Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma spraying device (1) for spraying a coating (2) onto a substrate (3) by a thermal spray process. Said plasma spraying device (1) includes a plasma torch (4) for heating up a plasma gas (5) in a heating zone (6), wherein the plasma torch (4) includes a nozzle body (7) for forming a plasma gas stream (8), and said plasma torch (4) has an aperture (9) running along a central longitudinal axis (10) through said nozzle body (7). The aperture (9) has an convergent section (11) with an inlet (12) for the plasma gas (5), a throat section (13) including a minimum cross-sectional area of the aperture, and a divergent section (14) with an outlet (15) for the plasma gas stream (8), wherein an introducing duct (16) is provided for introducing a liquid precursor (17) into the plasma gas stream (8). According to the invention a penetration means (18, 161, 181, 182) is provided to penetrate the liquid precursor (17) inside the plasma gas stream (8).

Abstract: A plasma reactor for etching a workpiece such as a rectangular or square mask, includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling and a sidewall and a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber including a cathode having a surface for supporting a workpiece, the surface comprising plural respective zones, the respective zones of the surface being formed of respective materials of different electrical characteristics. The zones can be arranged concentrically relative to an axis of symmetry of the wafer support pedestal.

Abstract: A substrate-supporting device has a top surface for placing a substrate thereon composed of a plurality of surfaces separated from each other and defined by a continuous concavity being in gas communication with at least one through-hole passing through the substrate-supporting device in its thickness direction. The continuous concavity is adapted to allow gas to flow in the continuous concavity and through the through-hole under a substrate placed on the top surface.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a process container configured to accommodate a target substrate and to be vacuum-exhausted. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed opposite each other within the process container. The first electrode includes an outer portion and an inner portion both facing the second electrode such that the outer portion surrounds the inner portion. An RF power supply is configured to apply an RF power to the outer portion of the first electrode. A DC power supply is configured to apply a DC voltage to the inner portion of the first electrode. A process gas supply unit is configured to supply a process gas into the process container, wherein plasma of the process gas is generated between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: When a substrate to be processed placed on a mounting table disposed in a process chamber is processed by plasma generated in the process chamber by application of high-frequency voltage, an electric field causing ions generated by the plasma to accelerate toward a lower surface of a peripheral edge portion of the substrate to be processed placed on the mounting table is formed under the peripheral edge portion of the substrate to be processed, and the ions consequently collide with the lower surface of the peripheral edge portion, which reduces the occurrence of deposition.

Abstract: A lift pin driving device and a flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing apparatus having the device are provided. The lift pin driving device can precisely move a plurality of lift pins using one motor, thus realizing a simple lift pin driving structure and a simple motor control structure. This allows a space below a chamber body of the manufacturing apparatus to be configured in a variety of ways, thus reducing the cost of equipment and the production cost of products.

Abstract: A system is provided for plasma treating a plastic component having an exterior surface and an inside surface. The system comprises at least one fixture. The fixture includes a support structure, a plurality of locating features, and a plurality of holding devices which cooperate to position a portion of the exterior surface to within a specified tolerance. The system further comprises at least one APAP nozzle configured to move relative to the exterior surface along a path, wherein the APAP nozzle directs a plasma jet onto the portion producing a functionalized polymer layer covering the portion.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to confine a plasma within a processing region in a plasma processing chamber. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a ring that has a baffle having a plurality of slots and a plurality of fingers. Each slot is configured to have a width less than the thickness of a plasma sheath contained in the processing region.

Abstract: A workpiece support is disclosed defining a workpiece-receiving surface. The workpiece support includes a plurality of fluid zones. A fluid, such as a gas, is fed to the fluid zones for contact with a workpiece on the workpiece support. The fluid can have selected thermoconductivity characteristics for controlling the temperature of the workpiece at particular locations. In accordance with the present disclosure, at least certain of the fluid zones are at different azimuthal positions. In this manner, the temperature of the workpiece can be adjusted not only in a radial direction but also in an angular direction.

Abstract: A plasma reactor is provided for processing a workpiece such as a transparent mask or a semiconductor wafer. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling and a sidewall. A workpiece support pedestal within the chamber includes a metal cathode having a support surface facing the ceiling and defining a support plane for supporting a workpiece. The cathode has a hollow space formed within its interior. The reactor further includes a movable metal element within the hollow space and a mechanism for controlling a distance between the metal element and the support plane.

Abstract: A plasma generator includes a gas supply member configured to supply source gas and a plurality of electrodes for generating plasma using the source gas. The plurality of electrodes have a long rod shape in a first direction and are arranged abreast in a second direction vertical to the first direction to be spaced apart from each other at the same height. A spaced distance between electrodes is adjusted by means of a distance adjusting unit including a first connector connected to a first electrode, a second connector connected to a second electrode, and a first shaft pin connecting the first and second connectors to each other. The first and second connectors rotate on the first shaft pin to adjust a spaced distance between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A bolt which is driven into a female screw portion disposed in a brittle member in a wear environment includes a head formed of a wear resistant material, a body which is formed of a resin having elasticity or plasticity and has a first male screw portion, and a placed member disposed between the head and the body and formed of a wear resistant resin having elasticity or plasticity. The body further includes a second male screw portion disposed along a central axis of the body and the head includes a female screw portion which the second male screw portion is driven into. The placed member is of a plate shape and has a through hole in its central portion, and a diameter of the through hole is smaller than or equal to a nominal diameter of the first male screw portion and larger than or equal to a nominal diameter of the second male screw portion.

Abstract: A dual frequency matching circuit for plasma enhanced semiconductor processing chambers having dual frequency cathodes is provided. The matching circuit includes two matching circuits with variable shunts combined to a common output. The matching circuit balances the load of the independent RF sources to that of the plasma in the processing chamber during operation.

Abstract: A magnetic field generator which provides greater control over the magnetic field is provided. The magnetic field generator has a plurality of overlapping main magnetic coil sections for forming a magnetic field generally parallel to the top surface of the supporting member. In other embodiments, sub-magnetic coil sections are placed symmetrically around the main magnetic coil sections.

Abstract: A processing apparatus of the present invention has a mounted chamber holding a semiconductor wafer and having members for work-processing the substrate under any of heating, plasma and process gas or a combination of them, in which a film of Al2O3 and Y2O3 is formed on an inner wall surface of the chamber and on those exposed surface of the members within the chamber and has a high-corrosion resistance and insulating property and, when the process gas is introduced onto a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer and diffused into it, any product is less liable to be deposited on a plasma generation area and on those members held within the chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber in which a plurality of substrates are stacked and accommodated; a pair of electrodes extending in the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates, which are disposed at one side of the plurality of substrates in said processing chamber, and to which high frequency electricity is applied; and a gas supply member which supplies processing gas into a space between the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: A heat transfer assembly having a heat spreading member sandwiched between a heat source and a heat sink is disclosed. The heat sink, the heat spreading member, and the heat source are pressed against the bottom of a substrate support plate by a bias member.

Abstract: A processing apparatus of the present invention has a mounted chamber holding a semiconductor wafer and having members for work-processing the substrate under any of heating, plasma and process gas or a combination of them, in which a film of Al2O3 and Y2O3 is formed on an inner wall surface of the chamber and on those exposed surface of the members within the chamber and has a high-corrosion resistance and insulating property and, when the process gas is introduced onto a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer and diffused into it, any product is less liable to be deposited on a plasma generation area and on those members held within the chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber includes a substrate support having a top surface defined to support a substrate in a substantially horizontal orientation within the chamber. The plasma processing chamber also includes a number of telescopic members disposed within the chamber outside a periphery of the substrate support. The number of telescopic members are also disposed in a concentric manner with regard to a center of the top surface of the substrate support. Each of the number of telescopic members is defined to be independently moved in a substantially vertical direction so as to enable adjustment of an open volume above the top surface of the substrate support, and thereby enable adjustment of a plasma condition within the open volume above the top surface of the substrate support.

Abstract: A method for etching features in a silicon oxide based dielectric layer over a substrate, comprising performing an etch cycle. A lag etch partially etching features in the silicon oxide based dielectric layer is performed, comprising providing a lag etchant gas, forming a plasma from the lag etchant gas, and etching the etch layer with the lag etchant gas, so that smaller features are etched slower than wider features. A reverse lag etch further etching the features in the silicon oxide based dielectric layer is performed comprising providing a reverse lag etchant gas, which is different from the lag etchant gas and is more polymerizing than the lag etchant gas, forming a plasma from the reverse lag etchant gas, and etching the silicon oxide based dielectric layer with the plasma formed from the reverse lag etchant gas, so that smaller features are etched faster than wider features.