Abstract: A process gas delivery system incorporating a cleaning solution delivery subsystem for chemical vapor deposition. The system includes a slanted cleaning solution feed pipe for introducing a cleaning solution into the process gas delivery system and for disposal of waste cleaning solution from the process gas delivery system. Automatic determination of maintenance time may be accomplished by using an optical sensor provided on the process gas delivery pipe that detects the accumulation of the deposition material within the piping. The sensor may also be used to detect the cleaning solution residue inside the piping after cleaning and the liquid level during deposition.

Abstract: There is provided a trap apparatus, which is inserted in a vacuum exhaust system sucking and discharging an exhaust gas from a process apparatus by a vacuum pump, for trapping a tramp material contained in the exhaust gas, said trap apparatus comprising, a trapping passage container inserted in the exhaust passage, at the upstream side of the vacuum pump, and a heating trap, housed in the trapping passage container, for heating the exhaust gas to a predetermined temperature while the heating trap is brought into contact with the exhaust gas flowing, thereby subjecting the tramp material in the exhaust gas to pyrolysis. Thus, the unaffected process gas circulated through the exhaust passage is touched by the heating trap and pyrolytically decomposed, and separated metal adheres to the heating trap so as to be trapped thereby.

Abstract: A process gas supply apparatus according to the invention comprises a supply pipe line connecting a supply source containing an organic aluminum metallic compound in a liquid state, to a process device for forming a film on an object using the organic aluminum metallic compound, a force-feed device for force-feeding, through the supply pipe line, the organic aluminum metallic compound contained in the supply source, a vaporizing device provided across the supply pipe line for vaporizing the force-fed organic aluminum metallic compound of the liquid state, a purge gas introduction device connected to the supply pipe line for introducing a pressurized purge gas into the supply pipe line, a solvent introduction device connected to the supply pipe line for introducing into the supply pipe line a solvent for dissolving the organic aluminum metallic compound, an exhaustion device connected to the supply pipe line for exhausting the supply pipe line by a negative pressure, and a control device having a plurality of

Abstract: There is a gap between the respective inner regions of the end face of the cylindrical side wall and the abutting portion of the top plate, which are situated inside the seal member. Even though the top plate is bent inward by atmospheric pressure when the container is decompressed to a predetermined degree of vacuum, therefore, the abutting portion thereof cannot come into contact with the inner edge of the end face of the cylindrical side wall. Thus, if decompression and exposure to atmospheric pressure are repeated to bend the cylindrical side wall repeatedly, there is no possibility of the inner edge portion of the end face of the cylindrical side wall being separated or rubbed off to produce dust. Moreover, the cylindrical side wall and top plate are joined together in the region outside the seal member. If dust is produced by the contact between the cylindrical side wall and top plate at their junctions outside the seal member, therefore, it is prevented from entering the container by the seal member.

Abstract: A gap is defined between an inner region of an end face of a first container member of a container and an inner region of an abutting portion of a second container member, the inner regions being situated inside a seal member. The respective inner regions of the end face of the first container member and the abutting portion of the second container member, which are situated inside the seal member, are prevented from coming into contact with each other when the interior of the container is decompressed. Even though the second container member is bent inward by atmospheric pressure when the container is decompressed to a predetermined degree of vacuum, therefore, the abutting portion thereof cannot come into contact with the inner edge of the end face of the first container member.

Abstract: A reduced pressure processing system includes a load lock chamber having an opening communicating with a process atmosphere in which a wafer is processed and/or the outer air atmosphere, a gate valve which is arranged at the opening to close/open the chamber with respect to the process atmosphere and/or the outer air atmosphere, a robot for loading/unloading the wafer into/from the chamber, an evacuation pump for evacuating the chamber, a heater for heating the wall of the chamber, and a controller for controlling the gate valve, the robot, the evacuation pump, and the heater.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprises a vacuum processing chamber for subjecting an object to be processed to a predetermined vacuum processing, an auxiliary vacuum chamber whose internal pressure is variable repeatedly between an atmospheric pressure and a process pressure, when the object is put in and taken out of the vacuum processing chamber, and exhaust system for exhausting a gas from the auxiliary vacuum chamber. The exhaust system has at least one exhaust port located apart from an internal wall surface of the auxiliary vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A vacuum creating method comprising preparing a chamber for forming a space which can be made so atmospheric and vacuous as to allow a substrate to be directly or indirectly carried in and out of the space, exhausting the chamber, filling the space in the chamber with a CO.sub.2 gas whose vapor pressure becomes larger than 1 atm at ambient temperature but smaller than 10 Torr at a temperature lower than the ambient temperature, carrying the substrate into the chamber, cooling the CO.sub.2 gas to solidify, thereby making an internal pressure in the chamber highly vacuous, carrying the substrate out of the chamber, and heating the solidified dry ice to vaporize thereby returning the internal pressure in the chamber to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A reduced pressure processing system includes a load lock chamber having an opening communicating with a process atmosphere in which a wafer is processed and/or the outer air atmosphere, a gate valve which is arranged at the opening to close/open the chamber with respect to the process atmosphere and/or the outer air atmosphere, a robot for loading/unloading the wafer into/from the chamber, an evacuation pump for evacuating the chamber, a heater for heating the wall of the chamber, and a controller for controlling the gate valve, the robot, the evacuation pump, and the heater.

Abstract: According to this invention, a surface-treating apparatus capable of etching an object to be treated with high accuracy, suppressing discharging of a harmful gas deposited on the etched object in the air, and preventing the surface of the object from deposition/ attachment of reaction products and droplets is disclosed. The surface-treating apparatus includes a first process chamber for etching a loaded object to be treated by an activated etching gas, an exhausting member for setting the first process chamber at a low pressure, a cooling means for cooling the object loaded in the first process chamber, a second process chamber in which the object etched by the first process chamber is loaded, an exhausting member for setting the second process chamber at a low pressure, and an heating member for annealing the object loaded in the second process chamber.

Abstract: A probe apparatus has a quartz probe formed of a quartz probe body and a metallic pattern layer formed thereon, the quartz probe body including a plurality of probe portions having a large number of probes corresponding to an electrode array of an object of examination, lead pattern portions continuous individually with the probe portions, and a supporting portion supporting all the lead pattern portions, the quartz probe body being designed so that the longitudinal direction of each probe is inclined with respect to a crystal axis X or Y of a quartz plate by etching a Z plane of the quartz plate perpendicular to a crystal axis Z of the quartz plate, and a tester fitted with the quartz probe by means of an adapter.

Abstract: A quartz probe apparatus having a plurality of quartz probe bodies and a metal pattern layer formed on each of the quartz probe bodies. A plurality of quartz probe bodies integrally incorporate a microprobe portion including a number of microprobes corresponding to electrode arrays of an object of examination, a pattern wiring portion connected with the microprobe portion, and an electrode pad portion connected with the pattern wiring portion. A plurality of quartz probe bodies are formed by etching a Z-plane of a quartz plate perpendicular to the crystal axis Z thereof.

Abstract: A probe device for measuring the electric characteristics of an IC chip on a wafer, etc. is disclosed. The probe device includes a unit having a micro-strip line structure in which a plurality of probes are integrally formed. The unit comprises a flexible insulating quartz base plate, a plurality of mutually insulated lead strips provided on one surface of the base plate, and a ground strip provided on the other surface of the base plate. Notches are formed in those regions of the insulating base plate, which are located between the lead strips at an end portion of the unit. The unit is supported such that the tip end portion of the unit is formed as a free-end portion and the unit is inclined by a predetermined angle toward electrode pads on the IC chip with respect to an imaginary horizontal plane. The combination of each of the lead strip, the insulating quartz base plate and the ground strip constitute a micro-strip line. At the tip end portion of the unit, each micro-strip line serves as the probe.

Abstract: A probe device for measuring the electric characteristics of an IC chip on a wafer, etc. is disclosed. The probe device includes a unit having a micro-strip line structure in which a plurality of probes are integrally formed. The unit comprises a flexible insulating quartz base plate, a plurality of mutually insulated lead strips provided on one surface of the base plate, and a ground strip provided on the other surface of the base plate. Notches are formed in those regions of the insulating base plate, which are located between the lead strips at an end portion of the unit. The unit is supported such that the tip end portion of the unit is formed as a free-end portion and the unit is inclined by a predetermined angle toward electrode pads on the IC chip with respect to an imaginary horizontal plane. The combination of each of the lead strip, the insulating quartz base plate an the ground strip constitute a micro-strip line. At the tip end portion of the unit, each micro-strip line serves as the probe.