JP3282181B2 - Film forming equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus used for manufacturing a recording medium such as an optical disk.

[Summary of the Invention]

According to the present invention, in a film forming apparatus in which a mask is arranged on a pallet in a state where the mask is in contact with a film formation substrate and a film formation process is performed on the substrate surface, the film formation substrate and the mask are detachably mounted on the pallet. A detachable means is provided, the mask is made of a magnetic material, and a first magnet for magnetically attracting and holding the mask is arranged on the pallet. As the attaching / detaching means, a second mask for magnetically attracting and holding the magnetic mask is used.
A holder having a surface on which a magnetic mask is disposed on the back of the magnet and a vacuum suction means for suctioning the film-forming substrate via the magnetic mask are provided on this surface. Second
The magnet of (1) is provided with adjusting means for adjusting the attraction force on the surface on which the magnetic mask is disposed to a first attraction force larger than the attraction force of the first magnet on the pallet and a second attraction force smaller than the attraction force. With the film forming apparatus having such a configuration, the mask is arranged at a predetermined position on the substrate on which the film is to be formed, and is attached to and detached from the pallet together with the mask, so that the workability can be improved.

[Conventional technology]

In general, a recording medium such as an optical disk is formed by depositing a recording thin film such as a multilayer film on a substrate by a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method on a substrate to form a recording or reproducing functional film. In forming this thin film, in order to ensure the reliability of this medium to the environment, a thin film is not formed on the entire surface of the substrate, but its center and outer periphery are shielded by a mask, and a thin film is formed on the substrate in a ring shape by vapor deposition or sputtering. Often, a pattern is formed.

Particularly, in a rewritable magneto-optical disk, protection of the central portion and the outer periphery is important because a transition metal-rare earth amorphous alloy which is easily oxidized is used as its functional film.

On the other hand, when forming a thin film such as a functional film on an optical disc,
From the viewpoint of productivity, a large number of substrates are mounted on a transfer jig called a pallet, and the pallet is carried into a processing chamber for performing vapor deposition or sputtering, for example, a vacuum chamber. In this case, the pallet may be rotated, but the substrate of the optical disk, that is, the film-forming substrate is placed on the pallet, and the masks at the central portion and the outer peripheral portion are placed on each film-forming substrate. It can be covered.

Generally, the pallet is set up in a substantially vertical direction (gravity direction) so as to reduce the probability that dust or the like adheres to the surface of the film formation substrate. Therefore, the substrate on which the film is to be formed and the masks at the central portion and the outer peripheral portion are held on a pallet by a mechanical lock mechanism or a suction force by a magnet. The following method is generally employed for mounting a substrate to be formed on a pallet before film formation or detaching the substrate after film formation processing.

First, only the mask of the central part and the peripheral part arranged on the substrate surface is removed. At this time, in order to prevent the substrate from falling from the pallet, the pallet is provided with a substrate holding means such as a lock mechanism or a vacuum suction means for holding the substrate with the mask removed in the pallet. .
After the mask is removed in this way, the substrate is released from the pallet. That is, the mask and the substrate are separated by different handling mechanisms. In addition, as described above, the deposition target substrate and the mask are attached to the pallet by performing a deposition process on the pallet and then removing the mask and the substrate, and thereafter, performing another deposition process on which no deposition is performed. The film substrate is brought on a pallet, and is held by the substrate holding means provided on the pallet.
Next, the mask is similarly mounted on the pallet. By repeating such operations, a film is formed, that is, a functional film is sequentially formed, and a target recording medium such as an optical disk is manufactured.

As described above, in the ordinary film forming apparatus, the attachment and detachment of the substrate, the substrate to be formed, and the mask to and from the pallet are performed by independent handling mechanisms. It is necessary to provide holding means for holding each of them detachably. Therefore, it takes time to remove the pallet from the pallet, which hinders an improvement in productivity. Further, since the mechanism is complicated, handling errors often occur, hindering an improvement in reliability and an improvement in the operation rate.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

An object of the present invention is to improve operability and reliability by simplifying the configuration and operation of the above-described film-forming apparatus.

[Means for solving the problem]

In the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, a cross-sectional view of each operation unit of the apparatus of the present invention is shown, and FIG. In a film forming apparatus in which a film is formed on a substrate surface (2a) by being arranged on a pallet (3) while being in contact with the substrate surface (2a) of (2),
An attaching / detaching means (4) for attaching / detaching the film-forming substrate (2) and the mask (1) to / from the pallet (3) is provided.

 The mask (1) is made of a magnetic material.

Further, a first magnet (5) for magnetically attracting and holding the mask (1) is arranged on the pallet (3).

The attachment / detachment means (4) includes a holder (7) having an arrangement surface (7a) of the magnetic mask (1) on which a second magnet (6) for magnetically attracting and holding the magnetic mask (1) is arranged at the back. ), And a vacuum suction means (8) for suctioning the film formation substrate (2) via the magnetic mask (1) on the arrangement surface (7a).

The second magnet (6) includes a magnetic mask (1).
To the pallet (3) for the suction force on its placement surface (7a)
There is provided an adjusting means (9) capable of adjusting the first attractive force larger than the attractive force by the first magnet (5) and the second attractive force smaller than the second attractive force.

[Action]

According to the configuration of the present invention described above, the second magnet (6) is set to the first suction force described above on the arrangement surface (7a) of the holder (7), and the magnetic mask is formed by the suction force of the vacuum suction means (8). (1) and a first mode shown in FIG. 1A for sucking a film-forming substrate (2) on which a film is to be formed from above, and a holder (7) at a position facing the pallet (3). The second magnet (6) is brought in and adjusted to the second suction force described above, and the vacuum suction force is released, and the magnetic mask (1) is moved by the first magnet (5) of the pallet (3). 1) in which the substrate (2) is sandwiched between the pallet (3) and the substrate (2) is sucked and held together with the substrate (2). 1 and the vacuum suction force acts on the substrate to form a film ( ) And the magnetic mask (1) are suction-transferred to the holder (7) to separate them from the pallet (3), and a third mode shown in FIG. 1B, and the holder (7) is evacuated to vacuum suction means (8). Release the suction force by the substrate (2)
A fourth mode in which the magnetic mask (1) is detached from the holder (7), and the magnetic force of the magnetic mask (1) is removed from the holder (7) by setting the attraction force of the second magnet (6) of the holder (7) to the second attraction force. A fifth aspect capable of being detached can be adopted.

By adopting such aspects, the mask (1) and the film-forming substrate (2) can be simultaneously attached to and detached from the pallet (3) on the common attaching / detaching means (4), and furthermore, the pallet (3) In the above, since the substrate on which the film is to be formed (2) can be held by one magnet, that is, the first magnet (5), its structure and operation can be simplified. It is possible to shorten the working time and thus improve the productivity, and furthermore, it is possible to avoid the damage of the substrate and the damage of the film formation at the time of handling and to perform the film formation with high reliability.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to FIGS.

In the present invention, the mask (1) is made of a magnetic material such as stainless steel. This mask (1) has a center mask (1c) and a peripheral mask (1s). The center mask (1c) has, for example, a T-shaped cross section and a projection (1c ₁ ) at the center.
Is provided, and a circular flange portion (1c ₂ ) is integrally provided on a peripheral edge thereof. The opposing main surfaces (1ca) and (1cb) of the flange portion (1c ₂ ) are formed as parallel flat surfaces, respectively. The outer peripheral mask (1s) is formed in a circular ring shape, for example, in a U-shape in cross section, and both main surfaces (1sa) and (1sb) correspond to the flange portion (1c2) corresponding to the flange portion (1c ₂ ) of the center mask (1c). ₂ ) A flat surface having the same thickness as that of ₂ ) and forming the same plane as each of the main surfaces (1ca) and (1cb) of the flange portion (1c2) is formed.

The attaching / detaching means (4) is made of a magnetic material such as stainless steel having a flat arrangement surface (7a) on which the mask (1) is arranged. A second magnet (6) made of, for example, a permanent magnet is arranged behind the arrangement surface (7a), and the second magnet (6) has a magnetic material, ie, a mask (1), on the arrangement surface (7a). Adjusting means (9) for adjusting the suction force
Is provided.

The adjusting means (9) has, for example, an air cylinder configuration as shown in FIG. 1C, and has a piston (9a) on which a second magnet (6) is attached by supplying and releasing compressed air. It may be possible to adjust the substantial magnetic attraction of the second magnet (6) on the arrangement surface (7a) so as to be close to or away from 7).

On the other hand, a vacuum suction means (8) is provided facing the arrangement surface (7a) of the holder (7). The suction means (8) has a suction port (8) of a suction tube connected at its outer end to a vacuum pump (not shown).
a) is provided so as to face the outer surface of the arrangement surface (7a), and the second
With the center mask (1c) and the outer peripheral mask (1s) of the mask (1) being attracted onto the placement surface (7a) by the magnet (6), the deposition target substrate (2) is placed on the mask (1). When the substrate (2) is placed on each of the main surfaces (1cb) and (1sb), the space between the substrate (2) and the placement surface (7a) is made to have a negative pressure by the suction means (8) to mask the substrate (2). So that it can be held by suction. In this case, the central hole (2h) of the film formation substrate (2) is fitted to the cylindrical projection (1c ₁ ) of the central mask (1c).

This attaching / detaching means (4) is provided with the first
As shown in FIGS. A, B and C, the positions are sequentially movable so as to be separated and approached.

On the other hand, the pallet (3) has the first magnet (5)
Is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the first magnet (5) has a center magnet (5c) for sucking the center mask (1c) and an outer magnet (5s) for sucking the outer mask (1s). Each is attached to the pallet (3) by the female screw (16), and is fixed to a predetermined position by the magnet holders (15c) and (15s), that is, the pallet (3).
Are arranged at the center and the outer periphery.

An operation of attaching and detaching the film formation substrate (2) to and from the pallet (1) with such a configuration will be described. In this case, first, in the initial state, the mask (1), that is, the center mask (1c) and the outer peripheral mask (1s) are arranged at predetermined positions on the predetermined portion of the pallet (3) by the first magnet (5). . In this case, the attachment / detachment means (4) first approaches the pallet (3) side, and although not shown, the pallet (3)
Place the upper mask (1) on the surface of the holder (7) (7a)
Is attracted by the second magnet (6) in the first attractive force state. In this phase, the second magnet (6) is brought to a position close to the arrangement surface (7a) by the adjusting means (9), and the first attracting force is applied to the mask (1). Perform suction.

Next, the holder (7) sucking the mask (1), that is, the attaching / detaching means (4) is brought to a predetermined position separated from the pallet (3) shown in FIG. (2) On the mask (1), the center hole (2h) of the substrate (2) to be deposited is fitted to the center mask (1c), and the substrate surface is placed in the ring-shaped outer peripheral mask (1s). The substrate (2) is placed so as to be in contact with the upper surface (1cb) and (1sb) of the center mask (1c) and the outer peripheral mask (1s), and the substrate (2) is suction-held by the suction means (8). This is the first mode (FIG. 1A).

In this manner, the attaching / detaching means (4) on which the mask (1) and the substrate to be film-formed (2) are placed on the surface (7a) on which the holder (7) is placed is attached to the surface of the pallet (3). And stop the operation of the vacuum pump of the suction means (8) to stop the substrate (2).
The space between the cylinder and the arrangement surface (7a) is set to, for example, about the atmospheric pressure, and the adjusting means (9) removes air in the cylinder to retract the piston. That is, the mask (1) on the arrangement surface (7a) by retracting the second magnet (6)
Is reduced, that is, the second suction force, for example, the suction force is set to zero. By doing so, the first magnet (5) acts predominantly on the mask (1), and the mask (1) and the substrate (2) are held together with the substrate (2) sandwiched therebetween. It is assumed that the pallet (3) is held in the second mode (FIG. 1B). After holding the substrate (2) together with the mask (1) on the pallet (3) in this way, the holding / removing means (4) is separated from the pallet (3).

On the other hand, the deposition target substrate (2) in which the mask (1) is arranged and held on the pallet (3) at a predetermined position is transported by the pallet to a deposition processing unit where deposition is performed by, for example, sputtering or vacuum deposition. Then, the substrate (2) is formed into a film having a predetermined pattern blocked by the mask (1), and is again brought to the position shown in FIG. 1C.

In this state, the attachment / detachment means (4) approaches the pallet (3) again, air is supplied into the cylinder of the adjustment means (8), and the piston (9a) is pushed out toward the arrangement surface (7a). The second magnet (6) is set to a large first attraction force that overcomes the attraction force of the first magnet (5), whereby the mask (1) is detached from the pallet (3) and placed on the arrangement surface (7a) side. Suction. At the same time, the vacuum pump of the suction means (9) is operated to suction through the suction port (8a), and the space between the arrangement surface (7a) and the substrate (2) is again set to a negative pressure to suction the substrate (2). And a third mode shown in FIG. 1B in which the attaching / detaching means is separated from the pallet (3). The attaching / detaching means (4) holding the mask (1) and the substrate (2) on the arrangement surface (7a) of the holder (7) in this way
Is brought to, for example, the position shown in FIG.
a) stopping suction from a), removing the substrate (2) from the attachment / detachment means (4) by another robot, and transporting the substrate (2) to another predetermined position, and the second mode described above by the adjustment means (9). As a suction force, a fifth mode in which the mask (1) is removed by a robot is adopted.

In the example described above, the case where the first and second magnets (5) and (6) are permanent magnets has been described. However, by using these as electromagnetic coils, for example, the second magnet (5) can be used. The adjusting means (9) can also be configured so as to obtain the first suction force and the second suction force by controlling the energization.

In addition, various modifications can be made without being limited to the above-described example.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the mask (1) and the film formation substrate (2) can be simultaneously attached to and detached from the pallet (3) by the common attaching / detaching means (4). In (3), the substrate (2) on which the film is to be formed can also be held by the first magnet (5), so that the structure and operation of the device can be simplified, so that the work time can be reduced. Therefore, the productivity can be improved, and the reliability can be further improved, that is, damage to the substrate and damage to the film during handling can be avoided, and highly reliable film formation can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A to 1C are schematic cross-sectional views of each operation section of an example of the apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one half of the pallet. (1) is a mask, (2) is a film formation substrate, (3) is a pallet, (4) is an attaching / detaching means, (5) and (6) are first and second magnets, (7) is a holder, (7a) is the placement surface,
(8) is a suction unit, and (9) is an adjusting unit.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C23C 14/00-14/58 G11B 7/26 G11B 11/105 546

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A film forming apparatus, wherein a mask is disposed on a pallet in a state of being in contact with a surface of a substrate on which a film is to be formed, and a film forming process is performed on the surface of the substrate. An attaching / detaching means for attaching / detaching to / from a mask is provided; the mask is made of a magnetic material; a first magnet for magnetically attracting and holding the mask is arranged on the pallet; A holder having a magnetic mask arrangement surface on which a second magnet for magnetically attracting and holding is arranged on a back portion, and vacuum suction means for attracting the film-forming substrate via the magnetic mask on the arrangement surface is provided. The second magnet has a first attractive force, which is greater than an attractive force of the first magnet on the pallet, on an arrangement surface of the magnetic mask with respect to the magnetic mask. Deposition apparatus characterized by comprising provided with adjusting means capable of adjusting to the second suction force to be attractive and small.