Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing a tunnel barrier layer or a gate insulator film with good film quality and film thickness uniformity. The present invention is characterized in that, a shield is configured to shield a region of a substrate to which an erosion region of a target is projected along a normal from a surface of the target and sputtered particles are configured to deposit on the substrate linearly moved when passing through an opening formed in the shield.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including first and second chambers stacked one above the other; a first opening that is provided in a wall of the first chamber that faces the second chamber, and that allows a substrate to pass through the first opening; a second opening that is provided in a wall of the second chamber that is in communication with the first opening and that allows the substrate to pass through the second opening; an opening and closing member that is provided inside the first chamber so as to move up and down and that opens and closes the first opening; a substrate mounting member that is provided closer to the second chamber than the opening and closing member, and that moves the substrate between the first and second chambers; and a substrate processing member provided in the second chamber.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus is provided with an elongated target holder, a substrate holder having a substrate receiving surface, and a mask assembly having an opening configured between the target holder and the substrate holder. The mask assembly is comprised of a first and second masking part having facing edges that form the opening and are disposed parallel to the substrate receiving surface and independently movable in a direction perpendicular to the length of the target holder and parallel to the substrate receiving surface, or in a direction perpendicular to the substrate receiving surface.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium are provided which can easily demagnetize a magnetic layer with a high coercivity. The method includes: forming a magnetic layer on a substrate; applying magnetic fields parallel to the surface of the magnetic layer having a coercivity reduced below the intensity of said magnetic field by heating of the magnetic layer; and removing said magnetic field.