WO2015158384A1

WO2015158384A1 - Load lock chamber for a vacuum processing system and vacuum processing system

Info

Publication number: WO2015158384A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/057804
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio Pieralisi; Thomas Gebele
Original assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
Priority date: 2014-04-16
Filing date: 2014-04-16
Publication date: 2015-10-22
Also published as: CN106232863A; JP2017514305A; KR102261651B1; CN106232863B; TW201606901A; KR20160145164A

Abstract

A load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) for a vacuum processing system is described. The load lock chamber includes load lock walls forming a load lock chamber volume and a vacuum generating device (425) for evacuating the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber further includes a particle trap (127; 427; 527) being located at least at one wall (430; 528; 529; 530; 531) of the load lock chamber. Further, a processing system including a load lock chamber and a processing chamber is described.

Description

LOAD LOCK CHAMBER FOR A VACUUM PROCESSING SYSTEM AND

VACUUM PROCESSING SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a load lock chamber and a vacuum processing system. Embodiments of the present invention particularly relate to a load lock chamber for a vacuum processing system and a vacuum processing system for processing a substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Substrates are often coated, for example, in vacuum coating plants, under high- vacuum conditions, at pressures within the range of 5*10^"4 hPa to 0.5 hPa. In order to increase the plant productivity and to avoid the requirement of having to evacuate the entire installation for each substrate and, especially, the high- vacuum section, load and unload locks are used for the substrates. [0003] In order to improve the material flux rate and increase the productivity in modern inline coating plants, separate load and unload lock chambers are being used. A simple so- called 3-chamber coating unit consists of a load lock, in which the substrate is pumped from atmospheric pressure to an adequate transition pressure of, for example, between p=l*10^" hPa to p= 1.0 hPa, of a sequential vacuum coating section (process chamber) and an unload lock, in which, by means of venting, said substrate is again adjusted to the atmospheric pressure level.

[0004] The task of load lock chambers is to evacuate to a sufficient and low enough transition pressure to the process range as quickly as possible. The task of unload lock chambers is to vent as quickly as possible to atmospheric pressure. Then, after the substrate is unloaded from the unload lock chamber, the load lock chamber is evacuated again. [0005] At the same time, the wish for less contamination during a vacuum process has increased in the last few years. For instance, when producing displays, the acceptance of contamination with particles has decreased and the standard of quality, and also the quality expected by the customer, has increased. Contamination may for instance occur, if the chambers of a processing system are not properly evacuated to vacuum, if transport system or components in the process system produce particles during the process, if the substrate to be processed introduces particles into the evacuated process system, and the like. Thus, there is a plurality of possible contamination particle sources in the deposition system during operation, which influences the product quality. Cleaning and exchanging components as well as continuous vacuum pumping in the process system is a way to reduce the contamination risk of the product. Nevertheless, as stated above, the process has to be performed in the fastest possible and most efficient way. Cleaning and exchanging procedures take time for maintenance which then cannot be used for production time.

[0006] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum processing system and a load lock chamber for a vacuum processing chamber that overcome at least some of the problems in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In light of the above, a load lock chamber for a vacuum processing system and a vacuum processing system according to the independent claims are provided. Further aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention are apparent from the dependent claims, the description, and the accompanying drawings.

[0008] According to one embodiment, a load lock chamber for a vacuum processing system is provided. The load lock chamber includes load lock walls forming a load lock chamber volume; a vacuum generating device for evacuating the load lock chamber; and a particle trap being located at least at one wall of the load lock chamber.

[0009] According to another embodiment, vacuum processing system for processing a substrate is provided. The vacuum processing system includes a vacuum processing chamber, which is adapted for processing the substrate; and a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein, which is configured for transferring the substrate from atmospheric conditions into the vacuum processing chamber.

[0010] According to a further embodiment, vacuum processing system for processing a substrate is provided. The vacuum processing system includes a vacuum load lock chamber having load lock chamber walls and including a first vacuum sealable valve for providing an inlet for the substrate into the vacuum load lock chamber, and a second vacuum sealable valve for providing an outlet for the substrate out of the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber further includes a substrate transport system for transporting the substrate. The vacuum processing system further includes a vacuum processing chamber including one or more process component(s) for performing a process to the substrate, wherein the load lock chamber and the processing chamber are coupled to each other with the second vacuum sealable valve so that the substrate to be processed can be transferred from the load lock chamber through the second vacuum sealable valve to the processing chamber by the substrate transport system. Further, the vacuum processing system includes a particle trap being located at least at one wall of the load lock chamber.

[0011] Embodiments are also directed at apparatuses for carrying out the disclosed methods and include apparatus parts for performing each described method step. These method steps may be performed by way of hardware components, a computer programmed by appropriate software, by any combination of the two or in any other manner. Furthermore, embodiments according to the invention are also directed at methods by which the described apparatus operates. It includes method steps for carrying out every function of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments. The accompanying drawings relate to embodiments of the invention and are described in the following: shows a load lock chamber connected to a processing chamber according to embodiments described herein; Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an example desorption / outgassing rate of a particle trap material in a vacuum chamber according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the pressure over time during pump down of a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 4 shows a load lock chamber connected to a processing chamber according to embodiments described herein; and

Fig. 5 shows a processing system with a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0013] Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. Within the following description of the drawings, the same reference numbers refer to same components. Generally, only the differences with respect to individual embodiments are described. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention and is not meant as a limitation of the invention. Further, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on or in conjunction with other embodiments to yield yet a further embodiment. It is intended that the description includes such modifications and variations.

[0014] Furthermore, in the following description, a load lock chamber should be understood as a chamber for a vacuum processing system. According to embodiments described herein, a load lock chamber may provide a transition chamber from atmospheric conditions to low pressure or vacuum. For instance, the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may have a substrate inlet for receiving a substrate being delivered in atmospheric conditions, and a substrate outlet, which is adapted for being connected to a vacuum chamber, such as a processing chamber. The load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may be evacuatable to vacuum, and may include respective equipment, such as vacuum pumps. Further, the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may have a substrate transport system for transporting the substrate within the load lock chamber and/or to a vacuum (e.g. processing) chamber. The load lock chamber can have a vacuum sealable valve at the substrate inlet and at the substrate outlet. According to different embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, a vacuum sealable valve can be provided from the group consisting of a gate valve, a slit valve, and a slot valve.

[0015] The term "particle trap" as used herein should be understood as a device being able to capture particles in a vacuum chamber, such as dust particles, particles generated by wear of moving parts from a chamber component, particles generated during the deposition process, particles introduced to the vacuum chamber by a substrate and/or carrier, and the like. In particular, the particle trap as referred to herein may be a passive particle trap, which especially means that the particle trap does not have to be activated or supplied by power or the like. A passive particle trap may be a particle trap, which captures particles, if the particles pass the particle trap.

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a load lock chamber 522 connected to a processing chamber 524. According to some embodiments described herein, a load lock chamber and a vacuum chamber, such as a processing chamber, being in connection with each other may be described as a vacuum processing system. The load lock chamber 522 may have an inlet 523 for introducing a substrate 510 into the load lock chamber. The inlet 523 of the load lock chamber may be adapted to the respective material to be processed, such as the size of the substrate or the size of the substrate batch to be loaded into the load lock chamber 522. The substrate to be processed, be it individually or in a batch of substrates, may be delivered to the load lock chamber inlet 523 by a respective transport system in atmospheric conditions. For instance, the substrate or the substrate batch may be delivered by a transport track for the substrate(s), a transport band-conveyor, a robot carrying the substrate(s), a carrier system including single carrier supports for the single substrates or substrate batches, and the like. For introducing the substrate(s) to be processed into the load lock chamber 522, the inlet 523 may be opened and the load lock chamber is subjected to atmospheric conditions. According to some embodiments described herein, the load lock chamber 522 may be described as being vented when the inlet is opened and the substrates are introduced to the load lock chamber. [0017] When the substrate 110 to be processed is placed in the load lock chamber 522, the load lock chamber 522 may be closed by closing the load lock chamber inlet 523. In some embodiments, placing the substrate in the load lock chamber may include transferring the substrate into the load lock chamber by a robot handling the substrate over to a substrate support or track system within the load lock chamber. Alternatively, the substrate may be transported into the load lock chamber by a conveyor belt or a track system, as will be described in detail below. When the substrate is in the load lock chamber, the load lock chamber may be evacuated, e.g. for bringing the load lock chamber to a low pressure, a low vacuum, or a medium vacuum. For instance, the load lock chamber may be brought to a typical pressure of about 1 mbar. According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber may respectively be equipped, such as with vacuum pumps and vacuum seals for ensuring a reliable installation of the vacuum in the load lock chamber.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the substrate may be held in the load lock chamber by a substrate support for a defined time interval or may further be continuously be moved to approach the outlet 525 of the load lock chamber 522, which may be in connection with a vacuum chamber, such as a processing chamber 524. For instance, whether the substrate is held in the load lock chamber for a defined time interval or further continuously moved may depend on the system, which the load lock chamber is part of. In one example, the holding or moving of the substrate within the load lock chamber depends on the transfer mechanism between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber. According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber as described herein may provide a part of the transport path of the substrate in the processing systems.

[0019] In some embodiments, the load lock chamber 522 being evacuated may be opened towards the processing chamber 524 by opening a sluice or valve 525 or the like. According to embodiments described herein, the load lock chamber 522 and the processing chamber 524 may be connected or may stand in connection with each other via the sluice or valve 525. According to embodiments described herein, the processing chamber is a vacuum processing chamber. In one example, the processing chamber may have a higher vacuum than the load lock chamber (i.e. a lower pressure), e.g. by having an ultimate vacuum (base pressure) of between about 10 -^"8 mbar and about 10 -^"5 mbar. The substrate can be transferred from the load lock chamber to the processing chamber without an essential disturbing of vacuum conditions in the processing chamber due to the pressure conditions present in the load lock chamber. In the processing chamber, the substrate may be subjected to a desired process, as will be referred to in detail below.

[0020] Generally, particle specifications for the product (substrate) have continuously become tighter. An even better contamination reduction is desirable in a processing system. The load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein provides a particle trap located at least at one of the walls of the load lock chamber. In Fig. 1, walls 528, 529, 530 and 531 are provided with a particle trap 527 in the load lock chamber 522. In some embodiments, the particle trap may include an adhesive for capturing particles in the load lock chamber.

[0021] According to embodiments described herein, a load lock chamber for a vacuum processing system is provided. The load lock chamber includes load lock walls forming a load lock chamber volume and a vacuum generating device for evacuating the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein further includes a particle trap being located at least at one wall of the load lock chamber or any other possible carrier collision free position. In general, the particle trap may be located at any free position inside the chamber - that may mean that only the transport area should not be blocked.

[0022] The load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein allows for capturing particles in the load lock chamber before the risk arises that the particles have entered the processing chamber and/or contaminate the substrate and/or the carrier. In particular, the particle trap being located at one or more of the walls in the load lock chamber may capture particles present in the load lock chamber during venting or pumping down the load lock chamber due to high gas velocity/flow and particle transport acceleration during these times. For instance some particles cannot be removed by the vacuum pump of the load lock chamber. For instance, the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may have a geometry including one or more so called "dead zone(s)." A dead zone of a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may be understood as a zone or a region of the load lock chamber, in which particle accumulation occurs irrespective of the evacuation process performed for bringing the load lock chamber to a low pressure or vacuum condition, such as by a vacuum pump. For instance, the dead zone(s) of the load lock chamber may depend on the venting process, venting equipment, venting inlet position, pump down exhaust line connection position and chamber design. In some embodiments, the dead zone(s) depend on the direction, from which the load lock chamber is vented and/or from which the substrate is loaded into the load lock chamber. According to some embodiments, the dead zone(s) may depend on the location of the vacuum generating device(s) in the load lock chamber and the gathering area of the vacuum generating device(s).

[0023] According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber may include regions with high gas velocity, e.g. during venting and pumping down of the load lock chamber. In some embodiments, the particle trap as described herein is located in or close to one of these regions where the possibility is higher to capture (passing) particles.

[0024] The inventors of the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein found that particle accumulation takes place i.a. at the chamber walls. For instance (again depending on the geometry of the load lock chamber, the location of the vacuum generating device, the substrate inlet, the substrate outlet and the like), the bottom of the load lock chamber may be a dead zone and may be prone to particle accumulation. In Fig. 1, two dead zones 540 and 541 are exemplarily shown.

[0025] In some embodiments, the particles accumulating at the chamber walls may be taken to the substrate and/or carrier when a substrate is transferred to the processing chamber. According to some embodiments, during the transfer of the substrate from the load lock chamber to a vacuum chamber the substrate and/or the carrier may free particles resting at the substrate and/or carrier, e.g by vibration or shaking. According to embodiments described herein, particles not captured by pumps in the load lock chamber may be captured by a particle trap located at the load lock chamber walls according to embodiments described herein. In particular, the particle trap may include an adhesive material.

[0026] In some embodiments, the particle trap being located at one or more of the chamber walls may include a magnetic material, electrostatic devices, an adhesive material and the like. For instance, the particle trap in the load lock chamber may include a material being able to capture and hold contamination particles. In some examples, the particle trap may include materials depending on the particles to be captured, which may - in turn - depend on the nature of the particles present outside the load lock chamber, the substrate to be processed, the load lock chamber size, the chamber material, the substrate carrier material and the like.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the particle trap located at one or more walls of the load lock chamber may include an adhesive foil, an adhesive sheet, an adhesive plate, a carrier for an adhesive material, a carrier with a glue, a roll of adhesive material (e.g. adhesive foil) and the like.

[0028] In some embodiments, the adhesive of the particle trap in the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may include a silicon-free material, a polyolefin material, an acrylic adhesive, an acrylic foam adhesive, polyethylene film, PET, OPP, PES, Tesa-Film, aluminum or generally a metal foil and any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the particle trap according to embodiments described herein may include a foaming adhesive on a polypropylene film.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the materials used for the particle trap described herein may provide a low contamination risk, e.g. by having a low outgassing rate, especially in vacuum conditions as present in the load lock chamber as described herein. In some embodiments, the material used for particle trapping in the load lock chamber may have a low outgassing value for 1 hour alh. The alh value describes the outgassing amount of a material during one hour. According to some embodiments described herein, the material used for or in the particle trap in the load lock chamber has an alh outgassing value of typically between about 1.0E-8 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ) and about 1.5 E-6 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ), more typically between about 1.0E-8 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ) and about 1.0 E-6 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ), and even more typically between about 2.5E-8 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ) and about 1.0 E-6 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ). In some embodiments, the outgassing value alh for one hour is less than 1.5 E-6 mbar*l/(s*cm ). [0030] A low outgassing rate of a material used as a particle trap in a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may be beneficial for low contamination within the load lock chamber by the particle trap. A particle trap having a low outgassing rate as described above in the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein allows for maintaining the time effort for the process cycle at a low level, or at least, not increasing the process cycle, which is, i.a., influenced by the evacuation process of the load lock chamber and the duration thereof. Using a respective material for the particle trap in the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein avoids additional outgassing contamination in a load lock chamber introduced by the particle trap, avoids the prolongation of the evacuation process, and the process cycle, and may increase the customer's acceptance for a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein. [0031] Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram 200 of a desorption measurement with a particle trap in a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein, especially a particle trap including an adhesive material as described herein. The abscissa of diagram 2 shows the time in minutes, whereas the ordinate of diagram 200 shows the flow rate per time and per area (Q7A [mbarl/s+cm"]) in curve 210. The flow rate shown in diagram 200 decreases with increasing time and results in an alh outgassing value of about 1.35E-06 [mbar*l/s*cm ]. Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram 300 showing the pressure in mbar over the time in seconds indicating the pump down time for a load lock chamber. The two curves show the pump down time for a load lock chamber without a particle trap (curve 320) and with a load lock chamber with particle trap (curve 310). In this example, an adhesive material including a foaming adhesive and a polypropylene film as described above was used as the particle trap in the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein. It can be seen that down to a pressure of about 2E-01 mbar, the influence of the particle trap on the pumping time is negligible since the two curves substantially overlap with each other. Going down to a lower pressure and with increasing time, the load lock chamber with particle trap has a slightly, negligible longer pump down time than the load lock chamber without particle trap.

[0032] Going back to Fig. 1, the load lock chamber is exemplarily shown as substantially having the shape of a cuboid having six walls (e.g. four side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall). The particle trap may be provided at each wall of the load lock chamber (as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 1), or may be provided at only a part of the walls, such as at one, two, three, four, or five walls of the load lock chamber. In one example, the particle trap is only provided at the bottom wall as one of the dead zones of the load lock chamber. In a yet further embodiment, the particle trap is only provided at a portion of a wall, or portions of several walls, e.g. depending on the dead zones in the load lock chamber. In some embodiments, the particle trap may be located at any possible carrier collision free position.

[0033] According to some embodiments, and in particular in the cases, where the particle trap includes an adhesive sheet, an adhesive foil, or an adhesive plate, the particle trap according to embodiments described herein, may have a size ranging typically between about

, 0.5 m" and 5 m more typically between about and about, and even more typically between about. 0.2 m² and 10 m². [0034] According to some embodiments, the particle trap, in particular a particle trap sheet, a particle trap foil, a particle trap plate or the like, especially a particle trap including an adhesive material may be attached or fixed to at least one wall of the load lock chamber. In some embodiments, the particle trap may removably be attached or fixed to at least one wall of the load lock chamber. For instance, the load lock chamber may provide a particle trap fixing device, such as a frame, a clamping device, an area for sticking the particle trap, bores for fixing the particle trap, a particle trap support or the like. For instance, the particle trap fixing device may be made from metal or another material, which has low outgassing rates. According to some embodiments, the particle trap fixing device is made from the same material as the load lock chamber walls. In some embodiments described herein, the particle trap fixing device may allow for locating the particle trap at a wall of the load lock chamber. For instance, the particle trap fixing device may be provided on the wall of the load lock chamber, in particular so that the particle trap is located near the wall, covers the wall or can be attached or fixed to the wall. [0035] According to some embodiments, the particle trap may be located at the chamber wall, when being in contact with the chamber wall or when having a distance of typically less than 3 cm, more typically, less than 2 cm, and even more typically less than 1 cm to the load lock chamber wall. The same applies for the location of the particle trap at or close to the dead zones. In some embodiments, the particle trap being located at the chamber wall of the load lock chamber as described herein may mean or include the particle trap being located at any possible carrier collision free position in the load lock chamber, e.g. at any position, where the particle trap does not hinder the operation of a substrate carrier, a robot of a substrate carrier, a substrate tracking system present in the load lock chamber, a robot of a substrate tracking system or the like. In one example, the carrier collision free position does not include the carrier itself. In some embodiments, the particle trap being located at a wall of a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein, may be understood as a particle trap being on the wall, such as fixed or attached on the wall, e.g. by a fixing device. According to some embodiments, the fixing device is provided directly on the wall, but the particle trap does not necessarily contact the load lock chamber wall. In other embodiments, at least a part of the particle trap is in contact with the load lock chamber wall. According to some embodiments, the particle trap has a capturing surface for capturing particles, which faces the load lock chamber volume. [0036] Alternatively, the particle trap being in the form of a particle trap sheet, a particle trap foil or the like, may be provided at a wall of the load lock chamber by a particle trap winding/ unwinding system. In one example, a particle trap unwinding roll and a particle trap winding roll are located outside the load lock chamber. The particle trap may be guided from the unwinding roll into the load lock chamber, which may be performed by passing the particle trap through a sluice (e.g. an inflatable vacuum sluice), a gate valve, a slit valve, or a slot valve into the load lock chamber. The particle trap within the load lock chamber is located at a wall of the load lock chamber and is guided to the particle trap winding roll outside the load lock chamber, e.g. again through a sluice, a slit valve or the like. According to some embodiments described herein, the particle trap may continuously move, or may be moved stepwise from the particle trap unwinding roll to the particle trap winding roll or rewinding roll. In one embodiment, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the particle trap unwinding roll and the particle trap winding roll may be provided within the load lock chamber. In this case, the roll support for the unwinding and the winding roll may be made from metal or some material with a low outgassing value.

[0037] As stated above with respect to Fig. 1, the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may be connectable to a vacuum chamber. The load lock chamber may be provided with respective connection devices, receiving devices, and sealing devices for allowing a connection to the vacuum chamber. For instance, the load lock chamber may include a flange, bores, bolts, screws etc. for connecting the load lock chamber to a vacuum chamber. The load lock chamber may further include a substrate outlet, such as a gap sluice, a load valve or the like allowing for transferring the substrate from the load lock chamber to the vacuum chamber. In the figures exemplarily described herein, the load lock chamber is shown connected to a processing chamber. However, it should be understood that the load lock chamber may be connected to other vacuum chambers as well. For instance, the vacuum chamber to which the load lock chamber may be connected may be selected from the group consisting of: a buffer chamber, a heating chamber, a transfer chamber, a cycle-time- adjusting chamber, a deposition chamber having deposition sources or the like. In particular, the load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein may be connected to one or more vacuum chambers. According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber may directly be connected to a vacuum chamber being not a processing chamber although the vacuum processing system, which the load lock chamber is part of, may include a vacuum processing chamber.

[0038] As stated above, the combination of a load lock chamber and a process chamber may be denoted as a processing system herein. According to embodiments described herein, a vacuum processing system for processing a substrate is provided. The vacuum processing chamber includes a vacuum processing chamber, which is adapted for processing the substrate; and a load lock chamber for transferring the substrate from atmospheric conditions into the vacuum processing chamber, the load lock chamber having walls surrounding a load lock chamber volume. The vacuum processing chamber further includes a particle trap being located at least at one wall of the load lock chamber. According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber and the particle trap in the load lock chamber may be as described above, e.g. concerning geometry, material, and features described above in detail. For instance, the particle trap may include an adhesive material, such as an adhesive sheet, an adhesive foil, an adhesive plate or the like. [0039] According to embodiments described herein, a vacuum processing system for processing a substrate is provided. The vacuum processing system includes a vacuum load lock chamber having load lock chamber walls and including a first vacuum sealable valve for providing an inlet for the substrate into the vacuum load lock chamber, and a second vacuum sealable valve for providing an outlet for the substrate out of the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber further includes a substrate transport system for transporting the substrate, such as a transport system as described in detail below. The vacuum processing system further includes a vacuum processing chamber including one or more process component(s) for performing a process to the substrate. According to embodiments described herein, the load lock chamber and the processing chamber are coupled to each other with the second vacuum sealable valve so that the substrate to be processed can be transferred from the load lock chamber through the second vacuum sealable valve to the processing chamber by the substrate transport system. The vacuum processing system further includes a particle trap being located at least at one wall of the load lock chamber. According to some embodiments described herein, the particle trap may be a particle trap as in detail described above, e.g. by including the above named materials, by having the above mentioned shape, by having the above mentioned material values and the like. [0040] According to some embodiments, a processing chamber as referred to herein may be suitable for performing a process to the substrate, such as a heating process, a cooling process, a cleaning process, a pre-treatment process, a positioning process, a deposition process, and the like. [0041] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the processing chamber may be adapted for a sputter process, such as by including sputtering targets, such as rotatable sputtering targets. According to typical implementations thereof, a DC sputtering, a pulse sputtering, an RF sputtering, or an MF sputtering can be provided in the vacuum processing chamber described herein. According to yet further embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the middle frequency sputtering with frequencies in the range of 5 kHz to 100 kHz, for example, 30 kHz to 50 kHz, can be provided in the processing chamber as described herein. In some embodiments, the vacuum processing chamber may be adapted to a PVD process, a CVD process, a PECVD process, a vaporizing process, a microwave process and the like.

[0042] The processing chamber 524 shown in Fig. 1 includes a substrate support 512, on which the substrate may rest during processing. According to some embodiments, the processing chamber 524 of Fig. 1 further includes a deposition source 513 for depositing material on the substrate 110. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the substrate 110 to be processed is held in a substantially horizontal direction, and the deposition process may take place in a substantially vertical direction.

[0043] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a load lock chamber 422 being connected to a processing chamber 424. At the bottom wall 430 of the load lock chamber 422, a particle trap 427 is located. The particle trap 427 shown in Fig. 4 may be a particle trap as described above. The load lock chamber 422 may include a vacuum generating device 435, such as a pump. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the substrate is essentially vertically-oriented in the load lock chamber and the processing chamber. It is to be understood that a vertically oriented substrate can have some deviation from a vertical, i.e., 90°, orientation in a processing system in order to allow for stable transport with an inclination by a few degrees, i.e. the substrates can have a deviation from the vertical orientation of + 20° or less, for example ±10° or less. [0044] According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber as described herein may be adapted for large area substrates. According to some embodiments, large area substrates or respective carriers, wherein the carriers have a plurality of substrates, may have a size of at least 0.67 m². Typically, the size can be about 0.67m² (0.73x0.92m - Gen 4.5) or above, more typically about 2 m² to about 9 m² or even up to 12 m². Typically, the substrates or carriers, for which the structures, systems, chambers, sluices, and valves according to embodiments described herein are provided, are large area substrates as described herein. For instance, a large area substrate or carrier can be GEN 4.5, which corresponds to about 0.67 m² substrates (0.73x0.92m), GEN 5, which corresponds to about 1.4 m² substrates (1.1 m x 1.3 m), GEN 7.5, which corresponds to about 4.29 m² substrates (1.95 m x 2.2 m), GEN 8.5, which corresponds to about 5.7m² substrates (2.2 m x 2.5 m), or even GEN 10, which corresponds to about 8.7 m² substrates (2.85 m x 3.05 m). Even larger generations such as GEN 11 and GEN 12 and corresponding substrate areas can similarly be implemented. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the system may be configured for TFT manufacturing, e.g. with static deposition.

[0045] According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber as described herein, components thereof, such as the substrate support or tracking system, the slit valves or sluices, or the processing chamber as described herein may be adapted for handling substrates embracing substrates, such as glass substrates or substrates made of a plastic material, i.e. substrates which are used, for example, for the manufacturing of displays. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the embodiments described herein can be utilized for display manufacturing, e.g. PVD, i.e. sputter deposition on large area substrates for the display market.

[0046] As stated above, the load lock chamber may include vacuum generating devices, such as vacuum pumps, and may be adapted for maintaining a vacuum within the load lock chamber, e.g. by providing respective seals at chamber doors, windows, slit valves or sluices. According to some embodiments, the load lock chamber as described herein is adapted for providing a vacuum less than 1 mbar. In some embodiments, the load lock chamber is adapted for providing a vacuum typically between about 0.01 mbar and about 1 mbar, more typically between about 0.1 mbar to about 1 mbar, and even more typically between about 0.5 mbar and about 1 mbar. [0047] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the vacuum processing chamber as described herein may be adapted to be a high vacuum chamber. For instance, the processing chamber may include respective vacuum pumps, seals, valves and sluices for generating and maintaining a vacuum in the processing chamber. In some embodiments, the processing chamber is adapted for providing a vacuum below about 10^"5 mbar. In some examples, the processing chamber is adapted for providing an ultra-high vacuum having a pressure typically between about 10 -^"12 mbar and about 10 -^"5 mbar, more typically between about 10^"9 mbar and about 10^"5 mbar, and even more typically between about 10 -^"7 mbar and about 10 -^"5 mbar. [0048] Fig. 5 shows a processing system 100 according to embodiments described herein. The processing system includes a first vacuum chamber 101, a second vacuum chamber 102, a third vacuum chamber 103, and a fourth vacuum chamber 121. The vacuum chambers can be deposition chambers or other processing chambers, wherein a vacuum is generated within the chambers. In Fig. 5, a load lock chamber 122 can be seen, which provides for the transition from atmospheric conditions exterior of the processing system to vacuum conditions within the chambers of the processing system. The load lock chamber 122 may be a load lock chamber as described in detail above and may include a particle trap 127 at one or more walls. According to embodiments described herein, the load lock chamber 122 and the vacuum chambers 101, 102, 103, and 121 are connected via linear transport paths by a transport system. According to embodiments described herein, the transport system may include a dual track transportation system including several transportation tracks 161, 163, 164. In the example seen in Fig. 5, the transport system further includes a rotation module 150 allowing the rotation of substrates along the transportation path. For example, large area substrates, which are typically used for display manufacturing, can be transported along the linear transportation paths in the substrate processing system 100. Typically, the linear transport paths are provided by transportation tracks 161 and 163, such as linear transportation tracks having, e.g., a plurality of rollers arranged along a line.

[0049] According to typical embodiments, the transportation tracks and/or rotation tracks can be provided by a transportation system at the bottom of the large area substrates and a guiding system at the top of the essentially vertically oriented large area substrates. [0050] According to different embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the dual track transportation systems in the vacuum chambers, for example the vacuum chambers 122, 121, 101, 102, and 103 that are shown in FIG. 5, i.e. transportation systems having a first transportation path and a second transportation path, can be provided by a fixed dual track system, a movable single track system, or a movable dual track system. The fixed dual track system includes a first transportation track and a second transportation track, wherein the first transportation track and the second transportation track cannot be laterally displaced, i.e. a substrate cannot be moved in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. A movable single track system provides a dual track transportation system by having a linear transportation track, which can be displaced laterally, i.e. perpendicular to the transport direction, such that the substrate can either be provided on the first transportation path or the second transportation path, wherein the first transportation path and the second transportation path are distant from each other. A movable dual track system includes the first transportation track and a second transportation track, wherein both transportation tracks can be displaced laterally, i.e. both transportation tracks can switch their respective position from the first transportation path to the second transportation path and vice versa.

[0051] With the load lock chamber and a processing system including a load lock chamber according to embodiments described herein, it is possible to reduce the contamination in the processing system. Using a particle trap according to some embodiments described herein, allows for an easy and uncomplicated way to capture particles in a load lock chamber, while, at the same time, the contamination risk is reduced by using respective materials having defined material characteristics, such as a defined outgassing rate. The particle trap is located at the wall of the load lock chamber, allowing not only an efficient particle capturing in dead zones of the load lock chamber, but also an easy assembly and exchange of the particle trap, while being very compact and space-saving.

[0052] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) for a vacuum processing system, comprising: load lock walls (430; 528; 529; 530; 531) forming a load lock chamber volume; a vacuum generating device (425) for evacuating the load lock chamber; and a particle trap (127; 427; 527) being located at least at one wall (430; 528; 529; 530; 531) of the load lock chamber.

2. The load lock chamber according to claim 1, wherein the particle trap (127; 427; 527) comprises an adhesive, in particular an adhesive foil or a glue.

3. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the particle trap (127; 427; 527) includes an adhesive comprising at least a base material, in particular a polypropylene film, a polyethylene film, PET, OPP, PES, or a metal foil, and a foaming adhesive, in particular an acrylic adhesive or a glue.

4. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the particle trap (127; 427; 527) comprises a material having an outgassing value for 1 hour alh of between about 1.0E-8 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ) and about 1.0 E-6 mbar*l/(s*cm 2 ).

5. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the particle trap (127; 427; 527) has an area of between about 0.2 m 2 and about 10m 2 , in particular between about 0.5 m 2 to 10 m 2.

6. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) is adapted for providing a vacuum substantially in the range between about 0.05 mbar to about 1 mbar.

7. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the walls (430; 528; 529; 530; 531) of the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) include at least one side wall (529; 531), a bottom wall (430; 530) and a top wall (528), and wherein the particle trap (127; 427; 527) is located at the bottom wall (430; 530) of the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522).

8. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) comprises a metal fixing device for holding the particle trap in the load lock chamber.

9. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) comprises an unwinding/rewinding system for unwinding and rewinding the particle trap (127; 427; 527).

10. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) comprises one or more dead zone(s), whose geometry enables the accumulation of particles, especially during venting of the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522), and wherein the particle trap (127; 427; 527) is located at the one or more dead zones of the load lock chamber.

11. The load lock chamber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) comprises a track device or a robot configured to transfer substrates between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber.

12. A vacuum processing system for processing a substrate, comprising: a vacuum processing chamber (424; 524), which is adapted for processing the substrate (410; 510); a load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) according to any of claims 1 to 11, which is configured for transferring the substrate (410; 510) from atmospheric conditions into the vacuum processing chamber.

13. The vacuum processing system according to claim 12, wherein the vacuum in the processing chamber (424, 524) is an ultra-high vacuum having a pressure in the range between about 10 -^"8 mbar and about 10 -^"5 mbar.

14. The vacuum processing system according to any of claims 12 to 13, wherein the

vacuum processing system is adapted for a deposition process in the processing chamber (424; 524), in particular a sputter process, or a PVD or CVD process.

15. A vacuum processing system for processing a substrate, comprising: a vacuum load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) having load lock chamber walls (430; 528; 529; 530; 531; 430) and comprising a first vacuum sealable valve for providing an inlet for the substrate into the vacuum load lock chamber, and a second vacuum sealable valve for providing an outlet for the substrate out of the load lock chamber, the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) further comprising a substrate transport system for transporting the substrate; a vacuum processing chamber (424; 524) comprising one or more process

component(s) for performing a process to the substrate, wherein the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522) and the processing chamber (424; 524) are coupled to each other with the second vacuum sealable valve so that the substrate to be processed can be transferred from the load lock chamber through the second vacuum sealable valve to the processing chamber by the substrate transport system; and a particle trap (127; 427; 527)being located at least at one wall (430; 528; 529; 530; 531) of the load lock chamber (122; 422; 522).