Abstract: A film thickness measurement apparatus includes: a stage that places a substrate having a film formed thereon and measures a thickness of the film in-situ in a film forming apparatus; a film thickness meter including a light emitter that emits light toward the substrate disposed on the stage and a light receiving sensor that receives the light reflected by the substrate for measuring the thickness of the film in-situ; a moving mechanism including a multi-joint arm that moves an irradiation point of the light on the substrate; a distance meter that measures a distance between the light receiving sensor and the irradiation point on the substrate; and a distance adjustor that adjusts the distance between the light receiving sensor and the irradiation point on the substrate.

Abstract: A film forming system for forming a magnetic film is provided. The film forming system includes a processing module configured to form the magnetic film on a substrate, a magnetization characteristic measuring device configured to measure magnetization characteristics of the magnetic film formed on the substrate in the processing module, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the substrate between the processing module and the magnetization characteristic measuring device. The magnetization characteristic measuring device includes a magnetic field applying mechanism having a permanent magnet magnetic circuit configured to apply a magnetic field to the substrate and adjust the magnetic field to be applied to the substrate, and a detector configured to detect magnetization characteristics of the substrate.

Abstract: A film forming system comprises a chamber, a stage, a holder, a cathode magnet, a shield, a first moving mechanism, and a second moving mechanism. The chamber provides a processing space. The stage is provided in the processing space and configured to support a substrate. The holder is configured to hold a target that is provided in the processing space. The cathode magnet is provided outside the chamber with respect to the target. The shield has a slit and is configured to block particles released from the target around the slit. The first moving mechanism is configured to move the shield between the stage and the target along a scanning direction substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate mounted on the stage. The second moving mechanism is configured to move the cathode magnet along the scanning direction.

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 substrate processing apparatus includes: a stage having an electrostatic chuck configured to attract a substrate; a measurement part configured to measure a temperature of the stage; and a detection part configured to detect an abnormality caused by attraction of the substrate by the electrostatic chuck, based on a fluctuation of the temperature of the stage.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a stage including an electrostatic chuck configured to attract a substrate; a heater configured to heat the stage; a heating drive part configured to supply power to the heater so that a temperature of the stage becomes a target value; and a detector configured to detect an abnormality in attraction of the substrate by the electrostatic chuck, wherein the detector is further configured to detect the abnormality based on fluctuation of the power supplied to the heater, the fluctuation being generated by the attraction of the substrate by the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A holder temperature detection method which measures a temperature of a rotatable holder that holds a substrate is provided. The method comprises a step of irradiating a fluorescent body thermally mounted on the holder with a light pulse having a first wavelength, a step of detecting fluorescence having a second wavelength emitted from the fluorescent body due to the light pulse and a step of estimating the temperature of the holder based on the detected fluorescence.

Abstract: There is provided a method for processing a substrate, comprising: preparing a substrate processing device including a rotatable stage on which a substrate is placed, a frozen heat transfer body fixed on a backside of the stage with a gap interposed therebetween and cooled to an extremely low temperature, a gas supply mechanism configured to supply to the gap a cooling gas for transferring a cold heat of the frozen heat transfer body to the stage, a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the stage, and a processing mechanism configured to process the substrate; preheating the stage such that a temperature of the stage reaches a steady cooling temperature within a fixed range; and after preheating, continuously processing a plurality of substrates by the processing mechanism while rotating the stage that has reached the steady cooling temperature in a state where a substrate having a specific temperature higher than or equal to room temperature is placed on the stage.

Abstract: A film thickness measurement apparatus includes: a stage that places a substrate having a film formed thereon and measures a thickness of the film in-situ in a film forming apparatus; a film thickness meter including a light emitter that emits light toward the substrate disposed on the stage and a light receiving sensor that receives the light reflected by the substrate for measuring the thickness of the film in-situ; a moving mechanism including a multi-joint arm that moves an irradiation point of the light on the substrate; a distance meter that measures a distance between the light receiving sensor and the irradiation point on the substrate; and a distance adjustor that adjusts the distance between the light receiving sensor and the irradiation point on the substrate.

Abstract: A film forming system for forming a magnetic film is provided. The film forming system includes a processing module configured to form the magnetic film on a substrate, a magnetization characteristic measuring device configured to measure magnetization characteristics of the magnetic film formed on the substrate in the processing module, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the substrate between the processing module and the magnetization characteristic measuring device. The magnetization characteristic measuring device includes a magnetic field applying mechanism having a permanent magnet magnetic circuit configured to apply a magnetic field to the substrate and adjust the magnetic field to be applied to the substrate, and a detector configured to detect magnetization characteristics of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supporting table having a mounting region for a substrate. A rotation shaft supporting a shutter extends in a vertical direction. The shutter is moved between a first region above the supporting table and a second region by rotating the rotation shaft about its central axis. The shutter includes a pipe having gas output holes. When the shutter is disposed in the first region, the gas output holes are located outside the mounting region in a rotation direction from the second region toward the first region. The minimum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is smaller than or equal to the minimum distance between the central axis and the mounting region. The maximum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is greater than equal to the maximum distance between the central axis and the mounting region.

Abstract: A film forming system comprises a chamber, a stage, a holder, a cathode magnet, a shield, a first moving mechanism, and a second moving mechanism. The chamber provides a processing space. The stage is provided in the processing space and configured to support a substrate. The holder is configured to hold a target that is provided in the processing space. The cathode magnet is provided outside the chamber with respect to the target. The shield has a slit and is configured to block particles released from the target around the slit. The first moving mechanism is configured to move the shield between the stage and the target along a scanning direction substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate mounted on the stage. The second moving mechanism is configured to move the cathode magnet along the scanning direction.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supporting table having a mounting region for a substrate. A rotation shaft supporting a shutter extends in a vertical direction. The shutter is moved between a first region above the supporting table and a second region by rotating the rotation shaft about its central axis. The shutter includes a pipe having gas output holes. When the shutter is disposed in the first region, the gas output holes are located outside the mounting region in a rotation direction from the second region toward the first region. The minimum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is smaller than or equal to the minimum distance between the central axis and the mounting region. The maximum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is greater than equal to the maximum distance between the central axis and the mounting region.

Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.

Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having improved robustness to withstand thermal variations resulting from thermal fly height heating. Improved thermal robustness comes as a result of improved pinned layer pinning. The read head includes an AFM layer having an increased thickness to provide a higher blocking temperature. The read head further includes a pinned layer structure that includes a first magnetic layer adjacent to and exchange coupled with the AFM layer. The first layer comprises a Co—Fe layer with an increased Fe content of 20-30 atomic percent. The pinned layer structure also includes a second magnetic layer that is antiparallel coupled with the AP1 layer. The AP2 layer can be a multi-layer structure that includes a layer of CoFe, a layer of Co—Fe—Hf formed on the layer of Co—Fe, a layer of Co—Fe—B formed on the layer of Co—Fe—Hf, and a second layer of Co—Fe formed on the layer of Co—Fe—B.

Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.

Abstract: As recording density of sensors is increased, it is desired to lower the areal resistivity (RA) of TMR sensors. Decreasing RA to 1.0 ??m2 or below badly influences the read signal since the interlayer coupling magnetic field (Hint) between the pinned layer and the free layer increases sharply and impedes the free rotation of magnetization of the free layer. According to one embodiment, a tunnel junction type magneto-resistive head solves this problem by having a layered film comprising an underlying layer, a crystalline orientation control layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a first ferromagnetic layer, an antiparallel coupling layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, an insulation barrier layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer between a lower magnetic shield layer and an upper magnetic shield layer, wherein a crystallographic plane of the antiferromagnetic layer is directed parallel to a film surface by growing the antiferromagnetic layer substantially conformably on the crystalline orientation control layer.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having improved robustness to withstand thermal variations resulting from thermal fly height heating. Improved thermal robustness comes as a result of improved pinned layer pinning. The read head includes an AFM layer having an increased thickness to provide a higher blocking temperature. The read head further includes a pinned layer structure that includes a first magnetic layer adjacent to and exchange coupled with the AFM layer. The first layer comprises a Co—Fe layer with an increased Fe content of 20-30 atomic percent. The pinned layer structure also includes a second magnetic layer that is antiparallel coupled with the AP1 layer. The AP2 layer can be a multi-layer structure that includes a layer of CoFe, a layer of Co—Fe—Hf formed on the layer of Co—Fe, a layer of Co—Fe—B formed on the layer of Co—Fe—Hf, and a second layer of Co—Fe formed on the layer of Co—Fe—B.

Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.