The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing system. The semiconductor device manufacturing system can include a chamber, a slit valve configured to provide access to the chamber, a chuck disposed in the chamber and configured to hold a substrate, and a gas curtain device disposed between the chuck and the slit valve and configured to flow an inert gas to form a gas curtain. An example benefit of the gas curtain is to block an inflow of oxygen or moisture from entering the chamber to ensure a yield and reliability of the semiconductor manufacturing processes conducted in the chamber.

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 (c) at a start of the (b), evacuating the film forming vessel via the exhaust port by the exhaust device.

A plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum chamber in which plasma is formed; an inner chamber detachable from the vacuum chamber; a sample stage disposed in the inner chamber; a sample stage ring base disposed in the inner chamber; and a suspension beam coupled to the sample stage ring base in a space between the vacuum chamber and the inner chamber. With the inside of the vacuum chamber hermetically sealed, the inner chamber is placed on the sample stage ring base, and the inside is hermetically sealed. The upper part of the suspension beam is vertically movably held to a sample stage base plate configuring the upper part of the vacuum chamber to cover the inside. The plasma processing apparatus includes a conductive connector sandwiched between the suspension beam made of SUS and the upper part of the member and the sample stage base plate.

A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.

A spatial atomic layer deposition (ALD) system is disclosed. The system includes a chamber that includes a plurality of zones oriented along a track. Also included is a shuttle that is configured to support the substrate and transport the substrate to each of the plurality of zones to enable deposition of a thin film. The shuttle includes an RF power electrode and an RF ground electrode coupled to an RF power source. The RF electrode and the RF ground electrode are each embedded in the shuttle, such that power provided by the RF power source to the shuttle moves with the shuttle to each of the zones. The RF power source is configured to be activated in synchronization with moving the shuttle to one of the zones.

There is provided a technique that includes: a process chamber configured to process a plurality of substrates; and a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the process chamber, the plasma generator including a first electrode part configured to extend from a lower side to an intermediate side of the process chamber, and a second electrode part configured to extend from an upper side to the intermediate side of the process chamber.

An ion generator includes an arc chamber defining a plasma generation space, and a cathode which emits thermoelectrons toward the plasma generation space. The arc chamber includes a box-shaped main body having an opening, and a slit member mounted to cover the opening and provided with a front slit. An inner surface of the main body is exposed to the plasma generation space made of a refractory metal material. The slit member includes an inner member made of graphite and an outer member made of another refractory metal material. The outer member includes an outer surface exposed to an outside of the arc chamber. The inner member includes an inner surface exposed to the plasma generation space, and an opening portion which forms the front slit extending from the inner surface of the inner member to the outer surface of the outer member.

Disclosed is a method of processing a substrate. The method may include: a substrate loading operation of loading a substrate into a treating space of a chamber; a film removal operation of removing a film provided on the substrate; a protective film formation operation of forming a protective film containing oxygen on the substrate; and a substrate unloading operation of unloading the substrate from the treating space.

A processing system may include a plasma chamber operable to generate a plasma, and an extraction assembly, arranged along a side of the plasma chamber. The extraction assembly may include an extraction plate including an extraction aperture, the extraction plate having a non-planar shape, and generating an extracted ion beam at a high angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of a substrate, when the plane of the substrate is arranged parallel to the side of the plasma chamber.

A gas-phase chemical reactor, a system including the reactor, and methods of using the reactor and system are disclosed. An exemplary reactor includes a reaction chamber and is configured to provide a precursor within the reaction chamber for a soak periode.g., a period wherein a supply of the precursor to the reaction chamber is ceased and before purging of the reaction chamber begins. This allows relatively high residence times, relatively high partial pressures of the precursor(s) and/or a relatively high absolute pressure to be obtained within the reaction chamber during substrate processing.