Film forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a film-forming apparatus capable of suppressing damage or falling of a substrate while maintaining the positional accuracy of a rotating member that conveys a carrier.SOLUTION: In a film-forming apparatus, a transport mechanism that transports a carrier includes a support unit provided in a chamber and configured to support the carrier. The support unit includes a plurality of rotating members that supports the carrier, and extends from an upstream side to a downstream side in a transport direction of the carrier. The plurality of rotating members is arranged in a row from the upstream side to the downstream side of the support unit. Each of the rotating members includes a rotating member outer peripheral portion having an annular shape, a bearing provided inside the rotating member outer peripheral portion, and a buffer member provided between an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member outer peripheral portion and an outer peripheral surface of the bearing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a film forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a film formation apparatus in which a carrier holding a substrate is transported sequentially through a plurality of chambers to perform a film formation process on the substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a film formation apparatus often has a structure in which a plurality of chambers are connected via gate valves, and the carrier vibrates up and down when passing through the gate valve, which can damage or cause the substrate to fall.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses an in-line film forming apparatus that can reduce the impact on a carrier when the carrier passes between chambers connected via a gate valve. As a configuration for reducing the impact, the document describes a buffer mechanism in which a cylindrical elastic member is disposed between a support shaft and an axial hole that supports a main bearing, which is a guide mechanism that guides the carrier, or a buffer mechanism in which multiple O-rings are disposed side by side in the axial direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-274142 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-33645 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the inline film deposition apparatus described in Patent Document 2, multiple O-rings serving as buffer members are arranged between the support shaft supporting the main bearing and the shaft hole, resulting in a large moment being applied to the buffer members. This causes the buffer members to deform, making it difficult to maintain the positional accuracy of the main bearing. While increasing the hardness of the buffer members is one way to prevent deformation, there are few types of buffer members that can be used in a vacuum environment, and the range of hardness options is limited to a certain hardness or higher. Increasing the hardness of the buffer members reduces their buffering properties, making it difficult to reduce the vibrations applied to the main bearing.

[0006] In view of the above, the technique of the present disclosure aims to provide a film forming apparatus that can prevent damage or dropping of a substrate while maintaining the positional accuracy of a rotating member that transports a carrier. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A film formation apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a carrier for holding a substrate, a plurality of chambers for performing a film formation process on the substrate, a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure inside at least one of the plurality of chambers, a gate valve for creating an airtight space inside the chamber, and a transport mechanism for transporting the carrier into the gate valve and into the plurality of chambers, wherein at least one of the plurality of chambers has a heating mechanism for the substrate, the transport mechanism is provided within the chamber and has a support unit for supporting the carrier, the support unit has a plurality of rotating members for supporting the carrier and extends from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction of the carrier, the plurality of rotating members are arranged in a row from the upstream side to the downstream side of the support unit, and each of the rotating members has a rotating member outer periphery having an annular shape, a bearing provided inside the rotating member outer periphery, and a buffer member provided between the inner surface of the rotating member outer periphery and the outer surface of the bearing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the film forming apparatus of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the substrate from being damaged or dropped while maintaining the positional accuracy of the rotating member that transports the carrier. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a recording medium manufactured by a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of a chamber of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are a side view and a front view, respectively, of a carrier of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a side view of a support unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a support unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a support unit according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] (Example of film formation equipment configuration) Fig. 1 is a plan view of a film formation apparatus according to an embodiment, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a recording medium manufactured by the film formation apparatus according to an embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a side view of a chamber 5 of the film formation apparatus according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the film formation apparatus 1 is an in-line type film formation apparatus.

[0012] Generally, the deposition of each layer of a recording medium is performed using methods such as sputtering, CVD, and PVD. After creating a vacuum in the deposition apparatus, a process gas is introduced into the deposition apparatus and deposition is performed using each method. Furthermore, the substrate is often heated before and after deposition of each layer, and the heating temperature can reach 600°C. In the case of such a manufacturing method, it is preferable to perform the processes continuously using a single deposition apparatus.

[0013] By performing continuous film formation processing, the inline film formation device can suppress contamination of substrates during handling, and by reducing handling steps, etc., it can improve the efficiency of the manufacturing process and product yield, thereby increasing the productivity of recording media.

[0014] The recording medium is, for example, a magnetic recording medium. When manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, for example, a film forming apparatus 1 such as that shown in FIG. 1 is used to sequentially laminate at least a soft magnetic layer 81, an intermediate layer 82, a recording magnetic layer 83, and a protective layer 84 on both sides of a substrate 9 on which films are to be formed, as shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, a lubricating film 85 may be laminated on the outermost surface. By undergoing these steps, the film forming apparatus 1 can produce magnetic recording media with high productivity.

[0015] The substrate 9 may be, for example, a disk-shaped substrate. Examples of the substrate 9 include an Al alloy substrate such as an Al-Mg alloy containing Al as the main component, ordinary soda glass, aluminosilicate glass, crystallized glass, silicon, titanium, ceramics, and various resins. That is, the substrate 9 may be any non-magnetic substrate.

[0016] The film formation apparatus 1 includes a robot table 8, a substrate cassette transfer robot 3 placed on the robot table 8, a substrate loading / unloading robot 2 adjacent to the robot table 8, and a plurality of corner chambers 4 that rotate carriers 7. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the film formation apparatus 1 also includes a plurality of chambers 5 that are arranged between the corner chambers 4 and perform film formation processing on substrates 9, a plurality of carriers 7 that hold substrates 9 and are transported sequentially through the plurality of corner chambers 4 and the plurality of chambers 5, and a processing mechanism 20 that processes both surfaces of the substrates 9. Note that although all of the chambers 5 are provided with processing mechanisms 20 in FIG. 1, the reference numeral 20 is not shown in part.

[0017] The film forming apparatus 1 further includes a vacuum pump P that reduces the pressure inside at least one of the multiple chambers 5, and a gate valve 6 that creates an airtight space inside the chamber 5. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a gate valve 6 is provided at the connection between the chambers 5, and when each gate valve 6 is closed, each chamber 5 becomes an independent airtight space. Each chamber 5 may be connected to a vacuum pump P, and the pressure inside each chamber 5 is reduced by the operation of the vacuum pump P. At least one of the multiple chambers 5 has a heating mechanism for the substrate 9 as a processing mechanism 20.

[0018] The film formation apparatus 1 sequentially transports the carrier 7 into each chamber 5 using a transport mechanism 11 described below, and sequentially deposits a soft magnetic layer 81, an intermediate layer 82, a recording magnetic layer 83, and a protective layer 84 on both sides of the substrate 9 held by the carrier 7 in each chamber 5 using a processing mechanism 20. After the protective layer 84 is deposited on the substrate 9, the substrate 9 is removed from the film formation apparatus 1, and a lubricating film 85 is deposited on both sides of the substrate 9, thereby finally obtaining the magnetic recording medium shown in FIG.

[0019] Each corner chamber 4 is a chamber that changes the moving direction of the carrier 7, and a mechanism that rotates the carrier 7 and moves it to the next chamber 5 is provided inside each corner chamber 4.

[0020] 3, the film forming apparatus 1 includes a transfer mechanism 11 that transfers the carrier 7 into the gate valve 6 and the chamber 5. The transfer mechanism 11 includes, for example, a linear motor drive mechanism that drives in a non-contact state.

[0021] The linear motor drive mechanism arranges multiple magnets with alternating north and south poles below the carrier 7, and arranges a rotating magnet with alternating north and south poles arranged in a spiral along the transport path, separated by a partition wall below the multiple magnets. The linear motor drive mechanism transports the carrier 7 by rotating the rotating magnet around its axis while magnetically coupling the magnet on the carrier 7 side with the rotating magnet without contact.

[0022] (Example of carrier configuration) 4A and 4B are a side view and a front view, respectively, of a carrier 7 of a film forming apparatus according to one embodiment. The carrier 7 is provided with a substrate holder 10 that holds a substrate 9 in a vertical position. Vertical positioning refers to a state in which the main surface (front or back surface) of the substrate 9 is parallel to the vertical direction Z. In this embodiment, two substrate holders 10 are arranged on the carrier 7, but the number of substrate holders 10 that can be provided on the carrier 7 is not limited.

[0023] The substrate holder 10 detachably holds the substrate 9 in the hole 12. The substrate holder 10 may include a substrate holder 10 having a hole 12 formed therein for placing the substrate 9 therein, and a plurality of support members 13 attached to the periphery of the hole 12 of the substrate holder 10 so as to be able to elastically deform. The plurality of support members 13 abut against the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 9 and support the substrate 9 fitted inside the hole 12. In this embodiment, four support members 13 are attached to the substrate holder 10, but three or more support members 13 are sufficient to support the substrate 9.

[0024] Of the four support members 13, the two support members 13 located on the upper side in the vertical direction Z respectively support a first outer peripheral end portion 14 located on the upstream side in the transport direction of the carrier 7 and a second outer peripheral end portion 15 located on the downstream side in the transport direction of the carrier 7. Furthermore, of the four support members 13, the two support members 13 located on the lower side in the vertical direction Z respectively support a third outer peripheral end portion 16 located on the upstream side in the transport direction of the carrier 7 and a fourth outer peripheral end portion 17 located on the downstream side in the transport direction of the carrier 7.

[0025] The support member 13 is, for example, a leaf spring member bent into an L-shape or a U-shape. The base end side of the support member 13 is fixed to the main body of the substrate holder 10, and the tip side of the support member 13 protrudes toward the inside of the hole 12. The support member 13 is placed in a passage formed around the hole 12. A V-shaped groove or U-shaped groove that engages with the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 9 is formed at the tip of the support member 13 to prevent the substrate 9 from falling.

[0026] Of the four passages formed around the hole portion 12, the lower two passages are provided with release holes 41 that release the support of the substrate 9 by the support member 13. Release rods (not shown) are inserted into the two release holes 41 to push the support member 13 downward and release the support of the substrate 9 by the support member 13.

[0027] The substrate 9 is attached to and detached from the substrate holder 10 by a substrate attachment / detachment robot 2, such as an articulated robot. When attaching the substrate 9, two release rods are inserted into the two release holes 41, respectively, to press down the two lower support members 13, and the substrate attachment / detachment robot 2 then inserts the substrate 9, which is suspended from a substrate holding member (not shown), into the hole 12 of the substrate holder 10. Then, by releasing the two release rods from pressing down on the support members 13, the lower support member 13 returns to its original position, and the four support members 13 support the substrate 9.

[0028] When removing the substrate 9, the substrate mounting / removal robot 2 inserts the substrate holding member into the opening of the substrate 9 while avoiding contact with the opening of the substrate 9. Then, two release rods are inserted into the two release holes 41, respectively, to push down the two lower support members 13, thereby releasing support of the substrate 9 by the four support members 13, and the substrate mounting / removal robot 2 places the substrate 9 in a state where it is suspended from the substrate holding member. The substrate mounting / removal robot 2 removes the substrate 9 from the substrate holder 10 while avoiding collision of the substrate 9 with the support members 13.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4(b), the carrier 7 is provided with a supported surface 42 that is supported from below in the vertical direction Z by a plurality of rotating members 51. Specifically, the supported surface 42 is supported from below in the vertical direction Z by a flange portion 722, which will be described later. The supported surface 42 extends along the transport direction of the carrier 7 and is formed in a rail shape. The cross-sectional shape of the supported surface 42 is a shape into which the rotating members 51 that support the carrier 7 from below in the vertical direction Z fit, and is, for example, an inverted V-shape or an inverted U-shape. The outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the rotating members 51 in the vertical direction Z comes into contact with the supported surface 42 when the carrier 7 is transported.

[0030] A linear motor drive unit 43 having multiple magnets arranged with N poles and S poles alternately aligned is provided below the carrier 7 as part of the linear motor drive mechanism. In this embodiment, only the rotating member 51 that supports the carrier 7 from below in the vertical direction Z is illustrated, but other rotating members that support the linear motor drive unit 43 from both sides in the horizontal direction may be provided.

[0031] (Example of support unit configuration) 5 and 6 are a side view and a plan view of a support unit according to one embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the transport mechanism 11 is provided in the chamber 5 and has a support unit 50 that supports the carrier 7.

[0032] The support unit 50 has a plurality of rotating members 51 that support the carrier 7, and extends from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction of the carrier 7. In this embodiment, seven rotating members 51 are provided in the support unit 50, but the number of rotating members 51 is not limited.

[0033] The multiple rotating members 51 are arranged in a row from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction of the carrier 7. The rotating members 51 support the carrier 7 within the chamber 5. The rotating members 51 come into contact with the supported surface 42 of the carrier 7 when the carrier 7 is transported. The upper ends of the multiple rotating members 51 in the vertical direction Z are positioned at the same height. Here, since gate valves 6 are provided at the connection points of the chambers 5, no support units 50 are provided at the locations of the gate valves 6 so that each gate valve 6 can be opened and closed.

[0034] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating member 51 in the support unit 50. The cross section shown in Fig. 7 is a cross-section including the central axis of the support shaft 78. As shown in Fig. 7, the bearing 71, the buffer member 73, and the rotating member outer peripheral portion 72 are supported on the support shaft 78 of the support unit 50, so that the rotating member 51 is cantilevered on the support shaft 78.

[0035] The rotating member 51 has a rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 having an annular shape, a bearing 71 provided inside the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72, and a buffer member 73 provided between the inner circumferential surface of the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 71. This configuration can reduce the moment applied to the buffer member 73. Therefore, according to the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, deformation of the buffer member 73 can be suppressed and the positional accuracy of the rotating member 51 can be maintained.

[0036] Furthermore, since the buffer member 73 is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the rotating member outer periphery 72 and the outer peripheral surface of the bearing 71, there is no need to increase the hardness of the buffer member 73. This allows the buffering properties of the buffer member 73 to be maintained. Therefore, according to the film formation apparatus 1, the buffer member 73 reduces vibration of the carrier 7 when it passes through the gate valve 6, and prevents the substrate 9 held by the carrier 7 from being damaged or dropped. Specifically, when the carrier 7 is transported, the rotating member 51 is displaced mainly downward in the vertical direction Z relative to the support unit 50. Therefore, according to the film formation apparatus 1, the transfer of the carrier 7 at the gate valve 6 between the chambers 5 can be made even smoother.

[0037] Furthermore, since the usable range of hardness of the buffer member 73 is widened, it becomes easier to select a buffer member that can be used in a vacuum environment or a buffer member with high heat resistance. This increases the degree of freedom in designing the film deposition apparatus 1.

[0038] In conventional film deposition systems, buffer members were sometimes provided on the contact surface with the carrier. However, in this case, the buffer members were prone to wear, which increased the frequency of support unit replacement and reduced productivity. Furthermore, dust generated by the worn buffer members worsened the film deposition environment. Furthermore, in chambers where substrates are heated, the buffer members were susceptible to heat damage. Therefore, in conventional film deposition systems, the frequency of rotating parts replacement increased, reducing productivity. Furthermore, the need for expensive, highly heat-resistant buffer members increased production costs, among other problems.

[0039] In the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the buffer member 73 is covered by the outer circumferential portion 72 of the rotating member, which reduces wear on the buffer member 73 and dust generation, and also reduces the frequency of replacing the rotating member 51 and bearing 71. Furthermore, the outer circumferential portion 72 of the rotating member reduces radiant heat applied to the buffer member 73, broadening the usable range of heat resistance of the buffer member 73. For example, it is possible to use a buffer member 73 containing a general-purpose resin such as a petroleum synthetic resin, a silicone resin, or a fluorine resin. That is, the film forming apparatus 1 allows film formation in a vacuum environment or a heated environment. In particular, it is preferable to use a fluorine resin in a high-vacuum environment or a heated environment at high temperatures.

[0040] Two bearings 71 may be provided axially inside the outer periphery 72 of the rotating member, and multiple buffer members 73 may be provided facing the outer periphery of each of the two bearings 71. This configuration can further reduce the moment applied to one buffer member 73. Therefore, according to the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, deformation of the buffer members 73 can be further suppressed, and the positional accuracy of the rotating member 51 can be further maintained. Furthermore, according to the film forming apparatus 1, the multiple buffer members 73 can further reduce vibration of the carrier 7 when it passes through the gate valve 6, and can further suppress damage to or dropping of the substrates 9 held by the carrier 7.

[0041] 7, a pair of bearings 71 are provided inside the rotating member 51, and these pair of bearings 71 are rotatably attached to a support shaft 78. Furthermore, four O-rings are used as the buffer members 73, and these four O-rings are fitted between the pair of bearings 71 and the outer circumferential portion 72 of the rotating member.

[0042] The rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 has a recess 721 formed on its inner circumferential surface that accommodates the buffer member 73, and the rotating member 51 has a gap formed between the inner circumferential surface of the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 71. That is, the inner diameter of the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 is larger than the outer diameter of the bearing 71. The buffer member 73 and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 71 are in contact with each other. With this configuration, the film forming apparatus 1 can further reduce vibration of the carrier 7 when passing through the gate valve 6, and further prevent the substrate 9 held by the carrier 7 from being damaged or dropped.

[0043] For example, if the outer diameter of the rotating member outer peripheral portion 72 is 50 mm and the outer diameter of the bearing 71 is 30 mm, the gap is approximately 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. Here, the outer diameters of the rotating member outer peripheral portion 72 and the bearing 71 refer to their maximum values. This configuration prevents contact between the rotating member outer peripheral portion 72 and the bearing 71, reducing the generation of dust due to wear between them. Furthermore, friction between the rotating member outer peripheral portion 72 and the buffer member 73, and between the bearing 71 and the buffer member 73, basically does not occur, preventing wear between them and reducing the generation of dust.

[0044] The buffer member 73 may be an annular elastic member, and the recessed portion 721 may be formed in an annular shape. As a result, an elastic member is provided around the circumference between the inner circumferential surface of the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 71. Therefore, according to the film forming apparatus 1, it is possible to further reduce vibration of the carrier 7 when passing through the gate valve 6. The inner diameter of the annular elastic member may be smaller than the inner diameter of the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72. Here, the inner diameter of the rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 means the inner diameter of the portion excluding the recessed portion 721.

[0045] The rotating member outer circumferential portion 72 has an annular flange 722 provided at one end, and the buffer member 73 may be disposed at a position overlapping at least the flange 722 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. This allows the flange 722 to come into contact with the supported surface 42 of the carrier 7, and the buffer member 73 is disposed at a position that is likely to receive the load of the carrier 7. Therefore, according to the film formation apparatus 1, it is possible to further reduce vibration of the carrier 7 when it passes through the gate valve 6.

[0046] The film forming apparatus 1 can be suitably used when it has a configuration in which a plurality of support members 13 abut against the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 9 and support the substrate 9 fitted inside the hole 12 . [Example]

[0047] The following examples will be used to further explain the embodiments in detail.

[0048] Example 1 A support unit as shown in Figure 7 was fabricated, a vibration sensor was attached to the carrier, and the support unit was installed in the deposition equipment shown in Figure 1. The deposition equipment was then operated. The frequency of vibration and the presence or absence of dust were evaluated. Specifically, the vibration during carrier transport was measured using a vibrometer, the waveforms were extracted by acceleration band, and the frequency of occurrence was plotted as a histogram. After 336 hours of operation of the deposition equipment, the first, second, and seventh rotating parts from the upstream side in the transport direction—i.e., the rotating parts that are particularly subject to impact during operation—were disassembled, and the condition of the O-rings, which serve as buffering members, was visually inspected, and the presence or absence of dust was confirmed by wiping the buffering members with a cloth.

[0049] (Comparative Example 1) A support unit similar to that of Example 1 was prepared, except that no buffer member was provided between the inner peripheral surface of the outer periphery of the rotating member and the outer peripheral surface of the bearing, and after mounting it in a film deposition apparatus similar to that of Example 1, the film deposition apparatus was operated. Then, an evaluation similar to that of Example 1 was performed.

[0050] In the film deposition apparatus of Example 1, the vertical acceleration was ±100 mm / sec compared to the film deposition apparatus of Comparative Example 1. 2It was confirmed that the frequency of dust generation was reduced by half. In addition, in the film forming apparatus of Example 1, no dust was generated from the first, second, and seventh rotating members, and no deterioration of the buffer members was observed.

[0051] Although the preferred embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0052] For example, the film formation apparatus of the present disclosure is not limited to an in-line type film formation apparatus, but may be a film formation apparatus of another type, such as a batch type film formation apparatus. Furthermore, the substrate of the present disclosure is not limited to the substrate 9 for a magnetic recording medium, but may be a substrate for a semiconductor integrated circuit. Furthermore, the shape of the substrate of the present disclosure is not limited to a disk shape.

[0053] Furthermore, the numbers such as ordinal numbers, quantities, units, and ranges used in the description of the above-mentioned embodiments are provided as examples to specifically explain the technology of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated numbers. Furthermore, the connection relationships between the components are provided as examples to specifically explain the technology of the present disclosure, and the connection relationships that realize the functions of the present disclosure are not limited to these. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1 Film deposition equipment 2. Circuit board mounting and dismounting robot 3. Circuit board cassette transfer robot 4 Corner Room 5 Chambers 6. Gate valve 7. Career 8 Robot stand 9 Substrate 10 Substrate holder 11. Transport mechanism 12 Hole 13 Support member 14 First side outer peripheral end 15 Second side outer peripheral end 16 Third side outer peripheral end 17 4th side outer peripheral end 20 Processing mechanism or heating mechanism 41 Release hole 42 Supported surface 43 Linear motor drive unit 50 Support Unit 51 Rotating member 71 Bearings 72 Rotating member outer periphery 73 Cushioning material 78 Spindle 81 Soft magnetic layer 82 Middle Class 83 Recording magnetic layer 84 Protective layer 85 Lubricating Film P Vacuum pump Z vertical direction

Claims

1. a carrier for holding the substrate; a plurality of chambers for performing film formation processing on the substrate; a vacuum pump that reduces the pressure inside at least one of the plurality of chambers; a gate valve that seals the interior of the chamber; a transfer mechanism that transfers the carrier into the gate valve and into the plurality of chambers; Equipped with At least one of the plurality of chambers has a heating mechanism for the substrate; the transport mechanism includes a support unit provided in the chamber and supporting the carrier; the support unit has a plurality of rotating members that support the carrier, and extends from an upstream side to a downstream side in a transport direction of the carrier, the plurality of rotating members are arranged in a line from the upstream side to the downstream side of the support unit, A film forming apparatus, wherein each of the rotating members has a rotating member outer periphery having an annular shape, a bearing provided inside the rotating member outer periphery, and a buffer member provided between the inner periphery of the rotating member outer periphery and the outer periphery of the bearing.

2. the outer circumferential portion of the rotating member has a recess provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof for accommodating the buffer member, the rotating member has a gap formed between an inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral portion of the rotating member and an outer peripheral surface of the bearing, The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the buffer member and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing are in contact with each other.

3. The bearing is provided in two pieces along the axial direction inside the outer periphery of the rotating member, The film deposition apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the buffer members are provided facing the outer circumferential surfaces of the two bearings.

4. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the buffer member is an annular elastic member, and the recess is formed in an annular shape.

5. the outer circumferential portion of the rotary member has an annular flange provided at one end, the carrier has a supported surface that is supported by the flange portion from below in the vertical direction, The film deposition apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the buffer member is disposed at a position overlapping at least the flange portion when viewed vertically.

6. the carrier includes a substrate holder having a hole in which the substrate is placed, and a plurality of support members attached to the substrate holder around the hole so as to be elastically deformable; The film deposition apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of support members abut against an outer peripheral edge of the substrate and support the substrate fitted inside the hole.

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