A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber providing a space for processing a substrate, a substrate stage configured to support the substrate within the chamber and including a lower electrode, an upper electrode facing the lower electrode, a focus ring in or on an upper peripheral region of the substrate stage to surround the substrate, and a plasma adjustment assembly in at least one of a first position between the upper electrode and the lower electrode and a second position between the focus ring and the lower electrode, the plasma adjustment assembly including a photoreactive material layer and a plurality of light sources configured to irradiate light onto a local region of the photoreactive material layer. A capacitance of the local region is changed as the light is irradiated to the local region.

A sample cartridge carrier apparatus is coupled with a focused ion beam processing apparatus (FIB processing apparatus). A guide mechanism is configured to guide a series of movements of a sample cartridge holder to allow a sample cartridge to be held by a carrier base on a sub stage. Sub cooling equipment is configured to cool the sample cartridge via the sub stage. A carrier mechanism carries the carrier base between the sub stage and a main stage.

Provided are a substrate treating apparatus and a method thereof that can improve pattern roughness when an etching process is performed for a substrate. The substrate treating method comprises: inserting a substrate into a substrate treating apparatus; injecting a first process gas into the substrate treating apparatus and treating the substrate to a first plasma using the first process gas; and injecting a second process gas into the substrate treating apparatus and treating the substrate to a second plasma using the second process gas, wherein at least some components of the second process gas differ from those of the first process gas.

A transfer chamber for a processing system suitable for processing a plurality of substrates and a method of using the same is provided. The transfer chamber includes a lid, a bottom disposed opposite the lid, a plurality of sidewalls sealingly coupling the lid to the bottom and defining an internal volume, wherein the plurality of sidewalls form the faces of a dodecagon. An opening is formed in each of the faces, wherein the opening is configured for a substrate to pass therethrough. A transfer robot is disposed in the internal volume, wherein the transfer robot has effectors configured to support the substrate through one opening to another opening.

A focus ring adjustment assembly of a system for processing workpieces under vacuum, where the focus ring may include a lower side having a first surface portion and a second surface portion, the first surface portion being vertically above the second surface portion. The adjustment assembly may include a pin configured to selectively contact the first surface portion of the focus ring, and an actuator operable to move the pin along the vertical direction between an extended position and a retracted position. The extended position of the pin may be associated with the distal end of the pin contacting the first surface of the focus ring and the focus ring being accessible for removal by a workpiece handling robot from the vacuum process chamber.

Generally, examples described herein relate to methods and processing systems for forming isolation structures (e.g., shallow trench isolations (STIs)) between fins on a substrate. In an example, fins are formed on a substrate. A liner layer is conformally formed on and between the fins. Forming the liner layer includes conformally depositing a pre-liner layer on and between the fins, and densifying, using a plasma treatment, the pre-liner layer to form the liner layer. A dielectric material is formed on the liner layer.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, a radio-frequency power supply, and a controller. The substrate support includes a lower electrode and is disposed in the chamber to mount a focus ring to surround a disposed substrate on the substrate support. The radio-frequency power supply supplies a bias radio-frequency power to the lower electrode. The controller causes specifying a power level of the bias radio-frequency power corresponding to a specified value of the DC potential of the focus ring by using a table or a function that defines a relationship between the power level of the bias radio-frequency power and the DC potential of the focus ring generated by supplying the bias radio-frequency power to the lower electrode, and controlling the radio-frequency power supply to supply the bias radio-frequency power having the specified power level to the lower electrode during a plasma generation in the chamber.

Provided are a radical monitoring apparatus capable of monitoring electrical diagnosis of a radical produced by direct plasma or remote plasma and the amount of change of the produced radical, and a plasma apparatus including the radical monitoring apparatus. The plasma apparatus includes a process chamber in which a plasma process is performed, a dielectric film in the process chamber and surrounding sides of a plasma discharge space in the process chamber, and a sensor inside the dielectric film and configured to monitor plasma to thereby monitor a radical generated in the plasma.

A film forming apparatus comprises a film forming vessel comprising a first mold and a second mold that is arranged to be opposed to the first mold. The first mold is configured to include a first recessed portion and a first planar portion arranged around the first recessed portion and an exhaust port in a bottom portion of the first recessed portion. The film forming apparatus also comprises a seal member placed between the first planar portion of the first mold and the second mold. The seal member is configured to keep inside of the film forming vessel airtight; and an exhaust device connected with the exhaust port. The work is placed away from the first planar portion such that a film formation target part of the work faces an internal space of the first recessed portion when the film forming vessel is closed. A film forming method comprises (a) forming a film on part of the work by the film forming apparatus; (b) opening the film forming vessel after the (a); and (e) at a start of the (b), evacuating the film forming vessel via the exhaust port by the exhaust device.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber in which a first processing space, a second processing space, a connecting space connecting the first processing space and the second processing space, a first hole connecting with the connecting space and a second hole connecting with the connecting space are formed, a first gate valve having a first valve element and closing the first hole, the first valve element sliding in the first hole, opening and closing the connecting space, and a second gate valve having a second valve element and closing the second hole, the second valve element sliding in the second hole, opening and closing the connecting space, wherein a region in which the first hole and the connecting space connect with each other and a region in which the second hole and the connecting space connect with each other are one common region.