Abstract: A cleaning tank defining therein a cleaning chamber adapted to receive an article to be cleaned and having an upper opening for carrying the article into and out of the cleaning chamber, a plurality of small holes provided in the bottom wall of the cleaning chamber and communicated with an outlet port, and at least one inlet port for introducing a cleaning liquid into the cleaning tank and into the cleaning chamber only through the upper opening thereof.

Abstract: A draft chamber is located within a clean room for sequentially immersing and processing carriers such as silicone wafers in a plurality of solution vessels provided in the draft chamber. In the draft chamber, a first air flow moves in a substantially horizontal direction from the front portion of the draft chamber toward the rear portion above the surfaces of solutions contained in chemical solution vessels which generate toxic gasses and a second air flow moves downward from the ceiling of the draft chamber. Thus, the toxic gasses generated from the chemical solution vessels are prevented from leaking into the clean room.

Abstract: A system for measuring a foreign material in a liquid, includes a sampling section, vacuum deaerators, foreign material measuring sensors. The sampling section prepares a sample liquid containing various foreign materials having particles of different sizes and numbers and a calibration standard liquid containing particles of known sizes and numbers. The vacuum deaerators deaerate gases mixed in the sample and calibration standard liquids. The sensors detect the foreign materials in the deaerated liquids. These sensors are arranged in front of the deaerators, respectively.

Abstract: A system for measuring a foreign material in a liquid, includes a sampling section, vacuum deaerators, foreign material measuring sensors. The sampling section prepares a sample liquid containing various foreign materials having particles of different sizes and numbers and a calibration standard liquid containing particles of known sizes and numbers. The vacuum deaerators deaerate gases mixed in the sample and calibration standard liquids. The sensors detect the foreign materials in the deaerated liquids. These sensors are arranged in front of the deaerators, respectively.

Abstract: A laser Raman microprobe separates a laser beam reflected by a sample and a Raman scattered light generated by the sample by a filter which transmits or reflects a light in a predetermined wavelength region including a wavelength region of the reflected laser beam and applies only the Raman scattered light separated by the filter to a single-monochromator for spectroanalysis. A high sensitivity analysis is attained by the single-monochromator.

Abstract: A plasma monitor which measures the distribution of particular chemical species (atom, molecule, ion) in plasma generated inside an instrument making use of the plasma. Laser light having a particular wavelength is radiated to the particular chemical species so as to let it generate fluorescence. The fluorescence is picked up for each of a plurality of zones divided in the radiating direction of the laser light and the construction of the chemical species in each zone is determined on the basis of the intensity of the fluorescence in each zone in order to determine the concentration distribution of the particular chemical species contained in the plasma. The operative condition within the sealed vessel can be grasped more accurately by measuring the distribution of the concentration of the chemical species which is closely related with the condition of deposition or etching.

Abstract: A soft X-ray generator comprises an electron gun and an anode which are disposed in individual vacuum containers, respectively but are interconnected by a conduit provided with an electron lens so that an electron beam generated from the electron gun is guided through the conduit on the anode in a focused form, thereby emitting soft X-rays from the surface of the anode.

Abstract: A plasma monitoring method and a plasma monitor in a dry process which utilizes a plasma. Among a large number of chemical species which constitute the plasma, one or two specified chemical species suited to grasp the situation of the dry process has/have its/their plasma light/lights detected so as to obtain the three-dimensional distribution of the densities of the single specified chemical species or the ratios of the two specified chemical species in the plasma.

Abstract: A laser Raman spectrophotometry system for analyzing a sample material by measuring spectrum of Raman scattering produced by the sample under irradiation of laser light includes a laser light source for excitation of luminescence in addition to a laser light source for the excitation of the Raman scattering, and an optical system for rendering the optical path of the laser beam for luminescence excitation to substantially coincide with the optical path of the laser beam for the Raman scattering immediately before irradiation of the specimen. Luminescence spectrum brought about by the laser beam for luminescence excitation is adjusted by adjusting the laser power to simulate the luminescence spectrum concurrently produced by the laser beam for the excitation of Raman scattering, wherein both spectra of luminescence are subtractively combined together, to thereby cancel the luminescence component and allow only the spectrum of Raman-scattered light to be measured with a correspondingly enhanced accuracy.