Abstract: Provided is a sputtering apparatus which can form a multilayer film giving high productivity and with less spiral pattern by effective use of targets, and a method of forming multilayer film using the apparatus. An embodiment is a multilayer-film sputtering apparatus comprising: a rotatable cathode unit (30) having cathodes (7a and 7b) arranged on the same circumference with respect to the rotational center, and having a power-supply mechanism for supplying power to each cathode; a sensor (14) for detecting the position of cathode; and a rotation mechanism for rotating the cathode unit (30).

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 invention provides a multi-film forming apparatus including a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders separately from a path in the multi-film forming apparatus, so that production can be performed without being affected by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder and the process of replacing the substrate holder, or by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder or the process of replacing the substrate holder, and hence high-throughput production is possible. A branch path is provided on the path of the multi-film forming apparatus, and a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders which enables retrieval of the substrate holder from the path and feeding of the substrate holder to the path is provided.

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 invention provides a multi-film forming apparatus including a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders separately from a path in the multi-film forming apparatus, so that production can be performed without being affected by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder and the process of replacing the substrate holder, or by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder or the process of replacing the substrate holder, and hence high-throughput production is possible. A branch path is provided on the path of the multi-film forming apparatus, and a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders which enables retrieval of the substrate holder from the path and feeding of the substrate holder to the path is provided.

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: A method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus in which a first ion beam generator and a second ion beam generator are arranged opposite to each other to sandwich a plane on which a substrate is to be placed, and which processes two surfaces of the substrate, comprises steps of retreating the substrate from a position between the first ion beam generator and the second ion beam generator, and cleaning the second ion beam generator by emitting an ion beam from the first ion beam generator to the second ion beam generator.

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-film forming apparatus including a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders separately from a path in the multi-film forming apparatus, so that production can be performed without being affected by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder and the process of replacing the substrate holder, or by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder or the process of replacing the substrate holder, and hence high-throughput production is possible. A branch path is provided on the path of the multi-film forming apparatus, and a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders which enables retrieval of the substrate holder from the path and feeding of the substrate holder to the path is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a sputtering apparatus which can form a multilayer film giving high productivity and with less spiral pattern by effective use of targets, and a method of forming multilayer film using the apparatus. An embodiment is a multilayer-film sputtering apparatus comprising: a rotatable cathode unit (30) having cathodes (7a and 7b) arranged on the same circumference with respect to the rotational center, and having a power-supply mechanism for supplying power to each cathode; a sensor (14) for detecting the position of cathode; and a rotation mechanism for rotating the cathode unit (30).

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-film forming apparatus including a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders separately from a path in the multi-film forming apparatus, so that production can be performed without being affected by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder and the process of replacing the substrate holder, or by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder or the process of replacing the substrate holder, and hence high-throughput production is possible. A branch path is provided on the path of the multi-film forming apparatus, and a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders which enables retrieval of the substrate holder from the path and feeding of the substrate holder to the path is provided.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus in which a first ion beam generator and a second ion beam generator are arranged opposite to each other to sandwich a plane on which a substrate is to be placed, and which processes two surfaces of the substrate, comprises steps of retreating the substrate from a position between the first ion beam generator and the second ion beam generator, and cleaning the second ion beam generator by emitting an ion beam from the first ion beam generator to the second ion beam generator.

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: The invention provides a multi-film forming apparatus including a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders separately from a path in the multi-film forming apparatus, so that production can be performed without being affected by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder and the process of replacing the substrate holder, or by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder or the process of replacing the substrate holder, and hence high-throughput production is possible. A branch path is provided on the path of the multi-film forming apparatus, and a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders which enables retrieval of the substrate holder from the path and feeding of the substrate holder to the path is provided.

Abstract: A vapor supplying apparatus comprises a holding unit for holding a liquid or solid substance; cooling means for cooling the holding unit; detection means for detecting the temperature of the holding unit; and a control means for controlling said cooling means based on the temperature detected by the detection means. The temperature of the holding unit is adjusted by using the cooling means under the control of the control means, thereby to control vaporization or sublimation of the liquid or solid substance in supplying a vapor of the substance. Means for measuring the pressure of the vapor vaporized or sublimated from the liquid or the solid substance is provided under the atmosphere in which the water supplying apparatus is placed, and the control means controls the temperature of the holding unit so that the pressure of the vapor becomes a predetermined value based on the measured pressure.

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: This invention presents a magnetic recording disk where an anisotropy-allowing layer to allow magnetic anisotropy to a magnetic recording layer is provided between a substrate and the magnetic recording layer. This invention also presents a magnetic-recording-disk manufacturing method comprising a step to prepare an anisotropy-allowing layer to allow magnetic anisotropy to a magnetic recording layer, prior to a step to prepare the magnetic recording layer. This invention also presents a magnetic-recording-disk manufacturing system comprising an anisotropy-allowing-layer preparation chamber, in which an anisotropy-allowing layer to allow magnetic anisotropy to a magnetic recording layer is prepared on a substrate, prior to preparation of the magnetic recording layer. In this invention, the anisotropy-allowing layer is made of; nitride of niobium, tantalum, niobium alloy or tantalum alloy, or nitride-including niobium, tantalum, niobium alloy or tantalum alloy.

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.

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-film forming apparatus including a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders separately from a path in the multi-film forming apparatus, so that production can be performed without being affected by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder and the process of replacing the substrate holder, or by the process of removing a film accumulated on the surface of the substrate holder or the process of replacing the substrate holder, and hence high-throughput production is possible. A branch path is provided on the path of the multi-film forming apparatus, and a substrate holder stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders which enables retrieval of the substrate holder from the path and feeding of the substrate holder to the path is provided.