Some embodiments include methods of forming voids within semiconductor constructions. In some embodiments the voids may be utilized as microstructures for distributing coolant, for guiding electromagnetic radiation, or for separation and/or characterization of materials. Some embodiments include constructions having micro-structures therein which correspond to voids, conduits, insulative structures, semiconductor structures or conductive structures.

To enable improvement in uniformity of film thickness between a plurality of substrates as compared with that of the related art in a case where the plurality of substrates is loaded in a boat and subjected to batch processing, a substrate processing apparatus is configured to include a process container capable of accommodating a substrate holder that holds substrates, a gas supplier that supplies a gas to the process container, an exhauster that exhausts an atmosphere in the process container, a transporter that transports the substrates, and a controller configured to be capable of controlling the transporter to dispersedly load the substrates from a central portion of a first region in a case where a number X of the substrates is smaller than a maximum loading number Y of the substrate holder, and the substrate holder includes, at the central portion, the first region where the dispersion loading is performed.

Disclosed are a member for a semiconductor manufacturing device and a semiconductor manufacturing device that can enhance low-particle generation. The composite structure having a substrate and a structure which is provided on the substrate and has a surface exposed to a plasma environment, in which the structure contains Y.sub.4Al.sub.2O.sub.9 as a main component, and lattice constants and/or intensity ratio of specific X-ray diffraction peak meet specific conditions, has excellent low-particle generation so that this may be suitably used as a member for a semiconductor manufacturing device.

Disclosed are a composite structure, which is able to enhance low-particle generation so that this can be used as a member for a semiconductor manufacturing device, and a semiconductor manufacturing device provided with the composite structure. The composite structure has a substrate and a structure that is provided on the substrate and has a surface, in which the structure contains Y.sub.4Al.sub.2O.sub.9 as a main component, and an indentation hardness thereof is greater than 6.0 GPa, thereby having excellent low-particle generation, so that this may be suitably used as a member for a semiconductor manufacturing device.

A reflector unit includes a cylindrical first reflector component having a first engagement portion on an outer circumference side to be supported by a film formation chamber and having a first mounting portion on an inner circumference side, and a cylindrical second reflector component arranged on an inner side of the first reflector component and having a second engagement portion on an outer circumference side to engage with the first reflector component on the first mounting portion to be supported by the first reflector component.

A sputtering apparatus (100) according to this invention includes a shutter (50) configured to move between a shutter-closed position (50a) in which the to-be-deposited object (2) is covered from the target (1), and a shutter-moved-out position (50b) in which the shutter is moved out of the shutter-closed position (50a) to an exhaust pump (30) side and stays on the exhaust pump side during thin film deposition. A plate-shaped reflector (60, 70) is arranged between the exhaust pump (30) and the shutter (50) in a moved-out state in which the shutter is arranged at the shutter-moved-out position (50b), and is configured to reflect radiation of heat directing to the exhaust pump (30) from the shutter (50) in the moved-out state.

A substrate processing method includes step a), step b), step c), step d), step e), and step f). Step a) is a step of providing a substrate that has a pattern where a protection target film is positioned on a bottom part of the pattern. Step b) is a step of laminating a catalyst film on the protection target film. Step c) is a step of forming a protection film that supports the catalyst film from below and covers the protection target film, in the pattern, by a VLS growth method. Step d) is a step of removing the catalyst film. Step e) is a step of applying a predetermined process to a part of the substrate that is different from the pattern in a state where the protection target film is covered by the protection film. Step f) is a step of removing the protection film in the pattern.

A method for producing a group III nitride semiconductor includes a loading step (S1), a decompression step (S2), a heating step (S3), an excitation gas supply step (S5), and an organometallic gas supply step (S6). In the loading step (Si), a substrate is loaded into a chamber. In the decompression step (S2), a suction part reduces a pressure inside the chamber. In the heating step (S3), a heater provided inside the chamber heats the substrate. In the excitation gas supply step (S5), a first gas that contains nitrogen without containing hydrogen is supplied to a plasma generator, and an excitation gas obtained by turning the first gas into plasma by the plasma generator is supplied to the substrate inside the chamber. In the organometallic gas supply step (S6), a second gas that is an organometallic gas that contains a group III element is supplied to the substrate inside the chamber.

A processing method and corresponding device for performing plasma processing on a substrate includes placing a temperature adjustment target onto a support surface of a substrate support in a processing chamber being decompressible, forming a heat transfer layer for the temperature adjustment target on the support surface of the substrate support, and performing plasma processing on the substrate on the support surface on which the heat transfer layer is formed. The heat transfer layer is deformable and includes at least one of a liquid layer or a deformable solid layer.

A semiconductor substrate includes a main substrate, a mask pattern located above the main substrate and including a mask portion, and a first semiconductor part and a second semiconductor part located above the mask pattern and adjacent to each other, in which the first semiconductor part includes a first lower edge located on the mask portion and a first protruding portion protruding toward the second semiconductor part side farther than the first lower edge.