Vacuum processing system

Abstract

A vacuum processing system includes a transfer chamber configured to form a vacuum atmosphere through which a target object is transferred. A transfer mechanism is disposed in the transfer chamber and configured to transfer the target object. A process chamber is connected to the transfer chamber through a first gate valve and configured to perform a process on the target object within a vacuum atmosphere. A first exhaust port is formed in a bottom of the transfer chamber at the foot of the first gate valve. A first gas exhaust section is connected to the first exhaust port and configured to exhaust gas inside the transfer chamber.

1 . A vacuum processing system comprising: 
 a transfer chamber configured to form a vacuum atmosphere through which a target object is transferred;    a transfer mechanism disposed in the transfer chamber and configured to transfer the target object;    a process chamber connected to the transfer chamber through a first gate valve and configured to perform a process on the target object within a vacuum atmosphere;    a first exhaust port formed in a bottom of the transfer chamber at the foot of the first gate valve; and    a first gas exhaust section connected to the first exhaust port and configured to exhaust gas inside the transfer chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second exhaust port formed in the bottom of the transfer chamber at a position closer to a center of the transfer chamber than the first exhaust port is; and    a second gas exhaust section connected to the second exhaust port and configured to exhaust gas inside the transfer chamber.    
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a control section configured to control an operation of the system, wherein the control section carries out control such that the second gas exhaust section is enabled in a first period during which the first gate valve is in a closed state, and then the second gas exhaust section is disabled while the first gas exhaust section is enabled in a second period of from immediately before the first gate valve is opened to immediately after the first gate valve is closed.  
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and second gas exhaust sections are connected to a common vacuum pump through exhaust passages respectively provided with switching valves, and the first and second gas exhaust sections are enabled/disabled by opening/closing the switching valves.  
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a gas supply section connected to the transfer chamber and configured to supply a purge gas, wherein the gas supply section is connected to a gas supply port disposed in the transfer chamber at a position higher than the transfer mechanism.  
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a load-lock chamber connected to the transfer chamber through a second gate valve, and capable of adjusting an inner pressure thereof between atmospheric pressure and a vacuum, wherein no exhaust port is formed in the bottom of the transfer chamber at the foot of the second gate valve.  
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first exhaust port has a width not smaller than an opening width of the first gate valve.  
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer chamber is configured as a load-lock chamber capable of adjusting an inner pressure thereof between atmospheric pressure and a vacuum, and is connected to an atmospheric pressure space through a door valve.  
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a second exhaust port formed in the bottom of the transfer chamber at a position closer to a center of the transfer chamber than the first exhaust port is; and    a second gas exhaust section connected to the second exhaust port and configured to exhaust gas inside the transfer chamber.    
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second gas exhaust section has an exhaust performance higher than that of the first gas exhaust section.  
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising a control section configured to control an operation of the system, wherein the control section carries out control such that the first and second gas exhaust sections are disabled in a first period during which the door valve is in an opened state, then the second gas exhaust section is enabled in a second period during which the door valve is in a closed state and a pressure inside the load-lock chamber is decreased from atmospheric pressure to a vacuum, then the second gas exhaust section is disabled while the first gas exhaust section is enabled in a third period during which the load-lock chamber is maintained in a vacuum state inside and the first gate valve is in a closed state, and then the second gas exhaust section is disabled while the first gas exhaust section is enabled in a fourth period of from immediately before the first gate valve is opened to immediately after the first gate valve is closed while the load-lock chamber is in a vacuum state inside.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising a third gas exhaust section connected to the second exhaust port and configured to exhaust gas inside the transfer chamber, wherein the third gas exhaust section has an exhaust performance lower than that of the second gas exhaust section.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a control section configured to control an operation of the system, wherein the control section carries out control such that the first, second, and third gas exhausts are disabled in a first period during which the door valve is in an opened state, then the second gas exhaust section is enabled in a second period during which the door valve is in a closed state and a pressure inside the load-lock chamber is decreased from atmospheric pressure to a vacuum, then the second gas exhaust section is disabled while the third gas exhaust section is enabled in a third period during which the load-lock chamber is maintained in a vacuum state inside and the first gate valve is in a closed state, and then the second and third gas exhaust sections are disabled while the first gas exhaust section is enabled in a fourth period of from immediately before the first gate valve is opened to immediately after the first gate valve is closed while the load-lock chamber is in a vacuum state inside.  
   
   
       14 . A vacuum processing system comprising: 
 a common transfer chamber configured to form a vacuum atmosphere through which a target object is transferred;    a transfer mechanism disposed in the common transfer chamber and configured to transfer the target object;    a plurality of process chambers connected to the common transfer chamber respectively through first gate valves and each configured to perform a process on the target object within a vacuum atmosphere;    a plurality of individual exhaust ports formed in a bottom of the common transfer chamber at the foot of the first gate valves, respectively corresponding to the process chambers; and    a plurality of individual gas exhaust sections respectively connected to the individual exhaust ports and each configured to exhaust gas inside the common transfer chamber.    
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a common exhaust port formed in the bottom of the common transfer chamber at a position closer to a center of the common transfer chamber than the individual exhaust ports are; and    a common gas exhaust section connected to the common exhaust port and configured to exhaust gas inside the common transfer chamber.    
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 15 , further comprising a control section configured to control an operation of the system, wherein the control section carries out control such that the common gas exhaust section is enabled in a first period during which all the first gate valves are in a closed state, and then the common gas exhaust section is disabled while one of the individual gas exhaust sections corresponding to one of the first gate valves is enabled in a second period of from immediately before this one of the first gate valves is opened to immediately after this one of the first gate valves is closed.  
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the individual gas exhaust section and the common gas exhaust section are connected to a common vacuum pump through exhaust passages respectively provided with switching valves, and the individual gas exhaust section and the common gas exhaust section are enabled/disabled by opening/closing the switching valves.  
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 15 , further comprising a gas supply section connected to the common transfer chamber and configured to supply a purge gas, wherein the gas supply section is connected to a gas supply port disposed in the common transfer chamber at a position higher than the transfer mechanism.  
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising a load-lock chamber connected to the common transfer chamber through a second gate valve, and capable of adjusting an inner pressure thereof between atmospheric pressure and a vacuum, wherein no exhaust port is formed in the bottom of the common transfer chamber at the foot of the second gate valve.  
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the individual exhaust ports has a width not smaller than an opening width of the first gate valves.