A substrate processing apparatus includes a stage including a first section and a second section, pins, a lifter configured to raise and lower the pins, and a controller configured to control the lifter. On the first section, a substrate is placed. On the second section, an edge ring is placed. The second section is provided at a periphery of the first section. Also, at the second section, holes are provided. The pins are provided in the respective holes so as to move up and down through the holes.

Energy is locally supplied to a cutting surface that is formed in an outer circumferential region of a wafer in a trimming step, before a grinding step of grinding the wafer. This can remove or repair at least part of a damage layer formed in the outer circumferential region of the wafer due to the trimming step. As a result, breakage of the wafer that originates from the outer circumferential region in the grinding of the wafer which has been subjected to the edge trimming and generation of dust in a step after this grinding can be suppressed.

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to in situ monitoring of film growth in processing chambers. In some examples, a sensor assembly for a processing chamber includes a sensor tube including silicon carbide and having an optical path therein and a sensor window including crystalline silicon carbide and having a proximal side coupled to a distal end of the sensor tube. The sensor window covers the optical path, and a distal side of the sensor window facing away from the proximal side is perpendicular to a center axis of the optical path.

Implementations disclosed herein generally provide a lift pin that can improve the deposition rate and uniform film thickness above lift pin areas. In one implementation, the lift pin includes a first end coupling to a shaft, the first end having a pin head, and the pin head having a top surface, wherein the top surface is planar and flat, and a second end coupling to the shaft, the second end having a flared portion, wherein the flared portion has an outer surface extended along a direction that is at an angle of about 110° to about 140° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the lift pin.

An apparatus for contactless transportation of a device in a vacuum processing system is described. The apparatus includes: a magnetic transportation arrangement for providing a magnetic levitation force (F.sub.L) for levitating the device, the magnetic transportation arrangement comprising one or more active magnetic units; a sensor for monitoring a motion of the device, and a controller configured for controlling the one or more active magnetic units based on a signal provided by the sensor.

A holding apparatus, in particular a chuck, for a substrate comprises a main body with a upper side, a carrier element arranged in a recess of the main body so as to be vertically movable such that it can be adjusted between a protruding loading position and a retracted clamping position, the carrier element comprising a support surface for placement of the substrate. The support surface has a smaller diameter than the main body. A lifting element lifts the carrier element to the loading position. The carrier element seals the recess such that a sealed cavity is provided between the main body and the carrier element, which cavity can have a negative pressure applied thereto which counteracts the effect of the lifting element.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an electronic component provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table; a first electrode unit provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table, the first electrode unit comprising multiple first electrodes electrically connected to the electronic component via multiple first conductive lines; an electric device configured to perform a power supply to the electronic component and a transmission/reception of signals; a second electrode unit comprising multiple second electrodes electrically connected to the electric device via multiple second conductive lines and arranged at positions respectively corresponding to the multiple first electrodes to be brought into contact with the multiple first electrodes; and an electrode moving device configured to connect/disconnect the first electrode unit to/from the second electrode unit.

A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber, and including a lower electrode, an electrostatic chuck, and an edge ring disposed to surround a substrate mounted on the electrostatic chuck; a driving device; an upper electrode disposed above the substrate support. In an example, the apparatus further comprises a source RF power supply; a bias RF power supply configured to supply bias RF power to the lower electrode; at least one conductor; a DC power supply; an RF filter electrically; and a controller configured to control the driving device and the at least one variable passive element, and adjust an incident angle of an ion in the plasma with respect to an edge area of the substrate mounted on the electrostatic chuck.

A reactor system with stuck lift pin detection. The system includes a reaction chamber, a susceptor for supporting wafers in an interior space of the reaction chamber, and an elevator for raising and lowering the susceptor in the interior space. Further, the system includes a lift pin supported by and extending vertically through the susceptor to travel between an up and a down position with movements of the susceptor by the elevator, and a landing pad is provided in the system for receiving a base of the lift pin when the lift pin is in the down position. Significantly, the system also includes a sensor assembly with a sensor positioned at least partially within the interior space of the reaction chamber. An output signal of the sensor is indicative of whether the lift pin is sticking or seizing during travel through the susceptor.

A substrate support assembly suitable for use in a reactor including a common processing and substrate transfer region is disclosed. The substrate support assembly includes a susceptor and one or more lift pins that can be used to lower a substrate onto a surface of the susceptor and raise the substrate from the surface, to allow transfer of the substrate from the processing region, without raising or lowering the susceptor.