Abstract: A plasma technique in which a plasma generation technique frequently used in various fields including a semiconductor manufacturing process is used, and generation of plasma instability (high-speed impedance change of a plasma) can efficiently be suppressed and controlled in order to manufacture stable products. An apparatus includes a processing chamber, a surrounding member disposed around the processing chamber, an RF induction coil disposed outside the dielectric member, and an air-core coil for generating a direct-current magnetic field supplied to the inner space. The surrounding member seals an opening on top of the processing chamber to create an inner space, and the RF induction coil is above the top surface of the surrounding member.

Abstract: A plasma technique in which a plasma generation technique frequently used in various fields including a semiconductor manufacturing process is used, and generation of plasma instability (high-speed impedance change of a plasma) can efficiently be suppressed and controlled in order to manufacture stable products. In a method of disposing an object in a chamber and generating the plasma to treat the object, the chamber is sealed by a surrounding member so as to have an inner space, with at least a part of the member including a dielectric material, an RF induction coil is disposed outside the dielectric member, and a direct-current electric field is supplied into the inner space by a method of passing a direct current through the RF induction coil or another method, so that the plasma is stabilized.

Abstract: A plasma technique in which a plasma generation technique frequently used in various fields including a semiconductor manufacturing process is used, and generation of plasma instability (high-speed impedance change of a plasma) can efficiently be suppressed and controlled in order to manufacture stable products. In a method of disposing an object in a chamber and generating the plasma to treat the object, the chamber is sealed by a surrounding member so as to have an inner space, with at least a part of the member including a dielectric material, an RF induction coil is disposed outside the dielectric member, and a direct-current electric field is supplied into the inner space by a method of passing a direct current through the RF induction coil or another method, so that the plasma is stabilized.

Abstract: There is disclosed a plasma technique in which a plasma generation technique frequently used in various fields including a semiconductor manufacturing process is used, and generation of plasma instability (high-speed impedance change of a plasma) can efficiently be suppressed and controlled in order to manufacture stable products. In a method of disposing an object in a chamber and generating the plasma to treat the object, the chamber is sealed by a surrounding member so as to have an inner space, at least a part of the member includes a dielectric material, an RF induction coil is disposed outside the dielectric member, and a direct-current electric field is supplied into the inner space by a method of passing a direct current through the RF induction coil or another method, so that the plasma is stabilized.

Abstract: The invention provides a water supplying apparatus and method thereof which has a high capacity of peeling and removing a disused material such as a resist film and the like, and can efficiently use water vapor. A water supplying apparatus for executing a washing process, a cleaning process and a working process of a subject, is provided with a water vapor body supplying means for supplying a water vapor body, and a water mist body supplying means for supplying a water mist body containing liquid water fine particles, and the structure is made such that said water vapor body and said water mist body are supplied to the subject by independently controlling said two means.

Abstract: The invention provides a water supplying apparatus and method thereof which has a high capacity of peeling and removing a disused material such as a resist film and the like, and can efficiently use water vapor. A water supplying apparatus for executing a washing process, a cleaning process and a working process of a subject, is provided with a water vapor body supplying means for supplying a water vapor body, and a water mist body supplying means for supplying a water mist body containing liquid water fine particles, and the structure is made such that said water vapor body and said water mist body are supplied to the subject by independently controlling said two means.

Abstract: The invention provides a water supplying apparatus and method thereof which has a high capacity of peeling and removing a disused material such as a resist film and the like, and can efficiently use water vapor. A water supplying apparatus for executing a washing process, a cleaning process and a working process of a subject, is provided with a water vapor body supplying means for supplying a water vapor body, and a water mist body supplying means for supplying a water mist body containing liquid water fine particles, and the structure is made such that said water vapor body and said water mist body are supplied to the subject by independently controlling said two means.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for preventing warpage of a ceramic layer and cooling gas leakage while providing enhanced electrostatic attraction and an improved detachment performance and its manufacturing method is disclosed. The chuck comprises at least one electrode (90, 91, 92) located in the middle of the ceramic layer (80) in its thickness direction, a cooling gas channel (81) is formed on a surface of the ceramic layer within an outer edge of the electrode and above the electrode, wherein the electrode extends beyond the cooling gas channel. Preferably the electrodes are shaped in the form of two interlocked structures comprising multiple interconnected C-shaped ring portion (91c, 92c).

Abstract: There is disclosed a plasma technique in which a plasma generation technique frequently used in various fields including a semiconductor manufacturing process is used, and generation of plasma instability (high-speed impedance change of a plasma) can efficiently be suppressed and controlled in order to manufacture stable products. In a method of disposing an object in a chamber and generating the plasma to treat the object, the chamber is sealed by a surrounding member so as to have an inner space, at least a part of the member includes a dielectric material, an RF induction coil is disposed outside the dielectric member, and a direct-current electric field is supplied into the inner space by a method of passing a direct current through the RF induction coil or another method, so that the plasma is stabilized.

Abstract: A water supply apparatus and a method thereof have a high capability of peeling-off and removing unnecessary objects such as a resist film, and parameters for setting efficient water supply conditions. The water supply apparatus and the method are designed to supply water for cleaning, peeling-off, or treating a target article. On a surface of the target article to be processed, a nozzle device is provided for spraying a mixture of water vapor and water mist. At least the following parameters are respectively set as water supply conditions to proper values so as to supply water to the target article, and these parameters include (1) a weight ratio of water vapor to water mist on the surface to be processed, (2) a temperature of the surface to be processed, and (3) a distance between a (water) blowing port of the nozzle device and the surface to be processed.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus includes a chamber for generating a plasma therein. The chamber is defined by walls of a housing. A coil for receiving high frequency (RF) power is disposed adjacent to and outside of one of the walls of the housing. A metal plate is disposed adjacent to and outside of the wall of the housing that the coil is disposed adjacent to. The metal plate is positioned in a spaced apart relationship between the coil and the wall of the housing and has radial slits formed therein that extend transversely to the coil. A connector electrically connects the metal plate to the coil. A method for controlling an inner surface of a wall defining a chamber in which a plasma is generated is also described.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus includes a chamber for generating a plasma therein. The chamber is defined by walls of a housing. A coil for receiving high frequency (RF) power is disposed adjacent to and outside of one of the walls of the housing. A metal plate is disposed adjacent to and outside of the wall of the housing that the coil is disposed adjacent to. The metal plate is positioned in a spaced apart relationship between the coil and the wall of the housing and has radial slits formed therein that extend transversely to the coil. A connector electrically connects the metal plate to the coil. A method for controlling an inner surface of a wall defining a chamber in which a plasma is generated is also described.

Abstract: The invention provides a water supplying apparatus and method thereof which has a high capacity of peeling and removing a disused material such as a resist film and the like, and can efficiently use water vapor. A water supplying apparatus for executing a washing process, a cleaning process and a working process of a subject, is provided with a water vapor body supplying means for supplying a water vapor body, and a water mist body supplying means for supplying a water mist body containing liquid water fine particles, and the structure is made such that said water vapor body and said water mist body are supplied to the subject by independently controlling said two means.

Abstract: A sintered ceramic electrostatic chucking device (ESC) which includes a patterned electrostatic clamping electrode embedded in a ceramic body wherein the clamping electrode includes at least one strip of a sintered electrically conductive material arranged in a fine pattern. Due to the fineness of the electrode pattern employed, stresses induced during manufacture of the ESC are reduced such that the clamping electrode remains substantially planar after the sintering operation. The resulting ESC allows for improved clamping uniformity. Another ESC includes an insulating or semi-conducting body and a clamping electrode having a high resistivity and or a high lateral impedance. The electrostatic chucking device provides improved RF coupling uniformity when RF energy is coupled thorough the clamping electrode from an underlying RF electrode. The RF electrode can be a separate baseplate or it can be a part of the chuck.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus includes a chamber and a window for sealing a top opening of the chamber. The window has an inner surface that is exposed to an internal region of the chamber. A metal plate, which acts as a Faraday shield, is disposed above and spaced apart from the window. A coil is disposed above and spaced apart from the metal plate. The coil is conductively connected to the metal plate at a connection location that is configured to generate a peak-to-peak voltage on the metal plate that optimally reduces sputtering of the inner surface of the window while substantially simultaneously preventing deposition of etch byproducts on the inner surface of the window. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller for externally applying a peak-to-peak voltage to the metal plate. The controller includes an oscillation circuit, a matching circuit, an RF generator, and a feedback control for monitoring the applied peak-to-peak voltage.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a metal substrate. A conductive ceramic layer is disposed above the metal substrate. A high purity barrier layer is disposed above the conductive ceramic layer. The high purity barrier layer preferably has a thickness of not more than about 200 &mgr;m and a purity of at least about 99%. Exemplary materials from which the high purity insulation layer may be formed include alumina, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and sapphire. A method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck includes providing a metal substrate, forming a ceramic layer over the metal substrate, and forming a high purity barrier layer over the ceramic layer. The high purity barrier layer may be formed by plasma spray coating, chemical vapor deposition, or sputtering.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus includes a chamber and a window for sealing a top opening of the chamber. The window has an inner surface that is exposed to an internal region of the chamber. A metal plate, which acts as a Faraday shield, is disposed above and spaced apart from the window. A coil is disposed above and spaced apart from the metal plate. The coil is conductively connected to the metal plate at a connection location that is configured to generate a peak-to-peak voltage on the metal plate that optimally reduces sputtering of the inner surface of the window while substantially simultaneously preventing deposition of etch byproducts on the inner surface of the window. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller for externally applying a peak-to-peak voltage to the metal plate. The controller includes an oscillation circuit, a matching circuit, an RF generator, and a feedback control for monitoring the applied peak-to-peak voltage.

Abstract: In a plasma treatment apparatus having a plasma reaction chamber whose internal surface is covered with a plasma protection member, the protection member is constituted by a sintered silicon carbide substrate and a silicon carbide coating thereon. The resistivity of the silicon carbide substrate is increased by addition of boron which could contaminate the chamber if liberated by plasma attack of the sintered silicon carbide substrate. The deposited silicon carbide film has high purity and low resistivity and filament grooves are used to partition the silicon carbide film. The filament grooves minimize deleterious effects on the plasma density distribution in the chamber otherwise caused by generation of eddy currents on the surface of the low resistivity silicon carbide film.

Abstract: In a film processor, filmstrips are contained in their specific cartridge shells with their film leaders attached to a leader plate, and are fed into processing baths with the leader plate in the lead, while being pulled out from the cartridge shells. After the filmstrips are separated from the cartridge shells, the cartridge shells drop on a chute and slide down on the chute. Smaller cartridge shells sift through a sifting slit formed through the chute along the sliding direction, while larger cartridge shells slide down to a lower end of the chute. A lateral guide plate extends under the sifting slit, to guide smaller cartridge shells having sifted through the sifting slit in the lateral direction of the sifting chute toward a cartridge recovery box. Larger cartridge shells drop from the lower end of the chute down to a second cartridge recovery box.

Abstract: A plasma etch process and apparatus is disclosed in which a gas mixture comprises CF.sub.3 Br, xenon or krypton, and oxygen. The plasma reactor includes a sacrificial element, preferably in the form of a graphite ring, on the lower electrode of a parallel plate reactor.