Tokyo Electron Limited

Yuji Ono

Toru Ishii

Yasushi Takeuchi

Mitsuru Obara

Makoto Saito

Kenichi Yamaga

Takaaki Matsuoka

Teruyuki Hayashi

Hiraku Ishikawa

Masahiro Miyashita

Osamu Tanigawa

A magnetic annealing apparatus is provided which performs a magnetic annealing on workpieces held in a workpiece boat by using a horizontal superconducting magnet as a magnetic field generating unit. The magnetic annealing apparatus includes a carrier configured to accommodate the workpieces before the magnetic annealing process; and a workpiece conveyance mechanism configured to convey the workpieces held in the carrier to the workpiece boat. The workpiece conveyance mechanism is capable of holding the workpieces in either a horizontal state or in a vertical state.

Magnetic annealing apparatus

Disclosed is a magnetic annealing apparatus including a carrier conveyance region and a workpiece conveyance region. The carrier conveyance region includes: a first mounting table where a carrier is disposed; second mounting tables where carriers convey workpieces from the carrier conveyance region to the workpiece conveyance region; a storage unit; and a carrier conveyance mechanism that performs carrying-out/carrying-in of the carriers. The workpiece conveyance region includes: an aligner device; a workpiece boat; a workpiece conveyance mechanism that conveys the workpieces from the carriers disposed on the second mounting tables to the workpiece boat via the aligner device; a heating unit; a magnetic field generating unit; and a transfer mechanism that transfers the workpieces held by the workpiece boat into the magnetic field generating unit.

A pattern-forming method for forming a predetermined pattern serving as a mask when etching film on a substrate includes the steps of: an organic film pattern-forming step for forming an organic film pattern on a film to be processed; forming a silicon nitride film on the organic film pattern; etching the silicon nitride film so that the silicon nitride film remains only on the lateral wall sections of the organic film pattern; and removing the organic film, thereby forming the predetermined silicon nitride film pattern on the film to be processed on a substrate. With the temperature of the substrate maintained at no more than 100&#xb0; C., the film-forming step excites a processings gas and generates a plasma, performs plasma processing with the plasma, and forms a silicon nitride film having stress of no more than 100 MPa.

Pattern-forming method and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

A closed-type cassette is mounted on a cassette stand disposed in a working region at a position corresponding to an opening formed in a wall separating the working region from a loading region. When the cassette is mounted on the cassette stand, a detecting device gives a signal to that effect to a controller. Then, the controller closes a valve to interrupt nitrogen gas supply into the loading region. A lid of the cassette is opened 20 to 30 sec after the interruption of nitrogen gas supply into the loading region and, then, nitrogen gas supply is resumed. The pressure difference between the loading region and the interior of the cassette is decreased by interrupting nitrogen gas supply into the loading region, so that the lid can be easily opened.

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Iwate, Japan

Yuji Ono