WO2020038660A1

WO2020038660A1 - Vacuum processing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2020038660A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/069147
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sven RIESCHL
Original assignee: Evatec Ag
Priority date: 2018-08-24
Filing date: 2019-07-16
Publication date: 2020-02-27
Also published as: TW202013590A

Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a first component (30), a second component (50) and a swivel mechanism for swiveling the first component (30) and the second component (50), the swivel mechanism comprising at least one first arm (3) for carrying the first component (30) and at least one second arm (5) for carrying the second component (50), wherein both, the at least one first arm (3) and the at least one second arm (5) are rotatably mounted on a holder unit (1) that is arranged on an adjacent structure, wherein the at least one first arm (3) is mounted on the holder unit (1) by means of a first shaft and wherein the at least one second arm (5) is mounted on the first shaft by means of a hollow second shaft (4).

Description

VACUUM PROCESSING APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The current invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus, in particular with a swiveling mechanism for components of the vacuum processing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

In known embodiments of such vacuum processing apparatus, the components are removed from their in-use position by means of a crane. This is time consuming and a skilled crane driver is needed to prevent the damage of the components during their assembly or dismantling. Also, the availability of a crane is not always given.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the current invention, it is a task to provide a vacuum processing apparatus, with which, specific parts can be dismantled and assembled in a fast and save way without having to rely on a crane.

This task is solved by a vacuum processing apparatus according to the invention with the features of claim 1. Further embodiments of the vacuum processing apparatus, as well as a swiveling mechanism to be used in a vacuum processing apparatus according to the invention are defined by the features of further claims. A vacuum processing apparatus according to the invention comprises a fist component, a second component and a swivel mechanism for swiveling both, the first component and the second component, the swivel mechanism comprising at least one first arm for carrying the first component and at least one second arm for carrying the second component, wherein both, the at least one first arm and the at least one second arm are rotatably mounted on a holder unit

characterized in that the at least one first arm is mounted on the holder unit by means of a first shaft and in that the at least one second arm is mounted on the first shaft by means of a hollow second shaft.

Common vacuum processing apparatus comprise a vacuum chamber, whose inside can be decompressed and in which at least one sample can be processed. Such an apparatus further comprises a source housing, which comprises a target assembly with at least one target and in which, a magnet array can be arranged, at least partially. Thus, in the current invention, for example, the first component can be the magnet array and the second component can be the source housing. Mounting the second shaft on the first shaft and the first shaft on the holder unit provides a compact and reliable design. In addition, the first

component and the second component can be swiveled about the same axis, which ensures a perfect alignment of the components before, during and after being swiveled.

In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus comprises a first balancing unit that is operatively connected to the first arm and that is designed to balance the weight of the first arm and the first component during swiveling. As such, heavy components can be manually swiveled by a user.

In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus comprises a second balancing unit that is operatively connected to the second arm and that is designed to balance the weight of the second arm and the second component during

swiveling .

With a second balancing unit, being independent from the first balancing unit, the weight of the second component can be balanced independently from the one of the first component .

For balancing the weight, compensating elements, such as a counter weight, or a spring, for example a gas spring, a tension spring, a compression spring or a torsion spring can be used.

In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus comprises at least one further second arm that is mounted on the second shaft by means of at least one further hollow second shaft. Like this, three components can be swiveled

independently or jointly. It is understood that this technical concept can be used to swivel even more

components of a vacuum processing apparatus, e.g. four, five or more.

In an embodiment, the holder unit comprises a first holder and a second holder and wherein the first shaft is mounted on both, the first holder and the second holder. For example, the first shaft is mounted to the respective holder on each of its longitudinal end regions. For big or heavy components, it would also be possible to provide a third holder, that is arranged in the longitudinal mid- region of the first shaft.

In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus comprises two or more first arms that are mounted on the first shaft, at a distance to one another, aligned with one another.

In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus comprises two or more second arms that are mounted on the second shaft, at a distance to one another, aligned with one another .

With such a design, the respective component can be

supported on two opposing sides, which improves the

stability of the design and therefore the accuracy of the positioning of the component. The two arms can be connected to one another to further increase the stability of the design. Alignment elements can be provided for aligning the two first arms and second arms respectively.

In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus comprises a first balancing unit and a second balancing unit, wherein each of the balancing units is arranged between one of the first arms and one of the second arms. This leads to a lean and essentially symmetrical design.

In an embodiment, the first component can be fixed to the second component by means of at least one first fixation element and the second component can be fixed to an

adjacent structure by means of at least one second fixation element. With such a design, in a first step, the first fixation elements can be removed to swivel the first component independently from the second component and in a second step, the second fixation elements can be removed to swivel the second component. In an alternative first step, the second fixation elements can be removed to swivel the first component together with the second component.

In an embodiment, the first component, the second component and the adjacent structure are designed as such, that in the intended use, atmospheric pressure or sub-atmospheric pressure can be maintained between the first component and the second component, and atmospheric or sub-atmospheric pressure can be maintained between the second component and the adjacent structure. Therefore, commonly known sealings can be used to ensure the required tightness.

In an embodiment, the first component comprises at least one magnet array for sputtering and the second component comprises at least one sputter target.

In an embodiment, the first component comprises a shielding part and the second component comprises a shielding part, both designed to perform a deposition process such as sputtering, CVD or ALD, or a removal process such as etching, like RIE.

In an embodiment, the first component comprises a sputter target and the second component comprises another target.

The features of the above-mentioned embodiments of the vacuum processing apparatus can be used in any combination, unless they contradict each other.

A swiveling mechanism according to the invention is one that can be used in a vacuum processing apparatus according to the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the current invention are described in more detail in the following with reference to the figures.

These are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting. It shows

Fig. 1 a perspective view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to the invention with a swiveled first component;

Fig. 2 a perspective view of the vacuum processing apparatus of figure 1 with both, a swiveled first component and a swiveled second component;

Fig. 3 a perspective view of the swiveling mechanism of figure 1, with swiveled first arms and non-swiveled second arms;

Fig. 4 a partly cut top view of the swiveling

mechanism with both, non-swiveled first arms and non- swiveled second arms;

Fig. 5 the detailed view A of figure 4;

Fig. 6 the detailed view B of figure 4;

Fig. 7 the section view C of figure 6; and

Fig. 8 a detailed section view of the connection of the first balancing unit with one of the first arms of the swiveling mechanism. DE TAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a vacuum processing apparatus according to the invention with a swiveled first component 30 that is arranged on two first arms 3 that can be swiveled about an axis of rotation R. The depicted first component 30 comprises the magnet array of the vacuum processing apparatus that is swiveled about 180 degrees with respect to its in-use position. The first arms 3 are arranged on and connected to a hollow shaft 4. A non- swiveled second component 50 is arranged on two second arms 5. The depicted second component 50 comprises the source housing of the vacuum processing apparatus. The first and second arms 3,5 are arranged on the adjacent structure by means of a holder unit 1.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the vacuum processing apparatus of figure 1 with both, a first component 30 and a second component 50 that are swiveled about 180 degrees with respect to their in-use positions.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the swiveling

mechanism of figure 1, with swiveled first arms 3 and non- swiveled second arms 5. The two first arms 3 are connected to one another by the hollow shaft 4. The first and second arms 3,5, as well as the hollow shaft 4 are rotatably mounted to the first and second holder 10, 11 of the holder unit 1. In the depicted embodiment, the first arm 3

comprises a screwed-on extension, on which the first component can be attached. The second arm is a single piece but could also comprise an extension. It is understood that the first arm could also be a single piece. A first balancing unit 8 comprises a first holder 80 that is arranged on the first holder 10 of the holder unit 1. The first balancing unit 8 further comprises a disk 81 that is connected to the first arm 3 and that transmits forces from the holder 80 to the first arm 3 by means of a gas spring 82. In the swiveled state, the position of the disk 81 can be blocked by means of an index bolt 83. A holder 90 of the second balancing unit 9 is arranged on and fixed to the second holder 11 of the holder unit 1. Again, a gas spring 92 transmits forces from the holder 90 to the disk 91. But, the disk 91 is connected to the second arm 5. The angular orientation of the second arm 5 with respect to the disk 91 can be adjusted. Therefore, a clamping plate 911 is

arranged on a side of the disk 91, opposite to the second arm 5 and the disk 91 comprises a circumferentially

extending slot through which the clamping plate 911 can be drawn towards the second arm by means of screws.

Figure 4 shows a partly cut top view of the swiveling mechanism with both, non-swiveled first arms 3 and non- swiveled second arms 5.

Figure 5 shows the detailed view A of figure 4 and figure 6 shows the detailed view B of figure 4. A first solid shaft 2 is rotatably mounted on its one end region on the first holder 10 and on its other end region on the second holder 11 by means of a first bearing 6, i.e. a ball bearing. The lateral ends of the first shaft 2 are covered each by a cover 100 that is arranged on the first holder 10 and the second holder 11 respectively. The second arm 5 of figure 6 comprises a first part 500 and a second part 501 that are clamped on a first sleeve 20 by means of screws 502, as can be seen in figure 7. The first sleeve 20 is arranged on the first shaft 2. Its angular movement is prevented by a feather key 21 and its movement along the axis of rotation R by a set screw 22. The first sleeve 20 abuts on the inner ring of the ball bearing 6, whose outer ring abuts on the first holder 10. On the side of the first sleeve 20, opposite to the ball bearing 6, a second bearing 7, i.e. a flange bushing, abuts on the first sleeve 20 with its flange. The hollow second shaft 4 is rotatably mounted on the first shaft 2 by means of the flange bushing 7. The second shaft 4 comprises reinforcing sleeves 40,41 at its ends, wherein the reinforcing sleeves 40,41 each are rotatably mounted on the respective flange bushing 7. The reinforcing sleeves 40,41 are fixed to the pipe of the hollow shaft. In figure 5, the second arm 5 comprises a single piece 503 that is screwed to a second sleeve 23, wherein the second sleeve 23 is fixed to the first shaft 2 by a feather key 21 and a set screw 22. The single piece arm 503 abuts on a third sleeve 24 that abuts on the inner ring of the ball bearing 6, which abuts with its outer ring on the second holder 11. Similar to the design of the split second arm 5 of figure 7, both first arms 3 are clamped to the reinforcing sleeves 40,41 by tightening the respective screws 300. The disk 81 of the first balancing unit 8 is rotatably mounted on the first reinforcing sleeve 40 of the second shaft 4. The disc 91 of the second balancing unit 9 is rotatably mounted on the second sleeve 23 onto which, the single piece second arm 5 is fixed. Figure 8 shows a detailed section view of the connection of the first balancing unit 8 with one of the first arms 3 of the swiveling mechanism. The disk 81 abuts on the side of the first arm 3. The disk 81 comprises at least one slot 810 extending circumferentially over a region of the disk 81. On the side of the disk 81 opposite to the first arm 3, a clamping plate 811 is arranged. The disk 81 is clamped between the first arm 3 and the clamping plate 811 by means of screws 812 which extend through the at least one slot 810. A notch 813 is arranged on the clamping plate 811. An index bolt 83 is arranged on the first holder 10. In the swiveled position, the index bolt 93 can be arranged in the notch 813 to prevent the motion of the first arm 3. With such a design, the angular position of the first arm 3 with respect to the first balancing unit 8 can be adjusted to compensate for different weights of different components to be held by the arms. It is understood that the connection of the disk 91 of the second balancing unit 9 to one of the second arms 5 is similar to the above-described. In this connection, the disk 91 abuts the second arm 5 and the clamping plate 911 is arranged on the side of the disk 91 opposite to the second arm, as can be seen in figure 3. The notch is then arranged on the second arm and the index bolt 93 is arranged on the second holder 11, as can be seen in figure 5. REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1 Holder unit 504 screw

10 first holder 6 first bearing

100 cover 7 second bearing

11 second holder 8 first balancing unit

2 first shaft 80 holder

20 first sleeve 81 disk

21 feather key 810 slot

22 set screw 811 clamping plate

23 second sleeve 812 screw

3 first arm 813 notch

30 first component 82 gas spring

300 screw 83 index bolt

4 second shaft 9 second balancing unit

40 first sleeve 90 holder

41 second sleeve 91 disk

5 second arm 911 clamping plate

50 second component 92 gas spring

500 first part 93 index bolt

501 second part R axis of rotation

503 single piece

Claims

1. A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a first component (30), a second component (50) and a swivel mechanism for swiveling both, the first component (30) and the second component (50), the swivel mechanism comprising at least one first arm (3) for carrying the first component (30) and at least one second arm (5) for carrying the second component (50), wherein both, the at least one first arm (3) and the at least one second arm (5) are rotatably mounted on a holder unit (1) that is arranged on an

adjacent structure, characterized in that the at least one first arm (3) is mounted on the holder unit (1) by means of a first shaft (2) and in that the at least one second arm (5) is mounted on the first shaft (2) by means of a hollow second shaft ( 4 ) .

2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a first balancing unit (8) that is operatively connected to the first arm (3) and that is designed to balance the weight of the first arm (3) and the first component (30) during swiveling.

3. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a second balancing unit (9) that is

operatively connected to the second arm (5) and that is designed to balance the weight of the second arm (5) and the second component (50) during swiveling.

4. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims comprising at least one further second arm (5) that is mounted on the second shaft (4) by means of at least one further hollow second shaft (4) .

5. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder unit (1) comprises a first holder (10) and a second holder (11) and wherein the first shaft (2) is mounted on both, the first holder (10) and the second holder (11) .

6. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims comprising two or more first arms (3) that are mounted on the first shaft (2), at a distance to one another, aligned with one another.

7. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims comprising two or more second arms (5) that are mounted on the second shaft (5), at a distance to one another, aligned with one another.

8. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of claims 2 to 7, comprising a first balancing unit (8) and a second balancing unit (9), wherein each of the balancing units (8,9) is arranged between one of the first arms (3) and one of the second arms (5) .

9. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first component (30) can be fixed to the second component (50) by means of at least one first fixation element and wherein the second component (50) can be fixed to the adjacent structure by means of at least one second fixation element.

10. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first component (30), the second component (50) and the adjacent structure are designed as such, that in the intended use, atmospheric pressure or sub-atmospheric pressure can be maintained between the first component (30) and the second component (50), and atmospheric or sub-atmospheric pressure can be maintained between the second component (50) and the adjacent structure.

11. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first component (30) comprising at least one magnet array for sputtering and where the second component (50) comprising at least one sputter target.

12. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first component (30) comprising a shielding part and wherein the second

component (50) comprising a shielding part, both designed to perform a deposition process such as sputtering, CVD or ALD, or a removal process such as etching, like RIE.

13. The vacuum processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first component (30) comprising a sputter target and wherein the second

component (50) comprising another target.

14. A swiveling mechanism to be used in a vacuum

processing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims .