JP2003168712A - Method and device for transporting substrate in load- lock device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent particles accumulated in a first housing space 28A, particularly, on a lower chamber in the external circumference of the space 28A from flowing in the space 28A and adhering to the surface of a substrate by discharging the particles. <P>SOLUTION: The vicinity of a nozzle member 4 is cleaned with an air flowing in from the transport port 21a of a nozzle cover 21 housing the nozzle member 4 and flowing out of the vent 21b of the cover 21 by arranging the nozzle cover 21 to cover the nozzle member 4 in an anteroom 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transfer method for a load lock device and an apparatus therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional device of this type, for example, one shown in FIG. 4 is known. This load lock device is a single-wafer type that processes substrates 3 such as semiconductor wafers one by one, and for loading or unloading the substrates 3 into or from the vacuum chamber 14 without opening the vacuum chamber 14 to the atmosphere. The accommodation space 28 is provided as a preliminary chamber.

One substrate 3 is placed on the atmospheric robot 15 and is carried into the load lock device 1 from the preparation chamber 30 under atmospheric pressure through the transfer port 51a of the upper chamber 51, and above the stage 2 as shown in FIG. Then, it is placed on the support member 2a. Subsequently, the atmospheric robot 15 is returned, the nozzle member 4 is lowered, and the substrate 3 is housed in the first housing space 28A defined and sealed by the stage 2, the lower chamber 19 and the nozzle member 4, and the exhaust line is exhausted. The exhaust valve 27 of No. 8 is opened to drive the rough reference sub-vacuum pump 10 to reduce the pressure in the first accommodation space 28A. The nozzle member 4 can be moved up and down by a nozzle driving device 7.

Next, the stage 2 is lowered and the second accommodating space 28B and the first accommodating space 28A, which have been decompressed in advance by the main vacuum pump 11, are communicated with each other, and the substrate 3 on the stage 2 is secondly accommodated. Move to space 28B. The stage 2 can be driven up and down by a stage drive device 6. Reference numeral 22 is an opening / closing valve.

Subsequently, the gate valve 50 is opened and the stage 2 is moved by the vacuum robot 26 in the vacuum chamber 14.
The upper substrate 3 is loaded into the vacuum chamber 14 and supplied to a processing device (not shown) attached to the vacuum chamber 14 to perform a predetermined process.

The processed substrate 3 can be taken out from the transfer port 51a of the upper chamber 51 by substantially the reverse procedure, but the stage 2 is raised to define the sealed first accommodation space 28A. Gas from the gas introduction line 9 before the nozzle member 4 is raised.
8A is supplied to return to atmospheric pressure. At that time, the intake valve 29 provided in the gas introduction line 9 is opened.

When the substrate 3 is conveyed as described above, it is generally desired that the pressure in the first accommodation space 28A be quickly reduced or increased in order to improve the efficiency of the processing. However, there is a problem that minute particles adhering to the inner wall of the enclosed space 28A are rolled up by the air flow associated with the rapid pressure reduction or pressure rise, and these are accumulated on the substrate 3.

As a means for preventing the deterioration of the quality of the substrate 3 due to such winding of particles, a conventional example described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-217670 is known.

In this conventional example, by making the velocity of the gas supplied from the center of the nozzle member 4 on the substrate 3 substantially constant, the gas flow becomes a turbulent flow and winds up particles during the process of inhalation, and the particles are swept on the substrate 3. It is to prevent the adherence to. Further, when exhausting the air in the first accommodation space 28A, temporary intake is performed to effectively flow out particles.

Therefore, it is possible to quickly raise the pressure in the first accommodating space 28A and to reduce the influence of the air current of the particles caused by the gas flow.
Although it is possible to allow the particles to flow to the outside during depressurization, not only does it not suppress the generation of particles themselves due to the collision and separation of the lower chamber 19 and the nozzle member 4, but also the depressurization or pressurization is performed. The local high-speed gas flow immediately after the start cannot be avoided, and the particle winding itself cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

That is, in the substrate transfer device of the conventional load lock device, the exhaust valve 27 and the intake valve 2 are used.
9 is a structure that is configured by an opening / closing valve whose opening cannot be adjusted in any case, and has a structure in which rapid exhaust or intake is performed immediately after the start, and the nozzle driving device 7 is adjusted to increase / decrease its vertical speed. I do not assume.

Therefore, the first accommodation space 2 containing the substrate 3
When the roughing valve 27 is opened and the sub-vacuum pump 10 is used to evacuate the interior of the chamber 8A, rapid evacuation is started to generate a local high-speed gas flow, and the enclosed space 2
8A had a defect that particles adhering to the inner wall were rolled up and piled up on the substrate 3. Further, when the intake valve 29 is opened to inhale to increase the pressure in the first accommodation space 28A in which the substrate 3 is placed, rapid inspiration is started to generate a local high-speed gas flow and the enclosed space 28A is closed. There is a defect that particles adhering to the inner wall are rolled up and piled up on the substrate 3.

When the gas is introduced from the gas introduction line 9 provided at the center of the nozzle member 4 to return the inside of the first accommodation space 28A to the atmospheric pressure and the nozzle driving device 7 raises the nozzle member 4, the nozzle member 4 is moved. There is a technical problem that particles existing in the vicinity of between the upper sealing surface 19d and the upper sealing surface 19d are wound up and accumulated on the substrate 3 without flowing out.

Further, particles accumulated in the first accommodating space 28A are transferred to a vacuum pump (mainly the sub vacuum pump 1).
Since it is a structure that is discharged to the outside by the drive of 0),
In particular, the lower chamber 19 around the outside of the first accommodation space 28A
There is a technical problem that not only the particles accumulated above are not discharged, but also the particles flow into the first accommodation space 28A and adhere to the substrate 3.

In addition, since the nozzle driving device 7 for raising and lowering the nozzle member 4 has a structure for providing a constant raising and lowering speed, the nozzle member 4 is used for the upper sealing surface 1 of the lower chamber 19.
There was a technical problem in that particles were generated when they came into close contact with and separated from 9d.

From the above, according to the present invention, the exhaust line 8 has a line structure in which the exhaust speed can be changed slowly, and curling up of particles is suppressed, and the gas introduction line 9 has a line structure in which the intake speed can be changed slowly. The purpose of this is to suppress the winding up of the substrate 3 and improve the efficiency of the processing of the substrate 3 and prevent the deterioration of the quality due to the adhesion of particles.

Further, according to the present invention, the descending speed and further the ascending speed of the nozzle member 4 are made variable, and in particular, the generation of particles due to the collision of the nozzle member 4 with the lower chamber 19 is suppressed, and the substrate 3 The purpose of this is to achieve both high efficiency of the processing of (1) and prevention of deterioration of quality due to adhesion of particles.

Further, according to the present invention, an air flow in a predetermined direction is generated in the peripheral portion of the nozzle member 4 and particles are positively flown out from the nozzle member 4 to load-lock particles in the vicinity of the nozzle member 4. The purpose is to prevent the deterioration of the quality of the substrate 3 due to the adhesion of particles by adopting a structure in which the gas is quickly exhausted to the outside of the apparatus 1.

[0019]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and the structure thereof is as follows.
It is as follows. The invention of claim 1 provides a vacuum chamber 14
A storage space 28 for loading or unloading the substrate 3 into or from the vacuum chamber 14 without opening the storage space 28 to the atmosphere. The storage space 28 is a first storage space 28A that can be closed and opened to the atmosphere. , A second accommodation space 28B formed in the lower chamber 19 and communicating with the vacuum chamber 14,
The first accommodating space 28A is the upper opening 19 of the lower chamber 19.
A method of transporting a substrate of a load lock device, which can be defined by a nozzle member 4 for sealing a from the outside, which is opened in a preparation chamber 30 for accommodating the substrate 3 in the atmosphere by a transport port 21a, and A nozzle cover 21 that covers the upper portion of the nozzle member 4 and accommodates the nozzle member 4 is arranged, and the vicinity of the nozzle member 4 is cleaned by the airflow that flows in from the transport port 21a and flows out from the ventilation port 21b of the nozzle cover 21. A method of transporting a substrate of a load lock device, characterized by:
The invention according to claim 2 includes a storage space 28 for loading or unloading the substrate 3 into or from the vacuum chamber 14 without exposing the vacuum chamber 14 to the atmosphere.
However, the first storage space 28A that can be closed and opened to the atmosphere
And a second accommodation space 28B formed in the lower chamber 19 and communicating with the vacuum chamber 14, and the first accommodation space 28
A is a substrate transfer method of a load-lock device for decompressing and pressurizing the first accommodation space 28A while A can be defined by the nozzle member 4 that seals the upper opening 19a of the lower chamber 19 from the outside. A gas introduction line 9 for increasing the pressure of the first accommodation space 28A is provided, and when the pressure is increased through the gas introduction line 9 in a state where the first accommodation space 28A is airtightly defined with the second accommodation space 28B, an intake speed is increased. A substrate transfer method for a load lock device, characterized by changing from a low speed to a high speed. The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that when the first accommodating space 28A is airtightly defined and sealed with the atmosphere and then depressurized, the exhaust speed is changed from low speed to high speed. It is a substrate transfer method of a lock device. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the vacuum chamber 14 is always in communication with the second accommodation space 28B, and the second accommodation space 28B and the vacuum chamber 14 are in communication with each other.
4. A substrate transfer method for a load lock device according to claim 1, further comprising a single main vacuum pump 11 for depressurizing the inside of the substrate. The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, when the nozzle member 4 is moved and brought into close contact with the lower chamber 19, the moving speed of the nozzle member 4 is changed from a high speed to a low speed. 4 is a substrate transfer method of the load lock device of FIG. The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that, when the nozzle member 4 is moved away from the lower chamber 19, the moving speed of the nozzle member 4 is changed from a low speed to a high speed. 5 is a substrate transfer method of the load lock device of FIG. The invention according to claim 7 is
Before the nozzle member 4 is moved away from the lower chamber 19, the first accommodating space 28A has a higher pressure than the atmospheric pressure state.
Alternatively, the method of transporting the substrate of the load lock device according to No. 6 is provided. According to the invention of claim 8, there is provided a storage space 28 for loading or unloading the substrate 3 into or from the vacuum chamber 14 without exposing the vacuum chamber 14 to the atmosphere.
It has a first accommodation space 28A that can be closed and opened to the atmosphere, and a second accommodation space 28B that is formed in the lower chamber 19 and communicates with the vacuum chamber 14, and the first accommodation space 28A
A substrate transfer device of a load lock device that can be defined by a nozzle member 4 that seals an upper opening 19a of a lower chamber 19 from the outside. Room 30 for storing air in the atmosphere
Nozzle cover 2 that is opened by a transfer port 21a and has a ventilation port 21b formed at a position away from the transfer port 21a
1 is arranged to generate an air flow in the nozzle cover 21 from the preparatory chamber 30 to the ventilation port 21b. The invention according to claim 9 includes a housing space 28 for loading or unloading the substrate 3 into or from the vacuum chamber 14 without opening the vacuum chamber 14 to the atmosphere. It has a first accommodating space 28A that can be opened and a second accommodating space 28B that is formed in the lower chamber 19 and communicates with the vacuum chamber 14, and the first accommodating space 28A is located outside the upper opening 19a of the lower chamber 19. Can be defined by the nozzle member 4 that is sealed from the first housing space 28A.
And a gas introduction line 9 for increasing the pressure of the first accommodation space 28A, the gas introduction line 9 being an intake valve capable of increasing or decreasing an intake speed. A substrate transfer device of a load lock device, which is connected to a gas supply source 32 via a device 31. The invention of claim 10 is
An exhaust line 8 is provided for airtightly defining the first accommodation space 28A, hermetically closing it to the atmosphere, and then reducing the pressure, and the exhaust line 8 is capable of increasing and decreasing the exhaust speed.
The substrate transfer device of the load lock device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the substrate transfer device is connected to the sub vacuum pump 10 through 0. The invention of claim 11 relates to the vacuum chamber 1.
4 always communicates with the second accommodation space 28B, and
The substrate transfer device of the load lock device according to claim 8, 9 or 10, further comprising a single main vacuum pump 11 that depressurizes the inside of the accommodation space 28B and the vacuum chamber 14. According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, a nozzle drive device 7 for moving the nozzle member 4 up and down is provided, and the nozzle drive device 7 is provided.
The substrate transfer device of the load lock device according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein the moving speed of the nozzle member 4 can be changed. The invention according to claim 13 is characterized in that the gas supply source 32 can supply a gas having a pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure state to the first accommodation space 28A. It is a substrate transfer device.

[0020]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of a substrate transfer device of a load lock device according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a load lock device, and the load lock device 1 is arranged between the cassette station 24 and the vacuum chamber 14. The cassette station 24 is a clean and atmospheric pressure space filled with air blown out from the clean filter 23. The cassette station 24 is provided with a cassette box 25 for storing a plurality of substrates 3 which are semiconductor wafers, and the substrates 3 are exposed in the atmosphere. An atmospheric robot 15 is provided in the preparation room 30 for transportation. Since the preparation chamber 30 of the cassette station 24 is filled with the air blown from the clean filter 23,
Although it is a space slightly higher than atmospheric pressure, it is in the atmospheric pressure state because it is a space that is open to the atmosphere. The vacuum chamber 14 is a vacuum space, has a vacuum robot 26 therein, and carries the substrate 3 into or out of the processing chamber 14a. In the processing chamber 14a, film formation or etching is performed on the substrate 3 by a physical or chemical reaction while flowing a reaction gas according to the purpose of use of semiconductors, liquid crystals, solar cells, or the like.

The load lock device 1 includes a lower chamber 1 having an upper opening 19a formed by an inward flange portion 19b.
9, a stage 2 that is housed in the lower chamber 19 and can be in close contact with an annular lower seal surface 19c formed by the lower surface of the inward flange portion 19b of the lower chamber 19, and the lower chamber 19
An inwardly facing flange portion 19 of the lower chamber 19 which is arranged outside
The nozzle member 4 that can be in close contact with the annular upper seal surface 19d formed by the upper surface of b and the nozzle cover 21 are provided. The lower chamber 19 communicates with the vacuum chamber 14 in a second accommodation space 28B described later. Since particles near the stage 2 are reduced, the lower chamber 19 and the vacuum chamber 14 are directly communicated with each other, and the gate valve 5 of the conventional example is used.
It is possible to omit 0. Omitting the gate valve 50
The entire device including the load lock device 1 is made compact.

The stage 2 has a supporting member 2a for supporting the substrate 3 on its upper surface, and is mounted on a stage driving device 6 mounted via a driving shaft 5 penetrating the lower chamber 19 in a hermetically and slidably manner. Therefore, it is driven up and down, and when it rises, it comes into close contact with the lower sealing surface 19c in an airtight manner.
8B can be sealed and partitioned. The nozzle member 4 is driven up and down by the nozzle driving device 7, and when it descends, it comes into close airtight contact with the upper sealing surface 19d and can partition the relatively small volume of the first accommodation space 28A. The small-capacity first accommodation space 28A minimizes the space for exhausting and inhaling, and enables high speed and high processing. When the stage 2 moves up while the nozzle member 4 moves down, the first
The accommodation space 28A is formed in a state of being airtightly isolated from the second accommodation space 28B.

The nozzle driving device 7 can adjust the ascending / descending speed of the nozzle member 4 at a slow speed, and when the nozzle member 4 is located near the upper sealing surface 19d, it is set to a low speed and the upper sealing surface 1
Slowly adhere to and detach from 9d. Such a nozzle drive device 7 can be realized by controlling the rotational speed of the motor using a motor and a mechanism (for example, a ball screw / nut mechanism) that converts the rotational motion of the motor into a linear motion.

Therefore, the first accommodating space 28A can be defined by the nozzle member 4, the lower chamber 19 and the stage 2 with the nozzle member 4 sealing the upper opening 19a from the outside, and the second accommodating space 28A can be defined. The space 28B can be defined by the lower chamber 19 and the stage 2 with respect to the first accommodation space 28A by the stage 2 sealing the upper opening 19a from the inside.

The nozzle cover 21 covers the upper side of the nozzle member 4 to accommodate the nozzle member 4, and is opened by a transfer port 21a in a preparation chamber 30 for accommodating the substrate 3 in the atmosphere, and
Vent 21b having a slit shape at a position far from the transport port 21a
Have at least one location. In this way, the transport port 2
The reason why the vent hole 21b is provided at a position away from 1a is to effectively generate an air flow around the nozzle member 4 from the transfer port 21a toward the vent hole 21b. The first accommodation space 28A that can be closed and opened to the atmosphere and the second accommodation space 28B that is connected to the vacuum chamber 14 form the accommodation space 28 that is a load lock chamber.

The lower chamber 19 has a main vacuum pump 1
1 is connected. Lower chamber 19 and vacuum chamber 1
4 is in direct communication, the single main vacuum pump 11 can appropriately decompress both the second accommodation space 28B and the accommodation space 28 in the lower chamber 19, and the vacuum chamber 14 The inside can be depressurized at the same time.

A roughly quoted exhaust line 8 and gas introduction line 9 are connected to the first accommodation space 28A. The exhaust line 8 is provided with an exhaust valve device 20 having one end opened on the inner peripheral surface of the inward flange portion 19b of the lower chamber 19 and having an exhaust valve device 20 capable of increasing / decreasing the exhaust amount per unit time in the middle portion.
The other end is connected to the sub vacuum pump 10 for rough evacuation.
The exhaust valve device 20 is specifically configured by two valves 20a and 20b arranged in parallel, and the exhaust speed can be increased or decreased by sequentially opening the two valves 20a and 20b. The gas introduction line 9 is provided with an intake valve device 31 having one end opened at the central portion of the nozzle member 4 and capable of increasing / decreasing the amount of intake air per unit time at the middle portion, and the other end connected to a gas supply source 32. ing.

The gas supply source 32 has a structure for supplying at least a dry gas (air), and is equipped with a heater to raise the temperature of the gas to about 100 ° C., or is equipped with an ionizer to ionize the dry gas. It is getting to let you. The gas supply source 32 can supply a gas having a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure state to the first accommodation space 28A. The gas supply source 32 includes a pump (not shown), and the gas from the gas supply source 32 is pumped. It is designed to be pumped. Also,
It is also possible to provide the gas supply source 32 with an accumulator and supply the high-pressure gas in the accumulator to the first accommodation space 28A to make the pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The intake valve device 31 is specifically configured by two valves 31 a and 31 b arranged in parallel, and the two valve 31
The intake speed can be increased / decreased by sequentially opening a and 31b. The exhaust valve device 20 and the intake valve device 31 can also be configured by a normal flow control valve.

Next, the operation will be described. First, the operation of transferring the substrate 3 from the preparation chamber 30 to the vacuum chamber 14 using the atmospheric robot 15 and the vacuum robot 26 will be described. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle member 4 and the stage 2 are raised, and the first accommodation space 28
A is opened to the atmosphere, and the second accommodation space 28B is evacuated by the main vacuum pump 11.

One substrate 3 taken out from the cassette box 25 of the cassette station 24 by the atmospheric robot 15 is carried in through the transfer port 21a, and the stage 2
Is placed at a predetermined position on the support member 2a.

When the substrate 3 is placed on the stage 2, the atmospheric robot 15 is returned, and the nozzle member 4 is lowered by the nozzle driving device 7 to move the nozzle member 4 to the upper sealing surface 19d as shown in FIG. Airtightly adheres to the stage 2, the lower chamber 19, and the nozzle member 4 to define a first accommodation space 28A that is hermetically sealed. At this time, the descending speed of the nozzle member 4 given by the nozzle driving device 7 is changed from high speed to low speed, the nozzle member 4 descends in a short time, and the lower chamber 19 is slowly adhered to the inward flange portion 19b. Both are satisfied, and the generation of particles due to the collision of the nozzle member 4 with the inward flange portion 19b is suppressed.

Subsequently, the first accommodation space 28A is evacuated by the sub vacuum pump 10. At this time, the exhaust valve device 20 switches the exhaust speed from low speed to high speed. Specifically, after opening one of the two valves 20a and 20b, the other is opened after a predetermined time has passed, and the first accommodation space 28A is opened.
The amount of gas outflow from is gradually increased. This prevents a strong local airflow from being generated in the first accommodation space 28A at the initial stage of suction, and suppresses particles adhering to the image wall from being taken up and accumulated on the substrate 3.

The first accommodation space 28A is replaced with the second accommodation space 28B.
After the pressure is reduced to almost the same as the above, the stage 2 on which the substrate 3 is placed is lowered as shown in FIG. Then, the substrate 3 on the stage 2 is received by the vacuum robot 26, is transferred to the processing chamber 14a connected to the vacuum chamber 14 through the vacuum chamber 14 which is already kept in vacuum, and the substrate 3 is subjected to a predetermined processing.

Next, using the vacuum robot 26 and the atmospheric robot 15, the processed substrate 3 is placed in the vacuum chamber 14.
The operation of carrying the sheet from the sheet to the preparation room 30 will be described.

The substrate 3 which has been processed in the processing chamber 14a
Is placed at a predetermined position on the support member 2a of the stage 2 by the vacuum robot 26. Next, the vacuum robot 26 is returned, and the drive shaft 5 is moved by the stage drive device 6.
The stage 2 is raised via the, and the stage 2 is airtightly adhered to the lower seal surface 19c. The state in which the stage 2 is airtightly adhered to the lower sealing surface 19c is substantially the same as the state shown in FIG. 2 except that the substrate 3 has been processed.

Since the first space 28A is thus defined, the gas from the gas supply source 32 is blown out from the gas introduction line 9 into the first space 28A in a sealed state. At this time, the amount of gas flowing into the first space 28A per unit time is gradually increased from a small amount to a large amount. Specifically, after opening one of the two valves 31a and 31b, the other valve is switched to open after a lapse of a predetermined time. As a result, the gas inflow speed is changed from low speed to high speed, and the first accommodation space 28A
It is possible to prevent a strong local air flow from being generated inside, and the particles adhering to the drawing wall are rolled up, so that the substrate 3
It suppresses the accumulation on top. The upper surface of the substrate 3 is cleaned by blowing gas from the gas introduction line 9 opening at the center of the nozzle member 4. When the gas is supplied so that the inside of the first space 28A is slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure, both valves 31a and 31b are normally closed.

Next, the nozzle member 4 is raised by the nozzle driving device 7, and the side of the substrate 3 on the stage 2 is exposed to the atmosphere. At this time, the rising speed of the nozzle member 4 is changed from low speed to high speed, and the nozzle member 4 is lifted in a short time and the inward flange portion 1 of the lower chamber 19 of the nozzle member 4 is changed.
It is possible to achieve both a slow separation from 9b and to suppress the generation and winding of particles accompanying the separation of nozzle member 4 from inward flange portion 19b. If the first accommodating space 28A is made slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure state, the gas in the first space 28A is accompanied by particles, particularly particles in the vicinity of the upper sealing surface 19d, due to the nozzle member 4 being separated from the flange portion 19b. Then, since it flows out of the nozzle member 4, particles are suppressed from accumulating on the substrate 3. Therefore, the closing operation of both valves 31a and 31b is
It can also be performed after the nozzle member 4 is separated from the inward flange portion 19b.

Further, the air blown out from the clean filter 23 produces an air flow from the cassette station 24 at atmospheric pressure (slightly higher than atmospheric pressure) toward the ventilation port 21b, and near the nozzle member 4, particularly the inward flange portion 1.
Since the particles on 9b flow out from the vent hole 21b to the outside, they are prevented from accumulating on the substrate 3. The air flow from the cassette station 24 to the ventilation port 21b is generated even when the nozzle member 4 is in close contact with the upper sealing surface 19d, so that the particles stay on the inward flange portion 19b of the lower chamber 19 or the like. Is prevented. When the nozzle member 4 rises, the inside of the nozzle member 4 is also ventilated by the air flow from the cassette station 24 toward the ventilation port 21b.

When the nozzle member 4 moves up, the atmospheric robot 15 takes out the substrate 3 on the stage 2 and transfers it to the cassette station 24. In the accommodation space 28, the raising / lowering speed of the nozzle member 4 is adjusted to be slow to suppress the generation and winding of particles, and the exhaust line 8 and the gas introduction line 9 capable of increasing / decreasing the intake speed and the exhaust speed increase the winding of particles. Since it is suppressed, the ventilation port 2 is provided in the nozzle cover 21 from the preparation chamber 30.
In addition to generating the air flow toward 1b and discharging the particles, there is virtually no possibility of the particles reattaching to the substrate 3. Cassette station 24
The substrate 3 that has been conveyed to is transferred to the next step.

By the way, in the above-mentioned first embodiment,
A storage space 28 for loading and unloading the substrate 3 is provided in the vacuum chamber 14 without opening the vacuum chamber 14 to the atmosphere, and the storage space 28 is capable of sealing and opening to the atmosphere. Although the first accommodation space 28A and the second accommodation space 28B communicating with the vacuum chamber 14 are provided, the accommodation space 28 can also bear at least one of loading and unloading of the substrate 3. In that case, a load lock device dedicated to loading the substrate 3 and a load lock device dedicated to unloading the substrate 3 are provided. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to the vacuum chamber 14 having the accommodation space 28 for loading or unloading the substrate 3.

[0041]

As can be understood from the above description,
According to the substrate transfer method and the apparatus therefor of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) According to the inventions of claims 1 and 8, it is possible to clean the vicinity of the nozzle member by generating an air flow in the nozzle cover that flows in from the transfer port and flows out from the ventilation port.
This prevents a large amount of particles from staying in and near the first accommodation space. As a result, it is possible to obtain a high quality substrate that is kept clean.

(2) According to the inventions of claims 2 and 9, when the first accommodating space is airtightly isolated from the second accommodating space and then the first accommodating space is pressurized to the atmospheric pressure state, the intake speed is increased. It can be changed from low speed to high speed. This allows
It is possible to favorably prevent particles in the first accommodating space from being wound up by the localized high-speed gas flow, and to prevent the particles from accumulating on the substrate. As a result, it is possible to obtain a high quality substrate that is kept clean.

(3) According to the inventions of claims 3 and 10,
When the first accommodating space is sealed with the atmosphere and then decompressed through the exhaust line, the exhaust speed can be changed from low speed to high speed. As a result, particles in the first accommodation space can be favorably prevented from being wound up by the local high-speed gas flow, and can be suppressed from being deposited on the substrate. As a result, it is possible to obtain a high quality substrate that is kept clean.

(4) According to the inventions of claims 4 and 11,
A vacuum chamber is in constant communication with the second accommodation space and is provided with a single main vacuum pump. Thereby, the sluice valve disposed between the vacuum chamber and the second accommodation space is omitted, and the structure related to the vacuum pump can be simplified. Such a simple and compact structure of the load lock device can be realized as a result of the reduction of particles in the accommodation space.

(5) According to the inventions of claims 5 and 12,
When moving the nozzle member toward the lower chamber, the moving speed of the nozzle member can be changed from high speed to low speed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the nozzle member from strongly colliding with the lower chamber and generating particles.

(6) According to the inventions of claims 6 and 12,
When moving the nozzle member away from the lower chamber, the moving speed of the nozzle member can be changed from low speed to high speed. Thereby, when the nozzle member is separated from the lower chamber, particles can be prevented from being generated or being wound up.

(7) According to the inventions of claims 7 and 13,
Before moving the nozzle member away from the lower chamber,
The accommodation space can be made to have a higher pressure than the atmospheric pressure. Thereby, when the nozzle member is moved away from the lower chamber, the gas in the first accommodation space flows out from the gap,
The particles in the vicinity are blown away, and the particles in the accommodation space are reduced. As a result, it is possible to obtain a high quality substrate that is kept clean.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a substrate transfer device of a load lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the same operation.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the same operation.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: load lock device, 2: stage, 3: substrate, 4:
Nozzle member, 6: Stage drive device, 7: Nozzle drive device, 8: Exhaust line, 9: Gas introduction line, 10: Sub vacuum pump, 11: Main vacuum pump, 14: Vacuum chamber,
14a: processing chamber, 19: lower chamber, 19a: upper opening, 20: exhaust valve device, 21: nozzle cover, 21
a: transport port, 21b: ventilation port, 23: clean filter, 24: cassette station, 25: cassette box, 26: vacuum robot, 28: accommodation space, 28A:
1st accommodation space, 28B: 2nd accommodation space, 30: preparation room,
31: intake valve device, 32: gas supply source.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A storage space (28) for loading or unloading a substrate (3) into or from the vacuum chamber (14) without opening the vacuum chamber (14) to the atmosphere, the storage space (28) being provided. 28) is the first that can be sealed and opened to the atmosphere
A second accommodation space (2) formed in the accommodation space (28A) and the lower chamber (19) and communicating with the vacuum chamber (14).
8B) and the first accommodation space (28A) can be defined by a nozzle member (4) for sealing the upper opening (19a) of the lower chamber (19) from the outside. In the method, the nozzle member (4) is opened in the preparation chamber (30) for accommodating the substrate (3) in the atmosphere by the transfer port (21a) and covers the upper side of the nozzle member (4).
A nozzle cover (21) for accommodating the nozzle member (4) is provided, and the nozzle member (4) is provided by an air flow that flows in from the transfer port (21a) and flows out from the ventilation port (21b) of the nozzle cover (21).
A method of transporting a substrate of a load lock device, characterized in that the vicinity of the substrate is cleaned. 2. A storage space (28) for loading or unloading a substrate (3) into or from the vacuum chamber (14) without opening the vacuum chamber (14) to the atmosphere, the storage space (28) being provided. 28) is the first that can be sealed and opened to the atmosphere
A second accommodation space (2) formed in the accommodation space (28A) and the lower chamber (19) and communicating with the vacuum chamber (14).
8B) and the first accommodation space (28A) can be defined by a nozzle member (4) for sealing the upper opening (19a) of the lower chamber (19) from the outside, and the first accommodation space A substrate transfer method of a load lock device for decompressing and boosting (28A), comprising: the first accommodation space (28A).
A gas introduction line (9) for increasing the pressure of the first accommodation space (28A) and the second accommodation space (28B).
A method of transporting a substrate of a load lock device, characterized in that when the pressure is increased through the gas introduction line (9) in a state of being airtightly defined, the intake speed is changed from low speed to high speed. 3. The load according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust speed is changed from a low speed to a high speed when the first accommodation space (28A) is airtightly defined, sealed with the atmosphere and then decompressed. A substrate transfer method for a locking device. 4. A single main vacuum pump for constantly communicating the vacuum chamber (14) with the second accommodation space (28B) and reducing the pressure inside the second accommodation space (28B) and the vacuum chamber (14). 4. The substrate transfer method for a load lock device according to claim 1, further comprising (11). 5. The nozzle member (4) when the nozzle member (4) is moved and brought into close contact with the lower chamber (19).
5. The substrate transfer method of the load lock device according to claim 1, wherein the moving speed of the device is changed from a high speed to a low speed. 6. The moving speed of the nozzle member (4) is changed from a low speed to a high speed when the nozzle member (4) is moved away from the lower chamber (19). 3, 4 or 5 substrate transfer method of the load lock device. 7. The first accommodation space (28) before the nozzle member (4) is moved away from the lower chamber (19).
7. The substrate transfer method of the load lock device according to claim 1, wherein A) is set to a pressure higher than an atmospheric pressure state. 8. A storage space (28) for loading or unloading a substrate (3) into or from the vacuum chamber (14) without opening the vacuum chamber (14) to the atmosphere, the storage space (28) being provided. 28) is the first that can be sealed and opened to the atmosphere
A second accommodation space (2) formed in the accommodation space (28A) and the lower chamber (19) and communicating with the vacuum chamber (14).
8B) and the first accommodation space (28A) can be defined by a nozzle member (4) for sealing the upper opening (19a) of the lower chamber (19) from the outside. A device, which covers the upper side of the nozzle member (4) to accommodate the nozzle member (4) and opens the preparation chamber (30) for accommodating the substrate (3) in the atmosphere through a transfer port (21a). And a nozzle cover (21) having a vent hole (21b) formed at a position away from the transfer port (21a),
A substrate transfer device for a load lock device, characterized in that an air current is generated in the nozzle cover (21) from the preparation chamber (30) toward the ventilation port (21b). 9. A storage space (28) for loading or unloading a substrate (3) into or from the vacuum chamber (14) without opening the vacuum chamber (14) to the atmosphere, the storage space (28) being provided. 28) is the first that can be sealed and opened to the atmosphere
A second accommodation space (2) formed in the accommodation space (28A) and the lower chamber (19) and communicating with the vacuum chamber (14).
8B) and the first accommodation space (28A) is definable by the nozzle member (4) for sealing the upper opening (19a) of the lower chamber (19) from the outside, and the first accommodation space (28A) A substrate transfer device of a load lock device for decompressing and boosting a space (28A), comprising the first accommodation space (28
A gas introduction line (9) for increasing the pressure of A) is provided,
A substrate transfer device of a load lock device, wherein the gas introduction line (9) is connected to a gas supply source (32) through an intake valve device (31) capable of increasing and decreasing an intake speed. 10. An exhaust line (8) for decompressing the first accommodating space (28A) which is airtightly defined and hermetically sealed with the atmosphere, and the exhaust line (8) increases or decreases the exhaust speed. Substrate transfer device for a load lock device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it is connected to the auxiliary vacuum pump (10) via a possible exhaust valve device (20). 11. A single main vacuum pump, in which the vacuum chamber (14) is in constant communication with the second accommodation space (28B) and which depressurizes the interior of the second accommodation space (28B) and the vacuum chamber (14). The substrate transfer device of the load lock device according to claim 8, 9 or 10, further comprising (11). 12. A nozzle driving device (7) for moving the nozzle member (4) up and down, the nozzle driving device (7) being capable of changing the moving speed of the nozzle member (4). The substrate transfer device of the load lock device according to claim 8, 9, 10, or 11. 13. The gas supply source (32) is the first
A gas having a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure can be supplied to the accommodation space (28A).
Substrate transfer device of the load lock device of 2.