Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus having enhanced plasma processing uniformity. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1, means 13 and 14 for supplying processing gas into the processing chamber, evacuation means 25 and 26 for decompressing the processing chamber 1, an electrode 4 on which an object 2 to be processed such as a wafer is placed, and an electromagnetic radiation power supply 5A, wherein at least two kinds of processing gases having different composition ratios of O2 or N2 are introduced into the processing chamber through different gas inlets so as to control the in-plane uniformity of the critical dimension while maintaining the in-plane uniformity of the process depth.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus in which a wafer is processed while supplying radio frequency power to electrodes disposed in a sample stage in a processing chamber within a reactor via a matching box, by matching a specific value of power at transition points of data values of at least two kinds among characteristic data including light emission intensity of the plasma, magnitude of its time variation, a matching position of the matching box, and a change of a value of a voltage of the radio frequency power supplied to the electrodes detected by varying the power to a plurality of values during the processing with a value detected by using characteristic data which is detected during the processing executed on a wafer of the same kind in a different reactor, the differences of the states inside the processing chamber or plasma among a plurality of semiconductor processing apparatuses or reactors are reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus which includes a plurality of upstream-side expansion valves and a plurality of downstream-side expansion valves connected to respective refrigerant inlets and respective refrigerant outlets to adjust a flow rate or a pressure of a refrigerant flowing into the respective refrigerant inlets and a flow rate or a pressure of a refrigerant flowing out from the respective refrigerant outlets. Openings of the upstream-side expansion valves and openings of the downstream-side expansion valves are adjusted so that no change in flow rate of the refrigerant occurs in a plurality of refrigerant channels between the plurality of upstream-side expansion valves and the plurality of downstream-side expansion valves via the plurality of refrigerant channels in a refrigeration cycle allowing the refrigerant to flow therein.

Abstract: There is provided a method for plasma heat treatment that can suppress the degradation of thermal efficiency even in the case where plasma is used to heat a sample at a temperature of 1,200° C. or more. In a method for plasma heat treatment that a sample to be processed is heated by plasma, the method including the steps of: preheating in which a heat treatment chamber is exhausted while preheating an upper electrode and a lower electrode using plasma generated between the upper electrode and the lower electrode; and heat treatment in which the sample to be processed is heated after the preheating step. The upper electrode and the lower electrode are electrodes containing carbon.

Abstract: There is provided dry etching apparatus including a stage on which a wafer is placed, an antenna electrode, a high frequency power supply, a shower plate, and an RF bias power supply. Further, a bias path controller is provided on the side of the antenna electrode. The bias path controller resonates in series with the static reactance formed by the shower plate with respect to the frequency of the RF bias. Then, the bias path controller changes and grounds the impedance by the variable inductive reactance. With this mechanism, highly uniform etching can be achieved even if a shower plate of quartz is used for corrosive gases.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus having enhanced plasma processing uniformity. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1, means 13 and 14 for supplying processing gas into the processing chamber, evacuation means 25 and 26 for decompressing the processing chamber 1, an electrode 4 on which an object 2 to be processed such as a wafer is placed, and an electromagnetic radiation power supply 5A, wherein at least two kinds of processing gases having different composition ratios of O2 or N2 are introduced into the processing chamber through different gas inlets so as to control the in-plane uniformity of the critical dimension while maintaining the in-plane uniformity of the process depth.

Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus which is based upon a dry etching apparatus and which can inhibit the contamination of a work piece caused by sputtering onto a wall of a vacuum chamber, the occurrence of a foreign matter, the increase of a running cost for replacing the walls of the vacuum chamber and the deterioration of a rate of operation.

Abstract: A diameter of a mounting unit of the stage of an ashing processing apparatus is less than a diameter of a mounting unit of the stage of an etching processing apparatus, and the diameter of the mounting unit of the stage of the etching processing apparatus is less than a diameter of an objective item.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat treatment apparatus which can reduce a surface roughing of a processed substrate while keeping a heat efficiency high, even in the case of heating a sample to be heated to 1200° C. or higher. The present invention is a heat treatment apparatus carrying out a heat treatment of a sample to be heated, wherein a plasma generated by a glow electric discharge is used as a heating source, and the sample to be heated is indirectly heated.

Abstract: Provided is a heat treatment apparatus that is high in thermal efficiency and can reduce surface roughness of a substrate to be treated even when a specimen is heated at 1200° C. or higher. The heat treatment apparatus heating the specimen includes a heating plate heated by plasma formed in an area of a gap to heat the specimen.

Abstract: The present invention provides means for controlling the temperature of a semiconductor wafer rapidly and uniformly in plane during etching processing by a large quantity of input heat by use of a refrigerating system by the heat of evaporation. A ring-shaped refrigerant passage is formed in a sample stand. Since the heat transfer rate and pressure loss of a refrigerant increase from a refrigerant supply port to a refrigerant ejection port as dryness degrees increase, these must be restricted. Therefore, constructionally, a supply refrigerant quantity is controlled to prevent the refrigerant from completely evaporating within the refrigerant passage, and the sectional areas of the refrigerant passage increase successively from a first passage to a third passage.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus having enhanced plasma processing uniformity. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1, means 13 and 14 for supplying processing gas into the processing chamber, evacuation means 25 and 26 for decompressing the processing chamber 1, an electrode 4 on which an object 2 to be processed such as a wafer is placed, and an electromagnetic radiation power supply 5A, wherein at least two kinds of processing gases having different composition ratios of O2 or N2 are introduced into the processing chamber through different gas inlets so as to control the in-plane uniformity of the critical dimension while maintaining the in-plane uniformity of the process depth.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus in which a wafer is processed while supplying radio frequency power to electrodes disposed in a sample stage in a processing chamber within a reactor via a matching box, by matching a specific value of power at transition points of data values of at least two kinds among characteristic data including light emission intensity of the plasma, magnitude of its time variation, a matching position of the matching box, and a change of a value of a voltage of the radio frequency power supplied to the electrodes detected by varying the power to a plurality of values during the processing with a value detected by using characteristic data which is detected during the processing executed on a wafer of the same kind in a different reactor, the differences of the states inside the processing chamber or plasma among a plurality of semiconductor processing apparatuses or reactors are reduced.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus which can adjust ion energy on a wafer to a value in a desired range to perform machining with high precision or processing stably for a long time is provided. To the plasma processing apparatus which processes a wafer mounted on a mounting surface of an upper portion of a stage using plasma formed in a processing chamber while supplying radio frequency power from a power supply to an electrode disposed in the stage a detector disposed on an outer circumferential side of the mounting surface of the stage to detect a differential component Vpp between the maximum value and the minimum value and a DC component Vdc from a value of a bias voltage formed thereabove and a controller to adjust an output of the radio frequency bias power to make a value of Vpp/2+|Vdc| constant based on an output from the detector are provided.

Abstract: A wafer stage includes a first evaporator where a refrigerant circulates. The first evaporator makes up a cooling cycle with a compressor, first condenser, expansion valve, second evaporator, refrigerant thermometer, and refrigerant flowmeter. The first condenser is supplied with a heat exchange medium. The temperature of a coolant supplied to the second evaporator is measured by an inlet refrigerant thermometer and outlet refrigerant thermometer, while the flow rate of the coolant is monitored and adjusted by a flow-rate adjuster. The temperature difference in the coolant between being at the inlet and at the outlet and flow rate can be measured. Upon complete evaporation of the refrigerant in the second evaporator, the dryness of the refrigerant discharged from the wafer stage is calculated from the amount of heat absorbed from (exchanged with) the coolant, the circulation amount of the refrigerant and the refrigerant temperature to control the rotational speed of the compressor.

Abstract: A chemical conversion treatment liquid which can stably form a phosphate-type chemical conversion film on a steel material for a joint portion of an oil well steel pipe containing 0.5-13% Cr is developed. Using a chemical conversion treatment liquid to which a prescribed amount of potassium is added, a chemical conversion film containing a prescribed amount of potassium compounds and having a prescribed thickness can be formed on the threaded surface of a joint portion of an oil well steel pipe.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a wafer table, a refrigerant passage disposed inside the wafer table in which a refrigerant flows, a refrigeration cycle comprising the refrigerant passage in the wafer table as a first evaporator in which the refrigerant is evaporated as a result of a heat-exchange therein, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve, a second evaporator, and a controlling unit which adjusts a number of rotations of the compressor based upon a degree of dryness of the refrigerant at a position on the refrigeration cycle after passing through the first evaporation in a range in which dry-out does not occur in the first evaporator, and the dryness of the refrigerant being determined based upon an amount of a heat exchange during the evaporation of the refrigerant in the second evaporator.

Abstract: A diameter of a mounting unit of the stage of an ashing processing apparatus is less than a diameter of a mounting unit of the stage of an etching processing apparatus, and the diameter of the mounting unit of the stage of the etching processing apparatus is less than a diameter of an objective item.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided with a processing chamber which is arranged inside a vacuum container and plasma is formed inside, a circular shape plate member made of a dielectric material arranged above the processing chamber through which an electric field is transmitted, and a cavity part having a cylindrical shape arranged above the plate member and the electric field is introduced inside, in which the cavity part is provided with a first cylindrical cavity part having a cylindrical shape cavity with a large diameter and having the plate member as the bottom face, a second cylindrical cavity part arranged above to be connected to the first cylindrical cavity part and having a cylindrical shape cavity with a small diameter, and a step portion for connecting these between the first and the second cylindrical cavity parts.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus in which accuracy or reliability of processing is improved. This plasma processing apparatus includes a sample stage in a processing chamber arranged in a vacuum vessel and in which plasma is generated. The sample stage has a cylindrical shape and operates as an evaporator through which a refrigerant of a refrigerating cycle flows. Further, the apparatus includes refrigerant passages which are concentrically arranged inside of the sample stage, one or more detectors which detect vibrations of the sample stage, and an control unit which controls a temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the sample stage based on detection results of a dryness of the refrigerant flowing through the passages obtained from an output of the detectors.