US 5,851,296 AGranted

Vacuum processing apparatus and method

AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

InventorsHideo Haraguchi, Masaki Suzuki, Toshimichi Ishida

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Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a non-reaction chamber which is a load-lock chamber or a double load-lock chamber. A double arm is accommodated in the non-reaction chamber, and includes a first arm and a second arm for taking out a processed wafer from the reaction chamber and supplying an unprocessed wafer to the reaction chamber. Wafer elevating mechanisms are provided in the reaction chamber and the non-reaction chamber. The double arm and the wafer elevating mechanisms are driven by a single drive source. Also, a selective engagement mechanism is provided at the reaction chamber and at the non-reaction chamber for selectively engaging the driving source with any one of the wafer elevating mechanisms at the reaction chamber and the non-reaction chamber to drive the double arm and the wafer elevating mechanism at the selected chamber.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a first reaction chamber;
a non-reaction chamber comprising a load-lock chamber or a double load-lock chamber;
a double arm accommodated in said non-reaction chamber for taking out a processed wafer from said first reaction chamber and supplying an unprocessed wafer to said reaction chamber, said double arm comprising a first arm and a second arm which are each linearly movable into and out of said chambers;
a first wafer elevating mechanism provided in said first reaction chamber;
a second wafer elevating mechanism provided in said non-reaction chamber;
a first driving means for driving said double arm, said first wafer elevating mechanism, and said second wafer elevating mechanism by a single driving source;
a selective engagement mechanism provided at said first reaction chamber and said non-reaction chamber and said wafer elevating mechanisms, for selectively engaging said first driving means with any one of said wafer elevating mechanisms at said reaction chamber and said non-reaction chamber so as to drive said double arm and said wafer elevating mechanism at said selected chamber;
and
a second driving means for rotating said double arm, said first wafer elevating mechanism, and said second wafer elevating mechanism by a second drive source.

6 more elements

A vacuum processing apparatus comprising:

a first reaction chamber;
a second reaction chamber;
a non-reaction chamber comprising a load-lock chamber or a double load-lock chamber;
a double arm disposed in said non-reaction chamber for taking out a processed wafer from said reaction chambers and supplying an unprocessed wafer to said reaction chambers, said double arm comprising a first arm and a second arm;
a first wafer elevating mechanism provided in said first reaction chamber;
a second wafer elevating mechanism provided in said second reaction chamber;
a first driving means for driving said double arm and effecting linear motion of said first and second arms, said first driving means being selectively engageable with said first wafer elevating mechanism and said second wafer elevating mechanism;
a driving motor for driving said first driving means, wherein said first driving means, said first wafer elevating mechanism, and said second wafer elevating mechanism are operated by said driving motor;
and
a second driving means for rotating said double arm, said first wafer elevating mechanism, and said second wafer elevating mechanism by a second drive source.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/814,018Filed 10 Mar 1997 · division
Priority: JP 6-922531 Jan 1994
Granted: 22 Dec 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H10P 72/3302
Into and out of processing chamber: mechanical parts of transfer devices
Y10S 414/135
Material or article handling: associated with semiconductor wafer handling
Y10S 414/137
Associated with semiconductor wafer handling: including means for charging or discharging wafer cassette
Y10S 414/139
Associated with semiconductor wafer handling: including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber