Abstract: A bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a first holder and a second holder. The first holder holds a first substrate. The second holder includes a plurality of suction portions that suck a second substrate and that are arranged on concentric circles about a center of the second substrate substantially evenly. The second holder bonds the second substrate to the first substrate while opposing the second substrate to the first substrate. A first gas supply portion has a plurality of first gas supply ports to supply gas toward a bonding position between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first gas supply ports are provided to correspond to at least a part of outermost suction portions that are farthest ones of the suction portions from a center of the second holder, and are concentrically arranged on a circle about the center substantially evenly.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a process container. A holder is disposed in the process container, and is arranged to hold a substrate including a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface. The holder includes a mask portion that covers a first area of the first surface and exposes a second area different from the first area. The mask portion includes a first layer in contact with the first surface of the substrate and a second layer spaced further from the substrate than the first layer. The first layer is recessed further than the second layer in a direction toward the first area in an edge portion of the mask portion that partitions the first area and the second area.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a first holder and a second holder. The first holder holds a first substrate. The second holder includes a plurality of suction portions that suck a second substrate and that are arranged on concentric circles about a center of the second substrate substantially evenly. The second holder bonds the second substrate to the first substrate while opposing the second substrate to the first substrate. A first gas supply portion has a plurality of first gas supply ports to supply gas toward a bonding position between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first gas supply ports are provided to correspond to at least a part of outermost suction portions that are farthest ones of the suction portions from a center of the second holder, and are concentrically arranged on a circle about the center substantially evenly.

Abstract: An optical aligner includes a light source for generating an exposure light, an irradiation optical system for irradiating the exposure light onto a reticle, a projection optical system for transmitting the exposure light passed by the reticle to project the image of the reticle onto a photoresist mask, and a compensation optical system for generating a compensation light incident onto the reticle. The reticle reflects the compensation light in the light-shield area of the reticle to be incident onto the photoresist film. The compensation light compensates a flare light generated by the reticle from the exposure light to form a uniform pattern on the wafer.

Abstract: An optical aligner includes a light source for generating an exposure light, an irradiation optical system for irradiating the exposure light onto a reticle, a projection optical system for transmitting the exposure light passed by the reticle to project the image of the reticle onto a photoresist mask, and a compensation optical system for generating a compensation light incident onto the reticle. The reticle reflects the compensation light in the light-shield area of the reticle to be incident onto the photoresist film. The compensation light compensates a flare light generated by the reticle from the exposure light to form a uniform pattern on the wafer.

Abstract: Provided is a resist pattern forming method with a bi-layer resist process, which requires only a simple developing step equivalent to that of a single-layer resist process. The resist pattern forming method comprises the steps of: forming a lower-layer resist film on a substrate; forming a diffusion preventive film on the lower-layer resist film; forming an upper-layer resist film on the diffusion preventive film; exposing the lower-layer resist film and the upper-layer resist film simultaneously; and developing the lower-layer resist film and the upper-layer resist film simultaneously. Si as an etching resistance improving component is contained in the upper-layer resist film but not in the lower-layer resist film. The diffusion preventive film prevents diffusion of Si from the upper-layer resist film to the lower-layer resist film and transmits the light at the time of exposure, while having a characteristic of being eliminated by the developer solution at the time of developing.

Abstract: In a coating apparatus for removing edge pool formed on a wafer side surface of a coating film deposited on a wafer by edge rinse treatment using a rinse solution, a mechanism is provided in which the edge rinse treatment is performed by mixing a plurality of solvents having different dissolving rates for dissolving the coating film.

Abstract: In order to decrease a development defects even when the blocking level of a chemically amplified photoresist is increased, according to a disclosed photoresist pattern forming method, a photoresist. film (12) made of a chemically amplified photoresist is applied to a semiconductor substrate (11), and after that, before a developing process, an aqueous solution of a surfactant containing a hydrophilic group is applied to the photoresist film (12), so that a surfactant layer (18) is formed.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a thin film magnetic head element, a reference resistor, and a four point probe reference resistor. The thin film magnetic head element is formed on a substrate having a medium-opposing surface. The reference resistor is formed on the substrate near the thin film magnetic head element, and electrically detects a polishing amount of the medium-opposing surface. The four point probe reference resistor is formed on the substrate near the thin film magnetic head element, and corrects the polishing amount of the medium-opposing surface which is detected by the reference resistor. A method of forming the thin film magnetic head is also disclosed.