Abstract: A stage device includes: a stage having a pin hole provided therein and a placement surface on which a substrate is placed; and at least one lift pin configured to move up and down through the pin hole; and a lifter configured to raise and lower the at least one lift pin, wherein the stage includes a first heating part provided therein and configured to heat the stage, and the at least one lift pin includes a second heating part provided therein or therearound and configured to heat the at least one lift pin.

Abstract: Multi-point thermocouples and assemblies are disclosed for ceramic heating structures. The disclosed embodiments provide multi-point connections in distinct areas to provide good temperature-sensing contacts between metal thermocouples and ceramic bodies while also providing improved flexibility. As such, cracking of ceramic bodies for heating structures is avoided. For one embodiment, assemblies including a multi-point thermocouple and a ceramic body are used in bake plates for processing systems that process microelectronic workpieces. The metal thermocouple has a flat surface used for connections to the ceramic body. Preferably, the thermocouple is relatively thin and provides improved connection sites and flexibility.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a stage for performing at least one of heating and cooling on a substrate placed thereon and having a through-hole vertically penetrating the stage; a substrate support pin having an insertion portion inserted into the through-hole and configured so that the insertion portion protrudes from an upper surface of the stage through the through-hole; and a pin support member for supporting the substrate support pin. The substrate support pin has a flange portion located below a lower surface of the stage. The support member supports the substrate support pin by engagement with the flange portion. The through-hole is smaller than the flange portion. The substrate support pin includes a first member including the flange portion and a second member having the insertion portion. The first member has a sliding surface which slidably supports the second member.

Abstract: There is a substrate placing method for placing a substrate on a placing surface of a placing table in a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, the placing table having the placing surface on which a substrate is placed and a tapered surface for guiding the substrate disposed at an outer periphery of the placing surface, the method comprising, locating a lift pin to a substrate transfer position over the placing surface, the lift pin being capable of protruding from and retracting below the placing surface, and transferring the substrate onto the lift pin; lowering the lift pin, on which the substrate is placed, to a substrate placing position lower than the placing surface; and raising the lift pin by a short distance and then returning the lift pin to the substrate placing position.

Abstract: A stage device includes: a stage having a pin hole provided therein and a placement surface on which a substrate is placed; and at least one lift pin configured to move up and down through the pin hole; and a lifter configured to raise and lower the at least one lift pin, wherein the stage includes a first heating part provided therein and configured to heat the stage, and the at least one lift pin includes a second heating part provided therein or therearound and configured to heat the at least one lift pin.

Abstract: Multi-point thermocouples and assemblies are disclosed for ceramic heating structures. The disclosed embodiments provide multi-point connections in distinct areas to provide good temperature-sensing contacts between metal thermocouples and ceramic bodies while also providing improved flexibility. As such, cracking of ceramic bodies for heating structures is avoided. For one embodiment, assemblies including a multi-point thermocouple and a ceramic body are used in bake plates for processing systems that process microelectronic workpieces. The metal thermocouple has a flat surface used for connections to the ceramic body. Preferably, the thermocouple is relatively thin and provides improved connection sites and flexibility.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a stage for performing at least one of heating and cooling on a substrate placed thereon and having a through-hole vertically penetrating the stage; a substrate support pin having an insertion portion inserted into the through-hole and configured so that the insertion portion protrudes from an upper surface of the stage through the through-hole; and a pin support member for supporting the substrate support pin. The substrate support pin has a flange portion located below a lower surface of the stage. The support member supports the substrate support pin by engagement with the flange portion. The through-hole is smaller than the flange portion. The substrate support pin includes a first member including the flange portion and a second member having the insertion portion. The first member has a sliding surface which slidably supports the second member.

Abstract: A stage on which a substrate is mounted, includes a stage body having an upper surface on which the substrate is mounted, a cover member configured to cover an outer edge portion of the upper surface of the stage body, and a positional deviation preventing member provided between the upper surface of the stage body and a lower surface of the cover member and configured to roll or slide. A body-side recess configured to accommodate the positional deviation preventing member is formed on the upper surface of the stage body. A cover-side recess configured to accommodate the positional deviation preventing member accommodated in the body-side recess is formed on the lower surface of the cover member. At least one of the body-side recess and the cover-side recess is formed in a bowl shape having an inclined surface extending along a radial direction of the stage body.

Abstract: A film formation device includes: a processing vessel; a mounting stand installed within the processing vessel and configured to mount a substrate thereon; an elevating shaft installed so as to extend in an up-down direction while supporting the mounting stand and connected to an external elevator mechanism through a through-hole formed in the processing vessel; a bellows installed between the processing vessel and the elevator mechanism and configured to cover a periphery of the elevating shaft at a lateral side of the elevating shaft; a lid member disposed so as to surround the elevating shaft with a gap left between a lateral circumferential surface of the elevating shaft and the lid member; and a purge gas supply part configured to supply a purge gas into the bellows so that a gas flow from the bellows toward the processing vessel through the gap is formed.

Abstract: An ink drying method and device is provided for injection energy to overheated dry vapor in which saturated moisture vapor is heated and dried so as to miniaturize and cluster particles of the overheated dry vapor; apply impact energy to the clustered overheated dry vapor so as to further miniaturize the clustered particles of the overheated dry vapor and generate nano-size overheated dry vapor; and supply the nano-size overheated dry vapor in a supersaturated state into a chamber in which a substrate is placed to form an anoxic atmosphere within the chamber, infuse the nano-size overheated dry vapor into ink molecules and molecular boundaries in the anoxic atmosphere, and apply the energy of the nano-sized overheated dry vapor to the ink, so as to evaporate the moisture of the ink and degraded or reduced the organic solvent of the ink.

Abstract: A film formation device includes: a processing vessel; a mounting stand installed within the processing vessel and configured to mount a substrate thereon; an elevating shaft installed so as to extend in an up-down direction while supporting the mounting stand and connected to an external elevator mechanism through a through-hole formed in the processing vessel; a bellows installed between the processing vessel and the elevator mechanism and configured to cover a periphery of the elevating shaft at a lateral side of the elevating shaft; a lid member disposed so as to surround the elevating shaft with a gap left between a lateral circumferential surface of the elevating shaft and the lid member; and a purge gas supply part configured to supply a purge gas into the bellows so that a gas flow from the bellows toward the processing vessel through the gap is formed.

Abstract: The present invention is constituted to: apply injection energy to overheated dry vapor in which saturated moisture vapor is heated and dried so as to miniaturize and cluster particles of the overheated dry vapor; apply impact energy to the clustered overheated dry vapor so as to further miniaturize the clustered particles of the overheated dry vapor and generate nano-size overheated dry vapor; and supply the nano-size overheated dry vapor in a supersaturated state into a chamber in which a substrate is placed to form an anoxic atmosphere within the chamber, infuse the nano-size overheated dry vapor into ink molecules and molecular boundaries in the anoxic atmosphere, and apply the energy of the nano-sized overheated dry vapor to the ink, so as to evaporate the moisture of the ink and degraded or reduced the organic solvent of the ink.

Abstract: A mounting table structure arranged in a processing chamber is provided for mounting a target object to be processed on the upper surface. The mounting table structure is characterized in having a mounting table wherein a heating unit are embedded to heat the target object to perform a specified heat treatment to the target object, and a supporting column which stands on the bottom portion of the processing chamber and supports the mounting table. The mounting table structure is also characterized in that a heat-equalizing member spread in a planar direction is embedded above the heating unit in the mounting table.

Abstract: Method for operating a processing system and refurbishing a ceramic substrate holder within a process chamber of the processing system are described. The method includes plasma processing one or more substrates on the ceramic substrate holder, where the processing causes erosion of a nitride material of the ceramic substrate holder. The method further includes refurbishing the ceramic substrate holder in-situ without a substrate residing on the ceramic substrate holder, where the refurbishing includes exposing the ceramic substrate holder to a plasma-excited nitrogen-containing gas in the process chamber to at least partially reverse the erosion of the nitride material.

Abstract: To carry out drying of printing ink with the use of Nano sized high-temperature dryness steam. Nano sized high-temperature dryness steam being clustered on Nano oder is generated and jetted to the print side of printed material so that the Nano sized high-temperature dryness steam imparts intramolecular vibrational energy to ink of the print side. Consequently, the Nano sized high-temperature dryness steam being clustered on Nano oder not only passes through fiber pores in the printed material but also collides with the ink of the print side. The Nano sized high-temperature dryness steam having collided with the ink of the print side imparts thermally excited energy as intramolecular vibrational energy to the ink containing polar molecules. The ink is dried by the intramolecular energy.

Abstract: Method for operating a processing system and refurbishing a ceramic substrate holder within a process chamber of the processing system are described. The method includes plasma processing one or more substrates on the ceramic substrate holder, where the processing causes erosion of a nitride material of the ceramic substrate holder. The method further includes refurbishing the ceramic substrate holder in-situ without a substrate residing on the ceramic substrate holder, where the refurbishing includes exposing the ceramic substrate holder to a plasma-excited nitrogen-containing gas in the process chamber to at least partially reverse the erosion of the nitride material.

Abstract: A mounting table structure arranged in a processing chamber is provided for mounting a target object to be processed on the upper surface. The mounting table structure is characterized in having a mounting table wherein a heating unit are embedded to heat the target object to perform a specified heat treatment to the target object, and a supporting column which stands on the bottom portion of the processing chamber and supports the mounting table. The mounting table structure is also characterized in that a heat-equalizing member spread in a planar direction is embedded above the heating unit in the mounting table.