Xθ stage device applicable to vacuum vessels

Abstract

The present invention provides an Xθ stage device in which an electric motor that drives the X-axis actuator and an electric motor that drives the θ-axis actuator are fixedly positioned outside the vacuum processing chamber. [Solution] An Xθ stage device 100 applicable to a vacuum container for moving a workpiece placed on a sample stage 30 inside a vacuum container, comprising: an X-axis actuator 2 for moving the workpiece in the X-axis direction; a θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 for rotating the workpiece in the θ-axis direction on a slider of the X-axis actuator; an X-axis electric motor 29 provided outside the vacuum container, connected to the screw shaft of the X-axis actuator, and driving the X-axis actuator; a θ-axis electric motor 39 provided outside the vacuum container, connected to a ball spline shaft, and applying rotational torque to the ball spline shaft; a drive force transmission unit slidably provided on the ball spline shaft, converting the rotational torque transmitted from the ball spline shaft into rotational torque around the θ-axis, and transmitting the rotational torque to the θ-axis turntable gearhead; and a housing constituting the drive force transmission unit, fixed to the end of the X-axis actuator, and along the ball spline shaft, causing the θ-axis turntable gearhead to follow the movement of the X-axis actuator in the X-axis direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an Xθ stage device for moving a workpiece placed on a table, and more particularly to the structure and function of an Xθ stage device applicable to a vacuum chamber.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an Xθ stage device for moving a workpiece placed on a table, a ball screw actuator is used as an X-axis actuator, and a θ-axis actuator is composed of a vacuum motor and a worm gear connected to its rotating shaft. The θ-axis actuator has a stacked structure arranged above the X-axis actuator.

[0003] When using such an Xθ stage device in a vacuum processing chamber such as an electron beam welding device or a vacuum spraying device, it is desirable to provide a motor for driving an actuator or the like outside the vacuum processing chamber. However, while the motor of the X-axis actuator arranged on the lower side can be installed outside, since the θ-axis actuator is driven following the movement of the X-axis actuator, it is difficult to fixedly arrange its motor outside the vacuum processing chamber.

[0004] Therefore, when using the Xθ stage device for vacuum use, as shown in the plan view of the conventional Xθ stage device (FIG. 1), a vacuum motor 40 is adopted as the driving motor of the θ-axis turntable gear head 3 and is housed in the vacuum processing chamber.

[0005] However, in a vacuum, there is no convective cooling, and the motor can only be cooled by radiation and conduction. Even with the same torque, since heat dissipation is limited in a vacuum, there is a problem that the temperature is likely to rise significantly. In addition, outgassing from coil insulation, adhesives, resin parts, lubricating oil, etc. causes deterioration of the vacuum degree and process contamination (thin film, surface treatment, etc.).

[0006] Therefore, if the vacuum motor housed in the vacuum processing chamber malfunctions or its performance deteriorates, there is a problem in that the chamber must be opened to the atmosphere, and disassembly, replacement, reassembly, and re-evacuation are required. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Therefore, in view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide an Xθ stage device applicable to a vacuum vessel in which the electric motor that drives the X-axis actuator and the electric motor that drives the θ-axis turntable gearhead are fixedly located outside the vacuum processing chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an Xθ stage device applicable to a vacuum container for moving a workpiece placed on a sample stage inside the vacuum container, An X-axis actuator for moving the workpiece in the X-axis direction, A θ-axis turntable gearhead for rotating the workpiece in the θ-axis direction is provided on the slider of the X-axis actuator, An X-axis electric motor is provided outside the vacuum container, connected to the screw shaft of the X-axis actuator, and drives the X-axis actuator. A θ-axis electric motor is provided outside the vacuum container, connected to the ball spline shaft, and applies rotational torque to the ball spline shaft. A drive force transmission unit is slidably mounted on the ball spline shaft and converts the rotational torque transmitted from the ball spline shaft into rotational torque around the θ axis, and transmits the rotational torque to the θ axis turntable gearhead. The member constituting the drive force transmission section is characterized by comprising a housing fixed to the end of the X-axis actuator, which moves along the ball spline axis and causes the θ-axis turntable gearhead to move in the X-axis direction of the X-axis actuator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described above, the present invention provides an Xθ stage device applicable to a vacuum chamber, in which the electric motor that drives the X-axis actuator and the electric motor that drives the θ-axis turntable are fixedly located outside the vacuum processing chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of a conventional Xθ stage device. [Figure 2(a)] This is a front view showing the line of sight in the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2(b)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the JJ arrow. [Figure 2(c)] This is a detailed view of the drive force transmission section (section C) to the θ axis, which is an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3(a)] This is a plan view showing the line of sight for each arrow in the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3(b)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention, as seen by arrow AA. [Figure 3(c)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from arrow BB. [Figure 3(d)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the CC arrow. [Figure 3(e)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention, as seen by the arrow DD. [Figure 3(f)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the arrow KK. [Figure 3(g)] This is a view of the Xθ vacuum apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention, along the line L-L. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the Xθ stage device applicable to the vacuum vessel of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Note that the drawings schematically represent the components and peripheral components of the Xθ stage device, and the dimensions and dimensional ratios shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual dimensions and dimensional ratios. Unless otherwise specified, for convenience, directions such as up and down are indicated based on the orientation of the Xθ stage device shown in Figure 2. Repetitive explanations will be omitted as appropriate, and the same reference numerals may be assigned to the same components. In this specification, the rotation axis (Z axis) is referred to as the θ axis, and the rotational torque around the Z axis is referred to as the θ axis torque.

[0012] Figure 1 is a plan view of an Xθ stage device installed in a conventional vacuum chamber. In the Xθ stage device shown in Figure 1, a θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 is mounted on the slider of an X-axis actuator 2, and a sample stage 30 is placed on top of the turntable gearhead. An X-axis electric motor 29 that moves the X-axis actuator 2 in the X-axis direction is provided outside the housing 1. A vacuum motor 40 is located inside the housing 1 and applies torque to the θ-axis of the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3. This causes the sample stage 30, which is placed on the slider, to rotate in the θ-axis direction.

[0013] Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the Xθ stage device (also referred to as the Xθ vacuum processing device) applicable to a vacuum vessel according to the present invention. Figure 2(a) is a front view, Figure 2(b) is a view along the JJ arrow (plan view), and Figure 2(c) is a detailed view of the drive force transmission unit that converts the torque of the electric motor into θ-axis torque.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2(b), the Xθ stage device 100, which is one embodiment of the present invention, comprises a housing 1, an X-axis actuator 2 provided inside the housing 1, an X-axis electric motor 29 that moves the X-axis actuator 2 in the X-axis direction from outside the housing 1, a θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 attached to the X-axis stage 20, a sample stage 30 placed on it, and a θ-axis electric motor 39 that rotates these in the θ-axis direction.

[0015] In the embodiment of the present invention, in order to apply rotational torque to the input shaft 31 of the θ-axis turntable gear head 3 without restricting the movement of the θ-axis turntable gear head 3 in the X-axis direction, a ball spline shaft 51 for θ-axis drive is directly connected to the θ-axis motor 39 via a θ-axis rotation introduction seal 37, and a gear A 53 for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gear head and a gear B 33 for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gear head are meshed with each other in an orthogonal arrangement, and a bevel gear structure is used as a driving force transmission unit that converts rotation around the X-axis into rotation around the Z-axis (θ-axis direction).

[0016] FIG. 2(c) is a detailed view of the bevel gear structure that is the driving force transmission unit. As shown in FIG. 2(c), a gear A 53 for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gear head is attached to a ball spline nut 52 for θ-axis drive that rotates due to the rotation of the ball spline shaft 51 for θ-axis drive, and a bevel gear composed of a gear B 33 for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gear head whose rotation axis is orthogonal to each other is provided. The bevel gear rotates together with the nut and rotates the input shaft 31 of the θ-axis turntable gear head. Thereby, the sample stage 30 attached to the θ-axis turntable gear head 3 rotates in the θ-axis direction.

[0017] Inside the housing 55, a support bearing 54 for the ball spline nut disposed on the outer periphery of the ball spline nut 52 for θ-axis drive is accommodated. Thereby, the ball spline nut 52 for θ-axis drive is stably supported. The housing 55 is fixed to the end of the X-axis stage 20, and thereby, when the X-axis actuator 2 moves in the X-axis direction, the θ-axis turntable gear head 3 is driven in the X-axis direction along the groove of the ball spline shaft 51 for θ-axis drive. The bevel gear composed of the gear A 53 for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gear head and the gear B 33 for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gear head also moves in the X-axis direction without any clearance in the gear meshing.

[0018] Figure 3 shows the views of the Xθ stage device 100 from various viewpoints. Figure 3(a) is a plan view indicating the line of sight for each view. Figure 3(b) is the AA view, Figure 3(c) is the BB view, Figure 3(d) is the CC view, Figure 3(e) is the DD view, Figure 3(f) is the KK view, and Figure 3(g) is the L-L view. Each view will be explained below.

[0019] The arrow-view in Figure 3(b) shows the X-axis motor 29 and the θ-axis motor 39 located on the side of the housing 1. The X-axis motor 29 is connected to the X-axis ball screw 21a via an X-axis coupling 28 and an X-axis rotation introduction seal 28. The θ-axis motor 39 is connected to the θ-axis drive ball spline shaft 51 via a θ-axis coupling 38 and a θ-axis rotation introduction seal 37.

[0020] The view shown in Figure 3(c) shows the X-axis actuator 2, a support bearing housing 55 for a ball spline nut which is slidably mounted on a θ-axis drive ball spline shaft 51 held by a ball spline shaft holder A56, and a θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 connected via a bevel gear, with a sample stage 30 placed on top of it.

[0021] The arrow-view in Figure 3(d) shows the X-axis actuator 2 with the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 mounted on top of it by a mounting plate. The gear B33 for driving the θ-axis turntable gearhead input shaft, the gear A53 for driving the θ-axis turntable gearhead input shaft, and the support bearing housing 55 for the ball spline nut are also shown. Additionally, the X-axis ball screw nut 21b and the X-axis linear guide slider 22b, which constitute the X-axis actuator 2, are also shown.

[0022] The arrow-view in Figure 3(e) shows the X-axis actuator 2 and the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 mounted on it by a mounting plate. A sample stage 30 is placed on the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3. Due to the different line of sight, the ball spline shaft holder B57 that holds the θ-axis drive ball spline shaft 51 is visible, as is the support bearing housing 55 for the ball spline nut that connects to the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3.

[0023] The arrow-view in Figure 3(f) shows the X-axis actuator 2, which is operated by the X-axis electric motor 29, including the X-axis linear guide stator 22a, the X-axis linear guide slider 22b, the X-axis stage 20 connected to its upper surface, and the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 attached to it by a plate (mounting plate). Also shown is the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3, which is slidably mounted on the θ-axis drive ball spline shaft 51, and the sample stage 30 placed on top of it.

[0024] The arrow-view in Figure 3(g) shows the X-axis actuator 2, which is operated by the X-axis motor 29, including the X-axis ball screw 21a, the X-axis ball screw nut 21b, the X-axis stage 20 attached to these, and the θ-axis turntable gearhead 3 mounted on the X-axis stage 20 by a mounting plate, with the sample stage 30 placed on top of it.

[0025] As described above, the Xθ-axis stage device of this invention has the X-axis motor and the θ-axis motor fixedly positioned outside the vacuum processing chamber, and the X-axis actuator 2 moves the sample stage 30 in the X-axis direction, while the θ-axis turntable gear head 3 rotates the sample stage 30 around the θ-axis. By adopting the θ-axis ball spline shaft 51 as the rotating shaft that applies rotational torque to the θ-axis turntable gear head input shaft 31 of the θ-axis turntable gear head 3, the sample stage 30 can be moved in the X-axis direction by the X-axis actuator 2 while the sample stage 30 is rotating in the θ-axis direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0026] 100: Xθ axis stage device 1: Cabinet 2: X-axis actuator 3: θ-axis turntable gearhead 4: X-axis support linear guide 20: X-axis stage 21a: X-axis ball screw shaft 21b: X-axis ball screw nut 22a: X-axis linear guide stator (guide rail) 22b: X-axis linear guide slider (movable base: stage attached to a nut) 27: X-axis rotation introduction seal 28: X-axis coupling 29:X-axis electric motor 30: Sample stage 31: θ-axis turntable gearhead input axis 33: Gear B for driving the θ-axis ball screw 37: θ-axis rotation introduction seal 38: θ-axis coupling 39: θ-axis electric motor 40: Vacuum motor 51: Ball spline shaft for θ-axis drive 52: Ball spline nut for θ-axis drive 53: Gear A for driving the input shaft of the θ-axis turntable gearhead 54: Support bearing for ball spline nut 55: Housing 56: Ball spline shaft holder A 57: Ball spline shaft holder B

Claims

[Claim 1] An Xθ stage device applicable to a vacuum chamber for moving a workpiece placed on a sample stage inside the vacuum chamber, An X-axis actuator for moving the workpiece in the X-axis direction, A θ-axis turntable gearhead for rotating the workpiece in the θ-axis direction is provided on the slider of the X-axis actuator, An X-axis electric motor is provided outside the vacuum vessel, connected to the screw shaft of the X-axis actuator, and drives the X-axis actuator. A θ-axis electric motor is provided outside the vacuum container, connected to the ball spline shaft, and applies rotational torque to the ball spline shaft. A drive force transmission unit is slidably mounted on the ball spline shaft and converts the rotational torque transmitted from the ball spline shaft into rotational torque around the θ axis, and transmits the rotational torque to the θ axis turntable gearhead. The drive force transmission unit comprises a housing fixed to the end of the X-axis actuator, which moves along the ball spline axis, causing the θ-axis turntable gearhead to move in the X-axis direction of the X-axis actuator. An Xθ stage device applicable to a vacuum vessel.

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