Abstract: The objectives of the present invention are to prevent or inhibit the deterioration of optical systems that determine the longevity of an optical apparatus which delivers effects such as light transmission, diffraction, reflection, spectrum generation, and interference, and these combinations, and by so doing, decrease the frequency of maintenance operations such as window replacement and to reduce the costs for such operations. This invention is characterized by steps of creating a near vacuum zone with a presence of active energy to excite an oxidation reaction of carbon wherein the near vacuum zone faces the lighting surfaces of the optical system; generating negative ions or radicals in the near vacuum zone such as unstable chemical seeds containing oxygen atoms, such as OH radicals, OH? ions, ozone, O2? ions, O-radicals; and removing or reducing the accumulated carbon which deposits on the lighting surface, by reacting the deposited carbon with the negative ions or radicals.

Abstract: A vacuum ultraviolet lamp (3) ionizes a chemical substance contained in exhaust gas Gs. The chemical substance ionized is trapped in an ion trapping apparatus (10) in which a radio frequency electric field is formed. Energy is applied to an ion group in the ion trapping apparatus (10) with a SWIFT waveform comprising a frequency component excluding a frequency corresponding to an orbital resonance frequency of ions of the chemical substance to remove an impurity. Energy is then applied to the ion group with a TICKLE waveform having a frequency component corresponding to the orbital resonance frequency of the ions of the chemical substance to fragmentate the ions of the chemical substance. A mass of the fragment is then measured with a mass spectrometer (4) to identify the chemical substance.

Abstract: A discharge plasma generating method includes (a) opposing a discharge electrode having a substantially plane discharge portion to a substrate to be processed in a vacuum reaction vessel such that the discharge electrode and the substrate are substantially parallel to each other, (b) evacuating the vacuum reaction vessel and supplying a process gas to a space between the discharge electrode and the substrate, and (c) applying HF power to the discharge electrode such that an envelope representing the spatial distribution of a HF voltage &phgr; on the discharge electrode in a split second changes in accordance with a function including time as a parameter, thereby generating a discharge plasma of the process gas between the discharge electrode and the substrate, with substantially no standing wave of the HF voltage &phgr; generated on the discharge electrode.

Abstract: A vacuum ultraviolet ray generating unit (5) which generates vacuum ultraviolet rays used for ionizing a sample gas Gs in an ionization chamber (1) and a mass spectrometry unit (6) which accelerates the sample gas Gsi ionized by vacuum ultraviolet rays so as to measure the flight time of the accelerated substance.

Abstract: A discharge electrode improves the uniformity of discharge such as plasma. The electrical discharge electrode, which receives high-frequency power and produces a discharge, comprises an electrode body adapted to receive high-frequency power, and a member for preventing the reflection of high-frequency power from the electrode body. The electrical discharge may comprise plasma generated by an electrical discharge.

Abstract: A plurality of electrode bars are arranged in parallel with each other, and side electrode bars are connected to the corresponding opposite ends of the electrode bars, thereby forming a ladder-like RF discharge electrode. Power supply points are arranged axisymmetrically with respect to a reference line, which is a bisector which bisects one side of the RF discharge electrode, while being spaced a predetermined distance from the reference line, thereby suppressing voltage distribution on the ladder electrode, which has an effect on uniformity of discharge distribution, to a sufficiently low level of nonuniformity. Thus, uniform distribution of film deposition rate can be obtained, thereby enabling uniform deposition even in large-area applications.

Abstract: A discharge plasma generating method includes (a) opposing a discharge electrode having a substantially plane discharge portion to a substrate to be processed in a vacuum reaction vessel such that the discharge electrode and the substrate are substantially parallel to each other, (b) evacuating the vacuum reaction vessel and supplying a process gas to a space between the discharge electrode and the substrate, and (c) applying HF power to the discharge electrode such that an envelope representing the spatial distribution of a HF voltage &phgr; on the discharge electrode in a split second changes in accordance with a function including time as a parameter, thereby generating a discharge plasma of the process gas between the discharge electrode and the substrate, with substantially no standing wave of the HF voltage &phgr; generated on the discharge electrode.