A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices includes repeatedly performing a transfer operation which transfers each of a plurality of semiconductor wafers between a substrate handling module and a processing chamber through a wafer access port, the processing chamber including at least one consumable component. Using the processing chamber, a semiconductor manufacturing process is performed on each of the plurality of semiconductor wafers; and detecting an optical signal from the at least one consumable component during a time when the processing chamber is not performing the semiconductor manufacturing process on the wafers.

A tape affixing apparatus and a tape magazine capable of automatically switching or replacing a dicing tape. An affixing apparatus 3 includes a base section 31 on which a tape magazine 4 accommodating a dicing tape DT wound in a roll shape with a part of the dicing tape DT reeled out is installed to be replaceably mountable, movable guide rollers 32a and 32b, fixed guide rollers 33a and 33b, and a knife plate 35 that are movable to regulate a reel-out region R where the part of the dicing tape DT is reeled out to a predetermined track.

An AlN ceramic substrate of the present invention contains yttrium aluminate, and has a volume resistivity of 310.sup.9 cm or more at 550 C.

A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method are provided, in which a flow rate of CO.sub.2 injected into a supercritical drying vessel is controlled through multi-level pressure control. The substrate processing method includes disposing a substrate coated with a chemical liquid in a process chamber, that includes a space in which the substrate is processed; drying the substrate by using a supercritical fluid; and taking the substrate out of the process chamber when the substrate is dried.

A reflector plate assembly for processing a substrate includes a reflector plate having a first surface, wherein the first surface is a bare polished surface, a reflector disk embedded within the reflector plate from the first surface, a coating layer on the reflector disk, and a pyrometer disposed through an opening of the reflector disk.

Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a plurality of processing regions. The systems may include a transfer region housing defining a transfer region fluidly coupled with the plurality of processing regions. The systems may include a plurality of substrate supports, and each substrate support of the plurality of substrate supports may be vertically translatable between the transfer region and an associated processing region of the plurality of processing regions. The systems may include a transfer apparatus including a rotatable shaft extending through the transfer region housing. The transfer apparatus may include an end effector coupled with the rotatable shaft. The end effector may include a central hub defining a central aperture fluidly coupled with a purge source. The end effector may also include a plurality of arms having a number of arms equal to a number of substrate supports of the plurality of substrate supports.

A method and apparatus for diffusing a dopant within a semiconductor device is described. The method includes performing a dynamic surface anneal in which a substrate is placed inside of a process volume with a mixture of an inert gas and a small amount of oxygen gas. The surface of the substrate is then exposed to one or more rapid laser pulses. The rapid laser bursts diffuse dopant from a doped layer into the substrate. The doped layer is formed during a previous process operation. The temperature and number of laser pulses control the amount of diffusion of the dopant into the substrate. Other dynamic surface anneal operations may be optionally performed before or after the oxygenated dynamic surface anneal operation.

A photolithography apparatus includes a cleaning unit which cleans a target substrate, a drying unit which dries the target substrate provided from the cleaning unit, and a coating unit which forms a photoresist layer by coating a photoresist on the target substrate provided from the drying unit. The drying unit includes a first vacuum unit which performs a vacuum treatment on the target substrate.

A gate valve apparatus and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, in which a volume of a drive portion for driving a valve body is reduced, are provided. The gate valve apparatus includes a housing having an opening, a valve body configured to open and close the opening, and a drive portion configured to drive the valve body, in which the drive portion includes a first crankshaft including a first input shaft rotatably supported by a side wall of the housing and a first output shaft rotatably supported by the valve body, a second crankshaft including a second input shaft rotatably supported by the side wall of the housing and a second output shaft rotatably supported by the valve body, a rotation transmission portion configured to transmit rotation of the first input shaft to the second input shaft, and an actuator configured to rotate the first input shaft.

An overhead transport vehicle includes: a holding unit that is provided to be liftable and lowerable and configured to hold an article; a three-dimensional ranging sensor that has a detection range to include surroundings of a lower space formed directly below the article held by the holding unit; and a control device that is configured to determine presence or absence of an obstacle based on a detection result of the three-dimensional ranging sensor.