Abstract: In a film forming vessel, a substrate destined to carry on the surface thereof a thin film to be formed and a magnetron sputtering source integrally composed of an electric field supply means and a main magnetic field supply means for forming magnetron plasma in the neighborhood of the target and concurrently serving as a target holder for retaining a target in place are disposed as opposed to each other. An electromagnet as an auxiliary magnetic field supply means for decreasing the spatially dispersed amount of magnetron plasma in the neighborhood of the surface of the substrate is also laid out in the film forming vessel. A thin film of compound, for example, is formed on the substrate, with the spatially dispersed amount of magnetron plasma in the neighborhood of the surface of the substrate decreased as described above. As a result, the thin film of excellent quality is formed with high repeatability on a large surface area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing a magnetic thin film, comprising the steps of disposing a mask having a predetermined pattern on a magnetic thin film consisting of a magnetic material containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni, supplying a reactive gas containing activated BCl.sub.3 to an exposed portion of said magnetic thin film and allowing said reactive gas to react with said magnetic material, and removing the magnetic thin film of the exposed portion to perform a desired patterning.

Abstract: A plasma discharge apparatus includes a chamber in which plasma discharge is produced; an antenna composed of a loop coil formed from an electric conductor which can be supplied with R.F. power so as to produce a high frequency electric field in the chamber; and an electric shield of a shield layer of non-magnetic electrically conductive material which toroidally surrounds the coil and which has openings. The shield layer is grounded and electrically connected to the antenna so as to be a return circuit. The electric shield can be formed from a strip electric conductor toroidally wound to provide a spiral gap opening between turns. The strip can further be toroidally wound over the spiral gap but separated from the underlying strip layer to form a double layer shield.