Vacuum processing apparatus and operating method therefor

• US 6,880,264 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• 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): Esquivel, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Malley, Kathryn S.
• Application Number:
  US10/682,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 344/06, 344/09, 34/60, 34/92, 342/18, 342/28, 342/29, 342/32, 34/23, 414/225, 414/226, 414/207, 414/292, 414/939, 414/940, 134/902
• US Class Current: 34/406
• 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

This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple. Furthermore, the dummy substrates used for dry cleaning and the substrates to be processed do not coexist, contamination of the substrates to be processed due to dust and remaining gas can be prevented and the production yield can be high.

Claims

1. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

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

control means (a) for transferring substrates to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer device, and (b) for transferring processed substrates from said vacuum processing chambers to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing, via said atmospheric transfer device.

9. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said control means is for transferring said substrates to be processed such that substrates to be processed can be transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes storing at least one substrate to be processed, mounted on the at least one cassette mount table, at times substrates to be processed are to be transferred from a cassette.

57. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said control means is for individually transferring said substrates to be processed from any one of said cassettes, and for individually transferring processed substrates from said vacuum processing chambers to the respective original positions within original cassettes.

58. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the control means is for transferring substrates to be processed such that a substrate stored in any position of any of said cassettes can be transferred.

2. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

a transfer device for transferring substrates, being capable of moving at least vertically and of being controlled such that substrates to be processed can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said at least one cassette mount table; and

a control means (a) for transferring substrates to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said transfer device, and (b) for transferring processed substrates from said vacuum processing chambers to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing, via said transfer device.

3. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

an atmospheric transfer device for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of being controlled such that substrates to be processed can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said at least one cassette mount table; and

control means (a) for transferring substrates to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer device, and (b) for transferring processed substrates from said vacuum processing chambers to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing, via said atmospheric transfer device.

4. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

a transfer device for transferring substrates, being capable of being controlled such that substrates to be processed can be taken out of any location in said cassettes mounted on said at least one cassette mount table; and

control means (a) for transferring substrates to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said transfer device, and (b) for transferring processed substrates from said vacuum processing chambers to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing, via said transfer device.

5. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

an atmospheric transfer device for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically; and

a controller connected at least to said atmospheric transfer device for controlling locations of the substrates such that substrates can be transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers and then transferred back to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing.

6. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

a transfer device for transferring substrates, being capable of moving at least vertically; and

a controller connected at least to said transfer device for controlling locations of the substrates such that substrates can be transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers and then transferred back to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing.

7. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

an atmospheric transfer device for transferring substrates in an atmosphere; and

a controller connected at least to said atmospheric transfer device for controlling locations of the substrates such that substrates can be transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers and then transferred back to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing.

8. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

at least one cassette mount table in an atmosphere, for mounting cassettes each storing at least one substrate to be processed or which has been processed;

a transfer device for transferring substrates; and

a controller connected at least to said transfer device for controlling locations of the substrates such that substrates can be transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes mounted on the at least one cassette mount table in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers and then transferred back to respective original positions within original cassettes, in which the substrates were stored prior to processing.

10. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which has been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means for transferring a substrate to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and for transferring a processed substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

11. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 10, wherein at least one of said plurality of cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein said control means can transfer a dummy substrate from any location in said cassettes in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers, and return said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

12. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

13. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate prior to transferring substrates to be processed.

14. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before returning it to its original position.

15. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 14, wherein a plurality of dummy substrates are transferred, one at a time, during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

16. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and for determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassettes.

17. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber to determine the transfer of a dummy substrate.

18. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

19. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said control means transfers one substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber, of the vacuum processing chambers, and transfers another processed substrate from its lock chamber back at its respective original position within its respective original cassette, before returning said one substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its respective original position within its respective original cassette.

20. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said control means is for transferring said substrate to be processed such that said substrate to be processed can be transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes storing substrates to be processed, mounted on the at least one cassette mount table, at times said substrate to be processed is to be transferred from a cassette.

21. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed,

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be individually taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means for individually transferring a substrate to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and for individually transferring another processed substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

22. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 21, wherein at least one of said plurality of cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein said control means can transfer a dummy substrate from any location in said cassettes in the atmosphere to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers, and return said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

23. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

24. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate prior to transferring substrates to be processed.

25. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before returning it to its original position.

26. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 25, wherein a plurality of dummy substrates are transferred, one at a time, during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

27. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and for determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassettes.

28. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 27, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber to determine the transfer of a dummy substrate.

29. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

30. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said control means transfers one substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber of the vacuum processing chambers, and transfers another processed substrate from its lock chamber back toward its respective original position within its respective original cassette, before transferring said one substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its respective original position within its respective original cassette.

31. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said control means is for transferring an individual substrate to be processed such that substrates to be processed can be transferred from any location in any one of the plurality of cassettes storing substrates to be processed, at times substrates to be processed are to be transferred from a cassette.

35. A method as in claim 31, wherein at least one of said cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and further comprising the steps of:

transferring a dummy substrate from any location in said cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers, and

returning said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

36. A method as in claim 35, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

37. A method as in claim 35, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs prior to transferring a substrate to be processed.

38. A method as in claim 35, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate transfers said dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before said step of returning said dummy substrate.

39. A method as in claim 38, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate is repeated one at a time for a plurality of dummy substrates during the ongoing transfer of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

40. A method as in claim 35, where the apparatus further comprises a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and further comprising the step of:

determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassette.

41. A method as in claim 40, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber and using said number for said determining step.

42. A method as in claim 35, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

32. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate can be taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means for transferring a substrate from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and for transferring a substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

33. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate can be individually taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum, and

control means for individually transferring a substrate from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and for individually transferring another substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in Which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

34. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed,

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes; and

a control means,

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

transferring a substrate to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and

transferring a processed substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

43. A method as in claim 34, wherein between the step of transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber of the vacuum processing chambers, and the step of transferring that processed substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette, there occurs the step of transferring another substrate from the lock chamber toward its original position within its original cassette.

44. A method as in claim 34, wherein said substrate to be processed is transferred from any location in any one of the cassettes, at times substrates to be processed are transferred from a cassette.

45. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be individually taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes; and

a control means;

wherein said method comprises the step of;

transferring an individual substrate to be processed from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and

transferring another individual processed substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

46. A method as in claim 45, wherein at least one of said cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

transferring a dummy substrate from any location in said cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers, and

returning said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

47. A method as in claim 46, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

48. A method as in claim 46, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs prior to transferring a substrate to be processed.

49. A method as in claim 46, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate transfers said dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before said step of returning said dummy substrate.

50. A method as in claim 49, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate is repeated one at a time for a plurality of dummy substrates during the ongoing transfer of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

51. A method as in claim 46, where the apparatus further comprises a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassette.

52. A method as in claim 51, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber and using said number for said determining step.

53. A method as in claim 46, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

54. A method as in claim 45, wherein between the step of transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber of the vacuum processing chambers, and the step of transferring that processed substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette, there occurs the step of transferring another substrate from the lock chamber toward its original position within its original cassette.

55. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes, each storing a plurality of substrates;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each of said substrates can be taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes; and

a control means,

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

transferring a substrate from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and

transferring a substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

56. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes, each storing a plurality of substrates;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each of said substrates can be individually taken out of any location in any one of said plurality of cassettes; and

a control means,

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

transferring an individual substrate from any location in any one of the cassettes to at least one of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and

transferring another individual substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

59. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed,

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette,

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means (a) for transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette and transferring it to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, including individual transfer through the lock chamber, and (b) for transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

60. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 59, wherein at least one of said plurality of cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein said control means can transfer a dummy substrate from any location in said at least one of said plurality of cassettes in the atmosphere to any of the vacuum processing chambers, and return said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

61. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 60, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

62. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 60, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate prior to transferring substrates to be processed.

63. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 60, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before returning it to its original position.

64. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 63, wherein a plurality of dummy substrates are transferred, one at a time, during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

65. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 60, further comprising a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and for determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassette.

66. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 65, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber to determine the transfer of a dummy substrate.

67. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 65, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

68. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 59, wherein said control means transfers one substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber, and transfers another processed substrate from its lock chamber back toward its respective original position within its respective original cassette, before transferring said one substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its respective original position within its respective original cassette.

69. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 59, wherein said control means is for transferring an individual substrate to be processed such that substrates to be processed can be transferred from any location in any one of the plurality of cassettes storing substrates to be processed at times substrates to be processed are to be transferred from a cassette.

70. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be individually taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a control means;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, including transferring individually a substrate through the lock chamber, and

transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

71. A method as in claim 70, wherein at least one of said cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

transferring a dummy substrate from any location in said at least one of said cassettes to any of the vacuum processing chambers, and

returning said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

72. A method as in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

73. A method as in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs prior to transferring a substrate to be processed.

74. A method as in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate transfers said dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before said step of returning said dummy substrate.

75. A method as in claim 74, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate is repeated one at a time for a plurality of dummy substrates during the ongoing transfer of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

76. A method as in claim 71, wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassette.

77. A method as in claim 76, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber and using said number for said determining step.

78. A method as in claim 71, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

79. A method as in claim 70, wherein between the step of transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber, and the step of transferring that processed substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette, there occurs the step of transferring another substrate from its lock chamber toward its original position within its original cassette.

80. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means (a) for transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette and transferring it to any of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, including individual transfer through the lock chamber, and (b) for transferring the processed substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

81. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a control means;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to any of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, including individual transfer through the lock chamber; and

transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

82. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a controller connected to at least said atmospheric transfer arm, (a) for transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette and transferring it to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, including individual transfer through the lock chamber, and (b) for transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

83. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a controller connected to at least said atmospheric transfer arm;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, including individual transfer through the lock chamber; and

transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

84. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means for transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette and individually transferring to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum processing chamber, and individually transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

85. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 84, wherein at least one of said plurality of cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein said control means can transfer a dummy substrate from any location in said cassette in the atmosphere to any of the vacuum processing chambers, and return said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

86. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 85, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

87. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 85, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate prior to transferring substrates to be processed.

88. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 85, wherein said control means transfers a dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before returning it to its original position.

89. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 88, wherein a plurality of dummy substrates are transferred, one at a time, during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

90. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 85, further comprising a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and for determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassettes.

91. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claims 90, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber to determine the transfer of a dummy substrate.

92. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 90, wherein said controller monitors the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

93. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 84, wherein said control means transfers one substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber, and transfers another processed substrate from its lock chamber back toward its respective original position within its respective original cassette, before transferring said one substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its respective original position within its respective original cassette.

94. A vacuum processing apparatus as in claim 84, wherein said control means is for transferring an individual substrate to be processed such that substrates to be processed can be transferred from any location in any one of the plurality of cassettes storing substrates to be processed at times substrates to be processed are to be transferred from a cassette.

95. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be individually taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a control means;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

individually transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber; and

individually transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

96. A method as in claim 95, wherein at least one of said cassettes is capable of storing a plurality of dummy substrates, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

transferring a dummy substrate from any location in at least one of said cassettes to any of the vacuum processing chambers, and

returning said dummy substrate from the vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette.

97. A method as in claim 96, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs during the ongoing transferring of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

98. A method as in claim 96, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate occurs prior to transferring a substrate to be processed.

99. A method as in claim 96, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate transfers said dummy substrate serially through a plurality of vacuum processing chambers before said step of returning said dummy substrate.

100. A method as in claim 99, wherein said step of transferring a dummy substrate is repeated one at a time for a plurality of dummy substrates during the ongoing transfer of substrates to be processed and of processed substrates.

101. A method as in claim 96, where the apparatus further comprises a controller for monitoring the operation of said substrates to be processed and of said processed substrates, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

determining when to transfer a dummy substrate from the cassette.

102. A method as in claim 101, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of a vacuum processing chamber and using said number for said determining step.

103. A method as in claim 96, further comprising the step of:

monitoring the number of times of use of each dummy substrate.

104. A method as in claim 95, wherein between the step of transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber, and the step of transferring that processed substrate from its vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette, there occurs the step of transferring another substrate from its lock chamber toward its original position within its original cassette.

105. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality for substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and of being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

control means (a) for transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette and individually transferring it to any of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and (b) for individually transferring the processed substrate from vacuum processing chambers back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

106. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be individually taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a control means;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

individually transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to any of the vacuum processing chambers via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber; and

transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

107. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing substrates;

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a controller connected to at least said atmospheric transfer arm, (a) for transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette and individually transferring it to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber, and (b) for transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.

108. A method for vacuum processing substrates in a vacuum processing apparatus having a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for processing said substrates, the vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum transferring chamber for transferring said substrates in a vacuum;

cassette mount tables for mounting in an atmosphere a plurality of cassettes each storing a plurality of substrates to be processed or which have been processed;

an atmospheric transfer arm for transferring said substrates in an atmosphere, being capable of moving at least vertically and being controlled such that each substrate to be processed can be individually taken out of its location in its cassette;

two lock chambers for exchanging between the atmosphere and the vacuum; and

a controller connected to at least said atmospheric transfer arm;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

individually transferring a substrate to be processed from its location in its cassette to a vacuum processing chamber via said atmospheric transfer arm, a lock chamber and said vacuum transferring chamber; and

individually transferring the processed substrate from a vacuum processing chamber back to its original position within its original cassette in which it was stored prior to its processing, via said vacuum transferring chamber, a lock chamber and said atmospheric transfer arm.