KR20120096101A - Vacuum exhaust device and vacuum exhaust method, and substrate treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

When performing the operation (standby operation) which maintains an existing vacuum state, the vacuum chamber 12a exhausts the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 by the one vacuum pump 12a, The vacuum of the last stage is maintained, and the power of the other vacuum pump 12 at the time of standby operation becomes only a mechanical loss, and the power consumption of the vacuum pump 12 is greatly suppressed without using an auxiliary pump or the like.

Description

VACUUM EXHAUST DEVICE AND VACUUM EXHAUST METHOD, AND SUBSTRATE TREATMENT DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a vacuum exhaust device and a vacuum exhaust method for exhausting a processing chamber in a vacuum state.

Moreover, this invention relates to the substrate processing apparatus with which the vacuum exhaust apparatus was connected.

The processing apparatus which performs the film-forming process of the metal film for wiring is equipped with the substrate processing chamber (process chamber) for performing a predetermined process. The substrate processing chamber is evacuated by a vacuum pump to create a vacuum environment in accordance with the treatment. In the film forming process and the like, many highly reactive gases are used. As a vacuum pump, a dry vacuum pump that obtains a vacuum from atmospheric pressure without using oil in the suction chamber is used.

With the compounding of the semiconductor manufacturing process, the substrate processing apparatus which vacuum-exhausts all the processing chambers in the state which separated several process chambers occupies the mainstream of equipment. For this reason, the vacuum exhaust apparatus which connected several vacuum pumps in parallel is used. In order to obtain a predetermined vacuum environment, a plurality of vacuum pumps are operated to obtain a vacuum state of the substrate processing chamber. According to the processing, a rated operation for obtaining a predetermined vacuum state and an operation for maintaining the already obtained vacuum state (standby operation) This is being repeated.

It is common that the vacuum pump used for a vacuum exhaust apparatus is a volume transfer type, and it is repeated that the volume part of the last stage is exposed to the atmosphere at the time of exhaust during operation. Since no gas is transported during atmospheric operation, the operation of the vacuum pump is theoretically zero, but requires a power to depressurize the volume of the final stage. For this reason, by forming the auxiliary pump which exhausts the volume part of a final stage, and maintaining the vacuum state of the volume part of a last stage by an auxiliary pump, the work volume of the vacuum pump at the time of standby operation is reduced and power consumption is suppressed. It is conventionally performed (for example, refer patent document 1, patent document 2).

In recent years, film formation of wiring metal is performed on a large glass substrate like a flat panel display. For this reason, the volume of a process chamber is enlarged. Prolonging the processing time decreases the productivity even if the substrate becomes large. Therefore, in the vacuum exhaust device of the substrate processing apparatus provided with the processing chamber for a large substrate, the number of vacuum pumps is increased, and the vacuum processing is performed for a large processing chamber in a short time. The state is to be obtained. Even in a vacuum exhaust device including a plurality of vacuum pumps, power consumption during standby operation can be suppressed by using an auxiliary pump.

However, in the case where auxiliary pumps are formed for a plurality of vacuum pumps, the number of auxiliary pumps increases, so that equipment cost may be increased beyond suppressing power consumption. It is difficult to apply. In addition, in the case of connecting one auxiliary pump to a plurality of vacuum pumps, in addition to the installation cost of the auxiliary pump itself, there is a possibility that the installation cost such as piping for a plurality of vacuum pumps may be increased. It is a fact that it is difficult to apply to the vacuum exhaust apparatus which has.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-155988 Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2003-139054

This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and an object of this invention is to provide the vacuum exhaust apparatus and the vacuum exhaust method which can suppress the power consumption of several vacuum pumps, without using an auxiliary pump.

Moreover, this invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and an object of this invention is to provide the substrate processing apparatus provided with the vacuum exhaust apparatus which can suppress the power consumption of several vacuum pumps, without using an auxiliary pump.

The vacuum exhaust device of the present invention according to claim 1 for achieving the above object is a plurality of vacuum pumps connected in parallel to a processing chamber to bring the processing chamber into a predetermined vacuum state, and the exhaust side of the vacuum pump communicating with the plurality of vacuum pumps. An auxiliary pipe connecting the collecting pipe, the intake side of the at least one vacuum pump and the exhaust collecting pipe, and switching means for switching the flow path on the intake side of the at least one vacuum pump to the processing chamber side or the auxiliary pipe side. Characterized in that provided.

In this invention which concerns on Claim 1, when performing the operation | movement which maintains an existing vacuum pressure state, at least one vacuum pump communicates with the exhaust collection pipe side the intake side flow path of at least one said vacuum pump by a switching means. By this, the volume part of the last stage of another vacuum pump is exhausted, and the load by the conveyance of the gas in another vacuum pump is approximated to zero. As a result, by the operation of the switching means, it becomes possible to suppress power consumption of a plurality of vacuum pumps without using an auxiliary pump.

In a processing chamber that processes a large glass substrate such as a flat panel display, several to several dozen vacuum pumps are formed in parallel, but even in such a case, in order to perform the operation of maintaining the existing vacuum pressure state, By exhausting the volume part of the last stage of another vacuum pump with a vacuum pump, the power consumption of another vacuum pump can be suppressed significantly. That is, the power consumption can be suppressed in the same manner as when the auxiliary pump is used individually for each vacuum pump.

For example, in the case where the present application is applied to a vacuum exhaust device in which 10 vacuum pumps are connected in parallel, 10 auxiliary pumps costing hundreds of thousands of yen are omitted, that is, in the state of reducing the cost of millions of yen As a result, the power consumption can be suppressed to the same extent as when the auxiliary pump is used. In other words, in the case of the vacuum pump accompanied by the operation for reducing the volume of the final stage while maintaining the existing vacuum pressure state, for example, power consumption of 7.5 Kw was required, but the volume of the final stage was exhausted. In this case, the power consumption is, for example, 2.5 Kw. Therefore, when the operation | movement which maintains the existing vacuum pressure state is carried out by reducing the installation cost of millions of yen, it becomes possible to suppress 5 kW of electric power with respect to one vacuum pump, for example.

The vacuum exhaust apparatus of the present invention according to claim 2 is the vacuum exhaust apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vacuum pump is connected to the processing chamber by an intake pipe, and the switching means is the intake pipe. The intake pipe is provided with an exhaust control valve for opening and closing the flow path of the gas passage, the auxiliary pipe is connected to the intake pipe downstream of the exhaust control valve, and the flow path of the auxiliary pipe is closed by opening and closing the exhaust control valve. (I) An auxiliary exhaust valve is provided in the auxiliary pipe.

In the present invention according to claim 2, by controlling the opening and closing of the exhaust regulating valve and the auxiliary exhaust valve, it is possible to exhaust the volume portion of the final stage of the other vacuum pump by at least one vacuum pump. For this reason, the power consumption of several vacuum pump can be suppressed by simple operation.

Moreover, in the vacuum exhaust apparatus of this invention which concerns on Claim 3, the vacuum exhaust apparatus of any one of Claim 1 or 2 WHEREIN: The exhaust side of the said vacuum pump other than the said at least one vacuum pump is said to be said by an exhaust pipe, A vacuum holding valve is connected to the exhaust collecting pipe, and the exhaust pipe is provided with a vacuum holding valve which is opened and closed in conjunction with opening and closing of the auxiliary exhaust valve.

In this invention which concerns on Claim 3, after exhausting the volume part of the last stage of another vacuum pump by at least one vacuum pump, the exhaust pipe is closed by the vacuum holding valve, and the exhaust side of the volume part of the last stage of another vacuum pump is closed. The flow path is maintained in a vacuum state, and the load at the next exhaust of the volume portion of the final stage can be minimized.

Moreover, the vacuum exhaust apparatus of this invention which concerns on Claim 4 is equipped with the pressure reduction means which reduces the exhaust side of the said at least one vacuum pump in the vacuum exhaust apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-3. It is done.

In the present invention according to claim 4, by the decompression means, the volume portion of the final stage of the at least one vacuum pump can be exhausted, and power consumption of the at least one vacuum pump can be suppressed.

Moreover, the vacuum exhaust apparatus of this invention which concerns on Claim 5 is a vacuum exhaust apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-4, Comprising: The pressure detection means which detects the pressure state of the said process chamber side, The said switching means Is operated based on the detection information of the pressure detecting means.

In the present invention according to claim 5, the switching means can be operated in accordance with the pressure state on the processing chamber side, and the operation of the vacuum pump can be controlled in accordance with the actual pressure state. The pressure state of the process chamber side can also detect the pressure in a process chamber, and can also detect the pressure in the collection pipe of the intake side of several vacuum pump.

In the vacuum evacuation method of the present invention according to claim 6 for achieving the above object, the vacuum pump for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the process chamber when the process chamber is a predetermined vacuum state by a plurality of vacuum pumps arranged in parallel At the time of the operation, the at least one vacuum pump exhausts the atmospheric opening volume portion on the exhaust side of the other vacuum pump.

In the present invention according to claim 6, the auxiliary pump is not used by exhausting the atmospheric opening volume portion on the exhaust side of the other vacuum pump by the at least one vacuum pump when performing the operation of maintaining the vacuum pressure state. The power consumption of a plurality of vacuum pumps can be suppressed without.

Moreover, the vacuum evacuation method of this invention which concerns on Claim 7 makes the said process chamber into a predetermined vacuum state at the time of the operation of the said vacuum pump for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the said process chamber in the vacuum evacuation method of Claim 6. The said other vacuum pump is operated by the rotation speed lower than the rotation speed at the time of operation.

In the present invention according to claim 7, the other vacuum pump in the standby state is controlled at a rotational speed lower than the rotational speed during operation in which the processing chamber is in a predetermined vacuum state, so that power consumption of the vacuum pump can be suppressed.

Moreover, in the vacuum exhaust method of this invention which concerns on Claim 8, in the vacuum exhaust method of Claim 7, the rotation speed of the said other vacuum pump at the time of the operation of the said vacuum pump for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the said process chamber is It is a rotation speed which can make the said process chamber into a predetermined vacuum state within predetermined return time.

In the present invention according to claim 8, the other vacuum pump in the standby state is controlled by the rotational speed of the standby operation which can bring the process chamber into the vacuum state within a predetermined return time, thereby rotating the vacuum pump at the minimum rotational speed. It is possible to suppress power consumption.

The substrate processing apparatus of this invention which concerns on Claim 9 for achieving the said objective is provided with the substrate processing chamber in which a board | substrate is carried in and a predetermined process is performed, The said of the vacuum exhaust apparatus of any one of Claims 1-5. A plurality of vacuum pumps are connected in parallel to the substrate processing chamber.

In this invention which concerns on Claim 9, it becomes the board | substrate processing apparatus provided with the vacuum exhaust apparatus which can suppress the power consumption of several vacuum pumps without using an auxiliary pump by operation | movement of a switching means.

Moreover, the substrate processing apparatus of this invention which concerns on Claim 10 is equipped with the 2nd substrate processing chamber in which the board | substrate from the said substrate processing apparatus is carried in and the predetermined process is performed in the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 9, Comprising: A second vacuum pump is connected to the second substrate processing chamber, one of the vacuum pumps and an intake side of the second vacuum pump are connected in parallel, and a flow path selecting means is connected to one of the vacuum pumps and the second vacuum pump. Characterized in that provided.

In the present invention according to claim 10, even when a problem occurs in the second vacuum pump that makes the second substrate processing chamber a vacuum, one of the vacuum pumps is connected by connecting one of the vacuum pumps to the second substrate processing chamber by a flow path selecting means. It can apply for the vacuum maintenance of a 2nd substrate processing chamber.

In the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention according to claim 11, in the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, an exhaust side of the second vacuum pump is communicated with the exhaust collection tube, and the exhaust gas is discharged by at least one vacuum pump. The fluid on the exhaust side of the second vacuum pump is discharged through the collecting pipe.

In the present invention according to claim 11, when the operation for maintaining the vacuum pressure state at the time of the standby operation of the second vacuum pump or the like is performed, the exhaust pump can exhaust the volume on the exhaust side of the second vacuum pump. Power consumption for exhausting 2 vacuum pumps can be suppressed.

The vacuum exhaust device and the vacuum exhaust method of the present invention can suppress power consumption of a plurality of vacuum pumps without using an auxiliary pump.

Moreover, the substrate processing apparatus of this invention becomes a substrate processing apparatus provided with the vacuum exhaust apparatus which can suppress the power consumption of several vacuum pumps, without using an auxiliary pump.

1 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment example of the present invention.
3 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a schematic system diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a state graph of the pump rotation speed.
11 is a graph of power consumption.

In the embodiment shown below, as a substrate processing apparatus, processing chambers, such as a heating apparatus, a plasma CVD apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, and a dry etching apparatus, which process a large glass substrate, are arranged in series, and the process chamber (rod of one end) The lock chamber: the in-line type | mold type processing apparatus which carries in and takes out a board | substrate from a substrate processing chamber) is demonstrated as an example. Then, a plurality of vacuum pumps are connected in parallel to the load lock chamber, and the interior of the plurality of processing chambers including the load lock chamber is brought to a predetermined vacuum state by the driving of the vacuum pump.

As a substrate processing apparatus to which this invention is applied, it is not limited to the in-line type | mold type | mold processing apparatus shown in the Example, The board | substrate is equipped with the board | substrate conveyance common chamber in the center part, and the board | substrate provided with several substrate processing chambers in the periphery of the board | substrate supply chamber. You may apply the processing apparatus and the batch type substrate processing apparatus which performs a batch process in one process chamber.

An example of embodiment of this invention is demonstrated based on FIG.

1 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a third embodiment of the present invention. A schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to an example, FIG. 4 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment example of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment example of the present invention. 6 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The schematic system of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on the example is shown.

9 is a schematic system of a substrate processing apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relationship between power consumption and return time with respect to rotation speed of a vacuum pump, and FIG. The graph which shows the change of power consumption of is shown.

Moreover, is it Embodiment 1? About the member of 9th Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same member and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

The example of 1st Embodiment is demonstrated based on FIG.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 shown is a vertical processing apparatus which processes a large glass substrate (substrate: For example, a flat panel display) hold | maintained substantially vertically, The load lock chamber 2 and the heating chamber ( 3) The 1st process chamber 4, the 2nd process chamber 5, the 3rd process chamber 6, and the 4th process chamber 7 are inline type apparatuses connected and comprised in order. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, a path and a path for transporting the substrate are formed from the load lock chamber 2 to the fourth processing chamber 7.

The board | substrate carried in the load lock chamber 2 is maintained in the vacuum state in the load lock chamber 2, and is heated in the heating chamber 3, and is sequentially from the 1st processing chamber 4 to the 4th processing chamber 7 It conveys, a path is reversed, it returns to the load lock chamber 2, passes through the 1st processing chamber 4 and the heating chamber 3 from the 4th processing chamber 7, and is carried out.

The vacuum exhaust device 11 is connected to the load lock chamber 2, and the interior of the plurality of processing chambers including the load lock chamber 2 is brought into a predetermined vacuum state by the vacuum exhaust device 11. Each processing chamber becomes a large-capacity processing chamber corresponding to a large substrate, and in order to maintain the exhaust speed at a predetermined speed, a plurality of vacuum pumps 12 (10 in the illustrated example) are provided in parallel in the vacuum exhaust apparatus 11. It is.

The vacuum exhaust apparatus 11 is demonstrated.

One end of the vacuum pipe 13 is connected to the load lock chamber 2, and the other end of the vacuum pipe 13 is connected to the intake air collecting tube 14. Intake pipes 15 are respectively connected to the intake side of the ten vacuum pumps 12, and the intake pipes 15 are connected to the intake collection pipe 14. That is, the ten vacuum pumps 12 are connected in parallel with the substrate processing apparatus 1 by each intake pipe 15, one intake collection pipe 14, and the vacuum piping 13.

The ten vacuum pumps 12 are volumetric dry pumps, for example, and the exhaust system 17 provided with the silencer 16 is connected to the volume part (volume chamber) of the last stage. By simultaneously driving ten vacuum pumps 12, in each vacuum pump 12, the fluid from the intake side sequentially transfers the volume chamber to the exhaust side, and is exhausted from the last volume chamber to the exhaust system 17. do. Thereby, a desired vacuum state can be obtained.

In the above-mentioned vacuum exhaust apparatus 11, when performing the operation (waiting operation) which maintains an existing vacuum state, the other vacuum pump 12 by one vacuum pump 12a (5th from the right side in drawing) is performed. The volume chamber of the last stage of () is exhausted, and the vacuum of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 is hold | maintained. Thereby, the power of the other vacuum pump 12 at the time of standby operation becomes a mechanical loss only because there is no fluid transfer in theory, and it can drastically reduce the power consumption of the vacuum pump 12 without using an auxiliary pump etc. Can be.

In addition, the pump for holding the vacuum of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 can also use the other vacuum pump 12 together with the vacuum pump 12a.

The structure for holding the vacuum of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 by one vacuum pump 12a is demonstrated.

One end of the exhaust pipe 18 is connected to the volume chamber (exhaust side) of the final stage of the vacuum pump 12 (except the vacuum pump 12a), and the exhaust collecting pipe 19 to which the other end of the exhaust pipe 18 is connected. ) Is provided. On the other hand, on and off valves 21 of the vacuum pump 12 (including the vacuum pump 12a) are formed with open / close valves 21, respectively, and the open / close valves of the vacuum pump 12a serve as exhaust control valves 21a. It is. An auxiliary pipe 22 is formed over the vacuum pump 12a side of the exhaust control valve 21a and the exhaust collection pipe 19, and an auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is formed on the auxiliary pipe 22 (switching means). .

The auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is opened and closed in conjunction with the operation in which the exhaust control valve 21a (opening and closing valve 21) is opened and closed. In other words, when the exhaust control valve 21a (opening and closing valve 21) is opened, the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is closed, and the substrate processing apparatus 1 is driven by driving all of the vacuum pumps 12. It becomes a vacuum state. In the standby operation, the exhaust control valve 21a (opening and closing valve 21) is closed, and the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is opened, and the fluid in the volume chamber at the final stage of the other vacuum pump 12 is It exhausts by the one vacuum pump 12a through the exhaust pipe 18, the exhaust collection pipe 19, and the auxiliary piping 22, and a vacuum state is maintained.

In addition, a pressure detecting means (pressure sensor) 24 is formed in the intake collecting tube 14, and the opening and closing operation of the exhaust regulating valve 21a (opening and closing valve 21) is based on the detection information of the pressure detecting means 24. And the closing operation of the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is controlled. In short, the decompression operation is controlled based on the actual pressure (vacuum degree: vacuum degree of the substrate processing apparatus 1) of the intake collection tube 14.

Moreover, the pressure detection means is formed in the appropriate place of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The degree of vacuum on the substrate processing apparatus 1 side can be directly detected to control the operation of the vacuum exhaust device 11.

The function of the substrate processing apparatus 1 provided with the vacuum exhaust apparatus 11 mentioned above is demonstrated.

Substrates, such as a flat panel display carried in the load lock chamber 2, are maintained in the vacuum state in the load lock chamber 2, and are heated in the heating chamber 3, and the 4th processing chamber in the 1st processing chamber 4 is carried out. It is conveyed to (7) one by one, a path is reversed, it returns to the load lock chamber 2, passes through the 1st processing chamber 4 and the heating chamber 3 from the 4th processing chamber 7, and is carried out. In the meantime, the necessary processing is performed in the vacuum processing chamber.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 is in a predetermined vacuum state in the processing chamber by the vacuum exhaust device 11. When the operation | movement which obtains the vacuum state required for a process is performed, while the exhaust control valve 21a (opening / closing valve 21) opens, the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 will close and it will drive the drive of the 10 vacuum pumps 12. The substrate processing apparatus 1 is brought into a predetermined vacuum state (vacuum state according to the process).

When performing the operation (standby operation) which maintains an existing vacuum state, such as at the time of conveyance of a board | substrate, the exhaust control valve 21a (opening / closing valve 21) is closed and the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is opened, Fluid in the volume chamber of the final stage of the vacuum pump 12 other than the one vacuum pump 12a is transferred by the vacuum pump 12a through the exhaust pipe 18, the exhaust collecting pipe 19, and the auxiliary pipe 22. Exhaust is maintained to maintain a vacuum.

Thereby, the process chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 at the time of atmospheric operation is not opened to air | atmosphere, and the other vacuum pump 12 does not need the power to depressurize the process chamber of the last stage from the atmosphere to vacuum. For this reason, the power of the vacuum pump 12 is theoretically only a mechanical loss without fluid transfer, and can significantly suppress the power consumption of the vacuum pump 12 without forming an auxiliary pump or the like.

In the substrate processing apparatus 1 which processes a large glass substrate like a flat panel display, 10 vacuum pumps 12 are formed in parallel, for example, but even in such a case, one vacuum is used at the time of standby operation. By exhausting the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 by the pump 12a, the power consumption of the other vacuum pump 12 can be suppressed significantly.

That is, power consumption can be suppressed similarly to the case where an auxiliary pump is used individually for each vacuum pump 12. And the power consumption of the some vacuum pump 12 can be suppressed by the simple operation which only needs to control the opening and closing of the exhaust control valve 21a and the auxiliary exhaust valve 23. FIG.

A second embodiment example will be described based on FIG. 2.

The vacuum exhaust device 31 of the second embodiment has a configuration in which a vacuum holding valve 27 is provided in the exhaust pipe 18 of the vacuum exhaust device 11 shown in FIG. 1. The vacuum holding valve 27 is opened and closed in conjunction with the auxiliary exhaust valve 23.

That is, when the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is opened, the vacuum holding valve 27 is opened to exhaust the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 by one vacuum pump 12a, and the auxiliary exhaust is performed. When the valve 23 is closed, the vacuum holding valve 27 is closed so that the vacuum state of the volume chamber of the last stage is maintained at the time of the operation by all the vacuum pumps 12.

For this reason, after exhausting the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 by one vacuum pump 12a, the exhaust pipe 18 is closed by the vacuum holding valve 27, and the auxiliary exhaust valve ( The flow path including the auxiliary pipe 22 between the 23 and the vacuum holding valve 27 is maintained in a vacuum state, and the volume chamber is minimized when the discharge of the volume chamber at the final stage is minimized. Can be performed with good response.

A third embodiment example will be described based on FIG. 3.

The vacuum exhaust device 32 of the third embodiment has a configuration in which the decompression means 29 is provided on the exhaust side of one vacuum pump 12a of the vacuum exhaust device 11 shown in FIG. 1. That is, the decompression means 29 depressurizes the volume chamber of the last stage of one vacuum pump 12a, and the power which pressure-reduces the process chamber of the last stage in the vacuum pump 12a from air | atmosphere to a vacuum is unnecessary.

For this reason, the power of one vacuum pump 12a is theoretically only a mechanical loss without conveying fluid, and the power consumption of all the vacuum pumps 12 can be significantly suppressed.

A fourth embodiment example will be described based on FIG. 4.

The vacuum exhaust device 33 of the fourth embodiment has a configuration including the vacuum holding valve 27 shown in FIG. 2 and the decompression means 29 shown in FIG. 3. For this reason, while the vacuum state at the start of the exhaust operation of the volume chamber of the last stage by one vacuum pump 12a is maintained, the power consumption of all the vacuum pumps 12 can be significantly reduced.

A fifth embodiment will be described based on FIG. 5.

The vacuum evacuation device 34 of the fifth embodiment has an auxiliary pipe 22 connected to the intake pipe 15 of the vacuum pump 12b adjacent to the vacuum pump 12a of the vacuum evacuation device 11 shown in FIG. 1. The branch pipe 22b is connected, and the open / close valve 28 is provided in the exhaust pipe 18b. That is, as a backup of the vacuum pump 12a, the adjacent vacuum pump 12b is set as the pump which exhausts the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12. As shown in FIG.

When a problem occurs in the vacuum pump 12a, the auxiliary exhaust valve 23 is closed, the auxiliary exhaust valve 23b of the branch pipe 22b is opened, and the opening / closing valve 28 is closed to thereby close the adjacent vacuum. By the pump 12b, the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12 is exhausted. For this reason, even if a problem arises in the vacuum pump 12a, the power consumption of the vacuum pump 12 can be suppressed reliably.

A sixth embodiment example will be described based on FIG. 6.

The vacuum exhaust device 35 of the sixth embodiment has a configuration in which the vacuum holding valve 27 shown in FIG. 2 and the adjacent vacuum pump 12b are used as the backup shown in FIG. 5.

Therefore, the exhaust operation of the volume chamber can be performed with a good response with a minimum load when exhausting the volume chamber of the final stage next, and the vacuum pump 12a has a problem even if a problem occurs in the vacuum pump 12a. It is possible to reliably suppress the power consumption of (12).

A seventh embodiment example will be described based on FIG. 7.

The vacuum exhaust device 36 of the seventh embodiment further includes an adjacent vacuum in addition to the configuration in which the decompression means 29 illustrated in FIG. 3 and the adjacent vacuum pump 12b are used as the backup illustrated in FIG. 5 are combined. It has the structure provided with the auxiliary pressure reduction means 30 which exhausts the volume chamber of the last stage of the pump 12b.

For this reason, even if a problem arises in the vacuum pump 12a, the power consumption of the vacuum pump 12 can be suppressed reliably, and all the vacuum pumps 12 including the vacuum pump 12a and the vacuum pump 12b are The power consumption can be suppressed.

An eighth embodiment example will be described based on FIG. 8.

The vacuum exhaust device 37 of the eighth embodiment includes the vacuum holding valve 27 shown in FIG. 2, the pressure reducing means 29 shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum pump 12b adjacent to the backup, and the auxiliary pressure reducing means 30. It is composed of the sum.

For this reason, the exhaust operation of the volume chamber can be performed with good responsiveness by minimizing the load at the time of exhausting the volume chamber of the last stage later, and even if a problem arises in the vacuum pump 12a, the vacuum pump 12 Can be surely suppressed, and the power consumption of all the vacuum pumps 12 including the vacuum pump 12a and the vacuum pump 12b can be suppressed.

A ninth embodiment example will be described based on FIGS. 9 to 11.

The vacuum exhaust device 38 of the ninth embodiment has a configuration in which the auxiliary pressure reducing means 30 is omitted with respect to the vacuum exhaust device 37 shown in FIG. 8. In addition, one of the heating chamber 3, the first processing chamber 4, the second processing chamber 5, the third processing chamber 6, and the fourth processing chamber 7 as the second substrate processing chamber is connected via a vacuum pipe 40. Second vacuum pump 41 is connected.

The on-off valve 42 of the intake side of the second vacuum pump 41 is provided with an on-off valve 42, and by opening the on-off valve 42 to drive one second vacuum pump 41, the heating chamber ( 3) The inside of the 1st processing chamber 4, the 2nd processing chamber 5, the 3rd processing chamber 6, and the 4th processing chamber 7 becomes a vacuum state, and becomes a vacuum atmosphere required for process processing.

The vacuum piping 40 at the upstream side of the on-off valve 42 is connected to the intake collection tube 14 (one of the vacuum pumps 12) that holds the load lock chamber 2 in a predetermined vacuum state, The flow path selecting means 43 for switching the flow path is formed in the connecting portion. Moreover, it is connected to the intake pipe of one of the vacuum pumps 12 (vacuum pump 12s), and the connection part is provided with the flow path selecting means 43. As shown in FIG. The volume chamber (exhaust side) of the last stage of the 2nd vacuum pump 41 is connected to the exhaust collection pipe 19 via the vacuum holding valve 27 by the exhaust pipe 18.

When a problem occurs in the second vacuum pump 41, the flow chamber 3, the first processing chamber (s) by the vacuum pump 12s by switching the flow path to the vacuum pump 12s side by the flow path selecting means 43. 4), the inside of the 2nd processing chamber 5, the 3rd processing chamber 6, and the 4th processing chamber 7 can be made into a vacuum state. For this reason, even in the case of emergency, the vacuum atmosphere required for process processing can be maintained, and the heating chamber 3, the 1st processing chamber 4, the 2nd processing chamber 5, the 3rd processing chamber 6, and the 4th processing chamber ( It becomes possible to continue the process in 7).

And since the volume chamber (exhaust side) of the last stage of the 2nd vacuum pump 41 is connected to the vacuum pump 12a by the exhaust collection pipe 19 and the auxiliary piping 22, it connects to the vacuum pump 12a. Thereby, the volume chamber of the last stage of the 2nd vacuum pump 41 can be exhausted. Thereby, the power of the 2nd vacuum pump 41 at the time of standby operation | movement becomes a mechanical loss only because there is no fluid transfer in theory, and can reduce a power consumption drastically.

The rotation control of the vacuum pump 12 is demonstrated based on FIG.

In the case of carrying out the process treatment by the substrate processing apparatus 1, the load lock chamber 2, the heating chamber 3, and the first processing chamber 4 are driven by driving the vacuum pump 12 and the second vacuum pump 41. ), The second processing chamber 5, the third processing chamber 6, and the fourth processing chamber 7 are in a predetermined vacuum state.

In the case of performing the operation (standby operation) which maintains the existing vacuum state, one vacuum pump 12a discharges the volume chamber of the last stage of the other vacuum pump 12, and the other vacuum pump 12 The vacuum of the last stage is maintained. In this case, rotation of the other vacuum pump 12 is controlled by the rotation speed lower than the rotation speed at the time of the operation which makes the load lock chamber 2 into a predetermined vacuum state. That is, the rotation speed at the time of the operation of the vacuum pump 12 for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the load lock chamber 2 can make the load lock chamber 2 into a predetermined vacuum state within predetermined return time. It is set to the minimum number of revolutions.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 is high, the return time for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the load lock chamber 2 is 0 second. Moreover, when the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 exists in the predetermined range (between T1 rpm and T3 rpm in drawing), the return time to return to the state which maintains the vacuum pressure of the load lock chamber 2 does not have a big change. . And when the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 is low, the return time to return to the state which maintains the vacuum pressure of the load lock chamber 2 becomes long (it exceeds the dotted line in drawing).

Although it is preferable that the return time for returning to the state which maintains the vacuum pressure of the load lock chamber 2 is fast, since the board | substrate processing apparatus 1 is many apparatuses operating, it is not necessary to make return time into 0 second, and it is predetermined | prescribed. If it is within a return time, it will not affect substrate processing. For this reason, the rotation speed (near T2 rpm in drawing) of the vacuum pump 12 in the shortest return time is made in the rotation speed (T1 rpm-T3 rpm in drawing) of the range which hardly changes a return time. The pump 12 is operated at the rotational speed.

For this reason, when performing standby operation, the vacuum pump 12 can be rotated by the minimum rotation speed, and power consumption can be suppressed.

Based on FIG. 11, the situation of the power consumption at the time of controlling rotation of the vacuum pump 12 at predetermined return time is demonstrated.

As shown by the solid line in the figure, when the standby operation is performed at time t1, the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 is lowered to the rotation speed in the shortest return time, and the power consumption is lowered to P1. As shown by the dotted line in the figure, when the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 is controlled at the rotation speed at the time of the operation which makes the load lock chamber 2 into a predetermined vacuum state, power consumption falls only to P2 higher than P1. do.

Moreover, when the vacuum pump 12 is returned to the rotational speed at the time of operation which makes a predetermined | prescribed vacuum state from standby operation, since it will return from a low rotational speed, the rotational speed will not become too high and it will be at time t2 in the figure. As indicated by the dotted line, it is possible to suppress the temporary increase in power consumption.

For this reason, the power consumption of one waiting period (time to return) from time t1 to time t2 can be reduced significantly, and it becomes possible to contribute to the effective consumption of energy.

In addition, although the control of the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 mentioned above was given and demonstrated the example applied to the vacuum exhaust apparatus 38 of 9th Embodiment, the vacuum exhaust apparatus of 1st Embodiment Example-8th Embodiment Example. It can apply also to control of the rotation speed of the vacuum pump 12 in.

The above-described vacuum exhaust device can suppress power consumption of a plurality of vacuum pumps 12 without using an auxiliary pump.

Moreover, the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus becomes a substrate processing apparatus provided with the vacuum exhaust apparatus which can suppress the power consumption of the several vacuum pump 12, without using an auxiliary pump.

Industrial availability

Industrial Applicability The present invention can be used in the industrial field of a vacuum exhaust device and a vacuum exhaust method for evacuating a processing chamber in a vacuum state.

Moreover, this invention can be used in the industrial field of the substrate processing apparatus with which the vacuum exhaust apparatus was connected.

1: substrate processing apparatus
2: load lock room
3: Heating chamber
4: first treatment chamber
5: second processing chamber
6: third processing chamber
7: fourth processing chamber
11, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38: vacuum exhaust device
12, 12a, 12b: vacuum pump
13, 40: vacuum piping
14: intake collecting tube
15: intake pipe
16: silencer
17: exhaust system
18, 18b: exhaust pipe
19 exhaust pipe
21: on-off valve
21a: exhaust control valve
22: auxiliary piping
23: auxiliary exhaust valve
24: pressure detection means
27: vacuum holding valve
28, 42: on-off valve
29: decompression means
30: auxiliary decompression means
41: second vacuum pump

Claims (11)

A plurality of vacuum pumps connected in parallel to the processing chamber to bring the processing chamber into a predetermined vacuum state;
An exhaust collection pipe communicating with the exhaust side of the vacuum pump,
An auxiliary pipe connecting the intake side of the at least one vacuum pump and the exhaust collection pipe;
And a switching means for switching the flow path on the intake side of the at least one vacuum pump on the processing chamber side or the auxiliary piping side. The method of claim 1,
The at least one vacuum pump is connected to the processing chamber by an intake pipe,
The switching means,
An exhaust control valve for opening and closing the flow path of the intake pipe is provided in the intake pipe,
The auxiliary pipe is connected to the intake pipe downstream of the exhaust control valve;
And an auxiliary exhaust valve for closing the flow path of the auxiliary pipe in accordance with the opening and closing of the exhaust adjustment valve. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The exhaust side of the vacuum pump other than the at least one vacuum pump is connected to the exhaust collection pipe by an exhaust pipe,
The exhaust pipe is a vacuum exhaust device, characterized in that the vacuum holding valve which is opened and closed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the auxiliary exhaust valve. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
And a decompression means for depressurizing the exhaust side of the at least one vacuum pump. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A pressure detecting means for detecting a pressure state on the processing chamber side,
And said switching means is operated based on the detection information of said pressure detecting means. At the time of operating the vacuum pump for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the processing chamber when the processing chamber is set to a predetermined vacuum state by a plurality of vacuum pumps arranged in parallel, at least one of the vacuum pumps may be used. A vacuum exhaust method comprising evacuating the air opening volume portion on the exhaust side. The method according to claim 6,
In the operation of the vacuum pump for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the processing chamber, the other vacuum pump is operated at a rotational speed lower than the rotation speed at the time of operating the processing chamber in a predetermined vacuum state. . The method of claim 7, wherein
The rotation speed of another said vacuum pump at the time of the operation of the said vacuum pump for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the said process chamber is
The vacuum exhaust method characterized by the number of rotations which can make the said process chamber into a predetermined vacuum state within a predetermined return time. A board | substrate is carried in and the board | substrate process chamber to which predetermined process is performed is provided, The said several vacuum pump of the vacuum exhaust apparatus of any one of Claims 1-5 was connected in parallel to the said substrate process chamber, It characterized by the above-mentioned. Substrate processing apparatus. The method of claim 9,
A second substrate processing chamber into which a substrate from the substrate processing apparatus is carried in and a predetermined process is performed;
A second vacuum pump is connected to the second substrate processing chamber,
One of the vacuum pumps and an intake side of the second vacuum pump are connected in parallel,
A substrate processing apparatus comprising a flow path selecting means at a connection portion of one of the vacuum pumps and the second vacuum pump. 11. The method of claim 10,
The exhaust side of the second vacuum pump communicates with the exhaust collection pipe,
And a fluid on the exhaust side of the second vacuum pump is discharged through the exhaust collection pipe by at least one vacuum pump.

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