Abstract: The present invention provides a film formation method and a film formation apparatus which can fabricate an epitaxial film with +c polarity by a sputtering method. In one embodiment of the present invention, the film formation method of epitaxially growing a semiconductor thin film with a wurtzite structure by the sputtering method on an epitaxial growth substrate heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater includes the following steps. First, the substrate is disposed on a substrate holding portion including the heater to be located at a predetermined distance away from the heater. Then, the epitaxial film of the semiconductor film with the wurtzite structure is formed on the substrate with the impedance of the substrate holding portion being adjusted.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a protective film formation chamber for forming a carbon protective film on a magnetic film includes: a gas introduction part which introduces a source gas to a vacuum vessel; a discharge electrode having a discharge surface at a position facing a substrate conveyed to a predetermined position in the vacuum vessel; a plasma formation part which applies voltage between the discharge surface and the substrate conveyed to the predetermined position; a permanent magnet being provided on a back side of the discharge surface and having a first magnet and a second magnet provided such that their magnetic poles facing the discharge surface are opposite to each other; and a no-erosion-portion mask being provided in parallel to the discharge surface and covering an area of the discharge surface surrounding a portion facing the permanent magnet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a film formation method and a film formation apparatus which can fabricate an epitaxial film with +c polarity by a sputtering method. In one embodiment of the present invention, the film formation method of epitaxially growing a semiconductor thin film with a wurtzite structure by the sputtering method on an epitaxial growth substrate heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater includes the following steps. First, the substrate is disposed on a substrate holding portion including the heater to be located at a predetermined distance away from the heater. Then, the epitaxial film of the semiconductor film with the wurtzite structure is formed on the substrate with the impedance of the substrate holding portion being adjusted.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having high coercivity, in which an L10-type ordered alloy with a high magnetic anisotropy is used in a magnetic recording layer, and a method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium at high throughput are provided. By providing a metal base layer having a face-centered cubic structure below an orientation control layer which is for enhancing crystallinity of the magnetic recording layer that contains the ordered alloy having an L10-type structure, the magnetic recording layer that has enough high coercivity even in the case of reducing a thickness of the orientation control layer can be deposited, and the thickness of the orientation control layer that is mainly made of oxide can be reduced, whereby the throughput can be improved.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a process chamber, a load lock chamber connected to the process chamber, and a transfer device configured to transfer a substrate from the load lock chamber to the process chamber. The transfer device is configured to move the substrate by gravity. The transfer device includes a guide configured to form a transfer path when the substrate moves by the gravity, and a stopper configured to limit movement of the substrate by the gravity when holding the substrate, and cancel the limitation when moving the substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a protective film formation chamber for forming a carbon protective film on a magnetic film includes: a gas introduction part which introduces a source gas to a vacuum vessel; a discharge electrode having a discharge surface at a position facing a substrate conveyed to a predetermined position in the vacuum vessel; a plasma formation part which applies voltage between the discharge surface and the substrate conveyed to the predetermined position; a permanent magnet being provided on a back side of the discharge surface and having a first magnet and a second magnet provided such that their magnetic poles facing the discharge surface are opposite to each other; and a no-erosion-portion mask being provided in parallel to the discharge surface and covering an area of the discharge surface surrounding a portion facing the permanent magnet.

Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent decreases in etching rate due to adhesion of an etched film to a substrate holder. A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium includes: forming a first film on a substrate holder not yet having a substrate mounted thereon; mounting a substrate on the substrate holder having the first film formed thereon, the substrate having a resist layer formed on a multilayer film including a magnetic film layer, the resist layer having a predetermined pattern; and processing the magnetic film layer into a shape based on the predetermined pattern by performing dry etching on the substrate. The first film is a film that is not etched as easily as the films in the multilayer film to be removed by the dry etching.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing mutual contamination and/or damage of the insides of ion beam generators arranged opposite each other via a substrate, and a magnetic recording medium manufacturing method. A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to one surface to be processed of a substrate, and a second ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to another surface to be processed, which are arranged opposite each other via the substrate, and a first grid in the first ion beam generator, and a second grid in the second ion beam generator are configured so as to be asymmetrical to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma CVD apparatus capable of performing film formation while controlling the temperature of a substrate as well as film properties. A process chamber according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a holder configured to hold a substrate, magnetic-field producing means configured to produce magnetic fields inside the process chamber, shields configured to suppress film deposition on the magnetic-field producing means, heat dissipating sheets configured to suppress heating of the magnetic-field producing means, and moving means configured to move the magnetic-field producing means. The magnetic-field producing means is characterized in being moved in such a direction as to increase or decrease the volume of a space between the magnetic-field producing means and the holder.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a plasma CVD apparatus capable of improving the speed of carbon film deposition onto a substrate to be processed, decreasing the cleaning frequency by reducing deposition on members other than the substrate to be processed, and being manufactured inexpensively. One embodiment of the present invention is a CVD apparatus including a vacuum vessel, magnetic-field producing means for producing a magnetic field inside the vacuum vessel, plasma producing means for producing a plasma inside the vacuum vessel, and a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate inside the vacuum vessel, and the plasma producing means has an electrode provided inside the substrate holder and a power source configured to apply voltage to the electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a carbon film and a plasma CVD method capable of performing film formation while controlling the temperature of a substrate as well as film properties. A process chamber according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a holder configured to hold a substrate, magnetic-field producing means configured to produce magnetic fields inside the process chamber, shields configured to suppress film deposition on the magnetic-field producing means, heat dissipating sheets configured to suppress heating of the magnetic-field producing means, and moving means configured to move the magnetic-field producing means. The magnetic-field producing means is characterized in being moved in such a direction as to increase or decrease the volume of a space between the magnetic-field producing means and the holder.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a discharge window made of a dielectric material, a discharge chamber which is grounded and includes an opening formed at its one end and the discharge window provided at its other end facing the opening, a gas supply system which supplies a gas into the discharge chamber, a high-frequency power application mechanism which applies a high-frequency power to the gas to generate a plasma inside the discharge chamber, a substrate holder which can hold a substrate while facing the discharge window on the outer side of the discharge chamber, a shielding member which partially shields the plasma that impinges on the substrate, and a supporting member which supports the shielding member. The supporting member is grounded and fixed on the shielding member at a position which is farther from the substrate than the shielding member and different from that of the discharge window.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing mutual contamination and/or damage of the insides of ion beam generators arranged opposite each other via a substrate, and a magnetic recording medium manufacturing method. A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to one surface to be processed of a substrate W, and a second ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to another surface to be processed, which are arranged opposite each other via the substrate W, and an area of a first grid in the first ion beam generator, and an area of a second grid in the second ion beam generator, each area corresponding to an opening of the substrate W, are occluded.

Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent decreases in etching rate due to adhesion of an etched film to a substrate holder. A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium includes: forming a first film on a substrate holder not yet having a substrate mounted thereon; mounting a substrate on the substrate holder having the first film formed thereon, the substrate having a resist layer formed on a multilayer film including a magnetic film layer, the resist layer having a predetermined pattern; and processing the magnetic film layer into a shape based on the predetermined pattern by performing dry etching on the substrate. The first film is a film that is not etched as easily as the films in the multilayer film to be removed by the dry etching.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a discharge window made of a dielectric material, a discharge chamber which is grounded and includes an opening formed at its one end and the discharge window provided at its other end facing the opening, a gas supply system which supplies a gas into the discharge chamber, a high-frequency power application mechanism which applies a high-frequency power to the gas to generate a plasma inside the discharge chamber, a substrate holder which can hold a substrate while facing the discharge window on the outer side of the discharge chamber, a shielding member which partially shields the plasma that impinges on the substrate, and a supporting member which supports the shielding member. The supporting member is grounded and fixed on the shielding member at a position which is farther from the substrate than the shielding member and different from that of the discharge window.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing mutual contamination and/or damage of the insides of ion beam generators arranged opposite each other via a substrate, and a magnetic recording medium manufacturing method. A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to one surface to be processed of a substrate W, and a second ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to another surface to be processed, which are arranged opposite each other via the substrate W, and an area of a first grid in the first ion beam generator, and an area of a second grid in the second ion beam generator, each area corresponding to an opening of the substrate W, are occluded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing mutual contamination and/or damage of the insides of ion beam generators arranged opposite each other via a substrate, and a magnetic recording medium manufacturing method. A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to one surface to be processed of a substrate, and a second ion beam generator that applies an ion beam to another surface to be processed, which are arranged opposite each other via the substrate, and a first grid in the first ion beam generator, and a second grid in the second ion beam generator are configured so as to be asymmetrical to each other.

Abstract: A gas introduction path intended for improving uniformity of the supply of a process gas is provided. A sputtering apparatus of the present invention has substrate holding means that holds a substrate and a gas introduction path, which has a plurality of gas spouts arranged in a closed curve in a plurality of positions surrounding the circumference of the substrate, and gas-introduction connections are provided in at least two positions substantially opposed to each other on the closed curve. Such two gas introduction paths are provided symmetrically with respect to the substrate on the front surface side and the rear surface side of the substrate.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus according to the present invention includes a substrate holding means for holding substrates and gas introducing routes having a plurality of gas jetting ports arranged at a plurality of places surrounding the substrates, and characterized in that at least one of the gas introducing routes is provided with a gas introduction connecting port, and the number of gas jetting ports provided in at least one of the gas introducing routes with the gas introduction connecting port is smaller than the number of gas jetting ports provided in the other gas introducing routes without the gas introduction connecting ports, or an aperture of each of the gas jetting ports provided in at least one of the gas introducing routes with the gas introduction connecting port is smaller than an aperture of each of the gas jetting ports provided in the other gas introducing routes without the gas introduction connecting ports.

Abstract: A sputtering system including a vacuum chamber, at least one cathode located in said vacuum chamber, a first gas introduction mechanism for supplying a gas along a surface of the cathode, which first gas introduction mechanism is located in the vacuum chamber and provided through the at least one cathode, a second gas introduction mechanism for supplying a gas along a surface of the at least one cathode, which second gas introduction mechanism is located in the vacuum chamber and provided around the at least one cathode, a third gas introduction mechanism for supplying a gas into the vacuum chamber, which third gas introduction mechanism has gas supply inlets positioned at a location radially outside of said second gas introduction mechanism and above said at least one cathode, and a vacuum evacuation unit for evacuating the inside of said vacuum chamber.