Abstract: A surface wave plasma generating antenna serves to generate a surface wave plasma in a chamber by radiating into the chamber a microwave transmitted from a microwave output section through a coaxial waveguide including an outer conductor and an inner conductor. The surface wave plasma generating antenna is formed in a planar shape and has a plurality of slots arranged in a circumferential direction, and each joint portion between two adjacent slots in the circumferential direction is overlapped with at least one of the slots in a diametrical direction.

Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a phase control unit configured to change a phase of a standing wave of microwave introduced into the process chamber by the microwave introduction unit. The phase control unit includes a recessed portion with respect to an inner surface of the bottom wall. The phase control unit is formed of a bottom portion and a fixing plate installed at a lower surface of the bottom portion from the outer side of the process chamber. The phase of the standing wave in the process chamber is changed by the incidence and reflection of the microwave in the recessed portion of the phase control unit surrounded by metallic wall.

Abstract: A microwave emission mechanism includes: a transmission path through which a microwave is transmitted; and an antenna section that emits into a chamber the microwave transmitted through the transmission path. The antenna section includes an antenna having a slot through which the microwave is emitted, a dielectric member through which the microwave emitted from the antenna is transmitted and a closed circuit in which a surface current and a displacement current flow. A surface wave is formed in a surface of the dielectric member. The closed circuit has at least: an inner wall of the slot; and the surface and an inner portion of the dielectric member. When a wavelength of the microwave is ?0, a length of the closed circuit is n?0±?, where n is a positive integer and ? is a fine-tuning component including 0.

Abstract: An antenna for plasma generation radiates a microwave transmitted through a coaxial waveguide into a processing chamber and propagates the microwave on a metal surface of the processing chamber to convert gas into surface wave plasma. The antenna includes a gas flow path for passing the gas through the antenna, a plurality of gas holes that communicate with the gas flow path and introduce the gas into the processing chamber, and a plurality of slots that are separated from the gas flow path and penetrate through the gas flow path. The slots pass the microwave transmitted through the coaxial waveguide and a slow-wave plate to the processing chamber. A first space between portions of adjacent slots penetrating through the gas flow path is arranged to be wider than a second space between portions of the adjacent slots opening out to a plasma generation space of the processing chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a processing vessel 10 in which a plasma process is performed and a plasma generation antenna 20 having a shower plate 100 which supplies a first gas and a second gas into the processing vessel 10, performs the plasma process on a substrate with plasma generated by a surface wave formed on a surface of the shower plate 100 through a supply of a microwave. The shower plate 100 has multiple gas holes 133 configured to supply the first gas into the processing vessel 10 and multiple supply nozzles 160 configured to supply the second gas into the processing vessel 10, and the supply nozzles 160 are protruded vertically downwards from a bottom surface of the shower plate 100 and are provided at different positions from the gas holes 133.

Abstract: A microwave radiation antenna includes an antenna body having a microwave radiation surface; a processing gas inlet configured to introduce a processing gas into the antenna body; a gas diffusion space configured to diffuse the processing gas in the antenna body; a plurality of gas outlets provided in the antenna body and configured to discharge the processing gas into the chamber; a plurality of slots provided in the antenna body under a state where the slots are separated from the gas diffusion space and the gas outlets; and an annular dielectric member provided in the microwave radiation surface side of the antenna body to cover a slot formation region where the slots are formed. A metal surface wave is formed in the microwave radiation surface by the microwave radiated through the slots and the annular dielectric member and a surface wave plasma is generated by the metal surface wave.

Abstract: A sheet guiding rib protrudes below a sheet suction surface of a plurality of suction conveyer belts, the sheet guiding rib being provided at a position on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction of a sheet suction region, in which a sheet can be sucked, of the sheet suction surface of the plurality of suction conveyer belts, and between the plurality of suction conveyer belts. At a time of conveying a topmost sheet sucked and deflected downward at a part of pressing a sheet surface detecting flag, a deflection amount of the topmost sheet is reduced by bringing the deflected part of the topmost sheet into abutment against the sheet guiding rib.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a suction conveyance unit configured to convey an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, a suction unit configured to adsorb the sheets onto the suction conveyance unit, and an adsorption completion detection unit. In the sheet feeding apparatus, when the tab-attached sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking unit and fed such that their tab portions are on the downstream side in a sheet feeding direction, the suction unit starts to adsorb the sheet and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet immediately after the adsorption completion detection unit detects the completion of the adsorption. When the sheets other than the tab-attached sheets are fed, the suction unit previously adsorbs the sheet onto the suction conveyance unit, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet in response to the sheet feeding signal.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device, capable of reliably feeding sheets that have a curl, includes a sheet surface detection mechanism configured to detect an upper surface of a topmost sheet of sheets supported on a tray. The sheet surface detection mechanism includes a sensor unit arranged on a upstream side of a suction and conveyance mechanism in a sheet conveyance direction, a sensor lever configured to turn the sensor unit ON/OFF, and a detection unit having one end connected to the sensor lever and another end that extends toward a downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction. The detection unit includes, on a downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, a protruding member that protrudes in a downward direction and that is capable of contacting the topmost sheet supported on the tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet storage unit, a sheet feeding unit, a conveyance path for conveying a sheet to the image forming unit, a plurality of sheet detection sensors disposed along the conveyance path, a determination unit for determining whether predetermined time elapses from a detection of a front end of the sheet until a detection of a rear end of the sheet and a discharge unit. When the determination unit determines that the predetermined time has elapsed based on the detection by the sheet detection sensor disposed in the furthest upstream position among the plurality of sheet detection sensors, the sheet is discharged from the discharge unit, and when the determination unit determines that the predetermined time has elapsed based on the detection by the sheet detection sensors other than that disposed in the furthest upstream position, the sheet is stopped.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding device having a sheet surface detecting mechanism installed to be movable up and down between adjacent adsorption conveyance belts 21, and detects a position of the top surface of the sheet by a sheet surface detecting member 61 that moves upward higher than the adsorbing surface of an adsorption conveyance belt 21. The position of the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 being pushed up by the blown upward sheet is regulated such that the difference in height between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 is smaller than the difference in a height direction between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the upper surface of a separation nozzle by a sensor abutting portion 62 that regulates upward movement of the sheet surface detecting member 61.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus may include a sheet storage unit, an air blowing unit, a suction conveyance unit, and a conveyance guide. A sheet in the sheet storage unit blown by the air blowing unit may be conveyed to the conveyance guide by the suction conveyance unit. The conveyance guide has a guide surface and inclined portions arranged upstream in the sheet conveyance direction, formed therein from a sheet conveyance center to ends in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction. The inclined portions are inclined from the upstream side towards the downstream in the sheet conveyance direction. As a distance in which an inclined portion resides away from the suction conveyance unit increases, the inclined portion becomes positioned more upstream in the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: Even if a sheet surface detection mechanism outputs a signal indicating that an uppermost sheet among blown-up sheets is within a conveyance range, if a trailing edge sheet surface sensor outputs a signal indicating that the uppermost sheet among the blown-up sheets is lower than the conveyance range when the conveyed uppermost sheet passes by the trailing edge sheet surface sensor, a lifting and lowering portion is controlled to lift the tray so that the uppermost sheet is positioned within the conveyance range.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus in that a leading edge regulation member, which is provided on an end on a downstream in a sheet feeding direction of a manual feed tray tilted in such a manner that a portion of the manual feed tray on the downstream in the sheet feeding direction is lowered, regulates a position of an edge on the downstream in the sheet feeding direction of a sheet bundle supported by the manual feed tray. Further, an upper end portion of the leading edge regulation member is provided with a stepped portion, to thereby cause sheets in a surface layer portion of the sheet bundle, which are supported by the manual feed tray, to deviate downstream in the sheet feeding direction when the sheet bundle is placed in the manual feed tray.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a suction conveyance unit configured to convey an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, a suction unit configured to adsorb the sheets onto the suction conveyance unit, and an adsorption completion detection unit. In the sheet feeding apparatus, when the tab-attached sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking unit and fed such that their tab portions are on the downstream side in a sheet feeding direction, the suction unit starts to adsorb the sheet in response to a sheet feeding signal, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet immediately after the adsorption completion detection unit detects the completion of the adsorption. When the sheets other than the tab-attached sheets are fed, the suction unit previously adsorbs the sheet onto the suction conveyance unit, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet in response to the sheet feeding signal.

Abstract: An electromagnetic-radiation power-supply mechanism includes a microwave power introduction port provided on the side of the coaxial waveguide, a power line being connected to the microwave power introduction port; and a power supply antenna for radiating the electromagnetic wave power into the waveguide, the power supply antenna being connected to the power line. The power supply antenna includes an antenna body having a first pole connected to the power line and a second pole connected to an inner conductor of the waveguide; and a ring-shaped reflection portion extending from opposite sides of the antenna body.

Abstract: A tuner for matching impedance includes: a body having a tubular outer conductor and a tubular inner conductor coaxially provided in the outer conductor, the body forming a part of the microwave transmission path; an annular dielectric slug provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, the slug being movable along a longitudinal direction of the inner conductor; and a drive mechanism for moving the slug and including a drive part for applying a driving force; a drive transmission part for transmitting the driving force to the slug; a drive guide part for guiding movement of the slug; and a holding part for holding the slug at the drive transmission part, and wherein the drive transmission part, the drive guide part and the holding part are accommodated in the inner conductor.

Abstract: A plasma generation antenna and a plasma processing apparatus can supply a gas and an electromagnetic wave effectively. A plasma processing apparatus 10 includes a processing chamber 100 in which a plasma process is performed; a wavelength shortening plate 480 configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave; and a plasma generation antenna 200 having a shower head 210 provided adjacent to the wavelength shortening plate 480. The shower head 210 is made of a conductor, and has a multiple number of gas holes 215 and a multiple number of slots 220 through which the electromagnetic wave passes. The slots 220 are provided at positions isolated from the gas holes 215.

Abstract: A surface wave plasma generating antenna serves to generate a surface wave plasma in a chamber by radiating into the chamber a microwave transmitted from a microwave output section through a coaxial waveguide including an outer conductor and an inner conductor. The surface wave plasma generating antenna is formed in a planar shape and has a plurality of slots arranged in a circumferential direction, and each joint portion between two adjacent slots in the circumferential direction is overlapped with at least one of the slots in a diametrical direction.

Abstract: A sheet guiding rib protrudes below a sheet suction surface of a plurality of suction conveyer belts, the sheet guiding rib being provided at a position on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction of a sheet suction region, in which a sheet can be sucked, of the sheet suction surface of the plurality of suction conveyer belts, and between the plurality of suction conveyer belts. At a time of conveying a topmost sheet sucked and deflected downward at a part of pressing a sheet surface detecting flag, a deflection amount of the topmost sheet is reduced by bringing the deflected part of the topmost sheet into abutment against the sheet guiding rib.