Processing method and apparatus

A processing method, comprising the steps of:

• evacuating a hermetic container;
• placing an object to be processed on a susceptor arranged in said hermetic container;
• automatically preliminarily introducing a small amount of heat transfer medium gas into a gap between the object to be processed and said susceptor;
• measuring a pressure of the heat transfer medium gas in the gap;
• automatically controlling further introduction of the heat transfer medium gas into the gap by controlling an evacuation amount from said gas inlet pipe depending on the measured pressure of the heat transfer medium gas so that the pressure of the heat transfer medium gas reaches a predetermined value;
• and
• processing the object to be processed.

A processing apparatus, comprising:

• a first electrode constituting a susceptor for holding an object to be processed thereon;
• a second electrode arranged to oppose said first electrode;
• means for generating a plasma between said first and second electrodes and processing the object to be processed by the plasma;
• means for automatically introducing a heat transfer medium gas into a gap between the object to be processed and said first electrode;
• means for measuring a pressure of the heat transfer medium gas in the gap;
• and
• means for automatically controlling further introduction of the heat transfer medium gas into the gap depending on the measured pressure of the heat transfer medium gas so that the pressure of the heat transfer medium gas reaches a predetermined value;
• wherein an inorganic insulating film is formed on said first electrode, and an elastic insulating film is formed on said inorganic insulating film.

A heat transfer method, comprising the steps of:

• evacuating a hermetic container;
• placing an object to which heat is transferred on a base material arranged in said hermetic container;
• preliminarily introducing a small amount of heat transfer medium gas into a gap between the object to which heat is transferred and said base member;
• measuring a pressure of the heat transfer medium gas in the gap;
• automatically controlling further introduction of the heat transfer medium gas into the gap depending on the measured pressure of the heat transfer medium gas so that the pressure of the heat transfer medium gas reaches a predetermined value.