Semiconductor systems and methods may include a semiconductor processing chamber having a gas box defining an access to the semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a spacer characterized by a first surface with which the gas box is coupled, and the spacer may define a recessed ledge on an interior portion of the first surface. The chamber may include a support bracket seated on the recessed ledge that extends along a second surface of the spacer. The chamber may also include a gas distribution plate seated on the support bracket.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure, provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a chamber, a support and a liner. The chamber is configured for plasma processes and includes a chamber wall. The support is configured to hold a wafer in the chamber. The liner is configured to surround the support and includes a top side and a bottom side. The top side is detachably hung on the chamber wait. The bottom side includes gas passages for plasma particles to pass through the liner.

A cathodic arc coating apparatus includes a vessel, a cathode disposed in the vessel, and a stinger assembly. The stinger assembly includes a first magnetic field generator disposed in a first stinger cup in selective contact with the cathode. The first stinger cup has at least a first electrically conductive cup portion spaced from a second electrically conductive cup portion by a thermally insulating layer therebetween.

A method of discriminating a state of a sputtering apparatus in which, by sputtering a target (2), a film is formed on a substrate disposed to lie opposite to the target, the discrimination being made, prior to the film formation on the substrate, as to whether an atmosphere in the vacuum chamber is in a state fit for film formation. As the sputtering apparatus, use is made of one provided inside the vacuum chamber with an isolated space which is isolated from the vacuum chamber by an isolating means (6, 71˜73), the isolated space being for the target and the substrate to lie therein opposite to each other, the sputtering apparatus being so arranged that the isolated space is evacuated accompanied by the evacuation in the vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is evacuated to a predetermined set pressure and a gas is introduced therein in this state.

A method of depositing a thin film on a substrate inside a vacuum chamber includes a first process that deposits a first film on the substrate, the first process including a process of supplying an active species that is obtained by changing a gas to plasma and is related to a quality of the thin film to the substrate; and a second process that deposits a second film that is the same type as that of the first film on the first film, the second process including a process of supplying the active species to the substrate so that a supply quantity of the active species per a unit film thickness is greater than a first supply quantity of the active species per the unit film thickness in the first process by adjusting a controlled parameter.

A method is provided. The method includes introducing a process gas into an interior space of a processing chamber through a gas inlet port, wherein a substrate is supported within the interior space. The process gas is evacuated from the interior space by a vacuum source through an exhaust port in fluid communication with the interior space of the process chamber. A flow of the process gas is controlled by supporting an exhaust baffle within a flow path of the process gas being evacuated from the interior space through the exhaust port.

A virtual cathode deposition apparatus utilises virtual plasma cathode for generation of high density electron beam to ablate a solid target. A high voltage electrical pulse ionizes gas to produce a plasma which temporarily appears in front of the target and serves as the virtual plasma cathode at the vicinity of target. This plasma then disappears allowing the ablated target material in a form of a plasma plume to propagate toward the substrate. Several virtual cathodes operating in parallel provide plumes that merge into a uniform plasma which when condensing on a nearby substrate leads to wide area deposition of a uniform thickness thin film.

To provide a plasma processing apparatus or an operating method of a plasma processing apparatus with improved yield. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a sample stage disposed in the processing chamber in a vacuum container; a plasma forming space in which plasma for processing a wafer is formed above the sample stage and a lower space communicated with the plasma forming space below; an exhaust port disposed at a bottom portion of the lower space; a heater for heating a lower portion of the vacuum container surrounding the lower space; a first vacuum gauge that detects a pressure in the processing chamber during the processing of the wafer; a second vacuum gauge for calibration communicated with an opening disposed in an inner wall of the processing chamber surrounding an outer periphery of the lower space below the first vacuum gauge; and a correction unit that is configured to correct an output of the first vacuum gauge by using outputs of the first and second vacuum gauges when a pressure in the processing chamber is at a pressure value regarded as 0 and at a plurality of pressure values higher than the pressure value.

Disclosed are methods of and systems for depositing a film. The methods may include: (a) determining process conditions, including a flow condition of a curtain gas that flows around the periphery of each station in the chamber, for performing film deposition in the chamber, (b) flowing the curtain gas to each station in the chamber during film deposition according to the process conditions determined in (a), (c) determining, during or after (b), an adjusted flow condition of the curtain gas in the chamber to improve substrate nonuniformity, and (d) flowing, after (c), the curtain gas during film deposition according to the adjusted flow condition determined in (c). The systems may include a gas delivery system, a processing chamber, and a controller having control logic for performing one or more of (a)-(d).

A method for selectively etching one exposed material of a substrate relative to another exposed material of the substrate includes a) arranging the substrate in a processing chamber; b) setting a chamber pressure; c) setting an RF frequency and an RF power for RF plasma; d) supplying a plasma gas mixture to the processing chamber; e) striking the RF plasma in the processing chamber in one of an electric mode (E-mode) and a magnetic mode (H-mode); and f) during plasma processing of the substrate, changing at least one of the chamber pressure, the RF frequency, the RF power and the plasma gas mixture to switch from the one of the E-mode and the H-mode to the other of the E-mode and the H-mode.