Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor processing apparatus having a high throughput capable of appropriately coping with the positional displacement that may occur during transfer of the wafer after correcting the position thereof, without slowing down the transfer speed of the wafer. A position correction quantity of the wafer with respect to a vacuum robot is computed based on the outputs of a ? axis sensor for detecting the interception angle of the wafer during rotation of the vacuum robot and an R axis sensor for detecting the interception distance of the wafer during expansion and contraction of the vacuum robot. If the position correction quantity exceeds a predetermined standard value, an operation to change the position data is performed, and if the distance data obtained based on the outputs from the ? axis sensor and the R axis sensor exceeds a predetermined permissible value, it is determined that a displacement error has occurred and the operation is stopped.

Abstract: An inexpensive and reliable vacuum processing apparatus is provided. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a sealed gate located between two vacuum vessels for allowing them to communicate with each other and a sample subjected to processing to be transferred from one of the vacuum vessels to the other therethrough; and a gate valve located on a path of the gate, the gate valve including a first and second valve body facing a first and second opening, respectively, and a shaft to which the valve bodies are coupled at one end thereof, the gate valve selectively opening and closing each of the openings. The gate valve includes an axial drive section coupled to the other end of the shaft for moving the shaft in the axial direction thereof, and a rotary drive section located between the one end and the other end of the shaft for rotating the shaft about a predetermined pivot crossing the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor processing apparatus having a high throughput capable of appropriately coping with the positional displacement that may occur during transfer of the wafer after correcting the position thereof, without slowing down the transfer speed of the wafer. A position correction quantity of the wafer with respect to a vacuum robot is computed based on the outputs of a ? axis sensor for detecting the interception angle of the wafer during rotation of the vacuum robot and an R axis sensor for detecting the interception distance of the wafer during expansion and contraction of the vacuum robot. If the position correction quantity exceeds a predetermined standard value, an operation to change the position data is performed, and if the distance data obtained based on the outputs from the ? axis sensor and the R axis sensor exceeds a predetermined permissible value, it is determined that a displacement error has occurred and the operation is stopped.

Abstract: An inexpensive and reliable vacuum processing apparatus is provided. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a sealed gate located between two vacuum vessels for allowing them to communicate with each other and a sample subjected to processing to be transferred from one of the vacuum vessels to the other therethrough; and a gate valve located on a path of the gate, the gate valve including a first and second valve body facing a first and second opening, respectively, and a shaft to which the valve bodies are coupled at one end thereof, the gate valve selectively opening and closing each of the openings. The gate valve includes an axial drive section coupled to the other end of the shaft for moving the shaft in the axial direction thereof, and a rotary drive section located between the one end and the other end of the shaft for rotating the shaft about a predetermined pivot crossing the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus for processing a sample on a sample stand in a vacuum container whose inside pressure is reduced, with a plasma generated in an upper space above the sample stand. The apparatus comprises: an electric discharge chamber disposed in the vacuum container and above the sample stand, and having a discharge-chamber sidewall surrounding the upper space; a vacuum chamber disposed in the vacuum container and below the electric discharge chamber, and in communication with the electric discharge chamber; a vacuum-chamber sidewall disposed inside the vacuum container to surround the sample stand, and constituting a side surface of the vacuum chamber; a first temperature regulator disposed outside the discharge-chamber sidewall to adjust a temperature of the discharge-chamber sidewall; and a second temperature regulator controlling a temperature of the vacuum-chamber sidewall to a value lower than the temperature of the discharge-chamber sidewall.