JP5710194B2 - Vacuum processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus, and more particularly to a vacuum processing apparatus capable of suppressing contamination caused by gas in a container flowing out into another container.

  In a vacuum processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to be processed in a processing chamber formed inside a vacuum vessel, the processing efficiency of the wafer to be processed is improved along with the miniaturization and precision of the processing. It has been demanded.

  In recent years, a multi-chamber apparatus has been developed in which a plurality of processing chambers (chambers) are connected to a single transfer chamber, and wafers are processed in parallel in the connected processing chambers. Productivity has been improved.

  An apparatus comprising a plurality of processing chambers (chambers) for processing includes means for supplying an electric field or a magnetic field to each processing chamber, means for exhausting the interior of an exhaust pump, etc. A processing unit comprising means for adjusting

  The processing unit is adjustable in internal gas pressure, and is detachably connected to a transfer unit including a transfer chamber (transfer chamber) provided with a robot arm or the like for temporarily holding and transferring a substrate. ing.

  That is, the side wall of the vacuum chamber containing the process chamber to be decompressed of the processing unit is decompressed to the same extent, and is attached to and detached from the side wall of the vacuum transport container having a transport unit for transporting the wafer before or after processing inside. Connected as possible.

  However, in the multi-chamber apparatus, an atmospheric gas such as a processing gas in each processing chamber of the vacuum processing apparatus may affect other processing chambers. In such a case, the wafer or the apparatus is contaminated, the maintenance time of the apparatus increases, and the yield may be reduced.

  For this reason, a valve is provided between the processing chamber and the vacuum transfer container so that the wafer is not transferred into the processing chamber in a state where the plurality of processing chambers are in spatial communication, and the atmosphere gas in the processing chamber is evacuated. It is required to perform valve opening / closing control or pressure control of the transfer container and the processing chamber so as not to come into contact with the atmospheric gas in the transfer container. Patent Document 1 is known as a technique for preventing contamination of a wafer or an apparatus by atmospheric gas in such a vacuum processing apparatus.

Special table 2007-511104 gazette

  In the prior art, the processing chamber for processing the wafer and the transfer chamber for transferring the wafer to the processing chamber are completely separated by a valve disposed between the other processing chamber or the transfer chamber, and the processing chamber and the transfer chamber are separated. The chamber can be independently pressure controlled. Further, when a wafer is processed in each processing chamber or transfer chamber or transferred by a vacuum transfer robot, it is possible to prevent secondary contamination of the apparatus or the wafer due to outflow of atmosphere from the processing chamber.

  However, in the above prior art, the intermediate container connected to the vacuum transfer container is equipped with an exhaust mechanism, and the exhaust mechanism exhausts the atmospheric gas in the vacuum transfer container to improve the efficiency of wafer processing. The prevention of contamination (contamination) of the processing container and the vacuum transfer container is not sufficiently considered. For this reason, the production amount per installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus is impaired.

  In addition, when the vacuum processing apparatus includes a plurality of types of vacuum processing units and sequentially supplies wafers to these processing units, the vacuum processing unit executes processing to be performed first and processing to be performed later. Are connected to different vacuum transfer containers, the efficiency of processing is impaired depending on the method for controlling the opening and closing of the valves disposed at both ends of the intermediate container (relay chamber) connecting the vacuum transfer containers. Sometimes. In such a case, the wafer processing capacity per installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus is impaired.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and by improving the efficiency of wafer processing by exhausting the atmospheric gas in the vacuum transfer container, the atmospheric gas in the vacuum processing chamber or transfer relay chamber is transferred to another vacuum transfer. Contamination due to flowing into the chamber or the transfer relay chamber is suppressed.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.

And the atmospheric transfer chamber housing the atmospheric transfer apparatus for conveying a substrate to be processed to the lock chamber in the atmosphere, is connected to the first vacuum processing chamber, said first vacuum processing the substrate to be processed in said lock chamber carried into the chamber, the first vacuum transfer chamber having a first vacuum transfer apparatus therein for unloading the finished said target substrate processing, is connected to the second vacuum processing chamber, the substrate to be processed the carried in the second vacuum processing chamber, a second vacuum transfer chamber having a second vacuum transfer apparatus therein for unloading the substrate to be processed finished processing, and the first vacuum transfer chamber the conveying with a table for transferring the target substrate between these and is arranged to be connected the first vacuum transfer apparatus and the second vacuum transfer apparatus between the second vacuum transfer chamber a relay chamber, the gas supply to supply gas to the first and second vacuum transfer chamber Includes a path, a first exhaust path including said first and second exhaust pump for exhausting the inside of the vacuum processing chamber respectively, and a second exhaust path for exhausting the gas inside the transfer relay chamber, the Each of the first and second vacuum transfer chambers is set to have an internal pressure higher than that of the first and second vacuum processing chambers and transfer relay chambers connected to the first and second vacuum transfer chambers . Gas is exhausted through one or both of the second exhaust path of the transfer relay chamber and the first vacuum processing chamber or the first exhaust path of the second vacuum processing chamber connected to each other.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it is possible to improve the efficiency of wafer processing, suppress contamination caused by the atmospheric gas in the vacuum processing chamber or the transfer relay chamber flowing out into another vacuum transfer chamber or the transfer relay chamber, and be installed. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with high productivity per area can be provided.

It is a top view explaining the outline of the vacuum processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional view explaining the detail of a vacuum conveyance chamber. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view explaining the detail of a vacuum conveyance chamber.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1, 2 and 3 are views for explaining a vacuum processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a top view for explaining the outline of the whole structure, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating details of the vacuum transfer chamber.

  In FIG. 1, the vacuum processing apparatus 100 includes an atmosphere side block 101 and a vacuum side block 102. The atmosphere-side block 101 is a part that performs processing such as transporting, storing, or positioning a substrate-like sample such as a semiconductor wafer to be processed under atmospheric pressure. The vacuum block 102 is a block that transports a sample under a pressure reduced from atmospheric pressure and performs processing in a predetermined vacuum processing chamber. A lock chamber 105 is provided between the vacuum side block 102 and the atmosphere side block 101 to connect them and change the internal pressure between the atmospheric pressure and the vacuum pressure while holding the sample inside. Has been.

  The atmosphere side block 101 includes a housing (atmosphere transfer chamber) 106 in which the atmosphere side transfer robot 110 is accommodated. A plurality of cassette stands are provided on the front side of the housing 106 (downward in the figure), and a cassette containing processing or cleaning wafers is placed on the cassette stands.

  The vacuum block 102 includes a first vacuum transfer chamber 104, a second vacuum transfer chamber 111, and the lock chamber. The lock chamber is a vacuum vessel capable of adjusting the internal space to a desired pressure, and includes a passage for transferring wafers and valves 120a and 120b for opening or closing the entrance / exit of the passage. The internal space is provided with a storage portion that can store and hold a plurality of wafers with a gap in the vertical direction, and the valves 120a and 120b can be opened and closed while the wafers are stored therein.

  The first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are units each including a vacuum container having a substantially rectangular plane, and the first and second vacuum transfer chambers have substantially the same configuration. The first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are provided with purge lines 124a and 124b, respectively, and receive a command from a control device (not shown) while controlling the flow rate of a purge gas such as an inert gas, thereby transferring the transfer chamber 104. , 111. Thereby, the vacuum transfer chambers 104 and 111 can be adjusted to a higher pressure than the vacuum processing chamber 103 and the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112.

  The vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is a vacuum container that can be depressurized to a pressure relatively higher than that of the vacuum processing chamber, and connects the vacuum transfer chambers 104 and 111 to each other.

  Between the vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the vacuum transfer chamber 111, valves 120e and 120d that can open and close the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 and the passage through which the wafer is transferred are arranged, and these valves are closed. Thus, the space between the vacuum transfer relay chamber and the vacuum transfer chamber is hermetically sealed. The vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is exhausted by an exhaust system including a valve 122, an exhaust pipe 123, and a dry pump 121 (see FIG. 3).

  In addition, inside the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112, a storage unit that holds a plurality of wafers horizontally with a gap is disposed. This storage unit has a function of a relay chamber that temporarily stores and holds the wafer when the wafer is transferred between the first and second vacuum transfer chambers 104 and 111. That is, the wafer carried in by the vacuum carrying robot (108 or 109) in one vacuum carrying chamber and placed on the storage unit is carried out by the vacuum carrying robot (108 or 109) in the other vacuum carrying chamber, and the It is transferred to the vacuum processing chamber 103 or the lock chamber 105 connected to the vacuum transfer chamber.

  As described above, the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is arranged on the surface where the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are opposed to each other. The vacuum processing chamber 103 for processing the wafer is connected to the other surface of the vacuum transfer chamber. In this embodiment, the vacuum processing chamber 103 includes a vacuum vessel, a means for forming an electric field or a magnetic field in the vacuum vessel, and an exhaust means including a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure inside the vessel. In this vacuum processing chamber, processes such as etching and ashing are performed. The vacuum processing chamber 103 is provided with a processing gas supply pipe and is supplied with a processing gas corresponding to the processing to be performed. Each vacuum processing chamber 103 can be depressurized to a pressure lower than that of the vacuum transfer chamber and the vacuum transfer relay chamber.

  Although two vacuum processing chambers 103 can be connected to the first vacuum transfer chamber 104, one vacuum processing chamber 103a is connected in the drawing. Three vacuum processing chambers 103 can be connected to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111, but two vacuum processing chambers 103 are connected in FIG. 2 and one vacuum processing chamber 103 in FIG. 3.

  A first vacuum transfer robot 108 for transferring a wafer between the lock chamber 105 and the vacuum processing chamber 103a or the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is disposed in the central portion of the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 under a vacuum. .

  Similarly, a second vacuum transfer robot 109 is also arranged at the center of the second vacuum transfer chamber 111, and transfers wafers between the vacuum processing chambers 103 b and 103 c and the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112.

  These vacuum transfer robots 108 and 109 have the same configuration, and the vacuum transfer robots 108 and 109 place wafers on their arms, and between the vacuum processing chamber 103, the lock chamber 105, or the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112. Carry in and out. In addition, valves 120 that can be airtightly closed and opened are respectively connected to the passages communicating between the vacuum processing chamber 103, the lock chamber 105, the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112, the first vacuum transfer chamber 104, and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111. Is provided.

  Note that the wafer placed on the wafer support portion at the tip of the arm of the atmosphere-side transfer robot 110 is sucked and held on the wafer support portion by a suction device disposed on the wafer contact surface of the wafer support portion. Thus, the position of the wafer on the support portion is prevented from being shifted due to the operation of the arm. In particular, the wafer can be efficiently adsorbed on the contact surface by sucking ambient gas from a plurality of openings arranged on the contact surface of the wafer support portion.

  On the other hand, on the wafer support portion at the tip of the arm on which the wafers of the first vacuum transfer robot 108 and the second vacuum transfer robot 109 are placed, protrusions or pins for contacting the wafer and suppressing positional deviation are arranged. The movement of the arm prevents the wafer from shifting. In addition, in order to suppress such a positional shift, a function for suppressing the operation speed of the arm or a change rate (acceleration) of the operation speed is added.

  For this reason, if the wafers are transferred at the same distance, the transfer time of the vacuum transfer robot is longer than that of the atmosphere-side transfer robot. For this reason, the conveyance efficiency of the vacuum side block 102 becomes lower than that of the atmosphere side. That is, the conveyance efficiency in the vacuum side block 102 is lower than that in the atmosphere side block 101. In the example of FIG. 1, among the processes limited by the time required for the transfer, a process having a long process time (for example, ashing) is assigned to the vacuum processing chamber 103 a connected to the first vacuum transfer chamber, and the second The vacuum processing chambers 103b and 103c connected to the vacuum transfer chambers are assigned processing (etching etching) with a short processing time, and the number of vacuum processing chambers assigned to the first vacuum transfer chamber is set to the second vacuum transfer chamber. The total processing time can be shortened by setting the number of vacuum processing chambers to be less than the number of vacuum processing chambers to be allocated.

  Next, the transfer time of the wafer transferred on the transfer path passing through the vacuum transfer chamber, the relay chamber, or the vacuum processing chamber constituting the vacuum side block is reduced to improve the processing efficiency, and at the same time, each vacuum processing chamber An atmosphere gas such as a processing gas used when processing a wafer in the wafer 103 flows into the other vacuum processing chamber 103 or a processing gas used when processing a wafer in the other vacuum processing chamber 103. An example is shown in which contamination with contamination of the atmospheric gas is prevented.

  The processing time performed on the wafers in each vacuum processing chamber 103 is less than or equal to the time required for wafer transfer, and the processing efficiency of the entire vacuum processing apparatus 100 (the number of wafers processed per unit time) ) Has a dominant influence on the transport time.

  Next, a processing operation for a wafer performed using such a vacuum processing apparatus 100 will be described below.

  In response to a command from a control device (not shown) that adjusts the operation of the vacuum processing apparatus 100, processing of a wafer stored in a cassette placed on any one of the cassette tables 107 is started. Upon receiving the command from the control device, the atmosphere-side transfer robot 110 takes out a specific wafer in the cassette from the cassette, and transfers the taken-out wafer to the lock chamber 105.

  In the lock chamber 105 in which the wafer is transferred and stored, the valves 120a and 120b are closed while the transferred wafer is stored, and the pressure is reduced to a predetermined pressure. Thereafter, the valve 120b on the side facing the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 of the lock chamber 105 is opened, and the first lock chamber 105 and the vacuum transfer chamber 104 are communicated.

  The first vacuum transfer robot 108 extends its arm into the lock chamber 105, receives the wafer in the lock chamber 105 on the wafer support at the tip of the arm, and carries it out into the first vacuum transfer chamber 104. To do. Further, the first vacuum transfer robot 108 is connected to the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 according to the transfer route designated in advance by the control device when the wafer placed on the arm is taken out from the cassette. It is carried into the vacuum processing chamber 103a or the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112.

  The wafer transferred to the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is then transferred from the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 by the second vacuum transfer robot 109 provided in the second vacuum transfer chamber 111. Then, it is carried into one of the vacuum processing chambers 103b and 103c in accordance with the predetermined transfer path.

  For example, after the wafer is transferred to the vacuum processing chamber 103a, the valve 120c that opens and closes the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 connected to the vacuum processing chamber 103a is closed to seal the vacuum processing chamber 103a. After that, a processing gas is introduced into the processing chamber 103a, and the vacuum processing chamber is adjusted to a pressure suitable for processing. Next, an electric field or a magnetic field is supplied to the vacuum processing chamber 103a, thereby exciting the processing gas and forming plasma in the processing chamber to process the wafer.

  After the wafer processing is performed, the control device connects the vacuum processing chamber 103a and the vacuum processing chamber 103a under the condition that the valves 120b and 120d capable of opening and closing the space where the vacuum transfer chamber 104 communicates are closed. The valve 120c that opens and closes the vacuum transfer chamber 104 is opened.

  At this time, before the valve 120c that partitions the vacuum processing chamber 103a and the vacuum transfer chamber 104 to which the vacuum processing chamber 103a is connected is opened, the control device prevents the vacuum processing chamber 103a and the other vacuum processing chamber 103 from communicating with each other. In order to confirm the closing of the valve 120 that opens and closes the gate disposed on the passage through which the wafer in the vacuum processing chamber is transferred, the valve 120c sealing the vacuum processing chamber 103a is opened after this is confirmed. .

  For example, when it is detected that the wafer processing has been completed, the valve 120 between the vacuum processing chambers 103b and 103c and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 is closed, and the space between the two is hermetically sealed. After confirming this, the valve 120c that opens and closes between the vacuum processing chamber 103a and the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 connected to the vacuum processing chamber 103a is opened, and the vacuum transfer robot 108 carries out the processed wafer into the inside, The unloaded wafer is transferred to the lock chamber 105 through a transfer path opposite to that when the wafer is transferred into the processing chamber.

  When the wafer is transferred to the lock chamber 105, the valve 120b that opens and closes the passage that connects the lock chamber 105 and the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 is closed, and the pressure in the lock chamber 105 is increased to atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, the valve 120 a that partitions the inside of the housing 106 is opened, the interior of the lock chamber 105 communicates with the interior of the housing 106, and the atmosphere-side transfer robot 109 unloads the wafer from the lock chamber 105. Return the cassette to its original position.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the cross sections of the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber shown in FIG. The vacuum transfer robot 108 includes a first arm 201 and a second arm 202 for transferring a wafer. In the illustrated example, there are two arms, but three or four arms may be used. In the example shown in the figure, the first and second arms in the rotation direction and the height direction of the vacuum robot are simultaneously and in the same direction, and can operate independently only with respect to the expansion and contraction of the arms. It has a configuration.

  As for the extension / contraction operation of the arm, it is possible to start the contraction operation after one arm extends, and at the same time, the other arm can perform the extension operation. By adopting such a configuration, the vacuum transfer robots 108 and 109 shown in FIG. 2 have the unprocessed wafer held on any arm and the processed wafer held on any transfer destination. Can be exchanged without requiring a turning operation, and the efficiency and capacity of wafer transfer can be improved.

  Next, the opening / closing pattern of each gate valve 120 will be described.

  The gate valve 120 disposed between each vacuum processing chamber 103 and each vacuum transfer chamber 104, 111 is controlled to be opened and closed simultaneously so that the plurality of vacuum processing chambers 103 do not communicate spatially (exclusive). For example, when carrying in / out a wafer from one of the vacuum processing chambers 103 b among the plurality of vacuum processing chambers connected to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111, the vacuum processing chamber 103 b and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are interposed between them. Since the arranged gate valve 120f is in an open state, the gate valve 120g of another vacuum processing chamber 103c connected to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 is in a closed state.

  Next, opening and closing of the gate valves 120d and 120e provided at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 will be described.

  The gate valves 120d and 120e provided at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 are controlled by a control device (not shown) so that either one is closed, both are open, or both are closed.

 For example, the wafer is loaded into the vacuum processing chamber 103a connected to the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 with the gate valve 120f or 120g of any vacuum processing chamber 103 connected to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 open. In the case of being discharged, either one or both of the gate valves 120d and 120e disposed at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 are closed.

  On the other hand, the gate valve 120 of any vacuum processing chamber 103b or 103c connected to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 is open, and the gate valve 120 of the vacuum processing chamber 103a connected to the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 is open. Is closed, either one of the gate valves 120d and 120e disposed at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is closed, or both are controlled to be open.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of vertical sections of the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, one vacuum processing chamber 103 d is connected to the second vacuum transfer chamber 111. In the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112, the unprocessed wafer 125 and the processed wafer 126 are held in a positional relationship that is offset vertically on a wafer support (not shown). One vacuum processing chamber 103 a is connected to the first vacuum transfer chamber 104.

  Hereinafter, control of the exhaust path of the atmospheric gas in each vacuum transfer chamber will be described with reference to FIG. By this control, it is possible to prevent contamination due to the atmospheric gas in each vacuum processing chamber 103 and the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 flowing into another transfer chamber or the like.

  In FIG. 3, the relative pressure relationships in the first vacuum processing chamber 103a, the second vacuum processing chamber 103d, the first vacuum transfer chamber 104, the second vacuum transfer chamber 111, and the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 are shown. This will be described below.

  The pressures in the first vacuum processing chamber 103a and the second vacuum processing chamber 103d are lower than those in the first vacuum transfer chamber 104, the second vacuum transfer chamber 111, and the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112. There may be a pressure difference between the vacuum processing chambers.

  Since the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are provided with a purge line 124, the first and second vacuum transfer chambers 104 and 111 are the vacuum processing chamber 103, the vacuum transfer relay chamber, and the like. A pressure higher than 112 is maintained.

  The vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is higher in pressure than the vacuum processing chamber 103 and lower in pressure than the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111.

  By maintaining the pressure relationship as described above, contamination is generated from the processing gas in the first vacuum processing chamber 103a and the second vacuum processing chamber 103d and the processed wafer 126 held in the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112. The gas is exhausted by an exhaust line provided in the first vacuum processing chamber 103a, the second vacuum processing chamber 103d, or the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 without moving into each vacuum transfer chamber.

  Next, the opening / closing control of the gate valve 120 as described above causes the atmosphere in the first vacuum processing chamber 103a, the second vacuum processing chamber 103d, and the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 to flow out into other transfer chambers. The control of the exhaust path of the atmosphere in each vacuum transfer chamber for preventing contamination will be described.

  In the example of this figure, the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are not provided with an exhaust line. Accordingly, when the wafer is transferred, the following gate valve opening / closing control is performed by a control device (not shown) to exhaust the purge gas introduced into the vacuum transfer chamber.

  For example, when the gate valve 120f of the second vacuum processing chamber 103d is closed, among the gate valves 120 disposed at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112, the gate valve disposed on the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 side. 120e is controlled to an open state. As a result, the purge gas introduced from the purge line 124 b provided in the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 is exhausted from the exhaust line provided in the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112.

  On the other hand, when the gate valve 120f of the second vacuum processing chamber 103d is open and the gate valve 120c of the first vacuum processing chamber 103a is closed, the gate valves 120d disposed at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112, 129e is controlled so that either one or both are closed or both are open.

  When the gate valve 120e arranged on the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 side among the gate valves 120 arranged on both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is controlled to be in the open state, the second vacuum transfer chamber 111, and The purge gas introduced from the purge line 124b provided in the second vacuum transfer chamber is exhausted through the exhaust line provided in the second vacuum processing chamber 103d or the exhaust line provided in the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112.

When the gate valve 120d arranged on the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 side among the gate valves 120 arranged at both ends of the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 is controlled to be closed, the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 is provided. The purge gas introduced from the purge line 124a is exhausted from an exhaust line provided in the first vacuum processing chamber 103a .

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the first and second transfer chambers, the processing chambers, the relay chamber, and the lock chamber are arranged in a passage communicating with each other, and a valve that hermetically seals them is provided. For example, when opening the valve 120c that partitions the vacuum processing chamber 103a and the vacuum transfer chamber 104 to which the vacuum processing chamber 103a is connected, the vacuum processing chamber 103a and the other vacuum processing chamber 103 are not in communication with each other. The chamber 120 is opened after confirming that the valves 120b and 120d for opening and closing the gates arranged on the passage through which the wafer is transferred are confirmed.

  In addition, by controlling the opening and closing of the valves as described above, a path for exhausting the purge gas introduced into the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 can always be formed. Further, the pressure in each vacuum transfer chamber is maintained higher than the vacuum processing chamber 103 or the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112. For this reason, it is possible to prevent contamination due to the atmospheric gas in the vacuum processing chamber 103 or the vacuum transfer relay chamber 112 flowing out into the vacuum transfer chamber or the vacuum processing chamber, and the wafer per installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus. It is possible to improve the processing capacity.

  In the example of FIG. 3, the example in which the first vacuum transfer chamber 104 and the second vacuum transfer chamber 111 are not provided with the exhaust line has been described. It can be connected to the first and second vacuum transfer chambers via the first and second valves and can be evacuated via the dry pump. At this time, the first valve may be opened and closed in conjunction with opening and closing of the valve 120d, and the second valve may be opened and closed in conjunction with opening and closing of the valve 120e.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Atmosphere side block 102 Vacuum side block 103 Vacuum processing apparatus 104 Vacuum transfer chamber 105 Locking device 106 Case 107 Cassette stand 108 Vacuum transfer robot 109 Vacuum transfer robot 110 Atmosphere transfer robot 111 Vacuum transfer chamber 112 Vacuum transfer relay chamber 120 Valve 121 Dry Pump 122 Valve 123 Pipe 124 Purge line 125 Unprocessed wafer 126 Processed wafer 201 Arm 202 Arm

Claims (4)

An atmospheric transfer chamber containing an atmospheric transfer device for transferring the substrate to be processed to the lock chamber in an atmospheric atmosphere;
Is connected to the first vacuum processing chamber, inside the loaded substrate to be processed in the first vacuum processing chamber, the first vacuum transfer apparatus for unloading the finished the target substrate processing in said lock chamber a first vacuum transfer chamber having a,
Is connected to the second vacuum processing chamber, said it carries the target substrate in the second vacuum processing chamber, a second of the second vacuum transfer apparatus for unloading the substrate to be processed finished processing provided inside A vacuum transfer chamber,
Transferring the substrate to be processed between these and is arranged to be connected with the first vacuum transfer apparatus a second vacuum transfer device between said second vacuum transfer chamber and the first vacuum transfer chamber A transfer relay chamber equipped with a mounting table,
A gas supply path for supplying gas to the first and second vacuum transfer chamber, a first exhaust path including an exhaust pump for exhausting the inside of the first and second vacuum processing chamber each, the transfer relay A second exhaust path for exhausting the gas inside the chamber,
Said first and second respective vacuum transfer chamber, with the pressure therein is higher than linked first and second vacuum processing chamber and conveyance relay chamber each, the inside of the gas Are exhausted through one or both of the second exhaust path of the transfer relay chamber and the first vacuum processing chamber or the first exhaust path of the second vacuum processing chamber connected to each other. Vacuum processing equipment. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The vacuum processing apparatus, wherein the number of vacuum processing chambers provided in the first vacuum transfer chamber is smaller than the number of vacuum processing chambers provided in the second vacuum transfer chamber . An atmospheric transfer chamber containing an atmospheric transfer device for transferring the substrate to be processed to the lock chamber in an atmospheric atmosphere;
Is connected to the first vacuum processing chamber, inside the loaded substrate to be processed in the first vacuum processing chamber, the first vacuum transfer apparatus for unloading the finished the target substrate processing in said lock chamber a first vacuum transfer chamber having a,
Is connected to the second vacuum processing chamber, said it carries the target substrate in the second vacuum processing chamber, a second of the second vacuum transfer apparatus for unloading the substrate to be processed finished processing provided inside A vacuum transfer chamber,
To pass the substrate to be treated between these and is arranged to be connected with the first vacuum transfer apparatus a second conveying device between said second vacuum transfer chamber and the first vacuum transfer chamber A transfer relay chamber equipped with a mounting table for,
A gas supply path for supplying gas to the first and second vacuum transfer chamber, a first exhaust path including an exhaust pump for exhausting the inside of the first and second vacuum processing chamber each, the transfer relay In a method of operating a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a second exhaust path for exhausting gas inside the chamber and a control device for controlling the entire apparatus,
Said control device, said first and second pressure of the vacuum transfer chamber respectively, as well as higher than the internal pressure of the first and coupled to each second vacuum processing chamber and the transfer relay chamber ,
Before opening the valve for partitioning between any this is linked the first or second vacuum transfer chamber of the first or second vacuum processing chamber, said any one of the vacuum processing chamber as with other vacuum processing chamber are not in communication with, the wafer of the respective vacuum processing chamber by directing the confirmation of the closure of the valve for opening and closing a gate disposed on the path to be conveyed, the one after it has been confirmed Or opening a valve sealing one vacuum processing chamber ,
Each of the first and second vacuum processing chambers includes the second exhaust path of the transfer relay chamber and the first vacuum processing chamber or the second vacuum processing chamber to which the gas inside is connected. A method of operating a vacuum processing apparatus, wherein the exhaust is performed through one or both of the first exhaust paths . The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The number of vacuum processing chamber in which the first vacuum transfer chamber comprises a method operating a vacuum processing apparatus which is a smaller than the number of the vacuum processing chamber comprising a second vacuum transfer chamber.

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