JP4588620B2 - Vacuum processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus that transports an object to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum atmosphere and performs vacuum processing such as etching processing and film formation processing.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, vacuum processing apparatuses that perform vacuum processing of an object to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer, for example, an etching process or a film forming process in a vacuum atmosphere are known. As such a vacuum processing apparatus, there is also known an apparatus configured to provide a transport mechanism in a vacuum chamber (vacuum transport chamber) and transport a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer in the vacuum transport chamber ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-8-11940

  In the above-described vacuum processing apparatus, for example, when a mechanically moving mechanism such as a transport mechanism is provided in the vacuum chamber, a lubricant is applied to a portion of a sliding mechanism such as a transport mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber. Grease (vacuum grease) may be used. In such a case, it is necessary to replenish grease periodically to a part of the sliding mechanism in the vacuum chamber. In the conventional vacuum apparatus, when replenishing such grease, the vacuum chamber is opened to the atmosphere, and an operator injects grease into a predetermined site using a grease gun or the like.

  However, it takes time and labor to temporarily release the vacuum chamber, which is a vacuum atmosphere, and to inject grease. It also takes time to set the vacuum chamber once opened to the atmosphere to a vacuum atmosphere so that the vacuum process can be resumed. For this reason, there exists a problem that the operation rate of a vacuum processing apparatus falls and productivity deteriorates.

  In addition, there is a possibility that the maintenance of the grease injection may be forgotten, and there is a problem that the sliding operation is performed for a long time in a state where the grease is insufficient, which may adversely affect the vacuum processing apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. It is possible to inject grease into a predetermined portion without opening the vacuum chamber to the atmosphere, improving the operating rate of the vacuum processing apparatus and improving productivity. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum processing apparatus that can perform maintenance of grease injection reliably.

The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for performing vacuum processing on an object to be processed, a vacuum transfer chamber connected to the vacuum processing chamber via a gate valve, and the vacuum transfer chamber in the vacuum transfer chamber A conveyance mechanism having a grease inlet opening in the vacuum conveyance chamber for conveying an object to be processed and a grease container provided in the vacuum conveyance chamber and supplying grease contained in the grease container A grease supply mechanism having a plurality of grease supply ports, and a mechanism for moving the transport mechanism to bring the grease injection port into contact with the grease supply port of the grease supply mechanism. And a control mechanism for injecting into the inlet.

The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 2 is the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer mechanism includes a ball screw and a ball nut provided in the vacuum transfer chamber, and the grease injection The grease injected from the inlet is supplied to the ball screw and the ball nut.

A vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3, there is provided a vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveying mechanism and the control mechanism by the ball screw and the ball nut by integrating the drive amount that has been driven, When the accumulated driving amount reaches a predetermined value, grease is injected by the grease supply mechanism.

The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 4 is the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control mechanism calculates the driving amount by integrating a driving distance or a driving time. .

A vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 5, there is provided a vacuum processing apparatus of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the grease supplying mechanism, closing a grease containing portion, the opening of the grease containing portion And a lid body that is slidable and movable with the inner wall of the grease storage portion and has a grease supply port, and the grease supply port is pressed and moved into the grease storage portion by a predetermined distance. It is characterized in that a predetermined amount of grease is supplied.

  According to the vacuum processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to inject grease into a predetermined part without opening the vacuum chamber to the atmosphere, improving the operating rate of the vacuum processing apparatus and improving productivity, Maintenance of grease injection can be performed reliably.

  Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a vacuum transfer chamber 10 is provided in the central portion of the vacuum processing apparatus 1, and a plurality (six in this embodiment) are provided around the vacuum transfer chamber 10. The vacuum processing chambers (process chambers) 11 to 16 are arranged.

  Two load lock chambers 17 are provided on the front side (lower side in the figure) of the vacuum transfer chamber 10, and on the further front side (lower side in the figure) of these load lock chambers 17, a semiconductor wafer in the atmosphere. A transfer chamber 18 for transferring W is provided. In addition, on the further front side (lower side in the drawing) of the transfer chamber 18, a plurality of mounting portions 19 (three in FIG. 1) on which cassettes or hoops capable of storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers W are arranged. An alignment mechanism 20 that aligns the semiconductor wafer W with an orientation flat or a notch is provided on the side (left side in the drawing) of the transfer chamber 18.

  Inside the vacuum transfer chamber 10, a transfer mechanism 50 is arranged as shown in FIG. The transport mechanism 50 includes a transport base 51 and two transport arms 52 and 53 that can be rotated and bent on the transport base 51.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transfer base 51 extends along the longitudinal direction of the vacuum transfer chamber 10 by linear guides 60 and ball screws 61 (only one side is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) provided on both sides. It is possible to move.

  The semiconductor wafers W are held one by one on the respective transfer arms 52 and 53 so that the semiconductor wafers W can be loaded into and unloaded from the vacuum processing chambers 11 to 16 and the load lock chamber 17 shown in FIG. Has been. Note that the openings 11a to 16a illustrated in FIG. 2 indicate connection portions connected to the vacuum processing chambers 11 to 16 via an opening / closing mechanism (not shown). Similarly, the opening 17a shown in FIG. 2 indicates a connection portion connected to the load lock chamber 17 via an opening / closing mechanism (not shown).

  In addition, one end of a duct arm (arm mechanism) 54 that bends and stretches in accordance with the movement of the transport base 51 is connected to the transport base 51, and the other end of the duct arm 54 is connected to the vacuum transport chamber 10. The base member 10a is connected. 3 and 4 show a state in which the configurations of the transfer arms 52 and 53 on the transfer base 51 are removed in order to easily understand the configurations of the transfer base 51 and the duct arm 54.

  The duct arm 54 is configured such that the front half 54a and the rear half 54b are rotatably connected by a joint 54c, and the connection with the transport base 51 and the connection with the base member 10a are also rotatable. It is configured. The duct arm 54 itself does not have a drive source, and is configured to bend and stretch with the movement of the transport base 51. 3 shows a state in which the transport base 51 has moved to the vacuum processing chambers 13 and 14 shown in FIG. 1 and the duct arm 54 has been extended most.

  Further, the front half 54a of the duct arm 54 is connected so as to be positioned above the rear half 54b, and when the duct arm 54 is bent, the front half 54a is positioned above the rear half 54b. By overlapping, the front half 54a and the rear half 54b are configured to be folded without interfering with each other.

  Further, the inside of the duct arm 54 is hollow, and the hollow portion serves as a cable housing portion 55 that is capable of housing cables and has an atmospheric pressure. In addition, these cables represent what connects the inside of the vacuum conveyance chamber 10 and the exterior, such as an electric cable, a tube for intake / exhaust, and a tube for temperature control medium circulation, for example. By housing such cables in the cable housing portion 55 inside the duct arm 54, gas is generated from the cables, and particles are generated to contaminate the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber 10. It can be prevented.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a grease supply mechanism 70 is disposed inside the vacuum transfer chamber 10. The grease supply mechanism 70 is disposed in the vicinity of the end portions of the linear guide 60 and the ball screw 61 described above. And it is comprised in the slider 63 in which the conveyance base 51 is arrange | positioned, and it is comprised so that grease (vacuum grease) can be supplied to the part of the ball nut 62 screwed together by the ball screw 61. FIG. In addition, as this grease (vacuum grease), for example, fluorine-based grease (for example, demnum grease (trade name: manufactured by Daikin Industries)) or the like can be used.

  The grease supply mechanism 70 includes a cylindrical grease accommodating portion 71 that accommodates the grease G therein, and the position of the grease accommodating portion 71 is adjusted to the base member 10a of the vacuum transfer chamber 10 by a screw or the like (not shown). It is fixed where possible. A lid 72 is disposed in the grease accommodating portion 71 so as to close the opening of the grease accommodating portion 71. The lid 72 is slidable with the inner wall of the grease accommodating portion 71, and a grease supply port 73 is provided in the vicinity of the center thereof. Further, the lid 72 is provided with an annular sealing member 74 that seals between the inner wall of the grease accommodating portion 71 so as to be slidable and prevents a large amount of grease from leaking from the sliding portion. It has been.

  On the other hand, the slider 63 for moving the transport base 51 along the linear guide 60 is provided so that the grease injection port 64 protrudes in accordance with the position of the grease supply port 73 of the grease supply mechanism 70. The grease injection port 64 communicates with an inner portion of the ball nut 62 through a grease passage 65. The grease injection port 64 and the grease supply port 73 may be provided with an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes by an elastic force such as a spring. In particular, when using grease with a large amount of evaporation, it is preferable to provide such an opening / closing mechanism to prevent the grease from evaporating.

  When replenishing the grease, the ball screw 61 is rotated by the motor 66 to move the transport base 51 along the linear guide 60 along with the slider 63, and the grease inlet 64 contacts the lid 72. Make contact. Next, the transport base 51 is further moved to the lid 72 side from this state, and the lid 72 is pressed and moved, so that the grease in the grease accommodating portion 71 passes through the grease supply port 73 and enters the grease injection port 64. Injected into. At this time, the amount of grease injected can be controlled by the moving distance of the lid 72.

  In addition, the movement range in the case of normal conveyance operation of the conveyance base 51 and the slider 63 is up to a position where the grease injection port 64 does not contact the lid 72. Therefore, grease is not injected during a normal transport operation.

  The grease injection operation using the above-described grease supply mechanism 70 is controlled by the control device 100 that comprehensively controls the overall operation of the vacuum device 1. That is, the control device 100 controls the drive of the motor 66, thereby controlling the movement of the transport base 51 and executing the above-described grease injection operation. In the present embodiment, the control device 100 stores an integrated value of the driving amount of the transport base 51 (slider 63), and executes the above-described grease injection operation when the integrated value reaches a predetermined value. The integrated value of the driving amount can be, for example, the moving distance of the transport base 51 (slider 63) corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor 66. Further, the moving time of the transport base 51 (slider 63) corresponding to the operating time of the motor 66 can also be used. When the integrated value of the movement distance is adopted, the setting is such that the movement distance is, for example, a grease injection operation every 10 km.

  Further, the grease injection operation may be executed based on the magnitude of the torque of the motor 66 instead of the integrated value of the movement amount as described above. That is, when there is a large amount of grease between the ball screw 61 and the ball nut 62, the torque of the motor 66 required to rotate the ball screw 61 increases to some extent due to the viscosity of the grease. As the amount of grease gradually decreases, the torque of the motor 66 required to rotate the ball screw 61 gradually decreases. For this reason, the amount of grease can be detected by the magnitude of this torque. In this case, the control device 100 monitors the value of the motor 66 torque, and when the torque value falls below a certain value, the control unit 100 is set to execute a grease injection operation.

  A plurality of the grease supply mechanisms 70 having the above-described configuration are provided at a site where it is necessary to periodically inject grease. For example, the ball screws 61 are provided on both sides of the transport base 51, and the grease supply mechanisms 70 are provided on the ball screws 61 on both sides, respectively. Actually, the ball screw 61 is provided with two thread grooves, and the slider 63 is provided with two ball nuts 62 for one ball screw 61. A grease supply mechanism 70 is provided for each of these two ball nuts 62. Similarly, a grease supply mechanism 70 is also provided between the two linear guides 60 and the slider 63 provided on both sides of the transport base 51.

  As described above, in the vacuum processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the grease can be injected into the necessary portion by the grease supply mechanism 70 without opening the vacuum transfer chamber 10 to the atmosphere. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the work time and labor for grease injection, which has been conventionally required. Moreover, it is not necessary to set the vacuum chamber once opened to the atmosphere to a vacuum atmosphere so that the vacuum processing can be resumed. For this reason, the operation rate of a vacuum processing apparatus can be improved and productivity can be improved. Further, since the grease injection is automatically performed at a predetermined timing set in advance, the maintenance of the grease injection is not forgotten, and the maintenance of the grease injection can be surely executed.

  Next, the vacuum processing operation in the vacuum processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described. When a cassette or hoop is placed on the placement unit 19, the semiconductor wafer W is taken out from the cassette or hoop by a transfer mechanism (not shown) provided in the transfer chamber 18, transferred to the alignment mechanism 20 and aligned. After that, it is placed in the load lock chamber 17.

  Then, the semiconductor wafer W is transferred from the load lock chamber 17 to the vacuum processing chambers 11 to 16 by the transfer mechanism 50 and subjected to predetermined processing. Further, the processed semiconductor wafer W is transferred from the vacuum processing chambers 11 to 16 by the transfer mechanism 50 and placed in the load lock chamber 17.

  As described above, the processed semiconductor wafer W arranged in the load lock chamber 17 is thereafter taken out from the load lock chamber 17 by the transfer mechanism in the transfer chamber 18 and mounted on the mounting portion 19. In a cassette or hoop.

  When performing the vacuum processing as described above, the transport base 51 is linearly driven in the vacuum transport chamber 10 in a vacuum atmosphere. This driving amount is integrated and stored by the control device 100 described above. When the integrated value of the drive amount reaches a predetermined value, the above-described grease injection operation by the grease supply mechanism 70 is executed.

  As described above, according to the vacuum processing apparatus of this embodiment, it is possible to inject grease into a predetermined portion without opening the vacuum chamber to the atmosphere, improving the operating rate of the vacuum processing apparatus and improving productivity. In addition, the maintenance of grease injection can be performed reliably.

  Next, another grease supply mechanism 80 will be described with reference to FIGS. The grease supply mechanism 80 includes a cylindrical grease accommodating portion 81 that accommodates the grease G. A piston 82 that moves in contact with the inner wall of the grease accommodating portion 81 is provided on the rear end side of the grease accommodating portion 81. The piston 82 is connected to the bimetal 83 and moves in the left-right direction in the drawing in the grease accommodating portion 81 as the bimetal 83 is deformed. A grease supply port 84 is provided below the grease accommodating portion 81. The bimetal 83 is formed in a spiral shape, for example. However, the bimetal 83 may have any shape as long as the piston 82 can be moved when the temperature rises.

  When the temperature rises and the bimetal 83 is deformed, the piston 82 is pushed by the bimetal 83 and moves to the right side in the figure, and the grease G is pushed out from the grease supply port 84. FIG. 7A shows a state at room temperature, and FIG. 7B shows a state in which the temperature has risen and the grease G has been pushed out from the grease supply port 84.

  The grease supply mechanism 80 is attached adjacent to, for example, a bearing mechanism 67 of a slider 63 that moves along a linear guide (rail) 60. The grease supply port 84 of the grease supply mechanism 80 faces the direction of the linear guide 60. Therefore, when the slider 63 moves along the linear guide 60, if the grease is insufficient and frictional heat is generated and the temperature of the bearing mechanism 67 rises (for example, 50 to 60 ° C.), the heat is supplied to the grease supply mechanism 80. The grease is supplied to the linear guide 60 from the grease supply mechanism 80. As a result, when grease shortage occurs, the grease is automatically supplied from the grease supply mechanism 80 to the linear guide 60. Further, the grease supply mechanism 80 can be attached so as to supply grease to the sliding portion of the ball screw 61 and the ball nut 62. In this case, the grease supply mechanism is preferably attached in the vicinity of the ball nut 62. As a result, when the ball screw 61 rotates and slides with the ball nut 62, when the grease is insufficient and frictional heat is generated and the temperature of the ball nut 62 rises (for example, 50 to 60 ° C.), the heat is lost. The grease is transmitted to the supply mechanism 80, and the grease is supplied from the grease supply mechanism 80 to the ball screw 61 or the ball nut 62.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the grease injection mechanism for injecting grease is provided in the sliding mechanism of the linear drive portion of the transport mechanism has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and other Of course, the sliding mechanism can be similarly applied. In addition, the configuration of the grease injection mechanism is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5 or those shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and any configuration can be used as long as it can store grease and inject this stored grease. Something like that. Furthermore, a similar grease injection mechanism can be provided for the sliding mechanism outside the vacuum chamber.

The figure which shows the whole schematic structure of the vacuum processing apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the principal part schematic structure of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows the principal part schematic structure of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows the principal part schematic structure of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows the principal part schematic structure of the vacuum processing apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows schematic structure of another grease supply mechanism. The figure which shows the normal temperature state and high temperature state of the grease supply mechanism of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vacuum processing apparatus, 10 ... Vacuum transfer chamber, 11-16 ... Vacuum processing chamber, 17 ... Load lock chamber, 18 ... Transfer chamber, 19 ... Mounting part, 20 ... Positioning mechanism, 50 ...... Transport mechanism 51 ... Transport base 52, 53 ... Transfer arm 54 ... Duct arm 55 ... Cable housing part 60 ... Linear guide 61 ... Ball screw 62 ... Ball nut, 63 ... Slider, 64 ... Grease inlet, 65 ... Grease passage, 66 ... Motor, 70 ... Grease supply mechanism, 71 ... Grease container, 72 ... Lid, 73 ... Grease Supply port, 74... Sealing member, W... Semiconductor wafer.

Claims (5)

A plurality of vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a workpiece to vacuum processing;
A vacuum transfer chamber connected to the vacuum processing chamber via a gate valve;
A transport mechanism for transporting the object to be processed in the vacuum transport chamber and having a grease inlet opening in the vacuum transport chamber;
A grease supply mechanism provided in the vacuum transfer chamber and having a grease supply portion and a grease supply port for supplying the grease stored in the grease storage portion;
A control mechanism for moving the transport mechanism to bring the grease inlet into contact with the grease supply port of the grease supply mechanism and injecting the grease stored in the grease storage portion into the grease inlet. A vacuum processing apparatus. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The vacuum processing is characterized in that the transfer mechanism includes a ball screw and a ball nut provided in the vacuum transfer chamber, and the grease injected from the grease injection port is supplied to the ball screw and the ball nut. apparatus. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The control mechanism integrates the driving amount of the conveying mechanism driven by the ball screw and the ball nut, and injects grease by the grease supply mechanism when the integrated driving amount reaches a predetermined value. Vacuum processing equipment. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
The vacuum processing apparatus, wherein the control mechanism calculates the driving amount by integrating a driving distance or a driving time. The vacuum processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The grease supply mechanism includes a grease container,
Closes the opening of the grease container and is movable by sliding with the inner wall of the grease container, and includes a lid having a grease supply port.
A vacuum processing apparatus configured to supply a predetermined amount of grease from the grease supply port by pressing and moving the lid body into the grease accommodating portion for a predetermined distance.

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