Abstract: In a method of an embodiment, a tungsten film is formed on a workpiece. The workpiece includes an underlying film and a mask provided on the underlying film. The tungsten film has a first region extending along the side wall surface of the mask that defines an opening, and a second region extending on the underlying film. Subsequently, the tungsten film is plasma-etched while leaving the first region. In forming the tungsten film, a precursor gas containing tungsten is supplied to the workpiece. Then, plasma of hydrogen gas is generated in order to supply hydrogen active species to the precursor on the workpiece.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a microwave generation unit configured to generate a microwave, a processing vessel configured to introduce the microwave thereinto, and a gas supply mechanism configured to supply a gas into the processing vessel, plasma being generated within the processing vessel so that a plasma processing is performed on a processing target object. The microwave generation unit includes an oscillation circuit configured to oscillate the microwave, a pulse generation circuit configured to oscillate a control wave having a predetermined frequency bandwidth at a predetermined cycle, and a frequency modulation circuit configured to modulate a frequency of the microwave to a modulated wave having the predetermined frequency bandwidth by the control wave and output the modulated wave, and the frequency modulation circuit alternately and repeatedly outputs the modulated wave and a non-modulated microwave at the predetermined cycle.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing system includes a program for inspecting a device of the system executing: displaying a screen for selecting an inspection set including inspection items having a manipulation item and/or a check item; retrieving the inspection items, arranging the inspection items in the order of workflow, and displaying each inspection item on a screen with an execution attribute indicating whether each inspection item is “automatic” or “manual” execution; receiving an inspection start command and reading the first inspection item from a storage unit. The program also executes steps corresponding to the following cases (a) to (d) until there are no more inspection items: (a) the read-out inspection item being the manipulation item and “automatic”; (b) the read-out inspection item being the manipulation item and “manual”; (c) the read-out inspection item being the check item and “automatic”; and (d) the read-out inspection item being the check item and “manual”.

Abstract: A vertical plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a plurality of target objects together at a time includes an activation mechanism configured to turn a process gas into plasma. The activation mechanism includes a vertically elongated plasma generation box attached to a process container at a position corresponding to a process field to form a plasma generation area airtightly communicating with the process field, an ICP electrode provided to the plasma generation box, and an RF power supply connected to the electrode.

Abstract: A particle removal apparatus for removing particles from a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, wherein the chamber is connected to a gas exhaust port and a plasma of a processing gas is generated in the chamber to plasma process a substrate to be processed, includes a particle charging control member for positively charging particles generated within the chamber by positive ions of an ion sheath region formed in a region other than the vicinity of the substrate to be processed, wherein positively charged particles are discharged from the chamber via the gas exhaust port. Therefore, there is no plasma disturbance or metal contamination, and thus can be applied to a practical use.

Abstract: A method includes forming a resist film on an etching target layer disposed on a test substrate, and performing sequential light exposure with a predetermined test pattern on the resist film sequentially at a plurality of areas, while respectively using different combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value, along with subsequent development, thereby forming resist patterns at the plurality of areas; then etching the etching target layer, removing the resist patterns, and measuring shapes of etched patterns at the plurality of areas by means of a scatterometory technique; and determining a management span of combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value admissible to obtain an etched pattern with a predetermined shape, with reference to the light exposure amounts and focus values used in the sequential light exposure, the line widths of the resist patterns, and the line widths of the etched patterns.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus and a focus ring enables to perform uniform plasma processing over the entire surface of a substrate to be processed to thereby improve in-surface uniformity of plasma processing compared with conventional cases. The focus ring is disposed on a susceptor 2, which serves to mount thereon a semiconductor wafer W and further functions as a lower electrode, to surround a periphery of the semiconductor wafer W. The focus ring 6 includes a ring member of a thin plate shape disposed to surround the periphery of the wafer W while maintaining a gap therebetween and a lower ring body installed below the semiconductor wafer and the ring member of the thin plate shape.

Abstract: A film forming method includes the steps of forming a F-doped carbon film by using a source gas containing C and F, and modifying the F-doped carbon film by radicals, the source gas having a F/C ratio larger than 1 and smaller than 2, the F/C ratio being defined as a ratio of a number of F atoms to a number of C atoms in a source gas molecule.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus which uniformly forms a fine resist pattern with a desired dimension within a plane of a substrate is disclosed. In a solvent vapor supply unit, a solvent vapor discharge nozzle is provided which can discharge a solvent vapor for swelling a resist pattern while moving above the front surface of a wafer. The wafer for which developing treatment has been finished and on which a resist pattern has been formed is carried into the solvent vapor supply unit, and the solvent vapor discharge nozzle is moved above the front surface of the wafer, so that the solvent vapor discharge nozzle supplies the solvent vapor onto the front surface of the wafer. This uniformly supplies a predetermined amount of solvent vapor to the resist pattern on the front surface of the wafer. As a result, the solvent vapor causes the resist pattern to evenly swell by a predetermined dimension, so that a resist pattern with a desired dimension is finally uniformly formed within the plane of the wafer.

Abstract: A substrate processing method processes a substrate including a processing target film, an organic film provided on the processing target film and having a plurality of line-shaped portions having fine width, and a hard film covering the line-shaped portions and the processing target film exposed between the line-shaped portions. The method includes a first etching step of etching a part of the hard film to expose the organic film and portions of the processing target film between the line-shaped portions; an ashing step of selectively removing the exposed organic film; and a second etching step of etching a part of the remaining hard film.

Abstract: The invention can provide a method of processing a substrate using Gate-Optimization processing sequences and evaluation libraries that can include gate-etch procedures, COR-etch procedures, and evaluation procedures.

Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a holding frame holding a test head through a biasing unit biasing the test head. An annular member is rotatably mounted in an opening of a ceiling plate of a main body. Cam followers are rotatably provided circumferentially on the annular member. An intermediate connecting member is provided in a lower surface of the test head, for bringing the test head into electrical contact with an upper surface of the probe card. Protrusions for guiding the cam followers are provided corresponding thereto at an outer periphery of the intermediate connecting member, upper surfaces of the protrusions being inclined. The cam followers are moved relatively upward along the respective inclined surfaces of the protrusions by rotating the annular member so that the intermediate connecting member is pushed downward against a biasing force of the biasing unit to bring the test head into press-contact with the probe card.

Abstract: A mounting table structure for use in a processing chamber for performing a heat treatment by using a microwave, includes a mounting table for mounting thereon a target object, the mounting table including therein a heating unit having a heating element made of a non-metal material and a supporting column standing up on a bottom portion of the processing chamber to support the mounting table. A shield member for blocking the microwave is provided on a top surface of the mounting table.

Abstract: In a film reforming method for reforming a film layer to be reformed by irradiating electron beams thereon, the electron beams are irradiated in a state where the film layer is cooled. Further, in a slimming amount controlling method for controlling a slimming amount of a resist film layer, the slimming amount thereof is controlled by the irradiation amount of electron beams irradiated thereon in a state where the resist film layer having a specified opening dimension is cooled. Furthermore, in a film reforming apparatus including a mounting unit for mounting thereon an object to be processed and an electron beam irradiating unit for irradiating electron beams on the object disposed on the mounting unit to thereby reform a film layer to be reformed, formed on an object, the electron beams are irradiated from the electron beam irradiating unit in a state where the film layer is cooled by a cooling unit provided in the mounting unit.

Abstract: An inspecting method for an object to be inspected is provided to bring probes of a probe card into electrical contact with a predetermined number of devices of target devices of the object at a time to inspect electrical characteristics of the target devices by moving a mounting table for mounting thereon the object under the control of a control unit. Upon completion of the inspection of the target devices, if inspection errors have occurred in specific devices of the target devices in a regular pattern, the target devices are re-examined, and when the re-examination is carried out, a contact position between the probe card and the object is displaced from a contact position in a previous inspection by a distance of at least one device to inspect electrical characteristics of the number of devices of the target devices at a time.

Abstract: In a plasma processing method, a conductor of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) and an electrode are electrically grounded prior to starting the plasma processing. A DC voltage with a polarity is applied to the conductor at a first time point after loading a substrate on the electrode. Then, the electrode is switched from an electrically grounded state to an electrically floating state at a second time point. A RF power is then applied to the electrode at a third time point. The application of the RF power is stopped at a fourth time point after a specified time has lapsed from the third time point. Then, the electrode is switched from the electrically floating state to the electrically grounded state at a fifth time point. Thereafter, the application of the DC voltage is stopped and the conductor is restored to a ground potential at a sixth time point.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having high reliability is provided by reducing fluorine remaining in a metal forming the semiconductor device. Specifically disclosed is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a fluoride removal step for removing a metal fluoride produced on a metal forming an electrode or wiring of a semiconductor device which is formed on a substrate to be processed. This method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is characterized in that the metal fluoride is removed by supplying formic acid in a gaseous state to the substrate to be processed in the fluoride removal step.

Abstract: A method for film formation is provided that can significantly suppress the amount of a source gas consumed in the formation of a copper film on a substrate by supplying a gas of a metallic source material complex, for example, copper acetate, produced by the sublimation of a solid source material, as a source gas to the substrate to cause a chemical reaction of the source gas. A source gas produced by the sublimation of a solid source material is supplied into a processing chamber, and the source material is adsorbed as a solid onto an adsorption/desorption member within the processing chamber. Next, the source gas supply and exhaust are stopped, and the processing chamber is brought to the state of a closed space. Thereafter, the substrate is heated, and the source material is chemically reacted on the substrate to form a thin film on the substrate.

Abstract: A vaporizer (300) is formed by connecting block-shaped vaporization modules (310). Each vaporization module has a discharge opening for a liquid source material; a vaporization chamber (370) for vaporizing the liquid source material, which is discharged from the discharge opening, to create a source gas; a liquid material flow path (320) formed so as to penetrate through joint surfaces connected to other vaporization modules; and a spray nozzle communicating with a portion in the middle of the liquid material flow path and leading the liquid source material, which flows in the flow path, to the discharge opening. Each vaporization module is connected at its joint surface to each of the other vaporization modules to cause the liquid material flow paths of all the vaporization modules to communicate with one another. When various flow rates ranging from low to high levels is required, the structure of the evaporator can be easily changed according to such rates without a reduction in evaporation efficiency.

Abstract: A sealing member 21 is lifted to cause its edge 21a to be in contact with a contact surface 17a of a support member 13. In the state where a precision ejection nozzle 5 is isolated, a gas exhaust unit 41 is operated to exhaust the inside of a chamber 1 to reduce the pressure in the chamber 1 to a predetermined level. Then, a purge gas is introduced into the chamber 1 from a purge gas supply source 31 through a gas introduction section 26 to replace the atmosphere in the chamber 1 with the purge gas, and the pressure in the chamber 1 is returned to the atmospheric pressure. After that, the sealing member 21 is lowered to release the isolation of the precision ejection nozzle 5. Then, liquid droplets of a liquid device material are ejected toward the surface of a substrate S while a carriage 7 is reciprocated in the X direction.