Abstract: An apparatus for producing semiconductor devices in which a plurality of treatment chambers such as a load chamber, an etching chamber, a sputtering chamber, an ion implantation chamber, a CVD chamber, an unload chamber, a transfer chamber, a heat-treatment chamber, a rinsing chamber and the like, are connected in series preferably in the form of U for effecting various treatments of semiconductor wafers. Wafer conveyor and transfer means are provided to move a wafer through the treatment chambers in which the wafer is normally sequentially processed and these conveyor and transfer means are reversible so that a wafer which has been moved into a predetermined treatment chamber can be returned to the inlet of the apparatus, whereby the quantity of dust attached to the wafer in each treatment chamber can be easily and positively detected.

Abstract: There is disclosed a magnetron sputtering apparatus including a sputtering chamber, a substrate and target disposed within the sputtering chamber to form a desired space therebetween, device for applying a voltage between the substrate and target, and device for producing a magnetic field; and the apparatus comprises the magnetic field-producing device adapted to excite a magnetic field so that the direction of the magnetic field may be inverted on the magnetic symmetry axis within the space.The magnetron sputtering apparatus of the present invention can form metal films having no crack without heating of the substrate and also form a magnetic recording film layer having an increased coercive force perpendicular to the surface of the film.