The PVD apparatus includes a chamber, a plurality of stages, a first target holder, a power supply mechanism, and a shield. The plurality of stages are provided inside the chamber, and each of the plurality of stages is configured to place at least one substrate on an upper surface thereof. The first target holder is configured to hold at least one target provided for one stage, the target being exposed to a space inside the chamber. The power supply mechanism supplies power to the target via the first target holder. The shield is provided inside the chamber and a part of the shield is disposed between a first stage and a second stage in the plurality of stages, and between a first processing space on the first stage and a second processing space on the second stage.

Whenever substrates are rotationally and continuously conveyed in a vacuum recipient around a common axis and past a magnetron sputter source, sputtering of the target, rotating around a central target axis, by the stationary magnetron plasma is adapted to the azimuthal extents radially differently spaced areas of the substrates become exposed to the target thereby improving homogeneity of deposited layer thickness on the substrates and ensuring that the complete sputter surface of the target is net-sputtered.

An embodiment of a line-of-sight coating fixture includes a support structure, a spindle, and a shadow structure. The support structure includes a plurality of compartments disposed below a platter, each compartment having an opening on a periphery of the support structure. Each compartment is adapted to receive and secure a base of a workpiece such that a body of each workpiece to be coated is disposed about a periphery of the support structure and extends above the platter. The spindle is disposed through a center of the platter or support structure for rotating the workpieces thereabout. The shadow structure is disposed about the spindle, inside of the periphery, the shadow structure sized and adapted to shield a portion of each workpiece from line-of-sight coating material.

In one example, a workpiece support structure of a plasma treatment chamber has upper and lower ends, and first and second support members that extend between the upper and lower ends. The support members are electrically isolated from one another and offset from one another along a horizontal direction so as to define a cavity therebetween. The first and second support members support electrodes within the cavity such that (1) the electrodes are offset from one another along the vertical direction, (2) the electrodes extend between the first and second support members along the first horizontal direction, (3) a first set of the electrodes are electrically coupled to the first support member and electrically isolated from the second support member, and (4) a second set of the electrodes, different from the first set, are electrically coupled to the second support member and electrically isolated from the first support member.

A versatile high throughput deposition apparatus includes a process chamber and a workpiece platform in the process chamber. The workpiece platform can hold a plurality of workpieces around a center region and to rotate the plurality of workpieces around the center region. Each of the plurality of workpieces includes a deposition surface facing the center region. A gas distribution system can distribute a vapor gas in the center region of the process chamber to deposit a material on the deposition surfaces on the plurality of workpieces. A magnetron apparatus can form a closed-loop magnetic field near the plurality of workpieces. The plurality of workpieces can be electrically biased to produce a plasma near the deposition surfaces on the plurality of workpieces.

A method of forming a silicon nitride film on a substrate having a recess pattern formed in a surface thereof, includes: forming the silicon nitride film in conformity to the surface of the substrate by supplying each of a raw material gas containing silicon and a nitriding gas for nitriding the raw material gas into a processing container in which the substrate is accommodated; shrinking the silicon nitride film such that a thickness thereof is reduced from a bottom side toward an upper side of the recess pattern by supplying a plasmarized shaping gas for shaping the silicon nitride film to the substrate in a state where the supply of the raw material gas containing silicon into the processing container is stopped; and burying the silicon nitride film in the recess pattern by alternately and repeatedly performing the forming the silicon nitride film and the shrinking the silicon nitride film.

An apparatus for contactless transportation of a device in a vacuum processing system is described. The apparatus includes: a magnetic transportation arrangement for providing a magnetic levitation force (F.sub.L) for levitating the device, the magnetic transportation arrangement comprising one or more active magnetic units; a sensor for monitoring a motion of the device, and a controller configured for controlling the one or more active magnetic units based on a signal provided by the sensor.

Various embodiments herein relate to carriers for supporting one or more substrate as the substrates are passed through a processing apparatus. In many cases, the substrates are oriented in a vertical manner. The carrier may include a frame and vertical support bars that secure the glass to the frame. The carrier may lack horizontal support bars. The carrier may allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the substrates, without any need to provide precise gaps between adjacent pairs of substrates. The carriers described herein substantially reduce the risk of breaking the processing apparatus and substrates, thereby achieving a more efficient process. Certain embodiments herein relate to methods of loading substrates onto a carrier.

A method of ion-plasma application of corrosion-resistant film coatings on articles made from zirconium alloys includes placing articles in a planetary carousel mechanism, heating the articles, and ion-beam etching and surface activation of the articles using water-cooled unbalanced magnetrons. In addition, the surface of the articles is activated using an ion source which generates gas ions with an accelerating voltage of up to 5000 V and with feeding of a bias voltage to the articles. The coating is applied by using unbalanced and balanced magnetrons simultaneously with a residual induction of the magnetic field from 0.03 T to 0.1 T. The coating is applied to articles which are made from zirconium alloys and are placed vertically in a planetary carousel mechanism. The articles are heated in the coating application process to a temperature of 150-600° C., wherein the heaters are accommodated along the entire length of the articles. This produces corrosion-resistant film coatings of uniform thickness along the outer surface of articles made from zirconium alloys and raises productivity due to an increase in the discharge power density of magnetrons.

A CVD apparatus for manufacturing a III-nitride-based layer having a rotating wafer carrier positioned inside a reaction chamber that receives a mixture of a nitrogen gas source and a group III element gas source. Recesses are formed within the wafer carrier, each including a satellite disc of thickness x for accepting a wafer of thickness t. The satellite disc includes a peripheral notch of height a, and a notch thickness of x−a=b. A peripheral retaining ring includes a vertical rise portion extending a distance of e+f and a laterally-extending portion, the laterally-extending portion engaging the satellite disc notch. A gap c is formed between the substrate and a surface of the satellite disc. The relationship of a+b+c+t=b+e+f is satisfied such that laminar flow occurs in the region of the retaining ring.