WO2019096515A1 - Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates - Google Patents

Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2019096515A1
WO2019096515A1 PCT/EP2018/078154 EP2018078154W WO2019096515A1 WO 2019096515 A1 WO2019096515 A1 WO 2019096515A1 EP 2018078154 W EP2018078154 W EP 2018078154W WO 2019096515 A1 WO2019096515 A1 WO 2019096515A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
substrate
vacuum treatment
chamber
treatment apparatus
handler
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2018/078154
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Martin BLESS
Colette GRAND
Thomas NADIG
Original Assignee
Evatec Ag
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Evatec Ag filed Critical Evatec Ag
Publication of WO2019096515A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019096515A1/en
Priority to CN201980066865.9A priority Critical patent/CN112789717A/en
Priority to EP19773432.0A priority patent/EP3864691A1/en
Priority to US17/284,047 priority patent/US20210381100A1/en
Priority to KR1020217014092A priority patent/KR20210068566A/en
Priority to JP2021519883A priority patent/JP2022504743A/en
Priority to PCT/EP2019/075657 priority patent/WO2020074248A1/en
Priority to TW108136368A priority patent/TWI821430B/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/683—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
    • H01L21/687—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches
    • H01L21/68714—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
    • H01L21/68771—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support characterised by supporting more than one semiconductor substrate
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67739—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber
    • H01L21/67742—Mechanical parts of transfer devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67739—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber
    • H01L21/67748—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations into and out of processing chamber horizontal transfer of a single workpiece
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/683—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
    • H01L21/687—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches
    • H01L21/68714—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
    • H01L21/68764—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating caroussel

Definitions

  • Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates are provided.
  • the present invention is directed on a vacuum treatment apparatus in which a multitude of substrate holders are arranged along at least one circle locus on a surface locus of a conical, e.g. a cylindrical, body of revolution in a vacuum enclosure.
  • At least one vacuum treatment station for treating the substrates is provided at the vacuum enclosure and the substrate holders are passed the treating station by being rotated relative to the treatment station around the axis of the surface locus of the conical, e.g.
  • the substrates are
  • the substrate holders positioned on the substrate holders so that the extended surfaces of the e.g. plate-shaped substrates extend along tangential planes of the surface locus.
  • the substrates are loaded on and unloaded from the substrate holders by a substrate handler in a substrate handling chamber.
  • the handler is adapted to transfer the substrates with their extended surfaces along a first plane which is parallel to a tangential plane on a cylinder, and from and on a
  • the substrates are loaded and unloaded to or from the substrate holders in a moving direction perpendicular to the extended surfaces of the substrates. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative vacuum treatment apparatus.
  • a vacuum treatment apparatus comprising: a controlled substrate handler;
  • a substrate vacuum treatment chamber comprising a multitude of substrate holders arranged along at least one circle locus on a surface locus of a cone with a cone-axis and with a cone-angle for which there is valid:
  • the multitude of substrate holders commonly and the at least one vacuum treatment station are drivingly rotatable relative to each other around the cone-axis.
  • the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer with the vacuum treatment chamber.
  • the controlled substrate handler is adapted to transfer a substrate with its extended surfaces along a tangential plane of the surface locus on or from one of the substrate holders and from or on a position of the extended surfaces along a second plane which second plane intersects the addressed tangential plane.
  • Definitions a) We understand under a "surface locus of a cone” the locus of the conic surface of a geometric cone body.
  • the substrates are generically plate shaped, plane or domed. We understand under “extended surfaces " of the substrates those surfaces of the substrates which do not extend over the thickness of the substrate plates.
  • the cone axis is vertical.
  • the cone angle is at least approximately 0° and thus the cone is at least approximately a cylinder.
  • the second plane is at least approximately perpendicular to the cone axis.
  • the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a valve with the vacuum treatment chamber.
  • the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a load-lock with said vacuum treatment
  • the substrate handler may reside in a atmosphere with a pressure different from the pressure applied in the vacuum treatment chamber, may even reside in ambient .
  • the substrate handler resides in ambient
  • the substrate handler resides in a chamber.
  • the substrate handler resides in a specific substrate handling chamber.
  • the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a slit with the vacuum treatment chamber.
  • this communication may be realized via a slit-valve.
  • One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention comprises at least one substrate accommodation chamber communicating for substrate transfer with the substrate handler .
  • controlled substrate handler is further adapted to handle substrates from the at least one
  • controlled substrate handler is further adapted to handle substrates, alternatively or additionally to the just addressed embodiment, from the vacuum treatment chamber towards the at least one substrate accommodation chamber along the addressed second plane.
  • the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a valve with the at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
  • the substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a load-lock with said at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
  • the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a slit with the at least one substrate
  • this communication may be realized via a slit-valve.
  • the at least one substrate accommodation chamber is a load-lock chamber.
  • the vacuum treatment chamber comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations.
  • the at least one vacuum treatment station is stationary .
  • the substrate holders comprises a substrate support and , substantially radially outwards with respect to said cone-axis from the substrate support, a holding frame drivingly movable towards and from the substrate support, in a first position more remote from the substrate support leaving space to slid a substrate by the substrate handler in alignment with the substrate support and in a second position, closer to the substrate support, biasing a substrate on or towards the substrate holder.
  • the substrate holders comprise a substrate support and , substantially radially inwards with respect to the cone-axis from the substrate support, a holding frame drivingly movable towards and from the substrate support, in a first position more remote from the substrate support leaving space to slid a substrate by the substrate handler in alignment with the substrate support and in a second position, closer to the substrate support, biasing a substrate on or towards the substrate holder.
  • the vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station, and the substrate handling chamber
  • the vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station and at least one of the at least one substrate accommodation chambers is an etching station.
  • the substrate handler resides in a substrate handling chamber comprising a pumping port.
  • One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention comprises a buffer chamber communicating for substrate transfer with the substrate handler.
  • One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention comprises a buffer chamber communicating for substrate transfer with the substrate handler, the buffer chamber being one of the at least one substrate accommodation chambers .
  • the substrate handler possibly residing in a specific substrate handling chamber, communicates for substrate transfer via a vertical
  • substrate handling first slit which is located in a vertical plane, with the vacuum treatment chamber as well as via a horizontal substrate handling second slit, located in a horizontal plane, with a substrate accommodation chamber for accommodating at least one substrate in
  • the vertical plane as addressed is parallel to a tangential plane on the surface locus of a cylinder.
  • the controllably driven substrate handler is adapted to transfer a substrate from horizontal position into a vertical position and inversely .
  • the second slit i.e. the horizontal one, is equipped with a vacuum slit valve.
  • the substrate in this case and in a further embodiment of the treatment apparatus according to the invention, the substrate
  • accommodation chamber e.g. for accommodating at least one substrate, is a load-lock chamber.
  • treatment chamber comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations. These stations are arranged along circles around and coaxial to the vertical cylinder- axis and are, considered in radial direction with respect to the
  • substrate holders and, further, considered in axial direction with respect to the addressed vertical cylinder- axis, aligned with at least a part of the substrate
  • the vacuum treatment stations may, as examples and most generically, comprise etching chambers, layer deposition chambers being PVD- or CVD- or PECVD- or ALD- deposition chambers as well as degasser or cooling chambers.
  • the substrate holders and the addressed more than one vacuum treatment stations are rotatable with respect to each other around the addressed vertical cylinder- axis. Thus, in these cases too, by such relative rotation, substrate holders are passed treatment stations in an aligned manner.
  • the more than one vacuum treatment stations are stationary and thus the multitude of substrate holders is commonly rotated along the addressed locus surface of the cylinder around the addressed vertical cylinder-axis. Also, in embodiments of the apparatus according to
  • each of the substrate holders comprises a substrate support, on which substrates positioned in the substrate holders rest.
  • Such substrate support may e.g. be formed by distinct pins.
  • the substrate holders further comprise, outwards or inwards with respect to the cone - or cylinder- axis from the substrate support, a holding frame, which is drivingly moveable towards and from the substrate support.
  • a first position of the holding frame is more remote from the substrate support and leaves space to slide a substrate by the substrate handler into alignment with the substrate support.
  • the holding frame biases a respective substrate on or towards the substrate holder.
  • the vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station and the substrate handling chamber communicates for substrate transfer by a further substrate handling slit with an etching station. Thereby, it is avoided that by the etching process, processes in the substrate vacuum treatment chamber are influenced.
  • the addressed first slit which is, in embodiment A, the vertical one, is equipped with a vacuum slit valve.
  • the addressed further slit to an etching station is equipped with a vacuum slit valve .
  • the substrate is equipped with a vacuum slit valve .
  • handling chamber comprises a pumping port.
  • the first slit that is in embodiment A the vertical one, is positioned distant from the second slit, the horizontal one in embodiment A, considered in an azimuthal direction with respect to the addressed axis.
  • first part which is controllably and drivingly swivelable around a first axis, which is parallel to the addressed vertical cone- or cylinder-axis and comprises a second part, which comprises a substrate gripper and which is mounted on the first part.
  • the second part is
  • a buffer chamber communicating by a still further substrate handling slit with the substrate handling chamber.
  • substrates may be buffered in a wait-position before being handed over to the vacuum treatment chamber or to one or more than one vacuum treatment stations directly
  • substrate handler resides more than one substrate vacuum treatment chambers. This also in embodiments according to embodiment A. Such more than one substrate vacuum treatment chambers may be served by substrates from the substrate handling chamber.
  • the invention is further directed to a method of vacuum treating substrates or of manufacturing vacuum treated substrates by means of a vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention or according one or more than one of its embodiments.
  • Fig.l schematically and simplified a top view of an embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention.
  • Fig.2 a part of the embodiment of fig.l in a further variant ;
  • Fig.3 schematically and simplified in top view, a
  • Fig.4 schematically and simplified a crossectional representation of the substrate holder as of fig.3;
  • Fig.5a and 5b in a schematical and simplified
  • FIG.6 in a representation in analogy to that of fig.l, a further embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention
  • Fig.7 schematically and simplified, an embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention incorporating more than one of the vacuum treatment
  • Fig.8 schematically and simplified the generic substrate handling mechanism at an embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows, in a top view, simplified
  • the apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber 1 and a substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3.
  • the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises a multitude of substrate holders 5, which are arranged along a surface locus of a cylinder - i.e. of a cone -body of rotation with a cone angle of at least approximately 0°, and with a vertical axis A 3 .
  • Substrates on the substrate holders 5 are arranged and held with their central normals N in radial direction with respect to the addressed vertical axis A 3 as shown in figure 1 in dash-lines.
  • the substrate handling chamber 1 communicates via a vertical substrate handling slit 7, in a vertical plane El, with the vacuum treatment chamber 3 and by a horizontal substrate handling slit 9, in a horizontal plane E2 that is in the plane of figure 1, with a substrate accommodation chamber 12 for accommodating at least one substrate 14 in horizontal position, that is parallel to or in the plane E2.
  • the vertical plane El is parallel to a tangential plane on the surface locus of the cylinder (not shown) around vertical axis A3.
  • a controllably driven substrate handler 16 By means of the substrate handler 16 a substrate 14 is handled in the substrate handling chamber 1 there is provided a controllably driven substrate handler 16.
  • the substrate handler 16 is adapted to transfer a substrate 14 in vertical position between a substrate holder 5 and the substrate handling chamber 1 via the slit 7 and thus along vertical plane El.
  • the handler 16 has multiple parts 18,19,20 which are swivable about vertical axes Ais, Ai9, 20 and around a horizontal axis A21.
  • the part 20, which comprises (not shown in figure 1) a substrate gripper for substrate 14 is on one hand swivable -W- around axis A21 and controllably extendable -T- and retractable in the direction of the axis A21.
  • the slit 9 may be equipped with a vacuum slit valve as shown in dash-lines by V9 in figure 1.
  • the substrate accommodation chamber 12 for accommodating at least one substrate 14, may be a load lock chamber with a second vacuum slit valve as shown by V12 in dash-line.
  • the vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations as shown in figure 1 by 22a, 22b, 22c, which may e.g. be PVD, CVD, PECVD, ALD etc. layer deposition stations, etching stations, heating stations, degasser stations etc.
  • the vacuum treatment station 22 x are arranged along a circle around the vertical axis A 3
  • the substrate holders 5 and the more than one vacuum treatment stations 22 x are rotatable relative to each other around vertical axis A 3 . Thereby the substrate holders 5 are sequentially moved in alignment with a respective one of the vacuum treatment stations 22 x .
  • the more than one vacuum treatment station 22x are stationary, whereas the substrate holders 5 are commonly rotated around vertical axis A3 by means of a controlled drive (not shown) .
  • the slit 7 has a width which allows a substrate 14 swiveled or tilted into vertical position to be passed all-together with the gripping portion of the controlled substrate handler 16 into alignment with a respective one of the substrate holders 5. This is schematically shown in figure 1 by the double arrow U 7 . Please note that through slit 7 as well as through slit 9, U g , be-directionally, substrates 14, which have yet not been treated in the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 are loaded into this chamber 3 and substrates 14, which have been treated in the addressed chamber 3 are unloaded from the respective substrate holders 5 towards the chamber 12.
  • the substrate holders 5 are adapted to hold substrates 14 with central normals N on the extended substrate surfaces perpendicular to the surface locus; c)
  • the vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises at least one
  • the multitude of substrate holders 5 commonly and the at least one treatment chamber 22 x are drivingly rotatable relative to each other around the cone-axis A 3 ; e) The substrate handling chamber 1 communicates for
  • substrate handler 16 is provided which is adapted and accordingly constructed to transfer a substrate 14 with its extended surfaces along a tangential plane Ei of the surface locus on or from one of the substrate holders 5 and from or on a position of the extended surfaces along a second plane E 2 in the substrate handling chamber 1 which second plane E 2 intersects the tangential plane Ei.
  • the following may be realized:
  • the substrate handler 16 is installed in an atmosphere having a pressure which is different from the pressure of the atmosphere in the vacuum treatment chamber 3.
  • the atmosphere wherein the substrate handler 16 is installed may be ambient atmosphere.
  • a load lock 23 is provided at or integrated in the location of slit 7 in fig.1.
  • the substrate handler 16 is thereby not necessarily installed in a specific handling chamber 1 as of fig.l, in fact the substrate handler 16 may be installed not in a chamber at all.
  • Figure 3 shows schematically and simplified a substrate holder 5 in two situations, which clearly do not
  • substrate (14a) e.g. of circular shape is to be loaded on or removed from a substrate holder 5, it is gripped by the gripping part of part 20 (see figure 1) of the controlled substrate handler 16.
  • the gripping part 20 may, as
  • FIG. 1 schematically shown, comprise controllably releasable hooks 24 which grip a substrate when removing from the chamber 12 and during 90° swiveling into vertical position and feeding through slit 7.
  • the substrate 14 is conveyed in a position 14b i.e. aligned with a respective substrate holder 5, it is released by the gripping e.g. by the hooks 24 and is deposited on studs or pins 26.
  • the substrate in position 14a and the gripping parts of the controlled substrate handler 16 are moved beneath a frame plate 28 as schematically shown in figure 4.
  • the frame plate 28 is drivingly moved, as shown in figure 4 by arrow Z, towards the substrate 14 and thereby biases the substrate in position 14b to the
  • the frame plate 28 has - as addressed - a central opening 32 which is either slightly larger than the substrate 14 and is provided with distinct contacting members 30 or which is slightly smaller than the substrate 14 and contacts such substrate all along its periphery.
  • the frame plate 28 is e.g. supported by drive-studs 34 by which the frame plate 28 is moved into the first position, as shown in figure 4, allowing loading or unloading the substrate holders 5 and in the second position where the frame plate 28 biases the substrate in position 14b.
  • the substrate holder 5 is located more distant from the axis A3 than the frame plate 28 and thus the frame plate is moved in substrate biasing second position in a direction away from the axis A3.
  • the substrate holder 5 is located closer to the axis A 3 than the frame plate 28 and thus the frame plate is moved in substrate biasing second position in a direction towards the axis A3.
  • FIG. 6 shows simplified and schematically and in analogy to figure 1, an embodiment of the vacuum treatment
  • substrate accommodation chamber 12 for accommodating at least one substrate is a bi-directional load-lock chamber and communicates with an input/output magazine arrangement 40.
  • the substrate handling chamber 1 communicates by further substrate handling slits, possibly with respective slit valves or load locks, directly with additional treatment stations 42.
  • at least one of the treatment stations 42 is an etching station. Thereby, no etching station is provided at the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 so that there etching may not influence substrate processing within the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3.
  • at least one of the treatment stations 42 may be a buffer chamber for buffering one or more than one substrate before or after having been treated. As shown in dash-line in figure 6, two or even more substrate vacuum treatment chambers 3, as were
  • the substrate handling chamber la may be constructed so that more than 4 chambers or stations may be mounted thereto and through respective slits, possibly with vacuum slit valves or through load locks be served .
  • such enlarged substrate handling chamber la may serve bidirectionally a load-lock chamber 46, a degasser chamber 48, a further substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3a, as was described, an etching station 45 and a second substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3b as described.
  • the passages for the substrate handler 16 towards the vacuum treatment chamber 3 and /or 3a and/or towards further treatment stations 42 and/or 45 and/or 46 and /or 48 may be equipped without a respective valve, or with a respective vacuum valve, or with a respective load lock.
  • the substrate handling chamber 1 may be in one embodiment separately pumped as shown in figure 1 in dash-line and is then provided with a pumping port 50.
  • Fig.8 shows the generalized handling concept according to the apparatus of the invention based on the surface locus 61 being a cone with a cone-angle for which there is valid :
  • One of the multitude of substrate holders 5 holds a substrate e.g. a circular substrate 65 in that position Pi in which it has just be loaded to the respective substrate holder 5 or is just to be unloaded from that substrate holder 5.
  • the substrate 65 in position Pi is positioned practically on the surface locus 61 with the normal N on the extended surface 64 of the substrate 65 perpendicular to the surface locus 61 and thus along a respective tangential plane Ei 6 on the conical surface locus 61.
  • the substrate 65 is rotated relative to a treatment station (not shown in fig.8) along a circular locus 67 away and toward position Pi.
  • the substrate 65 in position Pi extends along the tangential plane Ei 6 on the surface locus 61.
  • a substrate 65 is loaded into or removed by the substrate handler (not shown in fig.8) in a position P2 as
  • the substrate 65 In the position P2 within the substrate handling chamber, if at all provided, the substrate 65 resides with its extended surface 64 along a plane E26 which intersects the tangential plane Ei 6 as shown by intersection line g.
  • the controlled substrate handler (not shown in fig.8) a yet untreated substrate 65 in position P2 is grasped and is conveyed into position P3 where the extended surface 64 of the substrate 65 extends along or practically on the tangential plane Ei 6 , still in the substrate handling chamber, if at all provided.
  • This is schematically shown in fig.8 by the double arrow E26/E16.
  • the substrate 65 is moved by the controlled substrate handler (not shown in fig.8) into the substrate vacuum treatment chamber (not shown in fig.8) with its extended surface 64 along or practically in the tangential plane Ei 6 towards and on the substrate holder in position Pi.
  • This is schematically shown in fig.8 by the double arrow P2/P1.
  • a treated substrate 65 is removed from position Pi via P 3 to P 2 respectively.

Abstract

A vacuum treatment apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber (1) and a substrate vacuum treatment chamber (3). Within the substrate vacuum treatment chamber (3) a multitude of substrate holders (5) are arranged along a surface locus of a cone body of rotation, namely of a cylinder with a cone angle of 0°. The substrate handling chamber (1) communicates via a substrate handling slit (7) in one plane (E1) with a vacuum treatment chamber (3) and by a substrate handling slit (9) in a second plane (E2) with a substrate accommodation chamber (12). The first plane (E1) is parallel to a tangential plane on the surface locus along which the substrate holders (5) reside in the vacuum treatment chamber (3). This plane (E1) intersects the second plane (E2). The substrate handler (16) handles substrates between the two intersecting planes (E1, E2).

Description

Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates .
The present invention is directed on a vacuum treatment apparatus in which a multitude of substrate holders are arranged along at least one circle locus on a surface locus of a conical, e.g. a cylindrical, body of revolution in a vacuum enclosure. At least one vacuum treatment station for treating the substrates is provided at the vacuum enclosure and the substrate holders are passed the treating station by being rotated relative to the treatment station around the axis of the surface locus of the conical, e.g.
cylindrical, body of revolution. The substrates are
positioned on the substrate holders so that the extended surfaces of the e.g. plate-shaped substrates extend along tangential planes of the surface locus.
According to e.g. the EP 1 717 338 the substrates are loaded on and unloaded from the substrate holders by a substrate handler in a substrate handling chamber. The handler is adapted to transfer the substrates with their extended surfaces along a first plane which is parallel to a tangential plane on a cylinder, and from and on a
position in the substrate handling chamber, whereat the substrates extend with their extended surfaces along a second plane which is parallel to a tangential plane on the cylinder .
According to e.g. the JPS6039162 or the JPS60238479 the substrates are loaded and unloaded to or from the substrate holders in a moving direction perpendicular to the extended surfaces of the substrates. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative vacuum treatment apparatus.
This achieved by a vacuum treatment apparatus comprising: a controlled substrate handler;
• a substrate vacuum treatment chamber comprising a multitude of substrate holders arranged along at least one circle locus on a surface locus of a cone with a cone-axis and with a cone-angle for which there is valid:
0° < a < 60°, and adapted to hold substrates with central normals on the extended substrate surfaces perpendicular to the surface locus and further comprising at least one vacuum treatment station, distant from the surface locus and aligned with the at least one circle locus, said at least one circle locus being a circle on the surface locus in a first plane perpendicular to the cone-axis.
The multitude of substrate holders commonly and the at least one vacuum treatment station are drivingly rotatable relative to each other around the cone-axis.
The substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer with the vacuum treatment chamber.
The controlled substrate handler is adapted to transfer a substrate with its extended surfaces along a tangential plane of the surface locus on or from one of the substrate holders and from or on a position of the extended surfaces along a second plane which second plane intersects the addressed tangential plane. Definitions : a) We understand under a "surface locus of a cone" the locus of the conic surface of a geometric cone body. b) The substrates are generically plate shaped, plane or domed. We understand under "extended surfaces " of the substrates those surfaces of the substrates which do not extend over the thickness of the substrate plates.
c) We further understand a cylinder as a special case of a cone, namely a cone with a cone-angle of 0°. d)We understand under the term cone-angle, the angle between the axis of the cone and the surface the cone body.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the cone axis is vertical.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the cone angle is at least approximately 0° and thus the cone is at least approximately a cylinder.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the second plane is at least approximately perpendicular to the cone axis.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a valve with the vacuum treatment chamber.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a load-lock with said vacuum treatment
chamber. Thus, the substrate handler may reside in a atmosphere with a pressure different from the pressure applied in the vacuum treatment chamber, may even reside in ambient .
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler resides in ambient
atmosphere or in vacuum atmosphere.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler resides in a chamber.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler resides in a specific substrate handling chamber.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a slit with the vacuum treatment chamber.
Thus, this communication may be realized via a slit-valve.
One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention comprises at least one substrate accommodation chamber communicating for substrate transfer with the substrate handler .
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the controlled substrate handler is further adapted to handle substrates from the at least one
substrate accommodation chamber towards the vacuum
treatment chamber along the addressed second plane.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the controlled substrate handler is further adapted to handle substrates, alternatively or additionally to the just addressed embodiment, from the vacuum treatment chamber towards the at least one substrate accommodation chamber along the addressed second plane.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a valve with the at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a load-lock with said at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler communicates for substrate transfer via a slit with the at least one substrate
accommodation chamber. Thus, this communication may be realized via a slit-valve.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the at least one substrate accommodation chamber is a load-lock chamber.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the vacuum treatment chamber comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the at least one vacuum treatment station is stationary .
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention at least some of the substrate holders comprises a substrate support and , substantially radially outwards with respect to said cone-axis from the substrate support, a holding frame drivingly movable towards and from the substrate support, in a first position more remote from the substrate support leaving space to slid a substrate by the substrate handler in alignment with the substrate support and in a second position, closer to the substrate support, biasing a substrate on or towards the substrate holder.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention at least some of the substrate holders comprise a substrate support and , substantially radially inwards with respect to the cone-axis from the substrate support, a holding frame drivingly movable towards and from the substrate support, in a first position more remote from the substrate support leaving space to slid a substrate by the substrate handler in alignment with the substrate support and in a second position, closer to the substrate support, biasing a substrate on or towards the substrate holder.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station, and the substrate handling chamber
communicates for substrate transfer with an etching
station .
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station and at least one of the at least one substrate accommodation chambers is an etching station.
In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention the substrate handler resides in a substrate handling chamber comprising a pumping port. One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention comprises a buffer chamber communicating for substrate transfer with the substrate handler.
One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention comprises a buffer chamber communicating for substrate transfer with the substrate handler, the buffer chamber being one of the at least one substrate accommodation chambers .
In an embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention- we call it embodiment A- the substrate handler, possibly residing in a specific substrate handling chamber, communicates for substrate transfer via a vertical
substrate handling first slit, which is located in a vertical plane, with the vacuum treatment chamber as well as via a horizontal substrate handling second slit, located in a horizontal plane, with a substrate accommodation chamber for accommodating at least one substrate in
horizontal position.
The vertical plane as addressed is parallel to a tangential plane on the surface locus of a cylinder. The controllably driven substrate handler is adapted to transfer a substrate from horizontal position into a vertical position and inversely .
In one embodiment of embodiment A, the second slit, i.e. the horizontal one, is equipped with a vacuum slit valve.
In this case and in a further embodiment of the treatment apparatus according to the invention, the substrate
accommodation chamber, e.g. for accommodating at least one substrate, is a load-lock chamber. In a further embodiment of embodiment A, the vacuum
treatment chamber comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations. These stations are arranged along circles around and coaxial to the vertical cylinder- axis and are, considered in radial direction with respect to the
addressed vertical cylinder-axis, distant from the
substrate holders and, further, considered in axial direction with respect to the addressed vertical cylinder- axis, aligned with at least a part of the substrate
holders .
Generically in embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention, also in embodiments of embodiment A, the vacuum treatment stations may, as examples and most generically, comprise etching chambers, layer deposition chambers being PVD- or CVD- or PECVD- or ALD- deposition chambers as well as degasser or cooling chambers.
In embodiments of embodiment A, the substrate holders and the addressed more than one vacuum treatment stations are rotatable with respect to each other around the addressed vertical cylinder- axis. Thus, in these cases too, by such relative rotation, substrate holders are passed treatment stations in an aligned manner.
Thereby and in further embodiments of embodiment A, the more than one vacuum treatment stations are stationary and thus the multitude of substrate holders is commonly rotated along the addressed locus surface of the cylinder around the addressed vertical cylinder-axis. Also, in embodiments of the apparatus according to
embodiment A, each of the substrate holders comprises a substrate support, on which substrates positioned in the substrate holders rest. Such substrate support may e.g. be formed by distinct pins. The substrate holders further comprise, outwards or inwards with respect to the cone - or cylinder- axis from the substrate support, a holding frame, which is drivingly moveable towards and from the substrate support. A first position of the holding frame is more remote from the substrate support and leaves space to slide a substrate by the substrate handler into alignment with the substrate support. In a second position of the holding frame, which is closer to the substrate support than the first position, the holding frame biases a respective substrate on or towards the substrate holder.
Also, in embodiments of embodiment A, the vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station and the substrate handling chamber communicates for substrate transfer by a further substrate handling slit with an etching station. Thereby, it is avoided that by the etching process, processes in the substrate vacuum treatment chamber are influenced.
Also, in embodiments of embodiment A the addressed first slit, which is, in embodiment A, the vertical one, is equipped with a vacuum slit valve.
Also, in embodiments of embodiment A, the addressed further slit to an etching station, is equipped with a vacuum slit valve . Also, in embodiments of embodiment A, the substrate
handling chamber comprises a pumping port.
In a still further embodiments also of embodiment A the first slit, that is in embodiment A the vertical one, is positioned distant from the second slit, the horizontal one in embodiment A, considered in an azimuthal direction with respect to the addressed axis.
Especially in embodiments A, the substrate handler
comprises a first part, which is controllably and drivingly swivelable around a first axis, which is parallel to the addressed vertical cone- or cylinder-axis and comprises a second part, which comprises a substrate gripper and which is mounted on the first part. The second part is
controllably and drivingly swivelable around a second axis, which is, especially in embodiment A, horizontal.
Also, in an embodiment of embodiments A there is provided a buffer chamber, communicating by a still further substrate handling slit with the substrate handling chamber.
Generically in a buffer chamber in substrate transfer communication with the substrate handling chamber,
substrates may be buffered in a wait-position before being handed over to the vacuum treatment chamber or to one or more than one vacuum treatment stations directly
communicating with the substrate handling chamber.
It must be pointed out that, generically, it is possible to provide at a substrate handling chamber wherein the
substrate handler resides more than one substrate vacuum treatment chambers. This also in embodiments according to embodiment A. Such more than one substrate vacuum treatment chambers may be served by substrates from the substrate handling chamber.
Two or more embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention may be combined unless being in contradiction.
The invention is further directed to a method of vacuum treating substrates or of manufacturing vacuum treated substrates by means of a vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention or according one or more than one of its embodiments.
The invention will now be further exemplified with the help of figures.
The figures show:
Fig.l: schematically and simplified a top view of an embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention;
Fig.2: a part of the embodiment of fig.l in a further variant ;
Fig.3: schematically and simplified in top view, a
substrate holder on an embodiment, as e.g. that of fig.l or fig.2, of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention;
Fig.4: schematically and simplified a crossectional representation of the substrate holder as of fig.3;
Fig.5a and 5b: in a schematical and simplified
representations two embodiments of biasing substrate on substrate holders in embodiments of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention; Fig.6: in a representation in analogy to that of fig.l, a further embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention;
Fig.7: schematically and simplified, an embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention incorporating more than one of the vacuum treatment
chambers and further treatment stations;
Fig.8: schematically and simplified the generic substrate handling mechanism at an embodiment of the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention.
Figure 1 shows, in a top view, simplified and
schematically, an embodiment of a vacuum treatment
apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber 1 and a substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3. The substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises a multitude of substrate holders 5, which are arranged along a surface locus of a cylinder - i.e. of a cone -body of rotation with a cone angle of at least approximately 0°, and with a vertical axis A3.
Substrates on the substrate holders 5 are arranged and held with their central normals N in radial direction with respect to the addressed vertical axis A3 as shown in figure 1 in dash-lines. The substrate handling chamber 1 communicates via a vertical substrate handling slit 7, in a vertical plane El, with the vacuum treatment chamber 3 and by a horizontal substrate handling slit 9, in a horizontal plane E2 that is in the plane of figure 1, with a substrate accommodation chamber 12 for accommodating at least one substrate 14 in horizontal position, that is parallel to or in the plane E2.
The vertical plane El is parallel to a tangential plane on the surface locus of the cylinder (not shown) around vertical axis A3.
In the substrate handling chamber 1 there is provided a controllably driven substrate handler 16. By means of the substrate handler 16 a substrate 14 is handled in
horizontal position and thus along the horizontal plane E2 between the substrate accommodation chamber 12 and the substrate handling chamber 1, via the slit 9. Further, the substrate handler 16 is adapted to transfer a substrate 14 in vertical position between a substrate holder 5 and the substrate handling chamber 1 via the slit 7 and thus along vertical plane El. To do so, the handler 16 has multiple parts 18,19,20 which are swivable about vertical axes Ais, Ai9, 20 and around a horizontal axis A21. The part 20, which comprises (not shown in figure 1) a substrate gripper for substrate 14 is on one hand swivable -W- around axis A21 and controllably extendable -T- and retractable in the direction of the axis A21. By the swiveling movement W e.i. of 90° the horizontally positioned wafer 14 is brought in vertical position and inversely.
The slit 9 may be equipped with a vacuum slit valve as shown in dash-lines by V9 in figure 1. In this case, the substrate accommodation chamber 12 for accommodating at least one substrate 14, may be a load lock chamber with a second vacuum slit valve as shown by V12 in dash-line. The vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations as shown in figure 1 by 22a, 22b, 22c, which may e.g. be PVD, CVD, PECVD, ALD etc. layer deposition stations, etching stations, heating stations, degasser stations etc. The vacuum treatment station 22x are arranged along a circle around the vertical axis A3
radially distant from the substrate holders 5 and aligned with at least a part of the substrate holders 5 in the direction of the vertical axis A3. The substrate holders 5 and the more than one vacuum treatment stations 22x are rotatable relative to each other around vertical axis A3. Thereby the substrate holders 5 are sequentially moved in alignment with a respective one of the vacuum treatment stations 22x. In one embodiment, the more than one vacuum treatment station 22x are stationary, whereas the substrate holders 5 are commonly rotated around vertical axis A3 by means of a controlled drive (not shown) .
The slit 7 has a width which allows a substrate 14 swiveled or tilted into vertical position to be passed all-together with the gripping portion of the controlled substrate handler 16 into alignment with a respective one of the substrate holders 5. This is schematically shown in figure 1 by the double arrow U7. Please note that through slit 7 as well as through slit 9, Ug, be-directionally, substrates 14, which have yet not been treated in the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 are loaded into this chamber 3 and substrates 14, which have been treated in the addressed chamber 3 are unloaded from the respective substrate holders 5 towards the chamber 12. Please note, that, in this embodiment: a) the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises a multitude of substrate holders 5 arranged along at least one circle locus on a surface locus of a cylinder, i.e. of a cone with a cone axis and with a cone-angle for which there is valid: a =00;
b) The substrate holders 5 are adapted to hold substrates 14 with central normals N on the extended substrate surfaces perpendicular to the surface locus; c) The vacuum treatment chamber 3 comprises at least one
vacuum treatment station 22x, distant from the surface locus of the cone and aligned with the at least one circle locus, whereby the at least one circle locus is a circle on the surface locus in a plane perpendicular to the cone- axis A3; d) The multitude of substrate holders 5 commonly and the at least one treatment chamber 22x are drivingly rotatable relative to each other around the cone-axis A3; e) The substrate handling chamber 1 communicates for
substrate transfer with the vacuum treatment chamber 3; f) In the substrate handling chamber 1, the controlled
substrate handler 16 is provided which is adapted and accordingly constructed to transfer a substrate 14 with its extended surfaces along a tangential plane Ei of the surface locus on or from one of the substrate holders 5 and from or on a position of the extended surfaces along a second plane E2 in the substrate handling chamber 1 which second plane E2 intersects the tangential plane Ei. In other embodiments the following may be realized:
The substrate handler 16 is installed in an atmosphere having a pressure which is different from the pressure of the atmosphere in the vacuum treatment chamber 3. The atmosphere wherein the substrate handler 16 is installed may be ambient atmosphere. In this case, as schematically and simplified shown in fig.2, a load lock 23 is provided at or integrated in the location of slit 7 in fig.1. The substrate handler 16 is thereby not necessarily installed in a specific handling chamber 1 as of fig.l, in fact the substrate handler 16 may be installed not in a chamber at all.
Figure 3 shows schematically and simplified a substrate holder 5 in two situations, which clearly do not
simultaneously occur, namely with a substrate 14a in a position being fed towards or removed from the substrate holder 5 and in a position 14b in which a substrate is located and held on the substrate holder 5. When a
substrate (14a) e.g. of circular shape is to be loaded on or removed from a substrate holder 5, it is gripped by the gripping part of part 20 (see figure 1) of the controlled substrate handler 16. The gripping part 20 may, as
schematically shown, comprise controllably releasable hooks 24 which grip a substrate when removing from the chamber 12 and during 90° swiveling into vertical position and feeding through slit 7. When the substrate 14 is conveyed in a position 14b i.e. aligned with a respective substrate holder 5, it is released by the gripping e.g. by the hooks 24 and is deposited on studs or pins 26. Thereby, the substrate in position 14a and the gripping parts of the controlled substrate handler 16 are moved beneath a frame plate 28 as schematically shown in figure 4. Once the substrate 14, according to position 14b, is deposited on the pins 26, the frame plate 28 is drivingly moved, as shown in figure 4 by arrow Z, towards the substrate 14 and thereby biases the substrate in position 14b to the
substrate holder 5. This is accomplished e.g.in that the frame plate 28, as shown in figure 3, contacts with
contacting members 30, distributed and inwards projecting along the central opening 32 of the frame plate 28 or all along the periphery of the central opening 32, the
peripheral surface of the substrate in position 14b. The frame plate 28 has - as addressed - a central opening 32 which is either slightly larger than the substrate 14 and is provided with distinct contacting members 30 or which is slightly smaller than the substrate 14 and contacts such substrate all along its periphery. The frame plate 28 is e.g. supported by drive-studs 34 by which the frame plate 28 is moved into the first position, as shown in figure 4, allowing loading or unloading the substrate holders 5 and in the second position where the frame plate 28 biases the substrate in position 14b.
As shown schematically in the figs.5a and 5b in one
embodiment according to fig.5a the substrate holder 5 is located more distant from the axis A3 than the frame plate 28 and thus the frame plate is moved in substrate biasing second position in a direction away from the axis A3. In another embodiment according to fig.5b the substrate holder 5 is located closer to the axis A3 than the frame plate 28 and thus the frame plate is moved in substrate biasing second position in a direction towards the axis A3.
Figure 6 shows simplified and schematically and in analogy to figure 1, an embodiment of the vacuum treatment
apparatus according to the invention. Thereby, the
substrate accommodation chamber 12 for accommodating at least one substrate is a bi-directional load-lock chamber and communicates with an input/output magazine arrangement 40. In this embodiment and as a further difference to the embodiment of figure 1, the substrate handling chamber 1 communicates by further substrate handling slits, possibly with respective slit valves or load locks, directly with additional treatment stations 42. In one embodiment, at least one of the treatment stations 42 is an etching station. Thereby, no etching station is provided at the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3 so that there etching may not influence substrate processing within the substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3. Further, at least one of the treatment stations 42 may be a buffer chamber for buffering one or more than one substrate before or after having been treated. As shown in dash-line in figure 6, two or even more substrate vacuum treatment chambers 3, as were
described, may be served by the controlled handler 16 in a manner as was described above. In figure 6 such a further substrate treatment chamber is addressed with a reference number 3a. According to figure 7, the substrate handling chamber la may be constructed so that more than 4 chambers or stations may be mounted thereto and through respective slits, possibly with vacuum slit valves or through load locks be served .
According to figure 7, such enlarged substrate handling chamber la may serve bidirectionally a load-lock chamber 46, a degasser chamber 48, a further substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3a, as was described, an etching station 45 and a second substrate vacuum treatment chamber 3b as described. This shall show the flexibility of using the vacuum treatment apparatus according to the invention in multiple different configurations.
The passages for the substrate handler 16 towards the vacuum treatment chamber 3 and /or 3a and/or towards further treatment stations 42 and/or 45 and/or 46 and /or 48 may be equipped without a respective valve, or with a respective vacuum valve, or with a respective load lock.
Please note that the substrate handling chamber 1 may be in one embodiment separately pumped as shown in figure 1 in dash-line and is then provided with a pumping port 50.
Fig.8 shows the generalized handling concept according to the apparatus of the invention based on the surface locus 61 being a cone with a cone-angle for which there is valid :
0° < £ 60°. One of the multitude of substrate holders 5 (not shown in fig.8) holds a substrate e.g. a circular substrate 65 in that position Pi in which it has just be loaded to the respective substrate holder 5 or is just to be unloaded from that substrate holder 5. The substrate 65 in position Pi is positioned practically on the surface locus 61 with the normal N on the extended surface 64 of the substrate 65 perpendicular to the surface locus 61 and thus along a respective tangential plane Ei6 on the conical surface locus 61. With respect to the axis A i of the conical surface locus 61, the substrate 65 is rotated relative to a treatment station (not shown in fig.8) along a circular locus 67 away and toward position Pi.
As addressed, the substrate 65 in position Pi extends along the tangential plane Ei6 on the surface locus 61.
A substrate 65 is loaded into or removed by the substrate handler (not shown in fig.8) in a position P2 as
schematically shown by the arrows L/UL. In the position P2 within the substrate handling chamber, if at all provided, the substrate 65 resides with its extended surface 64 along a plane E26 which intersects the tangential plane Ei6 as shown by intersection line g. By the controlled substrate handler (not shown in fig.8) a yet untreated substrate 65 in position P2 is grasped and is conveyed into position P3 where the extended surface 64 of the substrate 65 extends along or practically on the tangential plane Ei6, still in the substrate handling chamber, if at all provided. This is schematically shown in fig.8 by the double arrow E26/E16. Subsequently the substrate 65 is moved by the controlled substrate handler (not shown in fig.8) into the substrate vacuum treatment chamber (not shown in fig.8) with its extended surface 64 along or practically in the tangential plane Ei6 towards and on the substrate holder in position Pi. This is schematically shown in fig.8 by the double arrow P2/P1.
A treated substrate 65 is removed from position Pi via P3 to P2 respectively.

Claims

Claims
1. A vacuum treatment apparatus comprising:
• a controlled substrate handler;
• a substrate vacuum treatment chamber comprising a multitude of substrate holders arranged along at least one circle locus on a surface locus of a cone with a cone axis and with a cone-angle for which there is valid:
0° £ £ 60°
and adapted to hold substrates with central normals on the extended substrate surfaces perpendicular to said surface locus and further comprising at least one vacuum treatment station, distant from said surface locus and aligned with said at least one circle locus, said at least one circle locus being a circle on said surface locus in a first plane perpendicular to said cone-axis;
• said multitude of substrate holders commonly and said at least one vacuum treatment station being drivingly rotatable relative to each other around said cone-axis;
• said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer with said vacuum treatment chamber;
• said controlled substrate handler being adapted to transfer a substrate with its extended
surfaces along a tangential plane of said surface locus on or from one of said substrate holders and from or on a position of said extended surfaces along a second plane which second plane intersects said tangential plane.
2. The vacuum treatment apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cone axis is vertical.
3. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 or 2 wherein said cone angle is at least approximately 0° said cone being at least
approximately a cylinder.
4. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said second plane is at least approximately perpendicular to the cone axis.
5. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 4 said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a valve with said vacuum treatment chamber.
6. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 5 said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a load-lock with said vacuum treatment chamber.
7. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 6 said substrate handler residing in ambient atmosphere or in vacuum atmosphere.
8. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 7 said substrate handler residing in a chamber .
9. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 8 said substrate handler residing in a substrate handling chamber.
10. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 9 said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a slit with said vacuum treatment chamber.
11. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 10 comprising at least one substrate accommodation chamber communicating for substrate transfer with said substrate handler.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 said controlled
substrate handler being further adapted to handle substrates from said at least one substrate
accommodation chamber towards said vacuum treatment chamber along said second plane.
13. The apparatus of at least one of claims 11 or 12 said controlled substrate handler being further adapted to handle substrates from said vacuum treatment chamber towards said substrate
accommodation chamber along said second plane.
14. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 11 to 13 said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a valve with said at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
15. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 11 to 14 said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a load-lock with said at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
16. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 11 to 15 said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer via a slit with said at least one substrate accommodation chamber.
17. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 11 to 16, wherein said at least one substrate accommodation chamber is a load-lock chamber.
18. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 1 to 17, wherein said vacuum treatment chamber comprises more than one vacuum treatment stations.
19. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 1 to 18, wherein said at least one vacuum treatment station is stationary.
20. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 1 to 19 at least some of said substrate holders comprising a substrate support and , outwards with respect to said cone-axis from the substrate support, a holding frame drivingly movable towards and from said substrate support, in a first position more remote from said substrate support leaving space to slid a substrate by said substrate handler in alignment with said substrate support and in a second position, closer to said substrate support, biasing a substrate in said substrate holder.
21. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 20 at least some of said substrate holders comprising a substrate support and , inwards with respect to said cone-axis from the substrate support, a holding frame drivingly movable towards and from said substrate support, in a first position more remote from said substrate support leaving space to slid a substrate by said substrate handler in alignment with said substrate support and in a second position, closer to said substrate support, biasing a substrate in said substrate holder.
22. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 1 to 21, wherein said vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station, said substrate handler communicating for substrate transfer with an etching station.
23. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of
claims 11 to 22 wherein said vacuum treatment chamber does not comprise an etching station and at least one of said at least one substrate accommodation chambers is an etching station.
24. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 23, wherein said substrate handler resides in a substrate handling chamber comprising a pumping port.
25. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 1 to 24 comprising a buffer chamber
communicating for substrate transfer with said substrate handler.
26. The vacuum treatment apparatus of at least one of claims 11 to 25 comprising a buffer chamber
communicating for substrate transfer with said substrate handler, said buffer chamber being one of said at least one substrate accommodation chambers.
27. A method of vacuum treating substrates or of
manufacturing vacuum treated substrates by making use of a vacuum treatment apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 26.
PCT/EP2018/078154 2017-11-15 2018-10-16 Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates WO2019096515A1 (en)

Priority Applications (7)

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CN201980066865.9A CN112789717A (en) 2018-10-10 2019-09-24 Vacuum processing apparatus and method of vacuum processing substrate
EP19773432.0A EP3864691A1 (en) 2018-10-10 2019-09-24 Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates
US17/284,047 US20210381100A1 (en) 2018-10-10 2019-09-24 Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates
KR1020217014092A KR20210068566A (en) 2018-10-10 2019-09-24 Vacuum processing apparatus and method of vacuum processing substrates
JP2021519883A JP2022504743A (en) 2018-10-10 2019-09-24 Vacuum processing equipment and methods for vacuuming substrates
PCT/EP2019/075657 WO2020074248A1 (en) 2018-10-10 2019-09-24 Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates
TW108136368A TWI821430B (en) 2018-10-10 2019-10-08 Vacuum treatment apparatus and method of vacuum treating substrates

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