Abstract: The mold clamping device with improved transmission mechanism includes: a middle platen 2 fixedly supported by a support base 1 and carrying the lower metallic mold 6; and front tie-bars 3a extending slidably therethrough. A movable platen 4 carrying the upper metallic mold 7 is secured to the top ends of the front tie-bars 3a. The horizontal connecting bar members 5a and 5b connect the bottom ends of the front and the rear tie-bars 3a and 3b. The middle platen 2 and the horizontal connecting bar members 5a and 5b are operatively coupled by means of the pantograph mechanism consisting of flat bar-shaped links 15a and 15b, whose front and rear joints are pinned to annular links 16a and 16bengaging with a left-and-right-handed ball thread member 17 driven by a driving source.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the plasma treatment of semiconductor devices, a cover is provided on the outer periphery of the space between the upper and lower electrodes. By virtue of the provision of the cover on the outer periphery of the inter-electrode space, the processing gas ejected from ejection holes on one surface of the upper electrode diffuses evenly in the inter-electrode space to reach the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency at which the wafer is processed as well as the evenness with which various portions of the surface of the wafer are treated.