A method and system for forming material within a gap on a surface of a substrate are disclosed. An exemplary method includes forming a material layer on a surface of the substrate within a first reaction chamber, exposing the material layer to a halogen reactant in a second reaction chamber to thereby form a flowable layer comprising a halogen within the gap, and optionally exposing the flowable layer to a converting reactant in a third reaction chamber to form a converted material within the gap. Exemplary methods can further include a step of heat treating the flowable layer or the converted material. Exemplary systems can perform the method.

There is provided a technique capable of efficiently transporting a plurality of objects between a storage container configured to store the plurality of objects and a processing apparatus configured to collectively process the plurality of objects. A transport system 1 for transporting a plurality of objects between a storage container 9 configured to store the plurality of objects and a processing apparatus 2 configured to collectively process the plurality of objects held on a tray 8, includes: a mounting part 31 on which the storage container 9 is mounted; a stage 41 on which the plurality of objects are mounted; a tray support part 51 configured to support the tray 8; a first transport device 44 configured to transport the plurality of objects between the storage container 9 mounted on the mounting part 31 and the stage 41; and a second transport device 53 configured to transport the plurality of objects between the stage 41 and the tray 8 supported by the tray support part 51.

Exemplary methods of forming a semiconductor structure may include forming a layer of metal on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of metal may extend along a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate may be or include silicon. The methods may include performing an anneal to produce a metal silicide. The methods may include implanting ions in the metal silicide to increase a barrier height over 0.65 V.

A substrate processing system includes: a batch-type processing part that collectively processes a lot including substrates arranged at a first pitch; a single-substrate-type processing part that processes the substrates of the lot one by one; and an interface part that delivers the substrates between the batch-type processing part and the single-substrate-type processing part. The batch-type processing part includes a processing bath that stores a processing solution having a lump shape or a mist shape, a first holder that holds the substrates arranged at the first pitch, and a second holder that receives the substrates arranged at a second pitch from the first holder in the processing solution. The interface part includes a transfer part that transfers the substrates held separately by the first and second holders in the processing solution, from the batch-type processing part to the single-substrate-type processing part.

Provided is a maintenance method of a heat treatment apparatus including a chamber having a box shape and provided with a heater and a receiving member that supports a cassette having a box shape including a space in which a workpiece is supported. The maintenance method includes: attaching a loading/unloading jig including a roller on an upper portion and capable of moving the roller upward and downward, to the receiving member; transmitting the cassette supported by the receiving member onto the roller by raising the loading/unloading jig; unloading the cassette to an outside of the chamber by moving the cassette on the roller; loading the cassette into the chamber by moving the cassette on the roller; transmitting the cassette to the receiving member by lowering the loading/unloading jig; and detaching the loading/unloading jig from the receiving member.

There is provided a connected processing container comprising: a first processing container and a second processing container arranged side by side in a horizontal direction with a gap therebetween and respectively accommodating a substrate for vacuum processing; a first block portion fixed to the first processing container; a second block portion fixed to the second processing container and arranged side by side in the horizontal direction with respect to the first block portion; and a rail portion to which the first block portion and the second block portion are slidably connected, the rail portion being provided so as to straddle the first processing container and the second processing container.

In a vacuum processing apparatus, a load lock module includes a housing and substrate holding sections, the housing having first substrate transfer ports formed on one of right and left sides thereof and a second substrate transfer port formed on a rear side thereof, and each substrate holding section being configured to hold a substrate on a right or left side in the housing. Further, a normal pressure transfer chamber extends over or under the housing from one of the right and left sides of the housing to the other one thereof so that each first substrate transfer port is opened. The normal pressure transfer chamber includes a stacked transfer region that is a region overlapping the housing. Further, a normal pressure transfer mechanism transfers the substrate between each substrate holding section and a transfer container carried into each of loading/unloading ports via the stacked transfer region.

A batch processing oven comprising a processing chamber and a rack configured to be positioned in the processing chamber. The rack is configured to support a plurality of substrates and a plurality of panels in a stacked manner such that one or more substrates of the plurality of substrates are positioned between at least one pair of adjacent panels of the plurality panels. Vertical gaps separate each substrate of the one or more substrates from an adjacent substrate or panel on either side of the substrate.

A transfer apparatus including a frame, multiple arms connected to the frame, each arm having an end effector and an independent drive axis for extension and retraction of the respective arm with respect to other ones of the multiple arms, a linear rail defining a degree of freedom for the independent drive axis for extension and retraction of at least one arm, and a common drive axis shared by each arm and configured to pivot the multiple arms about a common pivot axis, wherein at least one of the multiple arms having another drive axis defining an independent degree of freedom with respect to other ones of the multiple arms.

Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and methods for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, a cluster tool apparatus is provided having a transfer chamber and a pre-clean chamber, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) deposition chamber, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber, and a post-processing chamber disposed about the transfer chamber. A substrate may be processed by the cluster tool and transferred between the pre-clean chamber, the SAM deposition chamber, the ALD chamber, and the post-processing chamber. Transfer of the substrate between each of the chambers may be facilitated by the transfer chamber which houses a transfer robot.