Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic component manufacturing method including a step of embedding a metal film. An embodiment of the present invention includes a first step of depositing a barrier layer containing titanium nitride on an object to be processed on which a concave part is formed and a second step of filling a low-melting-point metal directly on the barrier layer under a temperature condition allowing the low-melting-point metal to flow, by a PCM sputtering method while forming a magnetic field by a magnet unit including plural magnets which are arranged at grid points of a polygonal grid so as to have different polarities between the neighboring magnets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vacuum heating/cooling apparatus capable of rapidly heating and also rapidly cooling only a substrate while a high vacuum degree is maintained after film-formation processing. The vacuum heating/cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber (1), a halogen lamp (2) which emits heating light, a quartz window (3) for allowing the heating light to enter the vacuum chamber (1), a substrate supporting base (9) having a cooling function, and a lift pin (13) which causes the substrate (5) to stand still at a heating position P3 and a cooling position P1 and moves the substrate (5) between the heating position P3 and the cooling position P1.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus comprises a substrate holder capable of holding a substrate, a link unit which extends/retracts the substrate holder, a driving unit which generates a driving force to operate the link unit, a guide bar provided to one of the substrate holder and the link unit; and a support unit which is provided to the other of the substrate holder and the link unit, and slidably supports the guide bar when the substrate holder moves by the operation of the link unit.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a process chamber, a load lock chamber connected to the process chamber, and a transfer device configured to transfer a substrate from the load lock chamber to the process chamber. The transfer device is configured to move the substrate by gravity. The transfer device includes a guide configured to form a transfer path when the substrate moves by the gravity, and a stopper configured to limit movement of the substrate by the gravity when holding the substrate, and cancel the limitation when moving the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to align crystal c-axes in magnetic layers near two opposed junction wall faces of a magnetoresistive element so as to be almost perpendicular to the junction wall faces. A magnetic sensor stack body has, on a substrate, a magnetoresistive element whose electric resistance fluctuates when a bias magnetic field is applied and, on sides of opposed junction wall faces of the magnetoresistive element, field regions including magnetic layers for applying the bias magnetic field to the element. The magnetoresistive element has at least a ferromagnetic stack on a part of an antiferromagnetic layer, and width of an uppermost face of the ferromagnetic stack along a direction in which the junction wall faces are opposed to each other is smaller than width of an uppermost face of the antiferromagnetic layer in the same direction.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a film forming method of epitaxially growing a semiconductor film having a wurtzite structure by sputtering on a substrate for epitaxial growth heated to a desired temperature by using a heater, comprises the following steps. First, the substrate is disposed on a substrate holder including the heater in such a way that the substrate is disposed away from the heater by a predetermined distance. Then, the epitaxial film of the semiconductor film having the wurtzite structure is formed on the substrate in the state where the substrate is disposed away from the heater by the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A pressure gauge includes a first sensor for detecting a pressure in a first range, a second sensor for detecting a pressure in a second range, and a processing unit for determining a pressure value based on outputs from the first sensor and the second sensor. The first and the second ranges have an overlapping range, an upper limit of the second range is higher than that of the first range, the processing unit determines a correction value based on outputs from the first sensor and the second sensor when a pressure falls within the overlapping range, and the processing unit determines a pressure value based on an output from the second sensor and the correction value, when measuring, by using the second sensor, a pressure in the second range, higher than that of the first pressure range.

Abstract: A diaphragm-type pressure gauge which is attached to a vessel to be measured and measures a pressure by introducing a gas inside the vessel includes a housing into which the gas is introduced, and a sensor unit which is arranged in the housing, and includes a diaphragm electrode, a measurement surface of which is arranged parallel to an introduction direction of the gas. When the housing is attached to the vessel, the measurement surface of the diaphragm electrode is arranged parallel to a direction of gravitational force.

Abstract: In fin FET fabrication, side walls of a semiconductor fin formed on a substrate have certain roughness. Using such fins having roughness may induce variations in characteristics between transistors due to their shapes or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a fin FET fabrication method capable of improving device characteristic by easily reducing the roughness of the side walls of fins after formation. In one embodiment of the present invention, side walls of a semiconductor fin are etched by an ion beam extracted from a grid to reduce the roughness of the side walls.

Abstract: The present invention provides a metal nitride film that realizes an intended effective work function (for example, a high effective work function) and has EOT exhibiting no change or a reduced change, a semiconductor device using the metal nitride film, and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device. The metal nitride film according to an embodiment of the present invention contains Ti, Al and N, wherein the metal nitride film has such molar fractions of Ti, Al and N as (N/(Ti+Al+N)) of 0.53 or more, (Ti/(Ti+Al+N)) of 0.32 or less, and (Al/(Ti+Al+N)) of 0.15 or less.

Abstract: When a film is formed by using a sputter method, distribution variation due to a progress of target erosion generated during the film formation is suppressed, and film thickness distribution and resistance value distribution are corrected to an optimal state. In order to maintain the magnetic flux density formed on the target surface at a constant level, the distance between the target surface and the magnet surface (MT distance) is corrected in accordance with the progress of the target erosion. Further, two or more MT distances are set by a process recipe or the like while forming a thin film, and different distribution shapes are combined to form a near flat distribution shape.

Abstract: A cooling system that cools a wafer in a vacuum chamber of a sputtering apparatus, includes a wafer cooling stage for cooling the wafer, a cooling mechanism for cooling the wafer cooling stage, cooling gas supply units which introduces a cooling gas to the wafer cooling stage, a wafer rotating mechanism which holds the wafer in a state separated from the wafer cooling stage by a predetermined gap, and is rotated while holding the wafer, and a driving mechanism which rotates the wafer rotating mechanism at a predetermined rotational speed.

Abstract: A plasma apparatus includes: a chamber which can be evacuated into vacuum; first electrode disposed within the chamber; a magnet mechanism having a magnet provided apart from and above the first electrode; a second electrode provided facing the first electrode; and a magnetic shield member provided in at least one of gaps between the first electrode and the magnet mechanism and between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: To provide a magnetron sputtering cathode, a magnetron sputtering apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a magnetic device, capable of generating a leakage magnetic field sufficiently large to form a magnetic tunnel necessary for discharge on the surface of a target even when the target is a magnetic body and thick and a ferromagnetic body is used as the target. The magnetron sputtering cathode of the present invention includes a target having a second annular groove provided on the sputtering surface of the target, a third annular projection provided on the non-sputtering surface of the target, a fourth annular groove provided outside the third annular projection on the non-sputtering surface, and a fourth annular projection provided outside the fourth annular groove on the non-sputtering surface. Further, the magnetron sputtering cathode includes a first magnet and a second magnet 6 having a polarity different from that of the first magnet on the non-sputtering surface side.

Abstract: A substrate support apparatus has a substrate holding portion to be inserted into a center hole formed in a substrate to support the substrate in a vertical orientation, and includes a first connecting plate connected to the substrate holding portion and a second connecting plate which faces the first connecting plate and is connectable to a transport robot that transports the substrate to a substrate holder. In addition, a shock absorbing member is arranged between the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate so as to allow a movement of the first connecting plate relative to the second connecting plate in horizontal and vertical directions. Support members are configured to connect the first connecting plate to the second connecting plate while allowing the movement of the first connecting plate relative to the second connecting plate.

Abstract: A conductance valve is configured to be able to adjust the conductance by adjusting the opening degree of an opening formed in part of the wall surface a vacuum vessel. The conductance valve includes a swing arm which is pivotally coupled to a driving portion, and a rectangular valve body which is coupled to the swing arm and is pivotal with respect to it. When the swing arm pivots, the rectangular valve body is pivoted by a predetermined angle. The overhang of the valve body at the closed position of the conductance valve can be reduced.

Abstract: To provide a frequency conversion device which uses a magneto-resistive device and thereby can correspond to a Si-based MMIC and a GaAs-based MMIC. A frequency conversion apparatus according to the present invention includes: a frequency conversion device made of a magneto-resistive device including a magnetic free layer, an intermediate layer, and a magnetic pinned layer; a magnetic field applying mechanism for applying a magnetic field to the frequency conversion device; a local oscillator for applying a local oscillation signal to the frequency conversion device; and an input terminal electrically connected to the frequency conversion device, and used to input an external input signal.

Abstract: A vacuum vessel includes: a pair of bent members formed by bending two metal plates and connected to each other to form a closed space inside; one looped seal member which seals connecting portions of the pair of bent members; a structure arranged in the closed space to abut against an inner surface of the closed space formed by the pair of bent members; and a fastening member which connects the connecting portions of the pair of bent members.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a protective film formation chamber for forming a carbon protective film on a magnetic film includes: a gas introduction part which introduces a source gas to a vacuum vessel; a discharge electrode having a discharge surface at a position facing a substrate conveyed to a predetermined position in the vacuum vessel; a plasma formation part which applies voltage between the discharge surface and the substrate conveyed to the predetermined position; a permanent magnet being provided on a back side of the discharge surface and having a first magnet and a second magnet provided such that their magnetic poles facing the discharge surface are opposite to each other; and a no-erosion-portion mask being provided in parallel to the discharge surface and covering an area of the discharge surface surrounding a portion facing the permanent magnet.

Abstract: In a case where reactive ion etching using a gas containing an oxygen atom is used for etching or a magnetoresistive element, a magnetic film becomes damaged due to oxidation. Such damage to the element by the oxidation becomes a factor which causes deterioration in element properties. In the etching of the magnetoresistive element according to one embodiment of the present invention, a magnetoresistive film is subjected to ion beam etching and thereafter to reactive ion etching. A side deposition formed by the ion beam etching coats a sidewall of the magnetoresistive film and reduces damage by the oxygen atom during the later reactive ion etching. Also, a time during which the element is exposed to plasma of the gas containing the oxygen atom can be reduced.