Abstract: A heat treating apparatus comprises a hot plate having a top surface on which is placed a substrate that is to be subjected to a heat treatment, setting means for setting an original target temperature of the hot plate required for subjecting the substrate to a heat treatment, a heat energy supply source for supplying a heat energy to the hot plate, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the hot plate, and control means receiving a detection signal from the sensor to obtain a difference in the detected temperature of the hot plate between the state that the substrate is not placed on the hot plate and the state that the substrate is placed on the hot plate, the original target temperature being switched based on the difference, and a signal denoting the switched target temperature in place of the original target temperature being supplied from the control means to the heat energy supply source.

Abstract: A substrate treatment device comprises a transporting arm for transporting a substrate within the treatment device, a supporting member, which is disposed on the transporting arm, for supporting the substrate, and a cleaning mechanism, which is installed in the substrate treatment device, for cleaning the supporting member. Since the substrate treatment device is equipped with the cleaning mechanism for cleaning the supporting member, the supporting member can be cleaned as required. Therefore, since the substrate always can be held on a clean supporting member, the particles are prevented from depositing on the rear surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A fluid feeding apparatus includes parallel flow passages connected at their downstream side, each parallel passage including a pressure flow controller (C) for regulating the flow of fluid and a fluid changeover valve (D) for opening and closing the passage on the downstream side of the pressure flow controller. A fluid feeding control unit (B) controls the pressure flow controllers and changeover valves so that when a changeover valve is closed a control valve (1) upstream of the changeover valve is also closed to prevent a pressure buildup at the changeover valve. In addition to the control valve (1), each pressure flow controller includes an orifice (5) downstream from the control valve, a pressure detector (3) for sensing pressure (P1) in the passage at a point between the control valve and the orifice, and a calculation control unit (6) for producing a control signal Qy for controlling the drive (2) for the control valve.

Abstract: A heating element is disposed on a back face side of a holding plate, and a substrate mounted on the surface of the holding plate is designed to be heat-treated. In the holding plate, a hole having a bottom is provided from the back face toward the surface. At positions of different heights, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor are disposed respectively. And a control section estimates the temperatures of the treatment position corresponding to detected results by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, controls heat energy to be supplied to the holding plate to control a heat treatment temperature of the substrate on the holding plate. Through the above formation, the temperature of the treatment position can be accurately estimated, the treatment position can reach a desired temperature within a short time, regardless of the temperature history, so that the time to treat the substrate at a desired treatment temperature can be made long.

Abstract: A film-forming method comprises the steps of: (a) holding a rectangular substrate by a spin chuck provided in a cup; (b) positioning a solvent supply nozzle above the rectangular substrate and supplying a solvent to the rectangular substrate, the solvent supply nozzle having a liquid discharge port which has a length at least corresponding to that of a peripheral portion of the rectangular substrate; (c) positioning a process liquid supply nozzle above the rectangular substrate and supplying a process liquid to a portion at a rotation center portion of the rectangular substrate, thereby to form a film; (d) rotating the rectangular substrate in the cup to adjust a film thickness of the film; and (e) thereafter positioning the solvent supply nozzle above one peripheral portion of the rectangular substrate and supplying the solvent to the one peripheral portion of the rectangular substrate, whereby the film is removed from the one peripheral portion of the rectangular substrate, the substrate being subsequently

Abstract: An orifice for a pressure-type flow rate controller, which can be produced by a simple method at a low cost, that provides a linearity--between the pressure P1 on the upstream side of the orifice and the flow rate--over a wide range of the pressure ratio P2/P1 of the pressure P2 on the downstream side of the orifice to the upstream pressure P1 and that permits adjustment with ease of flow characteristics among a plurality of orifices. The orifice comprises an inlet taper 1 in the shape of a bugle and a short narrowed straight section 2 adjoining the inlet taper 1, both formed by cutting one opening end of a preliminary hole 6 made in an orifice plate D, and further comprises a short inner taper 3 and an enlarged straight section 4 connecting with the taper 3 which are formed by enlarging the preliminary hole 6 at the other opening end, the short inner taper 3 adjoining the narrowed straight section 2 on one side and neighboring the enlarged straight section 4 on the other side.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a substrate in the presence of high purity C.sub.5 F.sub.8. When processing oxides and dielectrics in a gas plasma processing system, C.sub.5 F.sub.8 is used in combination with a carrier gas (e.g., Ar) and one or more of CO and O.sub.2. When using a silicon nitride (Si.sub.x N.sub.y) layer as an etch stop, effective etching is performed due to the selectivity of oxides versus silicon nitride. The method is used when etching down to self-aligning contacts and other layers. The method may be practiced with or without using an anti-reflective coating underneath the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control apparatus for use especially in the gas supply system in semiconductor manufacturing facilities. The flow control apparatus is provided with a bore-variable orifice, which permits easy switching of the fluid flow rate control range as well as size reduction of the pressure-type flow control apparatus, and offers other advantages including improved gas replaceability, prevention of dust formation, and reduced manufacturing costs of the flow control system.

Abstract: A processing system includes a coating/developing station for performing either a solution processing for processing a substrate using solution or a thermal processing for thermally processing the substrate, and a transfer unit for transferring the substrate into and from the coating/developing station. A casing encases the coating/developing station and the transfer unit. An interface section, provided in the casing, transfers the substrate into and from an external exposure machine for exposing the resist on the substrate. A pressure setting device sets a pressure in the casing to be lower than a pressure in the external exposure machine.

Abstract: In the case of a feeding apparatus which automatically performs drainage of a processing solution from a first tank and replenishment of the first tank with a processing solution by the use of a timer, when a pipe for sending NH4OH from the first tank to a scrubbing unit (SCR) is clogged, no liquid level is detected by a lowermost limit sensor before a set time of a replenishment timer expires, whereby replenishment of NH4OH is not started. Consequently, there never arises such a situation that remaining NH4OH and new NH4OH are mixed in the first tank.

Abstract: A plurality of projections 21 is disposed on a inner surface of a lid 20 which is detachably attached to a carrier body 10. Each projection 21 has a tapered end part 22 with inclined surfaces 23, 24. The surfaces 23, 24 are in the form of semitransparent mirror. A Light emitting device 47 projects light beam which travels horizontally to the projection 21 from outside of the lid 20. When a wafer is not present in slots 15 of the carrier body, the light beam travels to upper and lower adjacent photoelectric devices 48, 48 via the upper and lower adjacent projections 21. The semitransparent mirror 23, 24 changes the light beam traveling direction. When the wafer is present in the slots 15, the light beam is intercepted by the wafer, and the photoelectric devices 48 does not receive the light beam. In aforementioned manner, whether a wafer is present or not in the slots 15 can be detected.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided with a plurality of stages of mounting bases on each of which is disposed upwardly orientated, narrow tapered pins around the periphery of a semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of stages of turntables, one for each of the mounting bases, with the mounting bases being capable of moving independently of the turntables. When a wafer is transferred from a transporter arm to the tapered pins, the peripheral edge of the wafer comes into contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the tapered pins and the wafer is centered thereby. The turntable then picks up the wafer and aligns the orientation thereof. This makes it possible to position the centers of a plurality of wafers and position the orientations thereof in a simple manner.

Abstract: A processing apparatus of the invention includes a rotary processing part for rotating and drying plural sheets of objects to be processed collectively in order to allow the object to be rotated immediately after they are accommodated in the rotary processing part and a balance adjusting mechanism for adjusting balance of the rotary processing part by moving counterweights in accordance with the number of the objects. Further the processing apparatus further includes a counter for counting the number of the objects accommodated in the rotary processing part and a control unit for controlling the balance adjusting operation of the balance adjusting mechanism in accordance with a predetermined relationship between the number of objects and the respective positions of the counterweights.

Abstract: A gas is supplied to a second chamber so that the pressure in the second chamber is raised to a predetermined level. A communication passage is provided for internally connecting the first and second chambers. When the pressure in the first chamber attains the predetermined level, the gas is allowed to flow from the second chamber into the first chamber through the communication passage. A gas flow can be checked when an open-close door is opened to connect the chambers. Thus, there is no substantial gas flow, so that particles can be prevented from being flung up.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic cleaning device including a cleaning tank containing a semiconductor wafer W and pure water, and a plurality of vibrating plates provided with the cleaning tank. The vibrating plates are electric distortion transducers. By controlling the output phases of oscillators that vibrate the plates with a single oscillating source, the output phases of the oscillation sources can be matched. This enables uniform sound pressure distribution. Consequently, ultrasonic interference between vibrating plates can be eliminated. Uniform sound pressure distribution makes it possible to obtain a uniform particle removal rate, thereby improving cleaning efficiency.

Abstract: Plasma processing gas is introduced into an upper portion of a processing vessel and a film-formation gas is simultaneously introduced into the vicinity of a substrate to be processed. The plasma processing gas is ionized to form a first plasma and any of the plasma processing gas that has temporarily recombined in locations close to the substrate to be processed is re-ionized as a second plasma. As a result, the density of etchant ions used for cutting away overhangs around the openings of grooves can be increased. In other words, the number of etchant ions can be increased. This makes it possible to reduce the bias voltage applied to the substrate to be processed, preventing damage thereto.