JP2004006356A - Vacuum processing device and vacuum treatment method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum treatment device and a vacuum treatment method in which the time for a pressure reduction and an atmospheric air introduction can be shortened, and treatment efficiency and quality can be improved. <P>SOLUTION: In the upper direction of a first electrode 4 installed on a base member 3 and mounting a substrate 7 on the upper face, an external lid 10 having a recessed part 10a opened at the first electrode 4 side is installed in free lifting, and an inner lid 11 which is a second electrode vertically moving in the recessed part 10 is provided. Under a state in which the external lid 10 is airtightly abutted on the base member 3, a first closed chamber surrounded by the recessed part 10a and the first electrode 4 is made a plasma treatment space, and a vacuum pump 33 and an atmospheric vent device 34 are connected to a second closed chamber formed between the internal lid 11 closing the recessed part 10 and the first electrode 4 under the state in which the external lid 10 is abutted on the base member 3. By this, only the second closed chamber having a small volume is made the object at the reduced pressure and the atmospheric air introduction, and the time for the pressure reduction and the atmospheric air introduction can be shortened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus for performing vacuum processing on a work such as a substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a vacuum processing apparatus that is an apparatus for processing performed under reduced pressure such as plasma processing, a closed space is formed by combining a base member and a lid member. The work to be processed is placed in this closed space, and the closed space is depressurized by a decompression means such as a vacuum pump. After the completion of the vacuum treatment, the atmosphere is again introduced into the closed space, and the vacuum is restored to the normal pressure.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the decompression process, a predetermined decompression time is required to depressurize the closed space to a predetermined degree of vacuum. This decompression time is generally on the order of several tens of seconds, and this time is considerably longer than the tact time of the electronic component manufacturing process and the mounting process. For this reason, in order to improve the productivity, it has been conventionally required to reduce the decompression time and the time required for the introduction into the atmosphere.
[0004]
However, in the conventional vacuum processing apparatus, it is necessary to use a large-capacity vacuum pump in order to reduce the decompression time, which leads to an increase in the size of the apparatus and an increase in equipment cost. However, since a large amount of oil mist is discharged, there is a problem that air around the apparatus is polluted.
[0005]
Further, when performing plasma processing as vacuum processing, there is an optimum distance between electrodes depending on the type of work. However, in the conventional vacuum processing apparatus, since the distance between the electrodes is fixed, individual workpieces cannot always be processed under optimum conditions, which hinders improvement in processing efficiency and quality.
[0006]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum processing apparatus capable of reducing the time required for depressurization and introduction to the atmosphere, and improving processing efficiency and quality.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a base member, a first electrode mounted on the base member and having a mounting portion for mounting a workpiece, and a concave portion opened on the first electrode side. An outer lid forming a first closed chamber surrounded by the concave portion and the mounting portion by being in close contact with the base member; and a first driving unit for bringing the outer lid into and out of contact with the base member. A second electrode movably arranged vertically in the concave portion, the inner lid sealing the concave portion to form a third sealed chamber, and the outer lid air-tightly contacting the base member. A pressure reducing means connected to a second closed chamber formed between the inner lid sealing the concave portion and the mounting portion in the state described above, and exhausting air in the second closed chamber to reduce the pressure; An atmosphere vent device for returning the second closed chamber to the atmospheric pressure, and A second drive unit that connects the airtight chamber and the third airtight chamber to form the first closed chamber and raises the inner lid to a height that is a distance between electrodes suitable for the plasma processing; A gas supply device for supplying a gas for plasma generation to one closed chamber and a high-frequency power supply for applying a high-frequency voltage to the first electrode were provided.
[0008]
The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 2 is the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer lid is separated from the base member in a state where the inner lid seals the recess, and the mounting portion is placed in this state. Carry in and out of the upper work.
[0009]
The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3 is the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third lid is formed by bringing the inner lid into contact with a contact portion protruding inside the recess. .
[0010]
A vacuum processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the vacuum processing apparatus according to the third aspect, further comprising a stopper for preventing the inner lid from being separated from the contact portion.
[0011]
The vacuum processing method according to claim 5, further comprising a base member, a first electrode mounted on the base member and provided with a mounting portion for mounting a workpiece, and a concave portion opened on the first electrode side. An outer lid forming a first closed chamber surrounded by the concave portion and the mounting portion by being in close contact with the base member; and a second electrode disposed vertically movable in the concave portion. A vacuum processing method in a vacuum processing apparatus provided with an inner lid that seals the concave portion to form a third sealed chamber, wherein the first step of mounting a work on the mounting portion; A second step of forming a first closed chamber for accommodating the work by airtightly contacting the base member, a third step of exhausting air in the first closed chamber to reduce the pressure, and Fourth step of generating plasma by supplying a plasma generation gas into the closed space defined By lowering the inner lid and sealing the recess, the first sealed chamber is separated from the second sealed chamber, which is a space between the first electrode and the inner lid and accommodates a work, by the inner lid. A fifth step of dividing the lid into a third sealed chamber surrounded by the recess, a sixth step of returning the second sealed chamber to atmospheric pressure, and the step of closing the recess with the middle lid. A seventh step of separating the outer lid from the base member, an eighth step of taking out the work from the mounting portion and mounting the next work on the mounting portion, and contacting the outer lid with the base member. A ninth step of forming a second closed chamber accommodating the next work, a tenth step of exhausting air in the second closed chamber to reduce the pressure, and releasing the closed state of the recess by the inner lid Then, the second closed chamber and the third closed chamber are connected to form a first closed chamber, and the inner lid is plugged. To a height which is a distance between electrodes suitable for discharge and a 11th step of raising.
[0012]
7. The vacuum processing method according to claim 6, further comprising a base member, a first electrode mounted on the base member and having a mounting portion for mounting a work, and a concave portion opened on the first electrode side. An outer lid forming a first closed chamber surrounded by the concave portion and the mounting portion by being in close contact with the base member; and a second electrode disposed vertically movable in the concave portion. A vacuum processing method in a vacuum processing apparatus provided with an inner lid for sealing the recess to form a third sealed chamber, wherein a step of mounting a work on the mounting portion; The outer lid is brought into contact with the base member in a state in which the third closed chamber formed by sealing is kept in a vacuum state, and the second closed chamber containing the next work is placed below the inner lid. Forming, and evacuation of the air in the second closed chamber to reduce the pressure; The closed state of the concave portion by the lid is released, the second closed chamber and the third closed chamber are connected to form the first closed chamber, and the middle lid is set to a distance between electrodes suitable for plasma discharge. And generating a plasma by supplying a plasma generating gas to the reduced pressure of the first closed chamber.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are vacuum processing apparatuses according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
[0014]
First, the structure of the vacuum processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a frame 2 is erected on a base 1. A base member 3 is horizontally fixed to an upper end portion of the frame 2, and an electrode 4 is mounted on a lower surface of the base member 3 with a bolt 6 via an insulating member 5. A washer 6a made of an insulator is mounted between the bolt 6 and the electrode 4. The contact surfaces between the insulating member 5 and the base member 3 and between the insulating member 5 and the first electrode 4 are hermetically sealed by a seal member 18 (FIG. 2). The upper part of the first electrode 4 is fitted into an opening 3 a (see FIG. 2) provided in the base member 3. The upper surface of the first electrode 4 is a mounting portion on which the substrate 7 as a work is mounted, and the first electrode 4 is connected to a high-frequency power supply unit 16. By driving the high-frequency power supply 16, a high-frequency voltage is applied to the first electrode 4.
[0015]
The outer lid 10 is in contact with the upper surface of the base member 3. The outer lid 10 is fixed to a bracket 13, and the bracket 13 is connected to a rod 15 of a cylinder 14, which is a first driving means. By moving the cylinder 14 up and down, the outer lid 10 moves up and down, and comes into contact with and separates from the base member 3. A concave portion 10a opened toward the electrode 4 is provided inside the outer lid 10, and a horizontal inner lid 11 is disposed in the concave portion 10a by a rod 12 so as to be vertically movable. On the upper surface of the outer lid 10, a vertical drive mechanism 20 of the inner lid 11, which is a second driving means, is provided. By rotating the motor 21, the inner lid 11 is placed in the recess 10a via the rod 12. To move up and down.
[0016]
Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the closed chamber for vacuum processing constituted by the outer lid 10 and the inner lid 11 and the vertical drive mechanism 20 of the inner lid 11 will be described. In FIG. 4, a concave portion 10 a provided in the outer lid 10 is open to the first electrode 4 side, and a space surrounded by the concave portion 10 a and the upper surface of the first electrode 4 is the first closed chamber 8. Has become. On the other hand, in FIG. 2, a contact portion 10c projecting inward is provided below the concave portion 10a, and the inner lid 11 is lowered in the concave portion 10a to hermetically seal the seal member 29 on the upper surface of the contact portion 10c. , The recess 10a is airtightly partitioned and hermetically sealed. In a state where the outer lid 10 is in airtight contact with the base member 3, the space between the inner lid 11 and the upper surface of the first electrode 4 forms a second closed chamber 9. Accommodates a substrate 7 placed on the first electrode 4.
[0017]
The outer lid 10 is provided with a pore 10b communicating with the second closed chamber 9. Further, a space formed on the inner lid 11 by the inner lid 11 and the concave portion 10a becomes a third closed chamber 80. That is, by sealing the recess 10 a with the inner lid 11, the first sealed chamber 8 is divided into the second sealed chamber 9 and the third sealed chamber 80. As shown in FIG. 1, a gas gauge 10, a vacuum pump 33, an atmospheric venting device 34, and a gas supply which constitute a process gas control unit 31 are provided through a piping member 17 connected to the piping hole 3 b of the base member 3. It is connected to each of the devices 35. The vacuum gauge 32 detects the degree of vacuum in the first closed chamber 8 or the second closed chamber 9. The vacuum pump 33 is a decompression unit, and exhausts the air inside the second closed chamber 9. The air venting device 34 introduces air into the inside before opening the outer lid 10 to perform vacuum breaking. The gas supply device 35 supplies a plasma generating gas such as an argon gas into the first closed chamber 8 or the second closed chamber 9 in which the pressure is reduced. The process gas controller 31 composed of the above components is controlled by the controller 30.
[0018]
Referring again to FIG. 2, a support table 22 is provided on the upper surface of the outer lid 10, and a motor 21 is provided on the upper surface of the support table 22. A linear motion mechanism 23 is connected to an output shaft (not shown) of the motor 21. When the motor 21 is driven to rotate, the rod 12 connected to the linear motion mechanism 23 moves up and down. The rod 12 is inserted into the recess 10a through the opening 10d provided in the outer cover 10. Therefore, when the motor 21 is driven, the inner cover 11 moves up and down in the recess 10a. At this time, since the insertion portion of the rod 12 is kept airtight by the seal member 28 held by the holding member 27, the third airtight chamber 80 moves upward and downward with respect to the outside of the outer lid 10 when the inner lid 11 moves up and down. To maintain a sealed state.
[0019]
The vertical drive mechanism 20 includes a stopper drive motor 24, and the stopper drive motor 24 rotates the stopper 25. Thereby, the stopper 25 is fitted into the stopper groove 26 provided in the rod 12. The vertical movement of the inner lid 11 is controlled by the control unit 30, and the inner lid 11 can be held at an arbitrary position in the concave portion 10a. Since the inner lid 11 is electrically grounded and serves as a second electrode facing the first electrode 4, by adjusting the vertical position of the inner lid 11, the distance between the discharge electrodes during plasma discharge is adjusted. Can be adjusted. The operations of the cylinder 14 and the stopper drive motor 24 are also controlled by the control unit 30.
[0020]
This vacuum processing apparatus is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a state before the plasma processing as a vacuum processing is started, and the substrate 7 to be processed is placed on the electrode 4 with the outer lid 10 raised (first step). At this time, the inner lid 11 is at the raised position, and the recess 10a is open. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the outer lid 10 is lowered to come into contact with the base member 3 to form the first closed chamber 8 (second step). Then, the inside of the first closed chamber 8 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 33 to reduce the pressure (third step), and the gas for plasma generation is supplied by the gas supply device 35. Next, by applying a high-frequency voltage between the electrode 4 and the inner lid 11, plasma is generated in the first closed chamber 8 (fourth step), and the plasma processing of the substrate 7 is performed. At this time, since the height position of the inner lid 11 can be arbitrarily adjusted, it is possible to set an appropriate inter-electrode distance L according to the substrate 7 to be processed, and perform favorable plasma processing.
[0021]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, the motor 21 is driven to lower the rod 12, and the inner lid 11 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the contact portion 10c in the recess 10a. Thereby, the concave portion 10a is closed by the inner lid 11, and the third closed chamber 80 is formed. On the other hand, the space between the inner lid 11 and the electrode 4 becomes the second closed chamber 9. That is, the first closed chamber 8 is divided into a second closed chamber 9 for accommodating the work, a third closed chamber 80 surrounded by the inner lid 11 and the recess (fifth step). Here, by driving the stopper drive motor 24, the stopper 25 is fitted into the stopper groove 26 so that the inner lid 11 does not separate from the contact portion 10c. Then, in this state, the atmosphere is introduced into the second closed chamber 9 by the atmosphere vent device 34, and the atmosphere returns to the atmospheric pressure (sixth step).
[0022]
At this time, the internal volume of the second closed chamber 9 is smaller than the entire volume of the concave portion 10a (the first closed chamber 8), so that the time for introducing into the atmosphere is reduced. After the introduction into the atmosphere, an upward force acts on the inner lid 11 due to the atmosphere introduced into the second closed chamber 9, but since this force is supported by the stopper 25, the upward force acts on the linear motion mechanism 23 and the motor 21. No excessive force is transmitted.
[0023]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, the outer lid 10 is raised and separated from the base member 3 (seventh step). In this state, the processed substrate is unloaded from the electrode 4 and a new substrate 7 is loaded onto the electrode 4 (eighth step). Thereafter, the outer lid 10 is lowered to contact the base member. The second closed chamber 9 for accommodating the next work is formed by being brought into contact (ninth step). At this time, the gas state (vacuum state) at the time of the plasma processing performed in FIG. 4 is maintained in the third sealed chamber 80 above the inner lid 11. That is, the substrate 7 on the electrode 4 can be loaded and unloaded while the recess 10 a is sealed by the inner lid 11, and the newly supplied substrate 7 is accommodated in the second sealed chamber 9. In this state, the vacuum pump 33 is driven to evacuate the second closed chamber 9 (tenth step). At this time, as described above, since the internal volume of the second closed chamber 9 is small, the time required for evacuation can be greatly reduced.
[0024]
Thereafter, when the second closed chamber 9 is in a vacuum state, the stopper 25 is disengaged by the stopper drive motor 24, and the motor 21 is driven as shown in FIG. It is raised to a height that is the distance L between the electrodes. As a result, the second closed chamber 9 and the third closed chamber 80 are connected to form the first closed chamber 8 (eleventh step), and the substrate 7 is placed in the first closed chamber 8, that is, in the plasma processing space. is there. Thereafter, the gas for plasma generation in the first closed chamber 8 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure, and a high-frequency voltage is applied between the inner lid 11 and the electrode 4 as in FIG. Then, after the processing is completed, the inner lid 11 is lowered again. As a result, the state shown in FIG. 5 is obtained, and thereafter, the operations of the respective steps from the fourth step to the eleventh step are repeated.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the vacuum processing apparatus and the vacuum processing method of this invention, the time required for pressure reduction and air introduction can be shortened, and productivity can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure [Explanation of symbols]
3 Base member 4 First electrode 7 Substrate (work)
10 outer lid 10a recess 11 inner lid (second electrode)
16 High frequency power supply unit 30 Control unit 33 Vacuum pump 34 Atmospheric vent device 35 Gas supply device

Claims (6)

A base member, a first electrode mounted on the base member and provided with a mounting portion for mounting a work, and a concave portion opened on the first electrode side, and closely attached to the base member. An outer lid forming a first closed chamber surrounded by the concave portion and the mounting portion; first driving means for bringing the outer lid into and out of contact with the base member; and vertically movable in the concave portion. An inner lid that seals the recess to form a third sealed chamber, and an inner lid that seals the recess in a state where the outer lid is in airtight contact with the base member. And a decompression means connected to a second closed chamber formed between the second closed chamber and the second closed chamber, for exhausting air in the second closed chamber to reduce the pressure, and returning the second closed chamber to atmospheric pressure. An air venting device and the second hermetic chamber and the third hermetic chamber are connected by raising the inner lid. A second drive unit for raising the inner lid to a height that is a distance between electrodes suitable for the plasma processing, and supplying a plasma generating gas to the first closed chamber. And a high-frequency power supply unit for applying a high-frequency voltage to the first electrode. 2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer lid is separated from the base member in a state where the inner lid seals the recess, and in this state, a work on the mounting portion is loaded and unloaded. 3. . 2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third lid is formed by bringing the inner lid into contact with a contact portion protruding inside the concave portion. 3. 4. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a stopper that keeps the inner lid from separating from the contact portion. A base member, a first electrode mounted on the base member and provided with a mounting portion for mounting a work, and a concave portion opened on the first electrode side, and closely attached to the base member. An outer lid forming a first closed chamber surrounded by the concave portion and the mounting portion, and a second electrode disposed vertically movably in the concave portion to seal the concave portion to form a third electrode. A vacuum processing method in a vacuum processing apparatus having an inner lid forming a closed chamber,
A first step of placing a work on the placement section; a second step of forming the first closed chamber for accommodating the work by airtightly contacting the outer lid with the base member; A third step of exhausting air in the closed chamber to reduce the pressure, a fourth step of supplying plasma generating gas into the reduced pressure of the closed space to generate plasma, and lowering the inner lid to reduce the pressure. By sealing the recess, the first sealed chamber is a space between the first electrode and the inner lid, the second sealed chamber containing the work, and the second enclosed chamber surrounded by the inner lid and the recess. A fifth step of dividing the second closed chamber into a closed chamber, a sixth step of returning the second closed chamber to atmospheric pressure, and a step of separating the outer lid from the base member with the inner lid closing the recess. Seventh step and an eighth step of taking out the work from the placement section and placing the next work on the placement section A ninth step in which the outer lid is brought into contact with the base member to form a second closed chamber accommodating the next work, and a tenth step in which air in the second closed chamber is exhausted to reduce the pressure. Releasing the closed state of the recess by the inner lid, connecting the second sealed chamber and the third sealed chamber to form a first sealed chamber, and setting the inner lid between electrodes suitable for plasma discharge. An eleventh step of raising the distance to a height that is a distance. A base member, a first electrode mounted on the base member and provided with a mounting portion for mounting a work, and a concave portion opened on the first electrode side, and closely attached to the base member. An outer lid forming a first closed chamber surrounded by the concave portion and the mounting portion, and a second electrode disposed vertically movably in the concave portion to seal the concave portion to form a third electrode. A vacuum processing method in a vacuum processing apparatus having an inner lid forming a closed chamber,
Placing the work on the mounting portion, and contacting the outer lid with the base member in a state where the third sealed chamber formed by sealing the recess by the inner lid is kept in a vacuum state. A step of forming a second closed chamber for accommodating the next work below the inner lid, a step of exhausting air in the second closed chamber to reduce the pressure, and sealing the recess by the inner lid. Releasing the state, connecting the second closed chamber and the third closed chamber to a first closed chamber, and raising the inner lid to a height that is a distance between electrodes suitable for plasma discharge; Supplying a plasma-generating gas to the reduced-pressure first closed chamber to generate plasma.

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