate with the laser beam, and a projection mask pattern provided on the projection lens and including a plurality of masks to which transmittances that are proportions of laser beams passing therethrough are set, wherein the projection lens irradiates the plurality of thin film transistors on the glass substrate moving in a predetermined direction with the laser beam via the plurality of masks included in the projection mask pattern, and each of the plurality of masks included in the projection mask pattern is set to any one of the plurality of transmittances.