Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by using a magnetron sputtering method. The film forming apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; a target holder configured to hold a target made of a ferromagnetic material to face the substrate holder; a magnet provided on a surface of the target holder opposite to the substrate holder, and configured to leak a magnetic field to a front surface of the target held by the target holder that is a surface close to the substrate holder; and a magnetic field strength measurement device configured to measure a strength of the magnetic field.

Abstract: There is provided a film forming position misalignment correction method comprising: replacing a shielding member; loading a substrate into a film forming module by a transfer mechanism and forming a film on the substrate; detecting an amount of film forming position misalignment by transferring the substrate on which the film has been formed to a film thickness measuring device; correcting a transfer position of the substrate for the transfer mechanism; and checking the correction by transferring the substrate used for measuring the amount of film forming position misalignment to the film forming module by the transfer mechanism for which the transfer position has been corrected to form a film and determining the amount of film forming position misalignment by measuring a film thickness of the formed film by the film thickness measuring device in the same manner.

Abstract: Improved process flows and methods are provided for processing a semiconductor substrate have exposed dielectric and metal-containing surfaces. More specifically, improved process flows and methods are provided for pre-cleaning the metal-containing surfaces prior to depositing a metal material onto the metal-containing surfaces. Hot vapor-phase etching is used to remove a native oxide film from the metal-containing surfaces. Prior to hot vapor-phase etching, the semiconductor substrate is exposed to a first silicon-containing gas to deposit an inhibitor film onto the exposed dielectric and metal-containing surfaces. The inhibitor film protects the dielectric surfaces while the native oxide film is being removed via the hot vapor-phase etching. In some embodiments, the semiconductor substrate is exposed to a second silicon-containing gas, after hot vapor-phase etching, to remove residues of the hot vapor-phase etching process from the pre-cleaned metal-containing surfaces.

Abstract: There is provided a film thickness measurement method which measures a film thickness of a specific film to be measured in a multilayer film in situ in a film formation system that forms the multilayer film on a substrate, the method comprising: regarding a plurality of films located under the film to be measured as one underlayer film, measuring a film thickness of the underlayer film, and deriving an optical constant of the underlayer film by spectroscopic interferometry; and after the film to be measured is formed, deriving a film thickness of the film to be measured by spectroscopic interferometry using the film thickness and the optical constant of the underlayer film.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a processing container; a substrate holder that holds the substrate in the processing container; and a target assembly disposed in an upper side of the substrate holder. The target assembly includes: a target made of metal, including a main body and a flange provided around the main body, and emitting sputter particles from the main body; a target holder including a target electrode configured to supply power to the target, and holding the target; a target clamp that clamps the flange of the target to the target holder; and an anti-deposition shield provided around the main body of the target to cover the flange, the target clamp, and the target holder, and having a labyrinth structure in which an inner tip end thereof is disposed to enter a recess between the main body of the target and the target clamp.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a laminated structure on a substrate to form a magnetic tunnel junction element is disclosed. The film forming apparatus comprises: a plurality of processing chambers where a magnetic layer and an insulating layer are formed on the substrate; a heat treatment chamber where a magnetic field is applied to the substrate to perform heat treatment; a vacuum transfer chamber that connects the processing chambers and the heat treatment chamber; and a controller.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film by magnetron sputtering includes a substrate support supporting the substrate, a holder holding a target for emitting sputtered particles, a magnet unit having a magnet, first and second movement mechanisms configured to periodically move the substrate support and the magnet unit, respectively, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism so that a phase in a periodic movement of the substrate support remains the same at a start of film formation and at an end of film formation, a phase in a periodic movement of the magnet unit remains the same at a start of film formation and at an end of film formation, and the phase in the periodic movement of the substrate support and the phase in the periodic movement of the magnet unit do not match during film formation.

Abstract: A sputtering method including: performing a pre-sputtering by emitting sputter particles from a target provided in a sputtering apparatus in a state where the target is shielded by a shielding portion of a shutter provided closed to the target to be capable of opening/closing the target; and, after the pre-sputtering, performing a main-sputtering by emitting the sputter particles from the target in a state where an opening of the shutter is aligned with the target thereby depositing the sputter particles on a substrate. When the pre-sputtering and the main-sputtering are repeatedly performed, a shutter position is changed during the pre-sputtering so as to change a position of the shielding portion aligned with the target.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a processing chamber; a substrate holder for holding a substrate within the processing chamber; a target electrode, disposed above the substrate holder, for holding a metal target and supplying electrical power from a power source to the target; an oxidizing gas introduction mechanism for supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate; and a gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas to the space where the target is disposed. Constituent metal is discharged from the target in the form of sputter particles, whereby a metal film is deposited on the substrate, and the metal film is oxidized by the oxidizing gas introduced by the oxidizing gas introduction mechanism, thereby forming a metal oxide film. When the oxidizing gas is introduced, the gas supply unit supplies the inert gas to the space where the target is disposed so that the pressure therein is positive with respect to the pressure in a processing space.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by using a magnetron sputtering method. The film forming apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; a target holder configured to hold a target made of a ferromagnetic material to face the substrate holder; a magnet provided on a surface of the target holder opposite to the substrate holder, and configured to leak a magnetic field to a front surface of the target held by the target holder that is a surface close to the substrate holder; and a magnetic field strength measurement device configured to measure a strength of the magnetic field.

Abstract: A sputtering method including: performing a pre-sputtering by emitting sputter particles from a target provided in a sputtering apparatus in a state where the target is shielded by a shielding portion of a shutter provided closed to the target to be capable of opening/closing the target; and, after the pre-sputtering, performing a main-sputtering by emitting the sputter particles from the target in a state where an opening of the shutter is aligned with the target thereby depositing the sputter particles on a substrate. When the pre-sputtering and the main-sputtering are repeatedly performed, a shutter position is changed during the pre-sputtering so as to change a position of the shielding portion aligned with the target.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a processing container; a substrate holder that holds the substrate in the processing container; and a target assembly disposed in an upper side of the substrate holder. The target assembly includes: a target made of metal, including a main body and a flange provided around the main body, and emitting sputter particles from the main body; a target holder including a target electrode configured to supply power to the target, and holding the target; a target clamp that clamps the flange of the target to the target holder; and an anti-deposition shield provided around the main body of the target to cover the flange, the target clamp, and the target holder, and having a labyrinth structure in which an inner tip end thereof is disposed to enter a recess between the main body of the target and the target clamp.

Abstract: In an oxidation processing module, a stage on which a substrate having a metal film is mounted is provided and a cooling mechanism is provided to cool the stage to cool the substrate mounted on the stage to a temperature of 25° C. or lower. Further, a head unit has a facing surface disposed to face an upper surface of the stage and an oxidizing gas supply unit configured to supply oxidizing gas for oxidizing the metal film toward a gap between the facing surface and the upper surface of the stage, and a rotation driving unit is configured to rotate the head unit about a rotation axis intersecting with the upper surface of the stage.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a row of substrate transfer devices 3 which can deliver a wafer W within a transfer chamber; and rows of process modules PM, arranged at right and left sides of the row of the substrate transfer devices along the row, configured to perform processes to the wafer W. The rows of the process modules PM are arranged such that each of the processes can be performed by at least two process modules PM. Thus, when a single process module PM cannot be used, the wafer W can be rapidly transferred to another process module PM which can perform the same process as performed in the corresponding process module. Therefore, even when the single process module PM cannot be used, the processes can be continued to the wafers W without stopping an operation of the apparatus, so that the number of wasted wafers W can be reduced.

Abstract: A deposition device according to one embodiment includes a processing container. A mounting table is installed inside the processing container, and a metal target is installed above the mounting table. Further, a head is configured to inject an oxidizing gas toward the mounting table. This head is configured to move between a first region that is defined between the metal target and a mounting region where a target object is mounted on the mounting table and a second region spaced apart from a space defined between the metal target and the mounting region.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a row of substrate transfer devices 3 which can deliver a wafer W within a transfer chamber; and rows of process modules PM, arranged at right and left sides of the row of the substrate transfer devices along the row, configured to perform processes to the wafer W. The rows of the process modules PM are arranged such that each of the processes can be performed by at least two process modules PM. Thus, when a single process module PM cannot be used, the wafer W can be rapidly transferred to another process module PM which can perform the same process as performed in the corresponding process module. Therefore, even when the single process module PM cannot be used, the processes can be continued to the wafers W without stopping an operation of the apparatus, so that the number of wasted wafers W can be reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a row of substrate transfer devices 3 which can deliver a wafer W within a transfer chamber; and rows of process modules PM, arranged at right and left sides of the row of the substrate transfer devices along the row, configured to perform processes to the wafer W. The rows of the process modules PM are arranged such that each of the processes can be performed by at least two process modules PM. Thus, when a single process module PM cannot be used, the wafer W can be rapidly transferred to another process module PM which can perform the same process as performed in the corresponding process module. Therefore, even when the single process module PM cannot be used, the processes can be continued to the wafers W without stopping an operation of the apparatus, so that the number of wasted wafers W can be reduced.

Abstract: The method of forming a thin film feeds a raw material gas causing a reversible decomposition reaction toward an upper surface of substrate placed on a placing table in a processing container; decomposes the raw material gas with a predetermined decomposing scheme thereby forming a thin film of the raw material gas on the surface of the substrate; and feeds a decomposition restraint gas having a characteristic of restraining a thermal decomposition of the raw material gas separately from the raw material gas toward a peripheral portion of the substrate when the raw material gas is fed to the substrate, thereby restraining the thermal decomposition of the raw material gas and selectively preventing the thin film from being formed in the peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming a perpendicular magnetization type magnetic tunnel junction element includes forming a tunnel barrier layer on a first magnetic layer of a workpiece, cooling the workpiece on which the tunnel barrier layer is formed, and forming a second magnetic layer on the tunnel barrier layer after the cooling.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vacuum-processing apparatus for forming a metal film on a substrate by sputtering targets with ions of plasma, and then oxidizing the metal film, the apparatus including: a first target composed of a material having a property of adsorbing oxygen; a second target composed of a metal; a power supply unit configured to apply a voltage to the targets; a shutter configured to prevent particles generated from one of the targets from adhering to the other of the targets; a shielding member; an oxygen supply unit configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting unit; and a control unit configured to perform supplying a plasma-generating voltage to the targets and sputtering the targets and supplying the oxygen-containing gas from the oxygen supply unit to the substrate.