Abstract: An anti-slip end-effector for transporting a workpiece, which is configured to be attached to a robotic arm, includes: a workpiece-supporting area for placing a workpiece thereon for transportation; at least one front protrusion disposed at a distal end of the workpiece-supporting area for engaging an edge of the workpiece to restrict movement of the workpiece placed on the workpiece-supporting area beyond the front protrusion; and at least one anti-slip protrusion disposed in the workpiece-supporting area for contacting and supporting the backside of the workpiece, said anti-slip protrusion having a top face having a static friction coefficient of 1.0 or more as measured against the backside of the workpiece, and having a surface roughness of less than 0.4 ?m.

Abstract: A method for forming a layer constituted by repeated stacked layers includes: forming a first layer and a second layer on a substrate under different deposition conditions to form a stacked layer, wherein the film stresses of the first and second layers are tensile or compressive and opposite to each other, and the wet etch rates of the first and second layers are at least 50 times different from each other; and repeating the above step to form a layer constituted by repeated stacked layers, wherein the deposition conditions for forming at least one stacked layer are different from those for forming another stacked layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a silicon-containing dielectric film on a substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD) includes: providing two precursors, one precursor containing a halogen in its molecule, another precursor containing a silicon but no halogen in its molecule, adsorbing a first precursor, which is one of the two precursors onto a substrate to deposit a monolayer of the first precursor; adsorbing a second precursor, which is the other of the two precursors onto the monolayer of the first precursor to deposit a monolayer of the second precursor; and exposing the monolayer of the second precursor to radicals of a reactant to cause surface reaction with the radicals to form a compound monolayer of a silicon-containing film.

Abstract: A method for forming a layer constituted by repeated stacked layers includes: forming a first layer and a second layer on a substrate under different deposition conditions to form a stacked layer, wherein the film stresses of the first and second layers are tensile or compressive and opposite to each other, and the wet etch rates of the first and second layers are at least 50 times different from each other; and repeating the above step to form a layer constituted by repeated stacked layers, wherein the deposition conditions for forming at least one stacked layer are different from those for forming another stacked layer.

Abstract: A UV irradiation apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate includes: a UV lamp unit; a reaction chamber disposed under the UV lamp unit; a gas ring with nozzles serving as a first electrode between the UV lamp unit and the reaction chamber; a transmission window supported by the gas ring; an RF shield which covers a surface of the transmission window facing the UV lamp unit; a second electrode disposed in the reaction chamber for generating a plasma between the first and second electrodes; and an RF power source for supplying RF power to one of the first or second electrode.

Abstract: A UV irradiation apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate includes: a UV lamp unit having at least one dielectric barrier discharge excimer lamp which is constituted by a luminous tube containing a rare gas wherein an inner surface of the luminous tube is coated with a fluorescent substance having a peak emission spectrum in a wavelength range of 190 nm to 350 nm; and a reaction chamber disposed under the UV lamp unit and connected thereto via a transmission window.

Abstract: A method for forming a silicon-containing dielectric film on a substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD) includes: providing two precursors, one precursor containing a halogen in its molecule, another precursor containing a silicon but no halogen in its molecule, adsorbing a first precursor, which is one of the two precursors onto a substrate to deposit a monolayer of the first precursor; adsorbing a second precursor, which is the other of the two precursors onto the monolayer of the first precursor to deposit a monolayer of the second precursor; and exposing the monolayer of the second precursor to radicals of a reactant to cause surface reaction with the radicals to form a compound monolayer of a silicon-containing film.

Abstract: A method for reducing a dielectric constant of a cured film, includes: introducing a source gas at a flow rate of A, a porogen gas at a flow rate of B, an oxidizing gas at a flow rate of C, and an inert gas into a reaction space in which a substrate is place; increasing a ratio of B/(A+B) used as a parameter for controlling a dielectric constant of a cured film, by a degree substantially or nearly in proportion to a target decrease of dielectric constant of a cured film; applying RF power to the reaction space, thereby depositing a film on the substrate by plasma CVD; and curing the film to remove the porogen material, thereby forming pores in the cured film.

Abstract: A method for determining conditions for forming a dielectric SiOCH film, includes: (i) forming a dielectric SiOCH film on a substrate under conditions; (ii) evaluating the conditions using a ratio of Si—CH3 bonding strength to Si—O bonding strength of the film as formed in step (i); (iii) if the ratio is 2.50 % or higher, confirming the conditions, and if the ratio is less than 2.50 %, changing the conditions by changing at least one of the susceptor temperature, the distance between upper and lower electrodes, the RF power, and the curing time; and (iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) until the ratio is 2.50 % or higher.

Abstract: A shower plate 122 has protrusions 22 formed on the front face used with a first electrode in a plasma CVD apparatus. A plane-surface portion 23 is left around apertures of gas inlet holes 21 formed in the shower plate 122. With protrusions 22 being formed, a surface area of the first electrode is increased.