Processed body carrying device, and processing system with carrying device

A processing system comprising:

• (a) a main transfer mechanism including:
• a casing for defining a main transfer mechanism under a vacuum state, the casing having a plurality of transfer ports;
• a guide rail substantially horizontally installed inside the transfer chamber under the vacuum state;
• a moving body movably installed on the guide rail;
• a horizontally driving unit for moving the moving body along the guide rail;
• an elevation supporting structure having a holding body for holding an object to be processed and a supporting member for vertically movably connecting the holding body to the moving body;
• and
• an elevation mechanism for raising and lowering the supporting member of the elevation supporting structure with respect to the moving body;
• (b) an auxiliary transfer mechanism including a casing for defining an auxiliary transfer chamber under a vacuum state which selectively communicates with the main transfer chamber;
• and an auxiliary transfer unit installed in the auxiliary transfer chamber;
• (c) a load-lock mechanism including a casing for defining a load-lock chamber which selectively communicates with the auxiliary transfer chamber and is selectively evacuated;
• (d) an entrance transfer mechanism including a casing for defining an entrance transfer chamber under an atmospheric state which selectively communicates with the load-lock chamber;
• and an entrance transfer unit installed in the entrance transfer chamber;
• (e) a cassette station connected to the entrance transfer chamber, for mounting therein a cassette container which accommodates a plurality of objects to be processed;
• (f) a plurality of individual transfer mechanisms installed to correspond to the respective transfer ports of the main transfer mechanism, each of the individual transfer mechanisms including a casing for defining an individual transfer chamber under a vacuum state which selectively communicates with the main transfer chamber via the corresponding transfer port;
• and an individual transfer unit installed in the individual transfer chamber;
• and
• (g) a plurality of processing apparatuses installed to correspond to the respective individual transfer mechanisms, each of the processing apparatuses including a casing for defining a vacuum processing chamber which selectively communicates with the corresponding individual transfer chamber, and performing a predetermined process on the object therein.

A processing system comprising:

• (a) a main transfer mechanism including:
• a casing for defining a main transfer mechanism under a vacuum state, the casing having a plurality of transfer ports;
• a guide rail substantially horizontally installed inside the transfer chamber under the vacuum state;
• a moving part having a moving body movably installed on the guide rail and a holding body for holding an object to be processed;
• a horizontally driving unit for moving the moving body of the moving part along the guide rail;
• and
• a plurality of position detecting sensors for detecting the position of the moving part, the position detecting sensors being disposed in the casing in a moving direction of the moving part such that neighboring position detecting sensors are spaced from each other;
• (b) an auxiliary transfer mechanism including a casing for defining an auxiliary transfer chamber under a vacuum state which selectively communicates with the main transfer chamber;
• and an auxiliary transfer unit installed in the auxiliary transfer chamber;
• (c) a load-lock mechanism including a casing for defining a load-lock chamber which selectively communicates with the auxiliary transfer chamber and is selectively evacuated;
• (d) an entrance transfer mechanism including a casing for defining an entrance transfer chamber under an atmospheric state which selectively communicates with the load-lock chamber;
• and an entrance transfer unit installed in the entrance transfer chamber;
• (e) a cassette station connected to the entrance transfer chamber, for mounting therein a cassette container which accommodates a plurality of objects to be processed;
• (f) a plurality of individual transfer mechanisms installed to correspond to the respective transfer ports of the main transfer mechanism, each of the individual transfer mechanisms including a casing for defining an individual transfer chamber under a vacuum state which selectively communicates with the main transfer chamber via the corresponding transfer port;
• and an individual transfer unit installed in the individual transfer chamber;
• and
• (g) a plurality of processing apparatuses installed to correspond to the respective individual transfer mechanisms, each of the processing apparatuses including a casing for defining a vacuum processing chamber which selectively communicates with the corresponding individual transfer chamber, and performing a predetermined process on the object therein.

A transfer mechanism for transferring an object to be processed, comprising:

• a casing for defining a transfer chamber under a vacuum state, the casing having a transfer port for transferring the object between the transfer chamber and an outside thereof;
• a guide rail substantially horizontally installed inside the transfer chamber under the vacuum state;
• a moving part including a moving body movably installed on the guide rail and a holding body for holding the object;
• a horizontally driving unit for moving the moving body of the moving part along the guide rail;
• and
• a plurality of position detecting sensors for detecting the position of the moving part, the position detecting sensors being disposed in the casing in a moving direction of the moving part such that neighboring position detecting sensors are spaced from each other, wherein the moving part further includes a supporting member for vertically movably connecting the holding body to the moving body, and the transfer mechanism further includes an elevation mechanism for raising and lowering the supporting member with respect to the moving body, and
• wherein the transfer mechanism further comprises:
• a position detecting linear scale installed on at least one of the moving body, the holding body and the supporting member and extending in the moving direction of the moving body,
• wherein the position detecting sensors are installed at a height corresponding to the linear scale on an inner surface of the casing, the position detecting sensors being disposed in the moving direction of the moving body such that a distance between two neighboring position detecting sensors is shorter than a length of the linear scale.