Film forming device

Abstract

To provide a film deposition apparatus capable of suppressing an influence of pretreatment to stably deposit a film.SOLUTION: A film deposition apparatus 1 includes: a chamber 2 capable of forming the inside into a vacuum; a carrying body 3 provided in the chamber 2 and circularly carrying workpiece W by a circumferential locus; a film deposition part 8 provided in the chamber 2 and for depositing a film on the workpiece W circularly carried by the carrying body 3 by sputtering; a load lock chamber 6 for carrying in / carrying out the workpiece W from an atmospheric space in the state of maintaining the vacuum in the chamber 2; and a pretreatment part 7 provided at a position adjacent to the load lock chamber 6 of the chamber 2 and for preprocessing the workpiece W carried in from the load lock chamber 6 in a state separated from the carrying body 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In the manufacturing process of wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, semiconductor devices, which are electronic components, are encapsulated with resin, and electromagnetic wave shielding films that have a shielding function against electromagnetic waves are sometimes formed on the top and side surfaces of the encapsulated semiconductor devices.In addition, in the manufacturing process of various products such as semiconductors, displays, and optical disks, films such as optical films are sometimes formed on wafers, glass, and resin substrates.

[0003] Sputtering has attracted attention as a method for depositing films on the surfaces of such workpieces as electronic components, wafers, glass, and resin substrates. Plasma processing equipment, which deposits films using plasma, has been proposed as a film deposition device using sputtering. In plasma processing equipment, an inert gas is introduced into a vacuum chamber containing a target, and a voltage is applied. Ions of the inert gas, which has been converted into plasma, are collided with a target of film-depositing material, and the material is knocked out of the target and deposited on the workpiece to deposit the film.

[0004] As an apparatus for forming a film by sputtering, an apparatus has been proposed in which a workpiece is circulated and transported in a circular trajectory by a rotating table inside a vacuum chamber, and the workpiece is passed through a film-forming chamber to form a film. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-003152 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] To improve adhesion between the workpiece and the film to be deposited, plasma bombardment is performed on the surface of the workpiece before deposition. In the above-mentioned circulating transport type device, in order to efficiently perform sputtering deposition and bombardment, a film deposition chamber and a plasma processing chamber are provided within a vacuum chamber, and the workpiece is circulated and transported along a circular path by a rotary table within the vacuum chamber while passing through the plasma processing chamber to perform bombardment. After the bombardment, plasma generation in the plasma processing chamber is stopped. Next, plasma is generated in the film deposition chamber, and the workpiece is circulated and transported through the film deposition chamber to perform film deposition.

[0007] This type of circulating and transporting type plasma processing was performed by generating plasma from argon gas, but since the plasma processing chamber and the film formation chamber were only separated by a wall with a gap through which the workpieces placed on a rotating table and circulated and transported could pass, there was a risk that the argon gas introduced into the plasma processing chamber would be mixed into the film formation chamber, causing pressure fluctuations in the film formation chamber.

[0008] For example, it was necessary to leave a gap of about 5 mm between the opening of the plasma processing chamber and the turntable so that the workpiece could pass through. This value was set to allow the workpiece to pass through even if the height level fluctuated due to deformation of the chamber lid in which the plasma processing chamber is installed, or if the flatness of the turntable fluctuated. For this reason, it cannot necessarily be said that this gap is optimal for preventing gas leakage through the gap.

[0009] When forming a film by sputtering, the chamber of the film formation equipment is depressurized to a high vacuum. This reduces impurities present in the chamber and reduces the number of gas molecules so that the mean free path is increased. As a result, the film formation material ejected from the target reaches the workpiece, resulting in a stable, dense film. Therefore, if gas inside the plasma processing chamber leaks into other spaces, such as the film formation chamber, and the vacuum level in the film formation chamber deteriorates, stable film quality may not be achieved. Furthermore, when using argon gas in the film formation chamber and a mixture of argon and oxygen in the plasma processing chamber, contamination may occur, with one gas penetrating the other, hindering the reaction between the two.

[0010] In addition, as a pretreatment for film formation, there have been cases where a degassing process is performed in which the workpiece is heated to remove moisture and atmospheric air from the workpiece in advance. However, even when a heating chamber is provided in the above-mentioned rotational circulation transport type film formation apparatus and a degassing process is performed, the desorbed gas components may diffuse into the chamber and mix into the film formation chamber, and may adhere to the workpiece as impurities during film formation, which may result in a stable film quality.

[0011] The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and its object is to provide a film formation apparatus that can suppress the influence of pretreatment and perform stable film formation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to achieve the above object, the film forming apparatus of the embodiment includes a chamber capable of being evacuated, a transport body provided in the chamber for circulating and transporting a workpiece along a circular path, a film forming unit provided in the chamber for performing a film forming process by sputtering on the workpiece circulated and transported by the transport body, and a load lock chamber for loading and unloading the workpiece from atmospheric space while maintaining the vacuum inside the chamber. , provided on the ceiling side of the chamber,The chamber includes a pre-processing unit that is provided adjacent to the load lock chamber and performs pre-processing on the workpiece carried in from the load lock chamber while being spaced apart from the transport body, and a cylindrical transport plate that is open at the top and has a bottom, on which the workpiece is placed. Connecting , an opening is provided inside a protrusion that protrudes along the ceiling of the chamber and is provided at the bottom of the pre-treatment section; The transport plate is positioned at a position where it does not come into contact with the protrusion, thereby covering the opening between the chamber and the pre-treatment section without contacting it. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a film forming apparatus capable of suppressing the influence of pretreatment and performing stable film formation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view illustrating an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the pre-treatment section. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a transfer arm according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which a transfer plate is positioned in a load lock chamber, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the load lock chamber is sealed. [Figure 5] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which the load lock chamber has been evacuated to a vacuum, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a transfer plate has been carried into the chamber. [Figure 6] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which the transfer arm is positioned below the transport plate, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the transfer plate is supported by the transfer arm. [Figure 7] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which the transport plate is positioned in the pre-processing section, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the transport plate covers the opening. [Figure 8] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA, showing a state in which a workpiece is pre-treated in a pre-treatment section (A), and a state in which a load lock chamber is sealed (B). [Figure 9] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA showing a state in which the vacuum in the load lock chamber has been broken, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the load lock chamber has been opened. [Figure 10] 10A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which the next transfer plate is positioned in the load lock chamber, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which the load lock chamber has been evacuated. [Figure 11] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a state in which the transport plate after pre-processing is placed on the transport body. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a modified example of the opening of the pre-treatment section. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing another embodiment of the pre-treatment section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. [overview] As shown in the plan view of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2(A) (cross-sectional view along line AA in FIG. 1), the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment is an apparatus that forms a film on each workpiece W using plasma. The film forming apparatus 1 has a chamber 2 that can be evacuated to create a vacuum inside. A transfer body 3 is disposed inside this chamber 2. The transfer body 3 circulates and transfers the workpiece W along a circular trajectory. The workpiece W to be transferred is placed on a transfer plate S.

[0016] The film formation apparatus 1 has a drive unit 4, a loading / unloading unit 5, a load lock chamber 6, a pre-processing unit 7, and a film formation unit 8. The drive unit 4 opens and closes the load lock chamber 6, transports a transport plate S between the load lock chamber 6 and the transport body 3, and positions the transport plate S relative to the pre-processing unit 7. The loading / unloading unit 5 loads and unloads the transport plate S into and out of the chamber 2. The load lock chamber 6 enables the workpiece W placed on the transport plate S to be loaded and unloaded while maintaining a vacuum inside the chamber 2. The pre-processing unit 7 performs plasma treatment on the workpiece W. The film formation unit 8 performs film formation treatment by sputtering on the workpiece W that is circulated and transported by the transport body 3.

[0017] [Work] 1, in this embodiment, a protective tape in which the electrode surface of an electronic component such as a semiconductor chip is embedded is attached to a frame as an example of the workpiece W on which a film is to be formed. However, the type, shape, and material of the workpiece W are not limited to a specific one.

[0018] [Transport plate] The transport plate S is a component that carries the workpiece W and is transported by the transport body 3. In this embodiment, the transport plate S has a thin, bottomed cylindrical shape that is open at the top and has a flange S1 with an expanded diameter at the outer periphery of the top end. The inner bottom surface of the transport plate S is provided with pins S2 that support the workpiece W at a distance from the inner bottom surface. By maintaining a distance between the inner bottom surface of the transport plate S and the workpiece W, heat accumulated in the transport body 3 due to the heat of the plasma to which the workpiece W is exposed as it passes through the film-forming section 8 is less likely to be transferred to the workpiece W via the inner bottom surface of the transport plate S. This allows the workpiece W to be deposited while suppressing temperature rise during film formation, thereby preventing variations in film quality. Note that the shape of the transport plate S is not limited to a cylindrical shape as long as it can support the workpiece W. It may also be other shapes, such as a square, polygonal, or a shape similar to the transport plate S.

[0019] [Chamber] 1 and 2, the chamber 2 is a cylindrical container. One side of the chamber 2 is expanded to accommodate the load lock chamber 6, and an opening 21 is provided in the top surface thereof to allow a transfer plate S to be carried in and out of the chamber 2. Openings 22 and 23 are provided in the top surface opposite the installation surface of the chamber 2. The opening 22 is a hole provided between the chamber 2 and the pre-treatment unit 7, and the opening 23 is a hole through which the film formation unit 8 is provided.

[0020] Furthermore, an air vent 24 for exhausting the air from the chamber 2 is provided at the bottom of the film forming section 8 in the chamber 2. A pipe 25 is connected to the air vent 24, and the chamber 2 can be evacuated by an air pressure circuit including a pressure reducing pump, a valve, etc. (not shown).

[0021] [Transport body] 1 and 2, the transfer body 3 is a rotary table that is a circular plate-like body. The transfer body 3 is rotated around a shaft 34 by a motor 31 that is a drive source provided outside the chamber 2.

[0022] The conveying body 3 is provided with support holes 35. The support holes 35 are circular holes provided at multiple locations at equal intervals around the circumferential direction of the conveying body 3. The conveying plate S enters the support holes 35, and the flanges S1 of the conveying plate S are supported by the upper surface of the conveying body 3. Note that the shape of the support holes 35 is not limited to a circle as long as they are able to support the conveying plate S, and may be other shapes, such as a rectangle, a polygon, or a shape similar to the conveying plate S. Furthermore, when the conveying plate S is loaded or unloaded, the conveying body 3 sequentially positions the support holes 35 to positions facing the openings 22.

[0023] [Drive unit] As shown in FIG. 2, the drive unit 4 has a sealing unit 41, a biasing unit 42, and a transfer unit 43. The sealing unit 41 is provided corresponding to the load lock chamber 6 and is a mechanism for loading and unloading the transport plate S and opening and closing the opening 21. The biasing unit 42 is a mechanism for retracting from the transport body 3 during film formation by the film formation unit 8 and for biasing in a direction intersecting the direction of circulatory transport by the transport body 3 during pretreatment by the pretreatment unit 7, thereby positioning the workpiece W in the pretreatment unit 7. The biasing unit 42 moves the transport plate S in a direction toward and away from the opening 22, independently of the transport body 3. The transfer unit 43 is a mechanism for transferring the transport plate S from the load lock chamber 6 to the transport body 3.

[0024] The sealing unit 41 has a sealing body 411, a shaft 412, and a driving mechanism 413. The sealing body 411 is a disk-shaped member, and a sealing member such as an O-ring is provided on its upper edge. A mounting table 411a on which a conveying plate S is placed is provided in the center of the upper surface of the sealing body 411. The shaft 412 supports the sealing body 411 and causes the sealing body 411 to reciprocate in the axial direction. As the shaft 412 moves toward the opening 21, the sealing body 411 presses the sealing member against the ceiling of the chamber 2 around the opening 21 to seal it. The shaft 412 airtightly penetrates the bottom surface of the chamber 2 and is driven by a driving mechanism 413 such as an air cylinder outside the chamber 2.

[0025] The biasing unit 42 has a pusher 421, a shaft 422, and a drive mechanism 423. The pusher 421 is a disk-shaped member that moves toward and away from the bottom surface of the transport plate S. The pusher 421 is positioned to receive the workpiece W from the load lock chamber 6 and holds the workpiece W via the transport plate S. The shaft 422 supports the pusher 421 and reciprocates the pusher 421 in the axial direction, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the transport body 3. The shaft 422 moves the pusher 421 to a position between the surface of the transport body 3 and the hook 431b of the transfer arm 431, thereby transferring or receiving the transport plate S between the pusher 421 and the transfer arm 431. As the shaft 422 moves toward the opening 22, the pusher 421 moves the transport plate S toward the pre-processing unit 7. As a result, the workpiece W is accommodated in a position where it can be processed by the pre-processing unit 7. The shaft 422 airtightly penetrates the bottom surface of the chamber 2 and is driven by a driving mechanism 423 such as an air cylinder outside the chamber 2. The shaft 422 moves up and down by the driving mechanism 423. Note that in Fig. 2 and the subsequent figures, the driving mechanisms 413 and 423 are shown in a simplified manner, but are configured to ensure the movement stroke of each of the shafts 412 and 422.

[0026] The transfer unit 43 has a transfer arm 431, a shaft 432, and a drive mechanism 433. As shown in Fig. 3, the transfer arm 431 has hooks 431b provided on both ends of a rectangular plate 431a. The hooks 431b support the bottom surface of the transfer plate S while avoiding the mounting table 411a of the sealing unit 41. The shaft 432 rotates the transfer arm 431 to transfer the transfer plate S supported by the hooks 431b between the mounting table 411a of the sealing unit 41 and the support hole 35 of the transfer body 3. The shaft 432 airtightly penetrates the bottom surface of the chamber 2 and is driven by a drive mechanism 433 such as a motor outside the chamber 2.

[0027] [Loading and unloading section] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the loading / unloading section 5 loads an unprocessed workpiece W from the outside into the chamber 2 through the opening 21 while maintaining a vacuum inside the chamber 2, and unloads a processed workpiece W out of the chamber 2.

[0028] The loading / unloading unit 5 picks up the transport plate S carrying the unprocessed workpiece W from a transport mechanism TR such as a conveyor that transports the transport plate S from the previous process to the next process, and loads it into the chamber 2. The loading / unloading unit 5 also receives the transport plate S carrying the processed workpiece W in the chamber 2 and passes it to the transport mechanism TR.

[0029] The loading / unloading unit 5 has an arm 51 and a holder 52. The arm 51 is a rectangular parallelepiped member that is long in a direction parallel to the plane of the transfer body 3 and is located between the transfer mechanism TR and the chamber 2. The arm 51 is provided so as to be rotatable intermittently in 180° increments around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the transfer body 3 by a motor that serves as a drive source.

[0030] The holder 52 is a disk-shaped member provided on each end of the arm 51 and holds the transport plate S. The holder 52 has a holding mechanism 52a such as a mechanical chuck, and holds the workpiece W by the holding mechanism 52a. The holding mechanism 52a may be a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck. The holder 52 is configured to be reciprocable in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the arm 51 by a cylinder, which is a drive source. The holder 52 also functions as a lid that opens and closes the opening 21. In other words, the holder 52 has a larger diameter than the opening 22 and is provided with a sealing member such as an O-ring, and the opening 21 can be sealed by pressing the holder 52 against it via the sealing member.

[0031] [Load lock chamber] The load lock chamber 6 is formed by a space surrounded by a holder 52 and a seal 411 that seal the opening 21. The chamber 2 is provided with an air passage 2b for exhausting the load lock chamber 6 and opening it to the atmosphere. The air passage 2b functions as an exhaust port for evacuating the load lock chamber 6 and a vent port for breaking the vacuum. The air passage 2b is connected to a pneumatic circuit including a pressure reducing pump, valves, etc. via piping (not shown), allowing switching between evacuating the load lock chamber 6 and breaking the vacuum.

[0032] [Preprocessing section] The pretreatment unit 7 performs plasma treatment on the workpiece W by generating plasma in the treatment space P into which the process gas G has been introduced. The plasma treatment in this embodiment is a bombardment treatment that improves the adhesion of the formed film. As shown in FIG. 2(B), the pretreatment unit 7 has a container 71 and a plasma generator that generates plasma in the container 71. The plasma generator is composed of a cylindrical electrode 72, an RF power supply 74, a matching box 75, and an introduction unit 76.

[0033] The container 71 is a member that covers the periphery of the processing space P and has an open bottom. The container 71 is disposed between the opening 2 of the chamber 2 and the bottom of the container 71 so that the bottom faces the transfer body 3 in the chamber 2 at a distance. 2In other words, the pre-treatment unit 7 is provided on the ceiling side of the chamber 2. The chamber 2 has an opening 2 2 An air vent 77 for exhausting the processing space P is provided at the top of the processing space P. The air vent 77 is connected via a pipe 77a to an air pressure circuit including a decompression pump, a valve, etc. (not shown), allowing the processing space P to be exhausted.

[0034] The cylindrical electrode 72 is a rectangular tube with an opening 72a at one end and a closed other end. The opening 72a of the cylindrical electrode 72 faces the chamber 2. An outwardly projecting flange 72b is provided at the end of the cylindrical electrode 72 opposite the opening 72a. The outer edge of the flange 72b is airtightly fixed to the inner edge of the container 71. The opening 22 of the chamber 2 facing the opening 72a is provided inside the annular protruding portion 22a. The inside of the opening 22 forms part of the processing space P where plasma processing is performed.

[0035] Even when the biasing unit 42 moves the transport plate S close to the opening 22 of the chamber 2 to perform plasma processing on the workpiece W, the transport plate S is configured to cover the opening 22 without contacting it. That is, the flange S1 of the transport plate S approaches the opening 22 to a position where it can cover the opening 22 and prevent gas leakage from the processing space P, but is positioned in a position where it does not come into contact with the protrusion 22a. The distance d between the flange S1 and the protrusion 22a is preferably, for example, 1 to 5 mm. In addition, a curved passage is formed between the transport plate S covering the opening 22 and the opening 22. That is, the gap between the protrusion 22a and the flange S1 forms a curved path.

[0036] An RF power supply 74 that applies a high-frequency voltage is connected to the cylindrical electrode 72. A matching box 75, which is a matching circuit, is connected to the output side of the RF power supply 74. The matching box 75 stabilizes the plasma discharge by matching the impedances on the input and output sides.

[0037] The introduction part 76 introduces a process gas G into the processing space P. The introduction part 76 has a pipe 76a connected to a supply source of the process gas G, such as a cylinder (not shown). The pipe 76a is connected to the supply source of the process gas G, and while hermetically sealing the container 71, passes through the cylindrical electrode 72 and reaches the processing space P with its end. A rare gas can be used as the process gas G, and argon gas or the like is preferable.

[0038] In the pretreatment unit 7, a high-frequency voltage is applied from the RF power supply 74 to the cylindrical electrode 72. This converts the process gas G in the processing space P into plasma, and the surface of the workpiece W facing the processing space P is processed by the generated radicals, ions, etc.

[0039] [Film forming section] The film forming unit 8 includes a sputtering source including a target 81, a backing plate 82, etc., and a plasma generator including a power supply and an introduction unit (not shown). The plasma generator generates plasma and exposes the target 81, which is made of the film forming material, to the plasma. In this manner, the film forming unit 8 causes ions contained in the plasma to collide with the film forming material, and deposits the ejected particles on the workpiece W to form a film. The film forming unit 8 of this embodiment forms a film by sputtering on the workpiece W that passes a position facing the target 81.

[0040] The target 81 is a plate-like member made of a film-forming material that will be deposited on the workpiece W to form a film. The target 81 is provided at a distance on the transport path of the transport plate S placed on the transport body 3. The surface of the target 81 is supported on the ceiling corresponding to the opening 23 of the chamber 2 so as to face the workpiece W placed on the transport body 3. The backing plate 82 is a support member that supports the target 81. In addition, the sputtering source may be appropriately equipped with a magnet, a cooling mechanism, etc. as necessary.

[0041] The power supply unit is a DC power supply or RF power supply that applies a high voltage to the target 81 from outside the chamber 2. The introduction unit introduces a sputtering gas into the chamber 2. The introduction unit has a sputtering gas supply source such as a cylinder, piping, and a gas inlet, and introduces the sputtering gas for film formation into the space formed between the transfer body 3 and the target 81. A rare gas can be used as the sputtering gas, and argon gas or the like is preferable.

[0042] In this film forming unit 8, sputtering gas is introduced from the introduction unit, and a high voltage is applied to the target 81 by the power supply unit. This converts the sputtering gas in the space between the carrier 3 and the target 81 into plasma, generating activated species such as ions. The ions in the plasma collide with the target 81, knocking out particles of the film forming material.

[0043] The workpiece W, which is circulated and transported by the transport body 3, passes through this space. The particles of the film-forming material that are knocked out are deposited on the workpiece W as it passes through the space, and a film of the particles is formed on the workpiece W. The workpiece W is circulated and transported by the transport body 3, and the film-forming process is carried out by repeatedly passing through this space.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1 , five film forming units 8 as described above are provided in the circumferential direction. Partitions 28 are provided between each film forming unit 8 and between the pre-treatment unit 7 and the film forming unit 8. The partitions 28 separate the space in which film formation is performed by the film forming unit 8. That is, the partitions 28 prevent the diffusion of film forming materials and gases from the space in which film formation is performed by the film forming unit 8. A gap is formed between the lower end of the partition 28 and the transport body 3, allowing the workpiece W and transport plate S on the rotating transport body 3 to pass through. That is, the height of the partition 28 is set so that a slight gap is created between the lower edge of the partition 28 and the workpiece W and transport plate S. The material of the target 81 of each film forming unit 8, i.e., the film forming material, may be different or the same.

[0045] The processing space of the film-forming unit 8, surrounded by the partition 28, is further surrounded by a box-shaped shield member 83 with holes for the target 81. The box-shaped shield member 83 prevents the film-forming material and sputtering gas G1 from diffusing into the chamber 10 not only in the circumferential direction of the transfer body 3 but also in the radial direction. The box-shaped shield member 83 is an annular sector box with a ceiling made of an annular sector plate-like body arranged parallel to the plane of the turntable 30. The box-shaped shield member 83 is defined by an outer peripheral wall extending from the outer periphery of the annular sector ceiling, an inner peripheral wall extending from the inner periphery of the annular sector ceiling, and side walls extending from sides along the radius of the annular sector ceiling, and the surface facing the transfer body 3, opposite the ceiling, is open. A gap is formed between the lower end of the box-shaped shield member 83 and the transfer body 3, allowing the workpiece W placed on the transfer body 3 to pass through.

[0046] [Control device] The control device 80 is a device that controls each part of the film forming apparatus 1. This control device 80 can be configured, for example, by a dedicated electronic circuit or a computer that operates according to a predetermined program. The control contents of the control device 80 are programmed and executed by a processing device such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0047] For example, the control device 80 controls, using the above-mentioned program, the evacuation of the chamber 2, the loading and unloading of the transport plate S by the loading and unloading unit 5, the evacuation and opening of the load lock chamber 6 to the atmosphere, pre-processing by the pre-processing unit 7, the rotation of the transport body 3, the movement of the transport plate S by the drive unit 4, film formation by the film formation unit 8, etc.

[0048] [Operation] The process of forming a film on a workpiece W using the film forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, each time a workpiece W placed on a transport plate S is carried into the chamber 2 by the carry-in / carry-out unit 5, the pre-processing unit 7 performs pre-processing on the workpiece W. That is, the transport plate S carrying the pre-processed workpiece W is placed in the support hole 35 of the transport body 3, and the transport body 3 is rotated so that the empty support hole 35 not holding the transport plate S is located below the opening 22. Then, the transport plate S carrying the next workpiece W is carried into the chamber 2 and pre-processed. By repeating this process, transport plates S carrying pre-processed workpieces W are placed in the support holes 35 of the transport body 3. Once all the support holes 35 have been loaded with the transport plates S, the film forming unit 8 performs film formation while the transport body 3 is rotated.

[0049] (Loading operation) First, the operation of loading the workpiece W to be subjected to film formation processing into the chamber 2 by the loading / unloading unit 5 will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the seal 411 of the sealing unit 41 seals the opening 21, and the inside of the chamber 2 is evacuated by the exhaust process of the pneumatic circuit. Meanwhile, the holder 52 of the loading / unloading unit 5 descends toward the transport mechanism TR, and the holding mechanism 52a holds the transport plate S carrying the unprocessed workpiece W. As the holder 52 rises, the transport plate S is picked up from the transport mechanism TR.

[0050] 4(A), the arm 51 rotates, and the transport plate S carrying the unprocessed workpiece W is positioned opposite the opening 21. As shown in FIG. 4(B), the holder 52 descends to seal the opening 21, and the transport plate S is placed on the mounting table 411a of the seal 411. As a result, the load lock chamber 6 is sealed by the seal 411 and the holder 52.

[0051] Then, as shown in FIG. 5(A), the load lock chamber 6 is evacuated through the air passage 2b by the air pressure circuit. The other holder 52 of the loading / unloading section 5 descends toward the transport mechanism TR, and the holding mechanism 52a holds the transport plate S carrying the unprocessed workpiece W. Next, as shown in FIG. 5(B), the sealing body 411 moves in a direction away from the opening 21 together with the transport plate S. At this time, the opening 21 is sealed by the holder 52, so the vacuum is maintained inside the chamber 2. The other holder 52 rises while holding the transport plate S carrying the unprocessed workpiece W, and the transport plate S is picked up from the transport mechanism TR.

[0052] 6(A), the transfer arm 431 of the transfer unit 43 rotates to insert the hook 431b of the transfer arm 431 into the lower part of the transport plate S. In this state, when the sealing body 411 of the sealing unit 41 descends as shown in FIG. 6(B), the mounting table 411a moves away from the lower part of the transport plate S, and the transport plate S is supported by the hook 431b.

[0053] Next, as shown in Fig. 7(A), the transfer arm 431 of the transfer unit 43 rotates, causing the transfer plate S to come to the top of the support hole 35 of the transfer body 3. In this state, as shown in Fig. 7(B), when the pusher 421 of the urging unit 42 rises, the transfer plate S rises to a position where it covers the opening 21 and stops.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 8(A), a process gas G is introduced into the processing space P from the introduction part 76, and a voltage is applied to the cylindrical electrode 72 to generate plasma, which generates radicals and ions, which perform plasma processing on the workpiece W placed on the transport plate S. While such plasma processing is being performed, as shown in Fig. 8(B), the seal 411 rises and seals the opening 21. This causes the load lock chamber 6 to be sealed in a vacuum state.

[0055] 9(A), vent gas is supplied through ventilation path 2b to break the vacuum in load lock chamber 6. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9(B), holder 52 moves in a direction away from opening 21, thereby opening load lock chamber 6 to the atmosphere.

[0056] 10(A), the arm 51 rotates, and the holder 52 holding the transport plate S carrying the unprocessed workpiece W comes to a position facing the opening 21. Then, as shown in FIG. 10(B), the holder 52 descends, sealing the opening 21, and the transport plate S is placed on the mounting table 411a of the seal 411. This seals the load lock chamber 6 with the seal 411 and the holder 52. The introduction of the process gas G in the pretreatment unit 7 and the application of voltage to the cylindrical electrode 72 are stopped, and the plasma processing is terminated.

[0057] 11, the pusher 421 of the biasing unit 42 is lowered, whereby the transport plate S that has completed plasma processing is lowered and loaded into the support hole 35 of the transport body 3. Then, the transport body 3 is rotated to position the empty support hole 35 in which the transport plate S is not loaded below the pre-processing unit 7. Thereafter, by repeating the operations of FIGS. 5 to 11, the transport plates S are loaded into all of the support holes 35.

[0058] Then, while the transport body 3 is rotated, the transport plate S mounted on the transport body 3 is circulated along a circular path, and the film forming unit 8 performs a film forming process on the workpiece W on the transport plate S.

[0059] [effect] (1) The film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a chamber 2 capable of creating a vacuum inside, a transport body 3 provided within the chamber 2 for circulating and transporting the workpiece W in a circular trajectory, a film forming section 8 provided within the chamber 2 for performing a film forming process by sputtering on the workpiece W circulating and transported by the transport body 3, a load lock chamber 6 for transporting the workpiece W from the atmospheric space while maintaining the vacuum within the chamber 2, and a pre-processing section 7 provided adjacent to the load lock chamber 6 of the chamber 2 for performing pre-processing on the workpiece W transported from the load lock chamber 6 while separated from the transport body 3.

[0060] In this embodiment, pre-processing is performed adjacent to the load lock chamber 6 and at a location away from the transfer body 3 used during film formation, thereby preventing gases from the pre-processing unit 7 from affecting the film formation process, thereby enabling stable film formation.

[0061] Furthermore, the loading position from the load lock chamber 6 in the chamber 2 has previously only been used for loading, but by placing the pre-treatment section 7 here, the space used for the pre-treatment section 7 can be used effectively as, for example, a film forming section 8. This allows the number of film forming sections 8 to be increased, and films of a wider variety of materials can be formed in one chamber 2.

[0062] (2) The pre-treatment unit 7 is provided on the top side of the chamber 2, and has a biasing unit 42 that retracts from the conveying body 3 during film formation by the film-forming unit 8, and positions the workpiece W in the pre-treatment unit 7 by biasing it in a direction intersecting the direction of circulatory transport by the conveying body 3 during pre-treatment by the pre-treatment unit 7.

[0063] As a result, when the workpieces W are individually carried in, they can be positioned in the pre-treatment section 7, allowing them to be processed one by one in the pre-treatment section 7, and once the workpieces have been carried in, multiple workpieces can be processed at once in the film-forming section 8. Therefore, pre-treatment can be completed by utilizing the locations where the workpieces are individually carried in, thereby improving the efficiency of the film-forming process as a whole.

[0064] (3) The biasing section 42 has a pusher 421 that holds the workpiece W, a shaft 422 that supports the pusher 421, and a drive mechanism 423 that moves the shaft 422 up and down, and the pusher 421 is located in a position that receives the workpiece W from the load lock chamber.

[0065] This makes it possible to move the pusher 421 via the shaft 422 using the drive mechanism 423 to receive the workpiece W from the load lock chamber 6 and then continuously move the workpiece W to the pre-processing section 7. Therefore, after receiving the workpiece W from the load lock chamber 6, it can be moved to the pre-processing section 7 by simply lifting it without changing its horizontal position, thereby reducing the transport time.

[0066] (4) An opening 2 between the chamber 2 and the pre-treatment section 7, which is covered without contact by a transport plate S on which a workpiece W is placed. 2 Therefore, the transport plate S prevents gas from flowing into the chamber 2 from the pre-treatment unit 7, reducing the effect on film formation. 2 Since the sealing is performed without contact, dust generated by sliding does not diffuse as in the case of sealing by contact, and the influence on film formation is suppressed.

[0067] (5) Opening 2 2 By covering the pre-treatment unit 7 with the transfer plate S, a curved passage is formed between the pre-treatment unit 7 and the chamber 2. This makes it difficult for gas to flow into the chamber 2, further suppressing the influence on film formation.

[0068] (6) The pretreatment unit 7 has a processing space P into which a process gas G is introduced, and a plasma generator that generates plasma in the processing space into which the process gas G is introduced, thereby performing plasma processing on the surface of the workpiece W. This makes it possible to suppress the inflow of the process gas G into the chamber 2 and reduce its influence on film formation.

[0069] [Variations] The present embodiment may also be modified as follows. (1) For example, as shown in FIG. 12, by further protruding the protrusion 22a toward the surface of the workpiece W, the gap with the opening 22 can be narrowed and a labyrinth structure with an increased number of bent portions can be created, making it less susceptible to gas leakage.

[0070] (2) The pretreatment unit 7 may perform a process of degassing the workpiece W by heating. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, a heating unit 78 is provided in the treatment space P to perform a degassing process by heating the workpiece W introduced into the treatment space P, and the gas desorbed by heating is passed through the ventilation path. mosquito The heating unit 78 may be configured to exhaust the gas from the heating unit 78. For example, a lamp heater connected to a power source 79 is used. In this way, even when the pre-treatment is replaced by heating, the desorbed gas can be prevented from flowing into the chamber 2.

[0071] The pre-treatment unit 7 may also be configured to perform both plasma treatment and heat treatment. The plasma treatment chamber and heat treatment chamber may be provided adjacent to each other, and the treatments may be performed in the order of heat treatment and plasma treatment. In this way, the workpiece W after degassing can be used to perform plasma treatment and film formation treatment well.

[0072] [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]

[0073] 1 Film deposition equipment 2 chambers 2b Ventilation channel 3. Carrier 4 Drive unit 5 Loading and unloading area 6 Load Lock Chamber 7 Pretreatment section 8 Film forming section 21 Aperture 22 Aperture 22a Protrusion 23 Aperture 24 Air passage 25 Piping 28 Partition 34 Shaft 31 Motor 35 Support hole 41 Sealing part 42 energizing section 43 Transfer section 51 Arm 52 Holding body 52a Retention mechanism 71 Container 72 Cylindrical electrode 72a opening 72b flange 74 RF power supply 75 Matching Box 76 Introduction 76a Piping 77 Ventilation Channel 77a Piping 78 Heating section 79 Power supply 80 Control device 81 Target 82 Backing Plate 83 Box-type shielding member 411 Sealing body 411a Mounting table 412 Shaft 413 Drive Mechanism 421 Pusher 422 Shaft 423 Drive Mechanism 431 Transfer Arm 431a Plate 431b Hook 432 Shaft S Transport plate

Claims

1. a chamber capable of creating a vacuum inside; a conveying body provided in the chamber for circulating and conveying the workpiece along a circumferential path; a film forming unit provided in the chamber, for performing a film forming process by sputtering on the workpiece circulated and transported by the transport body; a load lock chamber into which the workpiece is transferred from the atmospheric space while maintaining a vacuum in the chamber; provided on the ceiling side of the chamber, a pre-treatment unit provided adjacent to the load lock chamber of the chamber, the pre-treatment unit performing pre-treatment on the workpiece carried in from the load lock chamber while the workpiece is spaced apart from the carrier; a cylindrical conveying plate having an open top and a closed bottom on which the workpiece is placed; and an opening is provided inside a protrusion that communicates between the chamber and the pre-treatment section and that protrudes along the ceiling of the chamber and is provided at the bottom of the pre-treatment section; The film forming apparatus, wherein the transport plate is positioned at a position where it does not come into contact with the protrusion, thereby covering the opening between the chamber and the pre-treatment unit without contacting the opening.

2. the pre-treatment unit is provided on the top surface side of the chamber, The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a biasing section that retracts from the transport body during film formation by the film forming section, and positions the work in the pre-treatment section by biasing in a direction intersecting the direction of circulatory transport by the transport body during pre-treatment by the pre-treatment section.

3. The biasing portion is a pusher for holding the transport plate; a shaft supporting the pusher; a drive mechanism for moving the shaft up and down; and 3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pusher is provided at a position where it receives the transport plate from the load lock chamber.

4. the conveying plate has a flange with an enlarged outer diameter at the top end of the bottomed cylindrical shape, The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the transport plate is positioned in a position where the flange is not in contact with the protrusion, thereby forming a curved passage between the pre-treatment unit and the chamber.

5. The pre-treatment unit a processing space into which a process gas is introduced; a plasma generator that generates plasma in the processing space into which the process gas is introduced, thereby performing plasma processing on the surface of the workpiece; 5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

6. The pre-treatment unit A processing space; a heating unit provided in the processing space and configured to perform a degassing process by heating a workpiece introduced into the processing space; 6. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

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