Disclosed herein is a micro stage using a piezoelectric element that can be reliably operated even in a vacuum environment. In a particle column requiring a high precision, for example, a microelectronic column, the micro stage can be used as a stage with micro or nano degree precision for alignment of parts of the column, or for moving a sample, and so on.

A method of cleaning a stage in a plasma processing apparatus including the stage on which a substrate is placed, a lifting mechanism configured to raise and lower the substrate with respect to the stage, and a high-frequency power supply connected to the stage, includes: separating the stage and the substrate from each other using the lifting mechanism; and after the separating the stage and the substrate from each other, removing a deposit deposited on the stage with plasma generated by supplying a high-frequency power from the high-frequency power supply to the stage. In the separating the stage and the substrate from each other, a separation distance between the stage and the substrate is set such that a combined impedance formed around an outer peripheral portion of the stage is lower than a combined impedance formed immediately above a central portion of the stage.

A flow optimizer is disclosed for use in plasma chamber. The flow optimizer includes a ring that is disposed between a wafer support and a dielectric window defined in the plasma chamber. The ring of the flow optimizer is configured to be positioned between the wafer support and the dielectric window so that an outer edge of the ring is adjacent to side walls of the plasma chamber and an opening of the ring is substantially aligned with a diameter of the wafer support.

A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a moving substrate by sputtering includes a processing container, a placement base having a placement surface on which a substrate is placed, a holder configured to hold a target, an upper shield member configured to divide a space in the processing container into an upper space and a lower space, a movement mechanism configured to move the placement base in a movement direction parallel to the placement surface and to move the placement base in the vertical direction, a leg member configured to connect the placement base and the movement mechanism, and a lower shield member configured to define the movement space together with the upper shield member. The lower shield member includes a fixed shield member and a moving shield member.

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a linear motor. The linear motor includes a mover having a permanent magnet, a stator having a coil covered by a resin member, and a wire for supplying a current to the coil provided in a vacuum sample chamber. The wire is led out to an outside of the vacuum sample chamber through a through hole portion provided in the wall surface of the vacuum sample chamber. The through hole portion is filled with the resin member integrally or with a filler that binds to the resin member, so that the through hole portion is sealed.

Sample stage, e.g. for use in a scanning electron microscope. The sample stage includes a base, a sample carrier, and an actuator assembly arranged for moving the sample carrier in at least one direction substantially parallel to the base. The actuator assembly is arranged so as not to contribute to the mechanical stiffness of the sample stage from the sample carrier to the base.

A sample holder for electron microscopy of air-sensitive samples for use in electron microscopy incorporates a housing and a closure assembly. The closure assembly comprises a lid comprising at least one closure arm receiving portions recessed within a flat, planar upper surface thereof. The housing comprises one or more closure arm(s) corresponding to one or more closure arm receiving portion(s). In a fully closed position, the closure arm(s) share contact with the closure arm receiving portion(s). The lid is flexibly coupled to a motor cover plate which can be actuated by a motor assembly configured to open and close the lid. The sample holder also includes an elevator assembly with a vertically adjustable sample stage which sits below the lid. The sample stage is vertically adjusted by actuation of a bellows assembly which sits beneath the sample stage.

The present disclosure provides a wafer-holding device, which mainly includes a wafer carrier, a first lid ring and a second lid ring, wherein the wafer carrier includes a carrying surface for carrying a wafer. The second lid ring is connected to the first-lid ring and placed on a radial-inner side of the first lid ring, wherein the first lid ring has a circumference larger than that of the second lid ring, for carrying the second lid ring. When the wafer carrier moves toward the first lid ring and the second lid ring, the second lid ring contacts the wafer on the wafer carrier, to fasten the wafer on the carrying surface of the wafer carrier, for performing a thin-film deposition to the wafer.

Disclosed herein is a focused ion beam apparatus moving a micro sample-piece between the focused ion beam apparatus and a sample observation apparatus by using simple configurations. The focused ion beam apparatus includes: a sample tray on which a sample is placed; a focused ion beam column irradiating the sample with a focused ion beam to obtain a micro sample-piece; a sample chamber receiving the sample tray and the focused ion beam column therein; a side-entry-type carrier being inserted into and removed from the chamber, with a front end side holding the sample-piece; and a sample-piece moving unit moving the sample-piece between the plate and the carrier, wherein the plate is movable on at least X, Y, and Z-axes respectively, and an end of the plate is provided with a carrier engagement part detachably fastened with the carrier, the carrier engagement part being moved with the carrier in company with movement of the plate.

Implementations described herein provide a pedestal lift assembly for a plasma processing chamber and a method for using the same. The pedestal lift assembly has a platen configured to couple a shaft of a pedestal disposed in the plasma processing chamber. An absolute linear encoder is coupled to a fixed frame wherein the absolute linear encoder is configured to detect incremental movement of the platen. A lift rod is attached to the platen. A motor rotor encoder brake module (MRBEM) is coupled to the fixed frame and moveably coupled to the lift rod, the motor encoder brake module configured to move the lift rod in a first direction and a second direction, wherein the movement of the lift rod results in the platen traveling vertically relative to the fixed frame.