Abstract: A transfer chamber is provided between a processing unit for performing a predetermined process on a target substrate to be processed in a depressurized environment and an atmospheric maintaining unit for maintaining the target substrate in an atmospheric environment to transfer the target substrate therebetween. The transfer chamber includes a chamber main body for accommodating the target substrate, a gas exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber main body to set the chamber main body to the depressurized environment, and a gas supply unit for supplying a predetermined gas to the chamber main body to set the chamber main body in the atmospheric environment. Further, in the transfer chamber, an ionization unit is provided outside the chamber main body, for ionizing the predetermined gas and an ionized gas supply unit is provided to supply the ionized gas generated by the ionization unit to the chamber main body.

Abstract: A transfer chamber is provided between a processing unit for performing a predetermined process on a target substrate to be processed in a depressurized environment and an atmospheric maintaining unit for maintaining the target substrate in an atmospheric environment to transfer the target substrate therebetween. The transfer chamber includes a chamber main body for accommodating the target substrate, a gas exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber main body to set the chamber main body to the depressurized environment, and a gas supply unit for supplying a predetermined gas to the chamber main body to set the chamber main body in the atmospheric environment. Further, in the transfer chamber, an ionization unit is provided outside the chamber main body, for ionizing the predetermined gas and an ionized gas supply unit is provided to supply the ionized gas generated by the ionization unit to the chamber main body.

Abstract: A transfer chamber is provided between a processing unit for performing a predetermined process on a target substrate to be processed in a depressurized environment and an atmospheric maintaining unit for maintaining the target substrate in an atmospheric environment to transfer the target substrate therebetween. The transfer chamber includes a chamber main body for accommodating the target substrate, a gas exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber main body to set the chamber main body to the depressurized environment, and a gas supply unit for supplying a predetermined gas to the chamber main body to set the chamber main body in the atmospheric environment. Further, in the transfer chamber, an ionization unit is provided outside the chamber main body, for ionizing the predetermined gas and an ionized gas supply unit is provided to supply the ionized gas generated by the ionization unit to the chamber main body.

Abstract: A substrate transfer device includes an atmosphere introduction unit and an atmosphere exhaust unit provided at a top and a bottom portion of a main body of the device, respectively; and a substrate transfer mechanism provided between the atmosphere introduction unit and the atmosphere exhaust unit. The substrate transfer device further includes a downward flow forming unit provided, adjacent to the atmosphere introduction unit, to allow an atmosphere to be introduced through the atmosphere introduction unit and to downwardly flow through the substrate transfer mechanism and be exhausted through the atmosphere exhaust unit; and a gas ionizing unit for ionizing the atmosphere and a particle collecting unit for collecting particles included in the atmosphere, the gas ionizing unit and the particle collecting unit being sequentially provided in the direction in which the atmosphere downwardly flows, between the downward flow forming unit and the substrate transfer mechanism.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for accommodating therein a processing target substrate; a gas exhaust path through which a gas inside the processing chamber is exhausted; one or more exhaust pumps provided in the gas exhaust path; and a scrubber for collecting harmful components from an exhaust gas. The apparatus further includes an ionized gas supply unit for supplying to the gas exhaust path an ionized gas for neutralizing charged particles included in the exhaust gas flowing therethrough.

Abstract: A cooling unit for cooling a target object to a target temperature includes a decompression chamber thermally connected to the target object; a spraying part which sprays a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber; and an electric field generator which generates an electric field such that the heat medium sprayed from the spraying part is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber. The cooling unit further includes an exhaust part which evacuates the decompression chamber such that a pressure in the decompression chamber is equal to or lower than a saturated vapor pressure of the heat medium at the target temperature.

Abstract: Provided is an atmosphere cleaning device comprising a means for establishing a down-flow in the atmosphere, in which a treating object is positioned, a plurality of ionizers arranged at positions above the treating object and symmetrically in the layout, as viewed downward, across the treating object, for feeding either cation or anion transversely of the down-flow, and a means for applying such a DC voltage to the treating object as has the same polarity as that of the voltage being applied to those ionizers. The atmosphere cleaning device is characterized in that the symmetrically arranged ionizers are arranged to face each other.

Abstract: A substrate transfer device includes an atmosphere introduction unit and an atmosphere exhaust unit provided at a top and a bottom portion of a main body of the device, respectively; and a substrate transfer mechanism provided between the atmosphere introduction unit and the atmosphere exhaust unit. The substrate transfer device further includes a downward flow forming unit provided, adjacent to the atmosphere introduction unit, to allow an atmosphere to be introduced through the atmosphere introduction unit and to downwardly flow through the substrate transfer mechanism and be exhausted through the atmosphere exhaust unit; and a gas ionizing unit for ionizing the atmosphere and a particle collecting unit for collecting particles included in the atmosphere, the gas ionizing unit and the particle collecting unit being sequentially provided in the direction in which the atmosphere downwardly flows, between the downward flow forming unit and the substrate transfer mechanism.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for accommodating therein a processing target substrate; a gas exhaust path through which a gas inside the processing chamber is exhausted; one or more exhaust pumps provided in the gas exhaust path; and a scrubber for collecting harmful components from an exhaust gas. The apparatus further includes an ionized gas supply unit for supplying to the gas exhaust path an ionized gas for neutralizing charged particles included in the exhaust gas flowing therethrough.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber; and a mounting table having an electrostatic attraction portion for electrostatically attracting a target substrate; a heat transfer gas supply system for injecting a heat transfer gas from the electrostatic attraction portion to the target substrate; and a separating unit by which the target substrate is separated from the electrostatic attraction portion. A method for charge-neutralizing a target substrate in the apparatus includes: supplying an ionized gas from the heat transfer gas supply system to the target substrate. The apparatus includes an irradiation unit for irradiating a soft X-ray or an UV beam toward the chamber. In the supplying of the ionized gas, the target substrate is separated from the electrostatic attraction portion by the separating unit, and a soft X-ray or an UV beam is irradiated from the irradiation unit toward a space between the target substrate and the electrostatic attraction portion.

Abstract: A transfer chamber is provided between a processing unit for performing a predetermined process on a target substrate to be processed in a depressurized environment and an atmospheric maintaining unit for maintaining the target substrate in an atmospheric environment to transfer the target substrate therebetween. The transfer chamber includes a chamber main body for accommodating the target substrate, a gas exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber main body to set the chamber main body to the depressurized environment, and a gas supply unit for supplying a predetermined gas to the chamber main body to set the chamber main body in the atmospheric environment. Further, in the transfer chamber, an ionization unit is provided outside the chamber main body, for ionizing the predetermined gas and an ionized gas supply unit is provided to supply the ionized gas generated by the ionization unit to the chamber main body.