Vacuum processing apparatus and maintenance apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11309168-B2
Application number	US-201815897228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2018
Priority date	Feb 16, 2017
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A maintenance apparatus includes a case and a maintenance mechanism. The case includes an opening having a size corresponding to a second gate of a vacuum processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a first gate through which a substrate is loaded and unloaded and the second gate different from the first gate. The case is attachable to the second gate while maintaining airtightness. The maintenance mechanism is provided in the case and is configured to perform at least one of an operation of detaching a consumed part in the processing chamber through the opening, an operation of attaching a replacement part in the processing chamber and an operation of cleaning the processing chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A maintenance apparatus comprising:
a case with an opening having a size corresponding to a second gate of a vacuum processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a first gate through which a substrate is loaded and unloaded and the second gate different from the first gate, the case being attachable to the second gate while maintaining airtightness, and in an attached position the case is adjacent the processing chamber; and
a maintenance mechanism provided in the case and configured to perform an operation of cleaning the processing chamber and at least one of an operation of detaching a consumed part in the processing chamber through the opening, or an operation of attaching a replacement part in the processing chamber;
wherein the maintenance mechanism includes a first transfer mechanism mounted in the case and is moveable between at least a first retracted position and a second extended position, wherein in the first retracted position the first transfer mechanism is within the case and in the second extended position the first transfer mechanism is configured to extend beyond the opening of the case and into the processing chamber when the case is in the attached position with the case adjacent to the processing chamber;
wherein the maintenance mechanism further comprises a cleaning unit which extends into the processing chamber when the first transfer mechanism is in the second extended position, the maintenance mechanism further including at least one maintenance unit, including at least one of: (i) a detaching unit which extends into the processing chamber when the first transfer mechanism is in the second extended position, and which is configured to grasp the consumed part in the processing chamber and move the consumed part into the case as the first transfer mechanism moves from the second extended position and back into the case; or (ii) an attachment unit which extends into the processing chamber when the first transfer mechanism is in the second extended position and which is configured to attach the replacement part in the processing chamber, and wherein the cleaning unit is configured to clean an inside surface of the processing chamber and the cleaning unit extends out of the case and into the processing chamber to perform a cleaning in the processing chamber after removal of the consumed part and prior to attaching of the replacement part;
a supporting table positioned in the case, wherein the first transfer mechanism deposits and retrieves the at least one maintenance unit from the supporting table, and the first transfer mechanism moves the at least one maintenance unit from the support table into the processing chamber during movement to the extended position; and
a control unit configured to control the first transfer mechanism to move the cleaning unit outside of the case to clean an inside surface of the processing chamber after removal of the consumed part and prior to attaching of the replacement part, and wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first transfer mechanism to return the cleaning unit to the case after cleaning the inside surface of the processing chamber.

2. The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the maintenance apparatus includes the detaching unit, and the detaching unit has an adhesive layer on a surface to be in contact with the consumed part.

3. The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the case is formed by stacking a plurality of frames including a frame in which at least one of the first transfer mechanism and at least one of the detaching unit, the cleaning unit or the attachment unit is accommodated.

4. The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes the attachment unit, and positioning pins are provided for positioning the attachment unit with respect to a mounting table in the processing chamber when the first transfer mechanism is in the second extended position.

5. The maintenance apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the attachment unit is configured to hold and transport a focus ring, and the attachment unit includes an engaging member that engages and supports the focus ring.

6. The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , the maintenance apparatus further includes an adapter detaching unit for detaching an adapter that blocks the second gate of the vacuum processing apparatus.

7. The maintenance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the adapter detaching unit has a positioning pin for positioning the adapter detaching unit with respect to the adapter.

8. The maintenance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the adapter detaching unit has a detaching pin for detaching the adapter, and the case is provided with a handle for rotating the detaching pin.

9. The maintenance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the case is provided with an adapter support that supports the detached adapter inside the case.

10. The maintenance apparatus of claim 6 , the maintenance apparatus further includes a stage movably mounted on a second transfer mechanism in the case.

11. The maintenance apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the adapter detaching unit is detachably attached to the stage.

12. The maintenance apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the case is provided with a handle for attaching the adapter detaching unit to the stage and detaching the adapter detaching unit from the stage.

13. The maintenance apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second transfer mechanism includes a ball screw and a shaft arranged in parallel with the ball screw, and the stage is attached to the ball screw and the shaft, and a groove corresponding to the ball screw is formed in the stage, and the stage is movable by rotation of the ball screw.

14. The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the case further includes an elevation table.

15. The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes each of the detaching unit and the attachment unit, and the detaching unit, the cleaning unit and the attachment unit are each selectively mountable on an end of the first transfer mechanism, and wherein the maintenance apparatus includes three of said supporting tables including first, second and third supporting tables within the case which respectively hold the detaching unit, the cleaning unit and the attachment unit; and
wherein a control unit controls the first transfer mechanism to move: (a) between the second extended position and a fourth position adjacent the first supporting table to move the detaching unit between the first supporting table and the processing chamber outside of the case; (b) between the second extended position and a fifth position adjacent the second supporting table to move the cleaning unit between the second supporting table and the processing chamber outside of the case; and (c) between the second extended position and a sixth position adjacent the third supporting table to move the attachment unit between the processing chamber outside of the case and the third supporting table.

16. The maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , further including a second transfer mechanism positioned inside of the case and an adapter detachment unit positioned on the second transfer mechanism, wherein the adapter detachment unit is configured to detach an adapter that blocks the second gate of the processing chamber from the processing chamber, wherein the adapter detachment unit is moveable by the second transfer mechanism between an adapter detachment unit retracted position and an adapter detachment unit attaching/detaching position, and wherein in the adapter detachment unit attaching/detaching position the adapter detac

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Ueda Takehiro
• Hirose Jun

Classifications

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H01J37/32642

  Focus rings · CPC title

• H01J37/32807 Primary

  Construction (includes replacing parts of the apparatus) · CPC title

• H01J37/32889

  Connection or combination with other apparatus · CPC title

• H01J2237/334

  Etching · CPC title