Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a film-forming apparatus and a film-forming method that can prolong the lifetime of heaters used under high temperature conditions in an epitaxial growth technique. An inert gas discharge portion supplies an inert gas into the space containing the heater, gas is then discharged through the gas discharge portion without influence on the semiconductor substrate during film formation. It is therefore possible to prevent the reaction gas entering into the space containing the high-temperature heaters. This makes it possible to prevent a reaction between hydrogen gas contained in the reaction gas and SiC constituting the heaters. Therefore, it is possible to prevent carbon used as a base material of the heaters from being exposed due to the decomposition of SiC and then reacting with hydrogen gas. This makes it possible to prolong the lifetime of the heaters.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a film-forming apparatus and a film-forming method that can prolong the lifetime of heaters used under high temperature conditions in an epitaxial growth technique. An inert gas discharge portion supplies an inert gas into the space containing the heater, gas is then discharged through the gas discharge portion without influence on the semiconductor substrate during film formation. It is therefore possible to prevent the reaction gas entering into the space containing the high-temperature heaters. This makes it possible to prevent a reaction between hydrogen gas contained in the reaction gas and SiC constituting the heaters. Therefore, it is possible to prevent carbon used as a base material of the heaters from being exposed due to the decomposition of SiC and then reacting with hydrogen gas. This makes it possible to prolong the lifetime of the heaters.

Abstract: According to this embodiment, a semiconductor substrate manufacturing apparatus for epitaxial growth in which gases are supplied to a wafer placed on a susceptor and in which a heater is provided on the back surface of the susceptor. As a result of this epitaxial growth, SiC film is deposited onto the susceptor in the film-forming chamber. The susceptor is then moved into a separate chamber and the SiC film deposited on the susceptor during the epitaxial process is removed. After removal of SiC film, regeneration of the SiC film of the susceptor occurs. This semiconductor substrate manufacturing apparatus makes it possible to remove film deposited on a susceptor during epitaxial growth that would otherwise limit manufacturing yield.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a film-forming apparatus and a film-forming method that can prolong the lifetime of heaters used under high temperature conditions in an epitaxial growth technique. An inert gas discharge portion supplies an inert gas into the space containing the heater, gas is then discharged through the gas discharge portion without influence on the semiconductor substrate during film formation. It is therefore possible to prevent the reaction gas entering into the space containing the high-temperature heaters. This makes it possible to prevent a reaction between hydrogen gas contained in the reaction gas and SiC constituting the heaters. Therefore, it is possible to prevent carbon used as a base material of the heaters from being exposed due to the decomposition of SiC and then reacting with hydrogen gas. This makes it possible to prolong the lifetime of the heaters.

Abstract: According to this embodiment, a semiconductor substrate manufacturing apparatus for epitaxial growth in which gases are supplied to a wafer placed on a susceptor and in which a heater is provided on the back surface of the susceptor. As a result of this epitaxial growth, SiC film is deposited onto the susceptor in the film-forming chamber. The susceptor is then moved into a separate chamber and the SiC film deposited on the susceptor during the epitaxial process is removed. After removal of SiC film, regeneration of the SiC film of the susceptor occurs. This semiconductor substrate manufacturing apparatus makes it possible to remove film deposited on a susceptor during epitaxial growth that would otherwise limit manufacturing yield.

Abstract: A film-forming apparatus includes a chamber in which a substrate is to be placed, a reaction gas supply portion that supplies a reaction gas into the chamber, a heater that heats the substrate, a radiation thermometer that is provided outside the chamber to measure the temperature of the substrate by receiving radiant light from the substrate, and a tubular member that protects an optical path of radiant light between the substrate and the radiation thermometer. An inert gas is supplied from an inert gas supply portion to the tubular member. The tubular member preferably has an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface made of a material having a lower emissivity than the inner peripheral surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a coating apparatus capable of efficiently performing a deposition process and also provides an efficient coating method. A coating apparatus 1 for performing a deposition process on substrates W placed in a coating chamber by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition includes three or more coating chambers, e.g., a first coating chamber 2, a second coating chamber 102, and a third coating chamber 202. These coating chambers are configured such that each coating chamber is controlled independently of the other coating chambers to form a different film on the substrates W by controlling at least the composition of the material gas, the flow rate of material gas, the temperature, and the pressure in the coating chamber. A cleaning unit 5 is provided outside the coating chambers 2, 102, 202 to clean the susceptor after the deposition process.

Abstract: An exposure mask having phase shifting films of a predetermined thickness composed of a material transparent to the wavelength of exposure light and formed on a substrate transparent to such wavelength for causing a desired phase shift, wherein the phase shifting films are so patterned as to principally have arrangement of repeated patterns. Relative to the rule width L of the repeated patterns projected onto a work member to be exposed, a pattern having a rule width of 2 L/m is formed, in which m (.ltoreq.1) is a size reduction magnification in the use of a reduced-size projection exposer. The exposure mask is adapted for use in producing a diffraction grating as well. The mask is easily manufacturable without the necessity of any intricate process such as a positioned exposure, hence minimizing the number of required steps in manufacture while achieving a further fine work with an enhanced resolution higher than the known value.

Abstract: A method of forming a microlens made of a thermoplastic resin on a solid-state imaging device, including the steps of forming a resist pattern having an opening as a microlens forming portion on the solid-state imaging device; filling the opening with the thermoplastic resin; removing the resist pattern; and thermally deforming the thermoplastic resin on the opening. Accordingly, a microlens having a desired shape can be formed with a fine lens pattern of 0.5 .mu.m or less uniformly and highly accurately.

Abstract: A photosensitive resin composition, which is a mixture of a base resin, an acid cross-linking agent and a photoreactive acid catalyst generator, is disclosed. The photoreactive acid catalyst generator contains tetrakis-1,2,4,5-(polyhalomethyl)benzene or tris(polyhalomethyl)benzene. The composition is a so-called three-component chemically amplified photoresist. When irradiated with an excimer laser light, the photoreactive acid generator is decomposed to yield a Lewis acid catalyst, while also yielding radicals, the photoreactive acid generator acting itself as an acid-linking auxiliary to improve the sensitivity of the photosensitive resin composition significantly. It becomes possible in this manner to form a fine resist pattern with superior resolution in the excimer laser lithography. On the other hand, the sensitivity dependency of the base resin or light transmittance may be lowered to increase the degree of freedom in material selection and designing.

Abstract: A high valency salt, such as TiCl.sub.4 is reduced to a lower valency salt, such as TiCl.sub.2 and/or TiCl.sub.3 within a fused salt electrolytic bath via electrolysis so that an improved electrodeposition of a desired metal or alloy, such as Ti, occurs, from such adjusted bath. The process generally comprises adding a higher valency salt of a desired metal or alloy to a fused salt electrolytic bath, reducing the higher valency salt on a cathode electrode to a lower valency salt, removing the so-produced lower valency salt from the electrode surface and maintaining a predetermined amount of the lower valency salt within the electrolytic bath. Electrodeposition of a desired metal or alloy may then take place from such electrolytic bath containing a so-adjusted amount of the lower valency salt.

Abstract: An electroposition process wherein solid metallic particles are produced in a fused salt electrolytic bath and dispersed therein to electrodeposit a metal or alloy thereof on a cathode so that the surface of the deposit is maintained smooth and flat. In order to produce particles of a desired metal or alloy, an auxiliary electrolytic means may be provided within an electrolytic cell so that such particles are generated in situ within the fused bath of such cell.

Abstract: In the electrodeposition of titanium metal from an electrolyte containing one or more dissolved or fused titanium chlorides and other dissolved or fused chloride salts, such as, MgCl.sub.2,CaCl.sub.2,NaCl, and the like; the hardness of the electrodeposited titanium is adjusted by adding to the electrolyte one or more oxides, such as titanium oxide and oxides of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals, and/or one or more fluorides of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals.