Vacuum processing apparatus

A vacuum processing apparatus for processing a workpiece under vacuum, comprising:

• a housing having a first vacuum chamber for processing said workpiece and a second vacuum chamber partitioned from said first vacuum chamber by a partition wall and communicating with said first vacuum chamber through a communication opening formed in said partition wall;
• shutter means for closing said communication opening of said partition wall;
• gate means for closing a workpiece load/unload opening formed in a side wall of said housing and communicating with said second vacuum chamber;
• workpiece holding means provided in said first vacuum chamber for holding said workpiece;
• processing means for processing said workpiece held by said workpiece holding means;
• first evacuating means for evacuating said first vacuum chamber;
• second evacuating means for evacuating said second vacuum chamber;
• temporary placing means provided in said second vacuum chamber for temporarily placing said workpiece;
• and
• workpiece handling means for transferring said workpiece placed on said temporary placing means through said communication opening of said partition wall to said workpiece holding means provided in said first vacuum chamber and also for transferring said workpiece placed on said workpiece holding means through said communication opening of said partition wall to said temporary placing means;
• said workpiece holding means having a center holding table for holding a central area of said workpiece and elevating means for vertically moving said center holding table;
• said workpiece handling means having a periphery supporting member for supporting a peripheral area of said workpiece.