Abstract: An electric field sensor includes a probe, a cylindrical probe guide, an insulating member, a preload spring and a connector. The probe serves as an inner conductor of a coaxial transmission path and has a portion forming a monopole antenna at a tip end to be in constant contact with a microwave transmission window by a pressing force of a built-in spring thereof. The probe guide is disposed at an outer side of the probe and serves as an outer conductor of the coaxial transmission path. The insulating member is disposed between the probe and the probe guide. The preload spring preloads the probe guide downward and presses the probe guide so that the tip end of the probe guide comes in constant contact with the planar slot antenna. The connector is connected to the probe and the probe guide to connect coaxial signal cables for extracting signals.

Abstract: An electric field sensor includes a probe, a cylindrical probe guide, an insulating member, a preload spring and a connector. The probe serves as an inner conductor of a coaxial transmission path and has a portion forming a monopole antenna at a tip end to be in constant contact with a microwave transmission window by a pressing force of a built-in spring thereof. The probe guide is disposed at an outer side of the probe and serves as an outer conductor of the coaxial transmission path. The insulating member is disposed between the probe and the probe guide. The preload spring preloads the probe guide downward and presses the probe guide so that the tip end of the probe guide comes in constant contact with the planar slot antenna. The connector is connected to the probe and the probe guide to connect coaxial signal cables for extracting signals.

Abstract: A wafer plating apparatus includes a wafer clamp for holding a wafer, a wafer support member for supporting the peripheral edge of the surface to be plated, and a plating tank which circulates a plating solution while making the plating solution overflow from an upper opening of the tank. The wafer plating apparatus is arranged to perform plating, while the surface to be plated is laid face down, being in contact with the surface of the plating solution, in a state in which the wafer is clamped by the wafer clamp and the wafer support member. The wafer support member is equipped with air-vent grooves for discharging the air which remains on the peripheral edge of the surface to be plated while the surface of the plating solution and the wafer make contact. The air-vent grooves are formed at the lower end of the wafer support portion.

Abstract: Liquid treatment units are disposed in multi-tiers surrounding a main-arm 35. Among liquid treatment units, plating units M1 through M4 are disposed on a lower tier side, and a unit for post-treatment process such as a cleaning unit 70 where a cleaner atmosphere is necessary is disposed on an upper tier side. Thereby, an improvement in an area efficiency and the formation and maintenance of a clean atmosphere can be simultaneously obtained.

Abstract: Liquid treatment units are disposed in multi-tiers surrounding a main-arm 35. Among liquid treatment units, plating units M1 through M4 are disposed on a lower tier side, and a unit for post-treatment process such as a cleaning unit 70 where a cleaner atmosphere is necessary is disposed on an upper tier side. Thereby, an improvement in an area efficiency and the formation and maintenance of a clean atmosphere can be simultaneously obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for removing air remaining on the peripheral edge of a surface to be plated in a conventional wafer plating apparatus, and to provide a wafer plating apparatus capable of performing a more uniform plating up to the peripheral edge of the surface to be plated, and which is further capable of performing plating even with respect to a wafer coated with a seed metal. This wafer plating apparatus includes a wafer clamp 6 for holding a wafer 4, a wafer support member 7 for supporting the periphery of the surface 5 to be plated of the wafer 4, and a plating tank 2 for circulating a plating solution while making the plating solution overflow from an upper opening of the tank. The wafer plating apparatus is arranged so as to perform plating, while the surface 5 to be plated is laid face down, being in contact with the surface of the plating solution, in a state in which the wafer 4 is clamped by the wafer clamp 6 and the wafer support member 7.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for removing air remaining on the peripheral edge of a surface to be plated in a conventional wafer plating apparatus, and to provide a wafer plating apparatus capable of performing a more uniform plating up to the peripheral edge of the surface to be plated, and which is further capable of performing plating even with respect to a wafer coated with a seed metal. This wafer plating apparatus includes a wafer clamp 6 for holding a wafer 4, a wafer support member 7 for supporting the peripheral edge of the surface 5 to be plated, and a plating tank 2 which circulates a plating solution while making the plating solution overflow from an upper opening of the tank. The wafer plating apparatus is arranged so as to perform plating, while the surface 5 to be plated is laid face down, being in contact with the surface of the plating solution, in a state in which the wafer 4 is clamped by the wafer clamp 6 and the wafer support member 7.

Abstract: There is provided a cassette carrying-in system, which can rotate a cassette housing therein substrates to be treated so that the substrates are changed from a vertical state to a horizontal state and which can carry the cassette in, e.g., a load-lock chamber of a vacuum processing unit. The cassette carrying-in system is provided for carrying a cassette, in which a plurality of substrates to be processed are arranged in parallel, in a processing unit for treating the substrates.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus heat-treats wafers horizontally carried in a boat while keeping the boat vertical in a reaction tube. The apparatus includes a system for transferring the wafers between the boat and wafer carriers, a system for loading and unloading the wafer-carried boat into and out of the reaction tube, and a system for waiting the boat in which not-treated wafers are carried. An arm is provided to move the boat while supporting the boat vertically. The boat is moved by the arm among a first position where the wafer transferring system is located, a second position where the load and unload system is located and a third position where the boat waiting system is located. A system for engaging with the top of the boat is further located at the first position to fix the top of the boat when the wafers are transferred to and out of the boat by the wafer transfer system.