A method for processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes transferring the semiconductor wafer above a wafer placement device having a plate to align an edge of the semiconductor wafer with a first buffer member positioned in a peripheral region of the plate and to align a center of the semiconductor wafer with a second buffer member positioned in a central region of the plate. Each of the first buffer member and the second buffer member has a stiffness that is less than that of the plate. The method further includes lowering down the semiconductor wafer to place the semiconductor wafer over the plate.

A planarization system is provided. The planarization system includes a first substrate chuck which holds the substrate during a planarization step, and a second substrate chuck which holds the substrate with a non-flat configuration during a separation step.

Described is a semiconductor processing system including a measurement tool configured to measure warpage characteristics in a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor processing system further includes a pixelated surface configured to retain the semiconductor wafer, where the pixelated surface approximates the warpage characteristics to conform to the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor processing system further includes a semiconductor processing tool configured to perform processing on the semiconductor wafer while it is retained on the pixelated surface.

A wafer positioning ring device includes a polishing ring that has a polishing ring inner surface surrounded by a polishing ring outer surface, a connecting ring that has a connecting ring inner surface surrounded by a connecting ring outer surface, and a positioning unit. The positioning unit includes first positioning members that are disposed on one of the polishing ring outer surface of the polishing ring and the connecting ring inner surface of the connecting ring, and second positioning members that are disposed on another one of the polishing ring outer surface of the polishing ring and the connecting ring inner surface of the connecting ring. The second positioning members and the first positioning members are detachably and respectively connected to each other such that the connecting ring is positioned to the polishing ring.

A lithographic apparatus substrate table comprises a plurality of first projections, whereby the first projections define a first substrate supporting plane and a plurality of second projections, whereby the second projections define a second substrate supporting plane. The substrate table further comprises a clamping device configured to exert a clamping force onto the substrate. The second substrate supporting plane is parallel to the first substrate supporting plane. The second substrate supporting plane is offset in respect of the first substrate supporting plane in a direction perpendicular to the first and second substrate supporting planes. The lithographic apparatus substrate table is configured to support the substrate on the second projections at the second substrate supporting plane before application of the clamping force by the clamping device. The second projections are configured to deform upon application by the clamping device of the clamping force onto the substrate, thereby providing the substrate to move from the second substrate supporting plane to the first substrate supporting plane when clamped by the clamping device.

A film formation method of forming a film on a surface of a wafer using a vapor growth apparatus is provided. The film formation method includes a film forming process of forming a film on the surface of the wafer. The vapor growth apparatus includes a susceptor that supports the wafer. The susceptor includes a plurality of wafer supports that support the wafer from below and rotates around a rotation axis extending in a vertical direction. The plurality of wafer supports are arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis. The film forming process includes supporting the wafer using the plurality of wafer supports such that a direction in which the rotation axis and each wafer support are connected when seen in the vertical direction is a direction which is different from a cleaving direction of the wafer.

A method for securing a support ball in a substrate support, a tool for forming a capture lip in a substrate support, and a substrate support having a substrate support ball captured in an opening of the substrate support are provided. In one example, a method for securing a support ball in a substrate support includes pressing a support ball into an opening formed in a first surface of the substrate support which is configured to support a substrate in a vacuum processing chamber, forming a capture lip in the opening which protrudes into the opening a distance sufficient to retain the support ball in the opening support ball, and setting an exposure height that the support ball projects above the first surface the substrate support.

There is provided a configuration that includes at least one port that is provided in a process container in which a substrate is accommodated and heat-treated, the port providing an optical path that penetrates an interior of the process container and an exterior of the process container; an optical window that is mounted to the port and transmits light while maintaining the port airtight; a purge gas supplier that is disposed inside the process container and provides a purge gas to an inner surface of the optical window; and a partition that guides the purge gas from the purge gas supplier to the optical window.

Provided is an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus including: a housing having a treatment space for processing a substrate inside; and substrate supporter for supporting the substrate in the treatment space, and the substrate supporter includes a first support pin and a second support pin, a height of an upper end of the first support pin is provided to be higher than a height of an upper end of the second support pin, so that when the substrate is placed on the substrate supporter, the substrate is inclined downward from a center to an edge of the substrate. Accordingly, regardless of the manufacturing tolerance, the shape of the substrate supported on the substrate supporter may be constant, and pattern lining phenomenon may be prevented from occurring in the edge region of the substrate.

A substrate support device relating to technology disclosed in the description of the present application includes: a holding plate for opposing a substrate bowable by being heated by irradiation with flash light; and a plurality of substrate support pins provided on the holding plate and being for supporting the substrate, wherein the plurality of substrate support pins are arranged at locations where a volume of a space between the holding plate and the substrate in an unbowed state and a volume of a space between the holding plate and the substrate in a bowed state are equal to each other. Breakage of the substrate can be suppressed in a case where the substrate is bowed by flash light.