JP6419635B2 - Holding device, vacuum processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a holding apparatus that can hold a holding object with an adhesive sheet and move in a vacuum atmosphere, and a vacuum processing apparatus that performs vacuum processing on the holding object held by the holding apparatus.

  The manufacturing process of flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma displays (PDPs) includes a substrate assembly process and a substrate transport process, and technology that uses an adhesive chuck device to hold the substrate. is there.

  For example, in the apparatus described in Japanese Patent No. 3882004, the substrate transferred by the substrate transfer robot is pressed against the adhesive member arranged on the holding plate with a predetermined pressure, and the substrate is held by the adhesive force of the adhesive member. ing. Further, it is described that the concave portion surrounded by the adhesive member and the substrate is sucked and held more strongly by vacuum suction.

  According to this apparatus, the movable film can be deformed by utilizing the pressure difference between the concave portion partitioned by the deformable film and the closed space, and the substrate and the adhesive member can be peeled off and the adhesive can be held. By providing an intake source, it is also possible to eject gas at the time of suction holding or peeling using vacuum suction.

  However, in the suction holding described in the publication, if the adhesive pad and the substrate are bonded together in a state where the degree of vacuum is not sufficiently reached, air is caught when the adhesive member and the substrate are bonded together. There is a problem, and the adhesive strength depends on the contact area between the substrate and the adhesive member. Therefore, when the air is bitten, the contact area is reduced, the adhesive strength is reduced, and the substrate may be dropped.

  In addition, since the pressure difference does not occur at the part where the adhesive pad and the substrate are in close contact with each other and no pressing force is generated, it is necessary to make a large space between the adhesive pads in order to secure a strong pressing force. There was a risk of distortion or a need to increase the size of the apparatus.

  In addition, the adhesive pad placed on the deformable membrane is pressed toward the substrate due to a pressure difference between the concave portion and the closed space partitioned by the deformable membrane, but the adhesive pad is pressed by the pressure distribution at the junction of the deformable membrane and the adhesive pad. There was a possibility that strong adhesion with the strained substrate could not be obtained.

  Further, there is a problem in that particles are generated on the substrate surface (film formation surface) opposite to the side where the substrate and the adhesive member are bonded to each other when the member of the substrate transfer robot comes into contact therewith. In particular, particles on the film formation surface of the glass substrate of the organic EL display adversely affect device characteristics.

  In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-35301, an adhesive pad is disposed on a support plate, and the suction groove surrounded by the support plate on the side where the adhesive pad is disposed and the plate-like work is set to a negative pressure. The pressure-adjusting chamber on the side where the adhesive pad is not disposed on the support plate is returned to atmospheric pressure by pressing the support plate with pressure so that the adhesive pad and the plate-like work are brought into close contact with each other. It is described that the pressure is applied to the support plate and the adhesive pad is peeled off from the plate-like workpiece by using a negative pressure.

  In the apparatus described in Japanese Patent No. 4746579, it is described that a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet and a substrate are adsorbed using negative pressure, and a substrate is adsorbed by negative pressure using an elastic porous sheet. As well as reducing the stress on the substrate. However, since the porous area with respect to the adsorption surface of the elastic porous sheet is small, there is a problem that a heavy substrate cannot be lifted because the negative pressure acting on the substrate decreases. Further, the method using an elastic porous sheet has a problem that it cannot be used in a vacuum.

JP 2011-35301 A Japanese Patent No. 3882004 Japanese Patent No. 3917651 Japanese Patent No. 4746579

The present invention was created in order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and does not contact the surface of the object to be vacuumed, but reliably holds the object to be moved and moves in a vacuum atmosphere. It is to provide a holding device that can be used.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum processing apparatus that holds a holding object with the holding apparatus and performs vacuum processing.

In general, it is possible to bond the adhesive member and the substrate even in a vacuum, but on the opposite substrate surface (film formation surface) from the portion where the substrate and the adhesive member are attached, there are members of the substrate transport robot. There is a concern that particles come into contact with each other.
In the case of holding the substrate in a non-contact manner on the film formation surface, methods of sticking and holding the adhesive member and the substrate by vacuum suction or the weight of the substrate can be considered, but the former cannot be used in a vacuum.

  When pressing the adhesive pad with its own weight, if the area where the substrate and the adhesive pad contact is reduced, the pressing force per unit area increases and the adhesive holding force increases, but the substrate is suspended. If held, the peeling force between the substrate and the adhesive portion also increases, so there is a concern that the substrate will drop.

Conversely, when the area of the adhesive portion is increased with respect to the substrate, the pressing force per unit area is reduced, and the contact area between the substrate and the adhesive pad is reduced, thereby reducing the adhesive holding force. Also in this case, there is a possibility that the substrate falls if the substrate is held suspended.
On the other hand, when the adhesive strength of the adhesive pad is increased, there is a fear that the substrate may be damaged due to local stress when the substrate is pushed and peeled, or the substrate may be distorted.

In the technology adopted by the present invention, the above-mentioned concerns have been solved. In the present invention, the adhesive pad provided in the holding unit is brought into contact with the object to be held, and the object to be held is adhesively held by the adhesive pad. The holding unit is disposed on an edge of the vacuum vessel and the vacuum vessel, and is in contact with the holding object so that the internal space of the vacuum vessel is A contact portion that is shut off from the external space of the vacuum vessel, and the gas in the internal space that is provided in the vacuum vessel and is shut off from the external space by the holding object and the contact portion is evacuated by an adsorption exhaust device. And a moving device that moves the adhesive pad, the adhesive pad is disposed in the internal space, and the moving device moves the adhesive pad. Movement direction is, of the surface of the contact part, a retaining device that is to have a movement component in the direction perpendicular to the contact plane portion in contact with the holding object is located.
The present invention includes a plurality of the vacuum containers and the adhesive pads disposed in each of the vacuum containers, the plurality of adhesive pads, and the contact portions disposed on edges of the plurality of vacuum containers, Is a holding device configured to come into contact with the same holding object.
The present invention includes a plurality of the adhesive pads arranged in the internal space of the same vacuum vessel, and the plurality of the adhesive pads and the contact portion arranged on an edge of the vacuum vessel are the same A holding device that is brought into contact with a holding object.
In the present invention, the contact portion is a holding device using an annular member having flexibility.
In the present invention, the contact portion is a holding device disposed on a flat surface of the holding device.
In the present invention, a groove is provided on a surface of the holding device, and the contact portion is a holding device provided in the groove.
In the present invention, the contact portion is a holding device which is disposed on the vacuum vessel and is configured by a contact sheet in which a sheet hole which is a through hole is formed on an opening of the vacuum vessel.
This invention is a holding | maintenance apparatus which has a rotation mechanism which moves the said adhesive pad, rotating in the direction away from the said contact part with respect to the said vacuum vessel.
The present invention is a holding device having an attachment / detachment device for connecting the holding device to the adsorption exhaust device, wherein the attachment / detachment device separates the retention device from the adsorption exhaust device, and It is a holding device that can be moved separately from the adsorption exhaust device.
In the present invention, the vacuum vessel is a holding device that prevents gas from flowing into the vacuum vessel through the exhaust hole when separated from the adsorption exhaust device.
In the present invention, the pressure-sensitive adhesive pad bonded to the object to be held is a holding device in which a force is applied in a direction away from the object to be held by a buffer member having an elastic force.
The present invention provides any one of the above holding devices, a vacuum chamber in which the holding device is disposed, the holding object that is disposed in the vacuum chamber, is adhesively held on the adhesive pad, and has a processing surface facing downward. A processing section for processing the processing surface in a vacuum atmosphere.
In the present invention, the processing unit is a vacuum processing apparatus that is a film forming apparatus that releases fine particles forming a thin film and forms a thin film on the surface of the object to be held.

In the present invention, when the pressure-sensitive adhesive pad is pressed against the holding object, the holding object is vacuum-sucked, so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive pad is securely adhered to the holding object and the pressure-sensitive adhesive pad holds and holds the holding object. Will improve.
Further, since the adhesive pad and the object to be held are adhered in a vacuum, there is no gas between the surface of the adhesive pad and the object to be held that are adhered to each other.
In addition, since one side surface of the object to be held can be held in a non-contact manner and conveyed, defective products can be prevented from being generated.

In addition, the adhesive substance of the adhesive pad is an organic substance, and the release gas is released from the adhesive pad, but the structure is such that the restoring force exerts a pressure on the contact portion of the object to be held and the gas does not flow from the exhaust hole of the vacuum vessel. During the vacuum processing, the internal space of the vacuum vessel is separated from the external space, so that the released gas is not released into the processing chamber in which the processing object being vacuum processed is placed.
Moreover, since one holding | maintenance object is hold | maintained with a some holding | maintenance unit, the force applied to a holding | maintenance object disperse | distributes and it can suppress the crack and distortion of a holding | maintenance object.

The figure which shows the vacuum processing apparatus of this invention (a): The figure which shows the holding | maintenance apparatus of the 1st example of this invention of the state which does not hold | maintain the holding | maintenance target object. Illustration (a): The figure which shows the holding | maintenance apparatus of the 1st example of the state in which the some adhesion pad is pressed by the same holding object (b): The figure which shows the state by which the holding object was adhesively hold | maintained with the some adhesion pad (a): The figure which shows the holding unit which is not holding the holding object (b): The figure which shows the holding unit holding the holding object (a): The figure which shows the adhesion pad of the state currently pressed by the same holding object (b): The figure which shows the state which carries out adhesion holding of the holding object with an adhesion pad (a): The figure which shows the state which suspends a holding target object (b): The figure which shows the state from which the adhesive pad was separated from the holding target object by rotation and descent | fall of a moving board (a): Diagram showing moving plate before rotation (b): Diagram showing rotated moving plate Figure for explaining the holding device of the second example (1) Diagram for explaining the holding device of the second example (2) FIG. (3) for explaining the holding device of the second example The figure for demonstrating the holding | maintenance apparatus of a 3rd example The figure for demonstrating the holding | maintenance apparatus of a 4th example (a)-(c): Plan view of holding device of second example to fourth example The figure for demonstrating the holding | maintenance apparatus of a 5th example

Reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 indicates a vacuum processing apparatus of the present invention.
The vacuum processing apparatus 10 has a vacuum chamber 21, and between the vacuum chamber 21 and the vacuum chamber 28 _{1 in the} previous process, and between the vacuum chamber 21 and the vacuum chamber 28 _{2 in the} subsequent process. Are connected by main gate valves 29 ₁ and 29 ₂ , respectively.

Here, the vacuum chamber 21 is divided into an arrangement chamber 22a, a processing chamber 22b, and a separation chamber 22c. Between the arrangement chamber 22a and the processing chamber 22b and between the processing chamber 22b and the separation chamber 22c, The sub gate valves 27a and 27b are connected to each other.
First, the main gate valves 29 ₁ and 29 ₂ and the sub gate valves 27a and 27b are closed, and the chambers 22a to 22c and the vacuum chambers 21, 28 ₁ and 28 ₂ are separated from each other.

Air and nitrogen are introduced into the vacuum chamber 28 ₁ and the arrangement chamber 22a in the previous process and set to atmospheric pressure in advance. When the processing in the vacuum processing apparatus 10 is started, first, the main gate valve 29 ₁ between the vacuum tank 21 of the vacuum processing apparatus 10 and the vacuum tank 28 ₁ of the previous process is opened, and the hand 31 _{1 of the} transfer robot. The substrate-like holding object 5 placed thereon is carried into the arrangement chamber 22a from the vacuum chamber 28 ₁ of the previous process.

Inside the disposing chamber 22a, at a lower position than the hand 31 _1, the holding device 11a of the first example of the present invention is disposed. Reference numerals 11b and 11c in FIG. 1 indicate holding devices that have moved from the arrangement chamber 22a to the processing chamber 22b and the separation chamber 22c, respectively. The holding devices 11a to 11c shown in FIG. 1 have the same structure, and FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B represent the holding devices 11a to 11c having the same structure. A holding device 11 is shown.

The holding device 11 of the first example will be described. First, referring to FIG. 2A, the holding device 11 includes a connecting plate 41 and one or more holding units 13 fixed to the connecting plate 41. Have.
FIG. 4A shows an enlarged view of one holding unit 13. The holding unit 13 includes a vacuum container 15 and a contact portion 18. In this example, the contact portion 18 is formed by forming a flexible material in an annular shape, and is disposed on the edge forming the opening 19 of the vacuum vessel 15 so as to surround the opening 19 of the vacuum vessel 15. .

The vacuum containers 15 of the respective holding units 13 are fixed to the connecting plate 41 in the same direction.
In the internal space of the vacuum vessel 15, an adhesive pad 17 is disposed at a position closer to the bottom surface than the opening 19 of the vacuum vessel 15.

A through hole 54 is formed in the bottom surface of each vacuum vessel 15. A support rod 52 is inserted into the through hole 54, one end of the support rod 52 is located in the internal space 25 between the bottom surface and the edge of the vacuum vessel 15, a support plate 53 is fixed to one end thereof, and the adhesive pad 17 is It is fixed on the support plate 53.
The other end of the support bar 52 is located in the external space 26 of the vacuum vessel 15, and the moving plate 51 is fixed to the other end.

A shaft seal material 57 and a bearing 58 are disposed inside the through hole 54.
The support rod 52 is in close contact with the shaft seal material 57, and the shaft seal material 57 is configured so that the internal space 25 and the external space 26 of the vacuum vessel 15 are hermetically separated. It is held inside the hole 54 by a bearing 58.

  The support bar 52 is configured to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the through hole 54 in a state where the inner space 25 and the outer space 26 are separated while being in contact with the shaft seal material 57 and the bearing 58. As the support bar 52 reciprocates along the longitudinal direction of the through hole 54, the adhesive pad 17 can be moved to the opening 19 side and the bottom surface side in the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15. .

In the external space 26, a pressing plate 44 provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the connecting plate 41 is disposed at a position facing the moving plate 51 at a position separated from the connecting plate 41.
A pressing member 45 is disposed between the moving plate 51 and the pressing plate 44.
The pressing member 45 includes a contact plate 48 and a buffer member 49, and the contact plate 48 is attached to the press plate 44 via the buffer member 49.

  The vacuum processing apparatus 10 is provided with a moving device that moves the adhesive pad 17. Reference numeral 47 in FIGS. 2A and 4A denotes a motor included in the moving device. The pressing plate 44 and the vacuum vessel 15 are relatively moved by the moving device when the motor 47 is operated. And is configured to change the distance.

  When the procedure for holding the holding object 5 is started, the moving plate 51 and the contact plate 48 are separated from each other, and the pressing plate 44 is moved in the direction in which the vacuum vessel 15 is positioned by the moving device. When the distance between the pressing plate 44 and each vacuum vessel 15 is reduced, the pressing member 45 moves to the vacuum vessel 15 side, and first, the moving plate 51 and the contact plate 48 come into contact with each other.

  Between the moving plate 51 and the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 15, a restoring member 55 that can be compressed and deformed is disposed. The restoring member 55 is located between the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 15 and the moving plate 51. The buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 have an elastic force, and the buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 are pressed. Then, it is made of an elastic material that deforms in the compression direction and returns to its original shape when the pressure is released.

  When the pressing plate 44 further moves in the direction in which the vacuum vessel 15 is positioned after the moving plate 51 and the contact plate 48 come into contact with each other, the moving plate 51 is pressed by the contact plate 48, While the restoring member 55 is pressed and deformed in the compression direction, the distance between the pressing plate 44 and each vacuum vessel 15 is reduced, and as a result, the adhesive pad 17 moves in the direction in which the opening 19 is positioned.

Thus, when the moving plate 51 approaches the vacuum vessel 15, the adhesive pad 17 moves to the opening 19 side of the vacuum vessel 15. Conversely, when the moving plate 51 moves away from the vacuum vessel 15, the adhesive pad 17 is The vacuum container 15 moves to the side opposite to the opening 19, that is, the bottom side.
Contrary to the above example, the same applies even if the pressing plate 44 is fixed and the connecting plate 41 is configured to move relative to the pressing plate 44.

  In the holding device 11 in which a plurality of holding units 13 are provided on the connecting plate 41, the surface of the contact portion 18 of each holding unit 13 is located on the same plane, and the surface is in contact with the holding object 5. Assuming that it is a plane, the surfaces of the plurality of adhesive pads 17 are the same plane parallel to the contact plane, and the plane on which the plurality of moving plates 51 are located is also the same plane parallel to the contact plane. The plane on which the plate 48 is located is also the same plane parallel to the contact plane.

  Therefore, when the moving plate 51 of each holding unit 13 is pressed by the pressing plate 44, the buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 provided in each holding unit 13 are compressed and deformed, and each adhesive pad 17 Move in the direction of the opening 19 while being positioned on the same plane.

The holding unit 13 is configured as described above, and a procedure for holding the holding object 5 by the holding device 11 having one or a plurality of such holding units 13 will be described.
First, the holding object 5 is arranged by the holding device 11a. At this time, the contact plane is horizontal, and one object to be held 5 on the hand 31 ₁ shown in FIG. 1 is one or a plurality of objects from above the hand 31 ₁ by a device such as a pin. It is moved onto the contact portion 18 of the holding unit 13, and the holding object 5 is placed on the vacuum vessel 15 in contact with the contact portion 18.

After the holding object 5 moves onto the holding unit 13, the hand 31 ₁ returns to the inside of the vacuum chamber 28 ₁ of the previous process, and the main gate valve 29 ₁ between the vacuum chamber 28 ₁ of the previous process and the arrangement chamber 22a. Is closed.

FIG. 2B shows a state in which one holding object 5 is arranged on a holding device 11 having a plurality of holding units 13, and FIG. 4B shows one of the holding devices 11. A holding unit 13 is shown.
A portion where the holding object 5 and the contact portion 18 come into contact has an annular shape, and the internal space 25 is closed when the holding object 5 comes into contact with the contact portion 18.

  An exhaust hole 14 is provided on the wall surface or bottom surface of each vacuum vessel 15. The exhaust hole 14 of each vacuum vessel 15 is connected to an adsorption exhaust device 42 disposed outside the vacuum chamber 21 by an exhaust pipe 43.

  Before the holding object 5 is placed on each holding unit 13, the inside of the arrangement chamber 22 a is at atmospheric pressure, and the holding object 5 is put on each holding unit 13, and the holding object 5 and each holding unit are placed. After the 13 contact portions 18 come into contact with each other, the evacuation of the internal space 25 of each vacuum vessel 15 is started by the adsorption exhaust device 42.

At this time, the internal atmosphere of the arrangement chamber 22a, which is the external space 26 of the vacuum vessel 15, is atmospheric pressure, and the space between the contact portion 18 and the edge of the vacuum vessel 15 is airtight, and the contact portion 18 is flexible. Therefore, the space between the object to be held 5 and the contact portion 18 is hermetically sealed by contact. When the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 is evacuated, the external space 26 to the internal space 25 are externally connected. When the gas located in the space 26 does not flow in and the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 is in a vacuum atmosphere, the object 5 to be held is pressed against the contact portion 18 by the pressure of the external space 26, so that the vacuum vessel 15 is vacuumed. The object 5 is sucked and pressed against the contact portion 18.
The contact portion 18 is made of a material that is deformed by a pressing force. When the holding object 5 is pressed against the contact portion 18, the holding object 5 and the contact portion 18 are in close contact with each other and become airtight.

  When starting to evacuate the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15, the adhesive pad 17 and the holding object 5 are spaced apart to form a gap, and the holding object 5 is pressed against the contact portion 18 by vacuum suction. After that, when the pressing plate 44 and the vacuum vessel 15 are brought relatively close to each other while the vacuum exhaust of the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 is continued by the adsorption exhaust device 42, the contact plate 48 and the moving plate 51 When they are brought into contact with each other, the buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 are compressed and deformed while the adhesive pad 17 moves in the direction in which the holding object 5 is positioned, and the surface of the adhesive pad 17 is in contact with the back surface of the holding object 5. Contact.

  When the pressing plate 44 is further moved to the vacuum container 15 side after the contact, the holding object 5 is separated from the contact portion 18 while the buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 are compressed and deformed by the adhesive pad 17. Pressed in the direction.

  At this time, the pressing force applied to the object to be held 5 adjusts the compression deformation distance of the buffer member 49 so that the object to be held 5 is weaker than the vacuum suction force that is pressed against the contact portion 18 by vacuum suction. Since the holding object 5 is kept in close contact with the adhesive pad 17, the adhesive pad 17 is pressed by the pressing force from the pressing plate 44 until the contact area with the holding object 5 is saturated. The adhesive pad 17 and the holding object 5 are strongly adhered.

  FIG. 3A shows a state where the adhesive pads 17 of the plurality of holding units 13 are pressed against a single holding object 5 and the holding device 11 is holding the holding object 5 in an adhesive state. FIG. 5A shows the holding object 5 and one holding unit 13 at that time, and the buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 are compressed and deformed.

  In a state where the surface of the adhesive pad 17 is in close contact with the back surface of the holding object 5, the distance between the moving plate 51 and the holding object 5 is the thickness of the adhesive pad 17, the length of the support bar 52, and the like. The restoring member 55 is compressed and deformed by the pressing plate 44 and the holding object 5 depending on the length of the member that supports the adhesive pad 17.

  From this state, when the pressing plate 44 moves away from the vacuum container 15 and the contact plate 48 and the moving plate 51 are separated from each other, the restoring force of the restoring member 55 is applied to the moving plate 51, and the moving plate 51 is moved. Is a force in the direction of separating the V from the vacuum vessel 15.

  The buffer member 49 and the restoring member 55 that have been compressed and deformed have a restoring force to return to the original length, but the adhesive pad 17 that is generated when the adhesive pad 17 is pressed against the object to be held 5 The adhesive force between the holding object 5 is stronger than the restoring force of the restoring member 55, the adhesive pad 17 does not peel from the holding object 5, and the restoring member 55 cannot expand, so that the compression deformation It has been done. On the other hand, the buffer member 49 is stretched by its restoring force and returned to its original length.

3 (b) and 5 (b), the restoring member 55 is compressed and deformed, and the buffer member 49 is returned to its original length.
At this time, the adhesive pad 17 is adhered to the object to be held 5, and the adhesive pad 17 is pulled to the bottom surface side of the vacuum container 15 by the restoring force of the restoring member 55. A portion that is pulled to the bottom surface side of the vacuum vessel 15 and contacts the contact portion 18 on the back surface of the holding object 5 is pressed against and closely contacts the contact portion 18, and one holding object 5 is attached to each holding unit 13. The contact portion 18 is pressed by the vacuum suction force and the restoring force of the restoring member 55.

Regardless of before or after the contact plate 48 is separated from the moving plate 51, the vacuum exhaust device connected to the arrangement chamber 22a after the surface of the adhesive pad 17 of each holding unit 13 is pressed and adhered to the object 5 to be held. 24a starts evacuation in the arrangement chamber 22a, and the pressure in the external space 26 of the vacuum chamber 21, which is the internal atmosphere of the arrangement chamber 22a, gradually decreases.
When the pressure in the external space 26 is reduced to a pressure equal to or lower than the pressure in the internal space 25, the vacuum suction force with respect to the holding object 5 of the vacuum vessel 15 disappears.

Since the adhesive force between the adhesive pad 17 and the holding object 5 is larger than the peeling force due to the restoring force of the restoring member 55, the holding object 5 adheres to the adhesive pad 17 and is in close contact with the contact portion 18. Maintained.
One holding object 5 is adhesively held by the plurality of adhesive pads 17, and the total value of the adhesive forces of the plurality of adhesive pads 17 that hold the one holding object 5 is determined by the restoring members 55. It is larger than the value of the force obtained by adding the total value of the restoring force and the gravity due to the weight of the object 5 to be adhered and held.
Therefore, even if the holding object 5 is suspended by the plurality of adhesive pads 17, the holding object 5 does not peel off from the adhesive pad 17 and fall.

One or a plurality of holding units 13 are moved together by a connecting plate 41, and the moving device has a reversing mechanism (not shown) for reversing the holding device 11 up and down.
When each holding unit 13 of one holding device 11 is in a state in which the holding object 5 is disposed above and holds the holding object 5 in an adhesive state, when the holding device 11 is inverted, the holding object 5 is It is located below each holding unit 13 and is suspended by the holding device 11. FIG. 6A shows this state.

  As described above, the vacuum container 15 of each holding unit 13 and the adsorption exhaust device 42 are connected by the exhaust pipe 43. An attachment / detachment device 40 is provided in the middle of the exhaust pipe 43, and each holding unit 13 is connected to the adsorption exhaust device 42 by the attachment / detachment device 40 in the arrangement chamber 22 a in a vacuum atmosphere. 43, and can be moved separately from the adsorption exhaust device 42.

  After the holding object 5 is adhesively held by the adhesive pad 17, the evacuation operation of the vacuum container 15 by the adsorption exhaust device 42 is performed before and after the holding device 11 is separated from the adsorption exhaust device 42 by the attachment / detachment device 40. The holding device 11 is separated from the exhaust pipe 43 on the adsorption exhaust device 42 side by the attachment / detachment device 40. At this time, at least a part of the attachment / detachment device 40 remains attached to the exhaust pipe 43 connected to the vacuum vessel 15. The evacuation of the arrangement chamber 22a is continuously performed.

Here, before or after the holding device 11 is separated from the adsorption exhaust device 42, the exhaust pipe 43 connected to the vacuum vessel 15 is at least of the attaching / detaching device 40 remaining in the exhaust pipe 43. The internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 is separated from the external space 26 by being partially closed. The gas discharged from the adhesive pad 17 and filling the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 is prevented from flowing out of the vacuum vessel 15 through the exhaust hole 14.
In addition, when the vacuum vessel 15 is separated from the adsorption exhaust device 42 by a member different from the attaching / detaching device 40, the gas in the vacuum vessel 15 may be configured not to flow out through the exhaust hole 14. .

  The object 5 to be held is disposed in the opening 19 of each vacuum vessel 15 and is in close contact with the contact portion 18. Therefore, the internal space 25 of each vacuum vessel 15 is separated from the external space 26. The inner space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 is separated from the outer space 26, and the holding object 5 can be moved in the vacuum atmosphere while being hung by the holding device 11.

  The inside of the processing chamber 22b is evacuated and evacuated by an evacuation device 24b. The sub-gate valve 27a between the arrangement chamber 22a and the processing chamber 22b is opened, separated from the adsorption exhaust device 42, and held. The holding device 11a that suspends the object 5 is moved from the arrangement chamber 22a to the processing chamber 22b. The opened sub gate valve 27a is closed.

Inside the processing chamber 22b, a processing unit 23 for processing the surface of the suspended holding object 5 in a vacuum atmosphere is provided.
In this vacuum processing apparatus 10, the processing unit 23 is a film formation source, which emits fine particles (including vapor) of the material constituting the thin film, is suspended, and is discharged onto the surface of the holding object 5 facing downward. And a thin film is grown on the surface of the holding object 5.

Reference numeral 11 b denotes a holding device that moves in the processing chamber 22 b and positions the holding object 5 that is suspended on the processing unit 23.
The processing unit 23 discharges the fine particles upward, and the surface of the object 5 to be vacuum processed is directed to the processing unit 23 positioned below.
Due to the release of the fine particles from the processing unit 23, a vacuum process is performed in which the fine particles reach the surface of the holding object 5 to form a thin film.

  Note that the holding device 11b holds the holding object 5 by passing the holding object 5 over the processing unit 23 in a state where the particles are released from the processing unit 23 without causing the holding object 5 to stand still on the processing unit 23. The surface of the object 5 may be vacuum-treated.

Next, the inside of the separation chamber 22c is evacuated by a vacuum evacuation device 24c and is in a vacuum atmosphere. When a thin film having a predetermined thickness is formed and the vacuum processing is completed, the separation chamber 22c is separated from the processing chamber 22b and the separation chamber 22c. The holding gate 11b holding the holding object 5 is moved from the processing chamber 22b to the separation chamber 22c. The sub gate valve 27b is closed after the movement.
A reversing mechanism (not shown) included in the moving device is disposed inside the separation chamber 22c.

  After the holding device 11b in the processing chamber 22b is moved into the separation chamber 22c, the holding device 5 is rotated in a state where the holding object 5 is adhered and held, and the holding object 5 is placed on the holding device 11c. In this state, the holding object 5 is adhesively held by the holding device 11c.

Next, a procedure for separating the holding object 5 from the holding device 11c will be described.
With reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the moving device that moves the adhesive pad 17 has a rotation mechanism 59.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the rotation mechanism 59 has two rods 59a and 59b, and one end of each of the two rods 59a and 59b is centered on the central position 56 of the moving plate 51. It is rotatably attached to the surface of the movable plate 51 by screws 52a and 52b at rotationally symmetric positions.

  The rods 59a and 59b are arranged in parallel, and the other end is attached to a rotation device 59c included in the rotation mechanism 59. When the rotation device 59c operates, the rods 59a and 59b are moved in opposite directions to each other. A force is applied.

  This force is a force for moving the position of the moving plate 51 where the rods 59a and 59b are attached in the opposite direction, and the moving plate 51 is rotated about the central position 56 in the same rotation direction. This is the rotational force.

  The support bar 52 is perpendicular to the surfaces of the moving plate 51 and the adhesive pad 17, the central axis of the support bar 52 passes through the central position 56, and the rotational force for rotating the moving plate 51 is adhesive. It becomes the rotational force which tries to rotate the pad 17.

  Although the rotational force is also applied to the holding object 5 from the adhesive pad 17, the contact portion 18 is prevented from moving on the edge of the vacuum container 15, and the holding object 5 is adhesively held by the adhesive pad 17. In this state, the contact member 18 is pressed by the restoring force of the restoring member 55, and the holding object 5 is stationary relative to the contact part 18 by the static frictional force between the contact part 18 and the holding object 5. Maintained.

When a rotational force is applied to the adhesive pad 17, a peeling force is applied to the adhesive pad 17 so as to move the adhesive member 17 toward the bottom surface due to the restoring force of the restoring member 55. When the rotational force is applied, the adhesive force between the adhesive pad 17 and the holding object 5 is weakened by the rotational force, and the vacuum pad 15 rotates while rotating the adhesive pad 17 with respect to the vacuum container 15 and the contact portion 18. The adhesive pad 17 is peeled off while rotating with respect to the holding object 5 by moving in a direction away from the 15 openings 19 and the contact portion 18 (FIG. 6B).
The rotation amount of the moving plate 51 and the adhesive pad 17 is the same, and reference numeral 50 in FIGS. 7A and 7B is an index for indicating the rotation amount and direction of the moving plate 51.

  The support bar 52 is perpendicular to the contact plane where the contact portion 18 and the holding object 5 are in contact with each other. Thus, the force applied to the adhesive pad 17 by the moving device is the surface of the holding object 5, That is, it can be divided into a component in a direction perpendicular to the contact plane and a component that rotates in a plane parallel to the contact plane.

When the adhesive pad 17 and the holding object 5 are separated from each other, the holding object 5 can be separated from the holding device 11c.
The inside of the separation chamber 22c in FIG. 1 is evacuated, and when the object to be held 5 is separated from the contact portion 18, the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 and the internal atmosphere of the separation chamber 22c are connected to form a vacuum. The gas released from the adhesive pad 17 filling the container 15 is released into the separation chamber 22c, evacuated and removed from the separation chamber 22c.

The main gate valve 29 ₂ between the post-process vacuum chamber 28 ₂ is opened, the hand 31 ₂ is inserted into the separation chamber 22 c from the post-process vacuum chamber 28 ₂ , and the object to be held separated from the contact portion 18. 5 is moved on the hand 31 _2, holding object 5 is moved in the vacuum chamber 28 ₂ of the rear step is placed on the hand 31 ₂ from the separation chamber 22c.

  The holding device 11c from which the holding object 5 is separated returns to the arrangement chamber 22a through a moving chamber (not shown). In the holding device 11a in the arrangement chamber 22a, the exhaust pipe 43 connected to the vacuum vessel 15 is connected to the exhaust pipe 43 of the adsorption exhaust device 42 at the part of the attachment / detachment device 40, so that the vacuum exhaust can be performed. In the same manner as described above, after the holding object 5 is arranged, the holding object 5 is suspended and subjected to vacuum processing.

  In addition, by separating the holding object 5 and the adhesive pad 17 by rotating the adhesive pad 17 away from the holding object 5 and causing the holding object 5 and the adhesive pad 17 to peel off, it is difficult for the holding object 5 to bend at the time of peeling. There is an effect that the decrease in the adhesive force of the adhesive pad 17 is small compared to the case where the adhesive pad 17 is peeled off vertically without being rotated.

Next, another holding device of the present invention will be described.
Figure 8 shows a second example holding device 11 ₂ of the present invention.
Unlike holding device 11 of the first example, the second example of the holding device 11 _2, the connecting plate 41a is provided on the upper portion of the plurality of vacuum containers 15, by the connecting plate 41a, a plurality of vacuum containers 15 Configured to move together. The connecting plate 41a is formed with a plurality of through holes 35, and the plurality of vacuum vessels 15 and the connecting plate 41a are arranged so that the through holes 35 and the opening 19 of the vacuum vessel 15 communicate with each other. Yes.

  In this second example, the through-hole 35 and the opening 19 have the same diameter, and are arranged so that the entire circumference of the through-hole 35 and the entire circumference of the opening 19 overlap each other. The position and the position of a part of the opening 19 are overlapped except for the height difference, and the adhesive pad 17 may be positioned inside or below the overlapped part.

The upper end of the vacuum container 15, a case which is located below the surface of the connecting plate 41a, there is a case which is located flush with the surface of the connecting plate 41a, the holding device 11 the _second surface is flat, The surface of the connecting plate 41 a or the surface of the connecting plate 41 a and the upper surface of the vacuum vessel 15 is configured.

The holding device 11 _second surface, at least, so as to surround the height direction excluding overlapping portions of the openings 19 and the through-hole 35, is formed with a ring-shaped groove 36, in the trench 36 A circular contact portion 18 a having flexibility is disposed so as to surround the overlapping portion of the opening 19 and the through hole 35.

A pin insertion hole 33 is disposed on the outer side of the groove 36 in the connecting plate 41a, and the thin rod-like pin 32 rises from a position below the pin insertion hole 33, and the upper end of the pin 32 is in contact with the connection plate 41a. When protruding above the upper end of the portion 18a, the holding object 5 can be placed at the upper end of the pin 32.
Holding device 11 ₂ in FIG. 8 is that state.

The upper end of the contact portion 18a is located higher than the holding device 11 _{and second} surface, allowed to lower the adhesive pad 17, when lowering the pin 32, as shown in FIG. 9, the holding object 5 Is placed on the contact portion 18a.

  The object 5 to be held on the contact portion 18a is in contact with the contact portion 18a, and a part of the back surface is exposed in the internal space 25 of the vacuum vessel 15 in a non-contact state with the adhesive pad 17. The portion exposed to the internal space 25 can be brought into contact with the surface of the adhesive pad 17.

  At this time, the external space 26 is in an atmosphere of atmospheric pressure, and when the evacuation of the internal space 25 of each vacuum vessel 15 is started by the adsorption exhaust device 42 as described in the first example, the vacuum vessel 15, the internal space 25 is depressurized, and when the holding object 5 is sucked toward the vacuum container 15 due to the pressure difference between the external space 26 and the internal space 25, the contact portion 18 a is pressed and the thickness decreases. Transforms into

The flexibility and thickness of the contact portion 18a are set to values that allow the thickness of the contact portion 18a to be deformed below the depth of the groove when the object to be held 5 is pressed by the vacuum exhaust of the adsorption exhaust device 42. It is, as shown in FIG. 10, the holding object 5 that is pressed into contact to the holding device 11 _second surface.

At this time, the holding object 5, than the area of the portion in contact with the contact portion 18a, towards the portion contacting the holding apparatus 11 _second surface is increased, when the holding object 5 in contact only with the contact portion 18a Rather, the holding object 5 is not deformed.

Surface of the adhesive pad 17 is to be raised to a height above the height of the holding device 11 _{and second} surface, the surface of the adhesive pad 17 contacts the rear surface of the holding object 5 held suction When pressed, the object to be held 5 is adhesively held by the adhesive pad 17.

Reference numeral 11 ₃ of FIG. 11 shows a third example of a holding device of the present invention, not formed with grooves on the surface of the holding device 11 _3, the flexibility on the surface of the holding device 11 ₃ The contact part 18b which has is arrange | positioned.
When the holding object 5 is placed on the contact part 18b in contact with the contact part 18b and the internal space 25 is evacuated, the holding object 5 is vacuum-sucked and held on the contact part 18b.

In the holding device 11 ₃ of the third example, the structure of the connecting plate 41b is simple and the cost is low. Figure 13 (a), (b), respectively, when the holding object 5 is not disposed, a second example plan view of the holding device 11 _2, in a plan view of the holding device 11 ₃ of the third embodiment is there.

Next, reference numeral 11 ₄ of FIG. 12 shows the holding device of the fourth example of the present invention, FIG. 13 (c) is a plan view thereof.
The holding device 11 ₄ is replaced with the ring-shaped contact portion 18b of the holding device 11 ₃ of the third example, and a contact sheet 39 is disposed on the surface of the holding unit 13 as a contact portion.

  A sheet hole 38 is formed in the contact sheet 39 above the portion where the opening 19 and the through hole 35 overlap. The sheet hole 38, the opening 19, and the through hole 35 partially overlap each other, and the adhesive pad 17 In addition, it can be moved between a position lower than the surface of the contact sheet 39 and a position higher than the surface of the contact sheet 39.

When the adhesive pad 17 is lowered so that the surface of the adhesive pad 17 is lower than the surface of the adhesive sheet 39 and the holding object 5 is disposed on the surface of the adhesive sheet 39, the holding object 5 becomes the adhesive sheet 39. A part of the back surface of the holding object 5 is exposed to the internal space 25 through the opening 19, the through hole 35, and the sheet hole 38.
A portion of the holding object 5 exposed to the internal space 25 is surrounded by an annular portion of the contact sheet 39 around the sheet hole 38 that forms the sheet hole 38 so that the internal space 25 is closed. .

  As in the above examples, the object to be held 5 is vacuum-adsorbed to the contact sheet 39 by evacuation of the internal space 25, and when the adhesive pad 17 rises, the surface of the adhesive pad 17 comes into contact with the back surface of the object to be retained 5, The holding object 5 is adhesively held on the adhesive pad 17.

  Note that a sheet side pin insertion hole 34 is formed in the contact sheet 39 at a position communicating with the pin insertion hole 33, and the pin 32 extends upward from a state where the upper end portion is positioned below the connecting plate 41 c. When moved, the upper end portion passes through the pin insertion hole 33 and the sheet side pin insertion hole 34 and is configured to protrude above the sheet side pin insertion hole 34.

As described above, in the holding devices 11 _{1 to} 11 _{4 of} the first to fourth examples, one adhesive pad 17 is arranged in one vacuum vessel 15 and one holding unit 13 is formed. in the holding device 11 ₅ of the fifth embodiment, the one of the vacuum vessel 65, a plurality of adhesive pad 17 is one of the holding units 13a are disposed is formed.

In the holding device 11 ₅ of the fifth embodiment, the upper edge of the vacuum vessel 65, a ring-shaped contact portion 18c which surrounds the opening of the vacuum container 65 is disposed.
A plurality of auxiliary bars 61 erected on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 65 are arranged between the adhesive pad 17 and the adhesive pad 17 in the inner part of the edge of the vacuum vessel 65.

  The side surfaces of the auxiliary rods 61 are separated from each other. Therefore, the atmosphere in which the adhesive pads 17 are located communicates with each other, and one internal space 25 is formed inside the vacuum vessel 65. The adhesive pad 17 is disposed in the internal space 25.

When one holding object 5 larger than the inner periphery of the vacuum vessel 65 is placed on the contact portion 18c with the edge of the vacuum vessel 65 and the holding object 5 sandwiching the contact portion 18c, the holding object 5 is The vacuum vessel 65 is placed.
An exhaust hole 14 is provided on the wall surface or bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 65, and the internal space 25 is connected to an adsorption exhaust device 42 disposed outside the vacuum chamber 21 by the exhaust hole 14 and the exhaust pipe 43. Has been.

  When the inside of the vacuum vessel 65 is evacuated while the holding object 5 is in contact with the contact portion 18c on the edge of the vacuum vessel 65, the holding object 5 is vacuum-sucked by the vacuum vessel 65, and the contact portion 18c is pressed and crushed by the holding object 5, and the holding object 5 moves a small amount downward.

At this time, at the position inside the edge of the vacuum vessel 65, the back surface of the holding object 5 is in contact with the tip of the auxiliary rod 61 and is supported by the auxiliary rod 61 so as not to bend.
In a state where the adhesive pad 17 is in close contact with the back surface of the object 5 to be held, the object 5 to be held is adhesively held via the support bar 52 and the adhesive pad 17 even when the vacuum suction is stopped. ing.

At the time of peeling, the adhesive pad 17 in contact with the same holding object 5 is lowered or linearly lowered.
A ring-shaped auxiliary plate 41d is provided on the outer periphery of the vacuum vessel 65, and the edge portion of the holding object 5 is located on the auxiliary plate 41d. The auxiliary plate 41d is provided with a pin insertion hole 33, and a pin 32 is disposed immediately below the pin insertion hole 33. When the pin 32 moves up and down, the tip of the pin 32 passes through the pin insertion hole 33. It can be moved up and down.

  After the adhesive pad 17 is separated from the holding object 5, when the pin 32 rises, the holding object 5 can be placed on the pin 32. Further, when the pin 32 on which the holding object 5 is placed is lowered, the holding object 5 can be disposed on the edge of the vacuum vessel 65.

Note that the operation and the material and configuration of the adhesive pad 17 is the same as the holding device 11 ₄ of the fourth embodiment, the moving direction moving device is a direction of moving the adhesive pad 17, of the holding device 11 ₅ surface The moving object has a moving component in a direction perpendicular to the contact plane where the portion in contact with the holding object 5 is located.

It is also possible to replace the fifth example ring-shaped contact portion 18c of the holding device 11 ₅ of the contact sheet 39.

5 ... Holding object 10 ... Vacuum processing apparatus 11, 11a, 11b, 11c ... Holding apparatus 13, 13a ... Holding unit 14 ... Exhaust hole 15, 65 ... Vacuum container 17 ... Adhesive pads 18, 18a , 18b, 18c …… Contact portion 19 …… Open 21 …… Vacuum chamber 25 …… Internal space 26 …… External space 38 …… Sheet hole 39 …… Close contact sheet (contact portion)
40 …… Removal device 59 …… Rotation mechanism

Claims (13)

A holding device used for bringing an adhesive pad provided in a holding unit into contact with an object to be held, and holding and conveying the object to be held by the adhesive pad,
The holding unit is
A vacuum vessel;
A contact portion that is disposed at an edge of the vacuum vessel and contacts the object to be held to block the internal space of the vacuum vessel from the external space of the vacuum vessel;
An exhaust hole which is provided in the vacuum container and serves as a passage through which the gas in the internal space blocked from the external space by the holding object and the contact portion is evacuated by an adsorption exhaust device;
A moving device for moving the adhesive pad;
Have
The adhesive pad is disposed in the internal space,
The moving direction, which is a direction in which the moving device moves the adhesive pad, has a moving component in a direction perpendicular to a contact plane where a portion of the surface of the contact portion that contacts the holding object is located. Holding device. A plurality of said vacuum vessels;
The adhesive pad disposed in each of the vacuum containers,
The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of adhesive pads and the contact portions arranged on edges of the plurality of vacuum vessels are in contact with the same holding object. A plurality of the adhesive pads disposed in the internal space of the same vacuum vessel;
The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of adhesive pads and the contact portion disposed on an edge of the vacuum vessel are in contact with the same holding object.   The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an annular member having flexibility is used for the contact portion.   The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the contact portion is disposed on a flat surface of the holding device.   The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a groove is provided on a surface of the holding device, and the contact portion is provided in the groove.   The said contact part is arrange | positioned on the said vacuum vessel, The sheet | seat hole which is a through-hole was comprised by the contact | adherence sheet | seat formed on the opening of the said vacuum vessel. Holding device.   The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: a rotation mechanism that moves the adhesive pad while rotating in a direction away from the contact portion with respect to the vacuum container. A holding device having a detachable device for connecting the holding device to the adsorption exhaust device,
9. The attachment / detachment device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the attachment / detachment device is configured to separate the holding device from the adsorption exhaust device and to move the holding device separately from the adsorption exhaust device. The holding device as described.   The holding device according to claim 9, wherein when the vacuum vessel is separated from the adsorption exhaust device, gas does not flow into the vacuum vessel through the exhaust hole.   11. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein a force is applied to the adhesive pad bonded to the holding object in a direction away from the holding object by a buffer member having an elastic force. A holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
A vacuum chamber in which the holding device is disposed;
A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit that is disposed in the vacuum chamber, is adhesively held by the adhesive pad, and that processes the processing surface of the holding object whose processing surface faces downward in a vacuum atmosphere. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processing unit is a film forming apparatus that releases fine particles forming a thin film and forms a thin film on the surface of the object to be held.

Images