EP2764536A1

EP2764536A1 - Substrate turning device

Info

Publication number: EP2764536A1
Application number: EP11779222.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Joachim Mai; Daniel Oelsner; Thilo Richter; Thomas Helbig; Lutz Eismann
Original assignee: Roth and Rau AG
Current assignee: Meyer Burger Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2011-10-06
Filing date: 2011-10-06
Publication date: 2014-08-13
Also published as: WO2013050805A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a substrate turning device for a substrate processing system for processing plate-shaped substrates, wherein the substrate processing system is a pass-through system having at least two process chambers and at least one separating chamber between the process chambers and has at least one substrate carrier that can be moved through the pass-through system in at least one transport direction for the substrates, said substrate carrier having several frame-shaped, internally open carrier cells arranged one next to the other and/or one after the other in a horizontal plane for supporting one substrate each at substrate edge areas. The aim of the invention is to provide a substrate turning device of the stated type by means of which the substrates can be turned while the substrates pass through the substrate processing system on a substrate carrier, wherein the energy requirement for the turning of the substrates is as low as possible and the substrates can be optimally processed. Furthermore, it should be possible to provide the substrate processing system with the smallest possible footprint and low production costs. The aim is achieved by a substrate turning device of the stated type, wherein at least one turning station is provided in the separating chamber, at which turning station a vertically movable or extendable substrate lifting system for lifting the substrates out of and lowering the substrates into the carrier cells is provided below the carrier cells, and a substrate turning mechanism having retaining elements that can be moved relative to each other for retaining the substrates at two opposite substrate edge areas is provided above the substrate cells, wherein the retaining elements or rotational axes of the retaining elements are connected in the form of a frame by connecting elements provided perpendicular to the retaining elements or the rotational axes and the frame can be rotated by at least 180° about the horizontal center axis of the frame.

Description

Substrate turning device

The present invention relates to a substrate turning device for a substrate processing system for processing plate-shaped substrates, wherein the substrate processing system is a continuous system with at least two process chambers and at least one separation chamber between the process chambers and at least one, in at least one transport direction for the substrates through the conveyor system movable substrate carrier with a plurality Having in a horizontal plane side by side and / or successively arranged frame-shaped, inside open support cells for supporting in each case a substrate to substrate edge regions. The invention further relates to a substrate processing system with such a substrate turning device.

Since it is often necessary for plate-shaped substrates, such as wafers for the production of solar cells, to coat both the substrate front side and the substrate back side, the substrates must be turned between the individual substrate processing processes. In order to realize this, it is known in the art to provide substrate inverters as stand-alone tools between two process machines. The substrate inverters operate under normal atmosphere and at room temperature with the principles known in automation, such as vacuum cups or Bernoulli grippers. If, as is typically the case, several substrate processing steps are carried out one after the other, in which on the one hand the substrate front side and on the other hand the substrate rear side is treated, it is thus necessary in the case of the systems known in the prior art to provide several separation points in the chain of the substrate processing systems. A consequence of this is a large footprint and high production costs of the plants by additionally provided inlet and Ausschleuskammern. In addition, a high energy requirement is associated with the change between normal pressure and vacuum or between ambient temperature and process temperature.

In addition, there are approaches in the art to provide substrate inverters within a vacuum deposition system. This is how the document describes DE 39 08 894 C1 discloses a substrate turning device for a vacuum coating system in which a plurality of substrate carriers are mounted pivotably on the circumference of a rotating basket arranged rotatably about an axis. On the rotary basket pivotable turning arms are provided parallel to the substrate carriers, which are rigidly connected to the pivot axes of the substrate carrier. At each of the turning arms drivers are provided. In addition, the turning plant on a guide channel for the driver.

The known arrangement is only suitable for rotation of individual substrates which are held firmly in the respective substrate carrier. For the turning of substrates which lie loosely on a substrate carrier with a plurality of side by side and successively arranged in a horizontal plane, frame-shaped support cells, the known device is not suitable.

In addition, in the prior art, central clusters are known in which parallel processing chambers are arranged around a center in which a central substrate handling device is seated. In the central substrate handling device, in each case only one substrate or a box with substrates is picked up and transported into another process chamber. For handling of substrates which lie side by side and one after the other on a substrate carrier moving through a continuous system, such handling devices are not suitable.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a substrate inverting device for a substrate processing plant for processing plate-shaped substrates, in which the turning of the substrates during their passage on a substrate carrier through the substrate processing plant is possible, the energy required when turning the substrates as possible is low and the substrates can be optimally processed. In addition, the substrate processing system should be able to be provided with the lowest possible footprint and low production costs.

The object is achieved by a substrate inverting device of the abovementioned type, the substrate inverting device having at least one turning station which has a vertically movable or extendable substrate lifting system for lifting and lowering the substrates from and into the carrier cells and a substrate turning mechanism. The holding elements or axes of rotation of the holding elements are connected by means provided transversely to the holding elements or the axes of rotation in the form of a frame and the frame about its horizontal center axis by at least 180 ° is rotatable.

In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the process chambers and the separation chamber are not at atmospheric pressure, that is at overpressure, under vacuum or under vacuum, operated chambers.

The substrate inverting device according to the invention thus permits turning of substrates during their passage through the substrate processing system even under vacuum conditions. With the substrate inverting device according to the invention, it is not necessary to provide separate inlet and / or discharge chambers in order to be able to turn the substrates between individual processing steps. The turning station provided in the substrate inverting device according to the invention can be provided immediately following substrate processing.

In this case, the substrates from the carrier cells of the substrate carrier can be raised by the substrate subsystem from the carrier cells into a turning position defined by the substrate turning mechanism. Since the substrate turning mechanism has relatively movable holding members, the raised substrates can be temporarily held in the turning position and rotated together with the frame about its horizontal, for example transversely to the transport direction of the substrates in the substrate processing system aligned center axis by at least 180 °. Since the substrate subsystem is vertically movable, it can be lowered during the turning of the substrates to a position below the substrate turning mechanism in which it is not troublesome to the substrate turning operation. After the turning of the substrates has taken place, the substrate subsystem is again moved vertically upwards in the direction of the turning position or extended. Then, the holder of the substrates can be solved by the relatively movable holding elements readily again. Thereafter, the substrates can be lowered resting on the substrate subsystem back into their position in the carrier cells of the substrate carrier. During lifting, turning and lowering of the substrates, the substrate carrier remains in a turning position at the turning station. After the substrate reversal process has taken place, the substrate carrier with the substrates resting on it can be moved on to the next substrate processing step within the substrate processing system and the frame with the holding elements can be rotated back into its original position.

Since the substrate inverting device according to the invention can be positioned between two machining processes without the substrates having to be introduced or removed in the meantime, significant advantages arise for the entire substrate machining system. If, for example, the substrate processing installation is a coating installation, the use of only one coating direction results in an optimum coating process since the substrates can now be turned between individual coating processes without having to remove the substrates from the installation using the substrate turning device according to the invention. Since the turning station is located in a separating or secondary chamber directly between the process chambers, a cooling and reheating of the substrate support and the substrates can be omitted. This results in a reduced energy requirement for heating the successive thermal processes within the substrate processing system. Associated with this is a reduced carbon monoxide output. The fact that the turning station is provided in a separation or secondary chamber directly between the process chambers and thus, if it does not have its own pumping system, operates in the same pressure chamber as the process chambers, also results in a lower energy requirements by eliminating venting and subsequent Evacuate the successive processes.

Overall, a substrate processing system in which the substrate inverting device according to the invention is provided can be provided with a substantially smaller footprint than other substrate processing systems in which conventional turning mechanisms are used. In addition, lower production costs for the entire substrate processing system result from the omission of provided for turning the substrates input and Ausschleusmodulen, since the turning station is arranged in a separation or auxiliary chamber between the process chambers. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the holding elements are arranged on both sides of a carrier cell above the substrate carrier, scissor-like relative to each other movable holding arms. The support arms are in the position of the substrate turning mechanism, that is, in a plane above the substrates carried by the substrate support into which the substrates are raised by the substrate subsystem. In each case two scissor-like relative to each other movable support arms are provided on both sides of a raised from the support cell substrate. Due to the scissor-like relative movement, the holding arms can be moved toward a substrate edge region of a substrate and moved away again from this substrate edge region. In an end position of the Aufeinanderzubewegung the support arms clamp or hold the holding arms the respective substrate edge region. In the Voneinanderwegbewegung the support arms, the clamping or mounting of the substrate edge area is released again. In this case, the holding arms can be provided with such a width that the clamping of a plurality of juxtaposed substrates or substrates of an entire substrate carrier row or column is possible. The use of scissor-like relative to each other movable support arms for clamping or holding the substrates allows clamping or holding different substrates. Thus, substrates with different thicknesses can be clamped. Also, it is independent for clamping whether and how the substrates are arched. Due to the scissor-like relative movement of the holding arms, a clamping is achieved in each case. It also results according to the invention, a reliable terminals when the substrates have been slightly shifted within the carrier cells or during their lifting from the carrier cells.

It is particularly advantageous if on each side of the at least one support cell of at least one of the support arms has a provided at its free end substrate holding portion having a recess which is deeper than a maximum thickness of the substrates. Through the recess, the substrates are not clamped directly to the surfaces of the support arms, but lie in a substrate receiving gap defined by the recess between the support arms, but are still held securely by the two holding arms on both sides of the substrate. Since the depth of the recess is deeper than a maximum thickness of the substrates, a secure recording of all substrates is ensured in each case. The recess can be in both the mutually movable support arms or be provided only in one of the support arms.

In a possible constructive embodiment of this embodiment, a respective first support arm is radially projecting radially mounted on an inner axis of a tubular mounting member for the support arms, wherein an outer tube is provided around the inner axis, on which a second support arm is radially projecting cantilevered. The outer tube has in this embodiment a recessed for a movement of the first holding arm peripheral region. In addition, the inner axis and the outer tube are independently rotatable. In this embodiment, both support arms can be mounted on one side of the carrier cell to a tubular arrangement and yet be moved in a scissor-like manner relative to each other. The tubular mounting elements can be easily connected by connecting elements frontally to form a frame-shaped suspension for the support arms, wherein the frame can be connected to the connecting elements with a rotation axis, so that the frame can be rotated with the support arms by at least 180 °. The rotation of the frame is independent of the rotatability of the support arms.

A defined depositing of the substrates into their respective substrate receiving regions of the associated carrier cells in the substrate carrier can be achieved in that in a specific embodiment of the present invention between the holding arms located in a substrate holding position on both sides of the substrate, different width substrate receiving gaps are formed, which at the beginning a substrate turnup process substrate receiving gap opposite the substrate subsystem is wider than a substrate receiving region of the carrier cell and wider than the other substrate receiving gap. Since the substrate receiving gap in which the substrate is initially deposited after it has been lifted out of the carrier cell is wider than the substrate receiving region of the carrier cell, the substrate can also be suitably inserted into the substrate turning mechanism even if the substrate is not initially exactly centered of the respective carrier cell and / or has been laterally displaced during its lifting by the substrate subsystem. During the turning of the substrate, the substrate automatically moves into the space formed by the further holding arms. the other substrate receiving gap, which is narrower than the substrate receiving gap, in which the substrate was originally inserted. The width of the other substrate receiving gap is adapted to the width of the substrate receiving region of the carrier cell. Thus, by suitable rotation of the substrate reversing mechanism by more than 180 °, preferably by up to 270 °, the substrate can be securely received in the other narrower substrate receiving nip after turning. After turning the substrate, this other narrower substrate receiving gap is in a position in which it is the Substratathubsystem opposite, that is arranged below. Thus, the substrate can be picked up from the narrower substrate receiving gap by the substrate subsystem and lowered into its original position into the substrate receiving area of the carrier cell. This embodiment of the invention has the particular advantage that tolerances of the substrates and / or tolerances in the insert geometry of the substrate carrier can be compensated for by the specifically designed substrate reversing mechanism.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the holding elements are parallel to each other in a horizontal plane opposite and movable in this plane relative to each other holding rails. The support rails each have two superimposed retaining strips, between which an example U-, V- or C-shaped substrate receptacle for receiving a Substratendbereiches at least one substrate is provided. The height of the substrate holder is preferably greater than a maximum thickness of the substrates. Thus, the support rails can accommodate in their horizontal Aufeinanderzubewegung opposite edge regions of a substrate in the substrate receptacles of the support rails, so that the respective substrate can be temporarily held by the support rails, in particular during the turning of the substrate. The support rails can be made so long that a whole series of substrates can be clamped simultaneously. After completion of the turning process, the support rails can be moved away from each other with a suitable mechanism in a simple manner in the horizontal again to release the respective substrate or the respective substrates and lower by the substrate subsystem back into the carrier cells. It has proved to be advantageous if the retaining rails are each formed from two superimposed retaining strips, which have on their opposite inner surfaces projections of ceramic. These protrusions can be formed, for example, in the form of a socket. Since the retaining strips are preferably formed of metal, it is ensured by the projections made of ceramic, that the substrates do not come directly into contact with the metal of the support rails, whereby contamination of the substrates by metal particles can be avoided.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the substrate inverting device according to the invention, a substrate insertion opening and / or a substrate removal opening of the separation chamber is continuously open, and the separation chamber can be evacuated by a pumping system of at least one adjacent process chamber. Thus, in this embodiment it is not necessary to provide a separate pumping system in the separation chamber. Rather, in the separation chamber, the same atmosphere as in the adjacent process chamber through the use of one and the same pumping system. It is thus possible in this embodiment to apply the substrates under the same pressure conditions as in the process chamber.

In a further suitable exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the substrate subsystem has vertically aligned and vertically movable or extendable rods spaced apart from one another in the transport direction of the substrates, wherein each of the substrates has three rods for a three-point support of the substrates on the rods assigned. By using three rods to lift and lower the substrates per substrate, each of the substrates can be safely raised and lowered on the three-point support. In addition, since each of the substrates rests only on three points, the contact between substrate and rod is very small, so that contamination or other impairment of the substrates by contact with the rods go to zero. In addition, by providing only three rods per substrate, design effort for the turnover station can be minimized.

In a particularly suitable variant of the present invention, the rods for raising and lowering the substrates are each formed at their end facing the substrates of a non-metallic material or with a non-metallic Material sheathed. In this way, on the one hand metal contamination on the substrate surfaces can be avoided, on the other hand, for example, by vibration damping properties of the non-metallic material, a defined design lifting and lowering can be realized.

The substrate carrier is preferably guided on parallel transport rollers provided at a distance from one another which are guided perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrates into the separation chamber.

In the case of the substrate turning device according to the invention, it is particularly advantageous if the substrate carrier is temporarily fixable at the turning station in a turning position by a positioning device. For example, at least one vertically aligned and vertically movable or extendable fixing element can be provided below the substrate carrier for fixing, wherein at least one bushing for engaging the fixing element is provided on the substrate carrier. As a fixing, for example, a conical-like fixing can be used, which can engage in one or more sockets, which is or are provided on the side edge of the substrate carrier. By fixing the substrate carrier is kept exactly in the turning position. For a safe lifting and lowering of the substrates, a precise clamping and thus safe turning of the substrates and a precise re-deposition of the substrates in the substrate carrier is possible.

In order to facilitate the fixation, at least in the region of the positioning device, the substrate carrier may be guided between transport rollers and a stop rail respectively provided on the chamber side walls of the separation chamber above the substrate carrier, wherein the stop rail forms a counter support for the substrate carrier with respect to the fixing element pressing against the substrate carrier from below.

The object is further achieved by a substrate processing system for processing plate-shaped substrates, wherein the substrate processing system is a continuous system with at least two process chambers and at least one separation chamber between the process chambers and at least one, in at least one transport direction for the substrates through the conveyor system movable substrate carrier with multiple in a horizontal plane and / or sequentially arranged migen, inside open carrier cells for supporting a respective substrate on the substrate edge regions and wherein the substrate processing system has an embodiment of the substrate turning device according to the invention described above.

In a further variant of the substrate processing system according to the invention, the process chambers and the separation chamber are evacuatable chambers.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of successively arranged in the transport direction of the substrates turning stations are provided in the separation chamber, with which the substrates of several substrate carrier rows or columns are reversible, the turning stations have a distance from each other, which corresponds to at least one substrate carrier row or column , In a particularly advantageous variant of this embodiment, three turning stations are provided in the separating chamber, with which substrates of three substrate carrier rows can be turned at the same time, the substrate carrier rows being at a distance from each other corresponding to two substrate carrier rows located therebetween. By providing a plurality of turning stations in one and the same separating chamber, the substrates which are arranged on a substrate carrier with a plurality of substrate carrier rows can be turned over particularly efficiently.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the substrate turning mechanisms of the turning stations are mounted on a common, transverse struts having support frame. The support frame gives the entire arrangement a significantly increased stability.

Preferably, the substrate carrier, the turning station (s) and the carrier frame for the turning station (s) are formed of a carbon fiber composite material. By using such a material substrate carrier, turning stations (s) and support frame for the turning station (s) can be highly stable and yet formed with relatively low weight. In addition, carbon fiber composites are characterized by a high temperature resistance and do not expand when influenced by temperature, which results in permanently high positioning accuracies of the substrates during the turning process in the turning station. Preferably, the drive motors for moving or extending the rods and rotating the frame of the substrate turning mechanism are provided outside the separation chamber. This facilitates the connection and maintenance of the drive motors and reduces the particle load inside the separation chamber. In other variants of the invention, however, it may be advantageous to provide the drive motors inside the separation chamber.

In a favorable development of the present invention, a temperature control device separate from the adjacent process chambers, such as a heater or a cooling device, is provided in the separation chamber. As a result, temperature inhomogeneities, which result from the transport of the substrates and the residence of the substrates in the separation chamber, can be compensated.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention, their structure, function and advantages are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of the drawing, wherein

FIG. 1 shows a perspective top view of an open-topped separation chamber with a substrate inverting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 to Figure 6 show steps of a process sequence for turning with substrate inverting means of substrates according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 shows schematically a plan view of a part of a substrate turning mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 to Figure 10 schematically show steps of a process sequence for turning substrates with a substrate inverting device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 1 1 shows schematically a part of a side view of a substrate carrier used in connection with the substrate inverting device according to the invention during its passage through a separation chamber; and

Figures 12 to 16 schematically show steps of a process sequence for turning substrates with another embodiment of a substrate inverting device according to the present invention.

1 shows a perspective view of a separation chamber 1 of a substrate processing installation, which is disclosed here above. Before and / or after the separation chamber 1, process chambers of the substrate processing system are respectively arranged directly after the separation chamber 1, the process chambers not being shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity.

The substrate processing system is a so-called continuous system, through which a substrate carrier 2 is moved in a horizontal plane of the continuous system. The substrate carrier 2 has a plurality of carrier cells 3 for receiving substrates 4. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the substrate carrier 2 has a plurality of side-by-side and successively arranged frame-shaped, inner open carrier cells 3, on each of which a substrate 4 is placed on its substrate edge regions 5. The carrier cells 3 of the substrate carrier 2 are arranged in rows and columns. For example, a substrate carrier 2 with nine substrate carrier rows 6 and five substrate carrier columns 7, as shown in the example of FIG. 1, can be used. Of course, the number of substrate carrier rows 6 and columns 7 of the substrate carrier 2 can be varied as desired. Thus, in principle it is also possible for the substrate carrier 2 to have only a single substrate carrier row 6 or only a single substrate carrier column 7.

Although in the example of FIG. 1 the support cells 3 are designed to receive square substrates 4, it is also possible for support cells 3 to be used to receive rectangular substrates 4 with different side lengths. In any case, however, the device according to the invention is intended for those substrate processing systems in which plate-shaped substrates 4, such as, for example, wafers for solar cell production, are processed. Under a processing of the sub- strate 4 is to be understood here in particular as a coating of substrates 4. However, the process chambers of the substrate processing equipment can also be used for other substrate processing processes, such as diffusion processes, firing processes, etching processes and / or cleaning processes, in which it is necessary to treat a substrate front side 29 of a substrate 4 other than its substrate backside 30 and therefore the substrates 4 in the meantime.

The substrate carrier 2 is introduced from an upstream process chamber through a Substrateinführöffnung 8 in the separation chamber 1 and introduced via a Substratausführöffnung 9 at the end of the separation chamber 1 again in the next process chamber. In the embodiment variant of the separation chamber 1 shown in FIG. 1, the substrate insertion opening 8 and the substrate removal opening 9 of the separation chamber 1 are continuously open and the separation chamber 1 can be evacuated by a pumping system, not shown here, of at least one adjacent process chamber. Thus set within the separation chamber 1, the same pressure conditions as in the adjacent process chamber 1 a. In principle, however, it is also possible according to the invention to provide a separate vacuum pump in the separation chamber 1.

Preferably, the substrate inverting device according to the invention is used for turning substrates at pressure conditions other than atmospheric pressure in the process chambers and the separation chamber 1, such as in a vacuum, and has been designed especially for this case, for which no suitable substrate inverting device was previously known.

The carrier cells 3 of the substrate carrier are formed in the embodiment shown in the double-nest shape, so that each of the substrates 4 rests securely on the respective carrier cell 3 even after a displacement of a substrate 4.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the separation chamber 1 has three turning stations 10, which are arranged one after the other at a distance from one another in the transport direction A of the substrates 4 through the continuous installation. In the example shown, this distance corresponds to two rows of substrate carriers 6, but in other embodiments may also be smaller or larger. The distance, however, must be so great that unimpeded rotation of the substrates 4 is possible. In other, not shown embodiments of the present invention, only a single turning station 10 or a different number of turning stations 10 may be provided in the separation chamber 1.

At each of the turning stations 10, a substrate subsystem for raising and lowering the substrates 4 is provided in a plane below the plane of the substrate carrier 2. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the substrate subsystem has a plurality of vertically aligned and vertically movable or extendable rods 11 for lifting and lowering the substrates 4 from or into the carrier cells 3 of the substrate carrier 2. In the example of Fig. 1, the rods 1 1 are formed of steel, wherein at the respective free rod ends of the rods 1 1, which respectively face the substrates 4, the rods 1 1 a tip 27 made of a non-metallic material or a sheath a non-metallic material. However, it is also possible that the rods 1 1 are formed from another suitable, temperature-resistant material.

For lifting and lowering of the rods 1 1, for example, a cam arrangement can be used. In this case, the substrate subsystem is in each case designed in such a way that in each case all the rods 1 1 associated with a turning station 10 are vertically moved together or extended or retracted.

In the example of FIG. 1, three rows of bars 1 1 are provided in succession in each of the turning stations 10 in the transport direction A of the substrates 4. In this case, the rods 1 1 are spaced apart from one another and offset relative to one another such that each of the support cells 3 and thus each substrate 4 are assigned three rods 1 1. In other, not shown embodiments of the present invention, more than three rods 1 1 may be assigned to a substrate 4. Since the substrates 4 rest horizontally on the support cells 3 and the rods 1 1 are vertically aligned, each is a substrate 4 when lifting or extending the rods 1 1 on the tips 27 of three rods 1 1 on. By the three-point support, the substrate 4 is securely held by the rods 3 and can be brought by the rods 3 further upwards in a plane located above the substrate support 2 level with a substrate turning mechanism. The substrate turning mechanism has holding members movable relative to each other for clamping the substrates 4 to two opposite substrate edge portions. The holding elements or, in other embodiments of the invention, axes of rotation of the holding elements are connected by transverse to the holding elements provided connecting elements 12 in the form of a frame 13 with each other. The connecting elements 12 are in turn centrally connected to a rotation axis 39, so that the frame 13 about its horizontal, here transverse to the transport direction A of the substrates 4 aligned, central axis 38 is rotatable by at least 180 °.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the drive motors for moving or extending the bars 11 and rotating the frame 13 of the substrate turning mechanism are located outside the separation chamber 1. In other embodiments of the invention, these drive mechanisms may also be provided within the separation chamber 1.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the holding elements are mutually parallel in the transport direction A of the substrates 4 and in the transport direction A of the substrates 4 relatively movable support rails 14, 15. The support rails 14, 15 have in the example shown approximately U In principle, however, also another suitable clamping profile, such as a "V" or "C" shape, can be used here.The profile is formed by two superimposed retaining strips 16 formed, wherein the distance between the superimposed retaining strips 16 is greater than a maximum thickness of the substrates 4.

At the respectively opposite inner surfaces of the retaining strips 16 may be provided, for example, nose-shaped projections made of ceramic.

The substrate turning mechanisms of the turning stations 10 are mounted in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 on a common, transverse struts 17 having support frame 18. The substrate carrier 2, the turning stations 10 and the support frame 18 for the turning stations 10 are formed in the embodiment shown made of steel. In a particularly suitable embodiment of the invention NEN of the substrate carrier 2, the turning stations 10 and the support frame 18 for the turning stations 10 also be formed of a carbon fiber composite material.

In the example of FIG. 1, no separate heating is provided in the separation chamber 1. The heating of the separation chamber 1 is effected rather by the standing in conjunction with the separation chamber 1 process chambers. In another variant, not shown, of the present invention, however, it is also possible for a heater separate from the adjacent process chambers to be provided in the separation chamber 1. As stated above, it is also possible that the separation chamber 1 has a separate pumping system for setting defined pressure conditions in the separation chamber 1.

Instead of the retaining rails 14, 15 used in Fig. 1, in other variants of the present invention, other holding elements, such as in FIGS. 2 to 7 or 12 to 16 schematically illustrated holding arms for holding the substrates 4 during their turning by the substrate turning mechanism be used.

FIGS. 2 to 6 schematically show steps of a process sequence for turning substrates 4 according to a possible embodiment of the substrate turning device according to the invention. In FIGS. 2 to 6, a substrate inverting device is used which, in order to clamp or hold a substrate 4, has holding elements in the form of support arms 3, each on both sides of a carrier cell 3, above the substrate carrier 2, holding arms 19, 20 which can be moved like scissors. 21, 22 used.

As shown in detail in FIG. 7, in each case one of the holding arms 19, 21 is mounted on an inner axis 23 of a tubular mounting element in such a way that it protrudes radially from the inner axis 23. To the inner axis 23, an outer tube 24 is provided, from which the respective second holding arm 20, 22 projecting radially. The inner axis 23 and the Au ßenrohr 24 are each independently rotatable. In this case, the outer tube 24, as shown in more detail in Fig. 7, a recessed peripheral portion 25, which allows the holding arms 19, 21 which are fixed to the inner axes 23, relative to the support arms 20, 22, the are attached to the Au ßenrohren 24, are movable. The holding arms 19 and 20 or 21 and 22 are each preferably connected by a spring mechanism, by which the respective Weil retaining arms are automatically brought, for example, in a horizontal orientation for holding the substrates 4.

On each side of the at least one support cell 3 and thus on each side of at least one substrate 4, at least one of the support arms 19, 20; 21, 22 a provided at its free end substrate clamping area with a recess 26. The recess 26 has a depth t which is deeper than a maximum thickness d of the substrates 4.

Although in Figures 2 to 6 respectively recesses 26 in all support arms 19, 20; 21, 22 are provided, it is basically sufficient if the recesses 26 are provided only in one of the holding arms 19 or 20 or 21 or 22, but preferably in the bottom in Fig. 2 arranged holding arms 19 and 21. The recesses 26 define the region in which the substrate edge regions 5 of the substrates 4 to be used are held during turning. If a recess 26, as shown in FIG. 2, is also provided in the holding arms 20, 22, these are preferably mirror-symmetrical as those of the lower holding arms 19, 21.

2 shows a step of a sequence of steps for turning over a substrate 4, in which the substrate 4 is lifted vertically upward by the bars 1 1 provided below the carrier cell 3. For this purpose, at least three rods 1 1, preferably exactly three rods 1 1, required for lifting each of the substrates 4 in the turning position shown in Fig. 2. In the reversing position, the substrate 4 is at the height of the axis of rotation of the inner axis 23 and the outer tube 24. Instead of the rods 1 1 can in other embodiments of the invention, another suitable substrate subsystem for raising and lowering of the substrates 4, the substrates preferably only three Points of a substrate support during lifting and lowering rest, can be used.

In the step shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 4 is raised slightly above the turning position of FIG. In this position of the substrate 4, the lower support arms 19, 21 are moved relative to the respective other holding arm 20, 22 in the direction of the substrate 4 in accordance with the directions indicated by the arrows B, C, until they are aligned horizontally. Thereafter, the rods 1 1 corresponding to the marked by the arrow D Be movement direction down again moved and the substrate 4 placed on the defined by the recesses 26 of the support arms 19, 21 support area. The substrate 4 is suitably inserted into a gap which is defined by the recesses 26 of the holding arms 19, 21. Thereafter, the upper support arms 20, 22 are pivoted relative to the support arms 19, 21 inwardly to their horizontal orientation.

A clamped or held arrangement of the substrate 4 in defined by the receptacles 26 substrate receiving gaps between the support arms 19, 20; 21, 22 is shown in Fig. 4. In this case, the substrate 4 is securely between the holding arms 19, 22; 21, 22 held, but is not clamped. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 4 by the arrows E, F, the entire assembly can be rotated about a horizontal axis of rotation 38 by at least 180 °. As a result of this rotation, a substrate front side 29 of the substrate 4 is moved downward and a substrate rear side 30 of the substrate 4 is moved upward, that is to say the substrate 4 is turned.

Fig. 4 shows in principle a "zero position" of the holding elements of the present invention, in which the holding elements preferably automatically - for example, by a provided on the holding elements spring construction - are moved like a scissor.

Fig. 5 shows schematically a next step of the step sequence for turning the substrate 4. At first, the upper holding arms 20, 22 are relatively moved away from the respective other holding arms 19, 21 in accordance with the movement directions indicated by the arrows H, I. Thereafter, the rods 1 1 are again moved in accordance with the direction of movement shown by the arrow J upwards, in the direction of the substrate 4 and the substrate 4 is raised to a position above the turning position.

Subsequently, as shown schematically in Fig. 6, and the lower two holding arms 19, 21 moved back to its original position. Thereafter, the turned substrate 4 according to the direction of movement of the rods 1 1 shown by the arrow K driven with these back down and stored with its substrate edge regions on the respective associated carrier cell 3. Further, after the substrate turning operation, the frame 13 is either rotated 180 ° or more according to the rotational directions E, F shown in FIG. 4, or rotated 180 ° counter to this direction of rotation to its original position of FIG. The further or reverse rotation can also be done with the substrate receiving gap closed, but without a substrate 4 received therein.

Fig. 7 shows schematically the substrate turning means used in Figs. 2 to 6 for turning the substrate 4 in greater detail in a plan view. The arrangement shown in Fig. 7 corresponds approximately to the step shown in Fig. 3. In this step, the substrate 4 rests on the lower holding arms 19, 21. The upper support arms 20, 22 are shown in the illustration of Fig. 7 for the sake of better understanding on a substrate 4 opposite side of the axis of rotation 31 of the inner axis 23 and the outer tube 24.

Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 7 that the tube-shaped arrangements provided on both sides of the substrate 4, comprising the inner axis 23 and the outer tube 24, are connected by connecting elements 12, which are provided here parallel to the transport direction A of the substrates 4 by the continuous flow system. Through the connection, a frame 13 is formed, which is connected to the frontally provided connecting elements 12 with the axis of rotation 31 for the frame 13. The rotation axis 31 protrudes through a chamber side wall 32 of the separation chamber 1 to the outside and is connected outside of the separation chamber 1 with corresponding drives to ensure rotation of the frame 13.

As is also apparent from Fig. 7, the substrate 4 in the recesses 26 of the support arms 19, 20; 21, 22, wherein the recesses 26 are surrounded by an approximately C-shaped retaining edge 33.

In addition, three support points are shown schematically below the substrate 4, on which the substrate 4 rests on the end points of three rods 1 1 of a Substrate Subsystem. FIGS. 8 to 10 schematically show the turning of a substrate 4 with a substrate inverting device which, as shown in FIG. 1, uses support rails 14, 15 for holding the substrate 4 during the substrate turning operation.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 8, the substrate 4 is lifted by means of the vertically oriented and vertically movable or extendable rods 11 into a turning position. In this embodiment of the invention, it is necessary that the substrate 4 is brought into the turning position with high positioning accuracy. In the step shown in Fig. 8, the support rails 14, 15 are still at a wide distance W from each other.

As shown in Fig. 9, then the support rails 14, 15 are moved towards each other according to the arrows L, M, so that they are arranged in their end position shown in Fig. 9 only at a distance w from each other, which is slightly larger than the width b of the substrate 4 is. In this position, the frame 13, on which the support rails 14, 15 are provided, is rotated about its horizontal axis by 180 °.

As a result, as shown in Fig. 10, the substrate 4 is turned so that the former upper substrate front 29 is at the bottom and the former lower substrate rear 30 is at the top. In this position, the rods 1 1 again moved to pick up the substrate 4 vertically upwards, the support rails 14, 15 along the arrows N, O moved away from each other and the substrate 4 by a vertical movement of the rods 1 1 back to its original position on the Carrier cell 3 launched. Further, the frame 13 with the support rails 14, 15 further rotated by another 180 ° or rotated 180 ° counter to the direction of rotation of the substrate turning operation back to its initial position of Fig. 8.

Fig. 1 1 shows schematically a part of the substrate carrier 2, while it is in the separation chamber 1, in a sectional side view. As can be seen from FIG. 11, the substrate carrier 2 rests on transport rollers 34, which laterally project through the chamber side walls 32 into the interior of the separation chamber 1.

If the substrate carrier 2 reaches a position intended for turning the substrates 4 resting on it, the substrate carrier 2 is temporarily moved to a turning position. held, in which a substrate carrier row 6 is located exactly in the region of a turning station 10. This position is defined by the fact that in this position the substrate subsystem moves under a substrate 4, lifts it out of the respective carrier cell 3 and brings it upwards into a turning position. Since a high positioning accuracy is required for this purpose, the substrate carrier 2 is preferably temporarily fixed in this position by a positioning device.

For this purpose, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 1 at least one fixing element

36 is provided below the substrate support 2, which is vertically aligned and vertically movable in the direction of the substrate support 2 and back, wherein the at least one fixing element 36 in at least one provided on the substrate support 2 socket

Engage 37 and temporarily fix the substrate carrier 2 in the appropriate position. Preferably, a plurality of bushes 37 are provided on the substrate carrier 2, so that the substrate carrier 2 can be fixed in several turning positions for turning different substrate carrier rows 6.

In the example shown, a stop rail 35 arranged at least in the region of the positioning device is provided above the substrate carrier 2 along the respective chamber side walls 32 so that the substrate carrier 2 is guided here between the transport rollers 4 and the stop rail 35 during its transport through the separation chamber 1 and the Stop rail 35 forms a counter-holding against the pressure exerted by the fixing member 36 against the substrate carrier 2 during the fixing process.

FIGS. 12 to 16 schematically show steps of a process sequence for turning substrates 4 with a substrate inverting device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this case, those steps which are not explicitly shown again in FIGS. 12 to 16 correspond to the lifting and lowering of the substrates 4 by a vertically movable or extendable substrate lifting system, for example the steps shown in FIGS. 2 to 6.

FIG. 12 schematically shows a substrate 4 brought by a substrate subsystem into a turning position above the substrate carrier 2 with a substrate front side 29 and a substrate rear side 30. The substrate 4 lies in the illustration of FIG. 12 on both sides between two scissor-like relative to each other movable support arms 40, 41; 42, 43. As shown in Fig. 12, the substrate-receiving gap 44 formed between the recesses of the lower support arms 41, 43 is wider than the substrate-receiving gap 45 between the upper support arms 40, 42. Here, the substrate-receiving gap 44 is between the lower ones Supporting arms 41, 43 on both sides of the substrate 4 by a distance a wider than the substrate receiving portion 46 of the associated support cell 3 of the substrate carrier. 2

In the position of FIG. 12, in which the substrate 4 has just been replaced by the holding arms 40, 41; 42, 43, the substrate 4 is in the formed by the lower support arms 41, 43 substrate receiving gap 44, wherein on both sides of the substrate 4 is still space to the edges of the recesses in the holding arms 41, 43 is provided. Thus, the substrate 4 can also be suitably inserted into the substrate receiving gap 44 between the holding arms 41, 43, if the substrate 4 originally did not exactly centered on the respective carrier cell 3 of the substrate carrier 2 and / or during the lifting of the substrate 4 of the substrate subsystem was shifted laterally.

Fig. 13 shows schematically the substrate turning mechanism of Fig. 12 during another step of the process sequence for turning the substrate 4. In this position, the holding arms 40, 41; 42, 43 according to the schematically shown arrows P, Q rotated about a horizontal center axis. During the turning operation, the substrate 4 tilts from the wide substrate receiving gap 44 up into the narrower substrate receiving gap 45.

Fig. 14 shows schematically the substrate turning mechanism of Figs. 12 and 13 in a subsequent position in which the substrate 4 has already been turned so far that its substrate back 30 is at the top and its substrate front 29 is at the bottom. Starting from this position, the substrate 4 is further rotated by the substrate turning mechanism in the direction of arrows R, S, ie beyond 180 °. In this case, the substrate 4 slides down into the narrower substrate receiving gap 45. The rotation shown in Fig. 14, as shown in Fig. 15 by the arrows T, U, up to a rotational angle of 270 ° relative to the original position, the in Fig. 12 is shown brought. In the illustration of FIG. 15, the substrate 4 lies completely in the narrower substrate receiving gap 45 in this position.

Thereafter, the substrate turning mechanism with the substrate 4, as shown schematically in Fig. 16, is again rotated back in a horizontal orientation according to the arrows V, W. In this position, the substrate 4 is turned in relation to its original position from FIG. 12, so that its substrate front side 29 is at the bottom and its substrate rear side 30 is at the top. In this position, the substrate 4 is further in the narrower substrate receiving gap 45 and can be lowered from this position exactly in the substrate receiving area 46 of the carrier cell 3 by the Substratathubsystem again.

After the step shown in Fig. 16, the substrate turning mechanism with the holding arms 40, 41; 42, 43 moved back to its original position, which is shown in Fig. 12, back. The embodiment of the substrate inverting device according to the invention shown in FIGS. 12 to 16 has the advantage that, despite the turning, the substrate 4 can be defined and centered back into the carrier cell 3. In this case, in this embodiment, any tolerances of the substrates 4 and the insert geometry of the substrate carrier 2 by the special geometry of the recesses of the holding arms 40, 41; 42, 43 accounted for.

Although, in the embodiments shown and described above, clamping of the substrates is shown only in holding elements opposite the transporting direction A of the substrates 4 through the separating chamber 1, in other embodiments of the invention, the substrates 4 may also be aligned with each other through transverse to the conveying direction A. opposite holding elements for the turning of the substrates 4 are clamped or held. It is only the above-described elements of the turning device offset by 90 ^s in the separation chamber 1 to be arranged.

Claims

claims

1 . Substrate turning device for a substrate processing system for processing plate-shaped substrates (4), wherein the substrate processing system is a continuous system with at least two process chambers and at least one separation chamber (1) between the process chambers and at least one, in at least one transport direction (A) for the substrates (4). substrate carrier (2) which is movable by the continuous installation and has a plurality of frame-shaped, inwardly open support cells (3) arranged in a horizontal plane for supporting respectively one substrate (4) on substrate edge regions, the substrate turning device comprising at least one turning station (10) comprising a vertically movable or extendable substrate subsystem for raising and lowering the substrates (4) from and into the carrier cells (3) and a substrate reversing mechanism having relatively movable support members for holding the substrates (4) at two opposite ones Having substrate edge regions (5), wherein the holding elements or axes of rotation of the holding elements by transverse to the holding elements or the axes of rotation provided connecting elements (12) are connected in the form of a frame (13) and the frame (13) about its horizontal center axis (38) at least 180 ° is rotatable.

2. substrate turning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding elements are each two on both sides of at least one support cell (3) over the substrate carrier (2) arranged scissor-like relative to each other movable support arms (19, 20, 21, 22).

3. substrate turning device according to claim 2, characterized in that on each side of the support cells (3) at least one of the support arms (19, 20, 21, 22) has a provided at its free end substrate clamping area with a recess (26) deeper than a maximum thickness (d) of the substrates (4).

4. substrate turning device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that in each case a first holding arm (19, 21) projecting radially on an inner axis (23) of a tubular mounting element for the retaining arms (19, 20; 21, 22) is mounted, wherein a Au ßenrohr (24) is provided around the inner axis (23) on which a second holding arm (20, 22) is radially projecting and mounted one for a movement of the first Haltearmes (19, 21 ) recessed peripheral portion (25), wherein the inner axis (23) and the outer tube (24) are independently rotatable.

Substrate turning device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that between the in a substrate holding position on both sides of the substrate (4) opposite holding arms (40, 41, 42, 43) respectively different width Substrataufnahmespalte (44, 45) are formed, wherein the at the beginning of a substrate turning operation, the substrate receiving gap (44) opposite the substrate subsystem is wider than a substrate receiving area of the carrier cell (3) and wider than the other substrate receiving gap (45).

Substrate turning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding elements parallel to each other in a horizontal plane opposite and in this plane relative to each other movable support rails (14, 15).

Substrate turning device according to claim 6, characterized in that the retaining rails (14, 15) are each formed of two superimposed retaining strips, which have on their opposite inner surfaces projections of ceramic.

Substrate turning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate subsystem in the transport direction (A) of the substrates (4) spaced and transversely to the transport direction (A) of the substrates (4) staggered vertically aligned and vertically movable or extendable rods (1 1 ), wherein each of the substrates (4) are associated with three rods (1 1) for a three-point contact of the substrates (4) on the rods (1 1).

Substrate turning device according to claim 8, characterized in that the rods (1 1) are each formed at least at their on the substrates (4) facing the end of a non-metallic material or coated with a non-metallic material.

10. Substrate turning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate carrier (2) at the at least one turning station (10) is temporarily fixable in a turning position by a positioning device.

1 1. Substrate turning device according to claim 10, characterized in that the positioning device has at least one vertically aligned and vertically movable or extendable fixing element (36) and at least one bush (37) for engaging the fixing element (36).

12. substrate turning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate carrier (2), the at least one turning station (10) and a support frame (18) for the at least one turning station (10) on which the substrate turning mechanisms of the at least one turning station (10 ), are formed of a carbon fiber composite material.

13. Substrate processing plant for processing plate-shaped substrates (4), wherein the substrate processing plant is a continuous system with at least two process chambers and at least one separation chamber (1) between the process chambers and at least one, in at least one transport direction (A) for the substrates (4) the continuous system movable substrate carrier (2) having a plurality of in a horizontal plane and / or consecutively arranged frame-shaped, internally open support cells (3) for supporting a respective substrate (4) on substrate edge regions, characterized in that the substrate processing system is a substrate turning device according to at least one of claims 1 to 12.

14. substrate processing system according to claim 13, characterized in that the process chambers and the separation chamber (1) are evacuated chambers.

15. Substrate processing system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that a Substrateinführöffnung (8) and / or a Substratausführöffnung (9) of the separation chamber (1) is continuously open and the separation chamber (1) can be evacuated by a pumping system of at least one adjacent process chamber.

16. substrate processing system according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that in the separation chamber (1) in the transport direction (A) of the substrates (4) successively arranged turning stations (10) and a substrate carrier (2) arranged in rows and columns Carrier cells (3), the substrate carrier rows (6) and substrate carrier columns (7) form are provided, with which simultaneously the substrates (4) of several substrate carrier rows (6) are reversible, wherein the turning stations (10) have a distance from each other, the at least one Substrate carrier row (6) corresponds.

17. Substrate processing installation according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that drive motors of the substrate turning mechanism are provided outside the separation chamber (1).

18. substrate processing system according to one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that in the separation chamber (1) is provided a separate from the adjacent process chambers tempering device (9).