# US 12,002,692 B2 · Operation method of vacuum processing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,692 B2 - Document ID: US12002692B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/507,932 - Filed: 2021-10-22 - Published: 2022-02-17 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-23 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Inventors: Ryoichi Isomura; Keitarou Ogawa; Takahiro Sakuragi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002692B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0461: {characterised by the presence of two or more transfer chambers} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0452: {characterised by the layout of the process chambers} - H10P 72/0464: {characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber} - H10P 72/0466: {characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber} - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a vacuum processing device is provided which is capable of being controlled to create the most suitable gas flow under the situation where the device is placed by allowing a plurality of vacuum transfer chambers to communicate with each other via the intermediate chamber in an operation method of the vacuum processing device including the plurality of vacuum transfer chambers connected to each other via the intermediate chamber and a plurality of vacuum processing chambers respectively connected to the vacuum transfer chambers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operation method of a vacuum processing apparatus comprising two vacuum transfer vessels configured to include a transfer chamber in which a wafer which is an object to be processed is transferred in a depressurized inside, and to be disposed side by side in a front and rear direction; an intermediate chamber vessel configured to be disposed to be connected between the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include an intermediate chamber communicating with each of the two vacuum transfer chambers therein; and a plurality of vacuum processing vessels configured to be connected to each of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include a processing chamber in which the wafer is transferred and processed by using plasma therein, which transfers the wafer to each of the plurality of vacuum processing vessels and processes the wafer therein, wherein each of the two vacuum transfer vessels includes: a transfer robot configured to transfer the wafer to the inside of each of the vacuum transfer chambers; at least one supply port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber behind the transfer robot in the front and rear direction, and to supply a gas toward a center side of the vacuum transfer chamber; and one exhaust port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber in front of the transfer robot, and to exhaust the gas, wherein the at least one supply port and the exhaust port are respectively disposed on either right or left side in a front and rear axial direction passing through a center of the intermediate chamber, and the operation method comprises: performing a first operation in which, in each of the two vacuum transfer vessels, a gas is supplied between a pair of the at least one supply port and the exhaust port in the front and rear direction among the gas supply ports and the exhaust ports of the two vacuum transfer vessels; and performing a second operation in which, while the two transfer robots are not in operation, the gas is supplied from the at least one supply port of the one vacuum transfer vessel disposed in rear side of the two vacuum transfer vessels and is introduced, via the intermediate chamber, into the other vacuum transfer vessel disposed in front side of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and the gas is exhausted from the exhaust port of the other two vacuum transfer vessels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the two vacuum transfer vessels is disposed at a diagonal corner part of each of the vacuum transfer chambers sandwiching each of the transfer robots when viewing the at least one supply port and the exhaust port from above. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply ports, the number of which is equal to or greater than the number of the exhaust ports, are used in the first and second operations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum processing vessels are airtightly partitioned from each of the two vacuum transfer chambers in the first and second operations, and the two vacuum transfer chambers and the intermediate chamber are partitioned as one connected chamber in the second operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second operation is performed during maintenance of the inside of the vacuum processing vessel. ### Claim 6 An operation method of a vacuum processing apparatus comprising: two vacuum transfer vessels configured to include a transfer chamber in which a wafer which is an object to be processed is transferred in a depressurized inside, and to be disposed side by side in a front and rear direction; an intermediate chamber vessel configured to be disposed to be connected between the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include an intermediate chamber communicating with each of the two vacuum transfer chambers therein; and a plurality of vacuum processing vessels configured to be connected to each of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include a processing chamber in which the wafer is transferred and processed by using plasma therein, and which transfers the wafer to each of the plurality of vacuum processing vessels and processes the wafer therein, wherein one of the two vacuum transfer vessels includes a first transfer robot configured to transfer the wafer to the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber of the vacuum transfer vessel on the front side of the two vacuum transfer vessels; a first supply port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber behind the first transfer robot in the front and rear direction, and to supply a gas toward the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber; and at least a first exhaust port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber in front of the transfer robot, and to exhaust the gas, wherein the first supply port and the first exhaust port are respectively disposed on either right or left side in a front and rear axial direction passing through a center of the intermediate chamber, the other of the two vacuum transfer vessels includes a second transfer robot configured to transfer the wafer to the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber of the vacuum transfer vessel on the rear side of the two vacuum transfer vessels; a second supply port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber behind the second transfer robot in the front and rear direction, and to supply a gas toward the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber; and at least one second exhaust port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber in front of the transfer robot, and to exhaust the gas, wherein the second supply port and the at least one second exhaust port are respectively disposed on either right or left side in a front and rear axial direction passing through a center of the intermediate chamber, and the operation method comprising: performing a first operation in which a gas is supplied from the first supply port and the gas is exhausted from the at least one second exhaust port in the two vacuum transfer vessels and the first and the at least one second exhaust port being disposed between the transfer robots, and a second operation in which, while the first and second transfer robots are not in operation, a gas is supplied from the second supply port of the other vacuum transfer vessel and is introduced into the one vacuum transfer vessel via the intermediate chamber, and the gas is exhausted from the first exhaust port of the one vacuum transfer vessel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of the two vacuum transfer vessels is disposed at a diagonal corner part of each of the vacuum transfer chambers sandwiching each of the transfer robots when viewing the supply port and the at least one exhaust port from above. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the gas supply ports, the number of which is equal to or greater than the number of the exhaust ports, are used in the first and second operations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vacuum processing vessels are partitioned from each of the two vacuum transfer chambers in the first and second operation, and the two vacuum transfer chambers and the intermediate chamber are partitioned as one connected chamber in the second operation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The operation method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second operation is performed during maintenance of the inside of the vacuum processing vessel.