Vacuum processing apparatus

• US 6,662,465 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Itou, Atsushi, Tsubone, Tsunehiko, Kato, Shigekazu, Nishihata, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O MALLEY, KATHRYN S
• Application Number:
  US09/781,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20010008051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 34/60, 34/92, 342/18, 342/28, 342/29, 342/32, 342/36, 414/217, 414/222.13, 414/225, 414/226, 414/785, 414/937, 414/939, 414/940
• US Class Current: 34/92
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/006 Processes utilising sub-atmospheric pressure; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/36 Print density control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/365 by compensation for variation in temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/564 Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67736 Loading to or unloading from a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67748 horizontal transfer of a single workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/137 including means for charging or discharging wafer cassette
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/14 Wafer cassette transporting

Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus which includes a conveyor structure for transferring a substrate from a substrate storage device held on a substrate storage device mount table. The apparatus further includes a vacuum loader provided with an additional conveyor structure and a vacuum processing chamber for sequentially loading substrate to be processed. The conveyor structures are each provided with a robot.

Claims

1. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate storage device mount table for holding at least one substrate storage device;

a first conveyor structure for transferring a substrate from a substrate storage device held on the substrate storage device mount table;

a vacuum loader provided with a second conveyor structure and a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for loading substrates to be processed; and

a lock chamber disposed between the first conveyor structure and the second conveyor structure,

wherein;

the first conveyor structure is disposed between the substrate storage device mount table and the lock chamber and in front of the lock chamber, the first conveyor structure and the second conveyor structure are respectively provided with a first robot and a second robot, and the first robot is shiftable in a direction perpendicular to an inlet of the lock chamber,

the second robot is disposed in a conveyor chamber of the vacuum loader and faces to the lock chamber,

the first robot faces to a set of substrates disposed in the substrate storage device and transfers the substrates one by one to the lock chamber, and one by one from the lock chamber to an original position in the substrate storage device from which a respective substrate had been transferred to the lock chamber, and the second robot is disposed in the conveyor chamber of the vacuum loader so as to face to the lock chamber, and

the lock chamber is provided with both an inlet and an outlet formed in a horizontal line.

2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second robots has an arm which moves in horizontal and rotational directions.

3. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first robot is movable in up and down directions.

4. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first robot and the second robot transfer respectively sequentially the substrates.

5. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a computer control system for controlling movement of the first and second robots.

6. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first robot is exposed to the air, and the second robot is disposed in a vacuum condition.

7. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first conveyor structure is provided with a track.

8. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lock chamber is provided with a gate valve at the inlet, and the first robot travels along a front surface of the gate valve.

9. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two substrate storage devices are disposed on the substrate storage device mount table.

10. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate storage device mount table faces the lock chambers.

11. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate storage device mount table for holding at least one substrate storage device;

a first conveyor structure for transferring a substrate from a substrate storage device held on the substrate storage device mount table;

a vacuum loader provided with a second conveyor structure; and

two lock chambers, each having an inlet and an outlet, disposed between the first conveyor structure and the second conveyor structure, each of the two lock chambers having the inlet and outlet thereof in a horizontal line,

wherein;

the first conveyor structure and the second conveyor structure are respectively provided with a first robot and a second robot, and the vacuum loader is provided with a conveyor chamber connected to at least five chambers which comprise at least three vacuum processing chambers sequentially loading the substrates and the lock chambers, and

the first robot faces to a set of substrates disposed in the substrate storage device and transfers the substrate one by one to a lock chamber of the at least two lock chambers, in which only one substrate can be disposed, and transfers the substrate one by one from a lock chamber of the at least two lock chambers to an original position in the substrate storage device from which a respective substrate had been transferred to said lock chamber, and the second robot is disposed in a conveyor chamber of the vacuum loader so as to make a rotational movement and a horizontal movement of X and Y axes.

12. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first robot transfers substrates from the substrate storage device to any of the lock chambers, and the second robot transfers the substrates from any of the lock chambers through the conveyor chamber to any of the at least three vacuum processing chambers.

13. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second robot transfers processed substrates from any of the at least three vacuum processing chambers through the conveyor chamber to any of the lock chambers, and the first robot transfers processed substrates from any of the lock chambers to the substrate storage device.

14. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first robot travels on a track and is movable in a horizontal direction and a rotational direction.

15. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first robot and the second robot maintain a substantially horizontal plane of surfaces of the substrates during transferring the substrates, so that the substantially horizontal plane of the surfaces of the substrates is kept in a horizontal state during the steps from a state storage device to a vacuum processing chamber.

16. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first conveyor structure is provided with a track, and the first robot is a sole robot which travels on the track to transfer substrates between the substrate storage device and the first conveyor structure.

17. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the two lock chambers are a load lock chamber and an unload lock chamber, and the first robot transfers substrates between the substrate storage device and the load lock chamber, and processed substrate between the unload lock chamber and the substrate storage device.

18. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 19, which further comprises a control device which controls movement of the first and second robots, and the first robot returns processed substrates to the same substrate storage device from which substrates had been taken out for a process treatment.

19. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least a part of the period the first robot is transferring substrates from the substrate storage device to the first conveyor structure, the second robot is transferring substrates from the lock chamber to a vacuum loader.

20. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least a part of the period the first robot is transferring substrates from the substrate storage device to the first conveyor structure, the second robot is transferring the substrates from the conveyor chamber to a vacuum processing chamber.

21. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least a part of the period the first robot is transferring substrates from the substrate storage device to the first conveyor structure, the second robot is transferring processed substrates from a vacuum processing chamber to the conveyor chamber.

22. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least a part of the period the first robot is transferring the substrates from the substrate storage device to the first conveyor structure, the second robot is transferring processed substrates from the conveyor chamber to a lock chamber.

23. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least a part of the period the first robot is transferring the substrates from the first conveyor structure to a lock chamber, the second robot is transferring the substrates from the conveyor chamber to a vacuum processing chamber.

24. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least a part of the period to first robot is transferring the substrates from the first conveyor structure to a lock chamber, the second robot is transferring processed substrates from a vacuum processing chamber to the conveyor chamber.

25. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein during at least part of the period the second robot is transferring processed substrates from to conveyor chamber to a lock chamber, the first robot is transferring processed substrates from the first conveyor structure to the substrate storage device.

26. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second robot is a sole robot which accesses to the vacuum processing chambers.

27. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the two lock chambers include a load lock chamber and an unload lock chamber which are separate from each other, and the second robot is a sole robot which accesses both the load lock chamber and the unload lock chamber.

28. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the second robot is a sole robot accessing to the at least three vacuum processing chambers and the two lock chambers.

29. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the substrate storage device mount table faces the two lock chambers.

30. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate storage device mount table for holding at least one substrate storage device;

a first conveyor structure for transferring a substrate held in a substrate storage device;

a vacuum loader provided with a second conveyor structure and a plurality of vacuum processing chambers sequentially loading substrates to be processed; and

two lock chambers, each having an inlet and an outlet, disposed between the first conveyor structure and the second conveyor structure, each of the two lock chambers having the inlet and outlet thereof in a horizontal line,

wherein;

the first conveyor structure includes a track along an inlet of the lock chambers,

the first conveyor structure is provided with a first robot which travels on the track,

the first robot transfers substrates from the substrate storage device to one of the lock chambers, and

the first robot faces to a set of substrates disposed in the substrate storage device and transfers the substrates one by one to one of the lock chambers, and one by one from one of the lock chambers to an original position in the substrate storage device from which a respective substrate had been transferred to said one of the lock chambers, and a second robot is disposed in a conveyor chamber of the vacuum loader so as to face the two lock chambers.

31. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the first robot is movable in horizontal and rotational directions.

32. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the first conveyor structure is exposed to the air.

33. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the track is a set of rails.

34. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the first conveyor structure is disposed in parallel to both the substrate storage device mount table and the lock chambers.

35. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the two lock chambers are a load lock chamber and a unload lock chamber which are respectively provided with gate valves, and the first conveyor structure communicates with the load lock chamber and the unload lock chamber through the respective gate valves.

36. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the substrate storage device mount table is exposed to an air, and the first robot transfers substrates from the substrate storage device to said load lock chamber.

37. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein:

the substrate storage device mount table, the first conveyor structure and the two lock chambers are arranged in horizontal tandem,

at least two substrate storage devices are positioned on the substrate storage device mount table, and

the first robot accesses the at least two substrate storage devices.

38. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the substrate storage device mount table faces the two lock chambers.

39. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate storage device mount table for holding at east one substrate storage device;

a first conveyor structure for transferring substrates from the substrate storage device held on the substrate storage device mount table and for transferring substrates to said substrate storage device, wherein the first conveyor structure transfers a respective substrate to the substrate storage device to an original location of the substrate storage device from which the respective substrate had been transferred by the first conveyor structure;

a vacuum loader provided with a second conveyor structure and at least three vacuum processing chambers; and

a plurality of lock chambers connected to the vacuum loader,

wherein;

a first robot, of the first conveyor structure, is shiftable in a direction perpendicular to an inlet of any of the plurality of lock chambers,

a second robot, of the second conveyor structure, has an arm accessing any of the plurality of lock chambers and the at least three vacuum processing chambers, to carry substrates to be processed and processed substrates, and

each of the plurality or lock chambers is provided with both an inlet and an outlet located in a horizontal line.

40. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the second robot is a sole robot disposed in a vacuum conveyor chamber of the vacuum loader.

41. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the first robot has an arm accessing any of the plurality of lock chambers and the substrate storage device.

42. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the substrate storage device mount table faces the plurality of lock chambers.

43. A vacuum processing, apparatus comprising;

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for generating a plasma in each of said chambers;

a vacuum transferring chamber, being capable of evacuation, for transferring substrates and dummy substrates;

a plurality of cassette mount tables for mounting at least one cassette storing at least one substrate and at least one cassette storing at least one dummy substrate, in the atmosphere;

an atmospheric transfer device for transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates in the atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that any of said substrates and any of said dummy substrates can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables; and

a control means (a) for transferring the substrates and the dummy substrates from any location in any of said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables in the atmosphere to the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer device and said vacuum transferring chamber, and (b) for transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates in said vacuum processing chambers to the original locations of the original cassettes, via said vacuum transferring chamber and said atmospheric transfer device.

44. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising;

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for generating a plasma in each of said chambers;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring substrates and dummy substrates;

a plurality of cassette mount tables for mounting at least one cassette storing at least one substrate and at least one cassette storing at least one dummy substrate, in the atmosphere;

an atmospheric transfer device for transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates in the atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that any of said substrates and any of said dummy substrates can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables; and

a control means (a) for transferring the substrates and the dummy substrates from any location in any of said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables in the atmosphere to the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer device, a chamber for loading said substrates and said dummy substrates from the atmosphere into a vacuum atmosphere, and said vacuum transferring chamber, and (b) for transferring said substrate and said dummy substrates in said vacuum processing chambers to the original locations of the original cassettes, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a chamber for unloading said substrates and said dummy substrates from said vacuum atmosphere into the atmosphere, and said atmospheric transfer device.

45. A vacuum processing method in a processing apparatus comprising

(1) a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for generating a plasma in each of said chambers:

(2) a vacuum transferring chamber, being capable of evacuation, for transferring substrates and dummy substrates;

(3) a plurality of cassette mount tables for mounting at least one cassette storing at least one substrate and at least one cassette storing at least one dummy substrate, in the atmosphere;

(4) an atmospheric transfer device for transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates in the atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that any of said substrates and any of said dummy substrates can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables; and

(5) a control means,

wherein said method comprises steps of;

transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates from any location in any of said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables in the atmosphere to the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer device and said vacuum transferring chamber; and

transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates in said vacuum processing chambers to the original locations of the original cassettes, via said vacuum transferring chamber and said atmospheric transfer device.

46. A vacuum processing method in a processing apparatus comprising (1) a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for generating a plasma in each of said chambers;

(2) a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring substrates and dummy substrates;

(3) a plurality of cassette mount tables for mounting at least one cassette storing at least one substrate and at least one cassette storing at least one dummy substrate, in the atmosphere;

(4) an atmospheric transfer device for transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates in the atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that any of said substrates and any of said dummy substrates can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said plurality of cassette mount tables; and

(5) a control means,

wherein said method comprises steps of;

transferring said substrates and said dummy substrates from any location in any of said cassettes mounted in said plurality of cassette mount tables in the atmosphere to the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer device, a chamber for loading said substrates and said dummy substrates from the atmosphere into a vacuum atmosphere, and said vacuum transferring chamber; and

transforming said substrates and said dummy substrates in said vacuum processing chambers to the original locations of the original cassettes, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a chamber for unloading said substrates and said dummy substrates from said vacuum atmosphere into the atmosphere, and said atmospheric transfer device.