Abstract: A substrate (W) is held and rotated in its horizontal position on a spin base (10). A processing liquid can be supplied from a processing liquid lower nozzle 15 to the lower surface of the substrate (W). The upper surface of the substrate (W) is covered with an atmosphere blocking plate (30). A splash guard (50) is disposed so as to circumscribe the substrate (W). A guard (52) is curved such that the vertical cross section of a recovery port (52f) of the splash guard (50) is of substantially U-shape opening to the center of the splash guard (50), so that the maximum internal diameter part of the recovery port (52f) is brought near a guard (53). The space between the internal wall surface of the recovery port (52f) and the substrate (W) is increased to thereby suppress the bounce of the processing liquid flying spattering from the substrate (W) in rotation.

Abstract: A semiconductor thin film including a well layer is laminated on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor thin film is cleaved, and a cleavage plane of the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor thin film, which is obtained by the cleaving, is exposed to an atmosphere produced by decomposition of a gas containing N-atoms under the presence of a heated catalytic substance, thereby a surface layer of the cleavage plane is removed and a nitride layer is formed on the surface. Subsequently, a dielectric film is formed on the cleavage plane. According to the above technique, a natural oxide film formed on the cleavage plane can be removed and also a protective film can be formed by using a catalytic CVD apparatus.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a spin chuck holding and rotating a substrate and an atmosphere blocking member, corresponding in planar shape and size to the substrate, arranged oppositely and proximately to the upper surface of the substrate and formed with a processing solution discharge port and a gas discharge port discharging a processing solution and gas to the central portion of the upper surface of the substrate respectively. The atmosphere blocking member is formed with an outer gas discharge port outside the gas discharge port in plan view for discharging the gas to the upper surface of the substrate. The outer gas discharge port is so formed on the atmosphere blocking member that an arrival position of the gas discharged from the outer gas discharge port is closer to the center of the upper surface of the substrate held by a spin base than an intermediate portion between the center and the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface.

Abstract: A first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle are fixedly provided in the vicinity of the forward end of a nozzle arm. The nozzle arm is rotated along a locus R while a substrate rinsed with deionized water is rotated, for discharging nitrogen gas from the first and second gas nozzles. Visible moisture is loosely expelled from the upper surface of the substrate by spraying the nitrogen gas from the first gas nozzle, and moisture slightly remaining on a fine pattern or the like can also be completely removed by spraying the nitrogen gas from the second gas nozzle to the same region of the substrate as that sprayed with the nitrogen gas by the first gas nozzle. Consequently, the surface of the substrate can be stably and reliably dried. Thus, a substrate processing apparatus capable of stably and reliably drying the surface of the substrate is provided.

Abstract: A support member of a rotary base member engages with a substrate for preventing the substrate from horizontal movement and rotation with respect to the rotary base member while allowing vertical movement of the substrate, and a proximity suction plate is provided above the rotary base member so that the lower surface thereof is formed on a plane on the rotary base member parallel to the substrate for downwardly and outwardly injecting gas toward the overall upper surface of the substrate and sucking the substrate in a proximity state by Bernoulli effect. It is possible to provide an apparatus capable of reliably preventing mist of a processing solution or the processing solution from reaching the upper surface of the substrate when rotating the substrate and supplying the processing solution to the lower surface for processing the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing method including a substrate rotating step for rotating a substrate with the substrate held almost horizontally within a chamber; a peripheral edge processing step for discharging a processing liquid to a lower surface of the substrate rotated in the substrate rotating step and causing the processing liquid to flow around an upper surface of the substrate at a peripheral edge thereof from the lower surface of the substrate to process the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the substrate in the chamber; and a both-surface processing step for discharging the processing liquid to both the surfaces of the substrate rotated in the substrate rotating step to process both the surfaces of the substrate in the chamber.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus comprising: a pretreatment section for bombarding liquid droplets against a surface of a substrate, the liquid droplets being generated by mixing a pretreatment liquid comprising ammonia and an oxidizing agent with a gas; and an etching liquid supplying section for supplying an etching liquid onto the substrate surface. The oxidizing agent is, for example, hydrogen peroxide. The pretreatment section may comprise a bi-fluid nozzle which generates the droplets of the pretreatment liquid and ejects the liquid droplets onto the substrate surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor thin film including a well layer is laminated on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor thin film is cleaved, and a cleavage plane of the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor thin film, which is obtained by the cleaving, is exposed to an atmosphere produced by decomposition of a gas containing N-atoms under the presence of a heated catalytic substance, thereby a surface layer of the cleavage plane is removed and a nitride layer is formed on the surface. Subsequently, a dielectric film is formed on the cleavage plane.

Abstract: A support member of a rotary base member engages with a substrate for preventing the substrate from horizontal movement and rotation with respect to the rotary base member while allowing vertical movement of the substrate, and a proximity suction plate is provided above the rotary base member so that the lower surface thereof is formed on a plane on the rotary base member parallel to the substrate for downwardly and outwardly injecting gas toward the overall upper surface of the substrate and sucking the substrate in a proximity state by Bernoulli effect. It is possible to provide an apparatus capable of reliably preventing mist of a processing solution or the processing solution from reaching the upper surface of the substrate when rotating the substrate and supplying the processing solution to the lower surface for processing the substrate.

Abstract: Chambers each include an inlet port for supplying N2 gas and an outlet port for discharging an inner atmosphere, and therefore the chambers have different amounts of supply of N2 gas in a unit of time and different amounts of discharge of inner atmosphere in a unit of time. With this structure, the first to fourth processing chambers are controlled to have the lowest inner pressure(p3), a transfer module is controlled to have an inner pressure (p2) higher than the inner pressure (p3) and a loader and an unloader are controlled to have the highest inner pressure (p1). That eliminates the necessity for keeping the whole substrate processing apparatus at the highest inner pressure (p1) and supplying a large amount of N2 gas, and therefore it is possible to achieve processings of substrate at lower cost, with shorter purge time and less contamination of substrate.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus where a pre-treatment which reduce interfacial level density is carried out before thin film deposition on a substrate utilizing a catalytic gas phase reaction. The catalytic gas phase reaction is generated with a treatment gas which is supplied with the substrate via a thermal catalysis body provided near the substrate surface. Thin film deposition on the substrate surface is carried out after this pre-treatment. The thermal catalysis body is made of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium or vanadium, and is heated by a heater. And, this invention also discloses a semiconductor device having a semiconductor-insulator junction with its interfacial level density is 1012 eV −1cm−2 or less, which is brought by the above pre-treatment in the insulator film deposition process.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus where a pre-treatment which reduce interfacial level density is carried out before thin film deposition on a substrate utilizing a catalytic gas phase reaction. The catalytic gas phase reaction is generated with a treatment gas which is supplied with the substrate via a thermal catalysis body provided near the substrate surface. Thin film deposition on the substrate surface is carried out after this pre-treatment. The thermal catalysis body is made of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium or vanadium, and is heated by a heater. And, this invention also discloses a semiconductor device having a semiconductor-insulator junction with its interfacial level density is 1012 eV−1 cm−2 or less, which is brought by the above pre-treatment in the insulator film deposition process.

Abstract: A toll free service system allowing toll free calls to provide convenience to both companies and general users is disclosed. A source terminal makes a toll free call on a called party pays line on a circuit switched network. A plurality of servers is connected to the Internet. A signal converter connected to the called party pays line performs a signal conversion between a signal on the circuit switched network and an IP packet signal. A connection controller is connects the signal converter to the Internet and transmits a server selection menu to the source terminal. When a server is selected at the source terminal, the source terminal is connected to the selected server.

Abstract: A buffer chamber is provided between a transfer chamber and a cleaning/drying chamber, and completely-closable shutters are provided between the transfer chamber and the buffer chamber as well as between the buffer chamber and the cleaning/drying chamber. The cleaning/drying chamber serving as a composite processing part including a processing in the wet atmosphere is connected with the remaining chambers of dry atmospheres.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus where a pre-treatment which reduce interfacial level density is carried out before thin film deposition on a substrate utilizing a catalytic gas phase reaction. The catalytic gas phase reaction is generated with a treatment gas which is supplied with the substrate via a thermal catalysis body provided near the substrate surface. Thin film deposition on the substrate surface is carried out after this pre-treatment. The thermal catalysis body is made of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium or vanadium, and is heated by a heater. And, this invention also discloses a semiconductor device having a semiconductor-insulator junction with its interfacial level density is 10.sup.12 eV .sup.-1 cm.sup.-2 or less, which is brought by the above pre-treatment in the insulator film deposition process.

Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaning nozzle comprises an ultrasonic vibrator, a case body and a nozzle cap. A chemical liquid supplied from a supply port is irradiated with ultrasonic waves by the ultrasonic vibrator, and thereafter sprayed from a spray port. The ultrasonic waves linearly advance in the chemical liquid, strike an inner wall of the nozzle cap, reflect and thereafter spray from the spray port with the chemical liquid. An ultrasonic wave irradiation surface of the ultrasonic vibrator and the inner wall of the nozzle cap are coated with high-purity SiC. The parts of the nozzle which are in contact with the chemical liquid and are struck by the ultrasonic waves have resistance against the ultrasonic waves and are corrosion resistant against the chemical liquid.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus wherein a substrate is held horizontally and rotated about a center axis which extends in a vertical direction to thereby supply processing liquid to the substrate, vortical grooves which are twisted in a direction of rotation of the substrate are formed in a cover surface which is a bottom surface of a cover plate which covers a top surface of the substrate across a gap. Although the processing liquid which is supplied to the substrate is scattered at the substrate and adhere as drops to the cover surface, subjected to force of an air stream which is created as a substrate rotates, the drops move along the grooves on the cover surface. This permits the drops on the cover surface to be smoothly discharged outside the cover surface without allowing the drops to fall off onto the substrate, which in turn improves the quality of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment of a substrate in a spin, has a spin motor including a rotor having a hollow opening centrally thereof, and a stator disposed coaxially with the rotor and having a hollow opening centrally thereof. The rotor includes holders for supporting the substrate in three peripheral positions thereof. A support mechanism switches the holders between a position for supporting the substrate, and a position retracted therefrom. The opposite surfaces of the substrate supported by the holders are cleaned with a cleaning solution supplied through nozzles. The holders have a substrate supporting force derived from a weight and magnetism of the support mechanism, to support the substrate reliably. A guide is disposed in the hollow of the rotor, and connected to the rotor. The holders are arranged in a substrate treating space formed inwardly of the guide. The holders are arranged on the guide.

Abstract: A method of removing a native oxide film on a main surface of a silicon wafer. The native oxide film is formed in a contact hole of a patterned BPSG film or PSG film formed on the main surface. The method includes the steps of: placing a silicon wafer in a reaction chamber hermetically separated from outside atmosphere, and supplying mixed vapor of hydrogen fluoride and substantially high concentration alcohol to the reaction chamber. The step of supplying the mixed vapor of hydrogen fluoride and substantially high concentration alcohol preferably includes the steps of generating vapor from an azeotropic concentration mixture of hydrogen fluoride and alcohol, generating vapor of high purity alcohol solution and mixing these vapors. The vapor of hydrogen fluoride easily enters a small opening, which enables etching of the native oxide film. Since substantially high concentration alcohol exists in the reaction atmosphere, moisture the like by-product of etching is removed by the alcohol.