Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. A substrate is exposed to a plurality of process stations to deposit, anneal, treat and optionally etch a film in small increments to provide self-aligned growth of the film on a substrate surface.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber. A turntable is disposed in the process chamber and is configured to receive a substrate along a circumferential direction thereof. A process gas supply nozzle is configured to supply a process gas to the turntable. A plasma antenna is disposed on the process chamber at a position covering at least a part of the process gas supply nozzle. An ion trap plate is disposed over the process gas supply nozzle at a position overlapping at least a part of the plasma antenna in the process chamber.

An automatic wafer carrying system and a method for transferring a wafer using the system are provided. The system includes: a vacuum chamber, including a plurality of wafer carrying stations; a plurality of first paddles and second paddles, all located inside the vacuum chamber and capable of rotating synchronously separately, where each of the plurality of second paddles and a corresponding first paddle form a pair of paddles to carry a wafer jointly; a double-ferrule magnetofluid, connected to the vacuum chamber in a sealed manner, and connected to the plurality of first paddles and the plurality of second paddles, to drive the first paddles or the second paddles or both the first and second paddles to rotate; a first drive mechanism, connected to the double-ferrule magnetofluid, to drive the plurality of first paddles and the plurality of second paddles through the double-ferrule magnetofluid to rotate synchronously in the same direction; and a second drive mechanism, also connected to the double-ferrule magnetofluid, to implement relative rotation of the plurality of first paddles and the plurality of second paddles through the double-ferrule magnetofluid. The system can reduce movement steps of a wafer during transfer, so as to improve transfer accuracy and stability of the wafer and reduce a position error of the wafer.

A substrate processing apparatus includes an inner tube configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates and having a first opening portion; an outer tube surrounding the inner tube; a movable wall movably provided in the inner tube or between the inner tube and the outer tube and having a second opening portion; a gas supply part configured to supply a processing gas into the inner tube; an exhaust part provided outside the movable wall and configured to exhaust the processing gas supplied into the inner tube through the first opening portion and the second opening portion; and a pressure detection part configured to detect a pressure inside the inner tube.

In one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold a plurality of substrates such that the substrates are arranged in parallel to each other. The apparatus further includes a fluid injector including a plurality of openings that inject fluid to areas in which distances from surfaces of the substrates are within distances between centers of the substrates adjacent to each other, the fluid injector being configured to change injection directions of the fluid injected from the openings in planes that are parallel to the surfaces of the substrates by self-oscillation.

There is provided a technique that includes: a process chamber in which a substrate is processed; a gas supplier configured to supply a gas into the process chamber; at least one substrate mounting table disposed in the process chamber and including a substrate mounting surface on which the substrate is mounted; and an arm configured to transfer the substrate to the substrate mounting surface while supporting a lower surface of the substrate, wherein the arm includes a support that includes an inclination and is configured to support the substrate.

Described herein is a technique capable of coping with change in the environment for each of the substrate placing surfaces. According to one aspect thereof, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: (a) supplying a gas to a process vessel through branch pipes while substrates are placed on substrate placing surfaces arranged in the process vessel, respectively; (b) detecting at least one among: information of a component corresponding to each of the substrate placing surfaces; and an amount of the gas supplied to each of the branch pipes; (c) determining a state level of each of the substrate placing surfaces based on the detected information; and (d) selecting a substrate placing surface among the substrate placing surfaces to which a substrate subsequently loaded into the process vessel is to be transferred next according to the state level of each of the substrate placing surfaces.

Provided is a substrate processing apparatus in which parts are selectively lifted according to the purpose or subject of maintenance/repair during a maintenance/repair operation. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber; a first cover and a second cover on the chamber; a lifting device connected to the first cover and configured to raise and lower the first cover; and a connection region. When the lifting device and the second cover are connected to each other via the connection region or the first and second covers are connected to each other via the connection region, the first and second covers are raised and lowered by the lifting device.

A wafer carrier for metal organic chemical vapor deposition includes at least one wafer sub-carrier that is in a groove structure and that is configured to place an epitaxial wafer substrate. A first space in the wafer sub-carrier is filled with a first thermally conductive material. The first space is a space between a flat edge of the epitaxial wafer substrate and a side wall of the wafer sub-carrier when the epitaxial wafer substrate is placed on the wafer sub-carrier. A thermal conductivity of the first thermally conductive material is not lower than a thermal conductivity of the wafer sub-carrier.

For vacuum treatment, a substrate is transported to the inner space of a hollow, cylindric body and is deposited on a holding plate and lifted towards and on a substrate support. The opening of the substrate support is aligned with an opening in the wall of the hollow cylindric body. Substrate plate, substrate support and opening are brought in aligned position with a treatment station, by rotating the hollow cylindric body around its axis, in which position the substrate is vacuum treated.