Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes removing a foreign material attached to a substrate while preventing deterioration of the substrate and any film formed on or above the substrate. A cleaning gas at a pressure between 0.3 MPa and 2.0 MPa is sprayed towards a wafer W with attached foreign material 22 placed in a near-vacuum, producing clusters 21 made up of a multitude of gas molecules 20, and the clusters 21 collide with the wafer W without undergoing ionization.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a filtration filter capable of purifying with high accuracy and largely improving filtration efficiency. A flow path forming film is formed on a substrate. A plurality of grooves is formed on the flow path forming film along a surface of the substrate by etching. The grooves are filled with a sacrificial film. The flow path forming film and the sacrificial film are planarized by polishing the sacrificial film. A flow path sealing film is formed on the planarized flow path forming film and sacrificial film. An inlet hole and an outlet hole are formed through the substrate and the flow path sealing film, respectively, so that parts of the sacrificial film are exposed through the inlet hole and the outlet hole. The sacrificial film is removed using the inlet hole and the outlet hole and the filtration flow paths are formed by the grooves.

Abstract: Etching is performed through the following process. A substrate is loaded into a processing chamber and mounted on a mounting table therein. Then, in the state where a ring member at least a surface of which is made of a same material as a main component of an etching target film is provided to surround the substrate, a processing gas is injected in a shower-like manner from a gas supply unit oppositely facing the substrate and the etching target film is etched by using a plasma of the processing gas; and evacuating the inside of the processing chamber through an exhaust path. Through this process, unbalanced distribution of plasma active species in the vicinity of a circumferential edge portion of the substrate can be suppressed.

Abstract: Provided is a filtration filer with which a stable opening size during filtration is obtained, and which can be easily regenerated when clogged and used repeatedly. The filtration filter (10) comprises: a substrate stack wherein substrates (11) that have a through hole that penetrates from front to back are stacked; stoppers (15) that define the spacing between the substrates (11); and pillars (16) with a larger thermal expansion coefficient than the stoppers (15). The spacing between the substrates (11) at normal temperature is defined at least by the stoppers (15), and the spacing when heated is defined by the thermally expanded pillars (16). The gaps between the substrates (11) form the filtration surface that traps contaminants contained in the liquid that is being treated A.

Abstract: A vacuum exhaust method of a substrate processing apparatus, after opening to the atmosphere, depressurizes a vacuum processing chamber having therein a mounting table for mounting a target substrate thereon. The vacuum exhaust method includes covering a surface of the mounting table with a protection member; sealing the vacuum processing chamber; vacuum evacuating the sealed vacuum processing chamber; and adsorbing at least one of foreign substances and out-gases by the protection member.

Abstract: Etching is performed through the following process. A substrate is loaded into a processing chamber and mounted on a mounting table therein. Then, in the state where a ring member at least a surface of which is made of a same material as a main component of an etching target film is provided to surround the substrate, a processing gas is injected in a shower-like manner from a gas supply unit oppositely facing the substrate and the etching target film is etched by using a plasma of the processing gas; and evacuating the inside of the processing chamber through an exhaust path. Through this process, unbalanced distribution of plasma active species in the vicinity of a circumferential edge portion of the substrate can be suppressed.

Abstract: A turbomolecular pump includes: a rotor (30) formed with rotating blades (32) in a plurality of stages, and rotating at high speed; a plurality of fixed blades (33) arranged along axial direction of the pump so as to alternate with respect to the rotating blades (32); a pump housing (34) containing the rotating blades (32) and the fixed blades (33), and formed with an inlet opening (21a); a circular disk (150), provided close to the inlet opening of the rotor (30), and arranged so as to oppose a surface of the rotor (30) radially inward than a root portion of the rotating blades; and a cylindrical mesh structure (153a, 153b), disposed between the inlet opening (21a) and the rotor (30), and made by interlacing fine wires. Particles that strike the rotor and bounce off are captured internally in the mesh structure (153a, 153b).

Abstract: An internal member of a plasma processing vessel includes a base material and a film formed by thermal spraying of ceramic on a surface of the base material. The film is formed of ceramic which includes at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of B, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Cr, Y, Zr, Ta, Ce and Nd. In addition, at least a portion of the film is sealed by a resin.

Abstract: A particle monitoring apparatus includes a housing disposed on a gas exhaust line, a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam to particles in the gas exhaust line, a window member disposed at the housing for monitoring the particles in the gas exhaust line. The window member has a transparent base which is formed of a transparent resin or glass containing silicon and has a gas contact surface which faces a gas within the gas exhaust line, and a surface treatment layer formed on the gas contact surface of the transparent base, wherein the surface treatment layer contains one material selected from the group consisting of yttrium and calcium fluoride.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that can improve the uniformity of plasma processing carried out on a wafer. The wafer is housed in a chamber of the substrate processing apparatus and subjected to plasma processing using plasma produced in the processing chamber. A temperature control mechanism jets a high-temperature gas toward at least part of an annular focus ring facing the plasma.

Abstract: A particle capture unit adopted to be exposed to a space in which particles fly includes at least a first layer formed of a plurality of first fiber-like materials and a second layer formed of a plurality of second fiber-like materials. The first fiber-like materials are thinner than the second fiber-like materials and arrangement density of the first fiber-like materials in the first layer is higher than that of the second fiber-like materials in the second layer, the second layer is interposed between the first layer and the space, and the first and second layers are hardened and bonded together by sintering.

Abstract: Disclosed is an abnormality detection system that accurately detects abnormalities that arise in a device.

Abstract: A reflecting device that enables to prevent infiltration of particles into a processing chamber. The reflecting device is disposed in a communicating pipe. The communicating pipe allows the processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus and an exhaust pump to communicate with each other. The exhaust pump has at least one rotary blade. The reflecting device comprises at least one reflecting surface. The at least one reflecting surface is oriented to the exhausting pump.

Abstract: Provided is a filtration filer with which a stable opening size during filtration is obtained, and which can be easily regenerated when clogged and used repeatedly. The filtration filter (10) comprises: a substrate stack wherein substrates (11) that have a through hole that penetrates from front to back are stacked; stoppers (15) that define the spacing between the substrates (11); and pillars (16) with a larger thermal expansion coefficient than the stoppers (15). The spacing between the substrates (11) at normal temperature is defined at least by the stoppers (15), and the spacing when heated is defined by the thermally expanded pillars (16). The gaps between the substrates (11) form the filtration surface that traps contaminants contained in the liquid that is being treated A.

Abstract: In order to prevent particles within a unit from sticking to a substrate in a substrate processing process, an ion generator charges the particles. At the same time, a direct current voltage of the same polarity as the charged polarity of the particles is applied from a direct current power source to the substrate. In order to prevent generation of particles when producing gas plasma, a high-frequency voltage is applied to the upper and lower electrodes at multiple stages to produce plasma. In other words, at a first step, a minimum high-frequency voltage at which plasma can be ignited is applied to the upper and lower electrodes, thereby producing a minimum plasma. Thereafter, the applied voltage is increased in stages to produce predetermined plasma.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate cleaning method capable of cleaning a substrate on which a fine pattern is being formed in a short time with a simple configuration without having a harmful influence on the fine pattern. In the method, the substrate is transferred from a processing chamber for performing a process on the surface of the substrate therein to a cleaning chamber for cleaning the substrate therein. The substrate is cooled to a temperature in the cleaning chamber. A superfluid is supplied to the surface of the substrate, and contaminant components in the fine pattern are flowed out along with the superfluid as the superfluid flows over from the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing system which enables a minute piece of foreign matter attached to a substrate surface to be detected and are suitable for mass production of substrates. The substrate processing system has a substrate processing apparatus that carries out predetermined processing on a substrate. The substrate processing system comprises a substrate surface processing apparatus having a fluid supply unit that supplies onto a surface of the substrate a fluid containing an altering substance that alters a substance exposed at the surface of the substrate, and a substrate surface inspecting apparatus that inspects the surface of the substrate onto which the fluid has been supplied.

Abstract: An internal member of a plasma processing vessel includes a base material and a film formed by thermal spraying of ceramic on a surface of the base material. The film is formed of ceramic which includes at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of B, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Cr, Y, Zr, Ta, Ce and Nd. In addition, at least a portion of the film is sealed by a resin.

Abstract: To provide a method for producing a filtration filter that can simplify the process for providing clean water or freshwater. By etching silicon substrate 1 using masking film formed on a surface of substrate 1 and having numerous openings to expose portions of the surface, numerous circular holes 2 with an approximate diameter of 100 nm are formed in substrate 1. Diameter (D1) at minimum-diameter portions 4 near the openings of circular holes 2 to be reduced by silica film 3 is adjusted to be 1 nm˜100 nm by depositing silica film 3 on the inner surfaces of circular holes 2.

Abstract: An evacuation method which can reduce evacuation time without causing moisture-related problems. In a vacuum processing apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber, during the evacuation for the vacuum processing chamber, the pressure in the vacuum processing chamber is maintained at a pressure lower than or equal to the atmospheric pressure but higher than or equal to 6.7×102 Pa (5 Torr).