JP2016014175A - Film deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a film deposition apparatus that can improve maintainability.SOLUTION: A film deposition apparatus 10 for forming a thin-film on a substrate: a vacuum chamber 12; a film deposition source disposed in the vacuum chamber; a glove box 20 coupled to the vacuum chamber 12; an encapsulation part 25 for opening and closing a communication port 17 for communicating the vacuum chamber 12 with the glove box 20; and a transportation mechanism for transporting the film deposition source between the vacuum chamber 12 and the glove box 20.

Description

  The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus.

  Some film forming materials used in film forming apparatuses such as a vapor deposition apparatus and a sputtering apparatus require careful handling such as contact with the atmosphere. For example, an alkali metal material such as lithium generates hydrogen by a reaction with water. In the maintenance of a film forming apparatus using such a film forming material, for example, the work is performed after special measures are taken with respect to the air flow and humidity in the room where the film forming apparatus is installed, and the equipment of the operator. The current situation is. Therefore, in this type of film forming apparatus, there is a demand for improvement in maintainability, which is easy to manage and maintain the apparatus.

  On the other hand, an apparatus in which a film forming apparatus is accommodated in an apparatus chamber that can be adjusted to a dew point of −40 ° C. or lower has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). A preparatory chamber that can be depressurized is adjacent to the apparatus chamber. A globe is attached to the apparatus room and the spare room, and a door is provided between them. During maintenance, put a hand in the glove and take out the film forming material from the container in the preliminary chamber. Further, the door is opened by hand, the film forming material is put into the mounting chamber, and then the door is closed. Then, put the hand in the glove in the apparatus room and set the film forming material.

JP 2011-26707 A

When performing maintenance with the above-described apparatus, it is necessary for an operator to put his hand in the glove in the apparatus chamber, open the film forming apparatus, and set the material in the film forming apparatus.
However, for example, when the above-described configuration is adopted in a large-scale film forming apparatus that targets a large substrate, an increase in the size of the apparatus chamber that houses the film forming apparatus is inevitable. For this reason, even if a glove is attached to the apparatus chamber, it is difficult to reach the inside of the film forming apparatus, and there remains a problem in terms of ease of work.

Such a problem is not limited to the apparatus having the above-described configuration, but is generally common to film forming apparatuses that may use a film forming material that requires handling.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a film forming apparatus capable of improving maintenance.

  A film forming apparatus that solves the above problems includes a vacuum chamber, a film forming source disposed in the vacuum chamber, a glove box connected to the vacuum chamber, and a communication port that communicates the vacuum chamber and the glove box. And a transfer mechanism for transferring the film forming source between the vacuum chamber and the glove box.

  According to the above configuration, since the glove box is provided in the vacuum chamber so as to be able to communicate, it is possible to perform the work in the glove box by transporting the vapor deposition source to the glove box during maintenance. For this reason, it is not necessary to open the vacuum chamber every time maintenance is performed, and the maintainability of the film forming apparatus is improved.

  In this film forming apparatus, it is preferable that the sealing portion includes a lid portion that seals the communication port, and the lid portion is moved into the glove box together with the film forming source by the transport mechanism.

According to the said structure, a cover part can be moved in a glove box with a film-forming source. This eliminates the need for a dedicated moving mechanism that moves only the lid with respect to the communication port.
In the film forming apparatus, it is preferable that the sealing unit is provided with an angle adjusting unit that allows the lid to tilt.

According to the above configuration, the lid portion can be brought into close contact with the communication port by being tilted at the sealing position for sealing the communication port.
In the film forming apparatus, the lid includes a coupler that connects an electric circuit provided in the film forming source and an external electric circuit, and the coupler moves the lid into the glove box. Is preferably removed from the external electrical circuit.

According to the above-described configuration, the connection between the electrical circuit of the film forming source and the external electrical circuit can be cut off by moving the lid portion into the glove box during maintenance.
In this film forming apparatus, the lid includes a coupler that is provided in the film forming apparatus and that connects a cooling circuit in which a refrigerant circulates and an external cooling circuit, and the coupler is disposed in the glove box of the lid. It is preferable to be removed from the external cooling circuit by moving to.

According to the above configuration, the lid portion moves into the glove box at the time of maintenance, so that the connection between the cooling circuit of the film forming source and the external cooling circuit can be cut off.
In this film forming apparatus, it is preferable that the film forming source is an evaporation source having a mounting portion on which a film forming material is mounted on the upper part.

  According to the above configuration, since the film formation source is a vapor deposition source provided with a placement unit on which the film formation material is placed, replenishment of the film formation material when the film formation source is transferred into the glove box. Etc. becomes easier.

  In this film forming apparatus, it is preferable that the film forming source accommodated in the vacuum chamber is divided into a plurality of pieces, and a plurality of glove boxes are provided corresponding to the divided film forming sources.

  According to the above configuration, since the film forming source transported to each glove box is lighter than the film forming source that is not divided, the load on the transport mechanism can be reduced.

1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate processing system according to a first embodiment. The perspective view which looked at a part of film-forming apparatus in the same embodiment from the front side. The perspective view which looked at a part of film-forming apparatus in the embodiment from the back side. The perspective view of the pass box provided in the film-forming apparatus in the embodiment. The side view of the film-forming apparatus in the embodiment. The perspective view which shows the internal structure of the film-forming apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the internal structure of the film-forming apparatus in the embodiment. The side view of the sealing part in the embodiment. The fragmentary sectional view of the sealing part in the embodiment. Schematic of the film-forming system in a modification.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a film forming apparatus embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the film forming apparatus will be described as an apparatus for forming a large substrate or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing system 1 includes a transfer unit 2, a load lock chamber 3, a preprocessing chamber 4, a film forming apparatus 10, and a postprocessing chamber 5. The transport unit 2 places the substrate 100 on a tray (not shown) and transports the substrate 100 to the load lock chamber 3. The load lock chamber 3 switches the atmospheric pressure / low pressure state according to the transport direction (X direction, anti-X direction) of the substrate 100. When the substrate 100 is transported in the X direction toward the film forming apparatus 10, the load lock chamber 3 is adjusted to a low pressure state. The undeposited substrate 100 transferred through the load lock chamber 3 is transferred to the pretreatment chamber 4. After pretreatment such as heating is performed in the pretreatment chamber 4, the substrate 100 is transferred to the film forming apparatus 10. In the film forming apparatus 10, film formation is performed on the substrate 100. After the film forming process, the substrate 100 is transferred to the post-processing chamber 5 and cooled. The cooled substrate 100 is transferred to the transfer unit 2 via the film forming apparatus 10, the pretreatment chamber 4, and the load lock chamber 3.

Next, the overall configuration of the film forming apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the film forming apparatus 10 includes a film forming mechanism 11 and a glove box 20 for performing maintenance. The film forming apparatus 10 also includes a control device 18 that executes control for maintenance and the like.

  The film forming mechanism 11 includes a vacuum chamber 12 and a film forming source 15. For example, in the case where the film forming source is a vapor deposition mechanism that performs vapor deposition on the substrate 100, the film formation source includes a mounting unit on which a deposition material is mounted, a heating unit that houses a heater that heats the mounting unit, and the like. Further, for example, when the film forming source is a sputtering mechanism, the film forming source includes a holding unit for holding a target, a cathode, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, gate valves 13 and 14 are provided at the inlet and the outlet of the vacuum chamber 12, respectively. The vacuum chamber 12 has a size capable of accommodating the substrate 100 and includes a vacuum pump (not shown) such as a turbo molecular pump. The substrate 100 is transferred between one gate valve 13 and the other gate valve 14. Further, the vacuum chamber 12 is provided with a gas supply mechanism (not shown) to supply an inert gas such as argon into the vacuum chamber 12.

  In addition, a communication port 17 is provided on one of the side surfaces of the vacuum chamber 12 where the gate valves 13 and 14 are not provided. A glove box 20 is connected to the communication port 17 side of the vacuum chamber 12.

The glove box 20 includes a housing 21 made of a metal material or the like. The housing 21 has a communication part 22 connected to the communication port 17 on the vacuum chamber 12 side.
A sealing portion 25 is provided inside the communication portion 22. The sealing part 25 is movable between a sealing position and a retracted position. During film formation in which the vacuum chamber 12 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure, the sealing portion 25 is disposed at the sealing position. When the lid portion 26 is disposed at the retracted position, the internal space of the vacuum chamber 12 is opened and communicated with the internal space of the glove box 20.

  The film forming apparatus 10 includes a transport mechanism that transports the film forming source 15 between the vacuum chamber 12 and the glove box 20 in the direction from the vacuum chamber 12 to the glove box 20 and in the opposite direction. The transport mechanism includes a transport motor 27 (see FIG. 3) that is a power source and a transmission mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the transport motor 27 into a linear motion.

  A window portion 30 made of a translucent material is attached to the front surface of the housing 21. The width of the window 30 is substantially the same as the width of the film forming source 15 or has a length equal to or greater than the width. The window 30 is formed with an insertion port 31 into which an operator can put his hand. A glove 32 (see FIG. 5) is attached to the insertion port 31. A plurality of insertion ports 31 are formed in the window portion 30 along the width direction of the window portion 30. In the window portion 30, a plurality of rows made of a plurality of insertion ports 31 are formed in the height direction of the window portion 30. In this embodiment, two rows of five insertion ports 31 are formed, but the number and positions of the insertion ports 31 are adjusted according to the size of the housing 21 and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the casing 21 is provided with a decompression pump 23 that adjusts the internal space to a predetermined pressure. The casing 21 is supplied with an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen by the gas supply mechanism. During maintenance, the internal space of the glove box 20 is adjusted to a pressure that is substantially the same as or slightly higher than the pressure of the vacuum chamber 12 in the film formation process (for example, 0.5 kPa to 3.0 kPa). It is kept at low humidity. A pass box 33 is provided on the back side of the housing 21.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the pass box 33 includes a storage case 34 that stores the tray 38. A tray inlet 35 and a tray outlet 36 are formed in the storage case 34. A through hole (not shown) is formed in the housing 21 of the glove box 20 at a location corresponding to the tray outlet 36 of the storage case 34, and a gate valve or the like is provided between the through hole and the tray outlet 36. A valve 37 that communicates the atmosphere side and the vacuum side is provided.

  A guide rail 39 is provided on the side wall of the housing case 34. The guide rail 39 is slidably provided with a tray support portion 40 that supports the tray 38. The tray 38 is plate-shaped and is provided on the upper side of the tray support portion 40.

  The tray support portion 40 and the tray 38 are movable between a position protruding from the tray inlet 35 and a position inside the casing 21 protruding from the tray outlet 36. During maintenance, the tray support 40 and the tray 38 are pulled out from the storage case 34 and a container or the like sealed with a film forming material is placed on the tray 38, and then the tray 38 is connected to the casing 21 via the valve 37. Insert inside. The tray support 40 and the tray 38 are driven by a motor (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 5, the depth from the front side to the back side of the housing 21 is sufficient for the tray 38 in which the fingertip is inserted into the housing 21 when the operator 101 puts the glove 32 up to the upper arm. It is the reachable length. In addition, when the depth of the housing | casing 21 becomes large, the window part 30 with which the glove | globe 32 was mounted | worn on the front surface and the back surface of the housing | casing 21 is provided so that an operator's hand can reach in the depth direction.

Next, the operation of the film forming apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
In the maintenance of the film forming apparatus 10, replenishment of the film forming material to the film forming source 15, inspection of the film forming source, and the like are performed. Prior to maintenance, the control device 18 drives the decompression pump 23 in the glove box 20 at a predetermined timing, and supplies the inert gas into the glove box 20 by the gas supply mechanism, so that the inside of the glove box 20 is predetermined. Adjust to the pressure of.

  When starting maintenance, for example, a predetermined operation is performed by an input operation unit provided in the control device 18. When the control device 18 determines that maintenance is to be started, it moves the sealing unit 25 to the retracted position, drives the transport mechanism, and transports the film forming source 15 to a predetermined maintenance position in the glove box 20. The operator puts his hand into the globe 32 and performs maintenance work.

  When the maintenance is completed, the input operation unit and the like are operated again. The control device 18 drives the transport mechanism to transport the film forming source 15 to the film forming position in the vacuum chamber 12. When the film forming source 15 is disposed at the film forming position, the sealing portion 25 is disposed at the sealing position.

  When the vacuum chamber 12 is sealed and the film forming process is started, the vacuum pump is driven and an inert gas is supplied to the vacuum chamber 12 from the gas supply mechanism. When the inside of the vacuum chamber 12 reaches a predetermined pressure, the substrate 100 is transferred into the vacuum chamber 12 and film formation is performed.

  As described above, in the maintenance of the film forming apparatus 10, since the work on the film forming source 15 can be performed in the glove box 20, the internal space of the vacuum chamber 12 adjusted to a predetermined pressure is vented to the atmospheric pressure every time maintenance is performed. There is no need to do. Further, for example, replenishment of a material that is not preferable to contact with the atmosphere such as an alkali metal can be performed in the glove box 20 adjusted to low pressure and low humidity. For this reason, special facilities and equipment can be dispensed with with respect to the airflow and humidity in the room where the substrate processing system 1 is installed, and the equipment of the operator.

  In the maintenance, the film forming source 15 is transferred into the glove box 20 without opening the lid of the vacuum chamber 12 by the operator. For this reason, if the position of the globe 32 and the like are adjusted, even a device that forms a film on the large substrate 100 can reach each part of the film forming source 15 to facilitate maintenance work.

According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the above embodiment, since the glove box 20 is connected to the vacuum chamber 12, the film forming source 15 is transported to the glove box 20 during maintenance, and the film forming source 15 is connected to the glove box 20. Work can be performed. For this reason, it is not necessary to open the vacuum chamber 12 for every maintenance. In addition, since the film forming source 15 itself is transported to the glove box 20 that can be easily reached by the operator, the ease of work is improved. For this reason, the maintainability of the film forming apparatus 10 is improved.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, 2nd Embodiment of the film-forming apparatus is described according to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the film forming apparatus will be specifically described as a vapor deposition apparatus that forms a thin film on a substrate by heating or evaporating or sublimating a film forming material. The film forming apparatus targets a large substrate having a width and height exceeding 1 m and the like. In addition, since this embodiment is the structure which changed only the film-forming source of 1st Embodiment, and its conveyance mechanism, the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted about the same part.

(Deposition source)
As shown in FIG. 6, the film formation source 15 has a placement unit 50 on which a vapor deposition material is placed. The vapor deposition material contains an alkali metal such as Li (lithium) as a main component.

  The placement unit 50 includes an evaporation container 51 that stores the vapor deposition material, and a container support 52 that supports the evaporation container 51. The container support 52 is fixed on a plate-like pedestal 55. In the present embodiment, seven evaporation containers 51 are arranged in a line on the container support portion 52 along a direction orthogonal to the transport direction (X direction) of the substrate 100. Since the evaporation containers 51 are arranged in a line, the film forming source 15 is compact in the depth direction and can be easily transported to the glove box 20. The evaporation container 51 is formed in a cup shape and is arranged with its open end facing upward.

  A material heating unit 53 for heating each evaporation container 51 is provided below the container support 52. The material heating unit 53 is provided with the same number of heaters as the evaporation containers 51 and the same number of thermocouples (not shown) as the evaporation containers 51. Each thermocouple detects the temperature around the evaporation container 51. The material heating unit 53 is connected to signal lines for transmitting signals from those thermocouples and a power line for supplying power to the heater. Further, a coolant channel is provided in a part of the film forming source 15. The refrigerant flow path circulates the refrigerant in the flow path to cool, for example, a portion that does not require heating, such as the pedestal 55, and suppresses expansion or the like due to heat from the heater. A cooling tube 54 connected to the refrigerant flow path is drawn out from the end of the film forming source 15.

  The pedestal 55 of the film forming source 15 is fixed to a long and plate-like base 61. At one end in the longitudinal direction of the base 61, the lid portion 26 that constitutes the sealing portion 25 is supported in a state where the lid 61 stands vertically with respect to the base 61. The lid portion 26 is formed in a plate shape, and has a size capable of sealing the communication port 17 of the vacuum chamber 12 by bringing the edge portion into contact with the side wall of the vacuum chamber 12.

  A cooling tube 54 drawn from the film forming source 15 is inserted into a side surface 26 a on the film forming source 15 side of the lid portion 26. On the other side surface 26 b of the lid portion 26, a cooling circuit coupler 56 that is connected to the cooling tube 54 is provided. The cooling circuit coupler 56 is connected to an external cooling circuit provided outside the glove box 20 or outside the vacuum chamber 12 via a tube or the like (not shown) provided in the glove box 20.

  Further, the side face 26b of the lid portion 26 is provided with a power line coupler 57 that is coupled to the power line that supplies power to the heater described above, and a signal line coupler 58 that is coupled to a signal line that outputs a signal from the thermocouple. It has been. The power line and the signal line constitute an electric circuit for power supply and an electric circuit for signal output.

  The power line coupler 57 is connected to a power source via an external power line (external electric circuit) (not shown) provided in the glove box 20. The signal line coupler 58 is connected to a detection device or the like that detects an abnormality in the temperature of the film forming source 15 via an external signal line (external electric circuit) (not shown) provided in the glove box 20.

  An air cylinder 63 that presses the end of the lid 26 is provided on the side surface 26 b of the lid 26. In the operating state, the air cylinder 63 applies a pressing force to the lid portion 26 toward the communication port 17. An annular seal member 72 (see FIG. 8) provided along the edge on the side surface 26 a of the lid portion 26 is pressed between the lid portion 26 and the side wall of the vacuum chamber 12 by the pressing force applied from the air cylinder 63. It is crushed by.

  The lid portion 26 is provided with three air cylinders 63. One is disposed on the upper portion of the lid portion 26, and the remaining two are disposed on the left end portion and the right end portion of the lid portion 26, respectively. By operating these three air cylinders 63, even when the lid portion 26 is slightly rotated or distorted in the rotational direction Yθ around the central axis Y along the height direction, the lid portion 26 can be brought into close contact with the side wall of the vacuum chamber 12 to seal the communication port 17.

  The air cylinder 63 is controlled by the control device 18. The control device 18 brings the air cylinder 63 into an operating state when the lid portion 26 is arranged at the sealing position, and puts the air cylinder 63 into an inoperative state when the lid portion 26 is arranged at the retracted position.

  In addition, a plate portion 62 protruding from the side surface 26 b is provided on the lower side of the side surface 26 b of the lid portion 26. A guide portion 64 and wheels 65 are provided on the bottom surface of the plate portion 62. The guide part 64 slides inside a pair of rails 66 laid in the glove box 20. The wheels 65 rotate along those rails 66. The rail 66 has a length larger than the width of the film forming source 15 in the longitudinal direction. The film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 can move along the rail 66 by the guide of the guide unit 64 and the rotation of the wheel 65.

(Transport mechanism)
Next, the transport mechanism 16 that transports the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 will be described. In the vacuum chamber 12, a support frame 60 that supports the film formation source 15 at the vapor deposition position is provided. The support frame 60 is formed in a long shape, has a length equal to or greater than the width along the longitudinal direction of the film formation source 15, and supports the film formation source 15 disposed at the maintenance position from below.

  The transport mechanism 16 includes a transport motor 27 that is a power source, a pinion (not shown) provided on a shaft portion of the transport motor 27, and a rack (not shown) that meshes with the pinion. The rack extends, for example, along the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface of the base 61 and has a length equivalent to the moving range of the film forming source 15 (the range between the film forming position and the maintenance position).

  When the transport motor 27 is driven in a state where the pinion and the rack are engaged, the rotation of the transport motor 27 is converted into a linear motion that moves the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 along the transport path. When the transport motor 27 rotates in the forward direction, the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 move in the direction from the film forming position toward the maintenance position, and when the transport motor 27 rotates in the reverse direction, the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 move. The stop 25 moves in a direction from the maintenance position toward the film formation position.

  A lock mechanism 68 is provided in the glove box 20. The lock mechanism 68 has an arm 69 that can rotate around a rotation shaft 70. The arm 69 is rotatable to the vacuum chamber 12 side and the opposite side by a predetermined angle range.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the arm 69 includes a connecting portion 71 (see FIG. 7) connected to the film forming source 15 side at the tip thereof. The connecting portion 71 is connected to a connected portion formed on the bottom surface of the base 61 or the like when the film forming source 15 is in the glove box 20 and reaches a predetermined position before the maintenance position.

  Even after the connecting portion 71 and the film forming source 15 are connected at a predetermined position before the maintenance position, the arm 69 rotates to the opposite side to the vacuum chamber 12 side while maintaining the connection with the film forming source 15. When the arm 69 reaches the rotation end position where the rotation angle is maximum, the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 are disposed at the maintenance position.

  Further, when the transport motor 27 rotates in the reverse direction and the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 move from the maintenance position toward the film forming position, the arm 69 maintains the connection with the film forming source 15 and the vacuum chamber. Rotate to 12 side. When the arm 69 reaches the rotation start end position, the connection between the connecting portion 71 of the arm 69 and the film forming source 15 is released.

  Next, with reference to FIG.8 and FIG.9, the angle adjustment part of the cover part 26 is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 8, an angle adjusting portion 75 that allows the lid portion 26 to tilt within a predetermined angle range is provided at the corner between the base 61 and the lid portion 26. The angle adjusting unit 75 is constituted by a so-called spherical bearing or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the angle adjustment unit 75 includes a tilt shaft 76, a shaft support portion 78 that supports the tilt shaft 76 through a gap 77, a ball 79 that supports the base end portion of the tilt shaft 76, and a race 80.

  A plate-shaped shaft base portion 76 a is formed at the base end portion of the tilt shaft 76. The shaft base portion 76 a is fixed with respect to the base 61. The shaft support portion 78 includes a fixed portion 78a fixed to the lid portion 26 and a cylindrical portion 78b. The cylindrical portion 78b accommodates the race 80, the ball 79, and the tilting shaft 76. The shaft support portion 78 that houses the tilting shaft 76 is covered with a box-shaped cover 81 that is open on the base 61 side. Further, between the shaft support portion 78 and the tilt shaft 76, an annular seal ring 82 made of an elastic member, an annular member 83 interposed between the seal rings 82, a bolt for fastening the tilt shaft 76, and a shaft support. And an annular support portion 84 interposed between the portions 78. The seal ring 82 and the annular member 83 are disposed between the shaft support portion 78 and the tilt shaft 76. A minute gap is provided between the annular support portion 84 and the tilt shaft 76.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the lid portion 26 is tilted in the tilt direction θ in which the upper end portion of the lid portion 26 is tilted toward the vacuum chamber 12 side and the opposite side around the tilting shaft 76 by the sliding of the ball 79 with respect to the race 80. . In this case, the allowable tilt angle is preferably less than 1 °. For this reason, even if the upper end portion of the lid portion 26 is inclined in any one of the inclination directions θ, the lid portion 26 can be brought into close contact with the communication port 17 by tilting.

Next, the operation of the film forming apparatus 10 will be described.
In the stage before the maintenance of the film forming apparatus 10, the internal space of the glove box 20 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure. In maintenance, the control device 18 determines whether or not the tray 38 of the pass box 33 is inserted in the glove box 20. For example, the tray 38 is provided with a lamp that emits light such as infrared rays, and the lid portion 26 is provided with a sensor that can receive the light of the lamp. Can be detected.

  When the control device 18 determines that the tray 38 is inserted into the glove box 20, the control device 18 notifies an error by the output unit of the control device 18. If the control device 18 determines that the tray 38 is not inserted into the glove box 20, the control device 18 turns off the air cylinder 63 and rotates the transport motor 27 in the forward direction. As a result, the film forming source 15 and the sealing unit 25 are transferred into the glove box 20 by meshing with the pinion provided at the shaft portion of the transfer motor 27 and the rack provided at the bottom of the film forming source 15. The

  When the lid portion 26 is separated from the sealing position, the power line coupler 57 described above is detached from the external power line. For this reason, the driving of the heater is stopped. Further, the signal line coupler 58 is disconnected from the external signal line. For this reason, the output of the signal from the thermocouple to the detection device is stopped. Further, since the cooling circuit coupler 56 connected to the cooling tube 54 is disconnected from the external cooling circuit, the refrigerant is stopped from circulating through the cooling circuit while the heater is stopped.

  When the film forming source 15 is transported to a predetermined position in the glove box 20, the film forming source 15 and the arm 69 are connected to rotate the arm 69 to lock the film forming source 15 at the maintenance position. . When the film forming source 15 is placed at the maintenance position, the operator puts his hand into the globe 32 and performs maintenance work.

  For example, when replenishing the vapor deposition material, the operator places the vapor deposition material sealed in a container or bag on the tray 38. Then, the tray 38 of the pass box 33 is inserted into the glove box 20.

  The operator 101 puts his hand into the globe 32 through the insertion port 31 on the upper side of the window portion 30, takes out the vapor deposition material placed on the tray 38 from a container, a bag or the like and places it on the evaporation container 51. When the replenishment of the vapor deposition material is completed, the tray 38 is returned into the pass box 33.

  Further, since the film forming source 15 is conveyed to the glove box 20, the entire film forming source 15 can be visually recognized from the window 30 provided in front of the glove box 20. For this reason, the presence or absence of abnormality of the film forming source 15 can be confirmed. Furthermore, maintenance of the material heating unit 53 and the like below the placement unit 50 can be performed by putting a hand into the globe 32 from the insertion port 31 below the window unit 30.

  After the maintenance is completed, the transport motor 27 rotates in the reverse direction. The film forming source 15 is transported from the glove box 20 toward the vacuum chamber 12. When the film forming source 15 is disposed at the film forming position, the lid portion 26 is disposed at the sealing position. The control device 18 operates the air cylinder 63 to press the lid portion 26 toward the communication port 17. At this time, if the lid portion 26 is tilted in the tilt direction θ, the angle adjusting portion 75 tilts the lid portion 26 in a direction that cancels the tilt angle, and the lid portion 26 comes into close contact with the side wall of the vacuum chamber 12. In addition, since the three air cylinders 63 are operated, the lid 26 can be brought into close contact with the side wall of the vacuum chamber 12 even if the lid 26 is inclined in the rotational direction Yθ.

  When the lid portion 26 is disposed at the sealing position, the operator 101 puts his hand into the globe 32 and connects the external power line to the power line coupler 57 and connects the external signal line to the signal line coupler 58. . Further, a tube connected to the external cooling circuit is coupled to the cooling circuit coupler 56. When the external power line, the external signal line, and the tube are connected, the process proceeds to the film forming process.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment.
(2) During the maintenance, the sealing unit 25 is moved into the glove box 20 together with the film forming source 15. This eliminates the need for a dedicated moving mechanism or the like that moves only the sealing portion 25 with respect to the communication port 17, and the sealing portion 25 and the film forming source 15 can be moved by the same operation. In addition, since the lid portion 26 is retracted into the glove box 20, it is not necessary to provide a space for retracting the lid portion 26 in the film forming mechanism 11, and an increase in the size of the film forming apparatus 10 can be suppressed.

  (3) The sealing portion 25 is provided with an angle adjusting portion 75 that allows the lid portion 26 to tilt within a predetermined angle range. For this reason, even if a gap is generated between the lid portion 26 simply by overlapping the communication port 17 due to distortion or inclination of the lid portion 26 disposed at the sealing position, the edge of the lid portion 26 is It can be brought into close contact with the vacuum chamber 12. For this reason, the sealing performance between the cover part 26 and the communication port 17 can be improved.

  (4) The lid portion 26 includes a power line coupler 57, a signal line coupler 58, and a cooling circuit coupler 56 on the side surface 26b. The power line coupler 57, the signal line coupler 58, and the cooling circuit coupler 56 are removed from the external power line, the external signal line, and the tube connected to the external cooling circuit, respectively, by moving the lid portion 26 into the glove box 20. The For this reason, the movement of the lid 26 to the maintenance position can be used to cut off the power supply to the heater, the output of a signal from the thermocouple, and the circulation of the refrigerant to the cooling circuit.

  (5) The film formation source 15 is a vapor deposition source provided with an evaporation container 51 on which a film formation material is placed. For this reason, when the film forming material is replenished, the material may be placed on the evaporation container 51 in the glove box 20 or the evaporation container 51 on which the film forming material is placed may be placed on the container support 52. . For this reason, the work of the worker 101 is facilitated.

In addition, you may change this embodiment as follows.
As shown in FIG. 10, the film forming source 15 may be divided into a plurality of parts. Furthermore, a plurality of glove boxes 20a, 20b corresponding to the divided film forming sources 15a, 15b may be connected to the vacuum chamber 12. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the film forming source 15 is divided into two, and two glove boxes 20 a and 20 b are communicated with the vacuum chamber 12. Sealing portions 25 are provided between the glove boxes 20a and 20b and the vacuum chamber 12, respectively. Moreover, when the window part 30 is provided in the front and back of the glove box 20a, 20b on the restrictions of space, the pass box 33 may be arrange | positioned at each of those side surfaces, respectively. According to this configuration, the film forming sources 15a and 15b conveyed to the respective glove boxes 20 are lighter than when the film forming source 15 is not divided. For this reason, the load of the transport motor 27 that transports the film forming sources 15a and 15b, the load applied to the entire rail 66, and the like can be reduced. For this reason, when the number of evaporation containers 51 is large, or when the weight of the entire vapor deposition source is increased, for example, when the multi-layer film forming mechanism 11 is used, the film forming source 15 is divided into a plurality of parts. Maintenance performance can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the inside of the glove box 20 is in a low pressure state and the inert gas is supplied into the glove box 20, but it may be only in a low pressure state.
In the embodiment described above, the entire film forming source 15 is transported into the glove box 20, but a part thereof may be transported into the glove box 20. For example, when the main purpose is to replenish the film forming material, only the placement unit 50 may be transported into the glove box 20 and the material heating unit 53 may be fixed to the vacuum chamber 12.

In the second embodiment, the film forming source 15 is a vapor deposition source for performing vapor deposition, but may be one for performing sputtering.
The power line that supplies power to the heater may be drawn to the outside from a side wall or the like other than the lid portion 26 of the vacuum chamber 12. In this configuration, the power supply may be automatically shut off by the control device 18 when the film forming source 15 is moved.

  A signal line for outputting a signal from the thermocouple may be drawn to the outside from a side wall or the like other than the lid portion 26 of the vacuum chamber 12. In this configuration, the signal output may be automatically shut off by the control device 18 when the film forming source 15 is moved.

  -The cooling tube which circulates a refrigerant | coolant to a cooling circuit may be pulled out from the side wall etc. other than the cover part 26 of the vacuum chamber 12. In this configuration, the circulation of the refrigerant may be automatically interrupted by the control device 18 when the film forming source 15 is moved.

Two air cylinders 63 may be provided for the lid portion 26.
The lid portion 26 may be pressed against the communication port 17 side by an actuator other than the air cylinder 63.

A plurality of angle adjusting portions 75 may be provided for the lid portion 26. In this case, the tilting shaft 76 of the angle adjusting unit 75 may be arranged along different directions.
-Although the angle adjustment part 75 rotated the cover part 26 in the inclination direction (theta), you may rotate it centering on the normal line direction of the side surfaces 26a and 26b.

  -In 2nd Embodiment, although the film-forming apparatus 10 was set as the apparatus which vapor-deposits the film-forming material which has an alkali metal as a main component, it is not restricted to an alkali metal, The apparatus using another film-forming material may be sufficient. . The film forming apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration is preferably an apparatus using a film forming material having a low melting point and a low viscosity. Further, for example, a film-forming material containing an alkali metal compound, a flammable film-forming material, a self-ignitable film-forming material that may ignite when exposed to air, a water-inhibited film-forming material, or the like is used. In some cases, it can be particularly effective.

  In the above-described embodiment, the lid portion 26 is disposed in the retreat position by being transported into the glove box 20 together with the film forming source 15. However, the lid portion 26 is disposed in the retreat position by moving in the other direction. Also good. For example, the lid 26 may be provided with a pivot shaft, and may be movable between the retracted position and the sealing position by pivoting about the pivot shaft. Furthermore, the lid portion 26 may be arranged at the retracted position by sliding in any one of the upward direction, the downward direction, the right direction, and the left direction with respect to the communication port 17.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Film-forming apparatus, 12 ... Vacuum chamber, 15 ... Film-forming source, 16 ... Conveyance mechanism, 17 ... Communication port, 20 ... Glove box, 25 ... Sealing part, 26 ... Cover part, 50 ... Mounting part, 56 ... Cooling circuit coupler, 57 ... Power line coupler, 58 ... Signal line coupler, 75 ... Angle adjuster.

Claims (7)

A vacuum chamber;
A film forming source disposed in the vacuum chamber;
A glove box connected to the vacuum chamber;
A sealing portion that opens and closes a communication port that communicates the vacuum chamber and the glove box;
A film forming apparatus comprising a transfer mechanism for transferring the film forming source between the vacuum chamber and the glove box. The sealing portion includes a lid portion that seals the communication port,
The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lid is moved into the glove box together with the film forming source by the transport mechanism. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sealing unit is provided with an angle adjusting unit that allows the lid to tilt. The lid includes a coupler that couples an electric circuit provided in the film forming source and an external electric circuit, and the coupler is moved from the external electric circuit by moving the lid into the glove box. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 3. The lid includes a coupler that is provided in the film forming apparatus and that couples a cooling circuit in which a refrigerant circulates and an external cooling circuit, and the coupler is moved by the movement of the lid into the glove box. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the film forming apparatus is removed from the cooling circuit. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film-forming source is a vapor-depositing source provided with a placement unit on which a film-forming material is placed on an upper part. The film forming source accommodated in the vacuum chamber is divided into a plurality of parts,
The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the glove boxes are provided corresponding to the divided film forming sources.

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