The present invention provides a vacuum processing apparatus capable of reducing attachment of particles generated in a processing space to an inner wall of a chamber, and of easily adjusting pressure in the processing space while introducing a gas into the processing space at a desired flow rate. A vacuum processing apparatus according to one embodiment includes: a container; a gas exhaust portion; a substrate holder configured to retain a substrate; a shield provided to surround the substrate holder and dividing an inside of the container into a processing space and an outside space; a gas introducing portion; a plasma generating portion; and an exhaust portion provided to the shield having a communication path through which the processing space and the outside space communicate, wherein at least part of the communication path is hidden from a region where the plasma generating portion generates the plasma.

Employed is a roller-type continuous vapor-deposited film forming device in which a film-forming section and a preprocessing section provided with a plasma preprocessing device are arranged in series at a distance from each other. With a substrate transported at a high speed, plasma (P) is supplied to the substrate surface side while set to an electrically positive potential by a plasma preprocessing means for supplying the plasma toward the substrate (S) in a space enclosed in a preprocessing roller, and enclosed in a plasma supply means for supplying a plasma-forming gas and in a magnet (21), which is a magnetism formation means. An active preprocessed surface is formed on the surface of the substrate (S). An inorganic oxide vapor-deposited film having as a principal component thereof an aluminum oxide containing AL-C covalent bonds is immediately formed at high speed in succession on the preprocessed surface of the substrate to produce a highly adhesive transparent vapor-deposited film.

A semiconductor manufacturing device has an upper cover configured to be arranged above top surface of unshielded semiconductor device which are mounted on a tray placed on a carrier to go through electromagnetic shielding, and a displacement detector configured to detect an abnormality when the upper cover is raised by at least one of the semiconductor device which is brought into contact with a bottom surface of the upper cover.

A semiconductor manufacturing device has an upper cover configured to be arranged above top surface of unshielded semiconductor device which are mounted on a tray placed on a carrier to go through electromagnetic shielding, and a displacement detector configured to detect an abnormality when the upper cover is raised by at least one of the semiconductor device which is brought into contact with a bottom surface of the upper cover.

A method of forming an interconnect structure for semiconductor devices is described. The method comprises depositing an etch stop layer on a substrate by physical vapor deposition followed by in situ deposition of a metal layer on the etch stop layer. The in situ deposition comprises flowing a plasma processing gas into the chamber and exciting the plasma processing gas into a plasma to deposit the metal layer on the etch stop layer on the substrate. The substrate is continuously under vacuum and is not exposed to ambient air during the deposition processes.

A method of forming an interconnect structure for semiconductor devices is described. The method comprises depositing an etch stop layer on a substrate by physical vapor deposition followed by in situ deposition of a metal layer on the etch stop layer. The in situ deposition comprises flowing a plasma processing gas into the chamber and exciting the plasma processing gas into a plasma to deposit the metal layer on the etch stop layer on the substrate. The substrate is continuously under vacuum and is not exposed to ambient air during the deposition processes.

The disclosure describes techniques for forming nanoparticles including Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase. In some examples, the nanoparticles may be formed by first forming nanoparticles including iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron. The carbon or boron may be incorporated into the nanoparticles such that the iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron are mixed. Alternatively, the at least one of carbon or boron may be coated on a surface of a nanoparticle including iron and nitrogen. The nanoparticle including iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron then may be annealed to form at least one phase domain including at least one of Fe.sub.16N.sub.2, Fe.sub.16(NB).sub.2, Fe.sub.16(NC).sub.2, or Fe.sub.16(NCB).sub.2.

This disclosure describes a module web coating system and components thereof including a more uniform atmospheric control pumping mechanism and gas curtain separation system. A modular web coating system may include an unwind module, any number of process modules, and a rewind module. The process modules are interchangeable and independently operable. In addition, this disclosure describes a more uniform pumping system in which process gas is removed from multiple locations or slits spaced around a process chamber and, in an example, around a process device such as a deposition source. The gas curtain system utilizes a zone between process chambers into which separation gas is injected. Gas from the chambers is continuously removed thereby operating the chambers under negative pressure and preventing process gas from one chamber bleeding into an adjacent chamber.

This disclosure describes a module web coating system and components thereof including a more uniform atmospheric control pumping mechanism and gas curtain separation system. A modular web coating system may include an unwind module, any number of process modules, and a rewind module. The process modules are interchangeable and independently operable. In addition, this disclosure describes a more uniform pumping system in which process gas is removed from multiple locations or slits spaced around a process chamber and, in an example, around a process device such as a deposition source. The gas curtain system utilizes a zone between process chambers into which separation gas is injected. Gas from the chambers is continuously removed thereby operating the chambers under negative pressure and preventing process gas from one chamber bleeding into an adjacent chamber.

Provided is a film-forming apparatus capable of cleaning a discharge apparatus under a state in which a film-forming space and a cleaning gas ambience are separated from each other while continuing to form a film on an object to be film-formed having a film-like shape. The film-forming apparatus includes a cleaning chamber configured to be connected to a film-forming space when a shutter is opened, and to be separated from the film-forming space and cause a cleaning gas to be discharged into an internal space when the shutter is closed; means for moving a discharge apparatus between a cleaning position inside the cleaning chamber and a film-forming position closer to a cylindrical member than the cleaning position; and a control apparatus that controls the discharge apparatus to discharge the raw material gas when the discharge apparatus is moved to the film-forming position, and controls the shutter to be closed so as to fill the cleaning chamber with the cleaning gas when the discharge apparatus is moved to the cleaning position.