According to one embodiment, provided is a deflection sensitivity calculation method for calculating deflection sensitivity of a deflector in an electron beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates an irradiation object on a stage with an electron beam by causing the deflector to deflect the electron beam, the deflection sensitivity calculation method including: irradiating an area that covers an adjustment plate with an electron beam by scanning a deflection parameter that controls deflection of the deflector in a predetermined width; detecting a current value detected from the adjustment plate; forming an image corresponding to the detected current value, a number of pixels of the image being known; calculating the number of pixels of a portion corresponding to the adjustment plate in the formed image; and calculating the deflection sensitivity of the deflector.

Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including one or more operation elements, the substrate processing apparatus includes a processing unit controlling operation of the substrate processing apparatus, and a controller controlling independently the one or more operation elements of the substrate processing apparatus, monitoring operation of the processing unit, and maintaining operation states of the one or more operation elements when the operation of the processing unit is restarted or terminated.

A method of forming a layer on a plurality of semiconductor substrates is described, wherein the semiconductor substrates are accommodated in a wafer boat such that the semiconductor substrates are arranged in opposed pairs having their surfaces to be coated facing each other, and such that an alternating voltage can be applied between the semiconductor substrates of each pair to generate a plasma between the wafers of a pair, and wherein the wafer boat with the plurality of semiconductor substrates is accommodated in a process chamber. The method comprises the following steps: heating the process chamber to a predetermined temperature and creating a predetermined vacuum in the process chamber; introducing a first precursor gas into the process chamber at the predetermined temperature to create a deposition of a component of the first precursor gas on the surface of the substrate, wherein the deposition is self-limiting and in substance produces a single atomic layer of the deposited component; introducing a second precursor gas into the process chamber at the predetermined temperature to effect reaction with the previously deposited components and to thereby cause the deposition of a component of the second precursor gas on the surface of the substrate, wherein the reaction and thus the deposition is self-limiting and produces one atomic layer of the deposited component. The successive cycles of introducing first and second precursor gases is repeated until a first layer with a predetermined layer thickness or a predetermined number of cycles is reached. Then at least two different precursor gases are introduced into the process chamber and a plasma is generated from the mixture of the precursor gases between the adjacent semiconductor substrates of each pair to deposit a second layer on the first layer, the second layer having substantially the same composition as the first layer.

A processing chamber such as a plasma etch chamber can perform deposition and etch operations, where byproducts of the deposition and etch operations can build up in a vacuum pump system fluidly coupled to the processing chamber. A vacuum pump system may have multiple roughing pumps so that etch gases can be diverted a roughing pump and deposition precursors can be diverted to another roughing pump. A divert line may route unused deposition precursors through a separate roughing pump. Deposition byproducts can be prevented from forming by incorporating one or more gas ejectors or venturi pumps at an outlet of a primary pump in a vacuum pump system. Cleaning operations, such as waferless automated cleaning operations, using certain clean chemistries may remove deposition byproducts before or after etch operations.

According to one embodiment, a plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a plasma generator, a gas supplier supplying, a placement part, a depressurization part, and a supporting part. The supporting part includes a mounting part positioned below the placement part and provided with the placement part, and a beam extending from a side surface of the chamber toward a center axis of the chamber. One end of the beam is connected to a side surface of the mounting part. The beam includes a space connected to an outside space of the chamber. A following formula is satisfied, t1>t2, when a thickness of a side portion on the placement part side of side portions of the beam is taken as t1, a thickness of a side portion on an opposite side of the placement part side of the beam is taken as t2.

Tin oxide film on a semiconductor substrate is etched selectively in a presence of silicon (Si), carbon (C), or a carbon-containing material (e.g., photoresist) by exposing the substrate to a process gas comprising hydrogen (H.sub.2) and a hydrocarbon. The hydrocarbon significantly improves the etch selectivity. In some embodiments an apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate includes a process chamber configured for housing the semiconductor substrate and a controller having program instructions on a non-transitory medium for causing selective etching of a tin oxide layer on a substrate in a presence of silicon, carbon, or a carbon-containing material by exposing the substrate to a plasma formed in a process gas that includes H.sub.2 and a hydrocarbon.

An assembly and a method for treating at least one object are disclosed. An ionization chamber/plasma chamber is provided which is connected to a high-voltage source via a high-voltage line. A first valve group has a node and a second valve group has a node, a pump being provided between the first valve group and the second valve group. A treatment chamber is fluidic connectable to the first valve group and the second valve group, and the ionization chamber/plasma chamber is also fluidic connectable to the first valve group and the second valve group.

Tin oxide films are used as spacers and hardmasks in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one method, tin oxide layer is formed conformally over sidewalls and horizontal surfaces of protruding features on a substrate. A passivation layer is then formed over tin oxide on the sidewalls, and tin oxide is then removed from the horizontal surfaces of the protruding features without being removed at the sidewalls of the protruding features. The material of the protruding features is then removed while leaving the tin oxide that resided at the sidewalls of the protruding features, thereby forming tin oxide spacers. Hydrogen-based and chlorine-based dry etch chemistries are used to selectively etch tin oxide in a presence of a variety of materials. In another method a patterned tin oxide hardmask layer is formed on a substrate by forming a patterned layer over an unpatterned tin oxide and transferring the pattern to the tin oxide.

A gate valve 1 includes: a plate 2 having an opening portion 9; a plate 3 located opposite to the plate 2; a guide space 5 formed between the plates 2, 3; and a plate 6 provided in the space 5. The plate 6 is slidable along a direction in which an opening portion 11 is offset from the opening portion 9 in the space 5 in a state in which the plate 6 is pressed by the pressing portion 13 and separated from the plate 2, and a position of the plate 6 is fixed with respect to the plate 2 in the space 5 in a state in which the plate 6 is pressed by the pressing portion 16 and is in contact with the plate 2. The pressing portions 13, 16 each have a bellows structure formed by diffusion-bonding metal plates 18 and 19 to each other.

At timing t0, a brake gas (raw material gas) starts to be supplied to an ion beam generator, and the brake gas is fed into a turbo molecular pump. After timing t1, a vent valve is opened intermittently to feed atmospheric air into the turbo molecular pump. The brake gas may be different from the raw material gas. The brake gas is supplied using a gas supply system.