Vacuum treatment apparatus and vessel

Abstract

The present invention achieves automated opening / closing of a vacuum transfer container while reducing occurrence of operational malfunction and occurrence of mechanical ware. A load lock chamber (10) of a vacuum treatment apparatus (1) comprises an opening / closing mechanism (13) for receiving a vessel (90) capable of storing an object to be treated in a vacuum state in an internal space partitioned by a base (91) and a lid (92). The opening / closing mechanism (13) is also for engaging the lid at two or more engagement portions (922) so as to lift up the lid and disengage the lid from the base held by a vessel holding portion (12).

Description

Vacuum processing device and vessel

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vacuum processing equipment and vessels.

[0002] Vacuum processing apparatuses, such as plasma processing apparatuses, are known that perform required processing on a workpiece within a vacuum chamber. It has also been proposed to apply a vacuum transport container to the vacuum processing apparatus, which can accommodate the workpiece while maintaining it in a vacuum and can be transported into and out of the vacuum processing apparatus itself.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-170665 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-281106

[0004] In such technology, it is necessary to open and close the vacuum transfer vessel inside the vacuum processing apparatus body to load and unload the workpiece. In order to maintain high processing efficiency of the vacuum processing apparatus, a technology is required that realizes automation of the opening and closing of such a vacuum transfer vessel while reducing the occurrence of operational malfunctions and wear of the mechanism.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present disclosure is a vacuum processing apparatus including a load lock chamber and a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the load lock chamber has a base and a lid, and is configured to receive a vessel capable of holding a workpiece to be processed in the vacuum processing chamber while maintaining it under vacuum in an internal space partitioned by the base and the lid, and to detach and attach the lid to and from the base in order to remove and store the workpiece, and includes a vessel fixing part that holds the base, and an opening / closing mechanism that engages with the lid at at least two engagement parts provided on the lid, and that detaches the lid from the base held by the vessel fixing part by lifting the lid while engaged with the lid, and that places the lifted lid on the base held by the vessel fixing part to attach the lid to the base.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, another aspect of the present disclosure is the vessel that is applied to the vacuum processing apparatus of the above aspect, wherein the planar shape of the lid body is approximately square or approximately rectangular, and at least a portion of the engagement portion for engaging with the opening / closing mechanism portion is provided in two locations along one diagonal of the planar shape.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to automate the opening and closing of a vacuum transport container while reducing the occurrence of operational malfunctions and wear on the mechanism.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vacuum processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the vacuum processing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a cross section viewed from the front, illustrating an overview of a vessel according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a base body of the vessel. FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a lid body of the vessel. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a load lock chamber of the vacuum processing apparatus. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a lifting rod of an opening / closing mechanism is raised. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for introducing gas into a load lock chamber when a vessel is removed from the load lock chamber of the vacuum processing apparatus to the outside. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vacuum processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] [Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. However, the following description is for explaining an example of a vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the following description and the contents of the drawings. Note that, in the following, directions and orientations are expressed assuming that the upward vertical line is the positive direction of the Z axis, and that the X axis and Y axis are in a horizontal plane.

[0010] <Overview of the configuration of vacuum processing apparatus 1> Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the main parts of vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of vacuum processing apparatus 1. Note that, as not shown in Fig. 1, dew point meter 15 shown in Fig. 2 does not necessarily have to be provided in vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1.

[0011] The vacuum processing apparatus 1 includes a load lock chamber 10, an intermediate chamber 20, a vacuum processing chamber 30, a transfer mechanism 40, and a control unit 60 that controls each part of the vacuum processing apparatus 1. The load lock chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 30 are airtightly connected via the intermediate chamber 20. The load lock chamber 10, the intermediate chamber 20, and the vacuum processing chamber 30 are arranged side by side in the X-axis direction. The intermediate chamber 20 is provided with a gate valve 21 that can isolate the load lock chamber 10 from the vacuum processing chamber 30.

[0012] The transport mechanism 40 has a transfer rod 41 that can move back and forth in the X-axis direction. When the gate valve 21 is open, the transport mechanism 40 can transport a holder 93 on which a workpiece is placed between the load lock chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 30. The load lock chamber 10 includes a support mechanism 11, a vessel fixing mechanism 12, an opening / closing mechanism 13, and a door (not shown). The door can open the load lock chamber 10 to the outside and can keep the load lock chamber 10 airtight when closed. The vessel fixing mechanism 12 is a stage that holds the vessel 90.

[0013] The support mechanism 11 supports the vessel fixing part 12 so that its position can be adjusted. The opening / closing mechanism 13 is a mechanism that opens and closes the vessel 90 held by the vessel fixing part 12. The opening / closing mechanism 13 has two lifting rods 131 that can descend from the ceiling side of the load lock chamber 10 toward the vessel fixing part 12 and can also ascend. Each of the lifting rods 131 is held by a seal block 14 on the ceiling of the load lock chamber 10 so that it can be raised and lowered, while the load lock chamber 10 is kept airtight.

[0014] A vacuum pipe 51 connected to a first vacuum pump unit 50 (vacuum pump unit) is connected to the load lock chamber 10, and the load lock chamber 10 can be evacuated by the first vacuum pump unit 50. A gas pipe 53 connected to a gas inlet unit 52 is also connected to the load lock chamber 10, and gas can be introduced into the load lock chamber 10 by the gas inlet unit 52.

[0015] The gas introduced by the gas introduction unit 52 is preferably an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen. The gas introduction unit 52 is appropriately provided with an interlock mechanism that stops the gas introduction when the pressure inside the load lock chamber 10 reaches a predetermined pressure that exceeds atmospheric pressure, or a mechanism that continues the gas introduction but releases the pressure in the load lock chamber 10. The detailed functions and operations of each part of the load lock chamber 10 will be described in more detail later.

[0016] The vacuum processing chamber 30 is divided into a front chamber section 31 and a processing chamber section 32 located above the front chamber section 31. The vacuum processing chamber 30 is equipped with an elevation mechanism 33 and an elevation stage 34. A vacuum pipe 55 connected to a second vacuum pump section 54 is connected to the vacuum processing chamber 30, and the vacuum processing chamber 30 can be evacuated by the second vacuum pump section 54.

[0017] The lifting mechanism 33 moves the lifting stage 34 up and down between the front chamber 31 and the processing chamber 32. When the lifting stage 34 is in a lowered position within the front chamber 31, the transport mechanism 40 can hold the holder 93 on which the workpiece is placed by the transfer rod 41 and transport it between the load lock chamber 10 and the lifting stage 34 of the vacuum processing chamber 30.

[0018] When the lift stage 34 is in a raised position within the processing chamber 32, the workpiece on the lift stage 34 can be subjected to the required vacuum processing. In Fig. 1, the lift stage 34 in the lowered position is shown by a solid line, and the lift stage 34 halfway between the raised and lowered positions is shown by a dotted line. The vacuum processing apparatus 1 that performs the required vacuum processing on the workpiece within the processing chamber 32 may be, for example, a plasma processing apparatus. A sputtering apparatus, a plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatus, a plasma etching apparatus, and a plasma ashing apparatus are all examples of plasma processing apparatuses.

[0019] The vacuum processing apparatus 1 includes an appropriate vacuum processing mechanism 35 for performing required vacuum processing within the processing chamber 32. Examples of functions of the vacuum processing mechanism 35 include a mechanism for generating plasma within the processing chamber 32, a mechanism for introducing required gases into the processing chamber 32, a mechanism for heating the lifting stage 34, and a mechanism for applying a bias to the lifting stage 34 or the film-forming raw material within the processing chamber 32.

[0020] <Vessel 90> The vessel 90 used in the vacuum processing apparatus 1 is a portable vacuum transport container that can accommodate an object to be processed while maintaining it under vacuum. The vessel 90 is composed of a base 91 and a lid 92, and accommodates the object to be processed and a holder 93 on which the object to be processed is placed in the internal space defined by the base 91 and the lid 92.

[0021] Vessel 90 enables the workpiece to be transported between vacuum processing apparatus 1 and other apparatus while being held in a vacuum. To this end, load lock chamber 10 is configured so that vessel 90 can be received on vessel fixing portion 12, lid 92 of vessel 90 can be detached from base 91, and the workpiece can be taken out or stored together with holder 93.

[0022] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view seen from the front direction (Y direction in Fig. 1) to show the main configuration of the vessel 90. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base body 91. In Fig. 4, the outer edge (planar shape) of the lid body 92 attached to the base body 91 is shown by a dotted line. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lid body 92. Fig. 3 shows cross sections taken along the lines A-A of the base body 91 in Fig. 4 and the lid body 92 in Fig. 5.

[0023] The lid 92 is composed of a plate-shaped ceiling portion 921 that is approximately square or rectangular in plan view, and sidewall portions 923 that extend downward from the outer edges, i.e., the four sides, of the ceiling portion 921. Therefore, the planar shape of the lid 92 is approximately square or rectangular. In the example shown, the base 91 is a plate-shaped member that is approximately square or rectangular in plan view. However, the planar shape of the base 91 can be selected arbitrarily as long as it can make the internal space partitioned by the base 91 and the lid 92 airtight.

[0024] In the specific examples shown in the figures, the planar shape of the base 91 is set to the minimum size that nearly matches the planar shape of the lid 92 (dotted line in FIG. 4 ), and is thus approximately square or rectangular. However, since the vessel 90 only needs to be configured such that the base 91 surrounds the side wall portion 923 of the lid 92 in a plan view, the planar shape of the base 91 is not limited to being approximately square or rectangular if the planar shape of the base 91 is not set to the minimum size.

[0025] Here, the term "approximately rectangular" refers to any shape that can be recognized as a rectangle overall. In other words, the term "approximately rectangular" includes rectangles with slight modifications. For example, a rectangle with rounded corners or a shape that is rectangular overall, such as a rectangle with at least one rounded corner (so-called R), is also an example of a "approximate rectangle." Another example of a "approximate rectangle" is a rectangle with a convex or concave portion on one of its sides. The term "approximate rectangle" also includes a shape that can be recognized as a rectangle overall, even if at least one of its sides has a wavy or curved portion. The same applies to the term "approximate square."

[0026] 3 , in the vessel 90 in a state in which the lid 92 is attached to the base 91, the internal space is the space sandwiched between the ceiling 921 of the lid 92 and the base 91 in the vertical direction. In addition, in the horizontal direction, the internal space is the space surrounded by the side wall 923 of the lid 92.

[0027] Two engagement portions 922 are provided on the upper surface of the ceiling portion 921 of the lid body 92. Specific examples of the engagement portions 922 are threaded holes, which can engage with threaded portions 132 (see FIG. 6 ), which are engagement portions on the opening / closing mechanism 13 and will be described later. The two engagement portions 922 are arranged diagonally on the planar shape of the lid body 92. In particular, the two engagement portions 922 are arranged symmetrically about the center of the planar shape of the lid body 92, near each corner.

[0028] The bottom surface of the base 91 may be flat. Through holes 911 are provided at the four corners of the base 91 in the planar shape, respectively, so that the base 91 can be fixed to the vessel fixing part 12 using appropriate engaging members such as screws or pins. Therefore, in a plan view, the through holes 911 are located outside the outer edge (dotted line in FIG. 4 ) of the lid 92 attached to the base 91.

[0029] A dovetail groove 912 is provided on the upper surface of the base 91 so as to surround the outer edge of the base 91. In a plan view, the overall shape of the dovetail groove 912, when viewed as a line, is a rounded square or a rounded rectangle. The dovetail groove 912 is an inverted tapered groove whose width increases from the entrance toward the back. An O-ring (not shown) is inserted throughout the dovetail groove 912. The upper end of the O-ring fitted into the dovetail groove 912 is positioned above the upper end of the dovetail groove 912. By fitting the O-ring into this inverted tapered groove, the O-ring is configured to not easily fall off the base 91.

[0030] At one location on the dovetail groove 912, a cylindrical hole 913 having a diameter equal to or greater than the maximum groove width of the dovetail groove 912 is arranged so as to overlap the dovetail groove 912, but does not penetrate to the bottom surface of the base 91. The cylindrical hole 913 is an entrance and exit for a processing tool when forming the inverted tapered dovetail groove 912 in the base 91. The through holes 911 at the four corners of the base 91 are each arranged outside the dovetail groove 912 that surrounds it.

[0031] On the top surface of the base 91, a convex portion 914 is disposed inside the opening of the circumferential dovetail groove 912, with the outer edge positioned slightly apart so as to follow the dovetail groove 912. The outer edge of the convex portion 914 is a rounded square or a rounded rectangle that is slightly smaller than the rounded square or rounded rectangle of the overall shape of the dovetail groove 912 described above. Thus, surfaces of the same height are formed on both sides of the opening of the dovetail groove 912 along the dovetail groove 912. The top surface of the convex portion 914 is configured at a position higher than the surfaces on both sides of the opening of the dovetail groove 912, i.e., at a position away from the bottom surface of the base 91.

[0032] On the upper surface of the base 91, inside the convex portion 914, a recess 915 having a surface recessed from the upper surface of the convex portion 914 toward the bottom surface of the base 91 may be appropriately provided, so that the holder 93 for the workpiece placed on the base 91 can be kept in a fixed position. Note that the positioning of the holder 93 may be performed by a protrusion instead of the recess 915, and in that case the recess 915 does not need to be formed.

[0033] When the lid 92 is attached to the base 91 and assembled into the vessel 90, the bottom surface of the side wall 923 of the lid 92 is located on a surface on the upper surface of the base 91 that is at the same height as the dovetail groove 912 and along the dovetail groove 912. The bottom surface of the side wall 923 of the lid 92 comes into contact with an O-ring inserted in the dovetail groove 912, thereby hermetically sealing the internal space between the base 91 and the lid 92.

[0034] <Transportation of Workpiece: Vessel Introduction - Lid Removal> The transportation of a workpiece to be vacuum-processed in vacuum processing apparatus 1 will be described below with further reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a main portion of load-lock chamber 10 of vacuum processing apparatus 1. Note that Fig. 1 shows a state in which opening / closing mechanism 13 is engaged with lid 92 that is attached to base 91 of vessel 90, whereas Fig. 6 shows a similar state in which opening / closing mechanism 13 is not engaged with lid 92.

[0035] First, a vessel 90 is prepared, with a workpiece and a holder 93 housed in a vacuum state within its internal space. The vessel 90 in this state can be prepared appropriately by the vacuum processing apparatus 1 or another apparatus. In the vacuum processing apparatus 1, the gate valve 21 is closed to isolate the load lock chamber 10 from the vacuum processing chamber 30, and the interior of the load lock chamber 10 is at approximately atmospheric pressure. An operator opens the door of the load lock chamber 10. At this time, the interior of the load lock chamber 10 is purged with an inert gas via the gas inlet 52, minimizing the inflow of outside air into the load lock chamber 10 through the open door.

[0036] An operator introduces the vessel 90 into the load lock chamber 10 through the opening in the door and places it on the vessel fixing part 12. At this time, the two lifting rods 131 are raised. The operator then inserts the engaging members into the through holes 911 in the base 91 to fix the base 91 to the vessel fixing part 12. The positional relationship between the opening / closing mechanism 13, the vessel 90, and the vessel fixing part 12 in this state is as shown in FIG. 6. The operator then closes the door of the load lock chamber 10.

[0037] Next, when the operator issues a predetermined instruction to the control unit 60, the control unit 60 controls each unit of the vacuum processing apparatus 1 to automatically execute a series of sequences including the vacuum processing. First, the introduction of the inert gas into the load lock chamber 10 by the gas introduction unit 52 is stopped, and the first vacuum pump unit 50 evacuates the load lock chamber 10. After the interior of the load lock chamber 10 reaches a predetermined vacuum level, a step of removing the workpiece from the vessel 90 is performed. Note that, in order to sufficiently exhaust any remaining air in the load lock chamber 10, the evacuation and gas introduction may be repeated before the workpiece is removed.

[0038] To remove the workpiece from the vessel 90, a step is performed in which the lid 92 is detached from the base 91 fixed to the vessel fixing part 12. First, the two lifting rods 131 in the opening / closing mechanism 13 are each lowered and rotated (spinned) about their central axes, causing the threaded portions 132 provided on the central axes at the lower ends of the lifting rods 131 to threadably engage with the engaging portions 922 of the lid 92. The threaded portions 132 are parts of the opening / closing mechanism 13 that engage with the engaging portions 922. The positional relationship between the opening / closing mechanism 13, the vessel 90, and the vessel fixing part 12 in this state is as shown in FIG. 1 .

[0039] In order to accurately align the screw portion 132 and the engaging portion 922, the support mechanism 11 that supports the vessel fixing portion 12 may adjust the position of the vessel 90 before the lifting rod 131 descends. Such alignment may be performed using an appropriate detection means provided as part of the support mechanism 11 or the opening / closing mechanism 13. As the detection means for detecting the position of the engaging portion 922 of the vessel 90, a camera (image acquisition unit) that acquires an image of the lid body 92, a distance sensor that detects the position of the lid body 92, or the like may be used as appropriate.

[0040] After the threaded portion 132 and the engaging portion 922 are engaged with each other, the two lifting rods 131 in the opening / closing mechanism 13 are raised without rotating, thereby separating the lid body 92 from the base body 91 fixed to the vessel fixing portion 12. At this time, the two lifting rods 131 are not raised simultaneously but at slightly different times.

[0041] Since the engaging portions 922 of the lid 92 are spaced apart on a diagonal line of the lid 92, the lid 92 is pulled up at a slight incline in the diagonal direction. In other words, the O-ring and the bottom surface of the side wall portion 923 of the lid 92 are first peeled off from the corner of the lid 92 that is closest to the engaging portion 922 that is pulled up first.

[0042] If the lid 92 is pulled up horizontally without tilting, the O-ring attached to the bottom surface must be simultaneously peeled off the entire sidewall 923 of the lid 92, requiring a large force to separate the lid 92 from the base 91. This places a large load on the motor driving the lift rod 131 during the removal process, and the motor and mechanism driving the lift rod 131 are subjected to a large impact the moment the lid 92 is removed. This can lead to malfunctions in the operation of the opening and closing mechanism of the vessel 90 and wear over time. However, the vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment allows for smooth removal, reducing the occurrence of such malfunctions.

[0043] Furthermore, because two engagement portions 922 are provided on a diagonal line of the lid 92, which has a substantially square or rectangular planar shape, the area where peeling begins is limited to the corners of the lid 92, and therefore a particularly small force is required in the initial stage of peeling. After the initial peeling, a relatively small force is required to peel the O-ring off the bottom surface of the side wall portion 923 of the lid 92.

[0044] Furthermore, if the lid 92 and the opening / closing mechanism 13 are engaged at one point and the lid 92 is pulled up, the tilt of the lid 92 cannot be controlled when the lid 92 is removed, and the lid 92 is likely to tilt excessively. Therefore, stress is likely to be applied to the engaging portions of both the lid 92 and the opening / closing mechanism 13 and to the mechanical parts of the opening / closing mechanism 13. This can easily cause malfunctions in the operation of the opening / closing mechanism of the vessel 90 and wear of the mechanism over time. However, according to the first embodiment, as described above, the opening and closing of the vessel 90 can be smoothly performed automatically by the opening / closing mechanism 13, reducing the occurrence of such malfunctions.

[0045] <Transportation of workpiece: Removal of workpiece from vessel - vacuum processing - reloading> When the lid body 92 is lifted upward from the base body 91 by the two lifting rods 131 of the opening / closing mechanism part 13, the workpiece contained in the internal space of the vessel 90 can be removed, and the gate valve 21 is opened.

[0046] The transport mechanism 40 operates, and the transfer rod 41 advances through the intermediate chamber 20 into the load lock chamber 10, where it holds the holder 93 by an appropriate method, such as by scooping up the holder 93 from on the substrate 91. The transfer rod 41 then retreats to the anterior chamber 31 of the vacuum processing chamber 30, places the holder 93 on the lift stage 34, and releases its hold on the holder 93. The transfer rod 41 then retreats to a standby position where it does not interfere with the lift stage 34. The gate valve 21 is also closed, isolating the load lock chamber 10 from the vacuum processing chamber 30.

[0047] Next, the lifting mechanism 33 raises the lifting stage 34 on which the holder 93 is placed to the processing chamber 32. When the vacuum processing mechanism 35 performs the required vacuum processing on the workpiece placed on the holder 93 in the processing chamber 32, the lifting stage 34 on which the holder 93 is placed returns to a lowered position in the anterior chamber 31. When the inside of the vacuum processing chamber 30 reaches a predetermined vacuum level by vacuuming using the second vacuum pump 54, the gate valve 21 is opened.

[0048] The transport mechanism 40 operates to move the holder 93 from the lift stage 34 back onto the base 91 fixed to the vessel fixing part 12. Thereafter, the transfer rod 41 returns to the standby position, the gate valve 21 closes, and the load lock chamber 10 and the vacuum processing chamber 30 are isolated from each other again.

[0049] <Transportation of Workpiece: Attaching Lid to Removing Vessel> The lifting rod 131 is lowered, and the lid 92, engaged with the threaded portion 132 of the opening / closing mechanism 13, is placed on the base 91. The relative positions of the opening / closing mechanism 13, the vessel 90, and the vessel fixing portion 12 are returned to the state shown in Fig. 1. Next, the following operations (steps S1 to S8) are performed to set the load lock chamber 10 to atmospheric pressure, as shown in the flowchart of Fig. 7.

[0050] Step S1: The control unit 60 determines the height position P Ａ , and therefore, whether the height position of the base body 91 is within a predetermined range. Ａ The detection may be based on the position control information in the support mechanism unit 11, or may be performed by the above-mentioned detection means. If it is determined that the position is within the predetermined range (YES in S1), the flow proceeds to step S3, and otherwise (NO in S1), the flow proceeds to step S2.

[0051] Step S2: The support mechanism 11 adjusts the vessel fixing part 12 to the height position P Ａ Then, the flow returns to step S1.

[0052] Step S3: The control unit 60 adjusts the height position P Ｂ , and therefore, whether the height position of the lid body 92 is within a predetermined range. Ｂ The detection may be based on the position control information in the opening / closing mechanism 13, or may be performed by the above-mentioned detection means. If it is determined that the position is within the predetermined range (YES in S3), the flow proceeds to step S4, and otherwise (NO in S3), the flow proceeds to step S5.

[0053] Step S4: The control unit 60 checks whether the force F with which the lifting rod 131 of the opening / closing mechanism 13 presses the lid 92 downward is within a predetermined range, i.e., whether the relational expression F1<F<F2 is satisfied. The force F may be detected based on a torque signal of a motor that adjusts the height position of the lifting rod 131 of the opening / closing mechanism 13. If it is determined that the force F is within the predetermined range (YES in S4), the flow proceeds to step S6; otherwise (NO in S4), the flow proceeds to step S5.

[0054] Step S5: The opening and closing mechanism 13 adjusts the height position P of the lift rod 131. Ｂ is adjusted. If the force F is insufficient, the control unit 60 controls the lifting rod 131 to increase the amount by which the lid 92 is pushed downward. In other words, the control unit 60 controls the lifting rod 131 so that the target position of the lifting rod 131 becomes lower. If the force F is excessively large, the control unit 60 controls the lifting rod 131 to decrease the amount by which the lid 92 is pushed downward. In other words, the control unit 60 controls the lifting rod 131 so that the target position of the lifting rod 131 becomes higher. Next, the flow returns to step S3.

[0055] Step S6: When it is confirmed in step S4 that the force F applied to the lid 92 is within a predetermined range, the first vacuum pump unit 50 stops evacuating the load lock chamber 10, and the gas inlet unit 52 starts introducing an inert gas into the load lock chamber 10. With the lid 92 of the vessel 90 thus pressed against the substrate 91 with the predetermined force F, the pressure around the vessel 90 changes from a vacuum to a higher pressure. Next, the flow proceeds to step S7.

[0056] Step S7: The control unit 60 determines whether the pressure inside the load lock chamber 10 has reached a predetermined pressure. The predetermined pressure here is usually a pressure slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. If it is determined that the predetermined pressure has been reached (YES in S7), the flow proceeds to step S8; otherwise (NO in S7), the flow returns to step S7.

[0057] Step S8: The control unit 60 determines that the door of the load lock chamber 10 can be opened. As a result, the control unit 60 appropriately notifies the user to that effect. Furthermore, if an interlock is provided to restrict the opening of the door of the load lock chamber 10, the interlock is released. Then, the flow ends.

[0058] After that, the operator confirms from the notification that the door can be opened, opens the door of the load lock chamber 10, and transports the vessel 90 fixed on the vessel fixing part 12 together with the workpiece contained inside to the outside of the vacuum processing apparatus 1.

[0059] As described above, according to the vacuum processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, when the lid 92 of the vessel 90 is attached to the base 91, the lid 92 is pressed against the base 91 with a predetermined force, and the pressure around the vessel 90 is set to atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the pressure around the vessel 90 is set to atmospheric pressure from a vacuum state while the O-ring between the base 91 and the lid 92 is in tight contact with them, and therefore the workpiece is accommodated inside the vessel 90 with the vacuum state reliably maintained without leakage.

[0060] In the above description, the vessel 90 is manually loaded and unloaded into the load lock chamber 10 by an operator. However, the vacuum processing apparatus 1 may be configured to perform this procedure automatically. Although the example in which the opening / closing mechanism 13 and the lid 92 of the vessel 90 are engaged at two locations has been described, the number of engagement locations may be more than two. Even in this case, it is sufficient that one specific location is lifted up earlier than the other engagement locations when the lid 92 is detached from the base 91. The size of the vessel 90 is not particularly limited. The side length of the lid 92, which is generally square or rectangular, may be, for example, in the range of 5 cm to 3 m.

[0061] 8 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the main parts of a vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition to the configuration of the vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment includes a dew point meter 15 that detects the dew point inside the load lock chamber 10. Therefore, FIG. 2 is also a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment.

[0062] In addition to the operations of the vacuum processing apparatus 1 described in the first embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment may perform at least one of the operations described in the following operation example 1 and operation example 2. The procedure described in operation example 1 or operation example 2 is particularly effective when the result of the required vacuum processing is likely to be affected by the influence of residual moisture on the surface of the workpiece.

[0063] <Operation Example 1> In Operation Example 1, after an operator carries the vessel 90 into the load lock chamber 10 from the outside, that is, after the load lock chamber 10 is opened to the outside, the process of evacuating the load lock chamber 10 is performed as follows under the control of the control unit 60.

[0064] The introduction of the inert gas into the load lock chamber 10 by the gas introduction unit 52 is stopped, and the first vacuum pump unit 50 evacuates the load lock chamber 10. The evacuation may be completed when the elapsed time or the degree of vacuum reaches a predetermined value.

[0065] The inert gas is introduced into the load lock chamber 10 by the gas introduction unit 52 until a predetermined pressure is reached. This predetermined pressure may be atmospheric pressure, or a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. The dew point inside the load lock chamber 10 is then measured by the dew point meter 15. If the dew point inside the load lock chamber 10 is not below the predetermined value, the process of evacuating the load lock chamber 10, introducing the inert gas into the load lock chamber 10, and measuring the dew point is repeated. When the dew point inside the load lock chamber 10 reaches the predetermined value or below, a final evacuation is performed, and the workpiece can be removed from the vessel 90.

[0066] <Operation Example 2> In Operation Example 2, when the load lock chamber 10 is open to the outside, the gas flow rate when gas is introduced into the load lock chamber 10 by the gas introduction part 52 is controlled based on the dew point inside the load lock chamber 10 detected by the dew point meter 15.

[0067] That is, the control unit 60 controls the gas introduction unit 52 so that the gas flow rate is greater when the dew point detected by the dew point meter 15 is a second value higher than the first value than when the dew point is a first value. In this way, in the second operation example, when the door is opened and the dew point inside the load lock chamber 10 becomes high, the introduction of the inert gas is increased to maintain the dew point inside the load lock chamber 10 at a low level.

[0068] [Summary] Aspect 1 of the present disclosure is a vacuum processing apparatus including a load lock chamber and a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the load lock chamber has a base and a lid, and is configured to receive a vessel capable of holding a workpiece to be processed in the vacuum processing chamber while maintaining it under vacuum in an internal space partitioned by the base and the lid, and to detach and attach the lid to and from the base in order to remove and store the workpiece, and includes a vessel fixing part that holds the base, and an opening / closing mechanism that engages with the lid at at least two engagement parts provided on the lid, and that detaches the lid from the base held by the vessel fixing part by lifting the lid while engaged with the lid, and that places the lifted lid on the base held by the vessel fixing part to attach the lid to the base.

[0069] In the vacuum processing apparatus of aspect 2 of the present disclosure, in the above aspect 1, the opening and closing mechanism may vary the timing of lifting the lid body depending on the engaged engaging portion when detaching the lid body from the base body.

[0070] The vacuum processing apparatus of aspect 3 of the present disclosure may be the same as in aspect 1 or 2 above, further comprising a vacuum pump unit that evacuates the load lock chamber, a gas introduction unit that introduces gas into the load lock chamber, and a control unit that controls each unit.

[0071] In a vacuum processing apparatus according to aspect 4 of the present disclosure, in the above-described aspect 3, when introducing gas into the load lock chamber in a vacuum state so that the vessel can be removed from the load lock chamber to the outside, the control unit may cause the gas introduction unit to introduce the gas into the load lock chamber in a vacuum state while pressing the lid placed on the substrate against the substrate using the opening / closing mechanism unit.

[0072] In the vacuum processing apparatus of aspect 5 of the present disclosure, in the above-described aspect 4, the control unit may start the gas introduction to the gas introduction unit after detecting that the force with which the opening / closing mechanism unit presses the lid body against the base is within a predetermined range.

[0073] In the vacuum processing apparatus of aspect 6 of the present disclosure, in the above-mentioned aspects 4 or 5, the control unit may cause the gas introduction section to start introducing the gas after detecting that the positions of the base and the lid body are within a predetermined range.

[0074] The vacuum processing apparatus of aspect 7 of the present disclosure may be the vacuum processing apparatus of any one of aspects 3 to 6, further comprising a dew point meter that detects a dew point of the load lock chamber.

[0075] In a vacuum processing apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, in the seventh aspect described above, when the vessel is introduced into the load lock chamber from the outside, the control unit repeatedly controls the vacuum pump unit to evacuate the load lock chamber, the gas introduction unit to introduce the gas into the load lock chamber, and the dew point meter to detect the dew point, in this order, until the dew point detected by the dew point meter becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined value, and when the dew point detected by the dew point meter becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined value, the control unit further controls the vacuum pump unit to evacuate the load lock chamber, and then detaches the lid from the base body using the opening and closing mechanism.

[0076] In a vacuum processing apparatus according to aspect 9 of the present disclosure, in the above-described aspect 7 or 8, the control unit may adjust the gas flow rate at which the gas is introduced into the load lock chamber by the gas introduction unit based on the dew point detected by the dew point meter when the load lock chamber is open to the outside.

[0077] The vacuum processing apparatus of aspect 10 of the present disclosure, in any one of aspects 3 to 9 above, may further include an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vessel held by the vessel fixing unit, and the control unit may detect the position of the engagement unit for engaging the opening / closing mechanism unit based on the image acquired by the image acquisition unit.

[0078] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is the vessel that is applied to the vacuum processing apparatus of any one of the above-mentioned aspects 1 to 10, wherein the planar shape of the lid body is approximately square or approximately rectangular, and at least a part of the engagement portion for engaging with the opening / closing mechanism portion may be provided in two locations along one diagonal of the planar shape.

[0079] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0080] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vacuum processing apparatus 10 Load lock chamber 11 Support mechanism 12 Vessel fixing portion 13 Opening and closing mechanism 131 Lifting rod 132 Threaded portion 14 Seal block 15 Dew point meter 20 Intermediate chamber 21 Gate valve 30 Vacuum processing chamber 40 Transfer mechanism 41 Transfer rod 50 First vacuum pump portion 54 Second vacuum pump portion 51, 55 Vacuum piping 52 Gas introduction portion 53 Gas piping 60 Control portion 90 Vessel 91 Base 911 Through hole 912 Dovetail groove 914 Convex portion 92 Lid 921 Ceiling portion 922 Engagement portion 923 Side wall portion 93 Holder

Claims

1. A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a load lock chamber and a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the load lock chamber has a base and a lid, and is configured to receive a vessel having an internal space partitioned by the base and the lid that can hold an object to be processed in the vacuum processing chamber while maintaining it in a vacuum, and to detach and attach the lid to and from the base in order to remove and store the object; and a vessel fixing part that holds the base, and an opening and closing mechanism that engages with the lid at at least two engaging parts provided on the lid, and that detaches the lid from the base held by the vessel fixing part by lifting the lid while engaged with the lid, and that places the lifted lid on the base held by the vessel fixing part to attach the lid to the base.

2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening and closing mechanism section, when separating the lid from the base body, varies the timing of lifting the lid depending on the engaging section that is engaged.

3. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a vacuum pump unit that evacuates the load lock chamber; a gas introduction unit that introduces gas into the load lock chamber; and a control unit that controls each unit.

4. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when introducing the gas into the load lock chamber in a vacuum state so that the vessel can be removed from the load lock chamber to the outside, the control unit causes the gas introduction unit to introduce the gas into the load lock chamber in a vacuum state while the lid placed on the substrate is pressed against the substrate by the opening / closing mechanism unit.

5. A vacuum processing apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein the control unit causes the gas introduction unit to start introducing the gas after detecting that the force with which the opening / closing mechanism unit presses the lid body against the base is within a predetermined range.

6. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit causes the gas introduction unit to start introducing the gas after detecting that the positions of the base and the lid are within a predetermined range.

7. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a dew point meter for detecting the dew point of said load lock chamber.

8. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, when the vessel is introduced into the load lock chamber from the outside, the control unit repeatedly performs the following in order: evacuation of the load lock chamber by the vacuum pump unit; introduction of the gas into the load lock chamber by the gas introduction unit; and detection of the dew point by the dew point meter, in this order, until the dew point detected by the dew point meter falls below a predetermined value; and when the dew point detected by the dew point meter falls below the predetermined value, the control unit further performs the evacuation of the load lock chamber by the vacuum pump unit, and then detaches the lid from the base body by the opening and closing mechanism unit.

9. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit adjusts the gas flow rate at which the gas is introduced into the load lock chamber by the gas introduction unit based on the dew point detected by the dew point meter when the load lock chamber is open to the outside.

10. A vacuum processing apparatus as described in claim 3, further comprising an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vessel held in the vessel fixing unit, and the control unit detects the position of the engagement unit for engagement with the opening / closing mechanism unit based on the image acquired by the image acquisition unit.

11. A vessel applicable to a vacuum processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the planar shape of the lid is approximately square or rectangular, and at least a part of the engagement portion for engaging with the opening / closing mechanism is provided in two locations along one diagonal of the planar shape.

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