JP2500820B2 - Adsorption mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of an adsorption mechanism attached to a loading device for a substrate used in, for example, a continuous sputtering device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to record a large amount of digitized voice information and image information, a compact disc (hereinafter abbreviated as CD) has been widely used. The CD is
On a transparent synthetic resin substrate surface such as polycarbonate,
Aluminum with high light reflectance due to the sputtering process
It is formed by depositing an aluminum (Al) thin film. On the surface of the synthetic resin substrate, a small hole called a pit corresponding to the digital information of "1" or "0" is made, and the presence or absence of a small hill is detected by the time difference of the reflected light of the laser beam and recorded. The method of reading information is adopted. Aluminum alloy by sputtering on the surface of one transparent synthetic resin substrate
Since the deposition of the thin film is performed in a relatively short time, continuous sputtering for many CDs is used.

The mechanism used for transporting the substrate without damaging the substrate is not limited to the continuous sputtering apparatus, and is shown in FIG.
The structure of the suction mechanism shown in the sectional view of FIG. 9 is generally used. That is, the suction pad 4 for sucking the substrate 3 is attached to the tip of the exhaust passage 2 provided in the suction head 1 (see FIG. 8).
It goes without saying that the exhaust passage 2 is connected to a pressure reducing device (not shown).

To attach the suction pad 4 to the tip portion of the exhaust passage 2, it is integrated using a mechanical means such as a screw formed on the jig 5 shown in FIG. A hole portion 6 communicating with the exhaust passage 2 is naturally formed in the substrate 3, so that the substrate 3 can be formed in a reduced pressure state caused by the operation of the pressure reducing device.
Is adsorbed on the adsorption pad 4.

As shown in FIG. 7, the suction pad 4 for sucking the substrate 3 has a cross section formed in a funnel shape, and the suction portion generally has an outer diameter of about 8 mm. In addition to being lightweight, the adsorption pad 4 is required to have a larger area of the substrate 3 which is an object to be adsorbed than the adsorption pad 4.

[0006]

When the area that can be adsorbed is the central portion of the substrate and has a narrow ring shape, the commercially available pad has a small area, which weakens the suction force and is weak against impact. In some cases, there is a drawback of dropping the substrate. Also, there is a groove in the narrow ring-shaped part,
With commercially available pads, even if the number is increased, a sufficient adsorption force cannot be obtained. Thus, an effective suction pad cannot be obtained for a substrate having a small suction area, a substrate having a convex portion or a concave portion in the suction portion, and a substrate having only a narrow ring-shaped suction portion.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and in particular, it provides a suction mechanism having a large suction force and a suction mechanism which is not affected by the state of the substrate surface (unevenness or the area occupied by the signal portion). The purpose is.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] An annular slope is formed to form a concave
Suction head having a section, and an exhaust opening at the bottom of this recess
Elasticity with which the passage and the attracted component placed on the slope contact
A body, and the concave portion and the
Evacuate the space surrounded by the fitting parts and use it as an elastic body on the slope.
A feature of the suction mechanism according to the present invention lies in that the contacted component to be sucked is held by suction.

[0009]

[Function] The object to be adsorbed by the adsorbing mechanism, that is, the size of the substrate is required to be smaller than before.
For example, 64Φ is currently being developed,
For this reason, the width of the ring-shaped edge portion which can be adsorbed near the outer circumference or the inner circumference of the substrate is becoming smaller and smaller.

On the basis of such a background, the elastic body is installed in the suction head, and the gas in the space surrounded by the elastic body, the object to be processed and the suction head is exhausted through the exhaust passage installed in the suction head. As a result, the object to be processed is adsorbed and held by the elastic body, thereby increasing the adsorption area and improving the suction force. Furthermore, the stable suction operation can be performed without being affected by the convex portion, the concave portion, and the signal occupied area of the surface.

[0011]

FIG. 1 with a new number attached shows an embodiment according to the present invention.
It will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

That is, as is clear from the main part of the suction mechanism of the present invention shown in the sectional views and top views of FIGS. 1 to 4, the suction head 10 has an exhaust passage connected to a pressure reducing mechanism such as a vacuum pump. 11 is provided, and the elastic body 12 is installed on the lower surface of the suction head 10. The top view is shown in FIG.
This arrangement is formed corresponding to a transparent substrate made of, for example, polycarbonate resin for LD or CD. Therefore, a hole is generally formed in the central portion and a non-signal portion is also formed in the outer peripheral portion, but it is of course possible to change the arrangement situation when the outer diameter dimension is small, such as in a mini disc.

[0013] Examples example of installing an annular elastic member 12 such as rubber 1 to board the general shape, the top view FIG. 2
Shown in Note that FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of another embodiment.
In FIG. 4, the suction head 10 has a plurality of elastic bodies.
A cross-sectional view in which 12 is installed is shown . Another embodiment shown in FIG.
Then, the peripheral portion B of the suction head 10 and the middle portion protruding
Recesses 14 each having a slope 15 formed in an annular shape in the central portion A
Is formed , and the elastic body 12 is installed on the slope 15 . Slope
Substrate 13, that is, the object to be attracted to the elastic body 12 arranged in 15
After the parts are locked , the suction head 10 exhausts from the exhaust passage 11.
To be done . The adsorbed component 13 is made of a transparent resin, therein
There is a hole in the central part, and this central part and peripheral part
In between, a thin film of aluminum or the like is deposited . Circular
When the attracted component 13 is placed in the recess 14 , the central portion A is
The hole of the component 13 to be attracted is inserted into the slope 15 of the concave portion 14.
The arranged elastic body 12 has a thickness direction of the component 13 to be attracted.
Is locked . Further , the exhaust passage 11 is provided at the bottom of the recess 14.
Installed , exhaust as described above and fix both
It

A continuous sputtering apparatus for manufacturing a substrate among various apparatuses to which such an adsorption mechanism is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

As shown in FIG. 5, a CD or LD substrate (hereinafter abbreviated as a substrate) 18 sequentially transported by an external transport device 17 such as a belt conveyor rotates about an axis 3a (direction of arrow X1) and After adsorbed to the adsorption pad 20 of the substrate transfer device 19 which can move up and down (direction of arrow Y1), it is transferred to the substrate loading device 21.

The substrate loading device 21 vacuums the substrate 13 received from the substrate transfer device 19 into the vacuum chuck 2.
It is loaded into the internal transfer device 24 in the film forming chamber 23 while sucking at 2, and is configured as shown in the enlarged view of FIG.

That is, the suction head 25 on which the vacuum chuck 22 is installed is fixed to the rotary shaft 38, and the drive mechanism 26 is provided.
By the motor 27 and the gear device 28 that configure the
Air cylinder 29
Is configured to be movable up and down (direction of arrow Y2). The vacuum chuck 22 includes a suction head 25 and a rotary shaft 38.
After passing through the suction / exhaust cavity 30 and the outlet 31, the pipe 32 is connected to the external device 33.

The external device 33 is a vacuum chuck 22.
Functions as an operation source for attaching and detaching the substrate 13, and the branch pipe 3
4, the valves 35 and 36, and an exhaust pump 37 such as a vacuum pump. When the loading device 21 receives the substrate 13 from the substrate transfer device 19 and loads it onto the internal transfer device 24 in the film forming chamber 23, first, the valve 35 is opened, the substrate 13 is suctioned and captured by the vacuum chuck 22, and then the motor is moved. The rotating shaft 38 is rotated 180 degrees by driving 27, and the substrate 13 is operated so as to face the film forming chamber 23 side.

Next, the suction head 25 is lowered toward the film forming chamber 23 by the air cylinder 29, and the substrate 13 is placed on the carrier table 38 which is raised in the film forming chamber 23 as shown in FIG. When approaching, the valve 36 is opened to introduce the atmosphere, and the substrate 13 is moved to the internal transfer device 24.

Like the loading device 21 for loading the substrate 13, the internal transport device 24 is also configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction (arrow Y3) about the shaft 39, so that the substrate 13 is sequentially transported to the sputtering source 40. A film process, that is, a sputtering process is performed. The substrate 13 after sputtering is unloaded from the internal transport device 24 through the loading device 21 for the substrate 13 and the substrate transport device 19 by an external transport device (not shown) composed of another belt conveyor in the reverse operation.

As shown in FIG. 7, the film forming chamber 23 has an upper lid 41.
A load lock portion 42 and a sputtering portion 43, and the substrate 13 is attached to the corresponding upper lid 41.
A load lock chamber 44 is formed to deliver the load lock. Also,
In the film forming chamber 23, the substrate 13 is placed on the susceptor 46 of the transfer table 45 and rotationally transferred from the load lock unit 42 to the sputtering unit 43.

A sputtering source 40 is arranged above the sputtering unit 43, and an evaporated material is deposited on the substrate 13 through the opening 47 of the upper lid 41. Further, the substrate 1 is provided in the opening 47.
A mask 48 for receiving 3 is attached, and a thin film of, for example, aluminum is deposited in a short time of about 2 seconds on the substrate 13 adhered to the lower surface thereof by a sputtering process.

Further, the mask 48 is useful for forming non-signal portions which are indispensable for the substrate 13 in the central portion and the outer peripheral portion.

The load lock portion 42 provided on the upper lid 41 is
It functions as a boundary chamber between atmospheric pressure and vacuum for passing the substrate 13 from the suction head 25 to the susceptor 46 and vice versa. For this reason, in the upper lid 41,
A common intake / exhaust pipe line (not shown) for exhaust and intake is provided and connected to the rotary pump 51 to connect the sputtering unit 43.
A depressurized state, for example, a vacuum state is formed. In order to pass the substrate 13 from the suction head 25 to the susceptor 46, first, in order to resist the suction force of the vacuum chuck 22, the valve 50 is opened to exhaust the inside of the load lock portion 42, and the substrate 13 is moved from the suction head 25 onto the susceptor 46. Move to. After that, the transport table 38 is lowered and the internal transport device 24 is used to move to the sputtering unit 43.

When the substrate 13 after film formation is passed from the susceptor 46 to the suction head 25, the inside of the load lock section 42 is brought to the atmospheric pressure state, and then the substrate 13 after film formation is sucked onto the vacuum chuck 22 and carried out. To do.

[0026]

As described above, in the suction mechanism according to the present invention, since the suction area is made large by the elastic body, the suction pad, and the object to be sucked, the suction force is strong, and the suction force is strong. It is strong, and sufficient suction force can be obtained even if there are concave portions or convex portions on the surface of the object to be adsorbed. Therefore, as the size of the substrate is reduced, it is possible to deal with a substrate having a small suction portion, which is a great advantage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a suction mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a part of a suction mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a sputtering apparatus to which an adsorption mechanism according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a part of FIG. 3 in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. 4 in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a conventional suction mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged part of a conventional suction mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: suction head, 11: exhaust passage, 12: elastic body, 12 ': groove, 13: substrate, 14: recess, 15: slope, 20: suction pad.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A suction device having a recess formed by forming an inclined surface in an annular shape.
A head, an exhaust passage which opens into the recess bottom, the swash
An elastic body disposed on the surface and in contact with the attracted component ,
The exhaust passage surrounds the recess and the component to be attracted.
Exhaust the space to contact the elastic body on the slope.
Adsorption mechanism for adsorbing and holding adsorption parts