Vacuum processing apparatus

A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• first and second processing regions provided in the vacuum chamber, predetermined vacuum processing being performed on a substrate held by a substrate holder in the first and second processing regions;
• a conveying path for conveying the substrate holder;
• and
• a substrate holder conveying mechanism that is provided in a region in which a single vacuum atmosphere is formed in the vacuum chamber and conveys a plurality of the substrate holders including first and second driven units along the conveying path, wherein
• the conveying path includes a first conveying portion for conveying the introduced substrate holder in a first conveying direction along the conveying path while horizontalizing the introduced substrate holder, a second conveying portion for conveying the substrate holder along the conveying path in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction while horizontalizing the substrate holder and for discharging the substrate holder, and a conveyance turnaround portion for turning and conveying the substrate holder from the first conveying portion to the second conveying portion, the first conveying portion being configured to pass through one of the first and second processing regions, the second conveying portion being configured to pass through the other of the first and second processing regions,
• the substrate holder conveying mechanism includes a plurality of first drive units on an outer side with respect to a conveying direction of the conveying path, the plurality of first drive units being in contact with a first driven unit of the substrate holder to drive the substrate holder along the conveying path,
• a direction change mechanism including a plurality of second drive units and first and second direction change paths is provided in a vicinity of the conveyance turnaround portion of the conveying path, the plurality of second drive units being in contact with the second driven unit of the substrate holder to drive the substrate holder in the first and second conveying directions, the first and second direction change paths being for respectively guiding and conveying the first and second driven units of the substrate holder so as to turn the substrate holder from the first conveying direction to the second conveying direction,
• the substrate holder is delivered from the first conveying portion of the conveying path to the second conveying portion of the conveying path while maintaining a vertical relationship of the substrate holder by operating the first drive unit of the substrate holder conveying mechanism and the second drive unit of the direction change mechanism in synchronization with each other and respectively guiding and conveying the first and second driven units of the substrate holder along the first and second direction change paths of the direction change mechanism,
• an anti-sag member that is configured to be assembled to the first drive unit of the substrate holder conveying mechanism, includes a travel roller in a part on an outer side with respect to the conveying direction, the travel roller being rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and prevents inhibits a conveyance drive member constituting the second conveying portion of the conveying path from sagging is provided,
• a guide unit is provided below the second conveying portion of the conveying path located on a lower side of the substrate holder conveying mechanism, the guide unit extending in the second conveying direction, and
• the anti-sag member is configured so that the travel roller travels along the second conveying portion of the conveying path while the travel roller is guided and supported by the guide unit and the first drive unit of the substrate holder conveying mechanism is in contact with the first driven unit of the substrate holder to drive the substrate holder along the conveying path in the second conveying direction.