Abstract: A nozzle assembly for use in atomizing and generating sprays from a fluid. The nozzle assembly includes two members, each with generally planar surfaces, that are joined together. A first set of channels is formed in the generally planar surface of a first one of the members to form, in cooperation with the generally planar surface of the second of the members, a plurality of filter passageways. A plenum chamber is formed in the first member. The plenum chamber is in fluid communication with and downstream of the plurality of filter passageways. A second set of channels is formed in the generally planar surface of the first member to form, in cooperation with the generally planar surface of the second member, a plurality of nozzle outlet passageways. These nozzle outlet passageways are in fluid communication with the plenum chamber.

Abstract: Presented is an etching method capable of easily etching an oxide containing an alkaline-earth metal. One method is to etch the oxide by using an etching gas containing a halogen gas except for fluorine, an interhalogen compound consisting of only a halogen element except for fluorine, or a halogen hydride consisting of a halogen element except for fluorine and hydrogen. Particularly chlorides, bromides, and iodides of alkaline-earth metals have relatively high vapor pressures, so a thin film containing an alkaline-earth metal can be etched by using chlorine gas, bromine gas, or iodine gas. When a halogen gas containing fluorine is used, damages to SiO2 portions used in a film formation apparatus are prevented by coating these SiO2 portions with a fluoride of an alkaline-earth metal.

Abstract: A method of processing specimens, an apparatus therefor, and a method of manufacture of a magnetic head are provided wherein a complicated conventional post processing step for removing corrosion products is eliminated by a corrosion prevention processing for removing only a residual chlorine compound produced in the gas plasma etching. More specifically, the method is comprised of the steps of: forming a lamination film including a seed layer made of NiFe alloy, an upper magnetic pole made of NiFe alloy connected to the seed layer, a gap layer made of oxide film in close contact with the seed layer, and a shield layer made of NiFe alloy in close contact with the gap layer; plasma-etching the seed layer with a gas which contains chlorine using the upper magnetic pole as a mask; and after that removing the residual chlorine compound by a plasma post treatment with a gas plasma which contains H2O or methanol.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that includes an outer tank, an inner tank, and opposed electrodes. The inner tank is provided in the outer tank and the opposed electrodes are provided in the inner tank. A distance between the opposed electrodes can be changed in a state in which the inner tank can completely confine plasma therein. The inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members, and the state in which the inner tank can completely confine plasma therein is established by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating the inside of a metal tube with an electrically conducting material, including first and second electrode assemblies supported within the tube. The axially spaced electrode assemblies each include a main electrode. The main electrode of the first electrode assembly is supported on the inner tube face via an insulating member. The second electrode assembly has an auxiliary electrode connected to the main electrode of the second electrode assembly and to the tube. A wire is secured to and extending between the main electrodes. A current source is connected to the main electrode of the first electrode assembly and the main electrode of the second electrode assembly through the tube and the auxiliary electrode for passing an electric current pulse through the wire for causing an explosive vaporization thereof, whereby particles of the vaporized material form a layer on the inner tube face.

Abstract: A grid protects a manometer diaphragm from plasma. A plasma chamber is used to generate a plasma. A manometer is used to measure the pressure in the plasma chamber. A grounded electrically conductive grid is used to screen out ions in the plasma before they reach a diaphragm in the manometer. The grid may be formed in a centering ring. A pipe may be used to connect the manometer to the plasma chamber. The centering ring may be placed in the joint in the pipe, with the centering ring and grid being grounded to the pipe.

Abstract: A gaseous polishing apparatus and a nozzle device designed for gaseous polishing perform precision polishing on a surface of an object to be polished. The nozzle device includes a nozzle body having a nozzle opening provided at a downstream end thereof for ejecting polishing gas. A shutter device is disposed in proximity to the nozzle opening so as to control ejecting and stopping of the polishing gas towards the object surface. A control mechanism controls opening and closing action of the shutter device.

Abstract: An antenna adapted to apply a uniform electromagnetic field to a volume of gas and including an input terminal for receiving electrical energy into the antenna and an array of radiating elements connected to the input terminal thereof. In the illustrative embodiment, the antenna has four radiating elements. Each radiating element is a conductor wound in a rectangular spiral shape. Each radiating element is connected to the input terminal on one end and an output terminal on a second end thereof. The input terminal is equidistant from first, second, third and fourth output terminals connected to the first, second, third and fourth radiating elements, respectively. The inventive antenna affords a novel method for plasma processing a device including the steps of: mounting the device within a chamber; providing a gas the chamber; and applying an electromagnetic field to the gas via an array of antenna elements disposed relative to the gas to generate a uniform distribution of the plasma.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a diamond film synthesizing apparatus, and in particular to an apparatus for increasing the deposition area to several inches in diameter by using multiple cathodes (Multi-cathode DC PACVD). In the multi-cathode DC PACVD apparatus according to the present invention, the basic array of the cathodes is determined so that the uniformity of diamond films on a deposition area is maximized. A seven-cathode structure, in which six cathodes are radially arranged at the same distance of 43 mm surrounding one central cathode, in which a basic unit of the array is regular triangle, is designed for depositing uniform diamond films on a 4″ substrate. Here, the shape of six edge cathodes is rod of which the lateral face is joined to the connecting rod, so that non-uniformity of temperature in the edge cathode is minimized and then the reliability of the apparatus is much enhanced.

Abstract: A substrate holder and an electrode are arranged facing each other in a vacuum chamber. The electrode is provided with a process gas introduction mechanism and a gas blowoff plate. A substrate is loaded on the substrate holder, the process gas is introduced, and electric power is supplied between the substrate holder and the electrode to generate plasma for etching the substrate surface. At the rear side of the gas blowoff plate in the vacuum chamber, a plurality of magnets is provided at concentric positions. The magnetic field strength resulting from the magnets on the surface of the substrate is made 0 Gauss. By using the magnets in this way and improving the magnets, it is possible to establish a better etching process for various materials to be etched.

Abstract: When in a chamber, an upper electrode and a lower electrode (suscepter) are provided opposite to each other and with a to-be-treated substrate supported by the lower electrode, the high-frequency electric field is formed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to generate plasma of the process gas while introducing the process gas into the chamber held to the reduced pressure, and an etching is provided to the to-be-treated substrate with this plasma, the high frequency in the range from 50 to 150 MHZ, for example, 60 MHz, is applied to the upper electrode, and the high frequency in the range from 1 to 4 MHz, for example, 2 MHz, is applied to the lower electrode.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus capable of certainly performing a plasma process such as isotropic plasma etching on the whole surface of a particle. A particle (2) is passed through a passage (3) in which inductive coupled plasma is generated and a plasma process is performed on the particle (2). In such a manner, the plasma process on the particle (2) can be performed on the entire surface of the particle (2) in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for releasably attaching a polishing pad to a support surface under the polishing pad. In one embodiment of the invention, a polishing pad has a first surface for planarizing a substrate assembly, a second surface contacting the support surface, and an interlocking element. The support surface has a retaining member configured to engage the interlocking element on the polishing pad. The interlocking element and retaining member can be any one of several configurations, including: tongue and groove, protuberance and depression, reciprocal elongated ridges, or teeth.

Abstract: There is described a wafer processing apparatus intended to efficiently secure a wafer on an electrostatic chuck. A heater is disposed in a processing chamber for heating a wafer, and a dielectric plate for supporting the wafer is also disposed in the processing chamber. First and second electrodes are embedded in the dielectric plate, and first and second variable D.C. power supplies are disposed so as to supply voltages to the first and second electrodes, respectively. After the wafer has been placed on an electrostatic chuck, the wafer is pre-heated before being subjected to attraction force. After completion of the pre-heating phase, the first and second D.C. power supplies supply voltages to the first and second electrodes, thus securing the wafer on the dielectric plate.

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition is performed using a plurality of expanding thermal plasma generating means to produce a coating on a substrate, such as a thermoplastic and especially a polycarbonate substrate. The substrate is preferably moved past the generating means. Included are methods which coat both sides of the substrate or which employ multiple sets of generating means, either in a single deposition chamber or in a plurality of chambers for deposition of successive coatings. The substrate surfaces spaced from the axes of the generating means are preferably heated to promote coating uniformity.

Abstract: A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma comprises a processing chamber configured for containing a plasma and a substrate support. Electrodes are coupled to the substrate support and an RF power source is coupled to each of the electrodes for biasing the electrodes to create a DC bias on a substrate positioned on the supporting surface. A first comparator having first and second inputs is electrically coupled to one of the electrodes with an isolating device being coupled between the first and second inputs to isolate the first input from the bias on the one electrode. The comparator has an output reflective of a voltage difference between the first and second inputs. A second comparator has a first input coupled to the first electrode and a second input coupled to the second electrode, and has an output reflective of a voltage difference between the first and second inputs resulting from the bias difference between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A continuous plasma CVD apparatus, characterized in that frequency of high-frequency bias is in the range of 50-900 KHz, a blocking condenser is provided between a thin film and a high-frequency source so that the product C·f of electrostatic capacity C of the blocking condenser and frequency f of the high-frequency source is 0.02 [F·Hz] or more, and the total of impedances of all the rollers provided in the route of from a substrate unwind roller to a rotating drum is 10 k&OHgr; or more and the total of impedances of all the rollers provided in the route of from the rotating drum to a wind roller is 10 k&OHgr; or more. According to this apparatus, it becomes possible to continuously form a film without causing damage and deterioration of the substrate.

Abstract: A non-conductive dome-shaped portion having a plurality of different radii as a dielectric inductive coupling wall of a reactor chamber. The non-conductive dome-shaped portion having a plurality of different radii being adapted to be positioned in close underlying relationship to a coil antenna and transmissive of RF energy inductively coupled into the chamber from the coil.

Abstract: A plasma processing system for processing a substrate is disclosed. The plasma processing system includes a process chamber within which a plasma is both ignited and sustained for processing. The plasma processing system further includes an electrode disposed at the lower end of the process chamber. The electrode is configured for generating an electric field inside the process chamber. The plasma processing system also includes a component for controlling an impedance between the electrode and the plasma. The impedance is arranged to affect the electric field to improve processing uniformity across the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In a plasma reactor including a reactor chamber, a workpiece support for holding a workpiece inside the chamber during processing and an inductive antenna, a window electrode proximal a wall of the chamber, the antenna and wall being positioned adjacently, the window electrode being operable as (a) a capacitive electrode accepting RF power to capacitively coupled plasma source power into the chamber, and (b) a window electrode passing Rf power therethrough from said antenna into the chamber to inductively couple plasma source power into the chamber.