JP2008262781A - Atmosphere control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an atmosphere control device which maintains gas atmosphere near a process part by preventing entering of outside air into a process device, and reduces the amount of use of process gas by preventing flowing out of the process gas from the process part. <P>SOLUTION: An object to be processed 1 is mounted on a transportation mechanism 2, and is transported in the direction of process parts 7a and 7b (direction of arrow B) by the transportation mechanism 2. The process parts 7a and 7b comprise gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, and 3d-2, exhaust process mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2, 4c-1, 4c-2, 4d-1, and 4d-2, and plasma process parts 5a and 5b. The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, and 3d-2 comprise a gas jetting nozzle 10 respectively. The exhaust process mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2, 4c-1, 4c-2, 4d-1, and 4d-2 comprise an exhaust nozzle 11 respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an atmosphere control device, and is used in, for example, a plasma processing device or a CVD processing device for thin film formation / processing and surface treatment.

  In the manufacture of various electronic devices such as semiconductors, flat panel displays, and solar cells, process (processing) apparatuses that perform various processes such as etching, film formation, ashing, and surface treatment are used. Among the above devices, devices such as flat panel displays and thin-film solar cells using thin-film amorphous silicon increase the size of the substrate and other objects to be processed to 2 m or more in order to increase the size of the device and reduce manufacturing costs. As a result, the size of plasma processing apparatuses is also increasing.

Many of these process devices require maintaining a very pure gas atmosphere within the processing device used to process the workpiece. Contamination such as fine particles and moisture and oxygen contained in the outside air in the process atmosphere must be minimized. Since outside air may be mixed into the gas atmosphere in the vicinity of the processing unit, oxidation of the object to be processed, oxidation of the generated film, oxidation of the etching unit, etc. may occur. It is customary to keep.
However, in order to maintain the process gas atmosphere, once processing is performed by evacuation in an airtight container, the current situation is that processing efficiency cannot be improved and large-area substrates and the like cannot be accommodated, as in the case of low-pressure processing.

On the other hand, as a first method, a method is known in which outside air is blocked by a gas curtain in order to maintain a process gas atmosphere in the vicinity of the processing unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, as a second method, a gas curtain prevents the inflow of outside air and the outflow of processing gas, and the processing gas is confined in a space formed by the gas curtain and the apparatus, thereby reducing the amount of processing gas used. Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2002-151494 A JP 2006-140051

However, in the first method, when the vicinity of the contact portion between the plasma and the object to be processed is maintained in an inert gas atmosphere by the gas atmosphere adjusting mechanism, an inert gas that is a process gas is used as a curtain gas for blocking outside air. For this reason, the amount of the inert gas that is the process gas is greatly increased.
Further, in the second method, it is possible to prevent the inflow of outside air and the outflow of processing gas in a steady state, but the problem is that the prevention of the inflow of outside air when carrying in the substrate and the outflow of processing gas when carrying out the substrate are not sufficient. was there.

  The present invention is an apparatus for controlling the atmosphere of a processing chamber for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber to process the processing object, and a passage through which the processing object is carried into and out of the processing chamber from an opening exposed to the outside A plurality of gas curtain mechanisms for ejecting a shielding gas into the passage, and a plurality of exhaust mechanisms for discharging the gas from the passage. The gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism are connected to the processing chamber from the opening. An atmosphere control device is provided that is alternately adjacent to each other in the direction, thereby controlling the atmosphere of the processing chamber.

  According to the present invention, by including the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism installed in this order from the opening toward the process chamber between the processing chamber and the external opening, the gas curtain mechanism, the exhaust mechanism, the gas curtain mechanism, and the exhaust mechanism. The gas curtain mechanism installed on the external opening side mainly blocks the inflow of outside air, and the exhaust mechanism installed on the external opening side mainly removes the curtain gas ejected from the gas curtain mechanism installed on the processing chamber side. The opening side and the processing chamber can be separated from each other by an air flow generated by exhausting, so that inflow of outside air can be prevented even during loading / unloading of the object to be processed, and outflow of processing gas can be prevented.

  The processing apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for controlling the atmosphere of a processing chamber for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber to process the processing object. The processing object is carried into the processing chamber from an opening exposed to the outside. A housing having a passage for carrying out, a plurality of gas curtain mechanisms for ejecting shielding gas into the passage, and a plurality of exhaust mechanisms for discharging gas from the passage, the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism from the opening It is characterized by being an atmosphere control device which is provided adjacent to each other in the direction of the processing chamber and thereby controls the atmosphere of the processing chamber.

A processing mechanism for processing the workpiece and a transport mechanism for moving the processing mechanism and the workpiece relative to each other may be provided.
Adjacent gas curtain mechanisms and exhaust mechanisms may have a predetermined spacing.
The gas curtain mechanism located closest to the opening may be a mechanism that ejects gas toward the opening.
The gas curtain mechanism located closest to the opening may be located closer to the processing chamber by a predetermined distance from the opening.
The object to be processed may have a flat plate shape, and a plurality of gas curtain mechanisms and exhaust mechanisms may be arranged to face both surfaces of the object to be processed.

The opening comprises a carry-in opening and a carry-out opening, the passage comprises a carry-in passage connecting the carry-in opening and the processing chamber, and a carry-out passage connecting the processing chamber and the carry-out opening. The carry-in and carry-out passages are processed from the carry-in and carry-out openings, respectively. A first gas curtain mechanism and a second exhaust mechanism may be alternately provided toward the chamber.
The workpiece may be a flat plate, and the processing mechanism may include a processing unit that processes one side of the workpiece.
The object to be processed may have a flat plate shape, and the processing mechanism may include a processing unit that simultaneously processes both surfaces of the object to be processed.
According to another aspect of the present invention, in the atmosphere control device, the first and second gas curtain mechanisms are provided from the opening toward the processing chamber, and the second gas is provided between the first and second gas curtain mechanisms. A first and a second exhaust mechanism are provided between the curtain mechanism and the processing chamber, respectively, the flow of outside air is blocked by the first gas curtain mechanism, and the gas ejected from the second gas curtain mechanism by the first exhaust mechanism. A process chamber atmosphere control method for exhausting and exhausting process gas in the process chamber by a second exhaust mechanism is provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus using an atmosphere control apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus according to the first embodiment includes a processing unit 7 a disposed above a flat plate-like object 1 and a conductive stage 6 on which the object 1 is mounted. The processing unit 7a is moved in the direction of arrow A on the stage 6 by a transport mechanism (not shown).

  The processing unit 7a includes gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, exhaust processing mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2, and a plasma processing unit 5a. Is provided. The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2 are each provided with a gas ejection nozzle 10, and the exhaust treatment mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2 are respectively exhaust nozzles. 11 is provided.

Adjacent gas curtain mechanisms and exhaust mechanisms have a spacing of 50 mm.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the flow of curtain gas, exhaust, and process gas.
The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3b-1 installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side block the flow of outside air into the apparatus. The exhaust mechanisms 4a-1 and 4b-1 installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side are curtains mainly ejected from the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-2 and 3b-2 installed on the plasma processing unit 5a side. A flow rate equal to the gas flow rate is exhausted, and the inlet and outlet sides of the object to be processed and the plasma processing unit 5a are separated by an air flow generated thereby. And the inflow of the outside air at the time of carrying in a processed material and the outflow of the processing gas at the time of carrying out a processed material are prevented. Further, the processing gas after the plasma processing is performed in the plasma processing unit 5a is exhausted by the exhaust mechanisms 4a-2 and 4b-2 installed on the plasma processing unit side.

In FIG. 1, the gas ejected to the outside of the processing unit 7a is exhausted to the outside from two casing exhaust ports 14a through a casing 13a covering the processing unit 7a.
An electrode 12a is installed in the plasma processing unit 5a. A power source 30a is connected to the electrode 12a and the conductive stage 6 to supply power. The process gas is supplied from the process gas gas cylinder 21 to the plasma processing unit 5 a via the process gas gas flow path 23. The curtain gas is supplied from the curtain gas gas cylinder 20 to the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2 via the curtain gas flow path 22.

The electrode 12a includes a metal portion made of a metal having high conductivity such as aluminum (Al) or stainless steel (SUS), and the metal portion is covered with a solid dielectric to prevent arc discharge. In addition, a gas flow path (not shown) is provided in order to supply process gas in the vicinity of the electrode 12a.
Further, in the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3b-1, as shown in FIG. 4, the gas ejection nozzle 10 is located at the end of the gas curtain mechanism 3a-1 on the workpiece inlet side. Gas is ejected from 1 toward the object 1 to be processed. The jetted gas is reflected by the workpiece 1 and flows out to the workpiece inlet.

At this time, since the gas ejection nozzle 10 is located at the end of the gas curtain mechanism 3a-1 on the workpiece entrance side, the gas is ejected from the end, thereby reducing the outflow of the process gas from the plasma processing unit 5a. Become.
Next, plasma process processing using the plasma processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
The glass substrate which is the workpiece 1 is stationary on the stage 6, and the processing unit 7a moves toward the glass substrate to perform plasma processing.
By making the glass substrate rest on the stage 6, the flatness of the object to be processed and the accuracy of the gap between the object to be processed 1 and the electrode 12a are higher than when the object to be processed 1 is conveyed, Further, the gap can be further reduced.
The gap between the glass substrate and the electrode 12a is about 2 mm.

A process gas in which He = 80 L / min, N2 = 40 L / min, O2 = 0.6 L / min, for example, is mixed for several tens of seconds between the plasma processing units at atmospheric pressure or near atmospheric pressure. By continuing the introduction, the atmosphere in the vicinity of the plasma processing unit is replaced with the process gas atmosphere from air.
The flow rates of the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism are the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3b-1 = 300 L / min installed at the workpiece inlet side and outlet side, the workpiece inlet side and outlet side, respectively. Exhaust mechanisms 4a-1, 4b-1 = 200 L / min, gas curtain mechanisms 3a-2, 3b-2 = 180 L / min installed on the plasma processing unit side, exhaust mechanisms 4a installed on the plasma processing unit side −2, 4b−2 = 110 L / min.

The process gas atmosphere is blocked from the outside air by the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism, and the process gas atmosphere is maintained.
Thereafter, when a frequency of 30 kHz and a voltage of 7.5 kV are applied from the high frequency power source between the electrode 12a and the stage 6, plasma is generated between the electrode 12a and the glass substrate.
When the oxygen concentration is evaluated as an index of the process gas concentration in the apparatus and the ozone concentration is evaluated as the process gas concentration flowing out of the apparatus using the two gas curtain mechanisms and the exhaust mechanism in this way, The concentration of the process gas and the concentration of the processing gas flowing out of the apparatus are improved as compared with the conventional atmosphere adjustment mechanism, and the consumption of the process gas is reduced.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus using an atmosphere control apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
This apparatus is a plasma processing apparatus that performs inline substrate processing and processing of a sheet-shaped or roll-shaped workpiece.
As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus according to the second embodiment includes processing units 7 a and 7 b and a transport mechanism 2 that are vertically opposed to each other. The processing parts 7a and 7b are respectively arranged above and below the plate-like object 1 to be processed. The workpiece 1 is mounted on the transport mechanism 2 and is transported by the transport mechanism 2 in the direction of the processing units 7a and 7b (in the direction of arrow B).

The processing units 7a and 7b include gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, 3d-2, and exhaust processing mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2, 4c-1, 4c-2, 4d-1, 4d-2, and plasma processing units 5a, 5b. The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, and 3d-2 are each provided with a gas ejection nozzle 10, and an exhaust treatment mechanism 4a-1, Each of 4a-24b-1, 4b-2, 4c-1, 4c-2, 4d-1, and 4d-2 includes an exhaust nozzle 11.
Adjacent gas curtain mechanism and exhaust mechanism have an interval of 50 mm.

  The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3b-1 installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side block the flow of outside air into the apparatus. Exhaust mechanisms 4a-1 and 4b-1 installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side are mainly curtain gas ejected from gas curtain mechanisms 3a-2 and 3b-2 installed on the plasma processing unit side. The flow rate equal to the flow rate is exhausted, and the workpiece inlet side and the outlet side are separated from the plasma processing unit 5a by the air flow generated thereby. And the inflow of the outside air at the time of carrying in a processed material and the outflow of the processing gas at the time of carrying out a processed material are prevented. After the plasma processing is performed in the plasma processing unit 5a by the exhaust mechanisms 4a-2 and 4b-2 installed on the plasma processing unit side, the processing gas is exhausted. The gas curtain mechanisms 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, 3d-2 and the exhaust mechanisms 4c-1, 4c-2, 4d-1, 4d-2 perform the same operation.

The gas ejected to the outside of the processing units 7a and 7b is exhausted to the outside through the casing exhaust ports 14a and 14b via the casings 13a and 13b covering the processing units 7a and 7b.
Electrodes 12a and 12b are installed in the plasma processing units 5a and 5b, respectively. Power sources 30a and 30b are connected to the electrodes 12a and 12b to supply power. Process gases are supplied from the process gas gas cylinders 21 to the plasma processing units 5 a and 5 b via the process gas gas passages 23.

Further, the gas curtain mechanism 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, 3d-2 is provided with a curtain via a gas curtain channel 22. Curtain gas is supplied from the gas cylinder 20 for gas.
The electrodes 12a and 12b include a metal part made of a metal having high conductivity such as aluminum (Al) or stainless steel (SUS), and the metal part is covered with a solid dielectric to prevent arc discharge.

Here, the details of the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 to 3d-1 will be described. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3c-1 of the atmosphere control device according to the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the gas ejection nozzle 10 is located at the end of the gas curtain mechanism 3 a-1, 3 c-1 to-be-processed object, and gas is ejected from the gas ejection nozzle 10 toward the object to be processed 1. .
The jetted gas is reflected by the workpiece 1 and flows out to the workpiece inlet.
By ejecting the gas from the end portion, the outflow of the process gas from the plasma processing portions 5a and 5b is reduced.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the position of the gas curtain ejection nozzle 10 of the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3c-1 is different from that in FIG. In FIG. 6 as well, the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3c-1 are opposed to each other in the vertical direction, but the gas ejection nozzle 10 is opposed to the workpiece inlet side end of the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3c-1. It is provided with a slight distance (for example, 5 mm). When the gas is ejected from the gas ejection nozzle 10 provided in this way toward the object 1 to be processed, the area in which the curtain gas is in contact with the object 1 to be processed becomes wider, so that the effect of preventing outside air mixing is improved. .

Next, the plasma process process in Embodiment 2 is demonstrated.
The glass substrate that is the object to be processed 1 is transported in the direction of the processing unit 7a by the transport mechanism 2 to perform plasma processing.
A process gas in which He = 80 L / min, N2 = 40 L / min, O2 = 0.6 L / min, for example, is mixed for several tens of seconds between the plasma processing units at atmospheric pressure or near atmospheric pressure. By continuing the introduction, the atmosphere in the vicinity of the plasma processing unit is replaced with the process gas atmosphere from air.
The flow rates of the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism are as follows: gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3b-1, 3c-1, 3d-1 = 300 L / min installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side; Exhaust mechanisms 4a-1, 4b-1, 4c-1, 4d-1 = 200 L / min installed on the inlet side and outlet side, gas curtain mechanisms 3a-2, 3b-2 installed on the plasma processing unit side 3c-2, 3d-2 = 180 L / min, and exhaust mechanisms 4a-2, 4b-2, 4c-2, 4d-2 = 110 L / min installed on the plasma processing unit side.

The process gas atmosphere is blocked from the outside air by the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism, and the process gas atmosphere is maintained.
Thereafter, when a frequency of 30 kHz and a voltage of 7.5 kV are applied to the electrodes 12a and 12b from the high-frequency power source in opposite phases, a voltage of 15 kV is applied between the electrodes 12a and 12b, and plasma is generated between the electrodes 12a and 12b. .

  When the oxygen concentration is evaluated as an index of the process gas concentration in the apparatus and the ozone concentration is evaluated as the process gas concentration flowing out of the apparatus using the two gas curtain mechanisms and the exhaust mechanism in this way, The concentration of the process gas and the concentration of the processing gas flowing out of the apparatus are improved as compared with the conventional atmosphere adjustment mechanism, and the consumption of the process gas is reduced.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view illustrating the configuration of a CVD processing apparatus using the atmosphere control apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This processing apparatus is used for in-line substrate processing and CVD of a sheet-shaped or roll-shaped workpiece.
The apparatus shown in FIG. 7 includes a processing unit 7 a disposed above a flat plate-like object 1 (glass substrate), and a conductive stage 6 on which the object 1 is mounted.
The stage 6 moves in the direction of arrow A with the workpiece 1 mounted thereon by the transport mechanism 15.

A heater 16 is installed under the transport mechanism 15 to heat the workpiece 1.
The processing unit 9a includes gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, exhaust processing mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2, a CVD processing unit 8, Is provided. The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2 are each provided with a gas ejection nozzle 10, and the exhaust treatment mechanisms 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2 are respectively exhaust nozzles. 11 is provided.

Adjacent gas curtain mechanisms and exhaust mechanisms have a spacing of 50 mm.
The gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1 and 3b-1 installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side block the flow of outside air into the apparatus. The exhaust mechanisms 4a-1 and 4b-1 installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side are mainly ejected from the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-2 and 3b-2 installed on the CVD processing unit 8 processing unit side. The air flow generated by exhausting the same flow rate as that of the curtain gas separates the workpiece inlet side and the outlet side from the CVD processing unit 8, and flows in the outside air when the glass substrate is carried in and when the glass substrate is carried out. Prevents outflow of processing gas at And after exhausting the process gas in the CVD process part 8 by the exhaust mechanism 4a-2, 4b-2 installed in the CVD process part 8 side, the process gas is exhausted.
The gas ejected to the outside of the processing unit 7a is exhausted to the outside from the casing exhaust port 14a through the casing 13a covering the processing unit 7a.

A shower head 17 is installed in the CVD processing unit 8. A power source 30a is connected to the shower head 17 and the conductive stage 6 to supply power, and the process gas 1 is supplied from the process gas gas cylinder 21 via the process gas gas passage 23, and the process gas is supplied. The process gas 2 is supplied from the process gas gas cylinder 28 via the gas flow path 29.
From the shower head 17, the process gases 1 and 2 supplied from the process gas gas cylinder 21 and the process gas gas cylinder 28 are mixed and injected into the CVD processing unit 8.

Next, a CVD process using the CVD processing apparatus shown in FIG. 7 will be described.
The stage 6 moves in the direction of the arrow A in a state where the workpiece 1 is mounted by the transport mechanism 15, and the CVD process is performed in the processing unit 9a.
Under atmospheric pressure or a pressure close to atmospheric pressure, for example, N2 is introduced as a carrier gas from the process gas cylinder 21 into the CVD processing unit 8, and SnCl 4, H 2 O / D 2 O, O 2, F, and the like are supplied from the process gas cylinder 28. A gas mixed with a dopant gas is introduced.
The heater 16 heats the workpiece 1 so that the temperature of the workpiece 1 is maintained at a predetermined temperature of 400 to 600 ° C.

  The flow rates of the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism are the gas curtain mechanisms 3a-1, 3b-1 = 300 L / min installed on the workpiece inlet side and outlet side, and the workpiece inlet side and outlet side are installed. Exhaust mechanism 4a-1, 4b-1 = 200 L / min, gas curtain mechanism 3a-2, 3b-2 = 180 L / min installed on the CVD processing unit 8 side, exhaust installed on the CVD processing unit 8 side Mechanisms 4a-2, 4b-2 = 110 L / min.

The CVD processing unit 8 is shielded from outside air by a gas curtain mechanism and an exhaust mechanism, and maintains a process gas atmosphere.
When these two sets of gas curtain mechanism and exhaust mechanism are used to evaluate the oxygen concentration as an index of the process gas concentration in the apparatus and the process gas concentration as the process gas concentration flowing out of the apparatus, The concentration of the process gas and the concentration of the processing gas flowing out of the apparatus are improved as compared with other atmosphere adjustment mechanisms, and the consumption of the process gas is reduced.

  The conditions shown in the first and second embodiments are examples, and the curtain gas flow rate and the exhaust flow rate, the distance between each gas curtain mechanism / exhaust mechanism, the process gas type, the composition ratio, the total flow rate, the flow velocity, the electrode It is determined by the gap between the electrodes and the conveyance speed of the electrode-shaped workpiece.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the plasma processing apparatus using the atmosphere control apparatus by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the plasma processing apparatus using the atmosphere control apparatus by Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the outline of the gas air flow in the apparatus in Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a gas curtain mechanism in the apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a gas curtain mechanism in the apparatus according to Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a figure which shows the modification of the gas curtain mechanism in the apparatus in Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the CVD processing apparatus using the atmosphere control apparatus by Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 To-be-processed object 2 Conveyance mechanism 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2, 3c-1, 3c-2, 3d-1, 3d-2 Gas curtain mechanism 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b -1, 4b-2, 4c-1, 4c-2, 4d-1, 4d-2 Exhaust mechanism 5a, 5b Plasma processing unit 6 Stages 7a, 7b, 9a Processing unit 8 CVD processing unit 10 Gas ejection nozzle 11 Exhaust nozzle 12a, 12b Electrodes 13a, 13b Cases 14a, 14b Case exhaust port 15 Transfer mechanism 16 Heater 17 Shower head 20 Gas cylinder for curtain gas 21 Gas cylinder for process gas 22 Gas flow path for curtain gas 23 Process gas gas flow path 24 Process Gas flow direction 25 Exhaust flow direction 26 Gas curtain flow direction 27 Gas flow direction in the apparatus 28 Process gas cylinder 29 Process gas flow path 3 a, 30b power

Claims (10)

  A device for controlling the atmosphere of a processing chamber for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber to process the processing object, and having a passage for carrying the processing material into and out of the processing chamber from an opening exposed to the outside And a plurality of gas curtain mechanisms for ejecting a shielding gas into the passage and a plurality of exhaust mechanisms for discharging the gas from the passage, and the gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism are directed from the opening toward the processing chamber. An atmosphere control device that is provided adjacent to each other and thereby controls the atmosphere of the processing chamber.   The atmosphere control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a processing mechanism that processes the object to be processed; and a transport mechanism that relatively moves the processing mechanism and the object to be processed.   The atmosphere control device according to claim 1, wherein the adjacent gas curtain mechanism and the exhaust mechanism have a predetermined interval.   The atmosphere control according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gas curtain mechanism located closest to the opening includes a mechanism for ejecting the gas so that the gas is reflected by the workpiece and flows out to the opening. apparatus.   The atmosphere control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gas curtain mechanism located closest to the opening is located closer to the processing chamber by a predetermined distance from the opening.   The atmosphere control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the object to be processed has a flat plate shape, and the plurality of gas curtain mechanisms and exhaust mechanisms are arranged to face both surfaces of the object to be processed.   The opening comprises a carry-in opening and a carry-out opening, the passage comprises a carry-in passage connecting the carry-in opening and the processing chamber, and a carry-out passage connecting the processing chamber and the carry-out opening. The carry-in and carry-out passages are processed from the carry-in and carry-out openings, respectively. The atmosphere control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a gas curtain mechanism and an exhaust mechanism are alternately provided toward the chamber.   The atmosphere control device according to claim 2, wherein the object to be processed has a flat plate shape, and the processing mechanism includes a processing unit that processes one side of the object to be processed.   The atmosphere control device according to claim 2, wherein the object to be processed has a flat plate shape, and the processing mechanism includes a processing unit that simultaneously processes both surfaces of the object to be processed.   In the atmosphere control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the first and second gas curtain mechanisms are provided from the opening toward the processing chamber, and between the first and second gas curtain mechanisms, First and second exhaust mechanisms are provided between the second gas curtain mechanism and the processing chamber, respectively, and the inflow of outside air is blocked by the first gas curtain mechanism, and is ejected from the second gas curtain mechanism by the first exhaust mechanism. A process chamber atmosphere control method for exhausting the process gas in the process chamber by the second exhaust mechanism.

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