Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes vacuum processing vessels each having a processing chamber with a pressure-reduced interior space, a vacuum transfer vessel which is coupled to the vacuum vessels disposed therearound and which has a low-pressure interior space in which a to-be-processed workpiece is conveyed, an atmospheric air transfer vessel which is coupled to the front side of the vacuum transfer vessel and which includes on its front face side cassette tables mounting thereon a cassette with the workpiece received therein for conveying the workpiece in an interior space under an atmospheric pressure, a position-aligning machine disposed within the atmospheric air transfer vessel at one of right and left ends for adjusting a position of the workpiece, and an adjuster disposed between lower part of this machine and a floor face for adjusting the supply of a fluid being fed to the vacuum processing vessels.

Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a high productivity per installed area.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: two disk-shaped members that are disposed inside the sample table and vertically connected; coolant grooves that are respectively disposed in the outer circumference side and the central side of the upper disk-shaped member and inside which coolants flow; a ring-shaped groove for suppressing heat transfer between these coolant grooves that is disposed between these coolant grooves; a fastening unit that fastens the upper disk-shaped member and the lower disk-shaped member respectively in plural positions of the outer circumference side of the coolant groove of the outer circumference side, and in plural positions of the inner circumference side of the ring-shaped groove; and pusher pins for carrying in/out a sample to the sample mounting surface, wherein the fastening unit of the inner circumference side of the ring-shaped groove and the pusher pins are disposed on a circle circumference within a range of 47 to 68% of the radius of the sample.

Abstract: A ceramic film is formed by a spray method on a base material of an electrostatic attraction device. Electrode films for electrostatic attraction are formed by a spray method on a surface of the ceramic film. A ringular heater film is formed in a spray method between the electrode films in a radial direction of the electrode films. In addition, a ceramic film is formed by a spray method on upper surfaces of the electrode films and the heater film.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck which is built in a heater and can change, at a high speed, the temperature distribution of a wafer being processed by a plasma is provided at low cost. Also, there is provided a processing method which realizes uniform etching by suppressing CD variations in the plane of the wafer even when etching conditions change. The electrostatic chuck includes a base material in which multiple coolant grooves are formed, a high resistance layer which is formed on the base material, multiple heaters which are formed by thermally spraying conductors within the high resistance layer, multiple electrostatic chuck electrodes which are formed similarly by thermally spraying conductors within the high resistance layer, and temperature measuring means, and adjusts outputs of the heaters on the basis of temperature information of the temperature measuring means.

Abstract: A heat development processor includes a heat roller whose peripheral surface is heated to a predetermined temperature, the heat roller being adapted to transport in close contact therewith a heat-developable light-sensitive material with a latent image formed thereon, so as to heat develop the heat-developable light-sensitive material; and a backup roller disposed in face-to-face relation with the heat roller and having a gap between the same and the heat roller, the gap corresponding to or greater than the thickness of the heat-developable light-sensitive material. Since a gap is provided between the heat roller and the backup roller, a nipping force does not act between them, making it possible to squeeze out steam from between the heat-developable light-sensitive material and the peripheral surface of the heat roller.

Abstract: A photosensitive material drying method for drying a photosensitive material conveyed along a conveying path, including steps of: training a front surface and a rear surface of the photosensitive material alternately around a plurality of heat rollers whose outer circumferences are heated by heat sources; heating the photosensitive material by an amount of heat provided on a basis of a temperature of the outer circumferences of the heat rollers and on the basis of a time of contact between the photosensitive material and the heat rollers; and evaporating moisture from a surface of the photosensitive material not contacting the heat rollers. High-quality drying can be effected in a small space and with little use of electric power. Efficient drying in which dimensions of films are stable can be carried out.

Abstract: A drier apparatus for drying sheets of photosensitive material processed with processing solutions while the photosensitive material is being transported. Rollers are provided along a transport passage for transporting the photosensitive material, and the rollers transport the photosensitive material and dry the photosensitive material by heating. The rollers are heated by heaters, respectively. The surface temperature of each roller is detected by a temperature detector, and a controller controls the heaters in such a manner that the range of fluctuation of the surface temperature of each roller falls within a predetermined range of values on the basis of the change with time of the detected surface temperatures of the rollers.