Abstract: A welding method for an impeller having a plurality of blades, a disc and an exterior body including a shroud welded to the plurality of blades, comprising the steps of: a first step for forming a groove having a prescribed depth and a prescribed width toward one of the blades on a surface of the disc or the exterior body, which is opposite to a surface against the blade abuts, emitting laser light toward the bottom of the groove, and performing melt-through bead welding to bond the bottom of the groove to an end of the blade in such a way that a bead formed on the back of the disc or the shroud is curved with an inward depression; and a second step for performing overlaying welding after completion of the first step by supplying a filler metal to a molten zone while the bottom of the groove is scanned with the laser light.

Abstract: Blades are connected to the surface of a disk and slots are formed in the surface of a shroud, which is opposite from the other surface of the shroud where the blades are to be welded. The blades are arranged on the opposite surface from the slots and a laser beam is applied from the surface in which the slots are formed, to weld the shroud and the blades. Components are installed on the surfaces of the slots on the opposite side from the blades after the blades and the shroud in which the slots are formed are welded. Alternatively, the slots are filled with a material different from that of the shroud, such as a resin. With this configuration, distortion caused by welding heat can be reduced without degrading the fluid performance.

Abstract: A welding method for an impeller having a plurality of blades, a disc and an exterior body including a shroud welded to the plurality of blades, comprising the steps of: a first step for forming a groove having a prescribed depth and a prescribed width toward one of the blades on a surface of the disc or the exterior body, which is opposite to a surface against the blade abuts, emitting laser light toward the bottom of the groove, and performing melt-through bead welding to bond the bottom of the groove to an end of the blade in such a way that a bead formed on the back of the disc or the shroud is curved with an inward depression; and a second step for performing overlaying welding after completion of the first step by supplying a filler metal to a molten zone while the bottom of the groove is scanned with the laser light.

Abstract: Blades are connected to the surface of a disk and slots are formed in the surface of a shroud, which is opposite from the other surface of the shroud where the blades are to be welded. The blades are arranged on the opposite surface from the slots and a laser beam is applied from the surface in which the slots are formed, to weld the shroud and the blades. If powder is melted and put in the slots formed for welding in the shroud to fill the slots, thermal distortion occurs. On the other hand, if the slots are left empty, a problem of degrading the fluid performance arises. To solve these problems, components are installed on the surfaces of the slots on the opposite side from the blades after the blades and the shroud in which the slots are formed are welded. Alternatively, the slots are filled with a material different from that of the shroud, such as a resin. With this configuration, distortion caused by welding heat can be reduced without degrading the fluid performance.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for processing a sample by reducing a pressure within a processing chamber, including mounting the sample on a sample holder disposed in the processing chamber, and processing using a plasma generated in the processing chamber above the sample holder while supplying a gas for heat transfer to a space between a surface of the sample holder having the sample mounted thereon and a rear surface of the sample. The sample holder has a plurality of substantially ring-shaped depressed portions at the surface where the sample is mounted. A pressure in a space between the depressed portions arranged at a central portion of the sample holder with respect to outer circumferential portion and the sample is set to be lower than a pressure in a space between the depressed portions at the outer circumferential portion and the sample.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a specimen placed on a table disposed inside of a processing chamber by using plasmas formed in the processing chamber in which the table is disposed. A first member is placed in contact with the specimen and a second member is disposed below the first member. A temperature control device is disposed inside the table for controlling the temperature of the outer circumferential zone and the central zone of the table to first and second temperatures, respectively. A pressure control device is also provided for controlling pressure between the surface of the table and the specimen.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having an electrostatic chucking electrode that allows temperature control of a semiconductor wafer during etching process with high efficiency comprises: a holder stage comprising an electrode block S having a dielectric film 4 on the surface thereof and a coolant flow passage 6 therein, in which temperature control is performed while holding a semiconductor wafer W on the dielectric film on the surface of the electrode block; and a cooling cycle 50 including a compressor 52, a condenser 55, an expansion valve 53, a heat exchanger 54 having a heater built therein, and an evaporator, wherein the temperature control of the electrode block S is performed by using a direct-expansion-type temperature controller in which the electrode block S is used as the evaporator of the cooling cycle, and the coolant is directly circulated and expanded inside the electrode block.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for processing a sample by reducing a pressure within a processing chamber, including mounting the sample on a sample holder disposed in the processing chamber, and processing using a plasma generated in the processing chamber above the sample holder while supplying a gas for heat transfer to a space between a surface of the sample holder having the sample mounted thereon and a rear surface of the sample. The sample holder has a plurality of substantially ring-shaped depressed portions at the surface where the sample is mounted. A pressure in a space between the depressed portions arranged at a central portion of the sample holder with respect to outer circumferential portion and the sample is set to be lower than a pressure in a space between the depressed portions at the outer circumferential portion and the sample.

Abstract: In a wafer processing apparatus, wafers are sequentially placed one by one on a ceramic plate of a wafer stage within a vacuum chamber. The pressure of a heat-conductive gas introduced at this time between the wafer and the ceramic plate is adjusted to control the temperature of the wafer, and the wafer is processed by use of plasma. In this case, the user can select any one of a process for regulating the pressure of the heat-conductive gas each time the wafers are sequentially placed on the wafer stage, a process for optimizing aging conditions, and a process for optimizing heater conditions so that the wafer temperature variation within lot can be reduced by performing the selected process. The selected process is performed on the basis of its conditions that are computed to determine by a control-purpose computer of the processing apparatus.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck comprising an insulating base 6, a plurality of conductive aluminum thin films 4a, 4b deposited on the surface of the base, and alumite films 2a, 2b formed by anodizing the surfaces of the conductive thin films 4a, 4b, wherein the conductive thin films 4a, 4b are each provided with a DC voltage of a different polarity so that a surface chucking a wafer 7 is electrostatically bipolar.

Abstract: In a wafer processing apparatus, wafers are sequentially placed one by one on a ceramic plate of a wafer stage within a vacuum chamber. The pressure of a heat-conductive gas introduced at this time between the wafer and the ceramic plate is adjusted to control the temperature of the wafer, and the wafer is processed by use of plasma. In this case, the user can select any one of a process for regulating the pressure of the heat-conductive gas each time the wafers are sequentially placed on the wafer stage, a process for optimizing aging conditions, and a process for optimizing heater conditions so that the wafer temperature variation within lot can be reduced by performing the selected process. The selected process is performed on the basis of its conditions that are computed to determine by a control-purpose computer of the processing apparatus.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for processing a sample by reducing a pressure within a processing chamber, including mounting the sample on a sample holder disposed in the processing chamber, and processing using a plasma generated in the processing chamber above the sample holder while supplying a gas for heat transfer to a space between a surface of the sample holder having the sample mounted thereon and a rear surface of the sample. The sample holder has a plurality of substantially ring-shaped depressed portions at the surface where the sample is mounted. A pressure in a space between the depressed portions arranged at a central portion of the sample holder with respect to outer circumferential portion and the sample is set to be lower than a pressure in a space between the depressed portions at the outer circumferential portion and the sample.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus capable of processing the surface of a workpiece more precisely is provided. The plasma processing apparatus for supplying a gas between a sample and a sample table to generate plasma for processing the sample, comprises an adjusting device for changing a pressure supplied to a central side of the sample and a pressure of the gas supplied to an outer peripheral side as processing of the sample progresses.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus capable of processing a sample with high precision by adjusting the temperature of a wafer in a wide range is provided.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having an electrostatic chucking electrode that allows temperature control of a semiconductor wafer during etching process with high efficiency comprises: a holder stage comprising an electrode block S having a dielectric film 4 on the surface thereof and a coolant flow passage 6 therein, in which temperature control is performed while holding a semiconductor wafer W on the dielectric film on the surface of the electrode block; and a cooling cycle 50 including a compressor 52, a condenser 55, an expansion valve 53, a heat exchanger 54 having a heater built therein, and an evaporator, wherein the temperature control of the electrode block S is performed by using a direct-expansion-type temperature controller in which the electrode block S is used as the evaporator of the cooling cycle, and the coolant is directly circulated and expanded inside the electrode block.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus provided with a holding stage of a system in which a temperature of an electrode block is controlled so as to control the temperature of a semiconductor wafer. The electrode block is provided with at least first and second independent temperature controllers on inner and outer sides thereof, and a slit for suppressing heat transfer is provided in the electrode block between the first and second temperature controllers.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing apparatus for processing a semiconductor in a processing chamber separated from the air wherein the processing chamber contains a wafer stage on which there is positioned a wafer sensor module equipped with sensor probes, each sensor probe capable of detecting at least one of electric current, voltage and temperature of an article to be processed and placed on the wafer sensor module, which is carried into the processing chamber by a transporting means for the article to be processed, and detected values by the sensor probes being converted to optical signals and led to outside of the processing chamber, can optimize conditions for processing the article easily and in a short time without lowering throughput.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for a specimen which is placed on a specimen table disposed in a processing chamber having plural layers of films laminated on a surface thereof, by using plasmas formed in the processing chamber above the specimen table. When a layer of a lower film is processed after an upper layer in the plural layers of the films is processed, at an initial stage of the processing and a post-stage, a temperature difference of coolants, passing through each of coolant passages formed at a central portion in the specimen table and at an outer circumferential portion, is approached more to a target value, and a pressure difference of a heat conducting gas, supplied between a rear side of the specimen and the specimen table, between one at a central portion and the other at an outer circumferential portion of the specimen is adjusted to a small value.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck comprising an insulating base 6, a plurality of conductive aluminum thin films 4a, 4b deposited on the surface of the base, and alumite films 2a, 2b formed by anodizing the surfaces of the conductive thin films 4a, 4b, wherein the conductive thin films 4a, 4b are each provided with a DC voltage of a different polarity so that a surface chucking a wafer 7 is electrostatically bipolar.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus capable of processing the surface of a workpiece more precisely is provided. The plasma processing apparatus for supplying a gas between a sample and a sample table to generate plasma for processing the sample, comprises an adjusting device for changing a pressure supplied to a central side of the sample and a pressure of the gas supplied to an outer peripheral side as processing of the sample progresses.