Vacuum Processing Apparatus Vertical Substrate Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum processing apparatuses face challenges in space efficiency due to the need for redundant processing regions and large auxiliary equipment, leading to increased installation space requirements.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum processing apparatus incorporates a lifting device, upper and lower side moving devices, and a transfer device to create two processing regions within a vacuum chamber, allowing for vertical and lateral movement of substrate holding devices, which reduces the installation area by enabling efficient loading and unloading operations and minimizing the size of the loading/unloading chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an annular conveyance path is used to move substrates horizontally through the vacuum chamber, then substrates can be processed sequentially, but the installation area in the horizontal direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal substrate movement to vertical substrate movement. The substrate holding device moves up and down within the vacuum chamber, with processing regions arranged at different vertical levels. This dimensional change allows sequential processing without expanding the horizontal installation footprint, as the conveyance path now utilizes the vertical dimension instead of horizontal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested processing regions where an upper processing region and a lower processing region are arranged vertically within the same vacuum chamber footprint. The substrate holding device passes through both regions during its vertical movement, allowing multiple processing steps to be nested within the same horizontal area, thereby reducing the overall installation area while maintaining sequential processing capability.
2Productivity
If a tray with multiple rows and columns of substrates is used, then batch processing is enabled, but the processing region and auxiliary equipment area must cover the entire tray surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the batch processing function into multiple single-substrate holders that are transferred sequentially through the vacuum chamber. Instead of processing all substrates simultaneously on one large tray, the system processes substrates one at a time through repeated loading and transferring cycles. This segmentation allows the processing region to be much smaller than the total tray area, as only one substrate occupies the processing region at any given time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic transfer operations where the substrate holding device is repeatedly loaded with new substrates in air atmosphere, transferred to vacuum, and cycled through processing regions. This dynamic approach replaces the static large-tray configuration with a flexible, sequential transfer system that minimizes the required processing region area while maintaining batch processing throughput through continuous operation.
3Ease of operation
If the loading/unloading chamber width is increased to accommodate substrate transfer operations, then loading/unloading capacity is improved, but the installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the loading/unloading operations from a horizontal expansion model to a vertical model. The opening in the vacuum chamber allows the substrate holding device to be loaded from above, and the lifting device operates vertically to position substrates. This vertical approach enables adequate loading/unloading capacity without increasing the horizontal width of the vacuum chamber, thus reducing the overall installation footprint.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus, decreases the time required for loading and unloading operations, and allows for airtight sealing of the loading/unloading chamber, thereby enhancing space-saving capabilities and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum chamber in which a substrate holding device arranged with an object to be processed having an exposed processing surface, is loaded and unloaded
Implementation Method 2
an upper side moving device configured to laterally move the substrate holding device in an upper part of the vacuum chamber
Implementation Method 3
a lower side moving device configured to laterally move the substrate holding device in a lower part of the vacuum chamber
Implementation Method 4
the object to be processed arranged on the substrate holding device moved by the upper side moving device is vacuum-processed by an upper side processing device
Implementation Method 5
the object to be processed arranged on the substrate holding device moved by the lower side moving device is vacuum-processed by a lower side processing device
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum processing apparatus having a small installation area is provided. A lifting plate is arranges inside a vacuum chamber, and a substrate holding device is arranged on the lifting plate to be able to be lifted up and down. An upper side processing device and a lower side processing device are provided in a processing region located beside a lifting region where the lifting plate moves up and down. An upper side moving device and a lower side moving device make the substrate holding device pass through the processing region, and a transfer device transfers the substrate holding device between the upper side moving device or the lower side moving device and the lifting plate. Because vacuum processing can be performed on the upper side and the lower side, the installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus is small.