Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a load-lock chamber, a vacuum transferring chamber and a processing chamber respectively having evacuating systems for evacuating the respective chambers. The load-lock chamber has a first isolation valve for isolating and opening communication of the load-lock chamber with the atmosphere and a second isolating valve for isolating and opening communication of the load-lock chamber with the vacuum transferring chamber. The processing chamber comprises a vessel detachably located at an arranging aperture formed in a wall of the vacuum transferring chamber and closing the arranging aperture in an air-tight manner from the outside of the apparatus. A substrate arranging portion is arranged in the vacuum transferring chamber so as to be move toward and away from the vessel to form an air-tight chamber space in the vessel isolated from the vacuum transferring chamber when the substrate arranging portion has moved to the vessel.

Abstract: An exhaust system utilizes a booster pump and an auxiliary pump of vacuum process apparatus which vacuum treats a substrate with gases of the chlorine series. A vessel of the auxiliary pump on the air exhaust side is filled with an inert gas of a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure, and a dry adsorption column capable of adsorbing the gases of the chlorine series is connected to an air exhaust pipe of the auxiliary pump. Further, a dust trap having a cooling surface is provided between the booster pump and the auxiliary pump, and the wall surface of the gas passage between the booster pump and the auxiliary pump is heated.

Abstract: In a dry etching apparatus comprising a plurality of etching chambers each of which comprises a first and a second electrode member opposite to each other, an object is successively etched in each etching chamber, with the object supported on either the first or the second electrode member, under different distributions of etching rate. When the object is placed on the first electrode member in each etching chamber and a gas is introduced through an aperture formed on the second electrode member, each distribution of etching rate can be varied by changing a position of the aperture. A side wall member may be extended from a periphery of the second electrode member towards the first electrode member in each etching chamber to confine plasma within a space defined by the first and the second electrode members and the side wall member. The side wall member is varied in length and/or diameter from an etching chamber to another to realize the different distributions of etching rate.

Abstract: In a monitoring method of monitoring status of a silicon layer etched in a hollow space by plasma, a chlorine including gas is introduced into a hollow space to cause CCl-radical to occur in the hollow space. A first spectrum region is selected to detect first emission spectra of the CCl-radical which are variable in intensity only during the etching and which may include a wavelength of 307 nm. Preferably, a second spectrum region is selected to second emission spectra invariable even during the etching and to indicate the beginning and the end of the etching by monitoring a relationship between the first and the second emission spectra. The second spectrum region may include a wavelength of 396 nm. Alternatively, emission spectra of OH-radical which results from water remaining in the hollow space may be monitored as the first emission spectra.

Abstract: In order to monitor the status, such as a decreasing or an increasing thickness, of a layer in response to a single light beam produced from a chamber in which the layer is processed, as by etching or sputtering, by the use of plasma, a monitoring device splits, according to spectral regions, the beam into two components of intensities variable with time and calculates a difference between the intensities, a power of the difference, and a ratio between the intensities. The status is monitored by selecting the difference, power, and ratio. The spectral regions may be 3962 and 3050 A for an aluminum layer being etched and 3248 and 8115 A for a copper layer sputter-formed in argon. Preferably, the difference and the power are monitored a predetermined interval of time after start of etch. The ratio is used in combination with a plasma sputtering device.

Abstract: In a support member for supporting a sample processed in a hollow space between first and second electrodes between which a high frequency a.c. voltage is supplied to produce plasma in the hollow space, a conductor is laid on the first electrode with a first dielectric layer interposed therebetween and is covered with a second dielectric layer to be attached to the sample. A d.c. voltage source is connected through the first dielectric layer out of contact with the first electrode to induce electrostatic attraction during production of the plasma and, thereby, to fixedly attach the sample to the second dielectric layer. A temperature control member is embedded in the first electrode to control a temperature of the sample. The control member may be a cooling member or a heater. A plurality of the support members may be located on the first electrode. Preferably, the first and the second dielectric layers are of epoxy resin and polyimide resin, respectively.

Abstract: In a dry etching device comprising a first electrode supplied with an electrical voltage and a second electrode grounded, a dielectric plate is placed on the second electrode and includes means for positioning a specimen to be etched. The specimen is brought into electrical contact with the second electrode by the positioning means and is, therefore, substantially grounded during etching. The positioning means may be a through hole for receiving the specimen therein. Alternatively, the positioning member may be a conductive spring passing through the dielectric plate. A plurality of positioning members may be arranged in the dielectric plate.

Abstract: In a dry etching device comprising a first electrically grounded electrode plate and a second electrode plate opposite to the first electrode plate in a hollow space and supplied with a voltage of a predetermined frequency, a control electrode member is placed in the hollow space between the first and the second electrode plates and is connected to a d.c. voltage source for a controllable d.c. voltage. The etch rate is electrically adjustable to a desired rate by the d.c. voltage. The control electrode member may be a conductive rod projected into the hollow space or a conductive flat mesh substantially parallel to the first and the second electrode plates. Alternatively, the member may be an annular ring-shaped conductor surrounding the gas plasma developed between the first and the second electrode plates. Specimens to be etched may be placed on both of the electrode plates when the etch rate is adjusted to the desired rate by the use of the member.