A substrate holding and rotation mechanism includes: a substrate holding roller that holds a peripheral portion of the substrate and rotates the substrate, the substrate holding roller including, a lower portion of the roller facing the lower surface of the peripheral portion of the substrate, an upper portion of the roller facing the upper surface of the peripheral portion of the substrate, and a clamping groove which is provided between the lower portion of the roller and the upper portion of the roller and into which the peripheral portion of the substrate is inserted; and a roller washing nozzle that injects a fluid from diagonally above the substrate holding roller to an area including the clamp groove and an upper surface of the upper portion of the roller.

A method of processing a substrate including loading the substrate into a plasma-processing apparatus. The plasma-processing apparatus includes a focus ring. The substrate is processed in the plasma-processing apparatus using plasma. The substrate is unloaded from the plasma-processing apparatus. A layer is formed on the focus ring. The layer is formed by an in-situ process in the plasma-processing apparatus.

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for controlling surface characteristics by measuring capacitance of a process kit ring. The method includes interfacing a ring with a jig assembly for measuring capacitance in at least a first location of the ring. The ring has that includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and an inner surface opposite an outer surface. At least the bottom surface has an external coating placed thereon. The method further includes contacting a measuring device to the first location on the outer surface proximate the bottom surface. The measuring device contacts an opening in the external coating to the body. The measuring device contacts a first conductive member that is electrically coupled to the ring. A capacitance is measured on the measuring device. The capacitance across the top surface is measured.

A substrate retention plate system for holding a substrate for processing in an electronic device manufacturing process is described. The retention plate system includes a top plate and a bottom plate to sandwich a flexible substrate. Additionally, the top plate includes a number of cams to stretch the flexible substrate across the bottom plate.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit which holds and rotates a substrate in a horizontal orientation, a substrate heating unit which has a heating surface which faces the substrate, held by the substrate holding unit, from below and overlaps with an outermost periphery of the substrate in top view, and heats the substrate in a state of contacting a lower surface of the substrate, a transferring unit which transfers the substrate between the substrate holding unit and the substrate heating unit, and a processing fluid supplying unit which supplies a processing fluid toward the substrate held by the substrate holding unit.

A plasma etching apparatus for etching a semiconductor substrate comprises: a plasma chamber; a plasma generation device for sustaining a plasma within the plasma chamber; a substrate support disposed within the plasma chamber for supporting the semiconductor substrate, the substrate support comprising an electrically conductive structure; a power supply for providing an RF electrical signal having an RF power to the electrically conductive structure; and an annular dielectric ring structure comprising a backside surface, the backside surface comprising an electrically conductive coating; wherein the electrically conductive structure is spaced apart from and extends under the electrically conductive coating so that when RF power is provided to the electrically conductive structure the RF power couples to the electrically conductive coating. Associated methods are also disclosed.

This disclosure enables high-productivity fabrication of porous semiconductor layers (made of single layer or multi-layer porous semiconductors such as porous silicon, comprising single porosity or multi-porosity layers). Some applications include fabrication of MEMS separation and sacrificial layers for die detachment and MEMS device fabrication, membrane formation and shallow trench isolation (STI) porous silicon (using porous silicon formation with an optimal porosity and its subsequent oxidation). Further, this disclosure is applicable to the general fields of photovoltaics, MEMS, including sensors and actuators, stand-alone, or integrated with integrated semiconductor microelectronics, semiconductor microelectronics chips and optoelectronics.

A method includes: positioning a wafer on an electrostatic chuck of an apparatus; and securing the wafer to the electrostatic chuck by: securing a first wafer region of the wafer to a first chuck region of the electrostatic chuck by applying a first voltage at a first time. The method further includes securing a second wafer region of the wafer to a second chuck region of the electrostatic chuck by applying a second voltage at a second time different from the first time; and processing the wafer by the apparatus while the wafer is secured to the electrostatic chuck.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber including a first body and a second body that are coupled to each other to form a processing space therein, a clamping member configured to clamp the first body and the second body, and an anti-friction member mounted in a groove formed in a contact region between the first body or the second body and the clamping member.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder for holding a substrate horizontally, a rotator for rotating the holder, a liquid supplier for supplying liquid to the substrate, and a controller for controlling the holder, the rotator, and the liquid supplier. The holder includes a turntable configured to be rotated by the rotator, at least one first damper configured to be rotated together with the turntable and moved between a clamping position and a releasing position, and at least one second damper configured to be rotated with the turntable and moved between the clamping and releasing positions independently of the at least one first damper. The controller controls the at least one first damper and the at least one second damper to alternately clamp the peripheral edge of the substrate while the holder is being rotated by the rotator and the liquid is being supplied to the substrate.