Abstract: The present invention is a thermal processing unit including: a heating-furnace body whose upper end has an opening; a reaction tube consisting of a single tube contained in the heating-furnace body; a gas-discharging-unit connecting portion formed at an upper portion of the reaction tube, the gas-discharging-unit connecting portion having a narrow diameter; a substrate-to-be-processed supporting member for supporting a substrate to be processed, contained in the heating-furnace body; and a heating unit for heating the substrate to be processed supported by the substrate-to-be-processed supporting member.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus utilized for thermal processing of substrates during semiconductor manufacturing. The method includes heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature using a heating assembly, cooling the substrate to the predetermined temperature using a cooling assembly located such that a thermal conductance region is provided between the heating and cooling assemblies, and adjusting a thermal conductance of the thermal conductance region to aid in heating and cooling of the substrate. The apparatus includes a heating assembly, a cooling assembly located such that a thermal conductance region is provided between the heating and cooling assemblies, and a structure or configuration for adjusting a thermal conductance of the thermal conductance region.

Abstract: Microwaves propagated through the waveguide 30, a plurality of slots 31 and the dielectric members 33 in this order are supplied into the processing chamber U where they are used to excite a gas to plasma to be used to process a substrate G. Alumina 50 fills an area inside the waveguide 30 near an end surface C thereof, and the remaining area inside the waveguide is filled with Teflon 35. Since the alumina 50 has a smaller guide wavelength ?g compared to the Teflon 35, the mechanical length measured from the end surface C of the waveguide 30 to the center of the closest slot is reduced compared to the mechanical length of a waveguide filled only with Teflon 35 while maintaining the physical characteristic length from the end surface C to the closest slot center at ?g/4.

Abstract: The present invention provides a probe card that can examine an object with small electrode spacing. A probe supporting plate is provided to a lower face side of a printed wiring board of a probe card. A plurality of probes are supported by the probe supporting plate. The probes comprise an upper contact, a lower contact, and a main body portion. An upper end portion of the upper contact protrudes toward an upper side of the probe supporting plate and contacts a terminal of the printed wiring board. A lower end portion of the lower contact protrudes toward a lower side of the probe supporting plate. On the probe supporting plate, a through-hole and a concave portion are formed to lock the probes, and the probes can be inserted and removed freely against the probe supporting plate from above.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to perform replacement of parts of a substrate processing apparatus more rapidly than that by the prior art. The present invention is a substrate processing apparatus constituted of a plurality of component parts for performing predetermined processing for a substrate, identification marks being attached to the respective component parts, the apparatus including: a storage unit for storing part information on each of the component parts necessary when placing an order for a component part, in correspondence with the identification mark; an input unit for inputting an identification mark of a component part to be ordered; and a display unit for displaying the part information in the storage unit corresponding to the inputted identification mark.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing method wherein the infrared absorptance or infrared transmittance of a substrate to be processed is measured in advance, and the substrate is processed according to the measured value while independently controlling temperatures at least in a first region located in the central part of the substrate and in a second region around the first region using temperature control means which are respectively provided for the first region and the second region and can be controlled independently from each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a probe card that can examine an object with small electrode spacing. A probe supporting plate is provided to a lower face side of a printed wiring board of a probe card. A plurality of probes are supported by the probe supporting plate. The probes comprise an upper contact, a lower contact, and a main body portion. An upper end portion of the upper contact protrudes toward an upper side of the probe supporting plate and contacts a terminal of the printed wiring board. A lower end portion of the lower contact protrudes toward a lower side of the probe supporting plate. On the probe supporting plate, a through-hole and a concave portion are formed to lock the probes, and the probes can be inserted and removed freely against the probe supporting plate from above.

Abstract: A plasma etching method includes the step of: etching a silicon layer of a target object by using a plasma generated from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas, a hydrofluorocarbon gas, a rare gas and an O2 gas and by employing a patterned resist film as a mask. The target object includes the silicon layer whose main component is silicon and the patterned resist film formed over the silicon layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a capacity element, including the steps of (a) forming an insulating film on a substrate to be processed, (b) forming a lower electrode layer on the insulating film, (c) feeding a vaporized organic solvent onto the lower electrode layer under a condition wherein an oxidizing gas is prevented from feeding in a first step (c1), and feeding one or plural kinds of the organometallic material gas together with the oxidizing gas to the lower electrode layer in a second step (c2), the first step (c1) and the second step (c2) being continuously performed in a chamber, thereby forming a dielectric layer on the lower electrode, and (d) forming an upper electrode layer on the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A microwave plasma processing apparatus which easily ensures uniformity and stability of plasma in response to changes of process conditions and the like. The microwave plasma processing apparatus 100 generates plasma of a process gas in a chamber by microwave and performs plasma processing to a work to be processed by using the plasma. On a plate 27 composed of a conductor covering the outer circumference of a micro wave transmitting board 28, two or more holes 42 for propagating microwave from an edge part of the microwave transmitting board 28 to an inner part of the holes 42 are formed. Volume adjusting mechanisms 43 and 45 adjust the volume of the holes to adjust impedance of each unit when the microwave transmitting board 28 is divided by unit to which each of the holes 42 belongs, and electric field distribution of the microwave transmitting board 28 is controlled.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a mounting table for mounting thereon an object to be processed, an electrode connected to a high frequency power supply, an electrical state setting unit for setting an electrical state of the mounting table to a conducting state or a floating state, and a controller for controlling the high frequency power supply to apply a high frequency power to the electrode and controlling the electrical state setting unit to set an electrical state of the mounting table to a floating state. Further, a radical produced from a cleaning gas by the applied high frequency power is made to have a contact with the mounting table.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring plasma electron density precisely measures electron density in plasma even under a low electron density condition or high pressure condition. This plasma electron density measuring apparatus includes a vector network analyzer in a measuring unit, which measures a complex reflection coefficient and determines a frequency characteristic of an imaginary part of the coefficient. A resonance frequency at a point where the imaginary part of the complex reflection coefficient is zero-crossed is read and the electron density is calculated based on the resonance frequency by a measurement control unit.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus 100 includes an upper plate 60 and a lower plate 61 disposed above a susceptor 2. The upper plate 60 and lower plate 61 are made of a heat resistant and insulative material, such as quartz. The two plates are disposed in parallel with each other with a predetermined gap of, e.g., 5 mm interposed therebetween. The two plates have a plurality of through holes 60a and 61a formed therein and positionally shifted from each other. The two plates are disposed in an overlapped state such that the through holes 61a of the lower plate 61 are not aligned with the through holes 60a of the upper plate 60.

Abstract: In a heat treatment method in which a semiconductor wafer is carried into a heat treatment chamber constituted of a heat plate and a cover body covering the heat plate and processed, until the wafer is carried into the heat treatment chamber, an opening and closing operation of the cover body is performed to maintain the accumulated heat temperature of the heat treatment chamber at a prescribed processing temperature.

Abstract: A method for treating a fluoro-carbon dielectric film for integration of the dielectric film into a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate having a fluoro-carbon film deposited thereon, the film having an exposed surface containing contaminants, and treating the exposed surface with a supercritical carbon dioxide fluid to clean the exposed surface of the contaminants and provide surface termination. The supercritical carbon dioxide treatment improves adhesion and electrical properties of film structures containing a metal-containing film formed on the surface of the fluoro-carbon dielectric film.

Abstract: The present invention presents an adaptable processing element for use in a processing system having multiple configurations. The processing element comprises a primary component and at least one detachable component, wherein the at least one detachable component can be retained for one configuration and removed for another configuration. For example, the detachable component may include a punch-out or knock-out located on a right-hand side and a left-hand side of a processing element in order to permit access of a gas supply line to a processing chamber for either a right-hand orientation or a left-hand orientation, respectively. Additionally, for example, the detachable component, whether retained or removed, can permit flexible use with different size processing chambers.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a table (22) on which a processing target (W) is to be placed, a processing vessel (11) where the table is to be accommodated, and a power feed unit (40) for supplying a high-frequency electromagnetic field (F) into the processing vessel. The power supply unit includes at least a cylindrical waveguide (41) for introducing the high-frequency electromagnetic field, and a circular polarization antenna (51) arranged at one end of the cylindrical waveguide to supply the high-frequency electromagnetic field as a rotating electromagnetic field rotating in a plane perpendicular to its traveling direction. Accordingly, there is no need of providing a circular polarization converter for converting the high-frequency electromagnetic field in the cylindrical waveguide into the rotating electromagnetic field.

Abstract: A information processing apparatus 100 for processing an acquired value, which is a value acquired in regard to a state during a treatment, performed by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 200 for performing a treatment on a treatment target containing a semiconductor according to a set value, which is a value for setting a condition of a treatment, includes: a set value receiving portion 101 for receiving the set value; a state value receiving portion 102 for receiving the acquired value; a correction amount calculating portion 103 for calculating a correction amount of the acquired value, using a correction function indicating a relationship between the set value and the acquired value; a correcting portion 104 for correcting the acquired value received by the state value receiving portion 102, using the correction amount calculated by the correction amount calculating portion 103; and an output portion 105 for outputting a result of correction performed by the correcting portion 104.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a device by bringing an inspecting probe into electrical contact with an inspection electrode. An insulating film formed on the surface of the inspection electrode is broken by utilizing a fritting phenomenon so as to bring the inspection electrode into electrical contact with the inspection electrode.

Abstract: A processing system has an upper electrode with gas discharge holes of a shape corresponding to the external we of insulating members. The insulating members are formed of a poly(ether etherketone) resin, a polyimide resin, a poly (ether imide) resin or the like. Each insulating member has a step at its outer surface and an internal longitudinal through hole tapered to expand toward the processing chamber. The insulating members are pressed in the gas discharge holes to bring the steps into contact with shoulders formed in the sidewalls of the gas discharge holes. A part of each insulting member, as fitted in the gas discharge hole, projects from a surface of the upper electrode that faces a susceptor.