WO2017021309A1

WO2017021309A1 - Substrate treatment apparatus and coating method

Info

Publication number: WO2017021309A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/068181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Merz; Andreas Rack
Original assignee: Manz Ag
Priority date: 2015-08-04
Filing date: 2016-07-29
Publication date: 2017-02-09
Also published as: DE102015009861A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate treatment apparatus, comprising - an entry lock (110) for holding at least one substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) and for passing on the substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) along a predetermined conveyance direction (T), - a first process chamber (210) with a first process source (220) for carrying out at least one first surface treatment process, the first process chamber (210) adjoining the entry lock (110) in the conveyance direction (T) and being hermetically separable from the entry lock (110) by means of a lock valve (12), - at least one second process chamber (310, 410, 510) with a second process source (320, 420) for carrying out at least one second surface treatment process, the second process chamber (310, 410, 510) adjoining the first process chamber (210) in the conveyance direction (T) and being hermetically separable from the first process chamber (210) by means of a lock valve (12), and - a conveying device (20) for the discontinuous, stepwise conveying of the at least one substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) in the conveyance direction (T) from the first process chamber (210) into the at least one second process chamber (310, 410, 510).

Description

Substrate processing apparatus and coating method Description

The present invention relates to a substrate processing device, in particular a device for surface treatment of substrates, in particular for coating substrates. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for simultaneous coating of a plurality of substrates by means of such a substrate processing device.

background

Devices and methods for plasma assisted processing of substrates, particularly for etching and coating substrate surfaces, are well known in the art. For example, chemical vapor deposition processes, so-called CVD processes (chemical vapor deposition), in particular plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition processes, so-called PECVD processes (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition), are used for the most uniform possible application of thin layers on substrates.

In this case, one or more substrates are arranged in a vacuum chamber into which a reaction gas or a gas mixture adapted to the coating is introduced, while maintaining predetermined pressure and temperature levels, which at least partially passes into a plasma state by supplying electromagnetic energy in the HF range ,

By means of PECVD coating methods, comparatively high deposition rates can be achieved on a substrate to be coated. However, a PECVD coating process often requires a static coating process in which the substrate to be coated is stationary with respect to a plasma source and so far does not undergo movement relative to the plasma source. According to DE 10 201 1 1 14 593 A1, it is also known for plasma-assisted coating processes to arrange two substrates rotatably and axially offset with respect to a common axis on carrier devices and to transfer them to mutually opposite regions of action of a treatment unit, for example a plasma source. In this way, at least two on opposite sides of a plasma source arranged substrates are coated simultaneously. A throughput of substrates through such a coating system can be increased thereby. The plasma source and the process chamber can thus be optimally utilized. Furthermore, so-called vertical inline coating system concepts, in particular for sputter coating processes, are known for the coating of particularly large-area substrates. These typically have a Einschleuskammer, a transfer chamber, a process chamber and a discharge chamber. By means of a transport system, individual substrates can be successively moved through the various chambers. In the region of the transfer chamber and the process chamber, the substrates are usually moved at a constant speed past the typically linear coating sources, for example in the form of sputter cathodes.

For example, EP 1 953 259 B1 discloses a process chamber for an inline PECVD coating installation, in which a substrate is held in a movable support and means for receiving the support are provided by a guide device, which further comprises a transfer device for transfer the carrier from a transport position transverse to the transport path in a treatment position. Known inline coating concepts are quite limited in terms of the deposition rates to be achieved on the substrates. For the production of comparatively thick layers in the range from about 1 μm to 10 μm, known in-line coating processes prove to be too time-consuming. An inexpensive mass production of coated substrates is hereby hardly achievable.

In contrast, an aspect of the present invention is based on the object of providing an improved substrate processing apparatus which enables a particularly cost-effective, efficient, rapid and high-quality coating of substrates. The inventive device should be characterized by the realization of the shortest possible processing cycles and also allow simultaneous processing, in particular coating of multiple substrates. The substrate processing device according to the invention should also make it possible for different substrates to be subjected to different surface treatment processes, in particular different coating processes, simultaneously or temporally overlapping.

Invention and advantageous effects This object is achieved with a substrate processing device according to independent claim 1 and by means of a method for simultaneous coating of a plurality of substrates according to independent claim 14. Advantageous embodiments are each the subject of dependent claims.

The substrate processing device according to the invention has an entrance lock for receiving at least one substrate, wherein the entrance lock is designed for transfer of the substrate along a predetermined transport direction. In addition, the substrate processing device has a first process chamber with a first process source for carrying out at least one first surface treatment process on the substrate. The first process chamber adjoins the entrance lock, as seen in the direction of transport. The first process chamber can also be hermetically separated from the entry lock by means of a lock valve.

Furthermore, at least one second process chamber with a second process source for carrying out at least one second surface treatment process is provided. The second process chamber adjoins the first process chamber in the transport direction. The second process chamber is hermetically separable from the first process chamber by means of another lock valve. The first process chamber is, viewed in the transport direction, between the entrance lock and the second process chamber. In that regard, the entrance lock, the first process chamber and the second process chamber in series, or in the transport direction are arranged one behind the other. The substrate processing apparatus further comprises a transport device for transporting the at least one substrate discontinuously in the transport direction from the first process chamber into the at least second process chamber in a stepwise manner. The transport device can further pass on the substrate located in the entrance lock to the first process chamber and, to that extent, also transport the at least one substrate discontinuously or stepwise from the entry lock into the first process chamber.

The transport device serves a discontinuous or stepwise transport of substrates from one process chamber to the next. Discontinuous and stepwise means here that the transport device is temporarily deactivatable, so that the internal semi-arranged a process chamber substrates dwell during a surface treatment process stationary in the respective process chamber. If, for example, the first surface treatment process in the first process chamber is ended, the substrate located therein can be conveyed by means of the transport device into the second process chamber before being subjected to a second static surface treatment process in this process.

The first and the second process chamber are hermetically separated from one another by means of at least one lock valve. In this way, the first and second surface treatment processes, which respectively run within the first and the second process chamber, can be operated completely independently and separately from each other. In particular, it is possible to provide completely different process parameters in the first and in the second process chamber, for example different vacuum or pressure conditions, different process gas concentrations or flow rates and also to operate the respective surface treatment processes at completely different energy or power levels.

The provision of at least two or more adjacent and arranged in series, but hermetically separable by means of lock valves process chambers in combination with a discontinuous or stepwise operating transport device combines the advantages of an in-line coating concept with those of a static coating concept.

The process source is designed in particular as a plasma source for a PECVD coating process. Thus, in each case different PECVD surface treatment processes, in particular PECVD coatings, can be carried out in the at least two process chambers. By means of such an arrangement, in particular complex, multilayered as well as comparatively thick layer stacks can be applied to a substrate in high quality and in a comparatively short time. For the individual surface treatment processes taking place in the first and in the at least second process chamber, individual PECVD coating processes can be carried out simultaneously, so that comparatively high deposition rates on the substrate can be realized for the individual coating processes or surface treatment processes. The provision of at least two process chambers in succession and immediately adjacent to each other in the transport direction also makes it possible to divide a multicomponent layer structure of a substrate to be coated on different process chambers, so that in the end comparatively short clock cycles for a simultaneous onward transport of substrates between the process chambers are made possible can. Within a process cycle, two different surface treatment processes can also be carried out in succession in one of the process chambers. This makes it possible, for example, to form a comparatively thick layer on the substrate for which the entire period of a process cycle is to be exhausted, while simultaneously applying at least two or more comparatively thin layers of different materials to the substrate in a process chamber upstream or downstream in the transport direction. By means of the hermetic separation between the process chambers, completely different surface treatment processes can be carried out simultaneously or at least overlapping in time in the first and in the at least second process chamber.

Overall, the cycle time and the overall process time for the coating of the substrates can be optimized by a suitable number of process chambers arranged one behind the other in the transport direction for every conceivable layer structure and for all conceivable surface treatment processes, which may include, for example, etching the surface of the substrates. If, for example, a coating of the substrates with four individual approximately equally thick layers of different materials is provided, then the substrate processing device can, for example, have four individual process chambers connected in series in the transport direction, each with its own process source. The individual process chambers are then successively and step-by-step through the substrates to be treated. With approximately the same layer thicknesses and approximately the same deposition rates in each of the process chambers, the process cycle can be reduced to about the amount of time needed to apply one of the layers. Compared to a single coating device, in which the layer sequence of, for example, four individual layers is applied in a single process chamber by performing four individual coating operations, the time period for the coating of a Substrate in a mass production in a stepwise loading of series-connected process chambers, for example, to a quarter, or at least be reduced by a factor corresponding to the number of series-connected process chambers.

According to a further embodiment, the device further comprises an outlet lock for discharging the at least one substrate from the second process chamber. In the transport direction, the exit lock adjoins a side of the second process chamber facing away from the first process chamber. The exit lock is also hermetically separable from the second process chamber by means of a further lock valve. By means of the entrance lock and the exit lock, loading and unloading of the substrate processing device with substrates can take place under atmospheric conditions. The entrance lock is on the input side by means of a lock valve hermetically separable from the ambient atmosphere. Finally, it can be brought to a predetermined pressure level by means of a suitable vacuum pump device in order subsequently to open the lock valve adjoining the first process chamber. Then, the substrate located in the entrance lock can be transported by means of the transport device into the first process chamber. After closing the relevant lock valve and a hermetic separation of the first process chamber and the entrance lock, the first surface treatment process can be carried out in the first process chamber. Meanwhile, the input lock can be equipped with a further substrate, which can then be transferred into the first process chamber after the end of that process cycle. Depending on the number of process chambers provided, the respective sluice valves can be opened between the individual process cycles and all substrates located in different process chambers and in the sluice can be transported by means of the transport device into the process chamber downstream of each in the transport direction.

In this case, the transport of individual substrates is usually carried out sequentially, ie a substrate or a substrate carrier equipped with substrates is always conveyed into a subsequent process chamber only if the substrates previously located in this downstream process chamber or the relevant substrate carrier has already conveyed a process chamber further. From this way, collisions between substrates or substrate carriers can be effectively avoided. It is also quite possible that at least some or all of the substrates or substrate holders of a transport path are displaced simultaneously or synchronously into the respective next process chamber.

On the output side, that is to say at the end section of the at least second process chamber lying in the transport direction, the outlet lock is provided. In this, the last processed in the at least second process chamber substrates can be recorded and exposed during a processing or process cycle back to the atmospheric or ambient pressure. Then the substrates located in the exit lock can be removed for further processing.

According to a further embodiment, the substrate processing device is equipped at least with a third process chamber which, with respect to the transport direction, is arranged between the first process chamber and the second process chamber. In the present context, with the first process chamber that process chamber is referred to, which is arranged downstream in the transport direction of the entrance lock and adjacent to this in the transport direction. With the second process chamber that process chamber is referred to, which is directly upstream of the exit lock, and which immediately adjacent in the transport direction to the exit lock. The third process chamber and any further process chambers to be provided are to be provided between the first and the second process chamber.

The number of process chambers may be customized to the particular surface treatment process for the substrates. The substrate processing device is characterized by a relatively simple flexible configuration and scaling with regard to the number of process chambers to be provided.

According to a further embodiment, the first and the second process chamber each have two transport paths for substrates extending parallel to the transport direction. The transport paths are arranged on different opposite sides of the first and second process source. A first transport path of the first process chamber continues in a straight line into a first transport path of the second process chamber.

According to a further development, it is further provided that a second transport path of the first process chamber continues in a straight line into a second transport path of the second process chamber. It can be provided in particular that first and second transport path for the transport of the substrates extends in a straight line from the entrance lock through all the process chambers to the exit lock. In this case, the at least one transport path or both transport paths can run absolutely straight, so that movements of the substrates transversely or perpendicularly to the transport direction are not required.

The provision of two transport paths further increases the throughput of substrates through the substrate processing device. Since a transport path in the transport direction runs in each case on both sides of the process source arranged centrally, for example, perpendicular to the transport direction, a surface treatment process can be simultaneously carried out on opposite substrates arranged on the area of the process sources from the outside. The electrical energy to be provided, for example, for the generation of a plasma within the process chamber and also the process gases introduced into the respective process chamber can be used particularly efficiently for coating or in general for the surface treatment of the substrates in this manner.

The provision of two parallel transport paths extending in the transport direction to both opposite sides of the process sources of the respective process chambers arranged one behind the other in the transport direction is particularly suitable for a PECVD coating process for the substrates.

Regardless of this, however, it is also conceivable to provide only a rectilinear transport path parallel to the transport direction, along which the substrates to be treated can be moved successively and successively discontinuously and stepwise into the regions of the individual process chambers arranged one behind the other in the transport direction.

Whereas according to EP 1 953 259 B1 an overtaking of individual substrate carriers along a transport path is provided, a single transport path extending straight through all the process chambers can be realized by the inventive provision of several coordinated and in the transport direction adjacent process chambers, wherein for the implementation of the surface treatment process of the substrates within the process chambers, there is no need to transversely move the substrates transversely or perpendicularly to the main transport direction. The apparatus required for the substrate processing device can be significantly reduced in this way. The processing positions for the individual substrates within the first and the at least second process chamber lie on the respective transport path through the respective process chamber. Due to the at least two or a plurality of provided process chambers, which adjoin one another in the transport direction, overhauling and advancing individual substrates within the substrate processing device is not required and also not provided.

According to a further embodiment, it is further provided that at least one of the first and second transport path extends in a straight line from the entrance lock to the at least second process chamber. It is also advantageous for at least one of the first and second transport paths to extend in a straight line from the entry lock to the exit lock. The transport device or the transport path can be implemented, for example, roller-mounted or magnetically supported. For example, a plurality of transport rollers spaced apart in the transport direction may be provided, on which individual substrate carriers, each equipped with at least one or several substrates, can be moved along the corresponding transport paths. The drive for the substrate carrier can be realized for example by driven transport rollers, wherein drive units for the transport rollers are preferably arranged outside the process chambers. Furthermore, a drive in the transport direction can also be realized without contact by means of a linear drive.

According to a further embodiment, at least one substrate carrier which can be equipped with at least one substrate is oriented substantially vertically. It can be moved or transported by means of the transport device from the entry lock into the first process chamber and from the first process chamber into the at least second process chamber. The substrate carrier is in this case linearly movable, in particular along at least one of the first and second transport paths. The transport paths can be realized, in particular, by guide rails or bearing rails, which extend along the transport direction at least from the entry lock into the first process chamber and from the first process chamber into the second process chamber.

Advantageously, the guide or bearing rails provided for the transport device extend continuously from the entry lock to the exit lock. A vertical orientation of the substrate carrier provides in particular a bottom-side, for example, roll-supported storage of individual substrate carriers, while an upper end of the Substrate carrier along a stationary guide rail in an upright or vertical orientation along the at least first or second transport path is movable.

The vertical orientation of the substrate support and the associated vertical alignment of the substrates to be treated are particularly well suited for a low degree of particle contamination within the vacuum environment inside the respective process chamber. Gravitationally falling particles thus reach the surface of the substrate to be coated only to a small extent. The vertical orientation of the substrates is particularly suitable for simultaneous coating of substrates on the first and the second transport path on both sides of the process source of a corresponding process chamber. The vertical alignment of two substrate carriers coming to lie on opposite sides of a process source makes it possible in a particularly simple manner to achieve far-reaching identical conditions for the surface treatment of the respective substrates.

According to a further embodiment, at least one of the first and second process sources has an inductively coupled plasma source, also called an ICP source, for exciting a plasma in the relevant process chamber. By means of the ICP source, particularly high energy densities can be generated within the process chamber for the respective plasma. In addition, a comparatively homogeneous plasma can be generated between two substrates located on opposite sides of the process source by means of an ICP source. According to a further embodiment of the substrate processing device, at least one of the process sources has an inner housing. This can be arranged hermetically separated from an interior of the respective process chamber in the process chamber. The inner housing typically includes and encloses an excitation coil of an ICP source. Since the inner housing of the process source can be hermetically separated from the interior of the process chamber, pressure conditions can be set and realized in the immediate vicinity of the excitation coil that deviate from those in the interior of the process chamber.

In this way, a mechanical contact between the generated plasma in the interior of the process chambers and the coil of the ICP source can be avoided. The inner housing of the process source is induction-permeable in sections or regions designed. For example, in a wall portion of the inner housing dielectric windows may be provided of a dielectric material, such as quartz glass or a ceramic material. According to a further embodiment, at least one of the process sources together with the inner housing can be inserted from above into the respective process chamber. The process source with its inner housing forms, as it were, a source module, which can be inserted particularly easily into the process chamber and, if necessary, can be removed from the process chamber. An insertion into the process chamber from above proves to be particularly favorable by design. Lateral areas of the process chamber, for example in the area of the transport paths, are completely unaffected by insertion and removal of the source module.

According to a further embodiment of the substrate processing device, at least two substrates arranged on opposite sides of the respective process source can be simultaneously subjected to substantially identical static surface treatment processes within one of the at least first and second process chambers. In particular, a PECVD coating process is considered as a surface treatment process. Due to the vertical alignment and quasi-symmetrical arrangement of the substrate carriers, which are likewise equipped with substrates, with respect to the process source, it is possible to provide widely identical process conditions for the coating and deposition process on the substrates coming on opposite sides of the process source. By providing two Substratträ- ger each equipped with substrates on both sides of the process source within a process chamber, the throughput, that is, the number of treated substrates per unit time, can be increased in an advantageous manner.

According to a further embodiment, at least two substrates arranged within the first and within the second process chamber can simultaneously be subjected to different static surface treatment processes.

In this case, static surface treatment processes refer to those coating or etching processes in which no relative movement takes place between the process source, that is to say the plasma and the substrate to be treated. The substrate at least arranged stationary to the plasma for the duration of the surface treatment process. The cyclic and successive processing of individual substrates in the first and in the at least adjoining thereto in the transport direction second process chamber allows in a particularly simple and effective manner, the coating of the substrates with different layer structures, which in terms of their

Layer thickness and their layer composition or material pairing can differ.

According to a further embodiment of the device, a separate process module is provided for each of the at least two process chambers. The respective process module has its own electrical energy supply unit for the process source and its own vacuum pump unit for the process chamber. The process module comprises in each case an electrical energy supply unit, a vacuum pump unit and a separate process chamber. Furthermore, it can be provided that the substrate processing device is subdivided into a number of individual process modules. Each of these process modules can, viewed individually, operate autonomously so that only individual process modules are to be coupled with one another for the overall concept of the substrate processing device. The process modules can each have standardized and matched connections, for example for cooling water. Apart from a gas supply to be realized individually for each of the process modules, each of the process modules can be put into operation separately at least at the end of a production process independently of the other process modules, so that the installation and commissioning costs for the entire substrate processing device comprising a plurality of process modules insofar can be reduced.

In addition, the modularization of the substrate processing device in a plurality of process modules enables the possibility of a comparatively simple scaling of the substrate processing device. The modular construction of the substrate processing device with a plurality of process modules allows a comparatively simple configuration of the substrate processing device with a different number of process chambers and process modules. Individual process chambers are due to the modular design easily and only with little effort in the substrate processing device integrated. In accordance with a further embodiment, it is further provided to couple the substrate carriers to an RF voltage supply in order, for example, to apply an RF bias voltage to the substrate carrier, ie to the substrates for a PECVD coating process. The electrical contact for a coating process accelerating or improving bias voltage can be provided in particular via an electrical contact with a substrate carrier. For this purpose, for example, be provided on an inside of the lateral chamber wall inwardly projecting and quasi perpendicular to the transport direction and perpendicular to the plane of the substrate holder movable contact, eg in the form of a contact pins. This can be pressed in the case of an intended positioning of the substrate carrier against a contact surface of the substrate carrier provided for this purpose. The contact surface can be flat.

Since the coating process takes place statically, that is to say without relative movement between the process source and the substrate carrier, electrical separation and electrical contacting between a process-chamber-side voltage supply and the substrate carriers is to be ensured only before and after a stepwise transport of the respective substrate carrier.

According to a further embodiment, the substrate processing device has a separate return for substrates or substrate carriers outside the process chambers. The separate feedback makes it possible to provide only one end of the substrate processing device with a combined loading and unloading station. The separate feedback may, for example, parallel but laterally offset to one of the transport paths described above, which extend through the arrangement of the process chambers through. The separate recycling can in particular be provided with a continuous housing and provide a single transport path for the return of the substrates or for the substrate holders.

The return with its enclosure can for example be provided on the outside of one side of the process chambers arranged one behind the other in the transport direction. On the output side, the substrate processing device may have an outlet lock. This can be provided in the transport direction downstream of a removal module, which is adapted to remove the substrate holder provided in the exit lock and to supply them perpendicular to the transport direction of the laterally arranged substrate return. The removal module can have a transversely or perpendicular to the transport direction recording, by means of which a substrate carrier equipped with substrates from the exit lock for separate return is transportable. It may be sufficient in this case that the removal module only has a vertically or transversely movable to the transport direction recording. In that regard, the substrate carriers provided at the two parallel aligned transport paths can also be removed one after the other from the removal module and thus be fed sequentially to the return. Likewise or analogously to the transport device, the return device can also have a plurality of transport rollers spaced apart in the return direction and partly driven by a drive, by means of which the treated substrates are transported in or on the substrate carriers back to the entry lock or to a handling module upstream of the entry lock can. According to a preferred embodiment, it is further provided that the enclosure extends continuously from the removal module to the entrance lock or even up to one of the input lock upstream handling module of the substrate processing device. The enclosure can be designed largely closed at the top. In this way, the moving within the housing by means of the separate feedback substrates against environmental influences, in particular against pollution can be protected. Via the return path, the substrates heated thermally during the surface treatment process can cool down, so that they can be handled without special thermal precautions when the input lock or the upstream handling module is reached.

The return or its enclosure is further provided according to a further embodiment with a blower unit, by means of which according to the countercurrent principle, cooling air, preferably cleaned and correspondingly filtered cooling air, the enclosure or the return is fed. The cooling air is supplied in particular according to the counterflow principle, d. H. the cooling air flows in the region of the return in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the substrates or the substrate holder in the return direction.

By means of a cooling according to the counterflow principle, a particularly uniform and gentle cooling of the previously thermally treated substrates can take place. The provision a separate and provided with an enclosure feedback has the further advantage that only at one point, in particular at one end of the substrate processing device and substrates to be treated fed and treated by means of the device substrates can also be removed again.

This has the further advantage that clean room conditions have to be provided only in the area of the entry lock or in the area of the handling module upstream of the entry lock, while the rest of the substrate processing device can be arranged and positioned outside of a clean room. The automatic recirculation of treated substrates within the enclosure, in particular in combination with the supply of cooling air counteracts a potential contamination of surface-treated substrates on the one hand. On the other hand, the surfaces of treated substrates after a decoupling from the last process chamber are no longer particularly sensitive to contamination anyway. In most cases, they are subjected to another cleaning procedure anyway.

In another aspect, the invention further relates to a method of simultaneously coating multiple substrates by means of a previously described substrate processing apparatus. The method comprises the steps:

Arranging at least one second substrate in the first process chamber of the substrate processing device,

Performing a first surface treatment process at least on the second substrate in the first process chamber,

Passing the second substrate from the first process chamber into the second process chamber and arranging a first substrate in the first process chamber, performing at least the first surface treatment process at least on the first substrate in the first process chamber and simultaneously or temporally at least partially overlapping performing a second surface treatment process on the second substrate in the second process chamber. The surface treatment process here is in particular a PECVD

Coating process, which is based on an inductively coupled plasma. Thereby, that the first and the second process chamber can be hermetically separated from one another by means of lock valves, a plurality of substrates can be subjected to different surface treatment processes simultaneously in the different process chambers.

By providing a plurality of process chambers directly adjacent to one another in the transport direction, each with its own process source, comparatively complex layer structures or layer structures with different individual layers can be produced particularly quickly and efficiently as well as efficiently and with high quality and quality in terms of layer thickness and layer composition. Separate process chambers can be provided and configured for one or more individual layers of the layer sequence to be applied to the respective substrate, so that approximately the same processing times or process cycles can ultimately be realized for all surface treatment processes taking place in the individual process chambers.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the execution of the first or the second surface treatment process comprises at least two different, temporally successive partial treatment processes. In this way it is possible, for example, that in the second process chamber, for example, a comparatively thick layer is applied, for which the relevant substrate must remain in the process chamber for a relatively long time. Meanwhile, in a downstream, for example, in the second process chamber, a second surface treatment process can be carried out, wherein two temporally successive partial treatment processes are provided.

In this case, each of the partial treatment processes may comprise the application of a layer with different materials. It is conceivable, for example, to apply a first layer of a first material in the first part-treatment process and a second layer of a second layer material in the second part-treatment process to the first layer. The total thickness of the two layers, which are applied to the substrate in the second process chamber, can be approximately as thick as the thickness of the first layer, which is applied to the substrate in the first process chamber. For the two temporally successive partial treatment processes within one and the same process chamber, the process parameters to be provided for the respective partial treatment process, in particular with regard to process pressure, process gases and injected plasma power, must be set one after the other.

The method described here correlates directly with the substrate processing device described above. The device is designed to design the method and designed for this purpose. In that regard, all the features and advantages described with regard to the device also apply equally to the coating process and vice versa.

Brief description of the figures

Other objects, features and advantageous applications of the present invention will be described in the following description of exemplary embodiments. Hereby show:

1 is a schematic perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus,

2 is a front view of a process module of the substrate processing device, a top view of a series of in the transport direction successively arranged process chambers with an entrance lock and an exit lock and loading and unloading station, a cross section through the entrance lock viewed from above, a cross section through a Process chamber viewed from above, a cross section through the output lock viewed from above, a vertical cross section through a equipped with two substrate carriers process chamber, 8 shows a cross section through a layer sequence that can be generated with the present substrate processing device on a substrate,

9 shows a cross section through a further layer sequence that can be generated with the substrate processing device and FIG

10 is a flowchart of the method for simultaneously coating multiple

Substrates according to the present invention. Fig. 1 1, a further embodiment of a substrate processing device, however, with a separate return for the substrates, respectively substrate holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A typical embodiment of the substrate processing device 10 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1 in a perspective view. The substrate processing apparatus extends along a transporting direction T along which the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 to be treated are transported for the purpose of sequential processing. The substrate processing device 10 has two lock modules 100, 600, the lock module 100 having an entry lock 1 10 and the lock module 600 having an exit lock 610.

The lock modules 100, 600 are, with respect to the transport direction T, at the beginning and at the end of the relevant transport path for the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 arranged. In the transport direction T between the lock modules 100, 600 are various process modules 200, 300, 400, 500. Each of the process modules 200, 300, 400, 500 has a process chamber 210, 310, 410, 510, in series and in the transport direction T are arranged directly adjacent to each other, as can be seen for example from the illustration of FIG.

Each of the process modules 200, 300, 400, 500 has its own process source 220, 320, 420 which can be arranged or arranged within the respective process chamber 210, 310, 410, 510. The process module 500 shown only in FIG. 1 is likewise provided with a process source which, however, is not explicitly shown in the configuration of FIG. 3 which deviates slightly from the representation according to FIG. 1. The configuration of the sub stratbearbeitungsvorrichtung 10 of FIG. 3 differs from the substrate processing apparatus shown in Fig. 1 to the effect that in Fig. 3, only three process modules 200, 300, 400 for the successive processing of individual substrates 40, 42, 44, 46 are provided.

The lock module 100 is preceded by a loading station 60 in the transport direction T. The lock module 600 is downstream of an unloading station 62 in the transport direction T. The loading station 60 serves for receiving a plurality of substrates which can be fed fully automatically to the lock module 100 in accordance with the processing or clock cycle of the substrate processing device 10. By means of a transport device 20, the substrates are successively brought into the respective processing positions in the process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510, before being discharged in the transport direction T behind the lock module 600 from the vacuum environment of the process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510. The thus processed, typically coated substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 are fully automatically removed from the lock module 600 and from the exit lock 610 by means of the unloading station 62 and can be supplied from the unloading station 62 to any further processing operations ,

The process modules 200, 300, 400, 500 have a substantially identical basic structure. Based on the illustration of FIG. 2, the basic structure of the process module 200 is shown by way of example. The process module 200, as well as the other process modules 300, 400, 500, has a support frame 230, which is arranged via a passage 232 separated from an electrical supply unit 215. The support frame 230 serves as a mounting platform for the process chamber 210, which can be arranged in this manner in a certain user-friendly height. In this way, good and user-friendly manageability and accessibility to the process chamber 210 is provided. The level of the process chamber 210 may be between 60 cm and 1.20 m above ground level, so that any maintenance work thereon can be performed without bending over or other ergonomically unfavorable positions of the relevant service technicians.

By means of the provided between the electrical supply unit 215 and the support frame 230 passage 232, a two-sided accessibility of the process chamber 210 is given. As shown in FIG. 5, the process chamber 210 has on its opposite outer sides in each case an inspection opening 240, 241, which by means of a cover 242, 243 is closable. The covers 242, 243 may, for example, be pivotally mounted on the housing 212 of the process chamber 210, wherein a pivot axis extends approximately in the vertical direction. Open and pivoted in the open position cover 242, 243 are shown in phantom in Fig. 2. The width of the passage 232 is in this case selected such that the inner, that is the electrical supply unit 215 facing lid 242 is completely and without collision in an open position can be transferred.

The electrical supply unit 215 typically has a control cabinet. It can be connected to the support frame 230 or to the process chamber 210 via a base 236 as well as via a cross member 234 running above the passage 232. The process gases to be introduced into the process chamber 210 can be supplied to the process chamber 210 below the bottom 236, for example. A supply of the process gases via the traverse 234 is also conceivable.

Immediately below the process chamber 210, a vacuum pump unit 217 is arranged. This may, for example, have a combination of a Roots pump arranged directly below the process chamber or Roots pump with a fore pump. The backing pump can be designed as a dry-running fore-vacuum pump. It may comprise a screw pump, a claw pump, a multi-root pump or combinations formed therefrom. The immediately adjacent arrangement of a Roots pump or Roots pump to the process chamber proves to be particularly favorable in terms of flow. Any loss of suction power through relatively long or narrow pipes can be avoided in this way, or at least reduced to a minimum.

As shown in the illustration according to FIG. 7, a process source 220 can be arranged in the interior 21 1 of the process chamber 210. The process source 220 is formed in the present embodiment as an inductively coupled plasma source or ICP source. The process source 220 has its own housing, which is referred to herein as the inner housing 222. The inner housing 222 encloses a plasma excitation coil 226, which may have, for example, a rectangular or square approximately closed basic structure in accordance with the geometric configuration of the process chamber 210. FIG. 7 shows in each case a cross section through a lower coil 226 and through an upper region of the coil 226 designed as an approximately closed and revolving structure. The inner housing 222 is adapted according to the geometric contour of the coil 226. Towards its radially inner side, the inner housing 222 has a dielectric window 224, which is essentially permeable or permeable to the inductive excitation of the plasma in the inner space 21 1 of the process chamber 210. The inner housing 222 is so far as annular or in the manner of a toroid formed with straight legs, wherein the individual adjoining legs occupy approximately at an angle of 90 ° to each other.

The inner housing 222 together with the coil 226 forms a plasma source 221. On the upper side of the inner housing 222, a flange 228 which widens horizontally perpendicularly to the transport direction T is provided, with which the inner housing 222 is supported on the outside at an opening boundary of the housing 212 of the process chamber 210 by the action of gravity. Consequently, the process chamber 212 has an opening 218 towards the top, into which the plasma source 221 can be inserted. For maintenance purposes, the entire plasma source 221, that is, the inner housing 222 can be pulled together with the coil 226 upwards out of the process chamber 210, as is also indicated in Fig. 2.

Relative to a transverse direction, that is horizontal and perpendicular to the transport direction T, the process source 220 is arranged approximately centrally in the interior 21 1 of the process chamber 210. On both sides in the transverse direction, that is to say on opposite sides of the process source 220, a gas distributor structure 50, 52 is provided by means of which the process gases provided for the surface treatment process of the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 can be introduced into the process chamber 210.

Furthermore, transport rollers 16, spaced apart from one another, of transport device 20 are arranged near the bottom of the process chamber in the transport direction T. The transport rollers 16 are typically drivable by means of drives arranged outside the process chamber 210 in order to be able to move individual substrate carriers 30, 32, which are equipped with substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, in the transport direction T. At their upper end, the substrate carriers 30, 32 are each held in vertical alignment via a guide 34, 36. The gas distributor structures 50, 52 are located, in each case between one of the substrate carriers 30, 32 and the centrally arranged process source 220, relative to the transverse direction (y). The substrates 40, 41 are arranged on the substrate carrier 30 shown on the left in FIG. 7, the surfaces of the substrates 40, 41 to be treated pointing to the right and facing the process source 220 in this respect. In the transverse direction (y), opposite the process source 220, a further substrate carrier 32 with substrates 42, 43 is provided, the surfaces of the substrates 42, 43 to be treated pointing to the left and, to that extent, also facing the opposite side of the process source 220. In operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10 and by generating a plasma in the transverse direction (y) between the opposed substrates 40, 42 and 41, 43, the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43 disposed opposite and on both sides of the process source 220 may be simultaneously subjected to a surface treatment process , The throughput through the substrate processing device 10 can be advantageously increased by centrally arranging the process source 220 between opposite substrate carriers 30, 32, each equipped with substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46.

The transport device 20 extends in the transport direction T through the entire substrate processing device 10. In this case, the transport device 20 has two transport paths P1, P2 oriented parallel to each other and respectively elongate along which the substrate carriers 30, 32 are movable discontinuously and stepwise. At the front and rear end faces of the housing 212 of the process chamber 210 lying in the transport direction T, two openings 214 on the entrance side and two openings 216 on the exit side are provided. Relative to the transverse direction (y), those openings 214, 216 are respectively aligned with the transport paths P1, P2, which are defined by the transport rollers 16.

The individual process modules 210, 310, 410 have on the input side, that is to say in the region of the inlet openings 214, in each case one sluice valve 12, while only two through-openings 216 are provided on the opposite outlet-side end side. A serial arrangement of a plurality of process chambers 210, 310, 410 in the transport direction T, in which the lock valves 12 directly adjoin the passage openings 216 of the respective upstream process chamber 210, 310 in a transport direction downstream process chamber 310, 410, nevertheless lead to a hermetic separability of individual process chambers 210, 310, 410. In that regard, it is sufficient to provide only on the input side of the process chambers 210, 310, 410 lock valves 12 in order to separate all process chambers 210, 310, 410 process technology from each other. Only the output lock 610 is to be provided on the inlet side and on the output side with lock valves 14, whereas the entrance lock 1 10 has only on the input side at the level of each of their transport paths P1, P2 a lock valve 12 in the area of the inlet openings 14. Respective exit openings 16 of the lock chamber 1 10 come to lie in the transport direction T adjacent to the lock valves 12 of a process chamber 210 downstream in the transport direction T.

The lock valves 12, 14 are configured in the embodiment shown here as flap valves with pivotally arranged flaps. The lock valves 12, 14 are in this case on the respective housings 1 12, 212, 312, 412, 612 of the locks 1 10, 610 and the process chambers 210, 310, 410 arranged that the lock valves 12, 14 always against the outside atmospheric pressure are open. In that regard, arranged on the entrance lock 1 10 and to the process chambers 210, 310, 410 lock valves 12 are respectively disposed on the outside of the corresponding housing 1 12, 212, 312, 412 and each pivotally open to the outside, while the entrance of the exit lock 610 arranged in the region of respective inlet openings 614 sluice valves 14 on the inner wall of the housing 612 and are pivoted inward. The output side of the exit lock 610 arranged lock valves 12, which close an exit port 616, also open to the outside and are typically only open when there is approximately atmospheric pressure in the interior of the exit lock 610.

The entrance lock 1 10 is further provided with a heater 120 which is located approximately in the middle between the transport paths P1, P2 and extends in the transport direction T almost over the entire interior 1 1 1 of the entrance lock 1 10. The heating device 120 is provided with a series of heating rods 122 which, as a result of the application of electric current, heat the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 46, which are located in the transverse direction (y) opposite the heating device 120, to a predetermined process temperature can. The integration of the heater 120 in the entrance lock 1 10 proves to be particularly space and cost-saving. The straight through the entire substrate processing device 10 extending through transport paths P1 allow a particularly simple handling and a right simple and uncomplicated discontinuous transport of the substrate carriers 30, 32 through the substrate processing device 10.

Similar to the plasma source 221, the entire heating device 120 can also be pulled upwards out of the entry lock 110. A temperature measurement of the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 or the substrate carrier 30, 32 is typically carried out via pyrometers arranged at the transversely (y) outwardly facing back of the substrate support 30, 32 in the entrance lock 1 10 are. The substrate carriers 30, 32 are aligned vertically and their substrate receiving regions each point inwards in the transverse direction, facing the heating device 120 and the various process sources 220 in each case.

The gas distributor structures 50, 52 may be integrated into the process source 220 or arranged on the outside of the inner housing 222. In this way, a defined relative position of the gas distributor structures 50, 52 to the plasma excitation coil 226 is always ensured, which, in particular with maintenance of the substrate processing device and with temporary removal of the process source 220 from the process chamber 210, mutual adjustment of coil 226 and gas distributor structures 50, 52 makes unnecessary.

It is further contemplated that nearly all of the inner surfaces of the housing 212 of the process chamber 210 as well as any outer surfaces of the inner housing 222 of the process source, which may come into direct contact with the plasma to be generated, are protected by interchangeable metal sheets or cover plates. These can be exchanged relatively quickly at regular intervals and cleaned independently of the operation of the substrate processing device 10, whereby the service life occurring for the cleaning of the process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510 can be reduced to a minimum. As further shown in FIG. 5, individual electrical contacting units 250, 252 are provided on both sides of the process source 220 at the transverse inner sides of the housing 212 of the process chamber 210, which project inwardly from the respective chamber inner wall. Those contacting units 250, 252 are electrically contactable with the respective substrate carrier 30, 32 in order to apply an RF bias voltage to the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 to be subjected to the surface treatment process. As a result, for example, a plasma coating process can be accelerated and improved qualitatively.

Since the actual surface treatment process proceeds statically, that is to say without relative movement between substrate 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 and process source 220, an electrical contact between contacting unit 250 and substrate carrier 30 and between the surface is in each case before a start of the surface treatment process make electrical contacting unit 252 and the substrate support 32 and after the completion of the surface treatment process and before further transport of the substrate support 30, 32 in the transport direction T again. This electrical contacting and separation can be done fully automatically. The contacting units 250, 252 may each have a movable contact pin, which is adjustable or movable for electrical contacting with the substrate carrier substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate carrier 30, 32.

3, the transport paths P1, P2 each extend in an aligned and rectilinear manner through all the process modules 200, 300, 400 as well as through the respective lock modules 100, 600 and the loading and unloading stations 60 in the transport direction. 62nd

The unloading station 62 is constructed analogously to the loading station 60. However, here between the transport paths P1, P2 optionally a blower unit can be located, from which air filtered on both sides can be blown onto the substrate carriers 30, 32. In this way, the substrate carriers 30, 32 and the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 arranged thereon can be cooled to temperatures which allow further problem-free handling of the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 enable.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the process sources 220 are embodied purely by way of example as ICP sources. In principle, however, it is also conceivable to provide any other process source suitable for surface treatment processes, for example a capacitively coupled plasma source or a microwave-based source for generating a plasma instead of an ICP source.

The substrate processing apparatus 10 shown here is particularly suitable for coating substrates 40 having a plurality of layers and resulting partially complex layer structures or layer structures that are sometimes comparatively thick can. FIG. 8 shows a layer structure by way of example. On the substrate 40, first a layer A, then a layer B and finally a layer C is applied. The layers A and B are comparatively thin and amount to about half the thickness of the layer C.

Assuming that the layers A, B, C can be applied to the substrate 40 with approximately the same deposition rates, the overall coating process can be subdivided, for example, into four individual coating steps, each in one of the series-connected process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510 take place. For example, layer A in process chamber 210, layer B in process chamber 310, and layer C in subsequent process chambers 410, 510 may be applied. In this case, the comparatively thick layer C is successively applied in two process chambers 410, 510 connected in series one behind the other. Dividing the coating provided for applying the layer C into two process chambers 410, 510 connected in series has the advantage that the cycle time of the substrate processing apparatus as a whole can be shortened. For example, the time for one processing cycle may be reduced to the time required to apply the comparatively thin layers A or B to the substrate 40. Alternatively, it is conceivable to realize the layer sequence shown for example in FIG. 8 only with two process chambers 210, 310 connected in series, so that the process chamber 310 is coupled on the output side to the output lock 610. In this case, it may be provided that the substrates 40 in the process chamber 210 are first coated with the comparatively thin layer A, and that during the ongoing process cycle, for example, switching off the plasma, by pumping out the process gases and by introducing other process gases and by a re-igniting the plasma subsequently another layer B is applied. Switching between the individual coating processes provided for applying the coatings A, B can also take place while the plasma is maintained, whereby, for example, one or more of the process gases is successively reduced and the process gases provided for the generation of the layer B successively in the process chamber 210 are initiated. On the whole, the two partial treatment or partial coating processes respectively provided for the production of the layers A and B can take approximately as much time as the production of the comparatively thick layer C. In terms of process, it may be provided to the extent that, for example, the second substrates 44, 46 indicated in FIG. 3 are first subjected to a first surface treatment process 01 in the first process chamber 210, which is subdivided, for example, to produce the comparatively thin layers A and B into two partial treatment processes. After and after completion of the first process cycle, the second substrates 44, 46 treated in this way can be conveyed by means of the transport device 20 from the first process chamber 210 into the second process chamber 310. For this purpose, the sluice valves 12 of the second process chambers 310 are opened for a short time, so that the substrate carriers 30, 32 provided with the second substrates 44, 46 can be brought into a processing position within the second process chamber 312 indicated in FIG. 3.

At the same time, the first process chamber 210 is charged with first substrates 40, 42. The sluice valves 14 of the process chambers 210, 310 are then closed and a second process cycle can begin, the second substrates 44, 46 within the second process chamber 310 undergoing a second surface treatment process 02 are subjected to the generation of layer C. At the same time, the first substrates 40, 42 within the first process chamber 210 can pass through the first surface treatment process 01 in the same way as previously the second substrates 44, 46 and can be provided with the two layers A, B to that extent. Due to the hermetic separation of the process chambers 210, 310, completely different plasma processing processes can be carried out simultaneously on the respective substrates 40, 42, 44, 46, so that the total process cycle time can be shortened. The number of series-connected process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510 may vary according to the layer structure to be formed on the substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46. By means of the modular construction of the individual process modules 200, 300, 400, 500, a comparatively simple conversion and individual configuration of the entire substrate processing device 10 can be realized with only a small amount of personnel and little effort.

FIG. 9 shows a further example of a layer structure to be produced, for example, with only two process chambers 210, 310. Here, it is provided that a comparatively thin layer B, but subsequently a comparatively thick layer C, and above this again a comparatively thin layer B, are applied to the substrate 40 as the first layer. The application of the comparatively thick layer C can in this case two sub-treatment processes are each subdivided to produce a layer C1 and C2. In a first surface treatment process 01, for example, the layer sequence B and C1 can be applied to the substrate 40 and in a second surface treatment process 02, which takes place in a downstream in the transport direction process chamber 310, first the layer C2 and then the layer B can be applied.

For the two surface treatment processes 01, 02 taking place in the process chambers 210, 310 adjoining one another in the transport direction T, two partial treatment processes for producing the layers B, C1 or for producing the layers C2 and B are provided. Between the sub-treatment processes and, as it were, for switching between the sub-treatment processes, it is possible in each case to set the parameters required for the generation of the respectively following layer C1, B with regard to pressure, plasma power and process gases.

Of course, it is also conceivable to realize a layer stack shown in FIG. 9 by means of four process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510, wherein in each of the process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510 each a single layer B, C1, C2 and B with comparable Thickness can be applied to the substrate 40 or on the already applied layers.

Finally, FIG. 10 shows a flow chart of the method for simultaneously coating a plurality of substrates. In a first step 700, the second substrates 44, 46 shown, for example, in FIG. 3 are firstly arranged in the first process chamber 210. Subsequently, in the following step 702, a first surface treatment process 01 takes place on the second substrates 44, 46 in the first process chamber 210.

After completion of the first surface treatment process, in which, for example, the layers A and B according to FIG. 8 are applied to the second substrates 44, 46, a discontinuous and stepwise transport of the second substrates 44, 46 into the second process chamber 310 takes place in step 704 which adjoins the first process chamber 210 in the transport direction T. In addition, two further first substrates 40, 42 are arranged in the first process chamber 210. After a hermetic separation of the two process chambers 210, 310, a respective surface treatment process takes place simultaneously in the respective process chambers 210, 310 in step 706. In the second process chamber 310, a second surface treatment process 02 takes place, while in the first chamber 210 a first surface treatment process 01 takes place again. While the second substrates 44, 46 are transferred from the first process chamber 210 into the second process chamber 310, the first process chamber 210 is equipped with first substrates 40, 42 in step 704. The simultaneous or at least temporally overlapping execution of at least two surface treatment processes 01, 02 then takes place in step 706, the first surface treatment process 01 taking place again in the first process chamber 210 and the second surface treatment process 02 taking place to produce the layer C in the second process chamber 310.

If all process chambers 210, 310, 410, 510 are each provided with substrates 40, 41, 42,

43, 44, 46 are supplied with each process cycle untreated substrates of the entrance lock 1 10 and finally the first process chamber 210, while at the end of the process line the finished treated substrates 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 from the second process chamber 410 or 510 in the output lock 610 and ultimately via the downstream discharge station 62 can be output.

The substrate processing device is variably configurable with regard to the layers and layer structures to be applied. Various functional layers can be applied to a wide variety of substrates, for example to glass substrates, crystal substrates or ceramic substrates. By way of example, layers of or based on aluminum oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride layers and amorphous silicon layers may be mentioned here. By means of the substrate processing device described here and the associated coating method, relatively thick layers in the range of 1 to 10 μm can be applied to the substrates 40, 41, 43, within a range of a few minutes to a maximum of about 30 minutes within comparatively short cycle or coating times.

44, 46 are applied. In Fig. 1 1, a further embodiment of the previously described substrate processing apparatus is shown in a plan view from above in cross section. This substrate processing apparatus 10 has an entrance lock 1 10 and an exit lock 610 as well as two process modules 200, 300 arranged therebetween. The mode of action and interaction of the entrance lock 1 10, process module 200, process module 300 and the exit lock 610 is largely identical to that previously described with reference to Figs. 1-10 described. Compared to the embodiment of a substrate processing device according to FIG. 1, however, the substrate processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 11 has a combined loading and unloading module 800, which is upstream of the entrance sluice 1 10 with respect to the transport direction T.

On the output side of the output lock 610, a removal module 802 is provided. This has a perpendicular to the transport direction receptacle 804 for at least one substrate carrier 30, 32. The receptacle 804 is translationally displaceable transversely to the transport direction T by means of a drive not shown separately. It can be positioned, for example, in extension of the first transport path P1 as well as in extension of the second transport path P2. In extension of the second transport path P2, a substrate carrier 32 located in the region of the second transport path P2 within the exit lock 610 can be picked up by the receptacle 804 and subsequently transferred to a separate return 806, which extends from the removal module 802 back to the second transport path P2 Loading and unloading module 800 extends.

The return path 806 provides a return path R along which the substrate carriers 30, 32 with substrates can be transported back against the original transport direction T. The return can be modular as well as the process modules 200, 300 and the locks 1 10, 610 modular. In the present illustration according to FIG. 1 1, the return 806 extends continuously from the removal module 802 to the input-side loading and unloading module 800. The entire return 806, or at least its return path R, is advantageously provided with a continuous housing 808 facing upwards is largely closed. In this way, a protected environment can be provided for the substrates or substrate holders 30, 32 moving along the return path R, even if the substrate processing device should only be located in a clean room in certain regions.

It is further provided a merely indicated blower unit 810, by means of which filtered or purified air of the housing 808 can be fed. Preferably, the

Cooling air supplied according to the counter-current principle of the housing 808 and the return 806. Ie. the air is supplied by the loading and unloading module.

The provision of a combined loading and unloading module 800 at one end of the substrate processing device is advantageous to the extent that the entire substrate processing takes place. turing device only in areas under clean room conditions set up or operate is. Since the recirculation for the substrates or substrate holders 30, 32 is completely enclosed and also provided with a protective atmosphere by means of the blower unit, all components of the substrate processing device downstream of the loading and unloading module 800 can also be operated outside of a clean room or without observing clean room conditions.

This is of great advantage for the regular cleaning and maintenance of, for example, the process modules 200, 300 and their process chambers 210, 310. According to the illustration according to FIG. 11, it is sufficient in this respect if only the loading and unloading module is located in a clean room 820, while the remaining part of the substrate processing device 10 remains outside the clean room.

LIST OF REFERENCES

10 substrate processing device

12 lock valve

14 lock valve

16 transport roller

20 transport device

30 substrate carrier

32 substrate carrier

34 leadership

36 leadership

40 substrate

41 substrate

42 substrate

43 substrate

44 substrate

46 substrate

50 gas distribution structure

52 gas distribution structure

60 loading station

62 unloading station

100 lock module

1 10 entrance lock

1 1 1 interior

1 12 housing

1 14 entrance opening

1 16 exit opening

120 heating device

122 heating rod

200 process module

210 process chamber

21 1 interior

212 housing

214 entrance opening 215 Electrical supply unit

216 exit opening

217 Vacuum pump unit

218 opening

220 process source

221 plasma source

222 inner housing

224 windows

226 coil

228 flange

230 support frame

232 passage

234 traverse

236 floor

240 inspection opening

241 inspection opening

242 lids

243 lids

250 contacting unit

252 contacting unit

300 process module

310 process chamber

312 housing

320 process source

400 process module

410 process chamber

412 housing

420 process source

500 process module

510 process chamber

600 lock module

610 exit lock

612 housing

614 entrance opening

616 exit opening

800 loading and unloading module 802 removal module

804 recording

806 feedback

808 enclosure 810 blower unit

820 clean room

Claims

claims

Substrate processing device, having an input lock (110) for receiving at least one substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) and for transferring the substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) along a predetermined transport direction ( T), a first process chamber (210) having a first process source (220) for performing at least a first surface treatment process, wherein the first process chamber (210) in the transport direction (T) adjacent to the input lock (1 10) and by means of a lock valve (12) hermetically separable from the entrance lock (1 10), at least one second process chamber (310, 410, 510) with a second process source (320, 420) for performing at least one second surface treatment process, wherein the second process chamber (310, 410, 510) in Transport direction (T) adjacent to the first process chamber (210) and by means of a lock valve (12) is hermetically separable from the first process chamber (210), and with a Transportvorric means (20) for discontinuously, stepwise transporting the at least one substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) in the transport direction (T) from the first process chamber (210) into the at least second process chamber (310, 410, 510). ,

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an exit lock (610) for discharging the at least one substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) from the second process chamber (310, 410, 510), the exit lock (610) in Transport direction (T) to one of the first process chamber (210) facing away from the second process chamber (310, 410, 510) adjacent and by means of a lock valve (14) hermetically from the second process chamber (310, 410, 510) is separable. Device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one third process chamber (310), which is arranged with respect to the transport direction (T) between the first process chamber (210) and the second process chamber (410, 510) and which by means of lock valves (12). from the first process chamber (210) and from the second process chamber (410, 510) is hermetically separable.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and the second process chamber (210, 310, 410, 510) each have two transport paths (P1, P2) extending parallel to the transport direction for substrates (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 ), which are arranged on different opposite sides of the first and second process source (220, 320, 420) and wherein a first transport path (P1) of the first process chamber (210) rectilinear in a first transport path (P1) of the second process chamber (310 , 410, 510).

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a second transport path (P2) of the first process chamber (210) continues in a straight line into a second transport path (P2) of the second process chamber (310, 410, 510).

Device according to one of the preceding claims 4 or 5, wherein at least one of the first and second transport path (P1, P2) extends in a straight line from the entry lock (1 10) into the at least second process chamber (310, 410, 510).

Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one substrate carrier (30, 32) which can be equipped with at least one substrate (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) is aligned substantially vertically by means of the transport device (20) from the entry lock (10 ) is transportable into the first process chamber (210) and from the first process chamber (210) into the at least second process chamber (310, 410, 510).

Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first and second process sources (220, 320, 420) has an inductively coupled plasma source for exciting a plasma in the respective process chamber (210, 310, 410, 510). Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the process sources (220) having an inner housing (222), which is hermetically from an interior space (21 1) of the respective process chamber (210) arranged in the process chamber (210) can be arranged.

Device according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the process sources (220) together with the inner housing (222) can be inserted from above into the respective process chamber (210).

Device according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 10, wherein within at least one of the at least first and second process chambers (210, 310, 410, 510) at least two on opposite sides of the respective process source (220, 320, 420) arranged substrates (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) are simultaneously subjected to substantially identical static surface treatment processes.

Device according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 1 1, wherein at least two within the first and within the second process chamber (210, 310, 410, 510) arranged substrates (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46) simultaneously different static surface treatment processes are unterziehbar.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein for each of the at least two process chambers (210, 310, 410, 510), a separate process module (200, 300, 400, 500) is provided, each having its own electrical power supply unit (215) for the process source (220) and a separate vacuum pump unit (217) for the process chamber (210).

Method for the simultaneous coating of a plurality of substrates (40, 42, 44, 46) by means of a device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, with the steps:

Arranging at least one second substrate (44, 46) in the first process chamber (210),

Performing a first surface treatment process (01) at least on the second substrate (44, 46) in the first process chamber (210), Passing the second substrate (44, 46) from the first process chamber (210) into the second process chamber (310) and disposing a first substrate (40, 42) in the first process chamber (210),

Performing at least the first surface treatment process (01) at least on the first substrate (40, 42) in the first process chamber (210) and simultaneously or temporally at least partially overlapping performing a second surface treatment process (02) on the second substrate (44, 46) in the second process chamber (310).

The method of claim 14, wherein the implementation of the first or the second surface treatment process (01, 02) comprises at least two different, temporally successive part treatment processes.