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US 2019/0295871 A1Published application
Operation method of vacuum processing device
AssigneeHitachi High-Technologies Corporation
InventorsRyoichi ISOMURA, Keitarou OGAWA, Takahiro SAKURAGI
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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.
Claims10
An operation method of a vacuum processing device 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 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
- a first operation in which a gas is supplied between a pair of the supply port and the exhaust port disposed between the transfer robots in the front and rear direction among the gas supply ports and the exhaust ports of the two vacuum transfer vessels and then the gas is exhausted via the intermediate chamber;
- and a second operation in which while the two transfer robots are not in operation, the gas is supplied between a pair of the supply port and the exhaust port with the transfer robot interposed therebetween in the front and rear direction among the gas supply ports and the exhaust ports of the two vacuum transfer vessels and then the gas is exhausted via the intermediate chamber are repeated.
5 more elements
An operation method of a vacuum processing device 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
- 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 a center side 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 a center side of the vacuum transfer chamber;
- and at least a 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 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
- a first operation in which a gas is supplied between a pair of the first supply port and the second exhaust port and the gas is exhausted via the intermediate chamber, and a second operation in which while the first and second transfer robots are not in operation, a gas is supplied between a pair of the second supply port and the first exhaust port and the gas is exhausted via the intermediate chamber are repeated.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.