Film forming device

Abstract

A film forming apparatus capable of suppressing pressure fluctuations in a film forming chamber is provided. [Solution] The film forming apparatus S of the embodiment includes a chamber 20 into which a sputtering gas G1 is introduced, a sputtering source 4 provided within the chamber 20 for depositing a film-forming material by sputtering to form a film, a film forming processing section 40 having a partition section 44 for separating the film forming chamber M including the sputtering source 4 and for forming a film on an electronic component 100 within the film forming chamber M using the sputtering source 4, a transport plate 140 on which the electronic component 100 to be film-formed within the chamber 20 is mounted, a transport device 30 provided within the chamber 20 for transporting the transport plate 140 via a tray 34, and a shielding section 34b for shielding the space between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34 from the outside.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Wireless communication devices, such as mobile phones, are equipped with numerous electronic components, including semiconductor devices. Semiconductor devices are required to suppress the effects of electromagnetic waves both inside and outside the device, such as preventing leakage of electromagnetic waves to the outside, in order to prevent adverse effects on communication characteristics. For this reason, semiconductor devices with a shielding function against electromagnetic waves are used.

[0003] Generally, a semiconductor device is formed by mounting a semiconductor chip on an interposer substrate, which serves as a relay substrate for a mounting substrate, and then sealing the semiconductor chip with resin. A semiconductor device has been developed that has a shielding function by providing a conductive electromagnetic wave shielding film on the top and side surfaces of the sealing resin (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Such an electromagnetic wave shielding film can be a laminated film of multiple metal materials. For example, a laminated structure electromagnetic wave shielding film is known in which a SUS film is formed, a Cu film is formed on top of that, and a SUS film is further formed on top of that.

[0005] In order to obtain a sufficient shielding effect in an electromagnetic wave shielding film, it is necessary to reduce the electrical resistivity. For this reason, the electromagnetic wave shielding film is required to have a certain thickness. In semiconductor devices, it is generally believed that a film thickness of about 1 μm to 10 μm can provide good shielding characteristics. It is known that the above-mentioned electromagnetic wave shielding film with a laminated structure of SUS, Cu, and SUS can obtain a good shielding effect if the film thickness is about 1 μm to 5 μm.

[0006] Sputtering is attracting attention as a method for forming electromagnetic wave shielding films. As a film formation device using the sputtering method, a plasma processing device that uses plasma to form a film has been proposed. In a plasma processing device, an inert gas (hereinafter referred to as sputtering gas) is introduced into a vacuum chamber in which a target is placed, and a voltage is applied. Ions of the sputtering gas that has been converted into plasma are caused to collide with a target of film formation material, and the material that is knocked out from the target is deposited on the workpiece to form a film.

[0007] Typical plasma processing equipment is used to form films with thicknesses of 10 to several hundred nanometers, which can be formed in processing times of several tens of seconds to several minutes. However, as mentioned above, it is necessary to form a film with a thickness on the order of microns for an electromagnetic wave shielding film. Since the sputtering method is a technology for forming a film by depositing particles of a film-forming material on an object to be formed, the thicker the film to be formed, the longer the time required to form the film.

[0008] Therefore, forming an electromagnetic wave shielding film requires a processing time of several tens of minutes to an hour, which is longer than that required with a typical sputtering method. For example, an electromagnetic wave shielding film with a laminated structure of SUS, Cu, and SUS may require a processing time of just over an hour to achieve a film thickness of 5 μm. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 035819 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] In sputtering using plasma, electronic components are continuously exposed to the heat of the plasma throughout the film formation process, and as a result, the electronic components may be heated to around 200°C before a film with a thickness of 5 μm is obtained.

[0011] On the other hand, the heat resistance temperature of electronic components is about 200°C if they are heated temporarily for a few to several tens of seconds, but if they are heated for more than a few minutes, it is generally about 150°C. For this reason, it has been difficult to form an electromagnetic wave shielding film at the micron level using a general plasma sputtering method.

[0012] To address this issue, a deposition apparatus has been developed that includes a deposition chamber separated by a shielding member and a conveying device such as a rotary table within a decompressible chamber, and circulates and conveys electronic components mounted on trays on the conveying device while passing under the deposition chamber, thereby forming a film by sputtering. In such a deposition apparatus, a film is formed by depositing film material, which is knocked out of the target by ions of the sputtering gas plasma, onto the electronic components each time the electronic components pass through the deposition chamber into which sputtering gas is introduced within the decompressed chamber. When the electronic components pass through areas other than the deposition chamber, heat is dissipated without being heated, preventing them from being heated continuously for long periods of time.

[0013] In this type of circulating transport type film forming apparatus, the electronic components to be film-formed are loaded onto a transport plate, which is then loaded onto a tray and transported while the film is formed. This allows the heat from the electronic components to be released to the transport plate during film formation, thereby suppressing temperature increases. Furthermore, to minimize the effects of heat transfer from other components within the chamber, the transport plate and the tray are supported so that a gap is created between them. This provides thermal insulation between the tray and the transport plate, which are in direct contact with the transport device, and prevents heat accumulated in the transport device from being transferred to the transport plate via the tray.

[0014] In sputtering using plasma, the pressure inside the deposition chamber must be kept constant in order to maintain plasma discharge in the sputtering gas. For this reason, a minimum gap is provided between the lower part of the shield member that separates the deposition chamber and the opposing rotary table to allow the passage of electronic components, thereby suppressing pressure fluctuations due to leakage of sputtering gas, etc.

[0015] However, as described above, when a gap exists between the transport plate transporting the electronic components and the tray, the pressure in the gap, where the pressure in the depressurized chamber is equivalent to the pressure in the area outside the deposition chamber, is relatively lower than the pressure in the deposition chamber where the sputtering gas is introduced. Therefore, when the electronic components pass through the deposition chamber, the sputtering gas in the deposition chamber flows into the gap between the transport plate and the tray, causing a decrease in the pressure in the deposition chamber. When the electronic components pass through the depressurized area outside the deposition chamber, the sputtering gas that flowed into the gap is released, causing the gap to be depressurized. Then, when the electronic components pass through the deposition chamber again, the sputtering gas flows into the depressurized gap between the transport plate and the tray, causing a decrease in the pressure in the deposition chamber. If this process is repeated, the pressure in the deposition chamber frequently fluctuates, causing the plasma discharge to become unstable. This, in turn, deteriorates the quality and adhesion of the film formed on the electronic components.

[0016] An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a film formation apparatus capable of suppressing pressure fluctuations in a film formation chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a chamber into which a sputtering gas is introduced, a sputtering source provided in the chamber for depositing a film-forming material by sputtering to form a film, a film forming processing section having a partition for separating a film forming chamber including the sputtering source and for forming a film on an electronic component in the film forming chamber using the sputtering source, a transport plate on which the electronic component on which a film is to be formed in the film forming chamber is mounted, a transport device provided in the chamber for transporting the transport plate via a tray, and a shielding section for shielding the space between the transport plate and the tray from the outside, wherein the shielding section is an O-ring provided on the tray and supporting the transport plate so as to create a gap between the transport plate and the tray. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a film formation apparatus capable of suppressing pressure fluctuations in a film formation chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an electronic component according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an electronic component, a holding sheet, a frame, and a transport plate according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a simplified plan view showing a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] 3A to 3C are explanatory views showing a film forming process according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the loading of a transport plate onto a tray. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views showing the loading of the transport plate onto the tray and the loading of the transport plate onto the holder. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a transparent perspective view showing a film forming unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective plan view showing a film forming unit. [Figure 9] 9 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the gas flow in the case of a film forming apparatus that does not have a shielding portion. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which the shielding portion is an O-ring. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which the shielding portion is a frame. [Figure 13] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which the shielding portion is a holding sheet, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which the shielding portion is a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet. [Figure 14] 10A is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which a vent hole is formed in the frame, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example in which a vent hole is formed in the shielding portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] [Electronic Components] As shown in FIG. 1A, the electronic component 100 to be subjected to film formation in this embodiment is a surface-mounted component in which elements such as semiconductor chips, diodes, transistors, capacitors, or SAW filters are sealed in an insulating package made of synthetic resin or the like. The semiconductor chip is an integrated circuit such as an IC or LSI that integrates multiple electronic elements. The electronic component 100 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, one surface of which is an electrode-exposed surface 111a. The electrode-exposed surface 111a exposes electrodes 112 and is the surface that faces and is connected to a mounting substrate.

[0022] The electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is made of a material that shields electromagnetic waves. In FIG. 1(A), only the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is shown in cross section. The electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed on the top surface 111b and side surface 111c of the electronic component 100, i.e., on the outer surfaces other than the electrode exposed surface 111a. The top surface 111b is the surface opposite the electrode exposed surface 111a. The side surface 111c is an outer peripheral surface that connects the top surface 111b and the electrode exposed surface 111a and extends at a different angle from the top surface 111b and the electrode exposed surface 111a.

[0023] To obtain the electromagnetic wave shielding effect, it is sufficient that the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed at least on the top surface 111b. A ground pin (not shown) is present on the side surface 111c. The formation of the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 on the side surface 111c is also for the purpose of grounding the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113.

[0024] Note that when the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed, the electronic component 100 may be referred to as the electronic component 100 including the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113. Furthermore, the top surface 111b and the side surface 111c are simply referred to as the top surface 111b and the side surface 111c, regardless of whether the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed or not. In other words, the surface of the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 formed on the top surface 111b of the electronic component 100 is also referred to as the top surface 111b, and the surface of the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 formed on the side surface 111c is also referred to as the side surface 111c.

[0025] [Retaining sheet] FIG. 1(B) is a side view showing the state of the electronic component 100 after undergoing the film formation process. In FIG. 1(B), everything except the electronic component 100 is shown in cross section. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a member on which the electronic component 100 is mounted in order to undergo the film formation process. As shown in FIGS. 1(B) and 2(A), the electronic component 100 is held by a holding sheet 120 having an adhesive surface on one side. More specifically, the electrode exposed surface 111a of the electronic component 100 is brought into close contact with the holding sheet 120 in advance, and the electrodes 112 are embedded in the holding sheet 120.

[0026] The holding sheet 120 is made of a heat-resistant synthetic resin such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PEN (polyethylene naphthalate), or PI (polyimide). An adhesive sheet 123 is attached to the component mounting surface 121, to which the electrode exposed surface 111a of the holding sheet 120 is in close contact, and to the support surface 122 on the opposite side. The adhesive sheet 123 can be made of various adhesive materials, such as silicone-based or acrylic-based resins, or other adhesive materials such as urethane resins and epoxy resins. The support surface 122 itself may be made adhesive.

[0027] The holding sheet 120 of this embodiment is rectangular. As shown in FIG. 2(A), the component mounting surface 121 of the holding sheet 120 is divided into an outer frame region 121a that extends a predetermined distance inward from the edge of the holding sheet 120, and an inner frame region 121b inside the outer frame region 121a. The electronic component 100 is attached to the inner frame region 121b. The region of the inner frame region 121b where the electronic component 100 is attached is an attachment region 121c. In this embodiment, the region surrounded by a dashed line in the figure is the attachment region 121c.

[0028] Frame A frame 130 is adhered to the adhesive sheet 123 of the holding sheet 120. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), the rectangular frame 130 is attached to the outer frame region 121a of the holding sheet 120. The frame 130 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or SUS, ceramics, resin, or other material with high thermal conductivity. The frame 130 of this embodiment is plate-shaped and has a rectangular through-hole 131 formed in the center. The outer shape of the frame 130 matches the outer shape of the holding sheet 120. The inner edge of the through-hole 131 matches the outer edge of the middle frame region 121b. The middle frame region 121b is exposed from the through-hole 131 of the frame 130.

[0029] [Film forming equipment] The film forming apparatus S of this embodiment is an apparatus that forms a film on an electronic component 100. As shown in the plan view of Fig. 3, the film forming apparatus S includes a plate mounting section 200, a film forming section 300, a plate detaching section 400, a cooling section 500, and a transport section 600. As shown in Figs. 2(B), (C), 3[1], and 4[1], a transport plate 140 is brought into close contact with the adhesive sheet 123 of the holding sheet 120 to which the electronic component 100 and the frame 130 are in close contact. This adhesion of the transport plate 140 is performed in the plate mounting section 200 shown in Fig. 3. This is referred to as a plate mounting process.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3[2] and 4[2], the conveying plate 140 to which the holding sheet 120 is adhered is placed on the tray 34. This is referred to as the plate placing process. As shown in Figures 3[3] and 4[3], this tray 34 is carried into the film forming section 300, where a film is formed on the electronic component 100. This is referred to as the film forming process. During this film forming process, the electronic component 100 is heated. The conveying plate 140 functions as a heat dissipation path that releases heat from the electronic component 100 and prevents excessive heat accumulation.

[0031] After the film formation, the tray 34 is carried out from the film formation section 300, and the transport plate 140 is removed from the tray 34 as shown in Figures 3[4] and 4[4]. This is the plate removal process. Then, as shown in Figures 3[5] and 4[5], the holding sheet 120 is detached in the plate detaching section 400. This is the plate detaching process. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3[6] and 4[6], the transport plate 140 is cooled in the cooling section 500. This is the plate cooling process. Thereafter, as shown in Figures 3[1] and 4[1], the adhesive sheet 123 of the holding sheet 120 is again adhered to the plate mounting section 200. In this way, the holding sheet 120 is adhered to the transport plate 140 via the adhesive sheet 123.

[0032] As described above, the transfer plate 140 is repeatedly used through the plate mounting step, plate placing step, film forming step, plate removal step, plate detachment step, and plate cooling step.

[0033] (Transport plate) The transport plate 140 is a plate-like body made of a metal having thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, such as aluminum or stainless steel. As shown in FIG. 2(B), one surface of the transport plate 140 on which the holding sheet 120 is mounted is referred to as a mounting surface 141, and the opposite surface is referred to as a support surface 142 that is to be supported in the film forming unit 300. As described above, the adhesive sheet 123 is attached to the support surface 122 of the holding sheet 120, and the support surface 122 is in close contact with the mounting surface 141 of the transport plate 140. This allows the electronic component 100 to be mounted on the transport plate 140, ensuring a heat transfer area from the electronic component 100 to the transport plate 140. Note that "the electronic component 100 is mounted on the transport plate 140" means that the electronic component 100 is in direct or indirect contact with the transport plate 140 so as to be able to transfer heat to the transport plate 140. This is not limited to cases where the electronic component 100 is placed on the transport plate 140 using gravity, and the electronic component 100 may be in direct or indirect contact with the transport plate 140 regardless of the orientation of the transport plate 140. Furthermore, in order to dissipate heat from the electronic component 100, it is preferable that the transport plate 140 be in close contact with the support surface 122 of the holding sheet 120 over at least the entire area corresponding to the attachment area 121c.

[0034] The surfaces of the transport plate 140 other than the mounting surface 141, i.e., the support surface 142 and side surfaces, are uneven or porous. The unevenness can be formed, for example, by roughening the surface. When the transport plate 140 is made of aluminum, the porous surface can be formed, for example, by anodizing the surface. Furthermore, the support surface 142 of the transport plate 140 is provided with restricting portions 143 (see FIG. 6, etc.). In this embodiment, the restricting portions 143 are four circular recesses with the same depth.

[0035] (tray) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tray 34 is a member that carries the transport plate 140 and is carried into and out of the film forming unit 300. As shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 6(A), the tray 34 is a rectangular flat plate and is made of a conductive material, for example, a metal. In this embodiment, the material of the tray 34 is a metal that has thermal conductivity and conductivity, such as aluminum or SUS. The tray 34 has a facing surface 34a, a shielding portion 34b, and a support portion 35. The facing surface 34a is one flat surface of the tray 34, which is a rectangular flat plate, and faces the transport plate 140. A shielding portion 34b is provided on the periphery of the facing surface 34a.

[0036] The shielding portion 34b is a rectangular frame adhered to the opposing surface 34a. When the transport plate 140 is placed on the tray 34, the shielding portion 34b shields the space between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34 from the outside. This allows the shielding portion 34b to block the inflow and outflow of gas into the gap between the transport plate 140 and the opposing surface 34a. The shielding portion 34b is positioned to surround the area corresponding to the attachment area 121c where the electronic component 100 is attached. More specifically, the shielding portion 34b is positioned to overlap the outer frame area 121a. This arrangement allows for a larger area to be blocked from the inflow and outflow of gas into the gap between the transport plate 140 and the opposing surface 34a. However, the shielding by the shielding portion 34b does not need to be completely sealed; it is sufficient to suppress the inflow and outflow of sputtering gas G1 during the short time that the tray 34 passes through the deposition chamber M described below. The shielding portion 34b is preferably formed of a thermally insulating material such as ceramics to obtain a thermal insulation effect between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34. However, the shielding portion 34b does not necessarily have to be in contact with the entire transport plate 140, and if the shielding portion 34b is provided so as to overlap the outer frame region 121a as described above, the effect of heat transfer from the shielding portion 34b to the electronic component 100 is considered to be relatively small, and thermal insulation is not necessarily required. For example, the shielding portion 34b may be made of a metal such as SUS.

[0037] 5(A), (B), 6(A), and (B), the support portion 35 is provided on the tray 34, and together with the shielding portion 34b, supports the transport plate 140 so as to create a gap between it and the tray 34. The gap between the support surface 142 of the transport plate 140 and the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 is preferably a distance that prevents the film forming material from getting around during the film forming process and provides a heat insulating effect, for example, about 2 to 5 mm, but is not limited to this value.

[0038] The support portion 35 has protruding members 35a protruding from the opposing surface 34a. In this embodiment, the protruding members 35a are four conical pins. The four pins correspond to the regulating portions 143 of the transport plate 140, and are positioned so that their tips are inserted into the regulating portions 143. The protruding members 35a fit into the regulating portions 143, thereby restricting the movement of the transport plate 140 supported by the support portion 35. The support portion 35 is made of the same material as the tray 34. The support portion 35 and the tray 34 may be formed integrally or may be formed by combining separately formed members. However, the support portion 35 and the tray 34 are conductive and electrically connected to each other.

[0039] Note that "the transport plate 140 is supported by the support portion 35" means that the transport plate 140 is in direct or indirect contact with the support portion 35 so as to suppress heat transfer between the transport plate 140 and the support portion 35. This is not limited to the case where the transport plate 140 is placed on the support portion 35 using gravity, and it is sufficient that the transport plate 140 is in direct or indirect contact with the support portion 35 regardless of the orientation of the support portion 35. Note that in this embodiment, the transport plate 140 is conductive, and electrical connection between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34 is ensured via the support portion 35.

[0040] [Plate mounting part] Although not shown, the plate mounting section 200 has a pressing device that presses the holding sheet 120 against the transport plate 140, thereby bringing the holding sheet 120 into close contact with the transport plate 140. The holding sheet 120, to which the electronic components 100 have been previously pressed and to which the frame 130 has been attached, and the transport plate 140 are loaded into the plate mounting section 200. This also includes the case where the transport plate 140 that has been cooled in the cooling section 500 is loaded and reused.

[0041] [Film forming section] The film forming unit 300 forms an electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 by sputtering on the outer surface of each electronic component 100. As shown in Fig. 7, when the turntable 31 rotates, the electronic components 100 on the tray 34 held by the holder 33 move along a circular trajectory and pass a position facing the sputtering source 4, and the film forming unit 300 deposits particles sputtered from the target 41 onto the electronic components 100 to form a film.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the film forming section 300 includes a chamber 20, a transfer device 30, film forming processing sections 40A and 40B, a surface processing section 50, and a load lock section 60.

[0043] (Chamber) Chamber 20 is a container into which reactive gas G is introduced. Reactive gas G includes sputtering gas G1 for sputtering and process gas G2 for various processes (see FIG. 9). In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between sputtering gas G1 and process gas G2, they may be referred to as reactive gas G. Sputtering gas G1 is a gas for forming a film by sputtering on the surface of electronic component 100 by causing ions and the like generated by plasma generated by application of electric power to collide with target 41 (41A, 41B). For example, an inert gas such as argon gas can be used as sputtering gas G1.

[0044] The process gas G2 is a gas used for performing surface treatment by etching or ashing. Hereinafter, such surface treatment may be referred to as reverse sputtering. The process gas G2 can be changed as appropriate depending on the purpose of the treatment. For example, when etching is performed, an inert gas such as argon gas can be used as the etching gas. In this embodiment, argon gas is used to clean and roughen the surface of the electronic component 100. For example, by cleaning the surface and roughening it at the nano-order, the adhesion of the film can be increased.

[0045] The space inside the chamber 20 forms a vacuum chamber 21. This vacuum chamber 21 is an airtight space that can be evacuated by reducing the pressure. For example, as shown in Figures 8 and 10, the vacuum chamber 21 is a cylindrical sealed space formed by a ceiling 20a, an inner bottom surface 20b, and an inner circumferential surface 20c inside the chamber 20.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 9, the chamber 20 has an exhaust port 22 and an inlet 24. The exhaust port 22 is an opening for ensuring the flow of gas between the vacuum chamber 21 and the outside and for performing exhaust E. The exhaust port 22 is formed, for example, at the bottom of the chamber 20. An exhaust unit 23 is connected to the exhaust port 22. The exhaust unit 23 has piping and a pump, a valve, etc. (not shown). The inside of the vacuum chamber 21 is depressurized by the exhaust process performed by the exhaust unit 23.

[0047] The inlet 24 is an opening for introducing a sputtering gas G1 near the target 41 in the vacuum chamber 21. A gas supply unit 25 is connected to the inlet 24. One gas supply unit 25 is provided for each sputtering source 4. The gas supply unit 25 also has a gas supply source for a reactive gas G, a pump, a valve, and the like (not shown) in addition to piping. The sputtering gas G1 is introduced into the vacuum chamber 21 from the inlet 24 by the gas supply unit 25. An opening 21a is provided at the top of the chamber 20, through which a processing unit 5 is inserted, as will be described later.

[0048] (Transportation section) The conveying device 30 is provided in the chamber 20 and is a device that circulates and conveys the electronic components 100 along a circular path. The circulating conveyance means that the trays 34 carrying the electronic components 100 are moved around along a circular path. The path along which the trays 34 are moved by the conveying device 30 is called the conveying path L. The conveying device 30 has a rotary table 31, a motor 32, and a holding unit 33. The holding unit 33 holds the trays 34 carrying the conveying plate 140 via a support unit 35.

[0049] The turntable 31 is a circular plate. The motor 32 is a drive source that applies a driving force to the turntable 31, causing it to rotate around the center of the circle as an axis. The holders 33 are components that hold trays 34 transported by the transport device 30. A plurality of holders 33 are arranged at equal circumferential positions on the top surface of the turntable 31. For example, the area in which each holder 33 holds the tray 34 is formed in a direction parallel to the tangent to the circle in the circumferential direction of the turntable 31, and is provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. More specifically, the holders 33 are grooves, holes, protrusions, jigs, holders, etc. that hold the trays 34. They can be configured as mechanical chucks or adhesive chucks.

[0050] In this way, the electronic components 100 are positioned on the turntable 31 by the trays 34 held by the holders 33. In this embodiment, six holders 33 are provided, and therefore six trays 34 are held on the turntable 31 at intervals of 60°. However, the number of holders 33 may be one or more.

[0051] (Film forming processing section) The film formation processing units 40A and 40B are processing units that form films on the electronic components 100 transported by the transport device 30. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the multiple film formation processing units 40A and 40B, they will be described as film formation processing units 40. As shown in FIG. 9 , the film formation processing unit 40 has a sputtering source 4, a partition unit 44, and a power supply unit 6.

[0052] <Sputter source> The sputtering source 4 is a supply source of film-forming material that deposits the film-forming material on the electronic component 100 by sputtering to form a film. The sputtering source 4 includes a target 41, a backing plate 42, and an electrode 43. The target 41 is formed of the film-forming material that will be deposited on the electronic component 100 to form a film, and is provided at positions facing each other at a distance along the transport path L. As shown in FIG. 8 , in this embodiment, two targets 41A and 41B are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, i.e., in the radial direction of the rotation of the turntable 31. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the targets 41A and 41B, they will be referred to as the target 41. The bottom side of the target 41 faces, at a distance, the electronic component 100 moved by the transport device 30. Note that the processing area, which is the area where the film-forming material can be deposited by the two targets 41A and 41B, is larger than the size of the tray 34 in the radial direction of the turntable 31.

[0053] As will be described later, the film forming material may be, for example, Cu, Ni, Fe, or SUS. However, various materials can be used as long as they can be used to form a film by sputtering. The target 41 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. However, it may have other shapes, such as an elongated cylindrical shape or a rectangular pillar shape.

[0054] The backing plate 42 is a member that holds the target 41. The electrode 43 is a conductive member that applies power to the target 41 from outside the chamber 20. The sputtering source 4 is appropriately equipped with a magnet, a cooling mechanism, etc., as necessary.

[0055] <divider> The partition 44 is a member that separates the film-forming chambers M1 and M2, in which the electronic components 100 are formed by the sputtering source 4, from the processing chamber N, in which surface treatment is performed. Hereinafter, when the film-forming chambers M1 and M2 are not distinguished, they will be referred to as the film-forming chamber M. The film-forming chamber M and the processing chamber N are not sealed spaces, but are open spaces on the transfer device 30 side. As shown in FIG. 8 , the partition 44 has rectangular wall plates 44a and 44b arranged radially from the circumferential center of the transfer path L, i.e., the rotation center of the turntable 31 of the transfer device 30. The wall plates 44a and 44b are provided, for example, on the ceiling 20a of the vacuum chamber 21 at positions that sandwich the target 41. The lower end of the partition 44 faces the turntable 31, leaving a gap through which the electronic components 100 pass. The partition 44 prevents the reaction gas G and the film-forming material from diffusing into the vacuum chamber 21.

[0056] The film formation chambers M1, M2, and processing chamber N are spaces separated by a partition 44. The film formation chambers M1 and M2 contain the target 41 of the sputtering source 4. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the film formation chambers M1, M2, and processing chamber N are fan-shaped spaces enclosed by the wall plates 44a and 44b of the partition 44 and the inner circumferential surface 20c of the chamber 20 when viewed from above. The horizontal extents of the film formation chambers M1, M2, and processing chamber N are the areas separated by the pair of wall plates 44a and 44b. Note that film formation material is deposited as a film on electronic components 100 passing through a position facing the target 41 in the film formation chamber M. This film formation chamber M is the area where most of the film formation takes place, but even in areas outside the film formation chamber M, some film deposition occurs due to leakage of the film formation material from the film formation chamber M. In other words, the processing area where film formation takes place is slightly larger than the film formation chamber M.

[0057] <Power supply section> The power supply unit 6 is a component that applies power to the target 41. By applying power to the target 41 using this power supply unit 6, the sputtering gas G1 is converted into plasma, and the film formation material can be deposited on the electronic component 100. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 6 is, for example, a DC power supply that applies a high voltage. Note that in the case of an apparatus that performs high-frequency sputtering, an RF power supply can also be used. The turntable 31 has the same potential as the grounded chamber 20, and a potential difference is generated by applying a high voltage to the target 41 side. This avoids the difficulty of connecting the movable turntable 31 to the power supply unit 6 to set it to a negative potential.

[0058] The multiple film forming units 40 selectively deposit film materials to form films composed of multiple layers of film materials. In particular, in this embodiment, sputtering sources 4 corresponding to different types of film materials are included, and films composed of multiple layers of film materials are formed by selectively depositing the film materials. Including sputtering sources 4 corresponding to different types of film materials includes cases where all film forming units 40 use different film materials, as well as cases where multiple film forming units 40 use a common film material but the others are different. Selectively depositing film materials one by one means that a film forming unit 40 using one type of film material is depositing a film while a film forming unit 40 using another type of film material is not depositing a film. Furthermore, a film forming unit 40 or film forming chamber M in the middle of film formation refers to a film forming unit 40 or film forming chamber M in which power is applied to the target 41 of the film forming unit 40, allowing film formation on the electronic component 100.

[0059] In this embodiment, two film formation processing units 40A and 40B are disposed in the transport direction of the transport path L, sandwiching the surface processing unit 50. The two film formation processing units 40A and 40B correspond to film formation chambers M1 and M2. Of these film formation processing units 40A and 40B, the film formation material of the film formation processing unit 40A is SUS. That is, the sputtering source 4 of the film formation processing unit 40A is provided with targets 41A and 41B made of SUS. The other film formation processing unit 40B is provided with targets 41A and 41B made of Cu. In this embodiment, while one film formation processing unit 40 is performing a film formation process, the other film formation processing unit 40 is not performing a film formation process.

[0060] (Surface treatment section) The surface treatment section 50 is a treatment section that performs surface treatment on the electronic components 100 transported by the transport device 30, that is, reverse sputtering, which is a plasma treatment that does not have a sputtering source 4. The surface treatment section 50 is provided in a treatment chamber N that is partitioned by a partition section 44. The surface treatment section 50 has a treatment unit 5. An example of the configuration of the treatment unit 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0061] The processing unit 5 includes a cylindrical electrode 51 that extends from the top of the chamber 20 to the interior thereof. The cylindrical electrode 51 is a square tube with an opening 51a at one end and a closed end at the other. The cylindrical electrode 51 is attached to an opening 21a in the ceiling of the chamber 20 via an insulating member 52 so that the end having the opening 51a faces the turntable 31. The sidewall of the cylindrical electrode 51 extends into the interior of the chamber 20.

[0062] An outwardly projecting flange 51b is provided on the end of the cylindrical electrode 51 opposite the opening 51a. An insulating member 52 is fixed between the flange 51b and the periphery of the opening 21a of the chamber 20, thereby keeping the interior of the chamber 20 airtight. The insulating member 52 is not limited to a particular material as long as it has insulating properties, but can be made of a material such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), for example.

[0063] Opening 51a of cylindrical electrode 51 is disposed at a position facing conveyance path L of turntable 31. Turntable 31, which serves as conveyance device 30, conveys tray 34 carrying electronic components 100 and passes through a position facing opening 51a. Note that opening 51a of cylindrical electrode 51 is larger than the size of tray 34 in the radial direction of turntable 31.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 8 , the cylindrical electrode 51 has a sector shape that expands radially from the center toward the outside of the turntable 31 when viewed from above. The sector shape here refers to the shape of the fan-shaped portion of a folding fan. The opening 51a of the cylindrical electrode 51 is also sector-shaped. The speed at which the tray 34 on the turntable 31 passes the position facing the opening 51a decreases toward the center in the radial direction of the turntable 31 and increases radially toward the outside. Therefore, if the opening 51a is simply rectangular or square, the time it takes for the electronic component 100 to pass the position facing the opening 51a will differ between the center and the outside in the radial direction. By expanding the diameter of the opening 51a from the center toward the outside in the radial direction, the time it takes for the electronic component 100 to pass through the opening 51a can be made constant, thereby achieving uniform plasma processing, as described below. However, a rectangular or square shape is also acceptable as long as the difference in the passage time is not a problem for the product.

[0065] As described above, the cylindrical electrode 51 passes through the opening 21a of the chamber 20, and a portion of it is exposed to the outside of the chamber 20. The portion of the cylindrical electrode 51 exposed to the outside of the chamber 20 is covered by a housing 53, as shown in Fig. 9. The housing 53 keeps the space inside the chamber 20 airtight. The portion of the cylindrical electrode 51 located inside the chamber 20, i.e., the periphery of the side wall, is covered by a shield 54.

[0066] The shield 54 is a sector-shaped rectangular tube coaxial with the cylindrical electrode 51 and is larger than the cylindrical electrode 51. The shield 54 is connected to the chamber 20. Specifically, the shield 54 stands upright from the edge of the opening 21a of the chamber 20, and the end extending toward the interior of the chamber 20 is positioned at the same height as the opening 51a of the cylindrical electrode 51. The shield 54 acts as a cathode like the chamber 20, and is therefore preferably made of a conductive metal member with low electrical resistance. The shield 54 may be molded integrally with the chamber 20, or may be attached to the chamber 20 using a fixing bracket or the like.

[0067] The shield 54 is provided to stably generate plasma within the cylindrical electrode 51. Each sidewall of the shield 54 extends approximately parallel to each sidewall of the cylindrical electrode 51 with a predetermined gap between them. If the gap is too large, the capacitance decreases and the plasma generated within the cylindrical electrode 51 may enter the gap. Therefore, it is desirable to make the gap as small as possible. However, if the gap is too small, the capacitance between the cylindrical electrode 51 and the shield 54 increases, which is undesirable. The size of the gap should be set appropriately depending on the capacitance required for plasma generation. Note that while FIG. 9 only illustrates the two radially extending sidewalls of the shield 54 and the cylindrical electrode 51, a gap of the same size as the radially extending sidewalls is also provided between the two circumferentially extending sidewalls of the shield 54 and the cylindrical electrode 51.

[0068] A process gas inlet 55 is connected to the cylindrical electrode 51. The process gas inlet 55 includes a gas supply source for the process gas G2, a pump, a valve, and the like (not shown) in addition to piping. The process gas G2 is introduced into the cylindrical electrode 51 through the process gas inlet 55. As described above, the process gas G2 can be changed as appropriate depending on the purpose of the process.

[0069] An RF power supply 56 for applying a high-frequency voltage is connected to the cylindrical electrode 51. A matching box 57, which is a matching circuit, is connected in series to the output side of the RF power supply 56. The RF power supply 56 is also connected to the chamber 20. When a voltage is applied from the RF power supply 56, the cylindrical electrode 51 acts as an anode, and the chamber 20, the shield 54, the turntable 31, the tray 34, and the transport plate 140 act as cathodes. In other words, they function as electrodes for reverse sputtering. For this reason, as described above, the turntable 31, the tray 34, and the transport plate 140 are conductive and in contact with each other so as to be electrically connected.

[0070] The matching box 57 stabilizes the plasma discharge by matching the impedance on the input and output sides. The chamber 20 and the turntable 31 are grounded. The shield 54 connected to the chamber 20 is also grounded. The RF power supply 56 and the process gas inlet 55 are both connected to the cylindrical electrode 51 via through holes provided in the housing 53.

[0071] Argon gas, which is the process gas G2, is introduced into the cylindrical electrode 51 from the process gas inlet 55, and when a high-frequency voltage is applied to the cylindrical electrode 51 from the RF power supply 56, the argon gas is converted into plasma, generating electrons, ions, radicals, etc.

[0072] (Load lock section) The load lock unit 60 is a device that, while maintaining the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 21, uses a transport means (not shown) to transport trays 34 carrying unprocessed electronic components 100 into the vacuum chamber 21 via a transport plate 140, and transports trays 34 carrying processed electronic components 100 out of the vacuum chamber 21 via the transport plate 140. This load lock unit 60 can have a well-known structure, so its description will be omitted.

[0073] [Plate separation part] After a film has been formed on the electronic component 100, the transport plate 140 removed from the tray 34 is introduced into the plate detachment section 400. Although not shown, the plate detachment section 400 inserts a pusher through a hole or groove provided in the transport plate 140 to bias the holding sheet 120, thereby peeling a portion of the holding sheet 120 from the transport plate 140 and lifting it up with a gripping member to detach the holding sheet 120 from the transport plate 140.

[0074] [Cooling section] The cooling unit 500 cools the transport plate 140 that has been heated by the film formation on the electronic components 100 by the film forming unit 300. As shown in Fig. 4, the cooling unit 500 sprays liquid inside the accommodation unit 510 to reduce the pressure inside, thereby cooling the transport plate 140 by the heat of vaporization of the sprayed liquid.

[0075] [Transport section] 3 , the transfer unit 600 transfers necessary components between the plate mounting unit 200, the film forming unit 300, the plate detachment unit 400, and the cooling unit 500. The transfer unit 600 of this embodiment has rotating arms 610, 620, and a robot arm 630. The rotating arm 610 moves the tray 34 carrying the transfer plate 140 into and out of the chamber 20 via the load lock unit 60. The rotating arm 620 moves the transfer plate 140 carrying the holding sheet 120 into and out of the tray 34. The robot arm 630 transfers the transfer plate 140 between the plate mounting unit 200, the rotating arm 620, the plate detachment unit 400, and the cooling unit 500.

[0076] [Control device] The control device 700 is a device that controls each part of the film forming apparatus S. This control device 700 can be configured, for example, by a dedicated electronic circuit or a computer that operates according to a predetermined program. That is, the control device 700 is programmed with control contents relating to control of the plate mounting unit 200, film forming unit 300, plate removing unit 400, cooling unit 500, and transport unit 600, and the control contents are executed by a processing device such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0077] Specifically, the controlled operations include the transport of the transport plate 140 by the rotating arm 620, the transport of the tray 34 into and out of the film forming section 300 by the rotating arm 610, the attachment of the holding sheet 120 to the transport plate 140 by the plate mounting section 200, the detachment of the holding sheet 120 from the transport plate 140 by the plate detachment section 400, the transport of the transport plate 140 into and out of the cooling section 500 by the robot arm 630, and operations such as liquid spraying, exhaust, and vacuum breaking, and their timing.

[0078] The control device 700 also controls the initial exhaust pressure of the film forming apparatus S, the selection of the sputtering source 4, the power applied to the target 41 and the cylindrical electrode 51, the flow rates, types, introduction times and exhaust times of the sputtering gas G1 and the process gas G2, the film forming time, the rotation speed of the motor 32, etc.

[0079] [Operation] The operation of this embodiment as described above will be described below with reference to Fig. 10 in addition to Figs. 1 to 9. First, as shown in Figs. 2(A) and 2(B), electronic components 100 are attached in advance to attachment areas 121c of holding sheet 120, arranged in a matrix with gaps between them, and frame 130 is in close contact with outer frame area 121a of holding sheet 120.

[0080] (Plate mounting process: Figure 3[1], Figure 4[1]) The holding sheet 120 and the transport plate 140 are inserted into the plate mounting section 200. Then, in the plate mounting section 200, the mounting surface 141 of the transport plate 140 is brought into close contact with the adhesive sheet 123 of the holding sheet 120.

[0081] (Plate placement process: Figure 3 [2], Figure 4 [2]) 5(A), (B), 6(A), and (B), the transport plate 140 with the holding sheet 120 in close contact therewith is mounted on the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 by the rotating arm 620. At this time, the vicinity of the outer periphery of the transport plate 140 rests on the shielding portion 34b, and the tip of the protruding member 35a fits into the restricting portion 143, so that the transport plate 140 is supported by the shielding portion 34b and the support portion 35.

[0082] (Film formation process: Figure 3[3], Figure 4[3]) The plurality of trays 34 are sequentially loaded into the chamber 20 from the load lock unit 60 by the rotary arm 610. The turntable 31 sequentially moves the empty holders 33 to the loading position from the load lock unit 60. The holders 33 individually hold the trays 34 loaded by the transport means. In this manner, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the trays 34 carrying the electronic components 100 to be film-formed via the holding sheets 120 and transport plates 140 are all placed on the turntable 31. Note that the electronic components 100 loaded on the trays 34, the holding sheets 120, and the transport plates 140 are not shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.

[0083] The film formation process for the electronic component 100 introduced into the film formation apparatus S as described above will now be described. The following operation is an example in which the surface of the electronic component 100 is cleaned and roughened by the surface treatment unit 50, and then the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed on the surface of the electronic component 100 by the film formation treatment units 40A and 40B. The electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed by alternately laminating SUS layers and Cu layers. The SUS layer formed directly on the electronic component 100 serves as a base that improves adhesion between the molding resin and the Cu. The middle Cu layer has the function of shielding electromagnetic waves. The topmost SUS layer is a protective layer that prevents the Cu from rusting, etc.

[0084] First, the vacuum chamber 21 is constantly evacuated and decompressed by the exhaust unit 23. When the vacuum chamber 21 reaches a predetermined pressure, the rotary table 31 rotates and reaches a predetermined rotation speed. In the processing unit 5, the electronic component 100 passes through a position facing the opening 51a of the cylindrical electrode 51. In the processing unit 5, argon gas as the process gas G2 is introduced from the process gas inlet 55 to the cylindrical electrode 51, and a high-frequency voltage is applied to the cylindrical electrode 51 from the RF power supply 56. The application of the high-frequency voltage converts the argon gas into plasma, generating active species including ions.

[0085] The plasma flows from the opening 51a of the cylindrical electrode 51, which serves as the anode, to the transport plate 140, which serves as the cathode, the tray 34, and the turntable 31. Ions in the plasma collide with the surfaces of the electronic components 100 passing under the opening 51a, thereby cleaning and roughening the surfaces. The shielding portion 34b prevents the process gas G2 from entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140. This suppresses pressure fluctuations within the processing chamber N of the surface processing unit 50. Then, after the surface processing time by the surface processing unit 50 has elapsed, the surface processing unit 50 is stopped. That is, the supply of the process gas G2 from the process gas inlet 55 and the application of voltage by the RF power supply 56 are stopped.

[0086] Next, gas supply unit 25 of film formation processing unit 40A supplies sputtering gas G1 to the periphery of target 41. In this state, electronic component 100 held by holder 33 moves along transport path L in a circular trajectory and passes a position facing sputtering source 4.

[0087] Next, in the film forming unit 40A only, the power supply unit 6 applies power to the target 41. This converts the sputtering gas G1 into plasma. In the sputtering source 4, ions generated by the plasma collide with the target 41, scattering particles of the film forming material. As a result, particles of the film forming material are deposited on the surface of the electronic component 100 passing through the film forming chamber M1 of the film forming unit 40A, forming a film. Here, a SUS layer is formed. At this time, heat from the electronic component 100 heated by the plasma is dissipated to the transport plate 140 via the holding sheet 120. In addition, the shielding member 34b prevents the sputtering gas G1 from penetrating between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140. This suppresses pressure fluctuations within the film forming chamber M1 of the film forming unit 40A.

[0088] Furthermore, the electronic component 100 passes through the film formation chamber M2 of the film formation processing unit 40B, but because no power is applied to the target 41 in the film formation processing unit 40B, no film formation process is performed, and the electronic component 100 is not heated. Furthermore, the electronic component 100 is not heated in areas other than the film formation chambers M1 and M2. Thus, the electronic component 100 and the transport plate 140 emit heat in the unheated areas. As described above, the shielding portion 34b prevents the sputtering gas G1 from entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140, so the sputtering gas G1 is not emitted in the unheated areas, i.e., areas other than the film formation chambers M1 and M2.

[0089] After the film formation time in the film formation processing unit 40A has elapsed, the film formation processing unit 40A is stopped. That is, the power supply unit 6 stops applying power to the target 41. Then, the power supply unit 6 in the film formation processing unit 40B applies power to the target 41. This converts the sputtering gas G1 into plasma. In the sputtering source 4, ions generated by the plasma collide with the target 41, scattering particles of the film formation material. As a result, particles of the film formation material are deposited on the surface of the electronic component 100 passing through the film formation chamber M2 of the film formation processing unit 40B, forming a film. Here, a Cu layer is formed. This layer becomes part of the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113. At this time, heat from the electronic component 100 heated by the plasma is released to the transport plate 140 via the holding sheet 120. In this case, the shielding unit 34b also prevents the sputtering gas G1 from entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140. This suppresses pressure fluctuations in the film formation chamber M2 of the film formation processing unit 40B.

[0090] Furthermore, although the electronic component 100 passes through the film formation chamber M1 of the film formation processing unit 40A, because no power is applied to the target 41 in the film formation processing unit 40A, no film formation process is performed, and the electronic component 100 is not heated. Furthermore, the electronic component 100 is not heated in areas other than the film formation chambers M1 and M2. Thus, the electronic component 100 and the transport plate 140 emit heat in the unheated areas. As described above, the shielding portion 34b prevents the sputtering gas G1 from entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140, so the sputtering gas G1 is not emitted in the unheated areas, i.e., areas other than the film formation chambers M1 and M2.

[0091] After the film formation time in the film formation processing unit 40B has elapsed, the film formation processing unit 40B is stopped. That is, the power supply unit 6 stops applying power to the target 41. Then, the power supply unit 6 in the film formation processing unit 40A applies power to the target 41. This converts the sputtering gas G1 into plasma. In the sputtering source 4, ions generated by the plasma collide with the target 41, scattering particles of the film formation material. As a result, particles of the film formation material are deposited on the surface of the electronic component 100 passing through the film formation chamber M1 of the film formation processing unit 40A, forming a film. Here, a SUS layer is formed. At this time, heat from the electronic component 100 heated by the plasma is dissipated to the transport plate 140 through the holding sheet 120. In this case, the shielding unit 34b also prevents the sputtering gas G1 from entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140. This suppresses pressure fluctuations within the film formation chamber M1 of the film formation processing unit 40A.

[0092] Furthermore, the electronic component 100 passes through the film formation chamber M2 of the film formation processing unit 40B, but because no power is applied to the target 41 in the film formation processing unit 40B, no film formation process is performed, and the electronic component 100 is not heated. Furthermore, the electronic component 100 is not heated in areas other than the film formation chambers M1 and M2. Thus, the electronic component 100 and the transport plate 140 emit heat in the unheated areas. As described above, the shielding portion 34b prevents the sputtering gas G1 from entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140, so the sputtering gas G1 is not emitted in the unheated areas, i.e., areas other than the film formation chambers M1 and M2.

[0093] After the film formation time by the film formation processing unit 40A has elapsed, the film formation processing unit 40A is stopped. In other words, the application of power to the target 41 by the power supply unit 6 is stopped. In this way, by repeating film formation by the film formation processing units 40A and 40B, a film is formed in which a SUS film, a Cu film, and a SUS film are stacked. Furthermore, by repeating similar film formation, it is possible to form films with more than three layers. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B), an electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 is formed on the top surface 111b and side surface 111c of the electronic component 100.

[0094] During the film formation process as described above, the turntable 31 continues to rotate, and continues to circulate and transport the trays 34 loaded with the electronic components 100. After the film formation process is completed, the trays 34 loaded with the electronic components 100 are sequentially positioned in the load lock unit 60 by the rotation of the turntable 31, and are then carried out to the outside by the rotary arm 610.

[0095] (Plate removal process: Figure 3 [4], Figure 4 [4]) The transfer plate 140 is taken out by the rotary arm 620 from the tray 34 that has been carried out from the film forming section 300. Then, the transfer plate 140 is inserted into the plate removal section 400 by the robot arm 630.

[0096] (Plate removal process: Figure 3 [5], Figure 4 [5]) In the plate detaching section 400, the holding sheet 120 is detached from the transport plate 140. Furthermore, in a component detaching device (not shown), the electronic component 100 is detached from the holding sheet 120, for example, by peeling off the holding sheet 120 while adsorbing the electronic component 100 with negative pressure.

[0097] (Plate cooling process: Figure 3[6], Figure 4[6]) The transfer plate 140 is carried into the cooling unit 500 by the robot arm 630. That is, the transfer plate 140 is inserted into the storage unit 510, and in a sealed state, liquid is sprayed onto it and the storage unit 510 is evacuated, thereby reducing the pressure inside the storage unit 510 to a vacuum state. At this time, the sprayed liquid evaporates, and the heat of vaporization cools the transfer plate 140. After that, the vacuum is broken to open the storage unit 510, and the robot arm 630 carries the transfer plate 140 out of the storage unit 510 and puts it into the plate mounting unit 200.

[0098] [Action and effect] (1) The film forming apparatus S of this embodiment includes a chamber 20 into which a sputtering gas G1 is introduced, a sputtering source 4 provided within the chamber 20 for depositing a film-forming material by sputtering to form a film, a film forming processing unit 40 having a partition 44 for separating the film forming chamber M including the sputtering source 4 and for forming a film on an electronic component 100 within the film forming chamber M using the sputtering source 4, a conveying plate 140 on which the electronic component 100 on which a film is to be formed within the film forming chamber M is mounted, a conveying device 30 provided within the chamber 20 for conveying the conveying plate 140 via a tray 34, and a shielding unit 34b for shielding the space between the conveying plate 140 and the tray 34 from the outside.

[0099] Therefore, in the film forming processing unit 40, the shielding unit 34b prevents repeated pressure fluctuations caused by the sputtering gas G1 entering between the opposing surface 34a of the tray 34 and the transport plate 140. This stabilizes the plasma discharge, making it possible to improve the film quality and adhesion.

[0100] Here, as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 10 , in the case of a film formation unit 300 without a shielding portion 34b, when the electronic component 100 passes through the film formation chamber M, the sputtering gas G1 in the film formation chamber M flows into the gap between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34, causing a drop in the pressure in the film formation chamber M. When the electronic component 100 passes through a reduced-pressure area other than the film formation chamber M, the sputtering gas G1 that has flowed into the gap is released, causing the gap to be depressurized. If this process is repeated, the pressure in the film formation chamber M will fluctuate frequently, making the plasma discharge unstable and deteriorating the film quality and adhesion. In this embodiment, such pressure fluctuations can be suppressed to stabilize the plasma discharge.

[0101] (2) The shielding portion 34b is provided on the tray 34 and supports the transport plate 140 so as to create a gap between the tray 34. This allows heat from the electronic components 100 during film formation to be released to the transport plate 140, suppressing a temperature rise in the electronic components 100, and the gap also provides thermal insulation between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34, making it difficult for heat from the transport device 30 to be transmitted to the electronic components 100 via the tray 34 and the transport plate 140, thereby suppressing a temperature rise in the electronic components 100. Note that since the shielding portion 34b supports the transport plate 140, the support portion 35 is not necessarily provided.

[0102] (3) The shielding portion 34b is a heat insulating member provided on the tray 34. Therefore, heat from the conveying portion 600 is less likely to be transmitted to the conveying plate 140 and the electronic components 100 via the shielding portion 34b, and the temperature rise of the electronic components 100 is further suppressed.

[0103] (4) The tray 34 has a support portion 35 that is provided to support the transport plate 140 so as to create a gap between the tray 34 and the support portion 35. This allows for stable support while suppressing heat transfer from the tray 34 to the transport plate 140. Combined with the support provided by the shielding portion 34b, this improves stability.

[0104] [Variations] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but also includes the following modifications. (1) As shown in Fig. 11, the shielding portion 34b may be an O-ring provided on the tray 34. This can improve the airtightness of the space between the tray 34 and the conveying plate 140. Note that although Fig. 11 shows a double O-ring, it does not have to be multiple.

[0105] (2) As shown in FIG. 12(A), the shielding portion may be formed by an expanded portion of the frame 130. That is, the outer periphery of the frame 130 is expanded outward beyond the outer periphery of the transport plate 140 so as to block the gap between the holder 33 of the turntable 31 and the holding sheet 120 from above. This prevents the film-forming material from reaching the sidewall of the transport plate 140 and adhering to and accumulating thereon. If a film adheres to the transport plate 140, the deposited film may peel off and contaminate other areas, potentially necessitating part replacement or reprocessing. In this embodiment, the path of the film-forming material reaching the sidewall of the transport plate 140 is blocked, eliminating the need for part replacement or reprocessing. In this case, the frame 130 can prevent the sputtering gas G1 from entering or exiting the space between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34. Therefore, the shielding portion 34b supporting the transport plate 140 may be omitted, as shown in FIG. 12(B).

[0106] (3) As shown in Fig. 13(A), the shielding portion may be formed by an expanded portion of the holding sheet 120. That is, the outer periphery of the holding sheet 120 is expanded outward beyond the outer periphery of the transport plate 140 so as to cover the gap between the holding portion 33 of the turntable 31 and the holding sheet 120 from above. This prevents the film formation material from reaching the sidewall of the transport plate 140 and adhering to and accumulating thereon. In this case, the holding sheet 120 does not need to be attached to the holding portion 33, but may be placed so as to cover the gap.

[0107] (4) As shown in FIG. 13(B), the shielding portion may be formed by an expanded portion of the adhesive sheet 123. That is, the outer periphery of the adhesive sheet 123 is expanded outward beyond the outer periphery of the transport plate 140 so as to cover the gap between the holding portion 33 of the turntable 31 and the holding sheet 120 from above. This prevents the film-forming material from reaching the sidewall of the transport plate 140 and adhering to and accumulating thereon. Note that in FIG. 13(B), the holding sheet 120 is expanded together with the adhesive sheet 123, but it is also possible to expand only the adhesive sheet 123, and it is not necessary to expand the holding sheet 120. However, because the adhesive sheet 123 is used repeatedly, it is preferable to cover the expanded portion of the adhesive sheet 123 with the holding sheet 120 to prevent film formation.

[0108] (5) As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B , an opening 34c may be provided below the transport plate 140 to connect the space between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34 to the outside. Here, when the tray 34 carrying the electronic components 100 is transported from a vacuum to the external atmosphere (atmospheric pressure) after the film formation process, the transport plate 140 may stick to the tray 34 due to the pressure difference between the surrounding space (space α) and the space below the transport plate 140 (space β). Alternatively, when the electronic components 100 are loaded from the external atmosphere into the vacuum chamber 20, the pressure difference between the surrounding space (space α) and the space below the transport plate 140 (space β) may lift the held electronic components 100, causing them to become misaligned. In this embodiment, the provision of the opening 34c allows the pressures in the spaces α and β to be equalized, thereby preventing the above-described problems.

[0109] 14(A) shows an example in which the opening 34c is provided in the tray 34. Even in this case, the gap between the transport plate 140 passing through the film formation chamber M and the opposing surface 34a is shielded by the turntable 31, the holding part 33, and the shielding part 34b, so even if the opening 34c is provided, there is no need to consider the flow of the sputtering gas G1 in and out through the opening 34c. The number of openings 34c may be one or more as long as no pressure difference occurs.

[0110] 14(B) shows an example in which the opening 34c is provided in the shielding portion 34b. In this case, the turntable 31, the holding portion 33, and the shielding portion 34b shield part of the gap between the transport plate 140 passing through the film formation chamber M and the opposing surface 34a, but it is necessary to consider the flow of sputtering gas G1 in and out through the opening 34c. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 14(B), it is preferable to form the opening 34c into a labyrinth structure, which is a curved path, so that the sputtering gas G1 has difficulty passing through.

[0111] (6) The shape of the protruding member 35a of the support portion 35 is not limited to the above embodiment. It may be cylindrical, pyramidal, or prismatic. The number of support portions 35 may be one, but for stable support, it is preferable to have multiple support portions. For example, the number may be three, or five or more.

[0112] (7) The number of targets 41 in the film formation processing unit 40 is not limited to two. It may be one target 41, or three or more targets 41. The number of film formation chambers M may be two or less, or four or more. As shown in FIG. 15 , the film formation unit 300 may have film formation processing units 40A to 40C but may not have a surface processing unit 50 that uses the transport plate 140 and the tray 34 as part of the electrode. In this case, the support unit 35 does not need to be conductive to ensure electrical conductivity between the transport plate 140 and the tray 34. That is, the materials of the transport plate 140, the tray 34, and the support unit 35 do not need to be conductive. For example, at least one of the transport plate 140, the tray 34, and the support unit 35 may be made of ceramics, synthetic resin, or a composite material thereof that has good thermal conductivity.

[0113] (8) The shapes of the transport plate 140 and the tray 34 are not limited to rectangular. They may be various shapes, such as circular or oval. The adhesive sheet 123 may be omitted by forming an adhesive surface on the holding sheet 120 and attaching it to the transport plate 140. The manner in which the electronic components 100 are mounted on the transport plate 140 is not limited to the above manner. The frame 130 may be omitted, and the electronic components 100 may be mounted on the transport plate 140 only by the holding sheet 120. Furthermore, the electronic components 100 may be directly held on the transport plate 140. The number of transport plates 140 mounted on the tray 34 and the number of electronic components 100 mounted on the transport plate 140 may be one or more.

[0114] (9) Various materials that can be deposited by sputtering can be used as the film forming material. For example, Al, Ag, Ti, Nb, Pd, Pt, Zr, etc. can be used as the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113. Furthermore, Ni, Fe, Cr, Co, etc. can be used as the magnetic material. Furthermore, SUS, Ni, Ti, V, Ta, etc. can be used as the underlying adhesion layer, and SUS, Au, etc. can be used as the outermost protective layer.

[0115] (10) The package form of electronic component 100 can be any form available now or in the future, such as BGA, LGA, SSOP, QFP, or WLP. Terminals by which electronic component 100 electrically connects to the outside can be, for example, hemispherical terminals such as BGA or flat terminals such as LGA provided on the bottom, or thin plate terminals such as SSOP or QFP provided on the side. However, any terminal available now or in the future can be used, and its formation position is not important. Furthermore, electronic component 100 may contain a single or multiple elements.

[0116] (11) The number of trays 34, electronic components 100, and holders 33 that are simultaneously transported by transport device 30 need only be at least one, and are not limited to the numbers exemplified in the above embodiment. That is, one electronic component 100 may be circulated to repeatedly form films, or two or more electronic components 100 may be circulated to repeatedly form films.

[0117] (12) Cleaning and surface treatment by etching or ashing may be performed in a chamber separate from the chamber 20 having the film formation chamber M. When performing oxidation or post-oxidation treatment, oxygen can be used as the process gas G2. When performing nitridation treatment, nitrogen can be used as the process gas G2.

[0118] (13) In the above embodiment, the turntable 31 rotates within a horizontal plane. However, the orientation of the rotation plane of the transport unit is not limited to a specific direction. For example, it can also be a rotation plane that rotates within a vertical plane. Furthermore, the transport means of the transport unit is not limited to the turntable 31. For example, a cylindrical member having a holder for holding trays may be a rotating body that rotates around an axis. Furthermore, the trajectory of the circulatory transport is not limited to a circumference. It broadly includes modes in which the trays are circulated along an endless transport path. For example, it may be rectangular or elliptical, or may include a crank or serpentine path. The transport path may be configured, for example, by a conveyor or the like.

[0119] Furthermore, the present invention may be applicable to a film formation apparatus S having a chamber 20 into which a sputtering gas G1 is introduced, a film formation processing unit 40 provided in the chamber 20 and performing film formation on electronic components 100 using a sputtering source 4, and a transport plate 140 supported by a tray 34 and for mounting the electronic components 100. Therefore, the film formation apparatus S may be configured to perform film formation in a stationary state without circulating and transporting the electronic components 100. In other words, the apparatus may be configured such that a tray 34 carrying electronic components 100 is carried in via the transport plate 140, set in a processing region, and sputtering is performed without changing the relative position with respect to the target 41.

[0120] (14) In the above embodiment, the film is formed by selectively depositing the film materials one by one. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is sufficient if a film consisting of layers of multiple film materials can be formed by selectively depositing the film materials. Therefore, two or more film materials may be deposited simultaneously. For example, the electromagnetic wave shielding film 113 may be formed from an alloy of Co, Zr, and Nb. In such a case, film formation may be performed by simultaneously selecting, from among the multiple film formation processing units, a film formation processing unit using Co as the film material, a film formation processing unit using Zr as the film material, and a film formation processing unit using Nb as the film material.

[0121] In this case, it is advisable to select the film formation processing unit to be used for film formation, or to set the arrangement of the partition section 44 that separates the film formation processing units, so that the circumferential trajectory that passes through the parts other than the film formation chamber during film formation is longer than the trajectory that passes through the film formation chamber during film formation.

[0122] In other words, whether one or more types of film formation processing units are selected to form a film, or a single film formation processing unit is selected to form a film, it is advisable to select the film formation processing unit to be used for film formation, or to set the arrangement of the partition unit 44 that separates the film formation processing units, so that the circumferential trajectory that passes through parts other than the film formation chamber M during film formation is longer than the trajectory that passes through the film formation chamber M during film formation.

[0123] [Other embodiments] Although the embodiments of the present invention and modifications of each part have been described above, these embodiments and modifications of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 4. Sputter Source 5 Processing Unit 6 Power supply section 20 Chamber 20a Ceiling 20b Inner bottom surface 20c Inner surface 21 Vacuum chamber 21a opening 22 Exhaust port 23 Exhaust section 24 entrance 25 Gas supply section 30 Conveyor device 31 Rotating Table 32 motor 33 Holding part 34 Tray 34a Opposite surface 34b Shielding part 34c opening 35 Support part 35a Protruding member 40, 40A, 40B Film forming processing section 41, 41A, 41B targets 42 Backing Plate 43 Electrode 44 Partition 44a, 44b wall plate 50 Surface treatment section 51 Cylindrical electrode 51a opening 51b flange 52 Insulating material 53 Housing 54 Shield 55 Process gas inlet 56 RF power supply 57 Matching Box 60 Load lock section 100 Electronic Components 111a Electrode exposed surface 111b Top 111c side 112 Electrode 113 Electromagnetic wave shielding film 120 Retaining Sheet 121 Component mounting surface 121a Outer frame area 121b Middle frame area 121c Attachment area 122 Support surface 123 Adhesive Sheet 130 frames 131 through hole 140 Transport Plate 141 Mounting surface 142 Support surface 143 Regulatory Department 200 Plate mounting part 300 Film forming section 400 Plate separation part 500 Cooling section 510 Storage unit 600 Conveyor 610, 620 Rotating Arm 630 Robot Arm 700 control device

Claims

1. a chamber into which a sputtering gas is introduced; a sputtering source provided in the chamber for depositing a film by sputtering a film-forming material to form a film; and a film-forming processing section having a partition for partitioning a film-forming chamber including the sputtering source, the film-forming processing section forming a film on an electronic component in the film-forming chamber by the sputtering source; a conveying plate on which the electronic components on which a film is to be formed in the film forming chamber are placed; a conveying device provided in the chamber and configured to convey the conveying plate via a tray; a shielding portion that shields the space between the conveying plate and the tray from the outside; and The film forming apparatus, wherein the shielding portion is an O-ring provided on the tray and supporting the transport plate so as to create a gap between the transport plate and the tray.

2. 2. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support portion provided on the tray for supporting the transport plate so as to create a gap between the tray and the transport plate.

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