Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate, a load lock chamber, a gas supply line for supplying gas into the load lock chamber, exhaust lines for exhausting the load lock chamber, a moving mechanism provided in the load lock chamber and capable of moving the substrate, local exhaust lines capable of locally exhausting dust generating portions of the moving mechanism, a flow rate controlling device provided in the gas supply line and flow rate controlling devices provided in the local exhaust lines. The flow rates of the flow rate controlling devices are monitored and controlled to control the inside pressure of the load lock chamber to be slightly higher than the atmosphere pressure, thereby preventing the backward flow from the vent line.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate;    a load lock chamber;    gas supply means for supplying gas into said load lock chamber;    exhaust means for exhausting said load lock chamber;    a moving mechanism provided in said load lock chamber and capable of moving said substrate;    local exhaust means capable of locally exhausting a dust generating portion of said moving mechanism; and    a flow rate controlling device provided in at least one of said gas supply means, said exhaust means and said local exhaust means.    
     
     
         2 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a control device and a pressure detecting device for detecting pressure in said load lock chamber, wherein 
 said flow rate control device is provided in at least said gas supply means, and    said control device is capable of controlling said flow rate control device in accordance with a signal from said pressure detecting device.    
     
     
         3 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said flow rate control device is provided in at least said local exhaust means.  
     
     
         4 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said flow rate control device is provided in at least said exhaust means.  
     
     
         5 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said exhaust means includes an atmospheric vent line, pressure at one end of said atmospheric pressure vent line is substantially equal to the atmospheric pressure, and the other end of said atmospheric pressure vent line is communicated with the inside of said load lock chamber, and 
 said flow rate control device is disposed in at least said atmospheric pressure vent line.    
     
     
         6 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising a control device and a pressure detecting device for detecting pressure in said load lock chamber, wherein 
 said control device is capable of controlling said flow rate control device in accordance with a signal from said pressure detecting device.    
     
     
         7 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said exhaust means includes an atmospheric pressure vent line and a vacuum exhaust line which is to be connected to a vacuum pump, 
 pressure at one end of said atmospheric pressure vent line is substantially equal to the atmospheric pressure and the other end is communicated with said load lock chamber, and    said local exhaust means is connected to said vacuum exhaust line.    
     
     
         8 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said exhaust means includes an atmospheric pressure vent line and a vacuum exhaust line which is to be connected to a vacuum pump, 
 pressure at one end of said atmospheric pressure vent line is substantially equal to the atmospheric pressure and the other end is communicated with said load lock chamber, and    said substrate processing apparatus further includes a first valve disposed at an intermediate portion of said vacuum exhaust line, a second valve disposed at an intermediate portion of said atmospheric pressure vent line and a control device, and    said first and second valves is controlled by said control device such that during the movement of said substrate by utilizing said moving mechanism, said first valve is closed and said second valve is opened.    
     
     
         9 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said local exhaust means is connected to said vacuum exhaust line at the downstream side of said first valve.  
     
     
         10 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a pressure detecting device for detecting pressure in said load lock chamber, wherein said gas supply means and said local exhaust means are respectively provided with said flow rate control devices, 
 during movement of said substrate by utilizing said moving mechanism, an amount of gas supplied by said gas supply means into said load lock chamber is controlled, by said flow rate control device, to be greater than an exhaust amount from said local exhaust means, and the gas supplied by said gas supply means is exhausted by said local exhaust means and said exhaust means.    
     
     
         11 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in claim further comprising a pressure detecting device for detecting pressure in said load lock chamber, wherein 
 during movement of said substrate by utilizing said moving mechanism, said control device controls said flow rate control device in accordance with a signal from said pressure detecting device so as to keep the inside of said load lock chamber at a higher pressure level than the atmospheric pressure.    
     
     
         12 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate;    a load lock chamber;    gas supply means for supplying gas into said load lock chamber;    exhaust means for exhausting said load lock chamber;    a moving mechanism provided within said load lock chamber and capable of moving said substrate;    local exhaust means capable of locally exhausting a dust generating portion of said moving mechanism; and    a flow rate measuring device for measuring an exhaust amount of said local exhaust means.    
     
     
         13 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said local exhaust means is provided in plural, and said flow rate measuring devices are respectively provided in each of said plurality of local exhaust means.  
     
     
         14 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said local exhaust means comprises a flexible exhaust pipe.  
     
     
         15 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate;    a load lock chamber;    gas supply means for supplying gas into said load lock chamber;    exhaust means for exhausting said load lock chamber;    a moving mechanism provided within said load lock chamber and capable of moving said substrate;    a first vacuum exhaust line to be connected to a vacuum pump;    a second vacuum exhaust line which is communicated with said substrate processing chamber and said first vacuum exhaust line;    local exhaust means which is capable of locally exhausting a dust generating portion of said moving mechanism, and is communicated with said first vacuum exhaust line;    a valve connected to an intermediate portion of said local exhaust means; and    control means capable of controlling said valve;    wherein during processing of said substrate in said substrate processing chamber, said control means controls said valve to be closed.    
     
     
         16 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising a third vacuum exhaust line which is communicated with said load lock chamber and said first exhaust line, and a second valve provided at an intermediate portion of said third vacuum exhaust line, wherein 
 said control means is also capable of controlling said second valve, and    during processing of said substrate in said substrate processing chamber, said control means controls said second valve to be closed.    
     
     
         17 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gas supply means is communicated with said load lock chamber at the side of region in which said substrate moves, and said exhaust means is communicated with said load lock chamber at the side of region in which said moving mechanism is provided.  
     
     
         18 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising a partition plate provided in said load lock chamber for partitioning said load lock chamber into the region in which said substrate is moved and the region in which said moving mechanism is provided, and a slit provided in said partition plate, wherein 
 gas supplied, by said gas supply means, into the region in which said substrate is moved, is made to be flowed into the region in which said moving mechanism is provided.    
     
     
         19 . A substrate processing apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said load lock chamber is coupled to said substrate processing chamber.  
     
     
         20 . A substrate processing method, using a substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate;    a load lock chamber;    gas supply means for supplying gas into said load lock chamber;    exhaust means for exhausting said load lock chamber;    a moving mechanism provided within said load lock chamber and capable of moving said substrate;    local exhaust means capable of locally exhausting a dust generating portion of said moving mechanism; and    a flow rate control device provided in at least one of said gas supply means, said exhaust means and said local exhaust means;    said substrate processing method comprising the steps of: 
 moving said substrate by utilizing said moving mechanism, while controlling pressure within said load lock chamber by supplying gas into said load lock chamber by said gas supply means, locally exhausting said dust generating portion by said local exhaust means, exhausting said gas within said load lock chamber by said exhaust means, and controlling flow rate of at least one of said gas supply means, said exhaust means and said local exhaust means by means of said flow rate control device; and  
 processing said substrate in said substrate processing chamber.  
   
     
     
         21 . A substrate processing method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said load lock chamber is coupled to said substrate processing chamber, and 
 said step for moving said substrate is a step for moving said substrate between said substrate processing chamber and said load lock chamber by utilizing said moving mechanism.    
     
     
         22 . A substrate processing method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said exhaust means includes an atmospheric vent line, pressure at one end of said atmospheric vent line being substantially equal to the atmospheric pressure and the other end thereof being communicated with said load lock chamber, and 
 said step for moving said substrate is a step for moving said substrate while controlling the pressure within said load lock chamber greater than the atmospheric pressure.    
     
     
         23 . A substrate processing method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said step for moving said substrate is a step for moving said substrate while measuring the flow rate of said local exhaust means.  
     
     
         24 . A substrate processing method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said local exhaust means is provided in plural, said flow rate measuring devices are respectively provided in each of said plurality of local exhaust means, and 
 said step for moving said substrate is a step for moving said substrate while measuring flow rates of all of said plurality of local exhaust means.    
     
     
         25 . A substrate processing method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said local exhaust means comprises a flexible exhaust pipe.  
     
     
         26 . A substrate processing method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said substrate processing apparatus further comprising a first vacuum exhaust line to be connected to a vacuum pump, and a second vacuum exhaust line which is communicated with said substrate processing chamber and said first vacuum exhaust line, wherein 
 said local exhaust means is communicated with said first vacuum exhaust line, and    said step for processing said substrate in said substrate processing chamber, is a step for processing said substrate in said substrate processing chamber, while exhausting said substrate processing chamber by said first and second vacuum exhaust lines and controlling pressure within said substrate processing chamber, without exhausting by said local exhaust means through said vacuum pump.