Film formation device and film formation method

Abstract

This film formation device for depositing a vapor deposition substance on a substrate suctioned by an electrostatic chuck comprises a static eliminator for eliminating static electricity on a to-be-suctioned surface of the substrate on a conveyance path before the substrate is suctioned by the electrostatic chuck.

Description

Film forming apparatus and film forming method

[0001] The present invention relates to a film formation apparatus and a film formation method for forming a film on a substrate.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a film formation apparatus for forming a film on a substrate attracted to an electrostatic chuck, which detects a change in electrostatic capacitance between the substrate and the electrostatic chuck and changes the voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck based on the detected capacitance information.

[0003] JP 2022-155114 A

[0004] The substrate may become charged during processes such as the peeling operation of the mask and the substrate. Attempting to attach a charged substrate to an electrostatic chuck may require a voltage higher than the predetermined voltage required for attachment, or a portion of the substrate may come into contact with the electrostatic chuck before the voltage is applied. This can cause delays in the film formation process, an increase in takt time, a decrease in yield, a decrease in production volume, and the like. Furthermore, providing a static elimination mechanism in the film formation chamber may increase the size of the film formation apparatus.

[0005] It is preferable to neutralize the substrate or the electrostatic chuck before the substrate and the electrostatic chuck come into contact with each other.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a technique that can remove electricity from a substrate at least before the substrate comes into contact with an electrostatic chuck.

[0007] A film formation apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for forming a film of a vapor deposition material on a substrate attracted to an electrostatic chuck, and includes a charge removal means for removing electricity from an attracting surface of the substrate on a transport path before the substrate is attracted to the electrostatic chuck.

[0008] According to the present invention, the substrate can be de-staticized before it comes into contact with the electrostatic chuck.

[0009] 1 is a schematic diagram of a part of a manufacturing line for electronic devices; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a fourth configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a fifth configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a sixth configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a seventh configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an eighth configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation of a base unit and a substrate support unit (Configuration Example 8); FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a ninth configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an eleventh configuration example of a static eliminator in a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an overall processing flow by a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0011] <Electronic Device Manufacturing Line> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the configuration of an electronic device manufacturing line to which the film formation apparatus of the present invention can be applied. The manufacturing line in Figure 1 is used, for example, to manufacture display panels for organic EL display devices, in which substrates 100 are sequentially transported to a film formation block 301, and organic EL elements are formed on the substrates 100. In Figure 1, arrow Z indicates the vertical direction (the direction of gravity), and arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to each other. Also, in each figure, G indicates ground.

[0012] In the film formation block 301, a plurality of film formation chambers 303a to 303d in which film formation processing is performed on the substrate 100 and a mask storage chamber 305 in which masks are stored before and after use are arranged around a transfer chamber 302 that has an octagonal shape in a plan view. A transfer robot 302a that transfers the substrate 100 is arranged in the transfer chamber 302. The transfer robot 302a includes a hand that holds the substrate 100 and an articulated arm that can move the hand horizontally and vertically. In other words, the film formation block 301 is a cluster-type film formation unit in which a plurality of film formation chambers 303a to 303d are arranged around the transfer robot 302a. When the film formation chambers 303a to 303d are referred to collectively or when no distinction is made between them, they will be referred to as film formation chambers 303.

[0013] A buffer chamber 306, a swirl chamber 307, and a delivery chamber 308 are disposed upstream and downstream of the deposition block 301 in the transport direction (arrow direction) of the substrate 100, respectively. Each chamber is maintained in a vacuum state during the manufacturing process. Although only one deposition block 301 is shown in FIG. 1 , the manufacturing line according to this embodiment has multiple deposition blocks 301, and the multiple deposition blocks 301 are connected by a connecting device composed of the buffer chamber 306, the swirl chamber 307, and the delivery chamber 308. The configuration of the connecting device is not limited to this, and may be composed of only the buffer chamber 306 or the delivery chamber 308, for example.

[0014] The transport robot 302a transports the substrate 100 from the upstream delivery chamber 308 to the transport chamber 302, transports the substrate 100 between the film formation chambers 303, transports the mask between the mask storage chamber 305 and the film formation chamber 303, and transports the substrate 100 from the transport chamber 302 to the downstream buffer chamber 306.

[0015] The buffer chamber 306 is a chamber for temporarily storing substrates 100 depending on the operating status of the production line. The buffer chamber 306 is provided with a substrate storage shelf, also called a cassette, and an elevator mechanism. The substrate storage shelf has a multi-tier structure that can store multiple substrates 100 while maintaining the processing surface (film formation surface) of the substrate 100 in a horizontal position facing downward in the direction of gravity. The elevator mechanism raises and lowers the substrate storage shelf to align the tier where the substrate 100 is loaded or unloaded with the transport position. This allows multiple substrates 100 to be temporarily stored and retained in the buffer chamber 306.

[0016] The swirl chamber 307 is equipped with a device for changing the orientation of the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the swirl chamber 307 rotates the orientation of the substrate 100 by 180 degrees using a transfer robot 307a provided in the swirl chamber 307. The transfer robot 307a includes a hand that holds the substrate 100 and an articulated arm that can move the hand horizontally and vertically. The transfer robot 307a provided in the swirl chamber 307 rotates 180 degrees while supporting the substrate 100 received in the buffer chamber 306 and delivers it to the delivery chamber 308, thereby swapping the front and rear ends of the substrate between the buffer chamber 306 and the delivery chamber 308. This ensures that the orientation of the substrate 100 when carried into the film formation chamber 303 is the same in each film formation block 301, and therefore the scanning direction of the evaporation source and the orientation of the mask relative to the substrate 100 can be aligned in each film formation block 301. With this configuration, the orientation of the masks placed in the mask storage chambers 305 in each film formation block 301 can be aligned, simplifying mask management and improving usability.

[0017] The control system of the production line includes a host computer 300 that controls the entire line, and control devices 14a-14d, 309, and 310 that control each component, and these devices can communicate with each other via a wired or wireless communication line 300a. The control devices 14a-14d are provided corresponding to the film formation chambers 303a-303d, and control the film formation apparatus 1 described below. When the control devices 14a-14d are referred to collectively or when they are not to be distinguished, they will be referred to as the control device 14.

[0018] The control device 14 controls the entire film forming apparatus 1. The control device 14 includes a processing unit 1, a storage unit, an input / output interface (I / O), and a communication unit. The processing unit is a processor, such as a CPU, that executes a program stored in the storage unit to control the film forming apparatus 1. The storage unit is a storage device, such as a ROM, RAM, or HDD, and stores various control information in addition to the program executed by the processing unit. The I / O is an interface that transmits and receives signals between the processing unit and each component of the film forming apparatus 1. The communication unit is a communication device that communicates with the host device 300 or other control devices 14, 309, 310, etc. via a communication line. The processing unit receives information from the host device 300 or transmits information to the host device 300 via the communication unit. Note that all or part of the control device 14 or the host device 300 may be configured using a PLC, ASIC, or FPGA.

[0019] The control device 309 controls the transport robot 302a. The control device 310 controls the device in the swirl chamber 307 and the transport robot 307a. The host device 300 transmits information about the substrate 100 and instructions such as transport timing to the respective control devices 14, 309, and 310, and the respective control devices 14, 309, and 310 control their respective components based on the received instructions.

[0020] <Overview of Film Forming Apparatus> FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus 1 according to one embodiment. The film forming apparatus 1, installed in the film forming chamber 303, forms a film of a vapor deposition material on a substrate 100, forming a thin film of the vapor deposition material in a predetermined pattern through a mask 101. The material of the substrate 100 on which a film is formed in the film forming apparatus 1 can be selected from glass, resin, metal, and other materials, and a glass substrate with a resin layer such as polyimide formed thereon is preferably used. The vapor deposition material may be an organic material or an inorganic material (metal, metal oxide, etc.). The film forming apparatus 1 can be used in manufacturing electronic devices such as display devices (e.g., flat panel displays), thin-film solar cells, and organic photoelectric conversion elements (organic thin-film imaging elements), as well as optical components, and is particularly applicable to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing organic EL panels. The following description will discuss an example in which the film forming apparatus 1 forms a film on the substrate 100 by vacuum deposition. However, this embodiment is not limited to this and can also be applied to various film forming methods such as sputtering and CVD.

[0021] The film forming apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 3 (also simply referred to as a chamber) capable of maintaining a vacuum inside. The internal space 3a of the vacuum chamber 3 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber 3 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). In this specification, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with a gas at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, in other words, a reduced pressure state. The internal space 3a of the vacuum chamber 3 is equipped with a substrate support unit 6 that supports the substrate 100 in a horizontal position, a mask table 5 that supports a mask 101, a film forming unit 4, a plate unit 9, and an electrostatic chuck 15. The mask 101 is a metal mask with an opening pattern corresponding to the thin film pattern to be formed on the substrate 100 and is placed on the mask table 5. The mask table 5 can be replaced with other means for fixing the mask 101 in a predetermined position. The mask 101 can be a mask having a structure in which a mask foil of a predetermined thickness is welded to a frame-shaped mask frame. The material of the mask 101 is not particularly limited, but may be a metal with a small thermal expansion coefficient, such as Invar. The film formation process is performed in a state where the substrate 100 is placed on the mask 101 and the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are superimposed on each other.

[0022] The plate unit 9 includes a cooling plate 10 and a magnet plate 11. The cooling plate 10 is suspended below the magnet plate 11 so as to be displaceable in the Z direction relative to the magnet plate 11. The cooling plate 10 functions to cool the substrate 100 attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15 during film formation by contacting the electrostatic chuck 15 (described later). The cooling plate 10 is not limited to a cooling plate equipped with a water cooling mechanism or the like to actively cool the substrate 100. It may also be a plate-like member that does not have a water cooling mechanism or the like but removes heat from the substrate 100 by contacting the electrostatic chuck 15. The magnet plate 11 is a plate that attracts the mask 101 by magnetic force and is placed on the upper surface of the substrate 100 to improve adhesion between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 during film formation.

[0023] The cooling plate 10 and the magnetic plate 11 may be omitted as appropriate. For example, if the electrostatic chuck 15 is provided with a cooling mechanism, the cooling plate 10 may be omitted. Furthermore, if the electrostatic chuck 15 attracts the mask 101, the magnetic plate 11 may be omitted.

[0024] The film forming unit 4 is an evaporation source that is composed of a heater, a shutter, an evaporation source drive mechanism, an evaporation rate monitor, etc., and that deposits an evaporation material onto the substrate 100. More specifically, in this embodiment, the film forming unit 4 is a linear evaporation source in which a plurality of nozzles (not shown) are arranged in the X direction, and evaporation material is emitted from each nozzle. For example, the linear evaporation source is moved back and forth in the Y direction (depth direction of the apparatus) by an evaporation source moving mechanism (not shown). In this embodiment, the film forming unit 4 is provided in the vacuum chamber 3 in which the alignment process described below is performed. However, in an embodiment in which the film forming process is performed in a chamber other than the vacuum chamber 3 in which alignment is performed, the film forming unit 4 is not provided in the vacuum chamber 3.

[0025] The substrate supporting unit 6 supports the peripheral edge of the substrate 100. The substrate supporting unit 6 includes a plurality of base portions 61 and a plurality of substrate supporting portions 62 that protrude inward from the plurality of base portions 61. The substrate supporting portions 62 are sometimes also called "receiving claws" or "substrate supporting claws." The base portions 61 are each supported by a support shaft R3. The substrate 100 that has been carried into the film forming apparatus 1 by the transfer robot 302a is supported by the plurality of substrate supporting portions 62.

[0026] In this embodiment, the multiple substrate support portions 62 are composed of leaf springs, and when the substrate 100 supported by the multiple substrate support portions 62 is attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15, the elastic force of the leaf springs can press the periphery of the substrate 100 against the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0027] The electrostatic chuck 15 attracts the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the electrostatic chuck 15 is provided between the substrate support unit 6 and the plate unit 9, and is supported by one or more support shafts R1. In one embodiment, the support shaft R1 is a cylindrical shaft.

[0028] The electrostatic chuck 15 has a structure in which, for example, an electric circuit such as a metal electrode is embedded inside a ceramic matrix (also referred to as a base). The surface of the electrostatic chuck 15 may be made of polyimide (resin) or may be anodized. In this embodiment, the electrostatic chuck 15 has multiple electrode portions. The electrode portions include an electrode to which a positive (+) voltage is applied and an electrode to which a negative (-) voltage is applied. When a voltage is applied to each electrode, a polarization charge is induced in the substrate 100 through the ceramic matrix, and an electrostatic attraction (electrostatic force) between the substrate 100 and the electrostatic chuck 15 attracts and fixes the attracting surface 100a of the substrate 100 to the attracting surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0029] In addition, multiple openings are formed in the electrostatic chuck 15, and the measurement units (first measurement unit 7 and second measurement unit 8) described later capture images of the alignment marks described later through the multiple openings to obtain information regarding the relative positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101.

[0030] The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100, the peripheral edge of which is supported by the substrate support unit 6, or the substrate 100 attracted by the electrostatic chuck 15, with respect to the mask 101. The position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 100 with respect to the mask 101 by displacing the substrate support unit 6 or the electrostatic chuck 15 on the X-Y plane. In other words, the position adjustment unit 20 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the horizontal positional relationship between the mask 101 and the substrate 100. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 can displace the substrate support unit 6 in the X and Y directions and rotate it around an axis in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the position of the mask 101 is fixed and the substrate 100 is displaced to adjust their relative positions. However, the adjustment may be performed by displacing the mask 101, or both the substrate 100 and the mask 101 may be displaced. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 may displace the substrate support unit 6 using a well-known configuration, such as a motor as a drive source and a ball screw mechanism that converts the motor's driving force into linear motion.

[0031] The distance adjustment unit 22 adjusts the distance between the electrostatic chuck 15 and the substrate support unit 6 and the mask table 5 by raising and lowering them, thereby moving the substrate 100 and the mask 101 closer to or farther apart in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the distance adjustment unit 22 includes a first lift plate 220 that supports the electrostatic chuck 15 via multiple support shafts R1 and supports the substrate support unit 6 via multiple support shafts R3. The distance adjustment unit 22 raises and lowers the first lift plate 220 to raise and lower the electrostatic chuck 15 and the substrate support unit 6. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 22 brings the substrate 100 and the mask 101 closer to each other in the overlapping direction and moves them apart in the opposite direction. Note that the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 22 is the so-called vertical distance (or perpendicular distance), and the distance adjustment unit can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the vertical positions of the mask 101 and the substrate 100. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 may displace the first lift plate 220 using a well-known configuration, such as a motor serving as a drive source and a ball screw mechanism that converts the drive force of the motor into linear motion. The distance adjustment unit 22 also includes an actuator 65 that moves the substrate support unit 6 relative to the first lift plate 220, thereby changing the relative position of the substrate support unit 6 with respect to the electrostatic chuck 15. The measurement units (first measurement unit 7 and second measurement unit 8), position adjustment unit 20, and distance adjustment unit 22 adjust the relative positions of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 based on measurement results of alignment marks formed on the substrate 100 and the mask 101, respectively.

[0032] In this embodiment, the distance adjustment unit 22 fixes the position of the mask table 5 and moves the substrate support unit 6 and the electrostatic chuck 15 to adjust the distance therebetween in the Z direction, but this is not limited to this. The positions of the substrate support unit 6 or the electrostatic chuck 15 may be fixed and the mask table 5 may be moved to perform adjustment, or the substrate support unit 6, the electrostatic chuck 15, and the mask table 5 may each be moved to adjust the distance therebetween.

[0033] The plate unit lifting unit 13 lifts and lowers the second lift plate 12, which is located outside the vacuum chamber 3, thereby lifting and lowering the plate unit 9, which is connected to the second lift plate 12 and located inside the vacuum chamber 3. The plate unit 9 is connected to the second lift plate 12 via one or more support shafts R2. In this embodiment, the plate unit 9 is supported by two support shafts R2. The support shafts R2 extend upward from the magnet plate 11 and are connected to the second lift plate 12 by passing through openings in the upper wall portion 30, the openings in the fixed plate 20a and the movable plate 20b, and the opening in the first lift plate 220. For example, the position adjustment unit 20 may displace the second lift plate 12 using a well-known configuration, such as a motor serving as a drive source and a ball screw mechanism that converts the driving force of the motor into linear motion.

[0034] The openings in the upper wall 30 of the vacuum chamber 3, through which the support shafts R1 to R3 pass, are large enough to allow the support shafts R1 to R3 to be displaced in the X and Y directions. To maintain the airtightness of the vacuum chamber 3, bellows or the like are provided in the openings in the upper wall 30 through which the support shafts R1 to R3 pass.

[0035] The measurement units (first measurement unit 7 and second measurement unit 8) measure the positional misalignment between the substrate 100, whose peripheral edge is supported by the substrate support unit 6, and the mask 101. In this embodiment, the first measurement unit 7 and the second measurement unit 8 are both imaging devices (cameras) that capture images. The first measurement unit 7 and the second measurement unit 8 are disposed above the upper wall 30, and can capture images of the inside of the vacuum chamber 3 through a window (not shown) formed in the upper wall 30.

[0036] In this embodiment, alignment marks used for alignment are formed on the substrate 100 and the mask 101. More specifically, the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are each provided with rough alignment marks for roughly adjusting their positions and fine alignment marks for more highly accurate position adjustment.

[0037] The first measurement unit 7 is a low-magnification CCD camera (rough camera) that has a relatively wide field of view but low resolution, and measures the rough positional deviation between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. For example, two first measurement units 7 are provided so as to capture images, via the openings 152, of rough alignment marks provided near the centers of the short sides of the substrate 100 and the mask 101, respectively.

[0038] The second measurement unit 8 is a high-magnification CCD camera (fine camera) that has a relatively narrow field of view but high resolution (for example, on the order of several μm), and measures with high precision the misalignment between the substrate 100 and the mask 101. For example, four second measurement units 8 are provided so as to capture images of fine alignment marks provided at the four corners of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 through the openings 152.

[0039] In this embodiment, a rough position adjustment between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is performed based on the measurement results of the first measurement unit 7, and then a precise position adjustment between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 is performed based on the measurement results of the second measurement unit 8.

[0040] The film formation apparatus 1 of this embodiment has a deposition-up type configuration (a configuration in which, during film formation, the film formation surface of the substrate 100 faces vertically downward and the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 faces vertically upward). In the deposition-up type film formation apparatus 1, the back surface of the film formation surface of the substrate 100 (the surface facing vertically upward) is the attraction surface that is attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15, in other words, the contact surface where the electrostatic chuck 15 and the substrate 100 come into contact. In the film formation apparatus 1, the vertically upper surface of the substrate 100 is the attraction surface 100a, and the vertically lower surface of the substrate 100 is the film formation surface. The film formation apparatus 1 forms a thin film of a vapor deposition material having a predetermined pattern on the film formation surface of the substrate via a mask 101.

[0041] In this embodiment, the path of the substrate 100 before it comes into contact with the electrostatic chuck 15 is referred to as the substrate transport path before film formation (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the transport path). For example, the path of the substrate 100 before it is attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15 of the film formation apparatus 1 in the film formation chamber 303 where the first film formation process is performed is the substrate transport path before film formation.

[0042] 1 , for example, the path from the substrate storage shelf provided in the buffer chamber 306 to the film formation chamber 303 before the substrate 100 is attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15 of the film formation apparatus 1 is the substrate transport path before film formation. Note that the substrate transport path before film formation may be any path up to the electrostatic chuck 15 before the substrate 100 is attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15, and is not limited to the configuration shown in the example of FIG. 1 , and the path may start from a stocker that stores the substrate 100 further upstream than the buffer chamber 306. Note that in this embodiment, the apparatus configuration on the substrate transport path before film formation and each film formation block 301 including the film formation apparatus 1 may be collectively referred to as a film formation system or a film formation apparatus.

[0043] The film forming apparatus of this embodiment has a static eliminator that eliminates static electricity from the attracting surface 100a of the substrate 100 attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15 on the substrate transport path before film formation.

[0044] <Configuration Example 1 of the Static Eliminator: Example of Providing a Static Eliminator in the Transfer Chamber 302> Figure 3 is a diagram showing Configuration Example 1 of the static eliminator in the film formation apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. As Configuration Example 1 of the static eliminator, a configuration using a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 that can be used in a vacuum environment will be described. Figure 3 shows an example of a substrate transfer path before film formation in which the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided in the transfer chamber 302. Specifically, this example shows a case in which the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided in front of (near) a gate valve 361 between the film formation chamber 303 and the transfer chamber 302.

[0045] The static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is a device that outputs ultraviolet light that induces ionization, and may be, for example, a device that employs a method of generating ions using vacuum ultraviolet light (photoionization). The static eliminator (ionizer) 350 can be connected to a vacuum chamber (e.g., the transfer chamber 2 in the configuration example 1 of FIG. 3 ) via a vacuum flange 352. Here, the vacuum flange 352 is a vacuum component that has a sealing function and can connect the vacuum chamber and the static eliminator (ionizer) 350.

[0046] The static eliminator (ionizer) 350 has a vacuum ultraviolet light generation unit 351 (light source unit) and an irradiation unit 353 that irradiates the vacuum ultraviolet light generated by the vacuum ultraviolet light generation unit 351, and vacuum ultraviolet light 354 is irradiated from the irradiation unit 353.

[0047] 3 shows an example in which the static eliminators (ionizers) 350 are provided on both the upper and lower sides of the transfer chamber 302, but in the case of a deposition-up type film forming apparatus 1, when static elimination is performed on the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100, it is sufficient to provide the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 at least on the upper side of the transfer chamber 302. The transfer robot 302a can adjust the irradiation range of the vacuum ultraviolet light 354 by controlling the position in the Z direction (vertical direction) and adjusting the distance between the irradiation unit 353 and the attraction surface 100a.

[0048] The transport robot 302a moves in the X direction (horizontal direction) to transport the substrate 100 to the film formation chamber 303, whereby the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 is irradiated with vacuum ultraviolet light 354 on the substrate transport path before film formation, thereby eliminating the potential (static electricity) charged on the substrate 100. In order to simultaneously eliminate electricity over a wider irradiation range on the substrate transport path before film formation, multiple static eliminators (ionizers) 350 may be provided in the Y direction (perpendicular to the paper surface).

[0049] <Configuration Example 2 of Static Eliminator: Example of Providing Static Eliminator in Buffer Chamber 306> The location where the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided is not limited to the transfer chamber 302, and the vacuum ultraviolet light 354 may be irradiated onto the substrates 100 stored in a stocker that stores the substrates 100 or a substrate storage shelf provided in the buffer chamber 306. In this embodiment, the path of the substrate 100 up to before it comes into contact with the electrostatic chuck 15 is defined as the substrate transfer path before film formation, and therefore the buffer chamber 306 and a stocker that stores the substrates 100 further upstream than the buffer chamber 306, etc., are also included in the substrate transfer path before film formation.

[0050] 4 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of a static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. As the second configuration example of the static eliminator, FIG. 4 shows an example in which a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided in the buffer chamber 306 as an example of a substrate transport path before film formation. The substrates 100 stored in the substrate storage shelf of the buffer chamber 306 are stored in a horizontal state with the surface to be processed (film formation surface) facing downward in the direction of gravity (vertically downward), so that the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 is on the vertically upward side in FIG. 4.

[0051] The configuration shown in Figure 4 shows an example in which a charge removal device (ionizer) 350 is provided on both the upper and lower sides of the transport chamber 302, but in a deposit-up type film forming apparatus 1, when removing electricity from the adsorption surface 100a of the substrate 100, it is sufficient to provide a charge removal device (ionizer) 350 at least on the upper side of the buffer chamber 306.

[0052] 4 is provided with a plurality of static eliminators (ionizers) 350 in the X direction (horizontal direction) in order to irradiate the substrate 100 with vacuum ultraviolet light 354 over a wide area while the substrate 100 is housed, but it is not essential to provide a plurality of static eliminators 350. For example, if the area of ​​the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 that requires static elimination can be neutralized with one static eliminator (ionizer) 350, it is sufficient to provide at least one static eliminator (ionizer) 350 above the buffer chamber 306.

[0053] <Configuration Example 3 of the Static Eliminator: Example of Providing a Static Eliminator in the Swirling Chamber 307> In this embodiment, the path of the substrate 100 before it comes into contact with the electrostatic chuck 15 is the substrate transport path before film formation. Therefore, for example, the swirl chamber 307 and the delivery chamber 308 in FIG. 1 are also included in the substrate transport path before film formation. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing Configuration Example 3 of the static eliminator in the film formation apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. As Configuration Example 3 of the static eliminator, FIG. 5 shows an example in which a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided in the swirl chamber 307 as an example of the substrate transport path before film formation. A transfer robot 307a in the swirl chamber 307 moves in the X direction (horizontal direction) to transport the substrate 100 to the delivery chamber 308. By this, the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 is irradiated with vacuum ultraviolet light 354 along the substrate transport path before film formation, and the potential (static electricity) charged on the substrate 100 can be eliminated. In order to simultaneously neutralize a wider irradiation range on the substrate transport path before film formation, a plurality of neutralization devices (ionizers) 350 may be provided in the Y direction (perpendicular to the paper surface). The location where the neutralization devices (ionizers) 350 are provided is not limited to the swirl chamber 307 shown in FIG. 5 , but may also be the delivery chamber 308.

[0054] 5 shows an example in which, similarly to Fig. 3, static eliminators (ionizers) 350 are provided on both the upper and lower sides of the swirl chamber 307, but in the case of a deposition-up type film forming apparatus 1, when static elimination is performed on the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100, it is sufficient to provide the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 at least on the upper side of the swirl chamber 307. The transfer robot 307a can adjust the irradiation range of the vacuum ultraviolet light 354 by controlling the position in the Z direction (vertical direction) and adjusting the distance between the irradiation unit 353 and the attraction surface 100a.

[0055] <Configuration Example 4 of Static Eliminator: Example of Providing Static Eliminator on Side Wall of Film Forming Apparatus 1> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing Configuration Example 4 of the static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 6 shows an example of providing a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 on the side wall of the film forming apparatus 1 as an example of a substrate transport path before film formation.

[0056] The substrate 100 is supported by substrate support parts 62 (substrate support claws) that support the peripheral edge of the substrate 100. In this state, the attracting surface 100a of the substrate 100 is not attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15. In this state, the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided on the side wall of the film forming apparatus 1 so as to irradiate the substrate 100 supported by the substrate support parts 62 with vacuum ultraviolet light 354 from the horizontal direction (X direction).

[0057] In this embodiment, the path taken by the substrate 100 before it comes into contact with the electrostatic chuck 15 is the substrate transport path before film formation, so the position within the film formation apparatus 1 where the substrate 100 is placed on the substrate support portion 62 is included in the substrate transport path before film formation.

[0058] As shown in Configuration Examples 1 to 4, by using a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 to irradiate vacuum ultraviolet light 354 onto the substrate 100 (attraction surface 100a), the potential charged on the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 can be eliminated.

[0059] <Configuration Example 5 of Static Eliminator: Example Using Static Dissipative Material: Projection Shape> In Configuration Examples 1 to 4, configurations using static eliminator (ionizer) 350 have been described, but the configuration of the static eliminator is not limited to these examples. For example, a static diffusive material may be used. A static diffusive material is a material that has the property of diffusing charged electric charges (static dissipative properties). Here, having "static dissipative properties" means that the surface resistance (Rs) measured in accordance with the provisions of IEC 61340-5-1 and 5-2 is 1×10 or less. ４ Ω or more, 1×10 １１ A material has a surface resistance value of less than Ω. This range of surface resistance values ​​(Rs) is also referred to as the static electricity dissipative region. Hereinafter, a material having static electricity dissipative properties is also referred to as a static electricity dissipative material.

[0060] The static electricity dissipative material may be, for example, a resin (e.g., a thermosetting resin) or ceramics in the static electricity dissipative region. The static electricity dissipative material may be molded into parts of various shapes, such as a protrusion shape (pin shape), a two-dimensionally expanding sheet shape (plate shape), or a roller shape (cylindrical shape), so as to facilitate contact with the member to be de-ionized (the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100).

[0061] 7 is a diagram showing a fifth configuration example of the static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. As the fifth configuration example of the static eliminator, an example of a protruding (pin-shaped) part formed from a static electricity dissipative material 504 is shown.

[0062] The transfer chamber 302 is provided with a static elimination robot 501 capable of moving (up and down) the static electricity dissipative material 504 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The static elimination robot 501 includes a static elimination hand 503 that holds a protruding (pin-shaped) component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504, and an actuator 502 that moves the static elimination hand 503 in the vertical direction (Z direction). A plurality of protruding (pin-shaped) components formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 are two-dimensionally arranged within the holding surface (XY plane) of the static elimination hand 503 so as to contact the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100. In this embodiment, the static elimination robot 501 having a protruding (pin-shaped) component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 is referred to as a static elimination device. The configuration shown in Figure 7 shows an example in which the de-ionization robot 501 is provided on the upper side of the transport chamber 302, but this is not limited to this example. For example, the de-ionization robot 501 may be arranged on the lower side of the transport chamber 302 so as not to interfere with the transport robot 302a.

[0063] 7 shows an example of a substrate transport path before film formation, in which a static elimination device (static elimination robot 501) is provided inside the transport chamber 302. Specifically, at a position on the substrate transport path before film formation, the static elimination device (static elimination robot 501) operates an actuator 502 to lower a static elimination hand 503 vertically downward. As the static elimination hand 503 descends, a protruding (pin-shaped) part formed of an electrostatic dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100, thereby eliminating the electric potential charged on the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100.

[0064] 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example 6 of a static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. As the configuration example 6 of the static eliminator, an example of a sheet-shaped (plate-shaped) part having a two-dimensional extension formed from a static eliminator 504 is shown.

[0065] 7 , the transfer chamber 302 is provided with a static elimination robot 501 capable of moving (up and down) the static electricity dissipative material 504 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The device configuration of the static electricity dissipative robot 501 is basically the same as that in FIG. 7 , but in configuration example 6 shown in FIG. 8 , a sheet-shaped component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 is held by a static electricity dissipation hand 503 via a sheet holding member 505. The sheet-shaped component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 and having a two-dimensional extension is held within the holding surface (XY plane) of the static electricity dissipation hand 503 so as to be able to come into surface contact with the attraction surface 100 a of the substrate 100.

[0066] 8 shows an example of a substrate transport path before film formation, in which a static elimination device (static elimination robot 501) is provided in the transport chamber 302. Specifically, at a position on the substrate transport path before film formation, the static elimination device (static elimination robot 501) operates an actuator 502 to lower a static elimination hand 503 vertically downward. As the static elimination hand 503 descends, a sheet-shaped component formed of a static electricity dissipative material 504 and having a two-dimensional extension comes into contact with the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100, thereby eliminating the electric potential charged on the substrate 100.

[0067] 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example 7 of a static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. As the configuration example 7 of the static eliminator, an example of a roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from a static eliminator 504 is shown.

[0068] 7 and 8 , the transfer chamber 302 is provided with a static elimination robot 501 that can move (up and down) a roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from a static electricity dissipative material 504 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The device configuration of the static elimination robot 501 is basically the same as that of FIGS. 7 and 8 . However, in configuration example 7 shown in FIG. 9 , the roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 is disposed within the holding surface (XY plane) of the static elimination hand 503 so as to be in surface contact with the attraction surface 100 a of the substrate 100. A roller holding member 506 is provided on the holding surface of the static elimination hand 503. The roller holding member 506 rotatably holds the roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504. The static elimination hand 503 of the static elimination robot 501 holds a roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from a static electricity dissipative material 504 via a roller holding member 506 .

[0069] 9 shows an example of a substrate transport path before film formation, in which a static elimination device (static elimination robot 501) is provided in the transport chamber 302. Specifically, at a position on the substrate transport path before film formation, the static elimination device (static elimination robot 501) operates an actuator 502 to lower a static elimination hand 503 vertically downward. As the static elimination hand 503 descends, a roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed of a static electricity dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100, thereby eliminating the potential charged on the substrate 100. When the transport robot 302a is moved horizontally (in the X direction) while the roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from the electrostatic dissipative material 504 is in contact with the adsorption surface 100a of the substrate 100, the roller-shaped (cylindrical) part formed from the electrostatic dissipative material 504 rotates on the adsorption surface 100a of the substrate 100, thereby discharging the electric potential charged on the substrate 100.

[0070] In the configuration examples 5 to 7 of the static elimination device described in Figures 7 to 9, examples have been described in which the static elimination robot 501 is provided in the transport chamber 302, but this is not limited to this example, and the static elimination robot 501 may also be provided on the substrate transport path before film formation, for example, in the buffer chamber 306, the turning chamber 307, or the delivery chamber 308.

[0071] <Configuration Example 8 of the Static Eliminator: Example Using Static Dissipative Material: Substrate Support> In Configuration Examples 5 to 7 of the static eliminator, examples have been described in which the static eliminator hand 503 of the static eliminator robot 501 is provided with a static diffusive material 504. In Configuration Example 8 of the static eliminator, an example will be described in which the substrate support 62 that comes into contact with the film formation surface of the substrate 100 and the substrate support 63 that comes into contact with the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 are made of a static diffusive material at the periphery of the substrate 100. Figures 10 and 11 are views showing Configuration Example 8 of the static eliminator in the film formation apparatus 1 according to the embodiment.

[0072] 10 and 11 , a base portion 61 holds substrate support portions 62 and 63. An actuator 160 moves the base portion 61 in the horizontal direction (X direction). In this embodiment, the substrate support portions 62 and 63 made of a static electricity dissipative material, the base portion 61, and the actuator 160 are collectively referred to as a static eliminator.

[0073] 10 shows a film forming apparatus 1 to which configuration example 8 is applied, and the basic configuration is similar to that of the film forming apparatus 1 described in FIG. 2, but differs in that it includes a static eliminator (61 to 63, 161). The base portion 61, the substrate support portions 62, 63, and the actuator 160 are provided as at least a pair on the left and right. Note that the base portion 61, the substrate support portions 62, 63, and the actuator 160 may be further provided in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing so as to surround the peripheral edge of the substrate 100.

[0074] The actuator 160 moves the base portion 61 and the substrate support portions 62 and 63 in the horizontal direction relative to the substrate 100 loaded into the vacuum chamber 3 of the film forming apparatus 1. Fig. 11 is a diagram schematically showing the operation of the base portion 61 and the substrate support portions 62 and 63 in the static eliminator.

[0075] 11 , the operation of the actuator 160 causes the base portion 61 and the substrate support portions 62, 63 on the left side of the page to move in the direction of the arrow S1, thereby coming into contact with the left edge of the substrate 100. Furthermore, the operation of the actuator 160 causes the base portion 61 and the substrate support portions 62, 63 on the left side of the page to move in the direction of the arrow S3, thereby moving away from the left edge of the substrate 100.

[0076] Similarly, the operation of the actuator 160 causes the base portion 61 and the substrate support portions 62, 63 on the right side of the paper to move in the direction of the arrow S2, thereby coming into contact with the right edge of the substrate 100. Furthermore, the operation of the actuator 160 causes the base portion 61 and the substrate support portions 62, 63 on the right side of the paper to move in the direction of the arrow S4, thereby moving away from the right edge of the substrate 100.

[0077] The substrate support portions 62 and 63, which are made of a static electricity dissipative material, function as a pair of leaf springs (clips). The substrate support portion 62 functions as a leaf spring biased vertically upward, and the substrate support portion 63 functions as a leaf spring biased vertically downward, and the upper and lower substrate support portions 62 and 63 are in contact with each other with the biasing forces of the upper and lower substrate support portions 62 and 63 balanced.

[0078] 11 , the left and right base portions 61 and the substrate support portions 62, 63 move in the directions of arrows S1 and S2 and come into contact with the ends of the substrate 100. As the movement in the directions of arrows S1 and S2 progresses due to the operation of the actuator 160, the left end of the substrate 100 is sandwiched between the substrate support portions 62, 63 on the left side of the page, as indicated by the vertical arrows. Similarly, the right end of the substrate 100 is sandwiched between the substrate support portions 62, 63 on the right side of the page, as indicated by the vertical arrows.

[0079] The left and right substrate support portions 62, 63 are formed from an electrostatic dissipative material. The left and right ends of the substrate 100 are sandwiched between the substrate support portions 62, 63, so that the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 comes into contact with the substrate support portions 63. As a component formed from an electrostatic dissipative material, the substrate support portion 63 comes into contact with the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 when supporting the periphery of the substrate 100. The contact of the substrate support portion 63, which is made of an electrostatic dissipative material, with the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 enables the potential of the attraction surface 100a of the substrate 100 to be neutralized.

[0080] In the configuration example 8 shown in Figures 10 and 11, the substrate support parts 62 and 63 are formed from an electrostatic dissipative material, but if the adsorption surface 100a is to be de-electrified, it is sufficient to form at least the substrate support part 63 from an electrostatic dissipative material.

[0081] In order to make it easier to sandwich the left and right ends of the substrate 100 between the substrate support parts 62, 63, the ends of the substrate support parts 62, 63 may be tapered. Furthermore, the substrate support parts 62, 63 are not limited to being tapered, and may be formed with a cross-sectional shape having a curvature. By forming a taper or curvature at the ends of the substrate support parts 62, 63, it is possible to more easily guide the ends of the substrate 100 between the substrate support parts 62, 63 along the taper or curvature.

[0082] In configuration example 8, by bringing the substrate support portion 63 formed from an electrostatic dissipative material into contact with the adsorption surface 100a of the substrate 100, the potential of the adsorption surface 100a of the substrate 100 can be neutralized on the substrate transport path before film formation.

[0083] With both ends of the substrate 100 sandwiched between the left and right substrate support members 62, 63, the actuator 65 is operated to move the base member 61 vertically upward, causing the substrate 100 to move vertically upward, the attracting surface 100a to be attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15, the entire surface to be processed of the substrate 100 to come into contact with the mask 101, and the film formation process is performed. After the film formation process is completed, the actuator 65 is operated to move the base member 61 vertically downward, causing the substrate 100 to move vertically downward, and then the actuator 160 is operated to move the left and right substrate support members 62, 63 in the directions of arrows S3 and S4, causing the substrate 100 to be released.

[0084] According to the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the configuration of the static eliminator makes it possible to eliminate static electricity from the attracting surface 100 a of the substrate 100 before the substrate 100 and the electrostatic chuck 15 come into contact with each other.

[0085] 12 is a diagram showing a 9th configuration example of a static eliminator in the film formation apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 12, an example of a substrate transport path before film formation is shown, in which a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided on the side wall of the film formation apparatus 1.

[0086] In Configuration Example 9, a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 is provided on a sidewall of the film forming apparatus 1 so as to irradiate the electrostatic chuck 15 with vacuum ultraviolet light 354 before the substrate 100 is attracted to the electrostatic chuck 15. Configuration Example 9 differs from Configuration Example 4 ( FIG. 6 ) in that the target to be irradiated with the vacuum ultraviolet light 354 is the electrostatic chuck 15, not the substrate 100.

[0087] The distance adjustment unit 22 raises and lowers the first lift plate 220, thereby raising and lowering the electrostatic chuck 15 and the substrate support unit 6, and adjusts the position of the electrostatic chuck 15 in the vertical direction (Z direction) to a position within the irradiation range of the static eliminator (ionizer) 350. The position can be adjusted so that the attracting surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15, which comes into contact with the attracting surface 100a of the substrate 100, can be neutralized. After the alignment of the electrostatic chuck 15 is completed, the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 irradiates the electrostatic chuck 15 with vacuum ultraviolet light 354.

[0088] In a case where the irradiation range from one static eliminator (ionizer) 350 can cover both the electrostatic chuck 15 and the substrate 100, one static eliminator (ionizer) 350 may be provided on a side wall of the film forming apparatus 1. In Configuration Example 9 shown in FIG. 12 , an example is shown in which the static eliminator (ionizer) 350 common to Configuration Example 4 ( FIG. 6 ) is used, but this example is not limited thereto, and multiple static eliminators (ionizers) 350 may be provided on the side wall. That is, a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 (first static eliminator) that irradiates the electrostatic chuck 15 with vacuum ultraviolet light 354, a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 (second static eliminator) that irradiates the substrate 100 (attraction surface 100 a) with vacuum ultraviolet light 354, and multiple static eliminators (ionizers) 350 may be provided.

[0089] In this embodiment, the path taken by the substrate 100 before it comes into contact with the electrostatic chuck 15 is the substrate transport path before film formation, so the position of the electrostatic chuck 15 within the film formation apparatus 1 where the substrate 100 is not being adsorbed is included in the substrate transport path before film formation.

[0090] As shown in Configuration Example 9, by using a static eliminator (ionizer) 350 to irradiate vacuum ultraviolet light 354 onto the electrostatic chuck 15 that is not adsorbing the substrate 100, the potential charged on the adsorption surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15 can be eliminated.

[0091] 13 is a diagram showing a configuration example 10 of a static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. As the configuration example 10 of the static eliminator, an example of a part having a protrusion shape (pin shape) formed from a static eliminator material 504 is shown.

[0092] In configuration example 10, a protrusion-shaped (pin-shaped) part formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15. A static eliminator hand 503 holding the protrusion-shaped (pin-shaped) part formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 is placed on the transfer robot 302a and is transferred from the transfer chamber 302 to the film formation chamber 303 (vacuum chamber) by the transfer robot 302a. The static eliminator hand 503 transferred into the film formation chamber 303 (vacuum chamber) is then raised vertically upward by the transfer robot 302a, and the protrusion-shaped (pin-shaped) part formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0093] When a protruding (pin-shaped) part formed from the electrostatic dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the adsorption surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15, the potential charged on the adsorption surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15 can be neutralized.

[0094] 14 is a diagram showing Configuration Example 11 of the static eliminator in the film forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. As Configuration Example 11 of the static eliminator, an example of a sheet-shaped (plate-shaped) part having a two-dimensional extension formed from a static eliminator 504 is shown.

[0095] In configuration example 11, a sheet-shaped component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15. A static eliminator hand 503, which holds the sheet-shaped component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 via a sheet holding member 505, is placed on the transfer robot 302a and is transferred from the transfer chamber 302 to the film formation chamber 303 (vacuum chamber) by the transfer robot 302a. The static eliminator hand 503 transferred into the film formation chamber 303 (vacuum chamber) is then raised vertically upward by the transfer robot 302a, and the sheet-shaped component formed from the static electricity dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0096] When a sheet-shaped part formed from the electrostatic dissipative material 504 comes into contact with the attraction surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15, the potential charged on the attraction surface 150 of the electrostatic chuck 15 can be neutralized.

[0097] 15 is a flowchart showing the overall processing flow by the film forming apparatus 1. This flowchart shows an outline of the steps that the film forming apparatus 1 performs on one substrate 100.

[0098] S201 is a pretreatment process. In this process, a static elimination process is performed by a static elimination device (Configuration Examples 1 to 11) as a pretreatment for the film formation process. The film formation device 1 of this embodiment performs a static elimination process on the substrate 100 and the electrostatic chuck 15 in advance before the substrate 100 and the electrostatic chuck 15 come into contact with each other.

[0099] In step S202, the control device 14 raises the substrate support unit 6 supporting the substrate 100 to a predetermined position. The control device 14 applies a changed voltage to the electrode portion of the electrostatic chuck 15 to generate an attraction force, thereby attracting the substrate 100 to the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0100] Step S203 is an alignment step in which the control device 14 lowers the electrostatic chuck 15, which attracts the substrate 100, using the distance adjustment unit 22 to bring the substrate 100 closer to the mask 101. Then, the position adjustment unit 20 adjusts the horizontal positions of the substrate 100 and the mask 101.

[0101] S204 is a film formation step. In preparation for this step, the control device 14 brings the substrate 100, which has been aligned, into contact with the mask 101. Next, the control device 14 lowers the plate unit 9 to bring the substrate 100 and the mask 101 into closer contact with each other using the magnetic force of the magnetic plate 11. In this state, the control device 14 causes the film formation unit 4 to deposit the deposition material onto the substrate 100.

[0102] In step S205, the control device 14 stops the application of voltage to the electrode portion of the electrostatic chuck 15, thereby separating the substrate 100 from the electrostatic chuck 15. Alternatively, the control device 14 may reduce the voltage applied to the electrode portion to such an extent that the electrostatic chuck 15 cannot maintain the attraction of the substrate 100, without stopping the application of voltage to the electrode portion.

[0103] In step S206, the substrate 100 is unloaded from the film forming apparatus by the transport robot 302a.

[0104] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program that realizes one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that realizes one or more of the functions.

[0105] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention.

[0106] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-156496, filed September 21, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0107] 1: film forming device, 14: control device, 15: electrostatic chuck, 8: alignment unit, 10: deposition unit (film forming source), 62, 63: substrate support portion (substrate support claws), 100: substrate, 100a: attraction surface (substrate), 101: mask, 150: attraction surface (electrostatic chuck), 302a: transfer robot, 307a: transfer robot, 350: static eliminator (ionizer), 501: static eliminator (static eliminator robot), 504: static electricity dissipative material

Claims

1. A film formation apparatus for forming a film of a deposition material on a substrate attracted to an electrostatic chuck, comprising: a charge removing means for removing electricity from the attracting surface of the substrate on a transport path before the substrate is attracted to the electrostatic chuck.

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said charge removing means includes an ionizer that irradiates the attraction surface of said substrate with ultraviolet light that induces ionization.

3. The static elimination means is 1×10 ４ Ω or more, 1×10 １１ 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part molded from a substance having electrostatic dissipation properties and a surface resistance of less than Ω is brought into contact with the attraction surface on the transport path to neutralize the charge on the attraction surface.

4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the static electricity removal means brings a part formed from the electrostatic dissipative material, the part having a plurality of protrusions or a part having a sheet shape with a two-dimensional extension, into contact with the adsorption surface on the transport path to remove static electricity from the adsorption surface.

5. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the static electricity removal means is provided with a substrate support means which is a part molded from a material having electrostatic dissipation properties and which comes into contact with the adsorption surface of the substrate when supporting the peripheral edge of the substrate.

6. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said charge removing means removes electricity from the attracting surface of said electrostatic chuck before said substrate is attracted to said electrostatic chuck.

7. The film forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said charge removing means includes an ionizer which irradiates the attracting surface of said electrostatic chuck with ultraviolet light which induces ionization.

8. The charge removing means is 1×10 ４ Ω or more, 1×10 １１ 7. The film forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a part molded from a substance having electrostatic dissipation properties and a surface resistance of less than Ω is brought into contact with an attraction surface of the electrostatic chuck to remove electricity from the attraction surface.

9. The film forming apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the de-electrification means brings a part having a plurality of protrusions or a part having a sheet shape with a two-dimensional extension, which is formed from the substance having electrostatic dissipation properties, into contact with the adsorption surface of the electrostatic chuck to de-electrify the adsorption surface.

10. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an alignment means for adjusting the relative positions of said substrate and said mask based on the measurement results of alignment marks formed on said substrate and said mask, respectively.

11. The film forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said alignment means adjusts the relative positions of said substrate attracted to said electrostatic chuck and said mask.

12. The film formation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the film formation apparatus is a deposit-up type film formation apparatus, the vertically upper surface of the substrate is the adsorption surface, the vertically lower surface of the substrate is the film formation surface, and a thin film of a deposition material having a predetermined pattern is formed on the film formation surface of the substrate via a mask.

13. A method for forming a film on a film forming apparatus that forms a film of a deposition material on a substrate attracted to an electrostatic chuck, the method comprising: a charge removal step of removing electricity from the attracting surface of the substrate by a charge removal means on a transport path before the substrate is attracted to the electrostatic chuck.

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