Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a processing chamber provided with a plasma generation unit for applying radio-frequency power to supplied processing gas to generate plasma and a stage for holding workpieces, and a control computer for generating plasma in accordance with preset processing conditions to sequentially apply plasma processing to the workpieces and also for sequentially collecting system parameter values each of which represents a state of the plasma processing. The computer is provided with a record unit for storing, in every predetermined period, a frequency that each of the collected system parameter values deviates from a preset reference value, an occurrence rate calculation unit for calculating, based on the frequency, an occurrence rate that the each of the system parameter values deviates from the reference value, and a comparison unit for comparing the occurrence rate with a preset reference value to diagnose a state of the system.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a member having a gas passage formed in a center between the pressure adjusting valve of an exhaust system and a turbo-molecular pump, and a particle dispersion prevention unit having plural stationary blades formed to be tilted in a direction opposite the direction of the rotary blade of the turbo-molecular pump on the outer circumference of the member.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber, supplying means for introducing a processing gas into the vacuum processing chamber, a mounting electrode in the vacuum processing chamber for mounting a specimen on the mounting electrode, and a pusher pin for raising the specimen placed on the mounting electrode and holding the specimen over the mounting electrode, wherein the mounting electrode includes an inner area for mounting the specimen, an outer area for mounting a focus ring, and a high-frequency power source for supplying electric power to the inner area and the outer area, and wherein high-frequency electric power is applied to the outer area to generate plasma at the outer edge of the backside of the specimen while the specimen is raised with the pusher pin.

Abstract: There is provided a vacuum processing apparatus including a valve whose opening degree can be set to any size and a control computer which automatically controls a depressurizing rate. The vacuum processing apparatus can reduce the number of foreign particles adhered to a sample to be processed in the lock chamber and can improve the throughput at the same time.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus; a refrigerant flow passage being formed in the sample table and constituting an evaporator of a cooling cycle and the in-plane temperature of the sample to be processed is controlled uniformly by controlling the enthalpy of the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant flow passage and thereby keeping the flow mode in the refrigerant flow passage, namely in the sample table, in the state of a gas-liquid two-phase. If by any chance dry out of the refrigerant occurs in the refrigerant flow passage because the heat input of plasma increases with time or by another reason, it is possible to increase speed of a compressor and inhibit the dry out from occurring in the refrigerant flow passage. Further, if the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant flow passage is liquefied, it is kept in the gas-liquid two-phase state.

Abstract: After a polycrystalline silicon film (5) is formed on a semiconductor substrate via an insulating film for a gate insulating film (step S1), an organic antireflection film (21) is formed on the polycrystalline silicon film (5) (step S2), and a resist pattern (22) is formed on the antireflection film (21) (step S3). Then, a passivation film (23) is deposited on the antireflection film (21) so as to cover the resist pattern (22) by plasma using fluorocarbon gas while a bias voltage is being applied to the semiconductor substrate (step S4). Then, the passivation film (23) and the antireflection film (21) are etched by plasma using gas containing oxygen gas (step S5). Thereafter, the polycrystalline silicon film (5) is etched using the resist pattern (22) with reduced line edge roughness as an etching mask to form a gate electrode (step S6).

Abstract: A dimension measuring apparatus used for measuring a dimension of a semiconductor device having a first pattern of repeated structure and a second pattern that is linear and formed on the first pattern to extend over the repeated structure. The invention includes a shape information acquisition unit which acquires information on a shape of the first pattern; a width value acquisition unit which acquires a width value of each portion of the second pattern; an analytic area setting unit, which sets a plurality of analytic areas on the second pattern; and a dimension determining unit, which extracts, for each of the set analytic areas, width values of portions included in the analytic area, and uses the extracted width values to determine a dimension of the second pattern at portions overlapping the first pattern.

Abstract: By subjecting a threaded joint for OCTG (oil country tubular goods) to surface conditioning with an aqueous solution of potassium tetraborate or sodium tetraborate prior to manganese phosphate chemical conversion treatment, a manganese phosphate chemical conversion coating having coarse crystal grains with an average crystal grain diameter of 10-110 micrometers is formed on the surface of the steel member which may be any steel including a high Cr steel. This manganese phosphate chemical conversion coating can hold a large amount of a liquid lubricant, and it is effective at preventing the occurrence of galling at the time of makeup of a threaded joint for OCTG.

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: To monitor the thickness of a focus ring consumed during wafer processing. A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber 1, workpiece mounting means 5, high frequency electric power introducing means 4 and radio-frequency bias electric power introducing means 7 and processes a surface of a workpiece 6 using a plasma that is converted from a gas introduced into the vacuum chamber 1 by the action of a high frequency electric power introduced by the high frequency electric power introducing means 4. The plasma processing apparatus further includes an annular member 11 surrounding the workpiece 6 mounted on the workpiece mounting means 5, and a pair of tubes having an aspect ratio of 3 or higher and disposed on a side wall of the vacuum chamber 1 to face each other. Each tube is vacuum-sealed at a tip end thereof with a glass material.

Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing method capable of reducing the damage applied to the low-k film or the underlayer.

Abstract: To make it possible to suppress deterioration of processing properties of a sample to be processed due to the distortion of ion sheath at the end portion of the sample to be processed or possible to maintain the condition for suppressing the deterioration, so that the acquisition rate of acceptable products can be increased, so as to thereby improve the yield. In a plasma processing apparatus, a minute hole 10 is provided in a focus ring 9 in the vicinity of the inner circumferential portion thereof. Current detecting means 11 is arranged in the bottom portion of the minute hole 10. A high-frequency power is supplied to the focus ring 9 via high-frequency power distributing means 16. A state of distortion of an ion sheath 18 is detected from an amount of current which is changed according to the amount of the high-frequency power supplied to the focus ring 9 and which is detected by current detecting means 11.

Abstract: There is a vacuum processing apparatus which can reduce the amount of foreign particle occurrence by enhancing the ease of maintenance of a gas diffuser installing portion in the vacuum processing apparatus. A gas diffuser chamber for accommodating a gas diffuser is installed in the vacuum processing apparatus.

Abstract: In the manufacturing system and the manufacturing method of a semiconductor device using a plasma treatment apparatus, a plasma treatment condition is controlled so that a desired shape is obtained after the plasma processing by using a processing shape prediction model for calculating the shape after the plasma processing from the inspection data of a wafer to be treated prior to the treatment and a response surface model for calculating the processing shape depending on a plasma treatment condition. In this configuration, the processing shape prediction model has an adjustable prediction model coefficient, and this prediction model coefficient is automatically calibrated.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus includes a process chamber, a conveyance chamber, a conveyance robot, a lock chamber, and a heating unit or temperature adjusting unit for reducing adherence of particles onto a substance to be processed by a thermo-phoretic force. The heating unit enables control of a temperature of the substance to be processed to be higher than a temperature of an inner wall or structural body of the process chamber or the conveyance chamber or the conveyance robot or the lock chamber, in conveying the substance to be processed. The temperature adjusting unit enables adjustment of a temperature of an inner wall or structural body of the process chamber or the conveyance chamber or the lock chamber to be lower than a temperature of the substance to be processed, in conveying the substance to be processed.

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: A vacuum processing apparatus capable of attaining compatibility between the decrease for the number of foreign particles deposited on a sample in a lock chamber and improvement of the throughput, in which an open speed controllable valve is disposed and the depressurization speed can be controlled automatically by a controlling computer.

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 provided with control means, gas supply means includes a first gas supply path for supplying a vent gas into a processing chamber by way of a shower plate and a second gas supply path for supplying a vent gas into the processing chamber without via the shower plate, and the control means is capable of adjusting a flow rate of the vent gas of at least one of the first and second gas supply paths in such a manner that a pressure on a back side of the shower plate becomes a pressure that is a positive pressure relative to a pressure in the processing chamber and less than a withstand pressure of the shower plate.

Abstract: A resist damage free dry-etching process is proposed. A time duration defined until bias electric power is applied is controlled according to a plasma ignition detection signal. Wafer back-side gas pressure for a certain constant time after starting of an etching process operation is set to be lower than that as to a main etching condition. Within the time duration defined after starting of the etching process operation up to a certain constant time, CxFy gas having a lower C/F ratio than that of the main etching condition is employed, or a flow rate of the CxFy gas is lowered. The above-described parameter values are controlled every wafer according to an amount of radicals contained in the plasma being monitored. A unit for preheating a wafer is installed in a wafer transporting system.