Abstract: A receptacle terminal is provided at a mount table and comprised of a downwardly opened electroconductive cap member. The receptacle terminal is connected to a heating element of a heater. A plug terminal is forced into the receptacle terminal and has an electroconductive section, support section and insulating pipe. The insulating pipe is provided around the circumference of the support section. A first clearance is defined between the support section and the inner wall of the insulating pipe. A second clearance is defined between the end face of the electroconductor section and that of the insulating pipe. The lower end portions of the support section and insulating pipe extend out of a processing chamber via a hole in the bottom plate of the processing chamber. A gas supply attachment is provided around the circumference of the insulating pipe and has a cavity including the circumferential portion of the insulating pipe and communicating with a gas supply pipe.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber for performing a film formation process to a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum; a mounting member provided in the processing chamber and having a mounting surface for mounting a target object; an electrostatic chuck, provided to the mounting surface of the mounting member, for chucking the semiconductor wafer; a heating mechanism for heating the semiconductor wafer; and a processing gas supply mechanism for supplying a processing gas for performing the film formation process to the semiconductor wafer into the processing chamber.

Abstract: A main pump having a wide range of vacuum exhaust capabilities and a high exhaust speed is connected adjacent to a processing chamber and an auxiliary pump having a low exhaust speed is connected by a small-diameter auxiliary pipeline to the exhaust side of the main pump. Since a main pump having a wide range of vacuum exhaust capabilities and a high exhaust speed is connected adjacent to the processing chamber in this manner, not only can improvements in the exhaust characteristics be expected, but it is also possible to reduce the diameter of the auxiliary pipeline from the main pump onward and make the auxiliary pump smaller. Since the auxiliary pump having a low exhaust speed is connected by a small-diameter auxiliary pipeline to the exhaust side of the main pump, the size and cost of the entire system can be reduced.

Abstract: The ceramic electrostatic chuck with built-in heater of the present invention is disclosed having electrodes for electrostatic chuck made from an electroconductive ceramic bonded to a surface of a supporting substrate made from an electrically insulating ceramic, a heat generating layer made from an electroconductive ceramic is bonded to the other surface and the side surface and a covering layer made from an electrically insulating ceramic is provided thereon.

Abstract: In order to prevent any possible electrical discharge between a lower electrode and a grounded member through a backside gas supply conduit when performing a plasma treatment with a supply of a backside gas such as He gas to the backside of a semiconductor wafer being held by an electromagnetic chuck on the lower electrode for the generation of a plasma within a plasma treatment chamber, the gas supply conduit is fitted therein with cylindrical flowpath members made of two types of electrically insulating materials each having a multiplicity of axially extending small-diameter conduction holes, at a position within an electrically insulating body disposed between the lower electrode and a grounded member. The small diameter conduction holes in the backside gas flowpath serve to increase an electrical discharge start voltage for the prevention of electrical discharge. The formation of the multiplicity of conduction holes provides a large conductance.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for electrostatically holding a wafer is provided in a vacuum chamber formed in a magnetron plasma etching apparatus. The electrostatic chuck has a base member, a first insulating layer provided on the base member and made of polyimide, a second insulation layer made of AlN, a conductive sheet provided between first and second insulation layers, and an adhesive layer made of a thermosetting resin and adhering the first insulating layer to the second insulating layer. The wafer is placed on the second insulating layer, and power is supplied from a high voltage power supply to the conductive sheet via a feeding sheet, thereby creating static electricity and hence a coulombic force for holding the wafer on the second insulating layer.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus has a process chamber for receiving an article to be processed, a monitoring window forming part of the peripheral wall of the process chamber, a pressure leading-out port, gates, and a plasma generating device for forming an electric field and generating plasma in the process chamber. The process chamber is defined by the peripheral wall having a circular cross section. Members forming parts of the peripheral wall each have an inner face continuous with the surface of the peripheral wall and curved substantially at the same radius of curvature as the surface of the peripheral wall.

Abstract: A permanent magnet magnetic circuit comprises a main magnet block having a pair of opposite outer surfaces. A pair of main magnetic poles of opposite polarities are disposed on the respective outer surfaces of the main magnet block. The main magnet block is provided with a channel defined between the pair of outer surfaces and the channel has a pair of inner surfaces corresponding to the respective outer surfaces of the main magnet block. The main magnet block is also provided with a pair of oppositely polarized compensating magnetic poles arranged on the respective inner surfaces for controlling any vector of the magnetic field directed from one of the main magnetic pole to the other main magnetic pole. A pair of adjusting magnet blocks are arranged on the respective inner surfaces to adjust the magnetic field directed from one of the main magnetic poles to the other magnetic pole.

Abstract: A magnetron plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum chamber storing an object to be etched, a first electrode provided in the vacuum chamber to hold the object, a second electrode disposed to one side of the first electrode, where the first and second electrodes are in parallel with each other, a gas-supply unit feeding etching gas to the vacuum chamber, a magnetic-field generating means including a magnetic block disposed outside the chamber on the opposite side of the second electrode and rotatable about an axis normal to the object held by the first electrode, and a power-supply unit which feeds power to either of the first and second electrodes and generates discharge between these parallel electrodes. The magnetic block has end surfaces provided with magnetic poles having polarity inverse from each other, and in addition, a plane recess opposite from the second electrode is provided between the magnetic poles.

Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus comprising a susceptor for holding a semiconductive wafer, a cooling jacket having a coolant of a large cooling capacity and capable of quickly cooling said susceptor to an intended low temperature, a process chamber enclosing the susceptor and the cooling jacket, a gas discharging mechanism for evacuating the process chamber, an insulating member interposed between the susceptor and the cooling jacket, a gas supply device for supplying gas to an O-ring holding groove arranged on the interface regions of the susceptor, the insulating member and the cooling section and a pressure control mechanism for controlling the pressure of the supplied gas.

Abstract: A wafer mount is arranged in a process chamber of the plasma etching apparatus. The rim section of a susceptor which serves as a mount body is curved at a large curvature radius. An electrostatic chuck sheet is arranged on the top of the susceptor and its rim is curved downward along the curved rim section of the susceptor, departing from the marginal portion of a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon as it comes outward. The rim of the electrostatic chuck sheet can be thus shortened in the horizontal direction and this enables a conductive film in the electrostatic chuck sheet to be made longer in the same direction. The electrostatic and thermal connection of the wafer to the electrostatic chuck sheet can be thus enhanced.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck having an electrostatic holding member arranged on an upper surface of the chuck main body for holding a semiconductor device during a plasma etching process. The electrostatic holding member includes a pair of insulating polyimide members and a conductive member interposed between the polyimide members. In operation, a voltage is applied to the first conductive member in order to generate static electricity to be applied to the electrostatic holding member for holding the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A plasma treating apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck constructing an electrically conductive layer and insulating layers having the conductive layer sandwiched therebetween. A RF current supplied to a susceptor is prevented from flowing into the conductive layer of the chuck so as to suppress the RF current leakage from a cable connected to the conductive layer of the chuck for high voltage application.

Abstract: According to this invention, a surface-treating apparatus capable of etching an object to be treated with high accuracy, suppressing discharging of a harmful gas deposited on the etched object in the air, and preventing the surface of the object from deposition/ attachment of reaction products and droplets is disclosed. The surface-treating apparatus includes a first process chamber for etching a loaded object to be treated by an activated etching gas, an exhausting member for setting the first process chamber at a low pressure, a cooling means for cooling the object loaded in the first process chamber, a second process chamber in which the object etched by the first process chamber is loaded, an exhausting member for setting the second process chamber at a low pressure, and an heating member for annealing the object loaded in the second process chamber.

Abstract: A liquid level detecting device used in a vacuum processing apparatus, the device comprising a liquid container section, an inlet pipe for liquid supply connected to the liquid container section, and outlet pipe for discharging the liquid when the liquid in the liquid container section overflows a predetermined liquid level, a temperature measurement terminal provided in the liquid container section, for detecting the temperature of the liquid in the container section, means for heating or cooling the temperature measurement terminal, and a liquid level detecting section for detecting the surface level of the liquid on the basis of the difference between two temperatures of the liquid measured when the heating or cooling means is in contact with the liquid and when not in contact.

Abstract: A wafer support table is provided in a vacuum chamber of a magnetron plasma etching apparatus. This support table includes a first member having a mechanism for adjusting the temperature of a wafer, a second member having an electrostatic chuck for supporting the wafer on its upper surface, and a gas supply mechanism for supplying a gas between the first and second members.