JP6490523B2 - Sputtering apparatus and driving method of sputtering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus for forming a thin film on a surface of a substrate or the like, and a sputtering apparatus driving method for driving the sputtering apparatus.

  In a sputtering apparatus, an apparatus is known in which a collimator for adjusting the traveling direction of sputtered particles emitted from a target is provided between the target and a substrate that is symmetrical with the film formation (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Since the collimator is disposed in the middle of the traveling path of the sputtered particles, the sputtered particles adhere to the collimator. When the amount of sputtered particles adhering to the collimator increases, the adhering sputtered particles may adhere as particles to the film formation region of the substrate. Therefore, the collimator is regularly maintained.

JP 2004-263305 A

  By the way, when the worker performs maintenance on the collimator, the worker once opens the chamber to the atmosphere, then removes the collimator fixed to the chamber from the chamber, and carries the removed collimator out of the chamber. In addition, the worker carries in the collimator after maintenance into the chamber, attaches the carried-in collimator to the chamber, and then depressurizes the inside of the chamber to a predetermined pressure. Thus, when the worker performs maintenance of the collimator, the worker is forced to load such as removing the collimator, carrying out and carrying in the collimator, and attaching the collimator. Therefore, there is a demand for a sputtering apparatus that can reduce these loads.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sputtering apparatus and a sputtering apparatus driving method capable of reducing a load required for collimator maintenance.

  In the sputtering apparatus for solving the above problem, a chamber, a target mounted in the chamber, a first target including a substrate, and a second target including a collimator are transport targets, and the outside of the chamber And a path connecting the first position inside the chamber is a transport path, a transport unit that transports the first object and the second object through the common transport path, the target, and the first A second position that is a position between the first positions and deviates from the transport path, and a moving unit that moves the second target between the first position and the second position.

  In the sputtering apparatus driving method for solving the above-described problem, the first object including the substrate and the second object including the collimator are objects to be transferred, and the first position within the chamber and outside the chamber. Is a transport path, and the first object and the second object are transported along the transport path. A transport step for transporting the second object between the outside of the chamber and the first position; a second position that is between the target and the first position and is out of the transport path; A moving step of moving the second object between a position and the first position.

  According to the above configuration, the collimator is positioned at the second position and moved from the second position by the transport of the second target by the transport unit and the movement of the position of the second target by the moving unit. Can do. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform an operation for positioning the collimator at the second position or an operation for moving the collimator from the second position, and as a result, the load required for the maintenance of the collimator can be reduced.

  In the sputtering apparatus, the transport unit transports the first target and the second target while supporting the first target and the second target so that the first target and the second target are substantially along the vertical direction. The moving unit is arranged at the second position so that the second object stands substantially along the vertical direction.

  According to the sputtering apparatus, since the substrate and the collimator are erected substantially along the vertical direction, the exclusive area in the horizontal direction can be reduced. Further, since the substrate and the collimator do not line up along the vertical direction, it is possible to suppress particles that have left the collimator from reaching the substrate.

  In the sputtering apparatus, the moving unit moves the second object along a first direction that is a direction along a substantially vertical direction at the first position, and the first direction. And a second driving unit that moves the second object between the first position and the second position by moving along a second direction that intersects with the second direction.

  In the driving method of the sputtering apparatus, in the moving step, a first driving unit moves the second object along a first direction that is substantially along the vertical direction by the first driving unit at the first position. And a second step of moving the second object along the first direction by the first driving unit and crossing the first direction by the second driving unit. A second step of moving the second object along the first drive unit to transfer the second object from the first drive unit to the second drive unit at the first position; and An attachment step of moving the second object from the first position toward the second position by the unit.

  According to the above configuration, since the first direction and the second direction intersect, the second object moved by the first drive unit from the transport unit along the first direction is the first direction. At the position where the second direction intersects with the second direction, the first drive unit is replaced with the second drive unit.

It is a top view which shows typically the schematic structure of the upper surface view about one Embodiment of a sputtering device with the board | substrate which is the object of the process of a sputtering device. It is a front view which shows the front structure of the conveyance part of the board | substrate and collimator in the same embodiment, and the front structure of the board | substrate carrier with which the board | substrate was mounted | worn. It is a front view which shows the front structure of the carrier with which the collimator in the same embodiment was mounted | worn. It is a side view which shows the side structure of the conveyance part of the board | substrate and collimator in the same embodiment, and a moving part. It is a schematic diagram which illustrates typically operation | movement of the moving part in attachment or removal of the collimator in the embodiment, (a) is a figure which shows the state before attachment or after removal of a collimator, (b) is a collimator carrying The figure which shows the state which exists in the conveyance position of a path | route, (c) is a figure which shows the state by which the collimator was moved to the film-forming height in a 1st direction in a conveyance position, (d) is the state in which a moving part exists in a conveyance position. (E) is a diagram showing a state where the collimator is installed in the moving portion at the transfer position, (f) is a diagram showing a state where the collimator is attached to the attachment position, and (g) is an attachment position. The figure which shows the state in which the collimator is attached to and the board | substrate is located in a conveyance position, (h) is the collimator being attached to the attachment position, and the board | substrate of a conveyance position is the 1st one It is a diagram showing a state of being moved to the deposition height at.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying a sputtering apparatus and a driving method of the sputtering apparatus will be described. The sputtering apparatus of this embodiment forms a thin film on a substrate or the like by sputtering. Moreover, the board | substrate used as film-forming object is a film-like board | substrate (henceforth a film board | substrate).

  The film substrate has a resin as a main component. Moreover, the film substrate of this embodiment has a square shape, and the length of one side in the film substrate is, for example, 500 mm to 600 mm. Moreover, the thickness of a film substrate is 1 mm or less, for example.

[Configuration of sputtering equipment]
An example of the configuration of the sputtering apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the sputtering apparatus 10, a carry-in / out chamber 11 and a sputtering chamber 13 as a sputtering chamber are connected in a line. The carry-in / out chamber 11 and the sputter chamber 13 are each a vacuum chamber. A gate valve 12 that separates the interior and the exterior is attached to the carry-in / out entrance side of the carry-in / out chamber 11, and a gate valve 14 that separates each chamber is also attached between the carry-in / out chamber 11 and the sputtering chamber 13.
In the sputtering apparatus 10, a transfer lane 30 as a transfer unit extending along the connecting direction is provided from the carry-in / out chamber 11 to the sputter chamber 13.

  The carry-in / out chamber 11 carries the substrate carrier 40 on which the substrate 1 having the film formation surface 1 f before film formation is fixed from the outside of the sputtering apparatus 10 and includes the substrate 1 having the film formation surface 1 f after film formation. 40 is carried out of the sputtering apparatus 10. In the present embodiment, the substrate 1 and the substrate carrier 40 constitute a first target.

  On one side surface of the sputter chamber 13, two exhaust parts 15 are attached along the connecting direction of the carry-in / out chamber 11 and the sputter chamber 13, and a cooling part 16 is provided between the two exhaust parts 15 in the connecting direction. ing. The exhaust unit 15 is a turbo molecular pump, for example, and is controlled by the control device 100 provided in the sputtering apparatus 10. The cooling unit 16 includes a cryopump as a cooling source and is controlled by the control device 100.

  The control device 100 includes a computer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and other storage devices. The control device 100 performs a predetermined process by performing arithmetic processing on a program stored in a ROM or a storage device by the CPU. In the present embodiment, the control device 100 performs processing related to the sputtering method, processing to carry in and out the substrate carrier 40 and the like in the sputtering device 10.

  On the other side opposite to one side of the sputtering chamber 13, a film forming unit 20 is disposed, and the film forming unit 20 includes a target 22 whose main component is a film forming material. In the sputtering chamber 13, a collimator carrier 50 including the collimator 60 is disposed between the target 22 and the transport lane 30 at a position closer to the target 22 than the transport lane 30. The sputtering chamber 13 forms a predetermined thin film, for example, a metal film such as a copper film or a metal compound film on the surface of the substrate 1 by sputtering the target 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the transport lane 30 is disposed on the bottom wall of the sputtering apparatus 10, and the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 are disposed on the top of the transport lane 30 for transport. The conveyance lane 30 includes a rail 31 that extends along the connecting direction, a plurality of rollers 32 that are attached along the rail 31 at predetermined intervals, and a motor 33 that rotates the roller 32 forward and backward.

  The rail 31 extends along a transfer path that is outside the sputtering chamber 13 and connects the outside of the carry-in / out chamber 11 and the transfer position where the film forming process is performed on the substrate 1 inside the sputtering chamber 13. Yes. The transport lane 30 transports the first target and the second target through a common transport path. The motor 33 is an electric motor connected to the control device 100, and the rotation speed and direction of the motor 33 are controlled by the control device 100.

  The transport lane 30 transports the substrate carrier 40 in a state of standing substantially along the vertical direction, so that the substrate 1 fixed to the substrate carrier 40 before, during or after film formation can be moved substantially vertically. Carry in a standing state along. Further, the transport lane 30 transports the collimator carrier 50 in a state of standing substantially along the vertical direction, and thereby transports the collimator 60 before or after use in a state of standing substantially along the vertical direction.

  When the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 are carried into the carry-in / out chamber 11 from the outside, the sputtering apparatus 10 is arranged so that the substrate 1 and the collimator carrier 50 can be carried in the conveyance lane 30 in the carry-in / out chamber 11. Then, the sputtering apparatus 10 transports the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 along the transport lane 30 from the carry-in / out chamber 11 toward the sputtering chamber 13. Alternatively, the sputtering apparatus 10 carries out the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 along the transfer lane 30 from the sputtering chamber 13 toward the carry-in / out chamber 11. Then, the sputtering apparatus 10 carries the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 out of the carry-in / out chamber 11.

  The substrate carrier 40 fixes the substrate 1 through a fixture 42 in a frame 41 having a frame shape. The substrate carrier 40 may be configured to hold the substrate 1 on the carrier, and may be configured to hold the substrate 1 via a member such as a holder between the carrier frame and the substrate 1, for example. .

  The substrate carrier 40 is supported by the transport lane 30 and includes a base 43 that is transported by the transport lane 30. The base 43 is formed in a shape that can be supported and conveyed by the roller 32. The substrate carrier 40 is transported in a state of standing substantially along the vertical direction while the base 43 is supported by the transport lane 30 and standing substantially along the vertical direction. In this way, the substrate carrier 40 stands substantially along the vertical direction, so that the substrate 1 fixed to the substrate carrier 40 is also supported and transported while standing substantially vertically.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the collimator carrier 50 includes a frame 51 having a frame shape, and a collimator 60 is fixed in the frame 51 via a holder 55. The collimator carrier 50 may be configured to fix the collimator 60 without using the holder 55. Further, the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 may have the same configuration. In this case, if the holder 55 is configured to absorb the difference between the collimator 60 and the substrate 1, the collimator 60 can be fixed to the substrate carrier 40 via the holder 55. In the present embodiment, the collimator 60, the holder 55, and the collimator carrier 50 constitute a second target.

  The collimator carrier 50 is supported by the transport lane 30 and includes a base 53 that is transported by the transport lane 30. Similarly to the base 43 of the substrate carrier 40, the base 53 is formed in a shape that can be supported and transported by the rollers 32. The collimator carrier 50 is transported in a state of standing substantially along the vertical direction while the base 53 is supported by the transport lane 30 and standing substantially along the vertical direction. In this way, the collimator carrier 50 stands substantially along the vertical direction, and the collimator 60 fixed to the collimator carrier 50 is also supported and transported while standing substantially along the vertical direction.

  The holder 55 is a member for fixing the collimator 60 to the collimator carrier 50, and has a frame-shaped frame body 56. The holder 55 is attached to the upper frame 52 of the collimator carrier 50 via an attachment portion 57 provided in a part of the frame body 56. The holder 55 includes a plurality of fixtures 58 and 59 for fixing the collimator 60 in the frame, and the plurality of fixtures 58 and 59 fix the collimator 60 to the holder 55.

  The collimator 60 adjusts the emission angle, which is an angle formed by the traveling direction of the sputtered particles emitted from the target 22 and the normal direction of the substrate 1, within a predetermined range. And an adjustment unit 62 disposed on the entire inside of the frame surrounded by the unit 61. The frame part 61 is a part for fixing the adjustment part 62 to the collimator carrier 50. The adjusting unit 62 includes a plurality of passages through which sputtered particles whose emission angle is within a predetermined range among the sputtered particles emitted from the target 22 are selectively passed. According to the sputtered particles whose emission angle is within a predetermined range, a thin film having predetermined characteristics can be formed on the substrate 1.

  Further, sputtered particles whose emission angle is out of a predetermined range among the sputtered particles adhere to the collimator 60 and adhere to the collimator 60, and the adhering sputtered particles are detached from the collimator 60 to form particles. Since particles may adhere to the film formation surface of the substrate 1, the collimator 60 adheres to the collimator 60 every time the film formation process for one substrate 1 or the film formation process for a plurality of substrates 1 is performed. Maintenance for removing the film forming material is performed. That is, in the sputtering chamber 13, each time maintenance is performed on the collimator 60, the collimator 60 is removed from the sputtering chamber 13, and the collimator 60 that has been maintained is attached to the sputtering chamber 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the sputtering chamber 13, a temperature control stage 18 that is supported in the sputtering chamber 13 via the connection unit 17 is disposed at a position where the film forming unit 20 faces. The temperature adjustment stage 18 is formed in a plate shape, and is connected to a cooling unit 16 including a cooling source via a connection unit 17. The connection portion 17 is made of a material having high thermal conductivity such as metal, and is provided to be slidable with respect to the insertion portion provided on the wall portion of the sputtering chamber 13. The cooling source for the temperature adjustment stage 18 may be a cryopump or a mechanism for introducing a cryogenic refrigerant into the temperature adjustment stage 18 for cooling.

  The cryopump of the cooling unit 16 includes a refrigerator unit (not shown) and the like, and has a cryogenic surface that reaches a cryogenic temperature of −150 ° C. to −100 ° C., for example. One end of the connecting portion 17 is connected to the cryogenic surface of the cryopump, and the other end is connected to the bottom surface of the temperature adjustment stage 18. For this reason, when the heat of the temperature control stage 18 is transmitted to the cryopump via the connection portion 17, the temperature of the temperature control stage 18 is lowered to a very low temperature region. The cryopump of the cooling unit 16 is controlled by the control device 100.

  The film forming unit 20 includes a backing plate 21, a target 22, and a deposition preventing plate 23. The target 22 is formed from a main component of a thin film formed on the substrate 1, and is fixed to a surface facing the temperature adjustment stage 18 among the surfaces of the backing plate 21. A target power supply (not shown) is electrically connected to the backing plate 21. The deposition preventing plate 23 prevents the sputter particles from traveling in unnecessary directions, and reduces adhesion of the sputter particles to the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50, for example.

  A sputtering gas supply unit (not shown) for supplying a sputtering gas that is a gas for generating plasma in the sputtering chamber 13 is connected to the sputtering chamber 13. The sputtering gas is, for example, argon gas, but may be other rare gas.

[Configuration of moving part]
As described above, when the worker performs maintenance on the collimator, the worker can open the chamber to the atmosphere, remove the collimator before the maintenance from the chamber, and carry it out of the chamber. There is a load of carrying the collimator into the chamber and attaching it to the chamber.

  In addition, collimator maintenance requires characteristics required for the thin film formed on the substrate, for example, changes in the size of holes formed in the substrate, especially changes in size accompanying changes in the aspect ratio of holes. Is also included. Also in this case, the above-described load is imposed on the worker.

Below, in this embodiment, the structure for reducing the load in the maintenance of the collimator 60 is demonstrated.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the sputtering chamber 13 extends in the direction from the transport lane 30 toward the film forming unit 20 and the elevating drive unit 70 as a first drive unit having a cylinder extending in a substantially vertical direction. And a mounting drive unit 80 as a second drive unit having a cylinder. Each of the elevating drive unit 70 and the mounting drive unit 80 includes rods 71 and 81 that extend from the cylinder and contract toward the cylinder. The elevating drive unit 70 and the mounting drive unit 80 are respectively connected to the control device 100, and the lengths of the rods 71 and 81 extending and contracting with respect to the respective cylinders are controlled by the control device 100. In the present embodiment, the elevating drive unit 70 and the mounting drive unit 80 constitute a moving unit.

  The elevating drive unit 70 is a position included in a lower region opposite to the region where the substrate carrier 40 is transported with respect to the transport lane 30, and any two of the plurality of rollers 32. It is provided at a position between the two rollers 32. The lifting drive unit 70 is arranged so that the tip of the rod 71 can be moved along the first direction X1 including the position of the transport lane 30. The first direction X1 is a direction substantially parallel to the vertical direction.

  The mounting drive unit 80 is provided below the transport lane 30 and at a position included in a region on the opposite side of the transport lane 30 from the film forming unit 20. Further, the mounting drive unit 80 can move the tip 82 of the rod 81 in an inclined state with respect to the first direction X1 including the position of the transport lane 30, that is, the first It arrange | positions so that it can be moved along the 2nd direction Y1 which cross | intersects this direction X1.

  The positions of the tip portions of the rods 71 and 81 are determined by the length by which the rods 71 and 81 expand and contract with respect to the cylinder. The tip of the rod 71 is formed from the standby height L0 where the rod 71 is most contracted through the transfer position P1 (transfer height L1) which is the first position at the same height as the transfer lane 30. It moves to the film formation height L2 which is a position suitable for the above. That is, the elevating drive unit 70 moves the collimator carrier 50 along the substantially vertical direction at the transport position P1.

  The distal end portion 82 of the rod 81 is a mounting position as a second position which is a position where the collimator 60 is mounted from the standby position P0 where the rod 81 is most contracted via the transport position P1 which is the same position as the transport lane 30. Move to P2. The attachment position P2 is a position between the target 22 and the transport position P1, and is a position deviated from the transport path described above.

  The rod 81 expands and contracts along the second direction Y1. Among the positions where the tip of the rod 81 is arranged, the height of the standby position P0 is the standby height L3, and the height of the transfer position P1 is the transfer height L1 which is the same height as the transfer lane 30. The height of the position P2 is the same height as the film formation height L2.

  Further, the distance from the transfer position P1 to the mounting position P2 is set to a distance at which film formation unevenness due to the collimator 60 does not occur on the film formation surface 1f of the substrate 1. On the other hand, the mounting position P <b> 2 of the collimator 60 is set near the target 22. The distance between the mounting position P2 and the target 22 is smaller than the distance between the transport position P1 and the mounting position P2.

  That is, the elevating drive unit 70 moves the substrate carrier 40 transported to the transport position P1 of the transport lane 30 by the expansion and contraction of the rod 71 based on the control of the control device 100, and the transport height L1 and the film formation height of the transport position P1. Move up and down between the heights L2. For example, the elevating drive unit 70 pushes up the base portion 43 of the substrate carrier 40 disposed in the transport lane 30 by moving the tip of the rod 71 along the direction away from the cylinder, thereby moving the substrate carrier 40 into the transport lane. At the same time, the film is separated from 30 and raised to the film formation height L2. Further, the lifting drive unit 70 moves the tip of the rod 71 along the direction approaching the cylinder to lower the substrate carrier 40 from the deposition height L2 to the transport height L1 at the transport position P1. Then, the base 43 of the substrate carrier 40 is arranged in the transport lane 30.

  Further, the attachment driving unit 80 moves the collimator carrier 50 conveyed to the conveyance position P1 of the conveyance lane 30 between the conveyance position P1 and the attachment position P2 by the expansion and contraction of the rod 81. Further, the attachment drive unit 80 attaches the collimator carrier 50 moved to the attachment position P2 to the sputtering chamber 13 by holding the collimator carrier 50 at the attachment position P2. Further, the mounting drive unit 80 is set so that the rod 81 is disposed at a position that does not interfere with the transport of the substrate carrier 40 by the transport lane 30 when the collimator carrier 50 is held at the mounting position P2. Further, the mounting drive unit 80 moves the tip 82 of the rod 81 at the standby position P0 to the transport position P1 corresponding to the transport lane 30. Therefore, the mounting drive unit 80 displaces the collimator carrier 50 mounted at the transport position P1 from the transport lane 30 while supporting the base 53, and moves the collimator carrier 50 obliquely upward to be installed at the mounting position P2. Further, the mounting drive unit 80 moves the base portion 53 of the collimator carrier 50 by moving the tip 82 of the rod 81 toward the cylinder to move the collimator carrier 50 from the mounting position P2 to the transport position P1. Place in lane 30. Thereby, the collimator carrier 50 can be held at the attachment position P <b> 2 and the collimator carrier 50 can be transported by the transport lane 30.

  Note that the tip portion 82 of the rod 81 moves so as to cross the conveyance position P1 of the conveyance lane 30 obliquely. For this reason, in a state where the collimator carrier 50 is disposed at the transport position P <b> 1 of the transport lane 30, the base 53 of the collimator carrier 50 cannot be transferred from the transport lane 30 to the base support portion 83 of the distal end portion 82. Therefore, in the transfer of the collimator carrier 50 between the transport lane 30 and the tip portion 82, the lifting drive unit 70 once raises the collimator carrier 50 at the transport position P1, and then the mounting drive unit 80 is moved to the tip. The part 82 is moved from the standby position P0 toward the transport position P1, or moved from the transport position P1 toward the standby position P0. On the other hand, when the tip of the rod 81 of the mounting drive unit 80 moves from the standby position P0 toward the transport position P1, the rod 81 crosses a position lower than the transport position P1 (transport height L1) of the transport lane 30. The attachment drive unit 80 is set as described above. Therefore, whether or not the rod 81 exists between the standby position P0 and the transfer position P1 does not affect the transfer of the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 by the transfer lane 30.

[Attachment and removal of collimator]
With reference to Fig.5 (a)-FIG.5 (h), the operation | movement which attaches the collimator 60 to the sputtering device 10, and the operation | movement which removes the collimator 60 from the sputtering device 10 are demonstrated. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5H are diagrams schematically showing a side surface of the sputtering chamber 13. First, referring to FIGS. 5A to 5H in ascending order, the operation of attaching the collimator 60 will be described. Next, referring to FIGS. 5A to 5H in descending order, An operation for removing the collimator 60 will be described.

  As described above, the elevating drive unit 70 moves the substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 along the first direction X <b> 1 based on the control of the control device 100. Further, the mounting drive unit 80 moves the collimator carrier 50 along the second direction Y1 in the direction connecting the transport position P1 and the mounting position P2 based on the control of the control device 100. And the control apparatus 100 moves the board | substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 to the target position suitably by control which makes the raising / lowering drive part 70 and the attachment drive part 80 cooperate.

First, an operation for attaching the collimator 60 to the sputtering chamber 13 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5A, when the collimator carrier 50 including the collimator 60 is not attached to the attachment position P2, the control device 100 places the tip 82 at the standby position P0. Moreover, since the collimator 60 is not arrange | positioned at the conveyance position P1, the control apparatus 100 carries in the collimator carrier 50 to the conveyance position P1.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the control device 100 controls each motor 33 to carry the collimator carrier 50 located outside the sputtering device 10 to the transport position P1 (transport process).

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the collimator carrier 50 is transported to the transport position P1, the control device 100 moves the collimator carrier 50 from the transport height L1 to the film formation height L2 at the transport position P1. Increase (first movement step). Note that the height of the collimator carrier 50 may be lower or higher than the film formation height L2 as long as the collimator carrier 50 can be transferred from the elevating drive unit 70 to the tip portion 82. Good.

  Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5D, the control device 100 moves the tip end portion 82 arranged at the standby position P <b> 0 to the empty transport position P <b> 1 by raising the collimator carrier 50.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5E, the control device 100 lowers the collimator carrier 50 from the film formation height L2 to the transport height L1. By this lowering, the base portion 53 of the collimator carrier 50 is disposed on the base portion support portion 83 of the distal end portion 82, and the collimator carrier 50 is held by the distal end portion 82 so as to stand substantially along the vertical direction (replacement step).

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 5F, the control device 100 moves the collimator carrier 50 from the transport position P1 to the attachment position P2 along the second direction Y1 (attachment process). By this movement, the collimator carrier 50 is moved to the attachment position P2, and the attachment of the collimator 60 to the sputtering chamber 13 is completed. In the present embodiment, the moving process includes the first moving process, the replacement process, and the attaching process.

Next, the carrying in / out operation of the substrate carrier 40 including the substrate 1 on which the film forming process is performed will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5G, when the collimator 60 is attached to the sputtering chamber 13, the control device 100 loads the substrate carrier 40 into the loading / unloading chamber 11. Then, the control device 100 carries the substrate carrier 40 carried into the carry-in / out chamber 11 into the conveyance position P1 of the sputtering chamber 13 (carry-in process).

  As shown in FIG. 5H, the control device 100 raises and holds the substrate carrier 40 to the film formation height L2 at the transfer position P1. Then, film formation on the substrate 1 is performed with the substrate carrier 40 held at the film formation height L2.

  When the film formation is completed, as shown in FIG. 5G, the control device 100 lowers the substrate carrier 40 from the film formation height L2 to the transfer height L1, and as shown in FIG. The substrate carrier 40 is transferred from the sputtering chamber 13 to the loading / unloading chamber 11. Thereby, the film formation on one substrate 1 is completed.

  By the way, every time a film is formed on the substrate 1, sputtered particles adhere to the collimator 60 disposed at the attachment position P <b> 2 that is close to the target 22 between the target 22 and the substrate 1. For this reason, when film formation is performed on one substrate 1 or a plurality of substrates 1, the collimator 60 is removed from the sputter chamber 13 in order to perform maintenance for removing sputtered particles adhering to the collimator 60, and Then, it is carried out of the sputtering apparatus 10.

Then, next, the operation | movement which removes the collimator 60 from the sputter | spatter chamber 13 is demonstrated.
First, as shown in FIG. 5 (f), the control device 100 carries the substrate carrier 40 from the sputtering chamber 13 to the loading / unloading chamber 11.
Next, as shown in FIG. 5E, the control device 100 moves the collimator 60 from the sputtering chamber 13 by moving the collimator carrier 50 from the attachment position P2 to the transport position P1 along the second direction Y1. Remove (remove process).

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5D, the control device 100 raises the collimator carrier 50 along the first direction X1 from the transport height L1 at the transport position P1 to the film formation height L2. By this movement, the base 53 of the collimator carrier 50 is detached from the base support portion 83 of the distal end portion 82 and is disposed on the rod 71 of the elevating drive unit 70 (replacement process). In addition, the height of the collimator carrier 50 should just be the height which can move the front-end | tip part 82 to the stand-by position P0 while removing the base 53 of the collimator carrier 50 from the front-end | tip part 82. FIG.
That is, as shown in FIG. 5C, the control device 100 moves the tip 82 from which the collimator carrier 50 has been detached to the standby position P0.

  Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5B, the control device 100 lowers the collimator carrier 50 from the film formation height L2 to the transport height L1 (second movement process). As a result, the base 53 of the collimator carrier 50 is arranged in the transport lane 30 and can be transported by the transport lane 30. In the present embodiment, the removal process, the replacement process, and the second movement process are included in the movement process.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 5A, the control device 100 unloads the collimator carrier 50 from the transfer position P1 of the sputtering chamber 13 to the outside of the sputtering apparatus 10 (transfer process). Then, maintenance work for the collimator 60 is performed.

  If a plurality of collimator carriers 50 are prepared, after one collimator carrier 50 is carried out of the sputtering apparatus 10, another collimator carrier 50 is carried into the sputtering apparatus 10 and attached to the attachment position P2. Film formation on the substrate 1 can be resumed quickly. Further, while the other collimator carrier 50 is being used, the collimator 60 carried out from the sputtering apparatus 10 can be maintained.

  As described above, according to the sputtering apparatus 10 described above, the load imposed on the operator during maintenance of the collimator, that is, the attachment / detachment of the collimator 60 and the loading / unloading of the collimator 60 are reduced.

According to the sputtering apparatus and the driving method of the sputtering apparatus of this embodiment in the above embodiment, the effects listed below can be obtained.
(1) The collimator 60 is positioned at the mounting position P2 by the transport of the collimator carrier 50 by the transport lane 30 and the movement of the position of the collimator carrier 50 by the lifting drive unit 70 and the mounting drive unit 80, and the mounting It can be moved from position P2. Therefore, there is no need to perform an operation for positioning the collimator 60 at the attachment position P2 or an operation for moving the collimator 60 from the attachment position P2, and as a result, the load required for maintenance of the collimator 60 can be reduced.

  (2) Since the substrate 1 and the collimator 60 are erected substantially along the vertical direction, the exclusive area in the horizontal direction can be reduced. Further, since the substrate 1 and the collimator 60 do not line up along the vertical direction, the particles detached from the collimator 60 are suppressed from reaching the substrate 1.

  (3) Since the first direction X1 and the second direction Y1 intersect, the collimator carrier 50 moved from the transport lane 30 by the elevating drive unit 70 along the first direction X1 is the first direction. At the position where X1 and the second direction Y1 intersect, the ascending / descending drive unit 70 is replaced with the mounting drive unit 80.

(Other embodiments)
In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
The substrate carrier 40 and the collimator carrier 50 are supported by the base support portions 83 of the transport lane 30 and the front end portion 82 by the base portions 43 and 53, but the upper portion of the frame is further supported by the support device at the transport position and the mounting position. May be. For example, when the substrate carrier is disposed at the film formation height, a support that descends from above the transfer position may support and fix the upper portion of the substrate carrier. Further, for example, when the collimator carrier is arranged at the attachment position, a support body that descends from above the attachment position may support and fix the upper part of the collimator carrier.
-Although illustrated about the case where there is one raising / lowering drive part 70, it is not restricted to this, The sputtering chamber 13 may be provided with the several raising / lowering drive part.

  -Although illustrated about the case where there are two attachment drive parts 80, not only this but if the collimator carrier can be arranged in the arrangement position of a collimator, even if there is one attachment drive part It may be three or more.

  The case where the collimator carrier 50 is transferred between the elevating drive unit 70 and the mounting drive unit 80 by raising and lowering the collimator carrier 50 with the elevating drive unit 70 has been illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the collimator carrier may be exchanged between the transport lane and the mounting drive unit using only the mounting drive unit without using the lifting drive unit. That is, the collimator carrier may be exchanged between the mounting drive unit and the transport lane 30 by simply moving the rod of the mounting drive unit along the second direction Y1.

  For example, a pin having a fork shape is provided at the tip of the mounting drive unit, a hole in an oblique direction is provided in the base of the collimator carrier, and the tip of the mounting drive unit is moved from the standby position to the collimator carrier transported to the transport position. You may make it the front-end | tip part of the drive part for attachment receive a collimator carrier by approaching. Thereby, it becomes possible to replace the collimator carrier between the transport lane and the tip of the mounting drive unit only by the operation of the mounting drive unit. In this case, the moving part is constituted by a mounting drive part.

  -The case where the board | substrate 1 and the collimator 60 were conveyed separately in the conveyance lane 30 was illustrated. Not limited to this, the substrate and the collimator may be transported together by a single substrate carrier in the transport lane.

For example, the collimator is detachably disposed on the film formation surface side of the substrate of the substrate carrier. In such a configuration, for example, the collimator can be detachably disposed with respect to the substrate carrier by installing the collimator on the substrate carrier so as to hang from the top of the substrate carrier. Further, the sputtering chamber is provided with an attachment drive unit on the film forming unit side for moving the collimator from the transfer position to the attachment position. Then, after the substrate carrier transported to the transport position is raised, the rod of the mounting drive part is extended to below the delivery part provided on the collimator, and then the substrate carrier is lowered to deliver the collimator The part is transferred to the rod of the mounting drive unit and removed from the substrate carrier. Then, the collimator is attached to the sputtering chamber by moving the rod that has received the collimator to the attachment position of the collimator. The collimator may be attached to the substrate carrier via a holder. Moreover, the collimator attached to the sputtering chamber is removed from the sputtering chamber by performing the above-described mounting procedure in descending order.
-In above-mentioned embodiment, although the board | substrate 1 which has square shape was illustrated, it is not restricted to this, A board | substrate may have rectangular shape and another shape.

The substrate 1 may be, for example, a rigid substrate such as a paper phenol substrate, a glass epoxy substrate, a Teflon substrate (Teflon is a registered trademark), a ceramic substrate such as alumina, or a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate. Alternatively, the board may be a printed board in which a wiring layer made of metal is formed on these boards.
The substrate 1 may be a substrate other than a thin substrate such as a film substrate such as a glass substrate.

  -The 1st object illustrated about the case where it was constituted by substrate 1 and substrate carrier 40. However, the first target is not limited to this, and may be configured to include only a substrate or a member other than the substrate and the carrier.

  -The 2nd object illustrated about the case where it is constituted by collimator 60, holder 55, and collimator carrier 50. Not limited to this, the second target may be only a collimator, may be configured from a collimator and a collimator carrier, or may be configured to include members other than the collimator, the holder, and the collimator carrier.

  In the sputter chamber 13, only one of the attachment of the collimator carrier 50 and the removal of the collimator carrier 50 is performed using the transport lane 30, the elevating drive unit 70, and the attachment drive unit 80. The other may be done in other ways, for example by an operator. Even with such a configuration, the load in the maintenance of the collimator can be reduced.

  When the film formation process is performed on the substrate 1, the elevating drive unit 70 may not raise the substrate carrier 40 from the transport height L <b> 1 to the film formation height L <b> 2. In such a configuration, the substrate carrier 40 is arranged so that the entire substrate 1 positioned on the transfer lane 30 faces the target 22 without the lifting drive unit 70 raising the substrate carrier 40. Preferably it is.

  The transfer lane 30 is illustrated as being provided in the carry-in / out chamber 11 and the sputter chamber 13. However, the transfer lane may be provided only in the sputtering chamber. At this time, the substrate carrier and the collimator carrier may be transported between the carry-in / out chamber and the sputtering chamber by a mechanism other than a transport lane such as a crane or a transport robot. The transfer lane can transfer the substrate carrier and the like between the transfer position of the substrate carrier and the like with respect to the sputtering chamber. In such a configuration, the conveyance lane and a mechanism other than the conveyance lane such as a crane constitute a conveyance unit.

  The case where the sputtering apparatus 10 includes the carry-in / out chamber 11 and the sputtering chamber 13 is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that the sputtering apparatus includes at least a sputtering chamber. For example, the sputtering apparatus may include only one sputtering chamber or may include a plurality of sputtering chambers. The sputtering apparatus may include one or more pretreatment chambers. Further, the sputtering apparatus may include another processing chamber or the like in addition to the preprocessing chamber or instead of the preprocessing chamber. Note that in the case where a plurality of sputtering chambers, pretreatment chambers, other treatment chambers, and the like are provided, a gate valve may or may not be provided between the chambers depending on the configuration.

  -Although illustrated about the case where a sputtering chamber is a vacuum chamber, it is not restricted to this, The atmosphere of a sputtering chamber may be atmospheric pressure. For example, when the atmosphere in the sputtering chamber is atmospheric pressure, the gate valve may be a door that does not have high pressure resistance.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Board | substrate, 1f ... Film-forming surface, 10 ... Sputtering apparatus, 11 ... Carry-in / out chamber, 12 ... Gate valve, 13 ... Sputtering chamber, 14 ... Gate valve, 15 ... Exhaust part, 16 ... Cooling part, 17 ... Connection part, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 ... Temperature control stage, 20 ... Film-forming part, 21 ... Backing plate, 22 ... Target, 23 ... Deposition plate, 30 ... Transfer lane, 31 ... Rail, 32 ... Roller, 33 ... Motor, 40 ... Substrate carrier, 41 ... Frame, 42 ... Fixing tool, 43 ... Base, 50 ... Collimator carrier, 51 ... Frame, 52 ... Upper frame, 53 ... Base, 55 ... Holder, 56 ... Frame, 57 ... Mounting part, 58 ... Fixing tool , 59 ... fixing tool, 60 ... collimator, 61 ... frame part, 62 ... adjustment part, 70 ... lifting drive part, 71 ... rod, 80 ... mounting drive part, 81 ... rod, 82 ... tip part, 83 ... base part Support unit, 100... Control device.

Claims (3)

A chamber;
A target mounted in the chamber;
A first target including a substrate and a second target including a collimator are transport targets, and a path connecting the outside of the chamber and a first position inside the chamber is a transport path, and the first A transport unit that transports the target and the second target through the common transport path;
A second unit that is a position between the target and the first position and is out of the transport path; and a moving unit that moves the second target between the first position; equipped with a,
The moving unit includes a first driving unit that moves the second object along a first direction that is substantially in a vertical direction at the first position, and a second that intersects the first direction. A second drive unit that moves the second object along the direction of the second object to move the second object between the first position and the second position,
The first driving unit moves the second object along the first direction, and the second driving unit moves the second object along the second direction. Te, wherein the first position, the first sputtering apparatus Ru reloading the second object from the drive unit. The transport unit transports the first target and the second target while supporting the first target and the second target so that the first target and the second target are substantially along the vertical direction.
The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit is arranged at the second position so that the second object stands substantially along a vertical direction. A first target including a substrate and a second target including a collimator are transport targets,
A path connecting the outside of the chamber and the first position inside the chamber is a transfer path, and the first object and the second object are transferred by the common transfer path,
A transporting step of transporting the second object between the outside of the chamber and the first position;
A second position which is a position between the target and the first position and is out of the transport path; and a moving step of moving the second object between the first position, Prepared ,
The moving step includes
A first movement step of moving the second object along a first direction which is a direction substantially along a vertical direction by the first driving unit at the first position;
The second drive unit moves the second object along the first direction, and the second drive unit moves the second object along a second direction that intersects the first direction. A transfer step of moving two objects and transferring the second object from the first drive unit to the second drive unit at the first position;
Wherein the second driving unit, wherein a mounting step of moving toward the second position the second object from the first position, the driving method of the sputtering apparatus Ru comprising a.

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