Examples are disclosed that relate to planarizing substrates without use of an abrasive. One example provides a method of chemically planarizing a substrate, the method comprising introducing an abrasive-free planarization solution onto a porous pad, contacting the substrate with the porous pad while moving the porous pad and substrate relative to one another such that higher portions of the substrate contact the porous pad and lower portions of the substrate do not contact the porous pad, and removing material from the higher portions of the substrate via contact with the porous pad to reduce a height of the higher portions of the substrate relative to the lower portions of the substrate.

According to one embodiment, provided is a processing liquid adjustment apparatus connected to the processing apparatus for a substrate and includes a new liquid supply controller that controls a processing liquid supplier to supply a processing liquid to an adjustment tank, a silica supply controller that controls a silica supplier to supply silica to the processing liquid in the adjustment tank, a heating controller that controls a heating unit to raise the temperature of the processing liquid in the adjustment tank to a first temperature, a temperature maintenance controller that controls the heating unit to maintain the temperature of processing liquid in the adjustment tank to which silica has been supplied at the first temperature, and a cooling controller that controls a cooler to lower the temperature of the processing liquid in the adjustment tank to the second temperature that is lower than the first temperature after the maintenance of the first temperature by the temperature maintenance controller.

A wet-processing dark laboratory for scientific research includes a laboratory body, a wet-processing equipment, a transfer robot, a sample supplying and storing apparatus, a chemical supplying and storing apparatus, and a control apparatus. The laboratory body is configured to provide a clean space. The transfer robot includes a moving device, a mechanical arm device, at least one end effector, and an accompanying device. The accompanying device can move with the moving device and provide a temporary storage space. The mechanical arm device is mounted on the moving device. The at least one end effector is mounted on the mechanical arm device for grasping a semiconductor sample and/or a chemical tank. The above design enables 24/7 experiments conduction without the need for human presence, which forms a dark laboratory.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a transfer device, a measurement device, and a control unit. The transfer device includes a transfer arm configured to hold and transfer a substrate. The measurement device measures a thickness of a film positioned on a surface of the substrate. The measurement device includes a housing having an opening that allows the substrate held by the transfer arm to pass therethrough, and a film thickness meter provided in the housing to measure the thickness of the film of the substrate. The control unit controls the transfer device to move the transfer arm such that the substrate passes through the opening of the housing while being held by the transfer arm, and measures the thickness of the film using the film thickness meter.

A fluid control device that controls a fluid supplied into a process container includes: a flow path block; and a fluid controller installed to the flow path block. The flow path block includes: a gas supply flow path including an inlet, through which the fluid is introduced, and an outlet through which the fluid flows into the process container; and a storage chamber that stores the fluid in the gas supply flow path between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid controller includes: a first valve that opens and closes the gas supply flow path between the inlet and the storage chamber; and a second valve that opens and closes the gas supply flow path between the storage chamber and the outlet.

Semiconductor devices (e.g., GAA device structures) and processing methods and cluster tools for forming GAA device structures are described. The cluster tools for forming GAA device structures comprise a first etch chamber, a second etch chamber, and a third etch chamber. Each of the first etch chamber and the second etch chamber independently comprises a single-wafer chamber or an immersion chamber. One or more of the first etch chamber or the second etch chamber may be a wet etch chamber. In some embodiments, at least one of the first etch chamber, the second etch chamber, and the third etch chamber is a dry etch chamber. The cluster tool described herein advantageously reduces the number of cleaning processes, the total time between cleaning and processing operations, variations in time between processing and variation in sidewall loss compared to conventional cluster tools.