A thin film deposition system includes a vacuum-preloaded gas bearing deposition head positioned in an external environment. The deposition head has a vertically-oriented output face including a plurality of source openings through which gaseous materials are supplied and one or more exhaust openings. An exhaust pressure at the exhaust openings is less than an ambient pressure, and a source pressure at the source openings is greater than the exhaust pressure, with the pressure at the outermost source openings being greater than the ambient pressure. A substrate positioner applies a vertical force onto a substrate unit, the vertical force passing through a center of gravity of the substrate unit. A motion control system moves the substrate positioner, thereby moving the substrate unit relative to the output face in an in-track direction without constraining the motion of the substrate unit in a direction normal to the output face of the deposition head.

A film forming apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a pedestal disposed inside the reaction chamber and configured to support a substrate, and a gas shower head over the pedestal. The gas shower head includes a plurality of first holes and a plurality of second hole disposed between a circumference of the gas shower head and the first holes. The first holes are arranged to form a first pattern and configured to form a first portion of a material film on the substrate. The second holes are arranged to form a second pattern and configured to form a second portion of the material film on the substrate. A hole density of the second pattern is greater than a hole density of the first pattern.

A wafer support member that can move in the same chamber after a film has been formed on a wafer and enable processing of the film-formed wafer and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including the wafer support member are provided. The wafer support plate 10 includes a flat portion 1 configured to support a wafer W and an outer circumferential protruding portion 2, being disposed in a surrounding shape on an outer circumference of the flat portion 1 and being formed with a larger thickness than the wafer W. The flat portion 1 includes a perforated support portion 1A and an annular support portion 1B. The annular support portion 1B is disposed outside of the perforated support portion 1A and supports an outer circumferential end portion W.sub.o of the wafer W.

A film forming apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a pedestal disposed inside the reaction chamber and configured to support a substrate, and a gas shower head over the pedestal. The gas shower head includes a plurality of first holes and a plurality of second hole disposed between a circumference of the gas shower head and the first holes. The first holes are arranged to form a first pattern and configured to form a first portion of a material film on the substrate. The second holes are arranged to form a second pattern and configured to form a second portion of the material film on the substrate. A hole density of the second pattern is greater than a hole density of the second pattern.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber configure to provide a space for processing a substrate, a substrate support configured to support the substrate in the chamber, an upper supply port provided in an upper portion of the chamber and configured to supply a supercritical fluid on an upper surface of the substrate, a recess provided in an upper wall of the chamber and having a diffuser shape whose diameter gradually increases from an outlet of the upper supply port, and a fluidic baffle disposed in the recess between the upper supply port and the substrate and including unit cells repeatedly arranged in a space with same phases and geometric sizes and in fluid communication with each other.

A shower plate for a plasma deposition apparatus, the shower plate including: a plurality of apertures each extending from a rear surface of the shower plate to a front surface for passing a carrier gas therethrough in this direction to a chamber, a plurality of first apertures each extending from a first connecting aperture to an inner part of the front surface for passing gas therethrough in this direction to the chamber, and a plurality of second apertures each extending from a second connecting aperture to an outer part of the front surface for passing gas therethrough in this direction to the chamber, wherein the first connecting aperture connects the first apertures to at least one first aperture extending from a sidewall side of the shower plate and the second connecting aperture connects the second apertures to at least one second aperture extending from the sidewall side.

A method of manufacturing an upper electrode of a plasma processing device includes forming a covering layer having plasma resistance on a surface of a main body portion constituting the upper electrode at a side of the processing space; polishing a surface of the covering layer exposed to the processing space; and after the polishing, blasting the surface of the covering layer polished at the polishing.

A thin film deposition system includes a vacuum-preloaded gas bearing deposition head positioned in an external environment. The deposition head has a vertically-oriented output face including a plurality of source openings through which gaseous materials are supplied and one or more exhaust openings. An exhaust pressure at the exhaust openings is less than an ambient pressure, and a source pressure at the source openings is greater than the exhaust pressure, with the pressure at the outermost source openings being greater than the ambient pressure. A substrate positioner applies a vertical force onto a substrate unit, the vertical force passing through a center of gravity of the substrate unit. A motion control system moves the substrate positioner, thereby moving the substrate unit relative to the output face in an in-track direction without constraining the motion of the substrate unit in a direction normal to the output face of the deposition head.

In an embodiment, a vapor phase film-forming apparatus 10 includes a susceptor 12 for holding a film forming substrate 14. A flow channel 40 is formed horizontally by the opposite surface 20 facing the susceptor 12. In the flow channel 40, a material gas introduction port 42 and material gas and a purge gas exhaust port 48 are provided. On the opposite surface 20, many purge gas nozzles 36 are provided and divided into a plurality of purge areas PE1-PE 3. Mass flow controllers (MFCs) 52A-52C and 62A-62C for adjusting the flow rate for each purge area are provided in each purge area. Then, the mass flow rate of the purge gas is controlled by the MFCs 52A-52C and 62A-62C for each purge area.

A silicon carbide growth method for growing a silicon carbide crystal on a substrate in a hot wall reaction chamber heated to a temperature between 1600 C. and 2000 C. Process gases enter the reaction chamber utilizing at least a primary gas flow, a secondary gas flow, and a shower gas flow. The shower gas flow is fed substantially perpendicularly to the primary and secondary gas flows and is directed towards the substrate. The primary and secondary gas flows are oriented substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate. A silicon precursor gas is entered by the primary gas flow. A hydrocarbon precursor gas is entered in at least one of the primary gas flow, the secondary gas flow, or the shower gas flow. Hydrogen is entered primarily in the secondary flow and the shower head flow. A CVD reactor chamber for use in processing the method.