Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic sintered body, includes: a film forming step of forming, on a surface of a heat-resistant metal material, a metal coating film made of a metal material having a standard free energy of formation of metal carbides lower than that of the heat-resistant metal material; a molding step of disposing the heat-resistant metal material provided with the coating film in the film forming step at a predetermined position in powder that serves as a starting material of a ceramic base, and molding a ceramic green body by press-molding the powder; and a sintering step of generating a ceramic sintered body by sintering the ceramic green body molded in the molding step.

Abstract: Provided is a stage for precisely controlling a substrate temperature and a manufacturing method thereof. Alternatively, a film-forming apparatus or a film-processing apparatus having the stage is provided. The stage includes a base material and a heater layer over the base material. The heater layer has a first insulating film, a heater wire over the first insulating film, and a second insulating film over the heater wire. The heater wire includes more than one kind of metal selected from tungsten, nickel. chromium cobalt, and molybdenum.

Abstract: A substrate support device formed of a metal and having a high withstand voltage and a high thermal resistance is provided. A substrate support device according to the present invention includes a plate section formed of a metal; a shaft section connected to the plate section and formed of a metal; a heating element provided in the plate section; and an insulating film formed on a first surface of the plate section, the first surface opposite to the shaft section, by ceramic thermal spraying. The substrate support device may further include an insulating film formed on a second surface of the plate section which intersects the first surface of the plate section approximately perpendicularly.

Abstract: A shaft-equipped heater unit includes a heater plate that heats an object to be heated placed thereon, and a shaft part that supports the heater plate, wherein the shaft part is formed by spraying material powder which constitutes the shaft part on the heater plate at a temperature lower than a melting point of the material powder by heated compressed gas.

Abstract: A shaft-equipped heater unit includes a heater plate that heats an object to be heated placed thereon, and a shaft part that supports the heater plate, wherein the shaft part is formed by spraying material powder which constitutes the shaft part on the heater plate at a temperature lower than a melting point of the material powder by heated compressed gas.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic sintered body, includes: a film forming step of forming, on a surface of a heat-resistant metal material, a metal coating film made of a metal material having a standard free energy of formation of metal carbides lower than that of the heat-resistant metal material; a molding step of disposing heat-resistant metal material provided with the coating film in the film forming step at a predetermined position in powder that serves as a starting material of a ceramic base, and molding a ceramic green body by press-molding the powder; and a sintering step of generating a ceramic sintered body by sintering the ceramic green body molded in the molding step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heater unit which can improve temperature uniformity of a heated object at the time of heating the object. A second heat conductor 32 which is the radial internal part of shaft 22 has a lower heat transfer ratio than a first heat conductor 30 which is the radial external part of shaft 22. As a result, in the case where a heated state and a non heated state of the resistance heating element 18 are repeatedly switched, the movement of heat from the front part 22B of the shaft 22 to the base point part 22A is suppressed by the second heat conductor 32 compared to the first heat conductor 30. As a result, in the part which confronts the hollow part 42 of the shaft 22 in the heater plate 16, the time required to heat the heater plate 16 and the wafer 28 to be heated to a desired heating temperature is shortened when compared to a conventional heater unit.

Abstract: A substrate supporting apparatus includes a plate member of an aluminum alloy having a flat upper surface, bottomed pits formed in the plate member, and spacer members held in the pits, individually. The spacer members are sapphire spheres. The diameter of each spacer member is a little smaller than that of each pit. The upper end of each spacer member projects from the upper surface of the plate member. A spot facing is formed in a region that includes the open edge portion of the pit. A bending portion which is obtained by plastically deforming the open edge portion of the pit toward the spacer member is formed on a bottom surface of the spot facing. A V-shaped groove is formed behind the bending portion.

Abstract: A ceramics heater comprises a circular heater plate formed of aluminum nitride and a metal foil heater wire formed of a high-melting metal and having a thickness of 100 ?m to 175 ?m. The heater wire is embedded in the heater plate. The heater wire has an inside portion located near the center of the heater plate and formed in zigzags at first pitches in the circumferential direction of the heater plate and an outside portion located near the outer periphery of the heater plate and formed in zigzags at second pitches in the circumferential direction of the heater plate. The second pitches are shorter than the first pitches.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heater unit which can improve temperature uniformity of a heated object at the time of heating the object. A second heat conductor 32 which is the radial internal part of shaft 22 has a lower heat transfer ratio than a first heat conductor 30 which is the radial external part of shaft 22. As a result, in the case where a heated state and a non heated state of the resistance heating element 18 are repeatedly switched, the movement of heat from the front part 22B of the shaft 22 to the base point part 22A is suppressed by the second heat conductor 32 compared to the first heat conductor 30. As a result, in the part which confronts the hollow part 42 of the shaft 22 in the heater plate 16, the time required to heat the heater plate 16 and the wafer 28 to be heated to a desired heating temperature is shortened when compared to a conventional heater unit.

Abstract: A substrate supporting apparatus includes a plate member of an aluminum alloy having a flat upper surface, bottomed pits formed in the plate member, and spacer members held in the pits, individually. The spacer members are sapphire spheres. The diameter of each spacer member is a little smaller than that of each pit. The upper end of each spacer member projects from the upper surface of the plate member. A spot facing is formed in a region that includes the open edge portion of the pit. A bending portion which is obtained by plastically deforming the open edge portion of the pit toward the spacer member is formed on a bottom surface of the spot facing. A V-shaped groove is formed behind the bending portion.

Abstract: A stage has a plate, a first seal surface, a stem, a second seal surface, a cover, a conductor and a flow path. A heater is embedded in the plate. A terminal for supplying power to the heater is exposed at one surface of the plate. The first seal surface is provided on the plate, shaped like a ring and surrounds the terminal. The stem is shaped like a hollow cylinder, surrounds the terminal and supports the plate. The second seal surface is provided on that end of the stem which supports the plate, and is shaped like a ring. The cover closes an open end of the stem, which is opposite to the end which supports the plate. The conductor passes through the cover into the stem and is connected to the terminal. The flow path is provided in the cover, for supplying inert gas into the stem at a pressure equal to or higher than the pressure of process gas present outside the stem.

Abstract: This application discloses the structure of an ESC stage where a chucking electrode is sandwiched by a moderation layer and a covering layer. The moderation layer and the covering layer have the thermal expansion coefficients between the dielectric plate and the chucking electrode. This application also discloses the structure of an ESC stage where a chucking electrode is sandwiched by a moderation layer and a covering layer, which have internal stress directed oppositely to that of the chucking electrode. This application further discloses a substrate processing apparatus for carrying out a process onto a substrate as the substrate is maintained at a temperature higher than room temperature, comprising the electrostatic chucking stage for holding the substrate during the process.

Abstract: A heater unit has a heater plate including a resistive heat generator, and a hollow shaft portion of a short type with a length of 20 to 50 mm, which is provide on the side of the lower face of the heater plate. The shaft portion is made from aluminum alloy. The bottom face of the shaft portion is fixed to a heater mounting portion of a casing. A sealing member is provided between the bottom face of the shaft portion and the casing. The thickness of the shaft portion is set to 0.5 to 5.0 mm, and the length, area of heat-transfer surface, and material of the shaft portion are selected such that the thermal resistance Rth of the shaft portion is 0.4 K/W or more.

Abstract: A heater unit comprises a shaft member and a plate member. The shaft member has a body and a flange portion formed on an end portion of the shaft body. The plate member is formed by brazing a plurality of plate elements together. One of the plate elements has a recess in which the flange portion is inserted. A gap is formed between a peripheral surface of the flange portion and an inner peripheral surface of the recess. An end face of the flange portion is brazed to the plate element in a manner such that the flange portion is inserted into the recess and the flange portion is loaded and heated by a pressurizing jig.

Abstract: A heater unit has a heater plate including a resistive heat generator, and a hollow shaft portion of a short type with a length of 20 to 50 mm, which is provide on the side of the lower face of the heater plate. The shaft portion is made from aluminum alloy. The bottom face of the shaft portion is fixed to a heater mounting portion of a casing. A sealing member is provided between the bottom face of the shaft portion and the casing. The thickness of the shaft portion is set to 0.5 to 5.0 mm, and the length, area of heat-transfer surface, and material of the shaft portion are selected such that the thermal resistance Rth of the shaft portion is 0.4 K/W or more.

Abstract: A stage has a plate, a first seal surface, a stem, a second seal surface, a cover, a conductor and a flow path. A heater is embedded in the plate. A terminal for supplying power to the heater is exposed at one surface of the plate. The first seal surface is provided on the plate, shaped like a ring and surrounds the terminal. The stem is shaped like a hollow cylinder, surrounds the terminal and supports the plate. The second seal surface is provided on that end of the stem which supports the plate, and is shaped like a ring. The cover closes an open end of the stem, which is opposite to the end which supports the plate. The conductor passes through the cover into the stem and is connected to the terminal. The flow path is provided in the cover, for supplying inert gas into the stem at a pressure equal to or higher than the pressure of process gas present outside the stem.

Abstract: A ceramics heater comprises a circular heater plate formed of aluminum nitride and a metal foil heater wire formed of a high-melting metal and having a thickness of 100 &mgr;m to 175 &mgr;m. The heater wire is embedded in the heater plate. The heater wire has an inside portion located near the center of the heater plate and formed in zigzags at first pitches in the circumferential direction of the heater plate and an outside portion located near the outer periphery of the heater plate and formed in zigzags at second pitches in the circumferential direction of the heater plate. The second pitches are shorter than the first pitches.

Abstract: This application discloses the structure of an ESC stage where a chucking electrode is sandwiched by a moderation layer and a covering layer. The moderation layer and the covering layer have the thermal expansion coefficients between the dielectric plate and the chucking electrode. This application also discloses the structure of an ESC stage where a chucking electrode is sandwiched by a moderation layer and a covering layer, which have internal stress directed oppositely to that of the chucking electrode. This application further discloses a substrate processing apparatus for carrying out a process onto a substrate as the substrate is maintained at a temperature higher than room temperature, comprising the electrostatic chucking stage for holding the substrate during the process.

Abstract: A substrate supporting apparatus includes a plate member of an aluminum alloy having a flat upper surface, bottomed pits formed in the plate member, and spacer members held in the pits, individually. The spacer members are sapphire spheres. The diameter of each spacer member is a little smaller than that of each pit. The upper end of each spacer member projects from the upper surface of the plate member. A spot facing is formed in a region that includes the open edge portion of the pit. A bending portion which is obtained by plastically deforming the open edge portion of the pit toward the spacer member is formed on a bottom surface of the spot facing. A V-shaped groove is formed behind the bending portion.