A device for maintaining cleanliness in a vacuum environment during semiconductor manufacture in a device storing and transferring wafers into etching and other manufacturing processes includes a transferring chamber storing wafers, a vacuum system to extract particles from the transferring chamber, and a thermoelectric device for temperature control. The vacuum system includes an extracting pipe, the thermoelectric device includes a cooling apparatus to cool the transferring chamber, and a monitoring device to detect particle concentrations in the transferring chamber. The cooling apparatus includes Peltier elements arranged on the extracting pipe to cool and thus cause the descent of fumes and particles towards a low-set extraction area.

A processing apparatus includes a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a processing unit for processing the workpiece held on the chuck table as supplying a processing water to the workpiece, and a water pan fixed to a bottom of the processing apparatus for receiving the processing water as a water leaked.

A method of monitoring a condition of a dynamic system includes installing a vibration signal acquisition device at a predetermined location of the dynamic system, acquiring vibration signals by the vibration signal acquisition device, analyzing the vibration signals in a frequency domain, and predicting a change in the condition of the dynamic system based on the vibration signals in the frequency domain. A system is also provided, and a condition of the dynamic system includes clogging.

A substrate processing method for forming a nitride film on a substrate, includes: a raw material gas supply step of supplying a raw material gas containing an element to be nitrided; a hydrogen gas supply step of, after the raw material gas supply step, supplying a hydrogen gas activated by plasma; a thermal nitriding step of supplying a first nitriding gas containing nitrogen activated by heat and nitriding the element; and a plasma nitriding step of supplying a second nitriding gas containing nitrogen activated by plasma and nitriding the element.

A liquid processing apparatus includes: a tank configured to store a processing liquid supplied from a processing liquid supply source; a circulation passage connected to the tank; a pump installed at the circulation passage; a plurality of liquid processors configured to perform liquid processing on a substrate; and a plurality of supply passages configured to supply the processing liquid to the plurality of liquid processors respectively, wherein the circulation passage includes a main passage portion provided with the pump, and a first branch passage portion and a second branch passage portion branching from the main passage portion, and the processing liquid flowing out from the tank passes through the main passage portion, then flows into the first branch passage portion and the second branch passage portion, and then returns to the tank through the first branch passage portion and the second branch passage portion.

A lithography system includes a radiation source configured to generate a radiation, a reticle configured to redirect the radiation, a first type injection nozzle proximal to the reticle and configured to generate a first particle shield in a propagation path of the radiation, and a second type injection nozzle proximal to the radiation source and configured to generate a second particle shield in the propagation path of the radiation. The second type injection nozzle and the first type injection nozzle are of different types.

Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a gasbox including a first plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first plate of the gasbox may define a central aperture that extends from the first surface to the second surface. The first plate may define an annular recess in the second surface. The first plate may define a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the annular recess in the second surface. The gasbox may include a second plate characterized by an annular shape. The second plate may be coupled with the first plate at the annular recess to define a first plenum within the first plate.

An apparatus includes: a tank storing a processing liquid; a circulation line; a branch line; a processing part for supplying the processing liquid to a substrate at the branch line; a discharge part for reducing a storage amount of the processing liquid; a supply part for supplying a new processing liquid to the tank; and a controller including: a first determination part for determining whether the storage amount is less than a lower limit value; a first replenishment controller for replenishing the processing liquid to the tank when the storage amount is less than the lower limit value; a calculation part for calculating a replenishment amount of the processing liquid; and a second replenishment controller for reducing the storage amount and replenishing the processing liquid to the tank when a calculation value of the replenishment amount is less than a set value.

A substrate drying device is provided that can suppress occurrence of a micro size defect (for example, a defect having a defect size of 20 nm or less). A substrate drying device 1 includes a substrate holding unit 11 which holds a substrate W, a gas generator 60 which generates a drying gas G including at least IPA vapor and for drying the substrate W, and a drying gas nozzle 30 which supplies the drying gas G to the surface WA of the substrate W. A filter 67 for filtering the drying gas G is provided in the gas generator 60. A defect size D allowed in a defect test after the drying of the substrate W is set to 20 nm or less and a ratio D/F of the defect size D and a filter size F of the filter 67 is set to 4 or more.

Described herein is a technique capable of improving the uniformity of the film formation among the substrates. According to the technique described herein, there is provided a configuration including: a reaction tube having a process chamber where a plurality of substrates are processed; a buffer chamber protruding outward from the reaction tube and configured to supply a process gas to the process chamber, the buffer chamber including: a first nozzle chamber where a first nozzle is provided; and a second nozzle chamber where a second nozzle is provided; an opening portion provided at a lower end of an inner wall of the reaction tube facing the buffer chamber; and a shielding portion provided at a communicating portion of the opening portion between the second nozzle chamber and the process chamber.