Vacuum processing apparatus and control method therefor

Abstract

There is provided a vacuum processing apparatus and an exhausting apparatus of the vacuum processing apparatus according to which the auxiliary vacuum pump can be made smaller or eliminated, and hence energy-saving and space-saving can be achieved, and moreover the floor space occupied by the exhausting apparatus can be reduced, and hence the vacuum processing apparatus as a whole can be made smaller in size. A main vacuum pump has an intake port connected to a processing chamber in which an article to be processed is processed in a vacuum atmosphere, to exhaust the processing chamber to a vacuum state. An auxiliary vacuum pump is connected to a discharge port of the main vacuum pump to exhaust the main vacuum pump to a vacuum state. The main vacuum pump is a high back pressure type pump that exhausts the processing chamber to a vacuum state with a predetermined high back pressure value.

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: 
 a processing chamber in which an article to be processed is processed in a vacuum atmosphere;    a main vacuum pump having an intake port and a discharge port, wherein the intake port is connected to said processing chamber to exhaust said processing chamber to a vacuum state;    an auxiliary vacuum pump that is connected to the discharge port of said main vacuum pump to exhaust said main vacuum pump to a vacuum state; and    automatic pressure regulating means for regulating a pressure inside said processing chamber;    wherein said automatic pressure regulating means is disposed on a side of said main vacuum pump close to the discharge port.    
   
   
       12 . A vacuum processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said main vacuum pump is a high back pressure type pump that exhausts said processing chamber to a vacuum state with a predetermined high back pressure value.  
   
   
       13 . A vacuum processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined high back pressure value is not less than 400 Pa.  
   
   
       14 . A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: 
 a processing chamber into which a processing gas is introduced and in which an article to be processed is processed in a vacuum atmosphere;    a main vacuum pump having an intake port and a discharge port, wherein the intake port is connected to said processing chamber to exhaust said processing chamber to a vacuum state;    an auxiliary vacuum pump that is connected to the discharge port of said main vacuum pump to exhaust said main vacuum pump to a vacuum state;    automatic pressure regulating means for regulating a pressure inside said processing chamber; and    control means for controlling at least one parameter out of apparatus control parameters including a rotational speed of said auxiliary vacuum pump, a degree of opening of said automatic pressure regulating means, and a rotational speed of said main vacuum pump, based on a value of the pressure inside said processing chamber and a flow rate of the processing gas introduced into said processing chamber.    
   
   
       15 . A vacuum processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 supply means for supplying a purge gas into a juncture between said main vacuum pump and said auxiliary vacuum pump;    wherein the apparatus control parameters further include a supply rate of the purge gas.    
   
   
       16 . A vacuum processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said at least one parameter includes the rotational speed of said auxiliary vacuum pump.  
   
   
       17 . A vacuum processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said at least one parameter includes the degree of opening of said automatic pressure regulating means.  
   
   
       18 . A vacuum processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said at least one parameter includes the rotational speed of said main vacuum pump.  
   
   
       19 - 23 . (canceled)