JPH0791647B2 - Vacuum device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vacuum device for performing various processes such as a sputtering process and an ion beam processing process in a vacuum state.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a vacuum device for performing a sputter process or the like in a vacuum state, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-208836 or No.
As shown in the figure, there is a system in which a preliminary vacuum chamber is provided in addition to the processing chamber, and the processing chamber is constantly maintained in a vacuum state to improve and stabilize the processing performance. That is, the vacuum apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is roughly divided into a charging chamber (preliminary vacuum chamber) 1 and a processing chamber 2, and the charging chamber 1 and the processing chamber 2 are separated by a gate valve 6. . Of these, a transfer device 5a for transferring the substrate 8a to be processed toward the processing chamber 2 is provided in the preparation chamber 1, and a heater 3, a target 4 and a cathode electrode 7 are provided in the processing chamber 2. Further, a transfer device 5b for transferring the substrate 8a to and from the preparation chamber 1 is provided between the heater 3 and the target 4.

In such a configuration, the substrate 8a to be processed is placed on the transfer device 5a in the preparation chamber 1 by opening a door (not shown). At this time, the gate valve 6 remains closed. Next, the charging chamber 1 is evacuated with the gate valve 6 kept closed, after which the gate valve 6 is opened and the substrate 8a is transferred onto the transfer device 5b of the processing chamber 2 by the transfer device 5a. To be done. Next, the substrate 8a is positioned at a predetermined processing position by the transfer device 5b and then subjected to necessary processing. When the processing is completed, the gate valve 6 which was closed during the processing is opened, and the processed substrate 8a is transferred to the preparation chamber 1 by the transfer device 5b.
Be transferred to. When the transfer is completed, the gate valve 6
After closing, the door of the preparation chamber 1 is opened and the processed substrate 8a is taken out to the outside.

With such a structure and process, the processing chamber 2 is always kept in a vacuum state.

FIG. 7 shows that the substrate 8a is loaded and unloaded in separate chambers. The substrate 8a is loaded from the charge 1 and then transferred to the processing chamber 2 where necessary processing is performed. It Then, when the processing is completed, it is transferred to the take-out chamber 10 through the gate valve 11 and taken out of the take-out chamber 10.
In FIG. 7, 5c is a transfer device provided in the take-out chamber 10, and the same portions as those in FIG. 6 are represented by the same symbols.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in this type of vacuum device, the life of the target 4 is about several days, and the permanent magnets (not shown) arranged on the back surface of the target 4 are filled with metal molecules excited from the target 4. Since they are attached and deposited, it is necessary to perform maintenance and inspection work such as replacement of the target 4 and cleaning of the permanent magnet at intervals of several days. For this reason,
An opening / closing door for maintenance / inspection is provided on the top surface or front surface of each vacuum chamber, and the maintenance / inspection work can be performed as described above with the opening / closing door open.

However, since the transfer device is arranged in each vacuum container such as the preparation chamber 1 and the processing chamber 2, the transfer device becomes an obstacle for the maintenance and inspection work, and the maintenance and inspection work is troublesome. It was

An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum device capable of facilitating maintenance and inspection work inside a vacuum container.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention relates to a vacuum device having at least first and second vacuum containers, wherein a substrate is loaded into and unloaded from the first vacuum container through a second vacuum container which is in a vacuum state in advance. At least a transfer device in the first vacuum container and a heater for heating the inside of the first vacuum container among the transfer devices for transferring the substrate in each vacuum container are attached to a flat door of the vacuum container. The target for processing the substrate and the cathode are fixed to the main body of the first vacuum container, and the flat door is rotated around a fulcrum located at a predetermined distance from the first vacuum container. The transfer device and the heater are separated from the target and the cathode when they are movably attached and rotated about the fulcrum.

Further, the opening / closing door is common to each vacuum container.

[Action]

According to the vacuum device of the present invention, at least the transfer device in the first vacuum container among the transfer devices for transferring the substrate in each vacuum container and the heater as a whole are provided on the flat door of the first vacuum container. Since it is mounted, when the flat openable door is rotated and opened around a fulcrum located at a predetermined distance from the first vacuum container, a large arc is drawn to interfere with the main body of the first vacuum container. The transfer device and the heater as a whole are separated from the target and cathode fixed to the main body of the vacuum container without cleaning, and therefore the target and the cathode in the vacuum container are cleaned without the transfer device and the heater. Maintenance and inspection such as work can be performed extremely easily.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a vacuum device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view.

In these figures, 1 is a preparation chamber, 2 is a processing chamber, 3 is a heater, 4 is a target, 5a is a transfer device for the preparation chamber 1,
5b is a transfer device for the processing chamber 2, 6 is a gate valve, 7 is a cathode, 8a is a substrate, 12 is an opening / closing door for maintenance and inspection of the preparation chamber 1,
Reference numeral 13 denotes a flat plate-shaped opening / closing door for maintenance and inspection of the processing chamber 2, the transfer device 5b of the processing chamber 2 is mounted on the flat surface of the opening / closing door 13 on the processing chamber side, and the roller 14 for transferring the substrate 8a is the opening / closing door 13 The rotational force is applied by a driving device 15 provided on the plane opposite to the processing chamber.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, in which the roller 14 is rotatably supported by a guide 16 and its rotary shaft is provided so as to sandwich one of the guides 16. It is connected to a tooth gear 17, and this bevel gear 17 is connected to the rotating shaft of the drive device 15 via a shaft 20 so that the substrate 8a placed on the roller 14 can be moved. . In this case, the plate-shaped opening / closing door 13 is rotatably attached about a fulcrum 13a located at a predetermined distance from the first vacuum container having the processing chamber 2, and is rotated about the fulcrum 13a. At some times, a large arc is drawn to rotate, and as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, the drive device 15, the guide 16, mounted on the opening / closing door 13,
The conveying device 5b including the helical gear 17 and the entire heater 3 can be retracted to the outside without interfering with the main body of the first vacuum container.

On the other hand, the target 4 and the cathode 7 for processing the substrate 8a are fixed to the main body of the first vacuum container, and when performing maintenance and inspection of the processing chamber 2, it is only necessary to open the flat door 13. The transfer device 5b and the heater 3 separate the substrate 8a from the target 4 and the cathode 7 for processing, and the processing chamber 2
Be taken out of the. Therefore, the number of obstacles in the processing chamber 2 is reduced, and the maintenance and inspection work of the target 4 and the cathode 7 can be performed extremely easily.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which the opening / closing doors of the preparation chamber 1 and the processing chamber 2 in the above-mentioned embodiment are the common door 18, and the transfer devices 5a, 5b of the respective chambers. The door 1
In addition to being mounted on 8, the conveyor device 5a in the preparation chamber 1 is configured to be powered by the drive device 15 of the conveyor device 5b via a power transmission means 19 such as a chain.

According to this embodiment, by opening the door 18, the transfer devices 5a and 5b of the preparation chamber 1 and the processing chamber 2 can be taken out to the outside at the same time, which saves the trouble of opening the door for each chamber. Maintenance and inspection work can be facilitated. Further, since the driving device 15 can be shared, there is an advantage that the structure can be economical and the control of the driving device becomes easy.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the transfer device for transferring the substrate in the vacuum container and the heater for heating the inside of the vacuum container are attached to the flat opening / closing door for maintenance and inspection, and the flat opening / closing door. Since it is attached so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum located at a predetermined distance from the vacuum container, it does not interfere with the main body of the vacuum container when opening the flat door, and after opening the door, the vacuum Maintenance and inspection work of the target and the cathode in the container can be performed extremely easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 when a door is closed. Figures and 4 are the second when the door is opened
5 is a vertical sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views showing the structure of a conventional vacuum apparatus. 1 ... Preparation room, 2 ... Processing room, 3 ... Heater, 4 ...
Targets, 5a, 5b ... Conveyor, 6 ... Gate valve, 8a
…… Substrate, 12,13,18 …… Door, 14 …… Roller, 15 …… Drive device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. At least a first and a second vacuum container,
In a vacuum device in which a substrate is loaded into and unloaded from a first vacuum container via a second vacuum container that has been evacuated in advance, at least a first of the transport devices that transports the substrate in each vacuum container. Of the vacuum container and a heater for heating the inside of the first vacuum container are mounted on a flat door of the vacuum container, and a target and a cathode for processing the substrate are provided in the first vacuum container. Is fixed to the main body, and the plate-like opening / closing door is rotatably attached about a fulcrum located at a predetermined distance from the first vacuum container. A vacuum device, wherein the device and the heater are separated from the target and the cathode. 2. A vacuum apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing door is common to each vacuum container.