Abstract: An apparatus is provided which reduces the dependency of the direction of polarization on channels of an image sensor so as to improve the sensitivity of inspection. In the apparatus, the direction of an illumination beam incident on a polarizing beam splitter is made to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of a field of view of an image sensor projected on the polarizing beam splitter.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which reduces the dependency of the direction of polarization on channels of an image sensor so as to improve the sensitivity of inspection. In the apparatus, the direction of an illumination beam incident on a polarizing beam splitter is made to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of a field of view of an image sensor projected on the polarizing beam splitter.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which reduces the dependency of the direction of polarization on channels of an image sensor so as to improve the sensitivity of inspection. In the apparatus, the direction of an illumination beam incident on a polarizing beam splitter is made to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of a field of view of an image sensor projected on the polarizing beam splitter.

Abstract: The present invention is characterized by; detecting the volume of impurities in said vacuum vessel wherein plasma is generated by radio frequency power supplied to the target electrode and substrate electrode, and a target is sputtered by ions in said plasma, thereby forming films on the substrate, and controlling the phase difference of radio frequency power supplied to each of said electrodes according to said detection value.

Abstract: An active-matrix liquid crystal display unit in which gate lines and drain lines disposed around a TFT device and a transparent pixel electrode are formed by a metal film including Ne atoms in a Cr film so as to provide a resistivity of 22 .mu..OMEGA.cm or below for the metal film and an absolute value of 200 MPa or below for the film stress.

Abstract: A multi-chamber sputtering apparatus characterized in that a plurality of target electrodes and a substrate transfer mechanism which is able to transfer a substrate to positions facing the target electrodes and change distance between the target electrodes and the substrate.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, in order to exchange a target under a vacuum condition without communicating a film-forming chamber with the atmosphere for exchange of the target, a substrate is located in a vacuum vessel and an opening portion is provided on a wall surface of the vacuum vessel opposite to the substrate which is formed with a thin film on its surface. A target exchanging chamber is disposed adjacent to the vacuum vessel so as to be communicated therewith through the opening portion. During film-formation, the interior of the vacuum vessel is maintained in a vacuum state by closing the opening portion with the target while the target exchanging chamber is communicated with the atmosphere and a spare target is contained therein. When exchanging the target, the air in the target exchanging chamber is exhausted to maintain the chamber in a vacuum state and the target is replaced with the spare target.

Abstract: The number of times a substrate tray has been used and the amount of distortion of the substrate tray are measured. When the number of times of use or the distortion amount of the substrate tray exceed a predetermined value, respectively, the substrate tray is exchanged automatically.

Abstract: A film forming system including an evacuating unit, a pair of opposed electrodes and an RF voltage supplying unit for suppling RF voltages to the respective electrodes to generate a discharge between the electrodes to form a film. The film forming system includes: a discharge variation detecting unit for detecting an amount of a variation in the discharge as a voltage from each of the electrodes; and a phase adjusting unit for detecting the difference in phase between the RF voltages supplied to the electrodes, and for adjusting the phase difference of the RF voltages supplied to the electrodes, according to the difference between the detected phase difference and a preset value.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a thin film of a given material on one or more substrates comprises a vacuum vessel, a first electrode which is provided in the vacuum vessel for holding a target plate of the given material thereon, a second electrode which is provided opposite to the first electrode in the vacuum vessel to form a discharge space between the first and second electrodes and holds the substrate(s) thereon, a gas conduit for supplying a sputtering gas into the discharge space, power sources for applying a discharge voltage between the first and second electrodes to generate a discharge plasma of the sputtering gas, and a magnetic field generating device which is provided to surround the discharge space and generates a magnetic field effective to prevent the discharge plasma from diffusing to the outside of the discharge space.

Abstract: A thin film deposition system for depositing a thin film on a substrate by sputtering is characterized in that a substrate holder for holding thereon the substrate is transferred by a transfer mechanism from or to a film deposition position to or from another position such as another chamber different from the film deposition chamber, an electrode for applying bias voltage of radio frequency to the substrate or substrate holder is axially movable relatively to the substrate holder so that the electrode can be contacted with or discontact from the substrate holder, and a grounded shield is provided so as to cover the electrode and the substrate holder with a gap thereby shielding radio frequency from the electrode and the substrate holder to prevent formation of glow discharge between a wall of the vacuum chamber and the electrode or the substrate holder.

Abstract: A magnetic film deposition chamber having Helmholtz coils and a preliminary chamber are connected through a gate valve. Two magnetic plates are fixed to the magnetic film deposition chamber near the both ends thereof. Substrates overlying apertures of a substrate holder are moved by a conveyer together with the substrate holder. The conveyor moves from the preliminary chamber to the film deposition chamber through the gate valve. The substrates then positioned over and between the magnetic plates and are located above the target in the magnetic film deposition chamber.

Abstract: A magnetron sputter apparatus according to the present invention is constructed so as to satisfy a predetermined optimum relationship between the size of the erosion area on the surface of the target and that of a film forming region. Further, the distance between the target and substrates has a value predetermined for the relationship between the size of the erosion area on the surface of the target and that of the film forming region. By using the magnetron sputter apparatus according to the present invention it is possible to form a homogeneous thin film excellent in step coverage and having a film thickness distribution in which variations are small over a large area.