Abstract: A method for producing a sintered member, including the steps of: preparing a raw powder; press-forming the raw powder to produce a green compact; and sintering the green compact by high-frequency induction heating, wherein a temperature of the green compact in the sintering step is controlled to satisfy all the following conditions (I) to (III): (I) the temperature is increased without maintaining the temperature in a temperature range equal to or higher than an A1 point of an Fe—C phase diagram and lower than the sintering temperature of the green compact, (II) a heating rate is set to 12° C./s or more in a temperature range of the A1 point to an A3 point of the Fe—C phase diagram, and (III) a heating rate is set to 4° C./s or more in a temperature range of the A3 point of the Fe—C phase diagram to the sintering temperature of the green compact.

Abstract: A manufacturing system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a molding apparatus configured to uniaxially press raw material powder containing metal powder to fabricate a powder compact whose whole or part has a relative density of 93% or more; a robot processing apparatus including an articulated robot configured to machine the powder compact to fabricate a processed molded article; and an induction heating sintering furnace configured to sinter the processed molded article by high frequency induction heating to fabricate a sintered product.

Abstract: A method for producing a sintered member, including the steps of: preparing a raw powder; press-forming the raw powder to produce a green compact; and sintering the green compact by high-frequency induction heating, wherein temperature of the green compact in the sintering step is controlled to satisfy all the following conditions (I) to (III): (I) the temperature is increased without maintaining the temperature in a temperature range equal to or higher than an A1 point of an Fe—C phase diagram and lower than the sintering temperature of the green compact, (II) a heating rate is set to 12° C./s or more in a temperature range of the Ai point to an A3 point of the Fe—C phase diagram, and (III) a heating rate is set to 4° C./s or more in a temperature range of the A3 point of the Fe—C phase diagram to the sintering temperature of the green compact.

Abstract: While periphery or peripheries of workpiece(s) W lifted in floating fashion by simultaneous suction and expulsion of gas(es) between pair(s) of first and second, or upper and lower, transport stages 14, 15 is/are retained by plurality of elevator pins 16, respective transport stage(s) is/are inverted vertically and workpiece(s) is/are transferred from upper first transport stage(s) to lower second transport stage(s) such that workpiece(s) W is/are lifted in floating fashion thereabove by simultaneous suction and expulsion of gas(es) in accompaniment to lowering of respective elevator pin(s) at said first transport stage(s).

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber; an inlet waveguide having an interior space in which a first standing wave of a microwave is formed by means of resonance; a dielectric within which a second standing wave of the microwave is formed by means of resonance; and a slot antenna having a slot through which the microwave is passed from the interior space to the dielectric. The slot is generally located at a point where the position of a loop in the first standing wave orthogonally projected to the slot antenna coincides with the position of a loop in the second standing wave orthogonally projected to the slot antenna. The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus that improves the propagation efficiency of a microwave passed through an aperture of the slot antenna, thereby allowing microwave energy to be efficiently introduced into a processing chamber.

Abstract: According to a plasma processing method, a process gas supplied into a process chamber is used to generate plasma from the process gas and process a substrate placed in the process chamber by means of the plasma. The substrate includes stacked films of at least two types to be etched by the plasma, and, according to any of the films that is to be etched, a change is made in the process gas in the plasma generation period. Accordingly, the time required for any process except for the main plasma process can be shortened so that the total time for the entire plasma process can be shortened to improve the processing speed.

Abstract: On one side of a microwave entrance window that is exposed to the atmosphere, a slot plate having slots and a resonant unit are provided. The slot plate and the resonant unit are integrally placed to be slidable by linear guides with respect to a process chamber. In this way, a plasma processing apparatus can be provided that performs a highly uniform plasma process and is excellent in terms of plasma generation property.

Abstract: On one side of a microwave entrance window that is exposed to the atmosphere, a slot plate having slots and a resonant unit are provided. The slot plate and the resonant unit are integrally placed to be slidable by linear guides with respect to a process chamber. In this way, a plasma processing apparatus can be provided that performs a highly uniform plasma process and is excellent in terms of plasma generation property.

Abstract: While periphery or peripheries of workpiece(s) W lifted in floating fashion by simultaneous suction and expulsion of gas(es) between pair(s) of first and second, or upper and lower, transport stages 14, 15 is/are retained by plurality of elevator pins 16, respective transport stage(s) is/are inverted vertically and workpiece(s) is/are transferred from upper first transport stage(s) to lower second transport stage(s) such that workpiece(s) W is/are lifted in floating fashion thereabove by simultaneous suction and expulsion of gas(es) in accompaniment to lowering of respective elevator pin(s) at said first transport stage(s).

Abstract: A slot antenna plate is placed on a second dielectric for radiating microwave into a chamber interior, the slot antenna plate being provided on a side of the second dielectric that faces the chamber interior. The slot antenna plate is made of conductor and includes slots for passing the microwave there through to the chamber interior. In this way, a plasma processing apparatus is provided generating plasma by microwave, the plasma processing apparatus capable of easily adjusting ion irradiation energy for a material to be processed to achieve uniform plasma processing for the material within the plane of the material.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a backing plate used for the sputtering apparatus and a sputtering method which can improve film deposition rate and film quality without increasing the size of the target with respect to the substrate. High sputtering power is applied to a target portion opposite to a location where a thin film is formed on a surface of a substrate, thereby a thin film having even film thickness and film quality can be formed without increasing the size of the target. Further, a cooling medium flow passage can eliminate temperature unevenness caused by different sputtering powers to be applied to a target surface. The problem caused by the temperature rise can be solved and the film deposition speed can be enhanced by increasing the sputtering power which can be applied to the target. Consequently, it is possible to improve productivity of the substrate.

Abstract: On one side of a microwave entrance window that is exposed to the atmosphere, a slot plate having slots and a resonant unit are provided. The slot plate and the resonant unit are integrally placed to be slidable by linear guides with respect to a process chamber. In this way, a plasma processing apparatus can be provided that performs a highly uniform plasma process and is excellent in terms of plasma generation property.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a slot plate having a slot-formed region for passing microwave from a waveguide to a microwave entrance window, and a slot plate drive unit driving the slot plate to change the position of the slot plate with respect to the microwave entrance window. The slot plate is thus moved with respect to the microwave entrance window to change at least one of the position, number and area of slot openings where the microwave is passed. The plasma processing apparatus accordingly ensures uniform plasma processing even if the process condition significantly changes when films on a large-area substrate or wafer to be processed are made of different materials or a stacked-layer film composed of layers of different materials is to be processed.

Abstract: Provided are a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method capable of improving uniformity of plasma processing without increasing a necessary output of a power supply. A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber performing processing using a plasma; and three or more electromagnetic wave introducing parts connected to the processing chamber to introduce into the processing chamber an electromagnetic wave for driving a reaction gas supplied into the processing chamber into a plasma state, wherein of combinations of every two adjacent ones of said three or more electromagnetic wave introducing means located in a region adjacent to said processing chamber, a distance between the two adjacent electromagnetic wave introducing means forming one of said combinations is different from a distance between the two adjacent electromagnetic wave introducing means forming another one of said combinations.

Abstract: A plasma process apparatus includes a dielectric plate to emit plasma inside a chamber, and dielectric plate support members to support a dielectric plate. A plurality of gas introduction holes to supply reaction gas to the chamber interior are provided at the dielectric plate support members. The outlet of the gas introduction hole is open at the side facing the surface of substrate 8, and arranged at a peripheral region outer than dielectric plate 5. Ground potential is applied to a chamber lid and the dielectric plate support members, and bias voltage is applied to the substrate. Accordingly, a low-cost plasma process apparatus that can process uniformly a substrate of a large area using uniform plasma can be obtained.

Abstract: A plurality of microwave introduction windows are placed at the top wall of the reaction chamber. Microwaves of the same power are introduced into, e.g., two microwave introduction windows that are equivalent in location relationship with respect to the sidewall of the reaction chamber, while microwaves of different power are introduced into, e.g., two microwave introduction windows that are non-equivalent in location relationship with respect to the sidewall. Thus, a cost-effective plasma process apparatus is obtained which can realize uniform plasma processing even if the plasma being generated within the reaction chamber has varied load impedance.

Abstract: A method for depositing a functionally gradient thin film of the present invention includes the steps of: introducing two or more types of material gases into a process chamber which includes a cylindrical rotary electrode provided so as to be opposed to a substrate on which a thin film is deposited, the cylindrical rotary electrode being rotated by applying a high-frequency power thereto; and sliding the substrate into the process chamber while maintaining the rotation of the cylindrical rotary electrode so as to create plasma between the cylindrical rotary electrode arid the substrate for depositing the thin film.

Abstract: A plasma process apparatus capable of preventing generation of plasma in an unwanted location and performing uniform plasma processing with stability is obtained. The plasma process apparatus includes a processing chamber having an internal wall surface; a microwave radiating member having one wall surface and the other wall surface that faces the internal wall surface of the processing chamber, and being disposed such that a space is formed between the other wall surface and a portion of the internal wall surface, and propagating and radiating microwaves within the processing chamber; and a reactive gas supply member, including a reactive gas supply passage having a space formed between the other wall surface of the microwave radiating member and the internal wall surface; and a microwave transmission preventing member disposed on a region, which faces the reactive gas supply passage, of the other wall surface of the microwave radiating member.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a slot plate having a slot-formed region for passing microwave from a waveguide to a microwave entrance window, and a slot plate drive unit driving the slot plate to change the position of the slot plate with respect to the microwave entrance window. The slot plate is thus moved with respect to the microwave entrance window to change at least one of the position, number and area of slot openings where the microwave is passed. The plasma processing apparatus accordingly ensures uniform plasma processing even if the process condition significantly changes when films on a large-area substrate or wafer to be processed are made of different materials or a stacked-layer film composed of layers of different materials is to be processed.

Abstract: A plasma process device capable of forming homogeneous plasma and coping with a large size substrate less costly can be obtained. The plasma process device includes a processing chamber, microwave guiding means, a shower plate and a reaction gas supply passage. The microwave guiding means guides a microwave into the processing chamber. The shower plate has a gas inlet hole to supply to the processing chamber a reaction gas attaining a plasma state by the microwave, and a lower surface facing the processing chamber and an upper surface positioned on the opposite side of the lower surface. The reaction gas supply passage is positioned on the upper surface of the shower plate and supplies the reaction gas to the gas inlet hole. A wall surface of the reaction gas supply passage includes an upper surface of the shower plate and a conductor wall surface opposing the upper surface.