JP2670558B2 - LCD substrate vacuum processing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate.

(Prior Art) In general, a substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for performing a predetermined process on a substrate, such as an LCD substrate or a semiconductor substrate (semiconductor wafer), and a transfer mechanism for loading and unloading the substrate in the processing chamber. Many are equipped with

For example, in a plasma etching apparatus, an electrode such as a parallel plate electrode is provided in a vacuum processing chamber configured to be able to evacuate the inside, and a resist thin film is formed between the parallel plate electrodes on a substrate to be processed such as a surface. An LCD substrate or semiconductor wafer is placed. Then, the vacuum processing chamber is evacuated, a predetermined etching gas is introduced into the vacuum processing chamber, a high frequency voltage is applied between the parallel plate electrodes to generate plasma, and the plasma causes the resist thin film of the substrate to be processed. Is configured to be etched.

Further, such a plasma etching apparatus includes a transfer mechanism for loading and unloading a substrate to be processed into a vacuum processing chamber through a load lock chamber in order to automate a processing step and improve throughput. Many.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, with the recent progress in semiconductor manufacturing technology, the number of processing steps tends to increase even in the substrate processing apparatus as described above. A process of performing etching treatment a plurality of times under different conditions, or performing etching treatment and ashing treatment continuously is being adopted. Therefore, it has been desired to develop a substrate processing apparatus capable of handling such a process with high efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate, which can perform high efficiency and good processing.

[Configuration of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) That is, a vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate according to the present invention is an apparatus for performing a plasma etching process by providing the LCD substrate between parallel plate electrodes in a vacuum processing chamber, A vacuum transfer chamber continuously provided through a gate valve provided in the vacuum processing chamber, a transfer arm provided in the vacuum transfer chamber for transferring the LCD substrate to the vacuum processing chamber, and a transfer arm provided in the transfer arm. A holding member that holds the lower surface of the central portion of the LCD substrate, and a positioning means that is provided on the transfer arm and positions the LCD substrate on the transfer arm are provided.

(Operation) In the vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate of the present invention having the above configuration, the transfer arm is provided with the positioning means for positioning the LCD substrate on the transfer arm. Therefore, the LCD substrate can be accurately positioned while being transferred by the transfer arm, and can be accurately positioned at a predetermined position in the vacuum processing chamber of the transfer destination. As a result, high efficiency and good processing can be performed.

(Example) An example in which the present invention is applied to an LCD substrate vacuum processing apparatus that performs an ashing process and an etching process on an LCD substrate will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The transfer arm 1 as a transfer means is composed of three arms 1 connected by two indirect parts that are pivotally movable by a rotating shaft.
a, 1b, and 1c. The base end of the first arm 1a is fixed to an outer shaft of a double rotation shaft (not shown) protruding from the center of a vacuum transfer chamber 11, which will be described later. Has a rectangular LCD
A board mounting portion on which the board 2 can be mounted is provided.

That is, in this board mounting portion, for example, a central part holding member 3 which holds a substantially central lower surface thereof along the longitudinal direction of the LCD board 2 and a side which holds both side lower surfaces of the LCD board 2 on the side of the third arm 1c. Part holding members 4a and 4b are provided. Then, the central part holding member 3 and the side part holding members 4a,
As shown in FIG. 2, a conical taper portion is formed on the tip end of 4b, and the taper surface guides the LCD substrate 2 to a predetermined position.
However, a plurality, for example, a total of eight are provided. Since the positioning projections 5 come into contact with each other so that the LCD substrate 2 made of glass slides, it is preferable that the positioning projections 5 are made of a hard member such as metal such as stainless steel.

Further, pulleys (not shown) are mounted on the double rotary shaft and the rotary shaft of each indirect portion of the transport arm 1, and a belt is stretched between the pulleys via a plurality of guide rollers to form a double rotary shaft. Each of the joints is configured to be rotated by rotation of the inner shaft. The rotation of the outer shaft and the inner shaft of the double rotation shaft is separately controlled so that the arms 1a, 1b, 1c move as shown in FIG. 4 described later.

The transfer arm 1 having the above configuration is provided in the vacuum transfer chamber 11 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 configured as shown in FIG. A gate valve 12 is provided on both sides of the vacuum transfer chamber 11.
A vacuum processing chamber 13 for ashing and a vacuum processing chamber 14 for etching are provided through the above.
Load lock chambers 17 and 18 in which a sender 15 and a receiver 16 are connected to each other are connected to 3 and 14 via a gate valve 12.

Then, the transfer arm 1 transfers, for example, the LCD substrate 2 from the ashing vacuum processing chamber 13 to the etching vacuum processing chamber 14 as shown in FIG.

That is, the LC at the maximum extension position due to the rotation of the double rotation shaft.
From the state where the D board 2 is mounted, the first arm 1a rotates counterclockwise at a constant speed as indicated by an arrow in the figure, and the second arm 1b rotates clockwise at an angular velocity twice that of the first arm 1a. The arm 1c rotates in the same direction as the first arm 1a at the same angular velocity.
Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C from the state shown in FIG. 2A, the transfer arm 1 has the third arm 1c while the indirect portion of the first arm 1a and the second arm 1b is bent. Retreat on the same straight line.

In this way, from the rotation axis of the first arm 1a to the third arm
When the distance to the tip of 1c becomes almost equal to the length of the first arm 1a, the rotation of the inner shaft is temporarily stopped, and this state is maintained as shown in (d) and (e) of the same figure.
Rotate 180 ゜.

Thereafter, the outer shaft and the inner shaft of the double rotating shaft are rotated to the opposite sides, and the third arm 1c extends as shown in FIG. Processing room 1
Transferred between 3 and 14.

In addition, when the LCD substrate 2 is transferred by the transfer arm 1, the positioning protrusion 5 provided on the transfer arm 1
The LCD substrate 2 is placed at a predetermined position on the transfer arm 1,
Further, it is possible to place the transfer substrate 1 at a predetermined position in the vacuum processing chamber 14 from above the transfer arm 1. In order to confirm whether or not the LCD substrate 2 is placed correctly, for example, a light emitting element is used. And a positioning sensor for the LCD substrate 2 including a light receiving element and the like.

That is, in the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, first,
The LCD substrate 2 is carried into the ashing vacuum processing chamber 13 from the sender 15 via the load lock chamber 17, and the ashing process of the LCD substrate 2 as well known is performed here. And
When the ashing process is completed, the LC by the transfer arm 1 as described above is passed through the vacuum transfer chamber 11 in the vacuum atmosphere.
The D substrate 2 is transferred, and the LCD substrate 2 is transferred to the etching vacuum processing chamber 14. Then, a known etching process, for example, a plasma etching process using high frequency power is performed here, and thereafter the LCD substrate 2 is carried out to the receiver 16 via the load lock chamber 18. Similarly, the transport direction may be reversed and the ashing process may be performed after the etching process.

Therefore, the ashing process and the etching process performed under different conditions can be continuously and efficiently performed. At the same time, the installation space of the devices can be reduced as compared with the case of using, for example, two devices, and the working space can be effectively used especially in a clean room where the construction cost per unit floor area is high.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a case where an etching process is performed after an ashing process has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and may be applied to a case where another process is performed. Of course, the same can be applied in the same manner.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate of the present invention, while the LCD substrate is transferred by the transfer arm,
Since accurate positioning can be performed, accurate positioning at a predetermined position in the vacuum processing chamber of the transfer destination can be performed. As a result, high efficiency and good processing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a transfer arm of an LCD substrate vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main part of the transfer arm shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. LCD of one embodiment
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a substrate vacuum processing apparatus, FIG.
It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the conveyance arm of a figure. 1 ... Transfer arm, 1a ... First arm, 1b ... Second arm, 1c ... Third arm, 2 ... LCD substrate, 3 ... Center holding member, 4a, 4b ... Side holding member 5 ... Position for positioning.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus for performing a plasma etching process by providing an LCD substrate between parallel plate electrodes in a vacuum processing chamber, and a vacuum transfer chamber continuously provided through a gate valve provided in the vacuum processing chamber, A transfer arm provided in the vacuum transfer chamber for transferring the LCD substrate into the vacuum processing chamber, a holding member provided in the transfer arm for holding a central lower surface of the LCD substrate, and the LCD provided in the transfer arm. A vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate, comprising: positioning means for positioning the substrate on the transfer arm. 2. The vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate according to claim 1, wherein the transfer arm has a mounting portion for the LCD substrate at a tip end portion thereof, and is configured to be bendable / extendable and rotatable. 3. The vacuum processing apparatus for an LCD substrate according to claim 2, wherein the positioning means comprises a protrusion formed on the mounting portion of the LCD arm of the transfer arm. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the protrusion is made of metal.
LCD substrate vacuum processing equipment.