Abstract: A film formation device includes a target holder configured to hold a target for emitting sputtering particles in a processing space inside a processing chamber, a sputtering particle emitting part configured to emit the sputtering particles from the target, a sputtering particle shielding plate having a passage hole through which the emitted sputtering particles pass, a shielding member provided to shield the passage hole, a movement mechanism configured to move the shielding member in the horizontal direction, and a controller. The controller controls the shielding member, which has the placement portion on which a substrate is placed, to be moved in one direction of the horizontal direction, and controls the sputtering particles to be emitted from the target. The sputtering particles passed through the passage hole are deposited on the substrate.

Abstract: A film forming system for forming a magnetic film is provided. The film forming system includes a processing module configured to form the magnetic film on a substrate, a magnetization characteristic measuring device configured to measure magnetization characteristics of the magnetic film formed on the substrate in the processing module, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the substrate between the processing module and the magnetization characteristic measuring device. The magnetization characteristic measuring device includes a magnetic field applying mechanism having a permanent magnet magnetic circuit configured to apply a magnetic field to the substrate and adjust the magnetic field to be applied to the substrate, and a detector configured to detect magnetization characteristics of the substrate.

Abstract: A target structure includes a target, a cooling jacket having a flow path through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a backing plate. The target is bonded to one surface of the cooling jacket. A remaining surface of the cooling jacket and the backing plate are bonded in a peripheral portion, and are not bonded in a non-bonding region inside the peripheral portion.

Abstract: A substrate placement device includes a stage having a substrate placement surface on which a substrate is placed, a cooling head provided to face the stage and configured to be cooled to an extremely low temperature by a refrigerator, a contact/separation mechanism configured to cause the stage and the cooling head to be brought into contact with or separated from each other, a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the stage, and a controller. The controller is configured to: cause, except during the film formation, the stage and the cooling head to be in a state where the stage and the cooling head are brought into contact with each other to place the substrate on the stage in that state; and cause, during the film formation, the stage to rotate in a state where the stage and the cooling head are separated from each other by the contact/separation mechanism.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a processing chamber; a sputtered particle emitter; a substrate mounting unit; and a sputtered particle shielding plate that is provided between the sputtered particle emitter and the substrate mounting unit and has a passage hole that allows the sputtered particles emitted from the sputtered particle emitter to pass through and allows the sputtered particles to be obliquely incident on a substrate mounted on the substrate mounting unit.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium encoded with a computer program for executing an ion etching method of etching a substrate arranged on a substrate holder using an ion beam etching apparatus. The computer program includes a decremental control program having a command according to which the first step is executed; and an incremental control program having a command according to which the second step is executed.

Abstract: A magnet unit has a first magnet element and a second magnet element. The first magnet element includes a first magnet which is provided to stand upright on a yoke plate, a second magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the first magnet, and a third magnet which is provided with a tilt between the first magnet and the second magnet. The second magnet element includes a fourth magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate, a fifth magnet which is arranged to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the fourth magnet, and a sixth magnet which is provided with a tilt between the fourth magnet and the fifth magnet. The first magnet element and the second magnet element are alternately arranged in an endless shape.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus is provided with an elongated target holder, a substrate holder having a substrate receiving surface, and a mask assembly having an opening configured between the target holder and the substrate holder. The mask assembly is comprised of a first and second masking part having facing edges that form the opening and are disposed parallel to the substrate receiving surface and independently movable in a direction perpendicular to the length of the target holder and parallel to the substrate receiving surface, or in a direction perpendicular to the substrate receiving surface.

Abstract: The invention provides: an ion beam generator and an ion beam plasma processing apparatus including a movable member (for example, a plug) which is capable of reducing formation of an adhering film on a sidewall of the member even when an electrode included in a grid assembly is sputtered. The ion beam generator of an aspect of the invention includes: a grid assembly provided opposed to an upper wall; a plug movable in a first direction from the upper wall toward the grid assembly and in a second direction from the grid assembly toward the upper wall; and a shield configured to shield a sidewall of the plug.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium encoded with a computer program for executing an ion etching method of etching a substrate arranged on a substrate holder using an ion beam etching apparatus. The computer program includes a decremental control program having a command according to which the first step is executed; and an incremental control program having a command according to which the second step is executed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including first and second chambers stacked one above the other; a first opening that is provided in a wall of the first chamber that faces the second chamber, and that allows a substrate to pass through the first opening; a second opening that is provided in a wall of the second chamber that is in communication with the first opening and that allows the substrate to pass through the second opening; an opening and closing member that is provided inside the first chamber so as to move up and down and that opens and closes the first opening; a substrate mounting member that is provided closer to the second chamber than the opening and closing member, and that moves the substrate between the first and second chambers; and a substrate processing member provided in the second chamber.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in an apparatus including a substrate holder which holds the substrate, an ion source which emits an ion beam, a neutralizer which emits electrons, and a shutter which is arranged between a space in which the ion source and the neutralizer are arranged and a space in which the substrate holder is arranged, and configured to shield the ion beam traveling toward the substrate, includes adjusting an amount of electrons which are emitted by the neutralizer and reach the substrate holder during movement of the shutter.

Abstract: A magnet unit has a first magnet element and a second magnet element. The first magnet element includes a first magnet which is provided to stand upright on a yoke plate, a second magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the first magnet, and a third magnet which is provided with a tilt between the first magnet and the second magnet. The second magnet element includes a fourth magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate, a fifth magnet which is arranged to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the fourth magnet, and a sixth magnet which is provided with a tilt between the fourth magnet and the fifth magnet. The first magnet element and the second magnet element are alternately arranged in an endless shape.

Abstract: A magnet unit has a first magnet element and a second magnet element. The first magnet element includes a first magnet which is provided to stand upright on a yoke plate, a second magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the first magnet, and a third magnet which is provided with a tilt between the first magnet and the second magnet. The second magnet element includes a fourth magnet which is provided to stand upright on the yoke plate, a fifth magnet which is arranged to stand upright on the yoke plate and has a magnetic pole unlike the fourth magnet, and a sixth magnet which is provided with a tilt between the fourth magnet and the fifth magnet. The first magnet element and the second magnet element are alternately arranged in an endless shape.

Abstract: A perpendicular recording medium having a perpendicular magnetic recording layer and a magnetically soft underlayer structure disposed beneath the recording layer. The soft underlayer structure includes at least first and second soft magnetic layers having different magnetic permeabilities to create a magnetic permeability gradient in the soft underlayer structure. One or more of the soft magnetic layers can be antiparallel coupled. The soft underlayer structure of the present invention having a magnetic permeability gradient advantageously leads to reduced adjacent track erasure (ATE) while maintaining good overwrite (OW) properties.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus and a film-forming method capable of forming a magnetic film having a reduced variation in the orientation of the magnetic anisotropy. The sputtering apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a rotatable cathode and a rotatable stage. The stage can have an electrostatic chuck. Moreover, the stage may electrically be connected with a bias power source capable of applying a bias voltage to the stage. Furthermore, the stage may have the electrostatic chuck and electrically be connected with the bias power source.

Abstract: A cooling system that cools a wafer in a vacuum chamber of a sputtering apparatus, includes a wafer cooling stage for cooling the wafer, a cooling mechanism for cooling the wafer cooling stage, cooling gas supply units which introduces a cooling gas to the wafer cooling stage, a wafer rotating mechanism which holds the wafer in a state separated from the wafer cooling stage by a predetermined gap, and is rotated while holding the wafer, and a driving mechanism which rotates the wafer rotating mechanism at a predetermined rotational speed.

Abstract: To provide a magnetron sputtering cathode, a magnetron sputtering apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a magnetic device, capable of generating a leakage magnetic field sufficiently large to form a magnetic tunnel necessary for discharge on the surface of a target even when the target is a magnetic body and thick and a ferromagnetic body is used as the target. The magnetron sputtering cathode of the present invention includes a target having a second annular groove provided on the sputtering surface of the target, a third annular projection provided on the non-sputtering surface of the target, a fourth annular groove provided outside the third annular projection on the non-sputtering surface, and a fourth annular projection provided outside the fourth annular groove on the non-sputtering surface. Further, the magnetron sputtering cathode includes a first magnet and a second magnet 6 having a polarity different from that of the first magnet on the non-sputtering surface side.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing a tunnel barrier layer or a gate insulator film with good film quality and film thickness uniformity. The present invention is characterized in that, a shield is configured to shield a region of a substrate to which an erosion region of a target is projected along a normal from a surface of the target and sputtered particles are configured to deposit on the substrate linearly moved when passing through an opening formed in the shield.

Abstract: The invention provides: an ion beam generator and an ion beam plasma processing apparatus including a movable member (for example, a plug) which is capable of reducing formation of an adhering film on a sidewall of the member even when an electrode included in a grid assembly is sputtered. The ion beam generator of an aspect of the invention includes: a grid assembly provided opposed to an upper wall; a plug movable in a first direction from the upper wall toward the grid assembly and in a second direction from the grid assembly toward the upper wall; and a shield configured to shield a sidewall of the plug.