Provided is a Fe—Co-based alloy sputtering target material having a composition represented as an atomic ratio by the compositional formula: (Fe.sub.a—Co.sub.100-a).sub.100-b-c-d—Ta.sub.b—Nb.sub.c-M.sub.d, wherein 0<a≦80, 0≦b≦10, 0≦c≦15, 5≦b+c≦15, 2≦d≦20, 15≦b+c+d≦25, and M represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mo, Cr and W, with the balance consisting of unavoidable impurities, wherein the sputtering target material has a bending fracture strain ε.sub.fB at 300° C. of 0.4% or more.

The present disclosure provides a method for inspecting a shower plate of a plasma processing apparatus. In the plasma processing apparatus, a gas ejection unit includes a shower plate. A plurality of gas ejection holes are formed on the shower plate. This method includes (i) setting a flow rate of gas output from a first flow rate controller, and (ii) acquiring a measurement value indicating a pressure in a flow path inside a second pressure control type flow rate controller by using a pressure gauge of the second flow rate controller in a state where the gas output from the first flow rate controller at the set flow rate is supplied to the gas ejection unit and branched between the first flow rate controller and the gas ejection unit so as to be supplied to the flow path inside the second flow rate controller.

The present disclosure provides a method for inspecting a shower plate of a plasma processing apparatus. In the plasma processing apparatus, a gas ejection unit includes a shower plate. A plurality of gas ejection holes are formed on the shower plate. This method includes (i) setting a flow rate of gas output from a first flow rate controller, and (ii) acquiring a measurement value indicating a pressure in a flow path inside a second pressure control type flow rate controller by using a pressure gauge of the second flow rate controller in a state where the gas output from the first flow rate controller at the set flow rate is supplied to the gas ejection unit and branched between the first flow rate controller and the gas ejection unit so as to be supplied to the flow path inside the second flow rate controller.