Abstract: A first beam of light having a wavelength ranging from a soft X-ray to a vacuum ultraviolet region is focused into a thin beam of light and irradiated upon a surface of a specimen, and physical information obtained as a result of such irradiation is detected to obtain information of the surface of the specimen. A second beam of light is focused into a thin beam of light and irradiated at the irradiation spot of the first beam of light upon the surface of the specimen, and the position of the irradiation spot of the second beam of light on the surface of the specimen is visually observed to located the position of the irradiation point of the first beam of light on the surface of the specimen.

Abstract: A method of semiconductor surface measurement for measuring electrical characteristics of a surface of a semiconductor body is disclosed, by which an electrode, whose surface, which is opposite to the surface of a semiconductor substrate, is flat and the gap between the electrode and the surface is smaller than 0.5 .mu.m.

Abstract: Described is a surface analysis method for analyzing energy of particles such as photoelectrons which are emitted from a sample surface by the irradiation of light with wavelengths ranging from the soft x-ray region to the vacuum ultraviolet region using an optical system including a reflective optical element to the sample surface so as to obtain chemical state information about the sample surface, wherein the beam diameter of the light on the sample surface is reduced to 1 .mu.m or less in terms of full width at half maximum of the beam intensity profile on the sample surface so that the chemical state information about the sample surface can be obtained with high sensitivity and high resolution, and an apparatus for implementing this method.

Abstract: Disclosed are a surface treatment method and apparatus in which an active species beam that contains active species having translational energy in a range of 0.01-100 eV as at least a partial constituent thereof constructs at least a part of treatment means.

Abstract: Surface treatment is applied to a substrate by supplying thereto excited molecules in which the vibrational energy level is excited. SF.sub.6, O.sub.2, N.sub.2, etc., are used as the excited molecules and supplied to the substrate as beams. This method is particularly suitable for the surface treatment in the production of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Surface analysis method capable of obtaining depth profiles of elements and chemical bonds in a nondestructive manner and with high accuracy, which comprises irradiating light to a sample surface to be analyzed with changing its energy, detecting electrons emitted from the surface of the above sample and corresponding to a certain binding energy, and subjecting the resultant detected signal to integration transform; and constitution of a device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A surface treatment apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, means for introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber, a gas furnace for heating and activating the gas while it is being introduced, apertures for injecting the heated gas, and a substrate stage for holding a substrate of which the surface is to be treated by the injected gas. The gas that is heated and activated is blown onto the surface of the substrate to treat the surface without causing the surface to be damaged. Therefore, the apparatus can be employed very effectively for a process for producing semiconductor elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for surface treating a sample article with activated particles, comprising a reaction chamber in which a sample article to be surface processed is placed, means for introducing a reaction gas into the reaction chamber, an activation surface properly set in the reaction chamber and arranged capable of activating at least one part of the particles composing the reaction gas, and means for evacuating the used reaction gas out of the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A surface treatment method, wherein gas particles are applied to a solid surface of a substrate to treat the same surface, comprising the step of applying to the gas particles the narrow line width laser light capable of exciting or decomposing only such gas particles that have velocities in a predetermined range.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for microwave plasma processing characterized by providing a plasma processing period of time having no radio-frequency voltage applied to the sample stage. Particularly, if the present invention is used for the shaping by etching of the conductive material layer provided on an underlying insulation material, effects such as shortening of processing time and improvement of etching accuracy can be obtained in the case that the radio-frequency voltage is applied only for the period of time for removing the surface oxide film of the portion to be etched, or in the case that the radio-frequency voltage is further applied until nearly the time to initiate over-etching, and, the latter case is also effective for making the side wall of the portion to be etched vertical.

Abstract: In a dry-processing apparatus adapted for vapor phase deposition or vapor phase etching, the processing space in its processing chamber is covered with a cooled member provided for trapping reflecting active particles and preventing degassing, thereby permitting processing with gas of high purity substantially free from impurities. The active particles are incident upon a workpiece in a unidirectional flow. Means for uniformalyzing the direction of movement of active particles may be further provided. The apparatus is especially useful for vertical etching of a semiconductor substrate with neutral radicals.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring etching. The monitor method comprises the steps of regulating a gas pressure inside a treating chamber, in which a sample is being etched by a dry etching process, to a pressure at which a emission line spectrum can be clarified, converting the gas whose pressure is regulated to plasma, and monitoring the etching state of the sample from the change of the intensity of the emission line spectrum with time.

Abstract: A gas is introduced into a vacuum chamber after the vacuum chamber is evacuated, and a plasma is generated within at least part of the vacuum chamber. The specimen surface is exposed to the plasma so that the surface is treated. A plurality of different gases, such as SF.sub.6, N.sub.2, and the like, are used as the gas being introduced. The quantity of the gas is changed during the surface treatment. A controller is used as a mechanism for changing the quantity of gas introduced. The controller is operated in accordance with a predetermined program, or by signals obtained by detecting the surface conditions of the specimen during the surface treatment.

Abstract: A microwave plasma etching apparatus comprises: a discharge tube into which a discharge gas is supplied and which forms a discharge region; means for generating a magnetic field in the discharge region; means for bringing a microwave into the discharge region; and a stage for holding a material. In the present invention, the sample exists in the discharge region. On one hand, an area of a passage for draining particles to the outside from the discharge region is 5/16 or less of an area of the discharge region. For this purpose, for example, a diameter of the sample stage is 3/4 or more of a diameter of the discharge region.

Abstract: A gas is introduced into a surface treatment chamber and is activated therein. The surface of a specimen placed in the surface treatment chamber is treated by using reactive species generated by this activation. A means of supplying controllable energy such as the energy of heat, light, or electron beams is provided in a stage preceding the surface treatment chamber so as to activate the gas beforehand. The pre-activated gas is introduced into the surface treatment chamber and is activated again therein.

Abstract: A method for growing a silicon-including film is disclosed in which the above film is grown on a surface of a substrate by using, as a discharge gas, a halogenide silicon gas or a gas mixture containing a halogenide silicon gas in a plasma deposition apparatus including a vacuum chamber, means for supplying microwave power to the vacuum chamber, means for forming a magnetic field in at least part of the vacuum chamber, means for introducing the discharge gas into the vacuum chamber, and means for holding the substrate within the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A microwave plasma etching system is disclosed which comprises a vacuum chamber for providing a discharge space and provided with an inlet for introducing a discharge gas containing a fluorine-containing gas, hydrogen and oxygen, magnetic field forming means for forming a magnetic field in the discharge space, microwave electric field forming means for forming a microwave electric field in the discharge space, and substrates holding means for holding substrates to be processed in the vacuum chamber. In the microwave plasma etching, the discharge gas containing fluorine, hydrogen with or without oxygen provides excellent etching almost free from side etching.

Abstract: A first semiconductor circuit element including a first electrode is formed on a semiconductor substrate, an inter-layer insulating layer for insulating the first electrode is formed on the first electrode, and a first penetrating opening is provided in a part of the inter-layer insulating layer.Subsequently, a step of forming a second semiconductor circuit element is carried out, this step including a step of forming a second electrode so that at least a part thereof may overlie the inter-layer insulating layer at an area other than the first penetrating opening. Further, a subsidiary interconnection conductive layer is buried into the first opening. Another insulating layer is formed on the structure thus formed, whereupon second and third penetrating openings are respectively provided in the insulating layer over the second electrode and the interconnection subsidiary conductive layer.First and second interconnection conductors are respectively buried into the second and third penetrating openings.

Abstract: A plurality of silicon regions different in impurity concentration from each other are simultaneously subjected to dry etching in such a manner that neutral particles in a plasma do not substantially participate in etching and therefore etching is performed substantially by ions. Thus, the silicon regions different in impurity concentration from each other can be etched at substantially the same etching rate, independently of impurity concentration.

Abstract: The microwave plasma source of this invention comprises a vacuum room which forms a discharging space with discharge gas introduced therein, a means for conducting the microwave to the discharging space so that the microwave electric field is provided in the discharging space, and a means for providing the magnetic field in the discharging space located on the microwave propagating path and made up of a permanent magnet which virtually propagates the microwave.