JP2004211948A

JP2004211948A - Annealing treatment, device and system

Info

Publication number: JP2004211948A
Application number: JP2002381085A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Satoshi Ando; 智安藤; Tokuichi Yamamoto; 篤一山本; Mitsutoshi Matsushita; 光寿松下; Toshikazu Yoshikawa; 利和吉川
Original assignee: Showa Shinku Co Ltd
Current assignee: Showa Shinku Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-27
Filing date: 2002-12-27
Publication date: 2004-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-27
Also published as: JP4022619B2

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system to perform sequence processing to introduce preliminary heated articles into an annealing chamber in turn when the article is annealed in the vacuum annealing chamber. <P>SOLUTION: In this system, a plurality of article storage shelves are provided in the annealing chamber 2, a vertically movable stocker 22 is arranged, and the articles 6 are transferred from a preliminary heating chamber 1 to a vacant shelf of the stocker 22 for storage in turn at prescribed time intervals. The annealed articles in the stocker 22 are taken out to a place showing completion of taking out in turn. The stocker 22 is vertically moved to have a position of the targeted shelf aligned with an inlet and an outlet of the annealing chamber 2, and the articles 6 are carried in and out. Annealing continuously is performed during carrying in/out the article. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、真空中で加熱処理を行うアニール装置及びアニール方法に関するものである。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
水晶振動子は一般的に、人工水晶の結晶体を切断し研磨する工程と、研磨した結晶体に電極膜を付して振動子を構成する第１の蒸着工程と、振動子をケースに組み込む工程と、前記電極膜を安定化する為の第１のアニール工程と、振動子の周波数を調整する第２の蒸着工程と、周波数調整を行った電極膜を安定化する為の第２のアニール工程と、振動子を収納したケースを封止する工程とにより製造される。
【０００３】
従来の製造方法では、上記アニール工程は、図９に示すバッチ式のアニール装置により行われていた。バッチ式のアニール装置は一般的に縦型であり、真空槽１００内部には処理対象物である基板１０１を収容する複数段の棚１０２と加熱手段が設けられる。各棚１０２に複数の振動子を充填した基板１０１を配置し、図示しない真空ポンプにより真空排気した後、加熱手段を用いて所定時間加熱処理を行い、ガス導入系１０３によりガスを導入して大気圧に開放し処理を終了していた。
【０００４】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
図９に示すアニール装置は、複数枚の基板を同時に一括処理するバッチ式装置である為、アニール処理の前後工程である蒸着工程やケースへの組み込み工程、ケース封止工程を行う処理装置（基板を１枚ずつ処理する）との間で基板のやり取りするのに時間がかかりシステム全体のスループット向上が難しいという問題があった。
【０００５】
上記問題に関して、枚葉式処理部とバッチ式処理部とをインライン化して一貫した連続処理を可能とする処理システムが提案されている。図１０は、特開平７−１３７８０３号公報に開示される処理システムを用いたアニール装置の概略図である。
【０００６】
アニール処理を行う熱処理部１１０は、基板の受け渡しを行うインターフェイス部１１１を介して枚葉式処理部１１２に接続される。熱処理部１１０は縦型の加熱炉１１３とボート移載室１１４で構成され、ボート移載室１１４には搬送アーム１１５が設けられている。枚葉式処理を終えた基板１０１はインターフェイス部１１１において複数枚の基板１０１を収容するボート１１６に多数枚装填される。ボート１１６に１ロット分（加熱炉１１３で一度に処理を受けるべき基板１０１の枚数）が装填されると、インターフェイス部１１１からボート移載室１１４へボート１１６が搬送される。搬送アーム１１５によりボート移載室１１４から加熱炉１１３の中へ第１のボートが挿入され基板１０１の加熱処理が施される。この間枚葉式処理部１１２では基板１０１が１枚ずつ処理を施され、インターフェイス部１１１に順次多段に収容される。これにより第１のボート１１６が加熱処理を終了したときには、第２のボート１１６が１ロット分収容されており、順次アニール処理が施される。
【０００７】
同公報に開示される処理システムは、半導体製造装置に関するものである為各装置の構成は異なるが、１枚ずつ行う基板処理と複数枚を一括して行う基板処理を連続して行う点で水晶振動子の製造と同一である。しかし、水晶振動子の製造過程においては、振動子をケースに組み込む工程等大気中で行われる工程もある為、上記のような連続処理システムを応用できない場合もある。
【０００８】
この場合、処理対象物である振動子が大気に晒される為周波数変動が生じ、大気に晒される時間も振動子毎に異なる為周波数の変動値も一定ではないという振動子の品質管理上の問題が解消されない。
【０００９】
更に、上記公報に開示される処理システムを用いた場合、基板を１枚ずつ処理する装置と複数枚の基板を一括処理する装置との間で一貫した連続処理を行う事が可能となるが、１枚ずつ処理を終了する基板がバッチ式アニール装置に収容できる数だけ溜まってからアニール処理が開始される為、バッチ式アニール処理装置でアニール処理が開始されるまでの間に基板の待ち時間ができ、生産性に大きな影響を与えていた。これは、アニール工程の後工程が１枚ずつ行う基板処理の場合にも同じ様に影響を与え、複数枚の基板が同時にアニール工程を終了する為、アニール工程を終えても次工程に進むまでの間に基板に待ち時間ができるという問題があった。
【００１０】
更に、図９に示すアニール装置は、複数枚の基板の加熱及び冷却を常温から同時に一括して行う為、基板の昇温及び降温に時間を要するという問題があった。
【００１１】
ここで、基板の昇温及び降温時間を短縮する為に基板の予備加熱手段及び冷却手段を備えた従来のアニール装置について図１１を参照に説明する。同図に示すアニール装置は、特開平９−２７５０８０号公報に開示されるものであり、アニールチャンバー内に予備加熱ヒーターと冷却手段を設けることを特徴とする。
【００１２】
同図に示す装置は、基板投入用チャンバー１２０と、搬送チャンバー１２１，１２３と、アニールチャンバー１２２と、基板取出し用チャンバー１２４により構成され、アニールチャンバー１２２内には予備加熱ヒーター１２５と、アニール処理手段１２６と、冷却手段１２７とを備えるものである。
【００１３】
以下動作について説明する。まず、基板投入用チャンバー１２０内のカセット１２８に多数の未処理の被処理基板を収容し、搬送チャンバー１２１を介して基板を１枚ずつアニールチャンバー１２２内に搬送する。アニールチャンバー１２２内では基板の予備加熱、アニール処理、冷却を行い、搬送チャンバー１２３を介して基板取出し用チャンバー１２４のカセット１２９に被処理基板を収容する。
【００１４】
同公報に記載のアニール装置を用いた場合、アニールチャンバー１２２内に予備加熱ヒーター１２５及び冷却手段１２７を設けることで、基板の昇温及び降温時間を短縮することが可能になり、短いアニール処理時間でも所望の薄膜が得られるようになるが、基板を１枚ずつアニール処理する為、アニール処理時間を長時間必要とする場合には非常に生産性が低くなり、上記装置を用いることは現実的ではないという問題がある。
【００１５】
本発明は、複数枚の基板を一定時間収容処理するバッチ式アニール装置の生産性を保ちながらも基板の待ち時間を作らずにアニール処理の前後工程を行う処理装置と接続可能であり、更に基板の昇温及び降温時間を短縮する生産性の高いアニール装置を提供する事を目的とする。
【００１６】
【発明の概要】
本発明は上記問題を解決する為、アニール装置に複数段の棚を昇降自在に設け、複数段の棚に順次基板を収容処理することにより、基板の搬出入は１枚ずつ一定間隔で行いながらも、アニール処理は複数枚を平行して行うものである。又、装置を仕込室、アニール室、取出室の３室構成とし、加熱処理を施すアニール室の左右に、昇温時間を短縮する予備加熱機構を備えた仕込室と、降温時間を短縮する急冷機構を備えた取出室設け、基板を１枚ずつ予備加熱及び冷却することにより、基板の昇温及び高温を短時間に行うものである。
【００１７】
具体的に、本装置アニール室は、基板の加熱手段と、基板を収容する複数段の棚を設けた基板ストッカーと、基板ストッカーの昇降手段とを具備し、仕込室から搬入されてくる基板を、前記加熱手段を用いて設定温度に加熱された基板ストッカー内へ、前記昇降手段を駆動して１枚ずつ連続的に搬入し、基板ストッカー内で加熱処理後、所定加熱時間に達した基板から前記昇降手段を駆動して１枚ずつ所定間隔をおいて連続的に取出室へ搬出することを特徴とする。
【００１８】
又、本装置仕込室は、基板を予備加熱手段によって所定温度迄加熱後、一定間隔でアニール室へ搬送することを特徴とし、本装置取出室は、アニール処理を施された基板を強制冷却手段によって１枚ずつ所定温度迄急冷することを特徴とする。
【００１９】
上記アニール装置は、アニール工程の前後工程を行う処理装置に接続してインライン化することも可能である。この場合、本発明アニール装置は、前工程を行う処理装置から１枚ずつ搬送される基板を順次搬入し、所定時間の処理を終了した基板を次工程を行う処理装置に１枚ずつ順次搬出する。このとき接続する処理装置は真空中で処理を行う装置でも大気中で処理を行う装置でも構わない。
【００２０】
本発明では、バルブの開閉動作、基板の搬入・搬出、ストッカー移動（昇降）手段、真空排気動作、及び加熱動作はあるタイミングスケジュールで行われるが、それぞれの動作は制御装置（プロセッサ）にプログラムされた内容で、制御装置の指令によりシステム制御される。
【００２１】
【実施例の説明】
構成
図１は本発明アニール装置の横断面を示す概略図であり、図２は縦断面を示す概略図である。本装置は、中央に設置されたアニール室２と左右に設置された仕込室１、取出室３を有して構成され、各室は開閉可能なゲートバルブ１３，１４を有する口１７と１９で連結されている。
【００２２】
基板６は仕込室１から搬入され、アニール室２でアニール処理を施された後、取出室３から搬出される。
【００２３】
本実施例では、図８（ａ）に示すトレー７０に複数の振動子を充填したものを基板６として搬送するが、本発明装置の処理対象となる基板６は同図に示すトレー７０に限られるものではなく、他の物品でもよい。トレー７０には、例えばＡｌの様な熱容量の小さい材料を用いることで、充填した振動子の昇降温を短時間に行うことが可能となる。
【００２４】
仕込室１は基板６の搬入を行う入口１６と搬出を行う出口１７とを有し、出入口１６，１７にはゲートバルブ１２，１３がそれぞれ開閉自在に設置されている。基板６の搬入及び搬出は１枚ずつ一定間隔で繰り返し行われる。基板６は仕込室１の出口１７からアニール室２に搬出されるが、常温の基板６をアニール室２へ搬送した場合目的の温度まで基板６を上昇させるのに時間を要してしまう為、仕込室１において基板６の予備加熱を行う。仕込室１には予備加熱機構として、図２に示す複数のハロゲンランプ４と、ハロゲンランプ４の熱を効率よく基板６に伝える為のリフレクター５を設置する。リフレクター５は、基板６と同等かそれ以上の大きさにすることで基板６の温度の均一性を向上させることが可能となる。本実施例では、予備加熱機構としてハロゲンランプ４を用いているが、他の構成を用いてもよい。
【００２５】
仕込室１における処理手順について以下に説明する。
【００２６】
まず、入口１６から基板６を搬入し、図示しない真空ポンプにより仕込室１内部を真空排気する。次に搬入した基板６をハロゲンランプ４の下部に搬送し、ハロゲンランプ４により基板６の予備加熱を行う。予備加熱は一定時間行い、予備加熱を終了した基板６を出口１７からアニール室２へ搬出する。次に図示しないリーク弁により仕込室１内部を大気圧に開放し、再び入口１６から基板６を搬入して上記作業を繰り返す。基板６の搬出入は、ゲートバルブ１２，１３の開閉により行われるが、ゲートバルブ１２，１３は基板搬送直前に開き、直後に閉じるものとする。ゲートバルブ１２〜１５は開閉可能であって、その開閉のタイミングは制御装置１００により制御されている。又基板６を１つの室から他の室へ搬送する手段（不図示）を含み、該搬送手段の動作は制御装置１００で制御され、基板の所定の搬送がなされる。
【００２７】
アニール室２は基板６の搬出入を行う入口１８と出口１９とを有し、アニール室２の入口１８は仕込室１の出口１７に接続される。
【００２８】
図２に示すように、アニール室２には基板ストッカー２２が昇降自在に設けられ、基板６は基板ストッカー２２の各棚に１枚ずつ収容される。本実施例では基板ストッカー２２の昇降手段としてエレベータ機構７を取り付ける。エレベータ機構７は、基板ストッカー２２の下部領域に設けられ、基板ストッカー２２を支える支持板と、支持板の昇降を行う駆動装置により構成される。
【００２９】
基板ストッカー２２は、図３に示すように基板６が装填される複数の基板収容棚３０と、最上段に設けられた補助棚３１により構成される。各棚にはシースヒーター３２が設けられ、ヒーター３２の熱により基板６のアニール処理を行う。最上段に補助棚３１を設けるのは、装填された基板６を全て同条件で加熱する為であり、全ての基板６は自身が装填される棚の下部に設けられたヒーター３２と、その上段の棚の下部に設けられたヒーター３２により効率良くアニール処理が施される。本実施例では、基板６にアニール処理を施す加熱機構としてシースヒーター３２を採用しているが、他の加熱機構を用いてアニール処理を施してもよい。基板ストッカー２２には各棚に対応した複数の熱電対を設け、熱電対の測定温度を基に各シースヒーター３２の加熱コントロールを行う。しかし熱電対を各棚に設けると配線が複雑になる場合等は、ヒーター３２を複数のブロックに区分し、ブロック毎に熱電対を設けて各棚の温度制御を行ってもよい。温度制御は、ＯＮ−ＯＦ制御を用いてもＰＩＤ制御を用いてもよい。ＯＮ−ＯＦ制御はＯＮとＯＦを繰り返すことで所望の温度曲線に近づけるのに対し、ＰＩＤ制御は設定値と制御量の間の偏差に比例して操作量を上下させる比例動作Ｐ、偏差の継続時間に応じて操作量を上下させる積分動作Ｉ、偏差の変化具合に応じて操作量を上下させる微分動作Ｄの３つの動作を組み合わせた制御である為、本実施例ではＰＩＤ制御を用いて精度よくアニール室の温度制御を行うものとする。
【００３０】
加熱機構であるヒーターは経時変化によって交換を余儀なくされる事が考えられるが、その場合は図１及び図２に示すようにメンテナンス用扉８を装置前面に設けることにより、メンテナンス時の作業性の向上を図ることが出来る。
【００３１】
アニール室２は、加熱機構により全体が高温に晒される為、アニール室外壁を冷却する必要が求められる。又、メンテナンス用扉８、ゲートバルブ１３，１４等に取付いている図示しないパッキンは、高温に晒されることによる影響が大きい為、特に冷却の必要がある。そこで、本実施例ではアニール室２の壁を２重構造にして、その間に冷却水を流すことで、壁全体を冷却する事を可能としている。
【００３２】
次に、アニール室２における処理手順について以下に説明する。
【００３３】
アニール室２は常に真空状態にあって、基板ストッカー２２に設けたヒーターは常にオンにしておく。又、基板６の搬出入時アニール室２に隣接する仕込室１及び取出室３は常に真空状態にしておく。
【００３４】
まず、エレベータ機構７により基板を搬入する収容位置であるストッカーの空いた棚をアニール室２の入口位置に整列し、仕込室１から搬出された基板６の受渡しを行う。基板６は、エレベータ機構７により基板ストッカー２２を上下させることで空いている棚に順次収容し、アニール処理を施す。
【００３５】
本発明でアニール室２に基板ストッカー２２を設けることにより、仕込室１から一定間隔で順次搬入される基板６をアニール室２に一定時間保存処理する事が可能となる。基板のアニール処理時間は、基板収容棚３０の数と、基板搬送の間隔により決定される為、棚数と搬送間隔は目的に合わせて調整する。又、装置を効率良く利用する為、基板ストッカー２２が常に満たされた状態となるように基板収容棚３０の数を設けることが望ましい。例えば基板６が１０分間隔で搬送され、所望のアニール処理時間が１２０分間である場合、基板収容棚３０を１２段設ければよい。これにより、アニール室２へ１０分間隔で搬入された基板６は、１２０分間のアニール処理を行った後、１０分間隔で順次取出室３へ搬出される為、アニール室２の基板ストッカー２２は常に満たされた状態となっている。
【００３６】
所定時間のアニール処理を施した基板６は、搬入同様エレベータ機構７により基板ストッカー２２を上下させることで、出口１９から取出室３に搬出する。アニール室２への基板６の搬出入は、出入口１８，１９位置で行われるが、本発明でエレベータ機構７により基板ストッカー２２の複数段の棚を上下させることにより、任意の棚への基板の搬出入が可能となる。
【００３７】
取出室３は基板の搬出入を行う入口２０と出口２１を有し、出入口にはゲートバルブ１４，１５がそれぞれ開閉自在に設置されている。取出室の入口２０はアニール室の出口１９に接続され、アニール処理を終了した基板６が取出室３に順次搬入される。基板６の搬出入は仕込室１及びアニール室２同様１枚ずつ一定間隔で繰り返し行われる。
【００３８】
アニール室２で高温に加熱された基板６は、一定時間をおいて順次取出室３に搬送される為、取出室３では一定時間内に基板６を冷却する事が求められる。一定時間内の真空中での自然冷却では基板６の温度降下は期待できない為、取出室３では基板６の強制急冷を行う。取出室３には基板６の強制急冷の為に、冷却機構を設ける。冷却機構は、図４に示すように冷却板９と、冷却板の昇降装置１１と図１に示すガス導入系１０により構成される。
【００３９】
冷却板９は例えば銅板のような熱伝導率の高い板に水路４０を設け、水路４０に冷却水を流したものである。同図において昇降装置１１はシリンダーを指し、圧縮空気の導入と放出を行うことで冷却板９の昇降を行う。冷却板９及び昇降装置１１は他の構成を用いてもよい。
【００４０】
次に、取出室３における強制急冷の手順について以下に説明する。まず、図示しない真空ポンプにより取出室３内部を真空排気した後、アニール室２から取出室３へ基板６の搬送を行う。次に取出室３に搬入した基板６を冷却板９の真上に搬送し、冷却板９を昇降装置１１により上昇させ基板６に接触させる。同時にガス導入系１０により取出室３に不活性ガスを導入することで基板６の強制冷却を行う。強制冷却は予備加熱同様一定時間行い、１枚目の基板６が取出室に搬入されてから２枚目の基板６が搬入されるまでの間に１枚目の基板６の強制冷却及び取出室３からの基板６の搬出、取出室３の真空排気を全て終了させる。仕込室１同様基板６の搬出入は、ゲートバルブ１４，１５の開閉により行い、ゲートバルブ１４，１５の開閉は基板搬送後すぐに行うものとする。
【００４１】
図７は基板ストッカー２２の基板収容棚３０を１２段設けた場合の本装置動作説明図である。以下同図を参照に基板を１０分間隔で搬送する場合について説明する。
【００４２】
まず、仕込室１に１枚目の基板６ａを搬入し、予備加熱を行う（ａ）。１０分後基板６ａをアニール室２に搬送し、２枚目の基板６ｂを仕込室１に搬送する（ｂ）。基板６ａはアニール室２に搬入されると同時にアニール処理が開始される。更に１０分後、２枚目の基板６ｂをアニール室２に搬入し、３枚目の基板６ｃを仕込室１に搬入する（ｃ）。同様に１０分毎に基板６ｃ〜６ｌを順次アニール室２へ搬入していく（ｄ）（ｅ）。１２枚目の基板６ｌがアニール室２に搬入されてから１０分後、１枚目の基板６ａは１２０分間のアニール処理を終了するので、１枚目の基板６ａを取出室３に搬出し、１３枚目の基板６ｍをアニール室２に搬入し、１４枚目の基板６ｎを仕込室１に搬入する（ｆ）。この時１３枚目の基板６ｍは、基板６ａを収容していた棚に搬入する。更に１０分後２枚目の基板６ｂが１２０分間のアニール処理を終了するので、２枚目の基板６ｂを取出室３に搬出し、１４枚目の基板６ｎをアニール室２に１５枚目の基板６ｏを仕込室１に搬入する（ｇ）。以下は同様の作業を繰り返す。
【００４３】
上記説明では１枚目から１１枚目までの基板は、アニール室２内の基板ストッカー２２が満たされない状態で処理が行われるが、装置動作開始時、アニール室２にダミー基板を１１枚装填しておき、アニール室２が常に満たされた状態となるようにしてもよい。アニール室への基板６の出し入れ搬送時バルブ１３と１４は開放されて、アニール室と仕込室と取出室は連結できるが、このときは仕込室と取出室は真空にされている。バルブ１２、１３、１４、１５の開閉、仕込室１、アニール室２及び取出室での基板の搬送、ストッカーの昇降及び真空排気それぞれを動作させるアクチュエータ及び搬送手段（不図示）は、制御装置１００の制御の下に所望のタイミングで作動される。即ち、制御装置は所望のタイミングでの作動を行うようプログラムされている。
【００４４】
即ち、仕込室１で所定の予備処理時間だけ予備処理された基板６ｍ（物品）を順次アニール室２に搬入し、アニール室２内の複数の物品収容位置を有するストッカー２２内に複数の物品６ａ〜６ｌを収容し、アニール室２内で所定のアニール時間だけアニールが完了した物品を順次アニール室２から搬出しているが、（ａ）所定の予備処理時間毎に予備処理された物品をアニール室内のストッカーの空き収容位置に収容すると共に、所定のアニール時間だけアニールされてしまっている物品をストッカー２２から取り出してアニール室２外へ搬出してストッカー２２に空き収容位置をつくり、そして（ｂ）該工程（ａ）の後に該所定の予備処理時間だけストッカー２２内の物品をアニールし、その後該工程（ａ）と（ｂ）をくり返している。この所定のアニール時間は所定の予備処理時間より長い。物品のアニール中、アニール室２は真空に維持され、アニール室２への物品の搬入と搬出の前記工程（ａ）の際、該アニール室の該搬入の口と搬出の口の外側の雰囲気は真空にされている。又、アニールは物品６の搬入・搬出の際も連続的に行われている。
【００４５】
上述してきたシステムは、真空中で物品を加熱処理するシステムであって、仕込室１、アニール用加熱室２及び取出室３からなり、仕込室１と加熱室２とは開閉可能な第１のバルブ１３を有する第１の開口１６、１７で連結され、加熱室２と取出室３とは開閉可能な第２のバルブ１４を有する第２の開口１９、２０で連結されているシステムである。そして、仕込室１の物品６を第１のバルブ１３開放時に第１の開口１６、１７から加熱室２に搬入する手段（不図示）、複数の物品収容位置を有する加熱室２内に配置されたストッカー２２、ストッカー２２の物品収容位置の少なくとも１つを第１の開口１６、１７に整列させて第１の開口１６、１７から搬入された物品６を整列された物品収容位置に収容するため、そしてストッカー２２の物品収容位置の少なくとも１つを第２の開口１９、２０に整列させて第２の開口１９、２０から整列された物品収容位置の物品を搬出するためストッカー２２を移動させる手段（図２、７）、加熱室２の物品６を第２のバルブ１４の開放時に第２の開口１９、２０から取出室３に搬出する手段（不図示）、及び搬入する手段、搬出する手段、ストッカー移動手段及び第１と第２のバルブの作動を制御する制御装置１００とからなる。この制御装置１００は、所定の搬入間隔時間の間隔毎（例えば上述の１０分間隔）に第１のバルブ１３を開放させ、物品６を仕込室１から第１の開口を介して加熱室２へと搬入するよう第１のバルブ１３と搬入手段を制御する第１の制御を行い、第１の開口を介して加熱室２への物品６の搬入時にストッカー２２の空き物品収容位置が第１の開口に整列するようストッカー移動手段７を制御する第２の制御を行い、ストッカー２２に収容されている複数の物品の少なくとも１つが所定の加熱時間（例えば上述の１２０分間）だけ加熱完了された時に、加熱完了した物品６の収容位置を第２の開口に整列するようストッカー移動手段７を制御する第３の制御を行い、ストッカー２２の加熱完了物品の収容位置が第２の開口に整列された時に、物品を加熱室２から第２の開口を介して取出室３へと搬出してストッカー２２に空き物品収容位置をつくるよう第２のバルブ１４と搬出手段を制御する第４の制御を行っている。
【００４６】
その際、アニール（加熱）完了物品（基板）の載置されているストッカー２２の棚位置を第２の開口にストッカー移動手段７を駆動して整列して（第３の制御）、先ずストッカー２２からアニール完了物品を取出室３へ取り出して、ストッカー２２に空き棚を生じさせた（第４の制御）後、その空き棚に仕込室１からの物品を収容する場合は、第１の開口と第２の開口が同じ水平レベルに構成されていると、前述の第２の制御は行う必要がない。第３の制御後に第１の開口と空き棚は既に整列されているからである。又、本システムでは、物品の加熱室への搬入・搬出の時にもアニール加熱は継続して行われている。その際に、アニール室の真空状態を継続して維持する。第１と第２の開口が開いている間は少なくとも仕込室１と取出室３の雰囲気は真空に保たれているよう、制御装置１００は、仕込室１と取出室３の真空排気手段（不図示）を作動している。
【００４７】
本発明装置の仕込室１及び取出室３は、アニール工程の前後工程を担当する処理装置に接続しインライン化してもよい。
【００４８】
例えば、水晶振動子の製造過程において電極蒸着工程、アニール工程及びケース封止工程を連続処理する場合、蒸着装置５０と仕込室１を、取出室３とシーム溶接装置５１をそれぞれ接続する。図５はその様子を示す模式図である。以下同図を参照に本装置の接続について説明するが、本装置は連続処理可能な任意の処理装置に接続されるものであり、接続可能な装置は上記装置に限られるものではない。
【００４９】
同図において、基板６は、蒸着装置５０から仕込室１、仕込室１からアニール室２、アニール室２から取出室３、取出室３からシーム溶接装置５１へと１枚ずつ搬送され、各装置及び各部屋からの基板の搬出入は全て同ピッチで行われる。
【００５０】
本装置における処理は前記説明の通りであるが、仕込室１への接続装置が真空装置である場合は、仕込室１における真空排気と大気開放の繰り返しは省略し、仕込室１は常に真空排気した状態とする。この場合、両装置間の雰囲気が等しければ必要に応じてゲートバルブ１２は省略しても構わない。又、取出室３への接続装置が真空装置である場合は、真空排気は取出室３からの基板搬出前に行う。
【００５１】
本装置は、蒸着装置５０から１枚ずつ搬出される基板６を順次処理する事が可能となる。又、シーム溶接装置５１は、本装置取出室３から１枚ずつ搬出される基板６を順次処理する事が可能となる。つまり、本装置と前後工程を担当する処理装置を接続する事で、基板６の待ち時間を解消し、装置全体の生産性を大きく向上させる事が可能となる。
【００５２】
本装置における基板搬送の間隔や、棚の数、１枚の基板に充填する素子の数は、アニール処理の前後の工程を担当する装置のタクトタイムや所望のアニール処理時間等目的に合わせて調整する。
【００５３】
次に、本発明アニール装置内の振動子を載置した処理基板と接続装置内の振動子を載置した処理基板が異なる場合について図６を参照に説明する。この場合、移載機６０，６１を介して両装置を接続し、処理単位を整合させる。
【００５４】
蒸着装置５０内の処理基板６２と本装置の処理基板６３が異なる場合、移載機６０は、搬入された蒸着装置５０の処理基板６２上の素子を本装置の処理基板６３に充填し直し、本装置の処理基板６３を搬出する。この時、本装置各部屋における基板６３の搬出入の間隔は移載機６０から基板６３が搬出される間隔と同間隔で行う。
【００５５】
本装置の処理基板６３とシーム溶接装置５１の処理基板６４が異なる場合、移載機６１は、本装置の処理基板６３上の素子をシーム溶接装置５１の処理基板６４に充填し直す。移載機６１は、シーム溶接装置５１のタクトタイムにあわせて処理基板を搬出する。
【００５６】
図１２〜図１６に、前記説明の仕込室１、アニール室２、取出室３を用いて基板の温度変化を測定した結果を示す。図は全て縦軸に温度を表し、横軸に時間を表している。
【００５７】
測定は、アニール室内基板ストッカー２２に基板収容棚３０を１２段設け、基板６として図８（ｂ）に示すトレー７０にダミーキャリア７１と温度測定用熱電対７２を搭載し、ダミーキャリア７１の温度変化を測定した。又、各棚を３１０℃に設定して、２７０℃±２７℃の保証温度で基板にアニール処理を行った後、基板を１５０℃以下に降温して処理を終了させる場合を想定している。
【００５８】
図１２は、仕込室１に予備加熱機構を設けずに、常温の基板６をアニール室２に搬送した際の基板上昇温度を測定したものである。
【００５９】
図１２より、常温の基板６をアニール室２に搬送した場合、基板６が保証温度下限の２４３℃に到達するまでの間に９７分を要している。
【００６０】
図１３は、仕込室１に本発明予備加熱機構を設け、予備加熱を施した基板６をアニール室２に搬送した際の基板上昇温度を測定したものである。予備加熱機構には前記説明のハロゲンランプ４とリフレクター５を用い、その他の測定条件は図１２と同一とした。横軸の時間は、アニール室２に仕込室１から基板を搬入した時点を０分としている。
【００６１】
図１３より、本発明予備加熱機構により、基板の温度は仕込室において２５０℃まで上昇し、アニール室２に搬入してから５７分で保証温度下限の２４３℃に達していることがわかる。
【００６２】
図１４は図８（ｂ）に示すトレー７０を熱容量の小さいＡｌ製とし、その他の測定条件は図１３と同一とした際の基板の温度変化を測定したものである。
【００６３】
図１４より、図８（ｂ）に示すトレー７０をＡｌ製とすることで、アニール室２に搬入してから保証温度下限の２４３℃に達するまでに要する時間は４０分間に短縮されることがわかる。
【００６４】
図１５はアニール室内基板ストッカー２２の基板収容棚３０を下段３段、中段６段、上段３段の３ブロックに区分し、各ブロックに設けた熱電対により各棚の温度をＰＩＤ制御し、その他の条件は図１４と同一とした際の基板の温度変化を示したものである。
【００６５】
図１５より、アニール室２の温度制御を行うことで、アニール室２に搬入してから保証温度下限の２４３℃に達するまでに要する時間は１８分間まで短縮されたことがわかる。
【００６６】
これより、本発明予備加熱機構を用いて仕込室１で予備加熱を行い、基板６のトレー７０を熱容量の小さい材質とし、更にアニール室２の温度制御を行うことで、常温の基板をアニール室２に搬送する場合に比べ、アニール室２における基板収容時間を７９分短縮することが可能となり、基板のアニール処理を短時間に行うことが可能となったことがわかる。
図１６はアニール室２で２７０℃±２７℃に加熱された基板６を取出室に搬送し、基板６を強制冷却した際の基板の温度変化を測定したものである。横軸の時間は、アニール室２から取出室３に基板を搬出した時点を０分としている。
【００６７】
取出室３には本発明急冷機構を設け、急冷機構には上記説明の冷却板９とガス導入系１０用い、不活性ガスとしてＨｅガスを導入した。
【００６８】
同図は、本発明冷却板のみ用いた際の温度変化を（ａ）に、冷却板９を用い更にＨｅガスの導入を行った際の温度変化を（ｂ）に示している。
【００６９】
（ａ）より、本発明冷却板９を用いることで、取出室３に搬入してから２３分で基板温度を１５０℃まで低下させることが可能になる。（ｂ）より、冷却板９に加えてＨｅガスを導入することにより２分１０秒で基板を１５０℃まで低下させることが可能となり、更に降温時間が短縮されることがわかる。
【００７０】
図１２〜図１６より、本発明予備加熱機構、急冷機構を用いることで、アニール工程に要する処理時間を減少させ、装置の生産性を向上させることが可能となったことがわかる。
【００７１】
他の実施例の説明、他の用途への転用例の説明
上記実施例では、図５に示す実施形態として本発明装置の仕込室及び取出室に連続処理を行う装置を直接接続する場合を、図６に示す実施形態として仕込室及び取出室に連続処理を行う装置を移載機を介して接続する場合を説明したが、本装置の仕込室にのみ移載機を接続しても、取出室にのみ移載機を接続してもよい。
【００７２】
上記実施例では、仕込室及び取出室に収容される基板は１枚であるが基板が複数枚であってもよく、仕込室において基板をより高温に上昇させたい場合や取出室において基板をより低温に冷却したい場合には、予備加熱の為のハロゲンランプ、強制冷却のための冷却板を複数個並列に設けてもよい。
【００７３】
【発明の効果】
本発明でアニール室に複数段の棚を昇降自在に設けた事により、任意の棚への基板の搬出入が可能となり、一定間隔で順次搬入される基板をアニール室に一定時間保存し処理する事が可能となる。これにより、アニール室において複数枚の基板を同時に処理しながらも、前後工程を担当する処理装置に直接接続する事が可能となり、生産ラインにおける基板の待ち時間を無くし、装置の生産性を著しく向上することが可能となる。
【００７４】
又、仕込室に予備加熱機構、取出室に急冷機構を設け、基板の予備加熱及び急冷を１枚ずつ行う為、短時間で加熱、冷却することが可能となり、アニール装置における基板の昇温及び降温時間を著しく短縮することができ、装置の生産性向上に更に貢献する。
【００７５】
更に、アニール室に設けたエレベータ機構により、連続して送られてくる処理対象物を空間に効率より収納でき、装置をコンパクトにする事が可能になるという効果を奏する。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明アニール装置の横断面と制御システムを示す概略図
【図２】本発明アニール装置の縦断面を示す概略図
【図３】基板ストッカーの構成を示す説明図
【図４】冷却板と昇降装置を示す概略図
【図５】本発明アニール装置の接続を示す模式図
【図６】移載機を介した本発明アニール装置の接続を示す模式図
【図７】本発明アニール装置動作説明図
【図８】（ａ）本発明トレー説明図（ｂ）基板温度測定用ダミーキャリア説明図
【図９】従来のバッチ式アニール装置の概略図
【図１０】特開平７−１３７８０３号公報に開示される従来の処理システムを用いたアニール装置の概略図
【図１１】特開平９−２７５０８０号公報に開示される従来のアニール装置の概略図
【図１２】常温の基板をアニール室に搬送した際の基板温度実測データ
【図１３】本発明予備加熱機構により予備加熱を行った基板をアニール室に搬送した際の基板温度測定データ
【図１４】本発明基板のトレーを熱容量の小さいＡｌ製として予備加熱を行った際の基板温度測定データ
【図１５】本発明アニール室を温度制御した際の基板温度測定データ
【図１６】本発明急冷機構により強制冷却を行った際の基板温度測定データ
【符号の説明】
１仕込室
２アニール室
３取出室
４ハロゲンランプ
５リフレクター
６基板
７エレベータ機構
８メンテナンス用扉
９冷却板
１０ガス導入系
１１昇降装置
１２ゲートバルブ
１３ゲートバルブ
１４ゲートバルブ
１５ゲートバルブ
１６仕込室入口
１７仕込室出口
１８アニール室入口
１９アニール室出口
２０取出室入口
２１取出室出口
２２基板ストッカー
３０基板収容棚
３１補助棚
３２シースヒーター
４０水路
５０蒸着装置
５１シーム溶接装置
６０移載機
６１移載機
６２蒸着装置処理基板
６３本装置処理基板
６４シーム溶接装置処理基板
７０トレー
７１ダミーキャリア
７２熱電対
１００真空槽
１０１基板
１０２棚
１０３ガス導入系
１１０熱処理部
１１１インターフェイス部
１１２枚葉式処理部
１１３加熱炉
１１４ボート移載室
１１５搬送アーム
１１６ボート
１２０基板投入用チャンバー
１２１搬送チャンバー
１２２アニールチャンバー
１２３搬送チャンバー
１２４基板取出し用チャンバー
１２５予備加熱ヒーター
１２６アニール処理手段
１２７冷却手段
１２８カセット
１２９カセット[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an annealing apparatus and an annealing method for performing a heat treatment in a vacuum.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a quartz crystal unit includes a step of cutting and polishing a crystal of artificial quartz, a first vapor deposition step of forming an oscillator by attaching an electrode film to the polished crystal, and incorporating the crystal into a case. A step, a first annealing step for stabilizing the electrode film, a second vapor deposition step for adjusting the frequency of the vibrator, and a second annealing step for stabilizing the frequency-adjusted electrode film. It is manufactured by a process and a process of sealing a case accommodating the vibrator.
[0003]
In the conventional manufacturing method, the annealing step is performed by a batch-type annealing apparatus shown in FIG. A batch-type annealing apparatus is generally a vertical type, and a plurality of shelves 102 for accommodating a substrate 101 to be processed and a heating means are provided inside a vacuum chamber 100. A substrate 101 filled with a plurality of vibrators is placed on each shelf 102, evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown), heated by a heating means for a predetermined time, and gas is introduced by a gas introduction system 103. It was released to atmospheric pressure and the process was completed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the annealing apparatus shown in FIG. 9 is a batch-type apparatus for simultaneously processing a plurality of substrates simultaneously, a processing apparatus (substrate for performing a deposition step, a case-incorporating step, and a case sealing step, which is a process before and after the annealing process). Process is performed one by one), and it takes time to exchange the substrates, and it is difficult to improve the throughput of the entire system.
[0005]
Regarding the above problem, there has been proposed a processing system in which a single-wafer processing unit and a batch processing unit are inlined to enable consistent continuous processing. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an annealing apparatus using the processing system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-137803.
[0006]
The heat treatment section 110 for performing the annealing process is connected to the single-wafer processing section 112 via the interface section 111 for transferring the substrate. The heat treatment unit 110 includes a vertical heating furnace 113 and a boat transfer chamber 114, and a transfer arm 115 is provided in the boat transfer chamber 114. After the single-wafer processing, a large number of substrates 101 are loaded in a boat 116 that accommodates a plurality of substrates 101 in the interface unit 111. When one lot (the number of substrates 101 to be processed at one time in the heating furnace 113) is loaded in the boat 116, the boat 116 is transported from the interface unit 111 to the boat transfer chamber 114. The first boat is inserted into the heating furnace 113 from the boat transfer chamber 114 by the transfer arm 115 to heat the substrate 101. In the meantime, in the single-wafer processing unit 112, the substrates 101 are processed one by one, and are sequentially stored in the interface unit 111 in multiple stages. Thus, when the first boat 116 completes the heating process, the second boat 116 is accommodated in one lot and the annealing process is sequentially performed.
[0007]
The processing system disclosed in this publication relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and thus the configuration of each apparatus is different. It is the same as the manufacture of the vibrator. However, in the manufacturing process of the crystal resonator, there are steps performed in the atmosphere, such as a step of incorporating the resonator in a case, and therefore, the continuous processing system as described above may not be applicable in some cases.
[0008]
In this case, a frequency fluctuation occurs because the vibrator to be processed is exposed to the atmosphere, and the time of exposure to the atmosphere varies from vibrator to vibrator, so that the fluctuation value of the frequency is not constant. Is not resolved.
[0009]
Furthermore, when the processing system disclosed in the above publication is used, it is possible to perform consistent continuous processing between an apparatus for processing substrates one by one and an apparatus for processing a plurality of substrates collectively, Since the annealing process is started after the number of substrates to be processed one by one has been accommodated in the batch annealing device, the waiting time for the substrate is not increased until the batch annealing device starts the annealing process. And had a major impact on productivity. This has the same effect in the case of substrate processing in which the post-process of the annealing process is performed one by one, and since a plurality of substrates finish the annealing process at the same time, even if the annealing process is completed, the process proceeds to the next process. There was a problem that a waiting time could be left on the substrate during the process.
[0010]
Further, the annealing apparatus shown in FIG. 9 has a problem that it takes time to raise and lower the temperature of the substrate because heating and cooling of a plurality of substrates are simultaneously and simultaneously performed from normal temperature.
[0011]
Here, a conventional annealing apparatus provided with a substrate pre-heating unit and a cooling unit in order to reduce the time for raising and lowering the temperature of the substrate will be described with reference to FIG. The annealing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-275080, and is characterized in that a preliminary heater and a cooling unit are provided in an annealing chamber.
[0012]
The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a substrate charging chamber 120, transfer chambers 121 and 123, an annealing chamber 122, and a substrate unloading chamber 124. In the annealing chamber 122, a preheater 125, an annealing means 126 and a cooling means 127.
[0013]
The operation will be described below. First, a large number of unprocessed substrates are accommodated in a cassette 128 in the substrate loading chamber 120, and the substrates are transferred one by one into the annealing chamber 122 via the transfer chamber 121. In the annealing chamber 122, the substrate is preheated, annealed, and cooled, and the substrate to be processed is accommodated in the cassette 129 of the substrate unloading chamber 124 via the transfer chamber 123.
[0014]
When the annealing apparatus described in the publication is used, the provision of the preliminary heater 125 and the cooling means 127 in the annealing chamber 122 makes it possible to shorten the time for raising and lowering the temperature of the substrate, and to shorten the annealing time. However, a desired thin film can be obtained. However, since annealing is performed on each substrate one by one, when the annealing time is long, productivity is extremely low, and it is practical to use the above apparatus. There is a problem that is not.
[0015]
The present invention can be connected to a processing apparatus that performs pre- and post-annealing steps without making a waiting time for the substrate while maintaining the productivity of the batch-type annealing apparatus that accommodates and processes a plurality of substrates for a certain period of time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly productive annealing apparatus for shortening the time for raising and lowering the temperature.
[0016]
Summary of the Invention
In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a plurality of shelves in an annealing apparatus so as to be able to move up and down, and successively accommodates and processes substrates in the plurality of shelves, thereby carrying out loading and unloading of substrates one by one at regular intervals. However, the annealing process is performed on a plurality of sheets in parallel. Further, the apparatus has a three-chamber configuration of a charging chamber, an annealing chamber, and an unloading chamber, and a charging chamber having a preliminary heating mechanism for shortening a heating time on the left and right sides of an annealing chamber for performing a heat treatment, and a rapid cooling for shortening a cooling time. By providing an unloading chamber equipped with a mechanism and preheating and cooling the substrates one by one, the temperature of the substrate is raised and the temperature is increased in a short time.
[0017]
Specifically, the apparatus annealing chamber includes a substrate heating means, a substrate stocker provided with a plurality of shelves for accommodating the substrates, and a substrate stocker elevating means. By driving the elevating and lowering means to the substrate stocker heated to the set temperature by using the heating means, the substrate is continuously carried one by one, and after the heat treatment in the substrate stocker, the substrate which has reached the predetermined heating time, The apparatus is characterized in that the elevating means is driven to carry out one sheet at a time at a predetermined interval to the take-out chamber.
[0018]
Further, the apparatus charging chamber is characterized in that the substrate is heated to a predetermined temperature by the preheating means and then transferred to the annealing chamber at regular intervals, and the apparatus unloading chamber is forcibly cooling the annealed substrate. Is rapidly cooled to a predetermined temperature one by one.
[0019]
The annealing apparatus can be connected in-line by connecting to a processing apparatus that performs steps before and after the annealing step. In this case, the annealing apparatus of the present invention sequentially carries in the substrates conveyed one by one from the processing apparatus that performs the pre-process, and sequentially carries out the substrates that have been processed for a predetermined time one by one to the processing apparatus that performs the next process. . The processing device connected at this time may be a device that performs processing in a vacuum or a device that performs processing in the atmosphere.
[0020]
In the present invention, the opening / closing operation of the valve, the loading / unloading of the substrate, the stocker moving (elevating / lowering) means, the evacuation operation, and the heating operation are performed according to a certain timing schedule, and each operation is programmed in a control device (processor). The system is controlled by the instructions of the control device with the contents described above.
[0021]
[Explanation of the embodiment]
Constitution
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a cross section of the annealing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a vertical section. The apparatus has an annealing chamber 2 installed in the center, a charging chamber 1 installed on the left and right, and an unloading chamber 3. Each chamber has ports 17 and 19 having openable and closable gate valves 13 and 14. Are linked.
[0022]
The substrate 6 is carried in from the charging chamber 1, annealed in the annealing chamber 2, and then carried out of the unloading chamber 3.
[0023]
In this embodiment, a tray 70 shown in FIG. 8A filled with a plurality of transducers is transported as a substrate 6, but the substrate 6 to be processed by the apparatus of the present invention is limited to the tray 70 shown in FIG. It is not limited to this, and other articles may be used. By using a material having a small heat capacity, such as Al, for the tray 70, the temperature of the filled vibrator can be raised and lowered in a short time.
[0024]
The preparation chamber 1 has an entrance 16 for carrying in the substrate 6 and an exit 17 for carrying out the substrate 6, and gate valves 12, 13 are respectively installed at the entrances 16, 17 so as to be openable and closable. Loading and unloading of the substrates 6 are repeatedly performed one by one at regular intervals. The substrate 6 is carried out from the outlet 17 of the preparation chamber 1 to the annealing chamber 2. However, when the substrate 6 at room temperature is transferred to the annealing chamber 2, it takes time to raise the substrate 6 to a target temperature. The substrate 6 is preheated in the preparation chamber 1. A plurality of halogen lamps 4 shown in FIG. 2 and a reflector 5 for efficiently transmitting the heat of the halogen lamps 4 to the substrate 6 are installed in the preparation chamber 1 as a preheating mechanism. By making the size of the reflector 5 equal to or larger than the size of the substrate 6, the uniformity of the temperature of the substrate 6 can be improved. In this embodiment, the halogen lamp 4 is used as the preheating mechanism, but another configuration may be used.
[0025]
The processing procedure in the preparation room 1 will be described below.
[0026]
First, the substrate 6 is loaded from the inlet 16 and the inside of the preparation chamber 1 is evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown). Next, the loaded substrate 6 is transported to a lower portion of the halogen lamp 4, and the substrate 6 is preheated by the halogen lamp 4. The preheating is performed for a predetermined time, and the substrate 6 after the preheating is carried out from the outlet 17 to the annealing chamber 2. Next, the inside of the charging chamber 1 is opened to the atmospheric pressure by a leak valve (not shown), and the substrate 6 is loaded again through the inlet 16 to repeat the above operation. The loading and unloading of the substrate 6 is performed by opening and closing the gate valves 12 and 13, and the gate valves 12 and 13 are opened immediately before transporting the substrate and closed immediately after transport. The gate valves 12 to 15 can be opened and closed, and the timing of the opening and closing is controlled by the control device 100. In addition, it includes a unit (not shown) for transferring the substrate 6 from one chamber to another room, and the operation of the transfer unit is controlled by the control device 100 to perform predetermined transfer of the substrate.
[0027]
The annealing chamber 2 has an inlet 18 for carrying in and out the substrate 6 and an outlet 19, and the inlet 18 of the annealing chamber 2 is connected to an outlet 17 of the charging chamber 1.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 2, a substrate stocker 22 is provided in the annealing chamber 2 so as to be able to move up and down, and the substrates 6 are stored one by one on each shelf of the substrate stocker 22. In this embodiment, the elevator mechanism 7 is attached as a means for elevating the substrate stocker 22. The elevator mechanism 7 is provided in a lower region of the substrate stocker 22 and includes a support plate that supports the substrate stocker 22 and a driving device that moves the support plate up and down.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate stocker 22 includes a plurality of substrate storage shelves 30 on which the substrates 6 are loaded, and an auxiliary shelf 31 provided at the top. Each shelf is provided with a sheath heater 32, and the substrate 32 is annealed by the heat of the heater 32. The auxiliary shelf 31 is provided at the uppermost stage in order to heat all the loaded substrates 6 under the same conditions. All the substrates 6 are provided with a heater 32 provided at the lower part of the shelf in which the substrate 6 is loaded, and an upper stage thereof. Annealing is efficiently performed by the heater 32 provided at the lower part of the shelf. In this embodiment, the sheath heater 32 is employed as a heating mechanism for performing the annealing process on the substrate 6, but the annealing process may be performed using another heating mechanism. The substrate stocker 22 is provided with a plurality of thermocouples corresponding to each shelf, and controls heating of each sheath heater 32 based on the measured temperature of the thermocouple. However, if wiring is complicated if a thermocouple is provided on each shelf, the heater 32 may be divided into a plurality of blocks, and a thermocouple may be provided for each block to control the temperature of each shelf. The temperature control may use ON-OF control or PID control. The ON-OF control approximates a desired temperature curve by repeating ON and OF, whereas the PID control causes a proportional operation P that raises and lowers an operation amount in proportion to a deviation between a set value and a control amount, and a continuation of the deviation. Since the control is a combination of three operations: an integral operation I for raising and lowering the operation amount in accordance with time and a differential operation D for raising and lowering the operation amount in accordance with the degree of change of the deviation. It is assumed that the temperature of the annealing chamber is well controlled.
[0030]
It is conceivable that the heater, which is a heating mechanism, needs to be replaced due to a change over time. In such a case, a maintenance door 8 is provided on the front surface of the apparatus as shown in FIGS. Can be improved.
[0031]
Since the entirety of the annealing chamber 2 is exposed to a high temperature by the heating mechanism, it is necessary to cool the outer wall of the annealing chamber. In addition, the packing (not shown) attached to the maintenance door 8, the gate valves 13, 14 and the like is greatly affected by being exposed to high temperatures, and therefore needs to be particularly cooled. Therefore, in this embodiment, the wall of the annealing chamber 2 has a double structure, and the entire wall can be cooled by flowing cooling water therebetween.
[0032]
Next, a processing procedure in the annealing chamber 2 will be described below.
[0033]
The annealing chamber 2 is always in a vacuum state, and the heater provided in the substrate stocker 22 is always turned on. Further, the loading chamber 1 and the unloading chamber 3 adjacent to the annealing chamber 2 at the time of loading and unloading the substrate 6 are always kept in a vacuum state.
[0034]
First, the empty rack of the stocker, which is the storage position for loading the substrate, is aligned with the entrance position of the annealing chamber 2 by the elevator mechanism 7, and the substrate 6 unloaded from the charging chamber 1 is delivered. The substrate 6 is sequentially accommodated in empty shelves by raising and lowering the substrate stocker 22 by the elevator mechanism 7, and subjected to an annealing process.
[0035]
By providing the substrate stocker 22 in the annealing chamber 2 according to the present invention, it becomes possible to store the substrates 6 sequentially carried in from the charging chamber 1 at a constant interval in the annealing chamber 2 for a predetermined time. Since the annealing time of the substrate is determined by the number of the substrate storage shelves 30 and the interval of the substrate transfer, the number of the shelves and the transfer interval are adjusted according to the purpose. Further, in order to use the apparatus efficiently, it is desirable to provide the number of substrate storage shelves 30 so that the substrate stocker 22 is always filled. For example, when the substrates 6 are transported at an interval of 10 minutes and the desired annealing time is 120 minutes, the substrate housing shelves 30 may be provided in 12 stages. As a result, the substrates 6 carried into the annealing chamber 2 at an interval of 10 minutes are subjected to an annealing process for 120 minutes and then sequentially carried out to the extraction chamber 3 at an interval of 10 minutes. It is always satisfied.
[0036]
The substrate 6 that has been subjected to the annealing process for a predetermined time is carried out from the exit 19 to the unloading chamber 3 by moving the substrate stocker 22 up and down by the elevator mechanism 7 as in the case of carrying in. The loading and unloading of the substrate 6 into and from the annealing chamber 2 is performed at the entrances and exits 18 and 19. In the present invention, the elevator mechanism 7 raises and lowers a plurality of shelves of the substrate stocker 22 to transfer the substrate to an arbitrary shelf. Carrying in and out is possible.
[0037]
The unloading chamber 3 has an inlet 20 and an outlet 21 for loading and unloading substrates, and gate valves 14 and 15 are installed at the inlet and outlet so as to be openable and closable. The inlet 20 of the unloading chamber is connected to the outlet 19 of the annealing chamber, and the substrates 6 that have been subjected to the annealing process are sequentially loaded into the unloading chamber 3. The loading and unloading of the substrates 6 is repeatedly performed one by one at regular intervals as in the preparation chamber 1 and the annealing chamber 2.
[0038]
Since the substrate 6 heated to a high temperature in the annealing chamber 2 is sequentially conveyed to the extraction chamber 3 after a predetermined time, it is required that the substrate 6 be cooled in the extraction chamber 3 within a predetermined time. Since a temperature drop of the substrate 6 cannot be expected by natural cooling in a vacuum for a certain period of time, the substrate 6 is forcibly and rapidly cooled in the extraction chamber 3. The unloading chamber 3 is provided with a cooling mechanism for forcibly cooling the substrate 6. As shown in FIG. 4, the cooling mechanism includes a cooling plate 9, a cooling plate elevating device 11, and a gas introduction system 10 shown in FIG.
[0039]
The cooling plate 9 is provided by providing a water channel 40 in a plate having a high thermal conductivity such as a copper plate, for example, and flowing cooling water through the water channel 40. In the figure, an elevating device 11 refers to a cylinder, and moves the cooling plate 9 up and down by introducing and discharging compressed air. The cooling plate 9 and the elevating device 11 may use other configurations.
[0040]
Next, the procedure of forced quenching in the extraction chamber 3 will be described below. First, after the inside of the extraction chamber 3 is evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown), the substrate 6 is transferred from the annealing chamber 2 to the extraction chamber 3. Next, the substrate 6 carried into the unloading chamber 3 is transported right above the cooling plate 9, and the cooling plate 9 is moved up by the elevating device 11 and brought into contact with the substrate 6. Simultaneously, the substrate 6 is forcibly cooled by introducing an inert gas into the extraction chamber 3 by the gas introduction system 10. The forced cooling is performed for a certain period of time in the same manner as the preliminary heating, and the forced cooling of the first substrate 6 and the unloading chamber are performed after the first substrate 6 is loaded into the unloading chamber and before the second substrate 6 is loaded. The unloading of the substrate 6 and the evacuation of the unloading chamber 3 are all terminated. As in the preparation chamber 1, the loading and unloading of the substrate 6 is performed by opening and closing the gate valves 14, 15, and the opening and closing of the gate valves 14, 15 is performed immediately after the substrate is transferred.
[0041]
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the present apparatus when the substrate storage shelves 30 of the substrate stocker 22 are provided in 12 stages. Hereinafter, a case where the substrate is transported at intervals of 10 minutes will be described with reference to FIG.
[0042]
First, the first substrate 6a is loaded into the preparation chamber 1 and preheated (a). After 10 minutes, the substrate 6a is transferred to the annealing chamber 2, and the second substrate 6b is transferred to the preparation chamber 1 (b). The annealing process is started at the same time as the substrate 6a is carried into the annealing chamber 2. After another 10 minutes, the second substrate 6b is carried into the annealing chamber 2, and the third substrate 6c is carried into the charging chamber 1 (c). Similarly, the substrates 6c to 6l are sequentially carried into the annealing chamber 2 every 10 minutes (d) and (e). Ten minutes after the twelfth substrate 6l has been carried into the annealing chamber 2, the first substrate 6a has been subjected to the annealing treatment for 120 minutes, so the first substrate 6a is carried out to the extraction chamber 3, The 13th substrate 6m is loaded into the annealing chamber 2, and the 14th substrate 6n is loaded into the charging chamber 1 (f). At this time, the thirteenth substrate 6m is carried into the shelf containing the substrate 6a. After a further 10 minutes, the annealing of the second substrate 6b is completed for 120 minutes, so the second substrate 6b is carried out to the extraction chamber 3, and the fourteenth substrate 6n is transferred to the annealing chamber 2 for the fifteenth substrate. The substrate 6o is carried into the preparation room 1 (g). Hereinafter, the same operation is repeated.
[0043]
In the above description, the first to eleventh substrates are processed in a state where the substrate stocker 22 in the annealing chamber 2 is not filled. However, at the start of the operation of the apparatus, eleven dummy substrates are loaded into the annealing chamber 2. In advance, the annealing chamber 2 may be always filled. When the substrate 6 is transferred into and out of the annealing chamber, the valves 13 and 14 are opened to connect the annealing chamber, the charging chamber, and the extracting chamber, but at this time, the charging chamber and the extracting chamber are evacuated. An actuator and a transfer means (not shown) for operating the opening and closing of the valves 12, 13, 14 and 15, transfer of the substrate in the loading chamber 1, the annealing chamber 2 and the unloading chamber, elevating and lowering of the stocker, and vacuum evacuation are all included in the control device 100. It is operated at a desired timing under the control of. That is, the control device is programmed to operate at a desired timing.
[0044]
That is, the substrates 6m (articles) pre-processed for a predetermined pre-processing time in the preparation chamber 1 are sequentially carried into the annealing chamber 2, and the plurality of articles 6a are stored in the stocker 22 having a plurality of article storage positions in the annealing chamber 2. ６6 l are accommodated, and the articles that have been annealed for a predetermined annealing time in the annealing chamber 2 are sequentially carried out of the annealing chamber 2. (A) The articles that have been pre-processed every predetermined pre-processing time are annealed. An article which has been stored in the empty storage position of the stocker in the room and which has been annealed for a predetermined annealing time is taken out of the stocker 22 and carried out of the annealing chamber 2 to form an empty storage position in the stocker 22, and (b) ) After the step (a), the articles in the stocker 22 are annealed for the predetermined pre-processing time, and then the steps (a) and (b) are repeated. This predetermined annealing time is longer than the predetermined pre-processing time. During the annealing of the article, the annealing chamber 2 is maintained in a vacuum, and during the step (a) of loading and unloading the article into and from the annealing chamber 2, the atmosphere outside the loading and unloading ports of the annealing chamber is It has been evacuated. Annealing is also performed continuously when the article 6 is loaded and unloaded.
[0045]
The system described above is a system for heat-treating an article in a vacuum, and includes a charging chamber 1, a heating chamber for annealing 2 and an extraction chamber 3, wherein the charging chamber 1 and the heating chamber 2 are openable and closable. The system is connected by first openings 16 and 17 having a valve 13, and the heating chamber 2 and the extraction chamber 3 are connected by second openings 19 and 20 having a second valve 14 which can be opened and closed. Means (not shown) for carrying the articles 6 in the charging chamber 1 into the heating chamber 2 from the first openings 16 and 17 when the first valve 13 is opened, is disposed in the heating chamber 2 having a plurality of article accommodation positions. To align at least one of the stocker 22 and the article storage position of the stocker 22 with the first openings 16 and 17 to store the articles 6 carried in from the first openings 16 and 17 in the aligned article storage positions. And means for moving the stocker 22 to align at least one of the article storage locations of the stocker 22 with the second openings 19, 20 and to unload the articles at the aligned article storage locations from the second openings 19, 20. (FIGS. 2, 7), means (not shown) for carrying out the article 6 in the heating chamber 2 from the second openings 19 and 20 to the extraction chamber 3 when the second valve 14 is opened, and means for carrying in and out. , Stocker And a control unit 100 which controls moving means and the first and the actuation of the second valve. The control device 100 opens the first valve 13 at intervals of a predetermined carry-in interval time (for example, the above-described 10-minute interval), and moves the article 6 from the charging chamber 1 to the heating chamber 2 via the first opening. The first control for controlling the first valve 13 and the loading means is carried out so that the empty article storage position of the stocker 22 at the time of loading of the article 6 into the heating chamber 2 through the first opening is the first control. The second control for controlling the stocker moving means 7 to be aligned with the opening is performed, and when at least one of the plurality of articles stored in the stocker 22 is completely heated for a predetermined heating time (for example, the above-described 120 minutes), Then, the third control for controlling the stocker moving means 7 is performed so that the accommodation position of the heated article 6 is aligned with the second opening, and the accommodation position of the heated article of the stocker 22 is aligned with the second opening. Sometimes things From the heating chamber 2 and out to the second through openings ejecting chamber 3 is performed a fourth control for controlling the discharge means and the second valve 14 to make room article storage location in the stocker 22.
[0046]
At this time, the shelf position of the stocker 22 on which the annealed (heated) article (substrate) is placed is aligned by driving the stocker moving means 7 to the second opening (third control). After taking out the annealed articles from the storage chamber 3 to the emptying room 3 and creating empty shelves in the stocker 22 (fourth control), when the empty shelves accommodate the articles from the charging chamber 1, the first opening If the second openings are configured at the same horizontal level, the second control described above need not be performed. This is because after the third control, the first opening and the empty shelf are already aligned. Further, in the present system, annealing heating is continuously performed even when an article is carried in / out of the heating chamber. At that time, the vacuum state of the annealing chamber is continuously maintained. While the first and second openings are open, at least the atmosphere in the charging chamber 1 and the unloading chamber 3 is maintained at a vacuum, and the control device 100 controls the evacuation means (not shown) of the charging chamber 1 and the unloading chamber 3. (Shown).
[0047]
The charging chamber 1 and the unloading chamber 3 of the apparatus of the present invention may be connected to a processing apparatus that is in charge of steps before and after the annealing step, and may be inlined.
[0048]
For example, when the electrode deposition step, the annealing step, and the case sealing step are continuously performed in the manufacturing process of the crystal unit, the deposition apparatus 50 and the charging chamber 1 are connected, and the extraction chamber 3 and the seam welding apparatus 51 are connected. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing this state. Hereinafter, the connection of the present apparatus will be described with reference to the same figure, but the present apparatus is connected to an arbitrary processing apparatus capable of continuous processing, and the connectable apparatus is not limited to the above apparatus.
[0049]
In the figure, the substrates 6 are transferred one by one from the vapor deposition device 50 to the charging chamber 1, from the charging chamber 1 to the annealing chamber 2, from the annealing chamber 2 to the extraction chamber 3, and from the extraction chamber 3 to the seam welding apparatus 51. The loading and unloading of substrates from each room are all performed at the same pitch.
[0050]
The processing in this apparatus is as described above, but when the connection device to the charging chamber 1 is a vacuum device, the repetition of the evacuation and the opening to the atmosphere in the charging chamber 1 is omitted, and the charging chamber 1 is always evacuated. State. In this case, the gate valve 12 may be omitted if necessary if the atmosphere between the two devices is equal. When the connection device to the unloading chamber 3 is a vacuum device, the evacuation is performed before the substrate is unloaded from the unloading chamber 3.
[0051]
This apparatus can sequentially process the substrates 6 unloaded one by one from the vapor deposition apparatus 50. In addition, the seam welding apparatus 51 can sequentially process the substrates 6 that are unloaded one by one from the apparatus unloading chamber 3. In other words, by connecting the present apparatus to the processing apparatus that is in charge of the preceding and following steps, the waiting time of the substrate 6 can be eliminated, and the productivity of the entire apparatus can be greatly improved.
[0052]
The intervals of substrate transfer, the number of shelves, and the number of elements to be filled in one substrate in this device are adjusted according to the purpose such as the tact time of the device in charge of the process before and after the annealing process and the desired annealing time. I do.
[0053]
Next, a case where the processing substrate on which the oscillator in the annealing apparatus of the present invention is mounted and the processing substrate on which the oscillator in the connecting device is mounted is different will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, both devices are connected via the transfer machines 60 and 61, and the processing units are matched.
[0054]
When the processing substrate 62 in the vapor deposition device 50 is different from the processing substrate 63 of the present device, the transfer device 60 refills the loaded elements on the processing substrate 62 of the vapor deposition device 50 into the processing substrate 63 of the present device, The processing substrate 63 of the present apparatus is carried out. At this time, the intervals at which the substrates 63 are carried in and out of each room of the apparatus are the same as the intervals at which the substrates 63 are carried out of the transfer device 60.
[0055]
If the processing substrate 63 of the present apparatus is different from the processing substrate 64 of the seam welding apparatus 51, the transfer machine 61 refills the processing substrate 64 of the seam welding apparatus 51 with the elements on the processing substrate 63 of the present apparatus. The transfer machine 61 unloads the processing substrate in accordance with the tact time of the seam welding device 51.
[0056]
12 to 16 show the results of measuring the temperature change of the substrate using the charging chamber 1, the annealing chamber 2, and the unloading chamber 3 described above. In all the figures, the vertical axis represents temperature, and the horizontal axis represents time.
[0057]
In the measurement, 12 stages of substrate storage shelves 30 are provided in the substrate stocker 22 in the annealing chamber, and a dummy carrier 71 and a thermocouple 72 for temperature measurement are mounted on the tray 70 shown in FIG. The change was measured. Further, it is assumed that each shelf is set at 310 ° C., the substrate is annealed at a guaranteed temperature of 270 ° C. ± 27 ° C., and then the substrate is cooled down to 150 ° C. or less to complete the process.
[0058]
FIG. 12 shows a result of measurement of a substrate rising temperature when a normal temperature substrate 6 is transferred to the annealing chamber 2 without providing a preheating mechanism in the preparation chamber 1.
[0059]
From FIG. 12, when the substrate 6 at normal temperature is transferred to the annealing chamber 2, it takes 97 minutes for the substrate 6 to reach the guaranteed lower limit of 243 ° C.
[0060]
FIG. 13 shows a measurement result of a substrate heating temperature when the preheating mechanism of the present invention is provided in the preparation chamber 1 and the preheated substrate 6 is transferred to the annealing chamber 2. The halogen lamp 4 and the reflector 5 described above were used for the preheating mechanism, and the other measurement conditions were the same as those in FIG. The time on the horizontal axis is 0 minutes when the substrate is loaded into the annealing chamber 2 from the preparation chamber 1.
[0061]
From FIG. 13, it can be seen that the substrate temperature rises to 250 ° C. in the preparation chamber and reaches the guaranteed lower limit of 243 ° C. in 57 minutes after being loaded into the annealing chamber 2 by the preheating mechanism of the present invention.
[0062]
FIG. 14 shows a result of measuring a temperature change of the substrate when the tray 70 shown in FIG. 8B is made of Al having a small heat capacity and other measurement conditions are the same as those of FIG.
[0063]
From FIG. 14, by making the tray 70 shown in FIG. 8B from Al, the time required from when the tray 70 is brought into the annealing chamber 2 to reach the guaranteed temperature lower limit of 243 ° C. can be reduced to 40 minutes. Understand.
[0064]
FIG. 15 divides the substrate storage shelf 30 of the substrate stocker 22 in the annealing chamber into three blocks of a lower three-stage, a middle six-stage, and an upper three-stage, and PID-controls the temperature of each shelf by a thermocouple provided in each block. The condition (1) shows a change in the temperature of the substrate when the condition is the same as that in FIG.
[0065]
From FIG. 15, it can be seen that by controlling the temperature of the annealing chamber 2, the time required from when the annealing chamber 2 is carried into the annealing chamber 2 to reach the guaranteed lower limit of 243 ° C. is reduced to 18 minutes.
[0066]
From this, preheating is performed in the charging chamber 1 by using the preheating mechanism of the present invention, the tray 70 of the substrate 6 is made of a material having a small heat capacity, and the temperature of the annealing chamber 2 is further controlled. As compared with the case where the substrate is transported to the substrate 2, the substrate accommodation time in the annealing chamber 2 can be reduced by 79 minutes, and it can be seen that the substrate annealing process can be performed in a short time.
FIG. 16 shows a change in the temperature of the substrate 6 when the substrate 6 heated to 270 ° C. ± 27 ° C. in the annealing chamber 2 is transported to the extraction chamber and the substrate 6 is forcibly cooled. The time on the horizontal axis is 0 minutes when the substrate is unloaded from the annealing chamber 2 to the unloading chamber 3.
[0067]
The extraction chamber 3 was provided with the quenching mechanism of the present invention, and the quenching mechanism used the cooling plate 9 and the gas introduction system 10 described above, and introduced He gas as an inert gas.
[0068]
FIG. 7A shows a temperature change when only the cooling plate of the present invention is used, and FIG. 9B shows a temperature change when He gas is further introduced using the cooling plate 9.
[0069]
From (a), by using the cooling plate 9 of the present invention, it becomes possible to reduce the substrate temperature to 150 ° C. in 23 minutes after being carried into the unloading chamber 3. (B) shows that the introduction of He gas in addition to the cooling plate 9 makes it possible to lower the temperature of the substrate to 150 ° C. in 2 minutes and 10 seconds, further shortening the temperature drop time.
[0070]
FIGS. 12 to 16 show that the use of the preheating mechanism and the rapid cooling mechanism of the present invention makes it possible to reduce the processing time required for the annealing step and improve the productivity of the apparatus.
[0071]
Description of other embodiments, description of examples diverted to other uses
In the above example, the case where the apparatus for performing the continuous processing is directly connected to the charging chamber and the unloading chamber of the apparatus of the present invention is directly connected to the charging chamber and the unloading chamber as the embodiment shown in FIG. Although the case where the apparatus to be performed is connected via the transfer machine has been described, the transfer machine may be connected only to the loading room of the present apparatus, or the transfer machine may be connected only to the unloading room.
[0072]
In the above embodiment, the number of substrates accommodated in the loading chamber and the unloading chamber is one. However, a plurality of substrates may be used. When cooling to a low temperature is desired, a plurality of halogen lamps for preheating and a plurality of cooling plates for forced cooling may be provided in parallel.
[0073]
【The invention's effect】
By providing a plurality of shelves in the annealing chamber so as to be able to move up and down in the present invention, substrates can be carried in and out of arbitrary shelves. Substrates successively carried in at regular intervals are stored and processed in the annealing chamber for a certain period of time. Things become possible. This makes it possible to process multiple substrates simultaneously in the annealing chamber, but also to connect directly to the processing equipment in charge of the preceding and following processes, eliminating the waiting time for substrates on the production line and significantly improving the productivity of the equipment. It is possible to do.
[0074]
In addition, a preheating mechanism is provided in the charging chamber, and a quenching mechanism is provided in the unloading chamber. Preliminary heating and quenching of the substrate are performed one by one, so that heating and cooling can be performed in a short time. The temperature lowering time can be remarkably reduced, which further contributes to improving the productivity of the apparatus.
[0075]
Further, the elevator mechanism provided in the annealing chamber has an effect that the processing object continuously sent can be efficiently stored in the space, and the apparatus can be made compact.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section and a control system of an annealing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a longitudinal section of the annealing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a substrate stocker.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a cooling plate and a lifting device.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the connection of the annealing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the connection of the annealing apparatus of the present invention via a transfer machine.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the annealing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating the tray of the present invention, and FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating a dummy carrier for measuring a substrate temperature.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a conventional batch annealing apparatus.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an annealing apparatus using a conventional processing system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-137803.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a conventional annealing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-275080.
FIG. 12 shows measured substrate temperature data when a normal-temperature substrate is transferred to an annealing chamber.
FIG. 13 shows substrate temperature measurement data when a substrate preheated by the preheating mechanism of the present invention is transferred to an annealing chamber.
FIG. 14 shows substrate temperature measurement data when preheating was performed with the substrate tray of the present invention made of Al having a small heat capacity.
FIG. 15 shows substrate temperature measurement data when the temperature of the annealing chamber of the present invention is controlled.
FIG. 16 shows substrate temperature measurement data when forced cooling is performed by the rapid cooling mechanism of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 preparation room
2 Annealing room
3 Extraction room
4 Halogen lamp
5 Reflector
6 substrate
7 Elevator mechanism
8 Maintenance door
9 Cooling plate
10 Gas introduction system
11 Lifting device
12 Gate valve
13 Gate valve
14 Gate valve
15 Gate valve
16 Preparation room entrance
17 Preparation room exit
18 Annealing room entrance
19 Annealing chamber outlet
20 Extraction room entrance
21 Extraction room exit
22 board stocker
30 board storage shelf
31 Auxiliary shelf
32 sheath heater
40 waterway
50 Evaporation equipment
51 Seam welding equipment
60 transfer machine
61 Transfer Machine
62 Deposition equipment processing substrate
63 Processing board
64 seam welding equipment processing board
70 trays
71 Dummy carrier
72 thermocouple
100 vacuum chamber
101 substrate
102 shelves
103 Gas introduction system
110 Heat treatment section
111 Interface
112 Single wafer processing unit
113 heating furnace
114 Boat transfer room
115 Transfer arm
116 boat
120 Substrate loading chamber
121 transfer chamber
122 Annealing chamber
123 transfer chamber
124 Substrate unloading chamber
125 Preheating heater
126 Annealing means
127 cooling means
128 cassettes
129 cassettes

Claims

An annealing apparatus for performing a heat treatment on an article in a vacuum, wherein the annealing apparatus includes a charging chamber having a preheating means and an annealing chamber having a stocker having a means for storing and heating a plurality of the articles. There is a three-chamber configuration including an annealing chamber having means for driving the substrate stocker up and down, and an unloading chamber having cooling means, and an openable / closable valve is provided between the charging chamber and the annealing chamber. An annealing apparatus connected by a first opening, wherein the annealing chamber and the unloading chamber are connected by a second opening having an openable / closable valve.

2. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charging chamber has means for heating the article to a predetermined temperature by the preheating means and then transferring the article to the annealing chamber at regular intervals.

3. The annealing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the preheating means for the charging chamber is constituted by a halogen lamp and a reflector provided at a position facing the article with respect to the halogen lamp. 4.

The articles carried in at regular intervals after being preheated in the charging chamber are successively accommodated one by one by driving the lifting / lowering means to a plurality of article accommodating positions of the stocker. 2. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control device for driving the lifting / lowering means from articles which have reached a predetermined heating time after the heat treatment and continuously carrying the articles one by one at predetermined intervals to a take-out chamber. .

The article heating means in the annealing chamber includes a heater provided on each of a plurality of shelves in the stocker, and a heating control means for performing an annealing process on the article by heating and controlling the heater. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 4.

The heating means of the stocker has a thermocouple corresponding to each shelf in the stocker, and the heating control means performs temperature control on an article on each shelf based on a temperature measurement result by the thermocouple. The annealing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

The heating means of the stocker has respective thermocouples respectively corresponding to the plurality of blocks of the shelf, and the heating control means controls the temperature of the articles on the shelf belonging to each block based on the temperature measurement result by the thermocouple. 7. The annealing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the annealing is performed.

The stocker in the annealing chamber includes a plurality of shelves for accommodating the articles, a heater installed on the lower surface of the shelf, an auxiliary shelf provided on the uppermost stage, and a heater installed on the lower surface of the auxiliary shelf. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the annealing apparatus is used.

9. The annealing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the raising and lowering driving means of the annealing chamber is provided in a lower region of the stocker, and comprises a support plate for supporting the stocker and a driving device for raising and lowering the support plate.

The annealing apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the annealing chamber has a double structure with an outer wall, and cooling water is supplied between the outer wall to cool the entire outer wall.

2. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unloading chamber forcibly cools the annealed articles one by one to a predetermined temperature by the cooling means.

12. The annealing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cooling means of the extraction chamber includes a cooling plate having a cooling water flow path therein, an elevating device for the cooling plate, and a gas introduction system.

13. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article is obtained by loading a plurality of production intermediate elements on a tray made of a material having a small heat capacity.

2. An annealing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining said charging chamber and said unloading chamber at a vacuum when said first and second opening / closing valves are opened.

The annealing apparatus is characterized in that a processing device for performing a pre-process of an annealing process is connected to the charging chamber, and a processing device for performing a process subsequent to the annealing process is connected to the extraction chamber, so that the entire device is inlined. The annealing apparatus according to claim 1.

16. The annealing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processing apparatus is connected to the charging chamber and the unloading chamber via a transfer machine.

In an annealing method of performing heat treatment on an article in a vacuum,
The articles are preheated to a predetermined temperature in a charging chamber provided with a preheating means, and the preheated articles are successively carried one by one at predetermined intervals into an annealing chamber, and the articles are introduced into the annealing chamber. At the same time as sequentially accommodating the objects, sequentially starting the annealing process for each of the articles, simultaneously performing the annealing process for a plurality of the articles in the processing chamber, and leaving a predetermined interval one by one from the articles that have been annealed for a predetermined time. An annealing method characterized by continuously carrying the article out of the annealing chamber into a cooling chamber, and forcibly cooling the article in the cooling chamber.

18. The article according to claim 17, wherein the article is a substrate on which a quartz oscillator is mounted, wherein the oscillator has an electrode film deposited thereon, and the annealing process is a first annealing process for stabilizing the electrode film. The annealing method as described.

The article is a substrate on which a quartz oscillator is mounted, wherein the oscillator has been subjected to frequency adjustment with respect to the electrode film, and the annealing treatment is to stabilize the frequency-adjusted electrode film. The annealing method according to claim 17, which is an annealing treatment.

The articles pre-processed for a predetermined pre-processing time are sequentially carried into an annealing chamber, and a plurality of articles are stored in a stocker having a plurality of article storage positions in the annealing chamber, and only the articles annealed for a predetermined annealing time are stored. Is sequentially carried out of the annealing chamber,
(A) The articles pre-processed for each of the predetermined pre-processing times are stored in the empty storage positions of the stockers in the annealing chamber, and the articles that have been annealed for the predetermined annealing time are taken out of the stockers and removed. Unloading outside the annealing chamber to create an empty storage position in the stocker, and (b) annealing the article in the stocker after the step (a) for the predetermined pre-processing time, and then performing the steps (a) and ( b) repeating, wherein the predetermined annealing time is longer than the predetermined pre-processing time;

During annealing of the article, the annealing chamber is maintained in a vacuum, and during the step (a) of loading and unloading the article into and from the annealing chamber, the step outside the loading and unloading ports of the annealing chamber. 21. The annealing method according to claim 20, wherein the atmosphere is evacuated.

21. The annealing method according to claim 20, wherein the pretreatment is preheating before annealing.

21. The annealing method according to claim 20, further comprising a step of cooling the articles sequentially taken out of the annealing chamber for a predetermined cooling time, wherein the predetermined pre-processing time and the predetermined cooling time are substantially the same.

21. The annealing method according to claim 20, wherein a dummy article is accommodated in an empty accommodation position of the stocker in an initial step of the method.

21. The annealing method according to claim 20, wherein the article is a substrate comprising a tray and a plurality of quartz oscillators being processed arranged on the tray.

A system for heat-treating an article in a vacuum, comprising a charging chamber, a heating chamber, and an unloading chamber, wherein the charging chamber and the heating chamber are connected by a first opening having a first valve that can be opened and closed, In a system, the heating chamber and the extraction chamber are connected by a second opening having a second valve that can be opened and closed;
Means for carrying the articles in the charging chamber into the heating chamber through the first opening when the first valve is opened;
A stocker arranged in the heating chamber having a plurality of article storage positions,
Aligning at least one of the article storage positions of the stocker with the first opening and storing the articles carried in from the first opening in the aligned article storage position; Means for aligning at least one with the second opening and moving the stocker to unload articles at the aligned article storage location from the second opening;
Means for unloading the article in the heating chamber from the second opening to the unloading chamber when the second valve is open; and means for loading, unloading, means for moving the stocker, and first and second means. It consists of a control device that controls the operation of the valve,
The controller opens the first valve at intervals of a predetermined carry-in interval time, and the first valve so as to carry in the article from the charging chamber through the first opening to the heating chamber. Performing a first control for controlling the valve and the loading means;
A second control unit that controls the stocker moving unit such that the empty article storage position of the stocker is aligned with the first opening when the articles are carried into the heating chamber through the first opening. Do
The control device is configured to, when at least one of the plurality of articles contained in the stocker is completely heated for a predetermined heating time, align the storage position of the heated article with the second opening. Performing a third control for controlling the moving means,
When the storage position of the heated article of the stocker is aligned with the second opening, the control device unloads the article from the heating chamber to the unloading chamber through the second opening and removes the article. A heat treatment system for performing fourth control for controlling the second valve and the unloading means so as to create an empty article storage position in the stocker.

A vacuum is maintained during the heat treatment of the articles in the heating chamber, the charging chamber is maintained at a vacuum when the first valve is opened, and the unloading chamber is maintained at a vacuum when the second valve is opened, 27. The heat treatment system according to claim 26, wherein the treatment is continuously performed when the article is carried into and out of the heating chamber.

The first valve is closed when an article is transferred from outside the atmospheric pressure atmosphere to the charging chamber, and the second valve is closed when the article is transferred from the discharge chamber to the outside of the atmospheric pressure atmosphere. 27. The heat treatment system according to claim 26, wherein the transfer chamber is evacuated after the transfer to the charging chamber, and the transfer chamber is evacuated after transferring the article from the discharge chamber to the outside of the atmospheric pressure atmosphere.

27. The heat treatment system according to claim 26, further comprising means for preheating the article in the charging chamber and means for cooling the article in the unloading chamber.

27. The heat treatment system according to claim 26, wherein a time required for the preheating and a time required for the cooling are shorter than the predetermined loading interval time, and the predetermined heating time is longer than the predetermined loading interval time.

The heating chamber has a configuration in which, at the same movement position of the stocker, one of the article storage positions of the stocker is aligned with both the first opening and the second opening, and the control device includes the third and fourth heating units. 27. The heat treatment system according to claim 26, wherein after performing the control, the second control is omitted.

27. The heat treatment system according to claim 26, wherein the article is a quartz oscillator having an electrode film.