JP2000064042A - Rotary arm type sputtering equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (with correction) [PROBLEMS] To provide a rotating arm type sputtering apparatus which is easy to exhaust, clean or maintain in a vacuum vessel and has few transfer troubles. SOLUTION: A magnetic field generator is arranged above a sputter chamber so as to apply a magnetic field into a sputter chamber 11 forming a discharge space, and a magnetic field from the magnetic field generator is applied to an upper part inside the sputter chamber 11. As described above, the target 15 is arranged, and the disk transfer chamber 12 which is a substantially cylindrical airtight container is connected to the sputter chamber 11 through the sputter chamber opening 19 formed in the upper wall 17 thereof. A disk transfer mechanism 30 is provided in the transfer chamber 12, and the disk transfer mechanism 30 includes a rotating shaft 22.
One ends of first and second arms 25 and 26 each having a ring formed at the other end thereof are fixed to an arm fixing plate 24 fixed to the upper end of the arm 2 by a plurality of fixing screws 27.
Susceptors 28 and 29 are fitted and supported at the ends of 5 and 26, respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus, and more particularly to a single-wafer type magnetron sputtering apparatus having a rotary arm type transfer mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a single-wafer type magnetron sputtering apparatus used for manufacturing a disc for recording information such as a CD or a DVD, a system using a rotary table as a mechanism for transporting a disc substrate and a system using a double arm are available. Are known.

The rotary table type sputtering apparatus is mainly used for film formation of CD or CD-ROM, and the sputtering apparatus based on this method is constructed as follows. That is, a disk-shaped rotary table that intermittently rotates in a horizontal plane is provided in the vacuum container, and a plurality of, for example, four susceptors serving as trays for disk substrates are provided on the table surface. . For the intermittent rotation of the rotary table, four disk positions, which are the same as the number of the above-mentioned susceptors, are provided, and when the above-mentioned susceptors reach these disk positions, they are temporarily stopped and the necessary film formation processing is performed. To do. In one of the disc positions of this rotary table, the susceptor receives the disc substrate introduced from the load lock opening provided in a part of the vacuum container, and the sputtering in the vacuum container placed at a position separated by two positions. The disk substrate is transported to a chamber where the disk substrate surface is sputtered. The disk substrate on which the sputtering process has been completed is again at the disk position 1
On the other hand, it is taken out of the vacuum container through the load lock opening.

Next, the double arm type sputtering apparatus has a two-axis transfer mechanism in the disk transfer mechanism in place of the rotary table, and each axis independently turns to transfer disks alternately from the load lock opening to the sputtering chamber. It has a structure that

[0005]

However, in the above-described rotary table type sputtering apparatus, since the rotary table has a structure that bisects the upper part and the lower part of the vacuum container, the gas emitted from the disk substrate is not generated. There is a problem that the vacuum container stays above the vacuum container and the vacuum container cannot be efficiently exhausted. That is, as described above, the disk substrate is introduced from the atmosphere side outside the vacuum container through the load lock opening, and is evacuated to vacuum at that time. However, a large amount of gas is released from the disk substrate itself in the subsequent sputtering process, and this released gas stays in the upper part of the vacuum container partitioned by the rotary table. Even in the sputtering process, the vacuum container is usually evacuated by the vacuum pump provided under the vacuum container. However, since the rotary table divides the vacuum container into two as described above, the vacuum container cannot be efficiently evacuated. The reason why the vacuum pump is provided in the lower part of the vacuum container is due to space and maintenance requirements, and it is practically impossible to provide it in the upper part and side surfaces of the vacuum container.

Next, in a sputtering apparatus, in general, when the apparatus is troubled or the disk is transported, the disk fragments or the film-forming member fragments may be discharged into the vacuum container and contaminate the inside of the vacuum container. In such a case, in the table type sputtering apparatus, since the rotary table has a large area that bisects the vacuum container, the rotary table should be cleaned through the sputter chamber and the load lock opening.
Alternatively, it is impossible to take out the rotary table to the outside of the vacuum container via these parts. Therefore,
Cleaning of the vacuum container had to be performed by removing the upper lid of the vacuum container, which was a difficult task.

Next, in the double arm type sputtering apparatus, the arm for rotating and transporting the disk substrate has a small area except for the portion supporting the susceptor, so that the upper and lower portions of the vacuum container are not separated. , Constitutes an integral space. Therefore, the gas released from the upper surface of the disk substrate can be efficiently exhausted by the vacuum pump provided under the vacuum container.

Further, since the area of the arm is made very small, it is possible to easily clean and maintain the inside of the vacuum container from the load lock portion and the opening portion of the sputter chamber, and the maintenance of the arm itself is also possible. It can be performed without removing the upper lid.

However, since the transfer mechanism is composed of two arms which are vertically spaced apart from each other, the ascending / descending distance from each arm to the upper lid of the vacuum container and the center mask arranged in the sputtering chamber is different. When it is conveyed at a high speed, a slight deviation occurs in the conveyance time between the two arms. Further, since the arm that pivots on the lower side has a longer disc drop distance, there is a problem that there are more transport problems than the upper arm.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional sputtering apparatus, and to provide a rotating arm type sputtering apparatus which is easy to evacuate, clean, or maintain the inside of a vacuum container and has few transport troubles. is there.

[0011]

A rotary arm type sputtering apparatus of the present invention is arranged above a sputtering chamber in which an airtight discharge space is formed, and a magnetic field is applied to the sputtering chamber. A magnetic field generator, a target arranged above the sputtering chamber so that a magnetic field is applied by the magnetic field generator, and a disk transfer chamber connected to the sputtering chamber through an opening. First and second horizontal arms provided in a disk transport chamber and fixed to vertical rotation shafts, susceptors supported by the first and second horizontal arms, and these susceptors in a vertical direction. And a pusher provided in the disc transfer chamber so as to reciprocate the disc substrate supported by the susceptor in the vertical direction. The first and second horizontal arms are arranged to extend in opposite directions in substantially the same horizontal plane with respect to the vertical axis of rotation, and the extending direction of the first and second horizontal arms. The position of the susceptor is fixed to the vertical rotation shaft so that it can be adjusted.

In the rotating arm type sputtering apparatus of the present invention, the first and second horizontal arms extending in opposite directions in the substantially same horizontal plane have their extending directions substantially 180 degrees. It is characterized in that it rotates about the vertical axis of rotation while maintaining the angle.

Further, the rotating arm type sputtering apparatus of the present invention comprises a sputtering chamber for forming an airtight discharge space therein,
A magnetic field generator disposed above the sputtering chamber so as to apply a magnetic field to the sputtering chamber; a target disposed above the sputtering chamber so that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator is applied; A disc transfer chamber continuously provided to the sputtering chamber through an opening, and a first and second disc transfer chambers fixed in the disc transfer chamber so as to rotate independently in horizontal planes having different heights from each other. A second horizontal arm, a susceptor supported by each of the first and second horizontal arms, a reciprocating motion of these susceptors in a vertical direction, and a reciprocating motion of a disk substrate supported by the susceptor in a vertical direction. A pusher mechanism provided in the disc transfer chamber for moving the disc, and at least one of the first and second horizontal arms is provided with the supporter. Is characterized in that the disk substrate is supported by the descriptor is bent so as to be disposed substantially within the same horizontal plane.

Further, in the rotary arm type sputtering apparatus of the present invention, the vertical rotary shaft has the first and second vertical axes.
Each of the horizontal arms is composed of a double rotating shaft that is fixed.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a sputtering apparatus showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a single-wafer type magnetron sputtering apparatus. This sputtering apparatus includes a sputtering chamber 11 which is a substantially cylindrical airtight container, and a lower side of the sputtering chamber 11.
The sputter chamber 11 is provided with a disk transfer chamber 12 which is an airtight container having a substantially circular interior and which communicates with the sputter chamber 11. The inner diameter of the disc transfer chamber 12 is larger than the inner diameter of the sputter chamber 11, and the sputter chamber 11 is arranged at a position eccentric to the disc transfer chamber 12. Further, a magnet device 13 is provided on the outer surface of the upper wall of the sputtering chamber 11 with a rotary motor 14
It is rotatably provided.

A desk-shaped target 15 made of a film-forming substance is fixed to the inner surface of the upper wall of the sputtering chamber 11. A center mask 16 is vertically suspended in the sputtering chamber 11 from the center of the target 15. Sputtering room 11
A sputter chamber opening 19 for exposing the upper surface of the disc substrate 18-1 to the sputter chamber 11 is provided on the upper wall 17 of the disc transport chamber 12 that separates the disc transport chamber 12 from the sputter chamber 11. The sputtering chamber opening 19 is used as the sputtering chamber 1.
By installing 1 on the upper wall 17 of the disc transfer chamber 12 by the hinge mechanism 11-1, the entire sputter chamber 11 can be rotated to open the sputter chamber opening 19 to the outside of the disc transfer chamber 12. . Also, although not shown,
The sputtering chamber 11 is installed on the upper wall 17 of the disc transfer chamber 12 so that its position can be slightly moved. By moving the sputtering chamber 11, the position of the center mask 16 inside the sputtering chamber 11 can be finely adjusted. Is configured.

The upper wall 17 of the disc transfer chamber 12 is provided with a transfer chamber opening 20 which constitutes a load lock portion. The transfer chamber opening 20 is formed at a position opposite to the sputter chamber opening 19 with respect to the center of the disk transfer chamber 12.

Inside the disk transfer chamber 12, a bottom wall 21 thereof is provided.
A rotary shaft 22 extending vertically through the disk is provided, and a lower end of the rotary shaft 22 is connected to a motor 23 fixed to the outer lower surface of the disk transfer chamber 12. Rotating shaft 22
An arm fixing plate 24 is fixed to the upper end of the. One end of each of first and second arms 25 and 26 having a ring formed at the other end is fixed to the arm fixing plate 24 by a plurality of fixing screws 27. First and second arm 2
Ring-shaped first and second susceptors 28 and 29, which are also ring-shaped, are fitted and supported on the ring portions formed at the ends of 5 and 26, respectively. Disk substrates 18-1 and 18-2 are mounted on the first and second susceptors 28 and 29, respectively.
It is rotated and conveyed. That is, the rotary shaft 22, the motor 23,
The first and second arms 25 and 26 and the first and second susceptors 28 and 29 form a disc transfer mechanism 30. FIG. 2 shows the first part of the disk transport mechanism 30.
3 is a top view of the second arms 25 and 26. FIG. In the figure,
The parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

Below the disk transfer chamber 12, first and second air cylinders 31 and 32 are arranged. The first and second air cylinders 31 and 32 respectively penetrate the bottom wall 21 of the disc transfer chamber 12 and reciprocate vertically in the disc transfer chamber 12.
1, 32-1. The first air cylinder 31 is located below the sputter chamber 11, and has a cylinder rod 31-
When 1 moves up, the disk pusher 31-2 provided at the upper end pushes up the disk substrate 18-1 to the sputter chamber opening 19. The second air cylinder 32 is located in the load lock portion below the transfer chamber opening 20, and when the cylinder rod 32-1 rises, the second air cylinder 32 is provided with the susceptor pusher 32-2 provided at the upper end of the second air cylinder 32 and the second susceptor 29. The disk substrate 18-2 placed on this is pushed up to the transfer chamber opening 20 and is hermetically closed.

The transfer chamber opening 20 is a horizontal arm 33-of an external transfer mechanism 33 installed outside the disk transfer chamber 12.
1 is airtightly closed by one of the vacuum lids 33-2 fixed to both ends. The vacuum lid 33-2 holds the disk substrate 18-2 on its lower surface in a state where the transfer chamber opening 20 is airtightly closed by the second susceptor 29. The motor 33-3 forming the external transfer mechanism 33 is a horizontal arm 3
3-1 is rotated, and thereby the disk substrate 18-2 is taken out from the disk transfer chamber 12 through the transfer chamber opening 20.

Next, the operation of the sputtering apparatus thus constructed will be described.

First, the so-called load lock for loading the disk substrate 18-2 into the disk transport chamber 12 from the outside is performed by the external transport mechanism 33 in the opposite operation. That is, the vacuum lid 3 of the horizontal arm 33-1
3-2 hermetically closes the transfer chamber opening 20 while holding the disk substrate 18-2 on the lower surface thereof. At this time, in the inside of the disk transfer chamber 12, the second air cylinder 3
2 raises the susceptor pusher 32-2, and closes the transfer chamber opening 20 together with the second susceptor 29. In this state, the disk substrate 18-2 held by the vacuum lid 33-2 is opened and transferred onto the second susceptor 29. After that, the second air cylinder 32 descends and the disk substrate 18-2 is placed and supported on the ring portion of the second arm 26 together with the second susceptor 29.

The motor 23 of the disk transfer mechanism 30 rotates the rotary shaft 22 to rotate the first and second arms 25 and 26.
Exchange their positions with each other. Accordingly, the positions of the first and second susceptors 28 and 29 are exchanged with each other. Therefore, the second susceptor 29 and the disk substrate 18-2 placed on it move to the positions shown as the first susceptor 28 and the disk substrate 18-1 in FIG.

Next, the cylinder rod 31-1 of the first air cylinder 31 located below the sputtering chamber 11 is raised, and the disk pusher 31-2 at the upper end moves the disk substrate 18-1 into the first susceptor. It is separated from 28 and pushed up to the sputtering chamber opening 19. At this position, although not shown, the protrusion formed on the upper surface of the disk pusher 31-2 fits into the funnel-shaped lower end of the center mask 16.

In this state, discharge is started in the sputtering chamber 11, the target material emitted from the target 15 is deposited on the surface of the disk substrate 18-1 to form a film, and the sputtering process is performed. When the sputtering process is completed, the first air cylinder 31 lowers its cylinder rod 31-1 and the disk substrate 18-1 is again moved to the first air cylinder 31.
Is put back on the susceptor 28.

Next, the motor 2 of the disk transport mechanism 30.
3 rotates the rotary shaft 22, and the first and second arms 2
The positions of 5, 26 are exchanged with each other. by this,
The first susceptor 28 and the disk substrate 18-1 placed on it are returned to the positions shown as the second susceptor 29 and the disk substrate 18-2 in FIG. After that, the disk substrate 18-2 subjected to the sputtering process is pushed up by the second air cylinder 32 into the transfer chamber opening 20 together with the second susceptor 29, and is transferred through the transfer chamber opening 20 as described above. The external transfer mechanism 33 carries the disk out of the disk transfer chamber 12.

In the sputtering apparatus of the above embodiment configured as described above, the first and second arms 25 and 26 constituting the disk transport mechanism 30 are individually attached to the arm fixing plate 24 of the rotating shaft 22 by the fixing screws 27. Is fixed to the first and second arms 25 and 26, and the shapes of the first and second arms 25 and 26 are small and have a small area.
26 can be easily taken out through the sputter chamber opening 19 for maintenance.

Further, such a structure of the disk transport mechanism 30 facilitates the centering for aligning the first and second susceptors 28 and 29 with the sputter chamber opening 19. That is, this centering is performed by the first susceptor 28.
The position of the first arm 25 is adjusted and fixed to the arm fixing plate 24 of the rotary shaft 22 with the fixing screw 27 so that the center of the first arm 25 is aligned with the center of the transfer chamber opening 20 of the load lock part. Next, the first arm 25 is rotated and conveyed to the lower part of the sputtering chamber 11, and the center of the first susceptor 28 and the sputtering chamber 1 are
The center of the center mask 16 in 1 is made to match by adjusting the position of the sputtering chamber 11. Second arm 2
For No. 6, the second susceptor 29 is adjusted so that the center of the second susceptor 29 is aligned with the center of the transfer chamber opening 20 of the load lock unit.
Centering can be performed by adjusting the position of the arm 26 and fixing it to the arm fixing plate 24.

Further, in the sputtering apparatus of the above embodiment, the first and second susceptors 28 and 29 are formed such that the width of the other arm portion is narrower than the diameter of the ring-shaped portion supporting the disk substrate. Therefore, the gas released from the disk substrate during the sputtering process can be easily exhausted by the vacuum pump (not shown) installed in the lower part of the disk transfer chamber 12.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a sputtering apparatus showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing the main part thereof. This embodiment has almost the same configuration except that two sputtering chambers are installed and the configuration of the disk transport mechanism is different from that of the embodiment of FIG.
Therefore, in FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted, and hereinafter, different portions will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the disk transfer chamber 1
2 has a substantially semi-circular horizontal cross section on its inner surface, and the first and second sputtering chambers 11 and 11 'are installed on both sides of the flat side of the semi-circle, and the semi-circular circumference is defined. A transfer chamber opening 20 of the load lock unit is arranged near the top of the section. The second sputtering chamber 11 'is not shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the disk transfer mechanism 40 provided in the disk transfer chamber 12 is
A first and a second motor 41 installed below the outside of the
By 42, the double rotation shafts 43 and 44 are independently driven to rotate. One ends of first and second arms 45 and 46 each having a ring formed at the other end are fixed to the tops of these double rotation shafts 43 and 44 by a plurality of fixing screws 47 (FIG. 4). . First and second arm 4
Ring-shaped first and second susceptors 28 and 29, which are also ring-shaped, are fitted and supported on the ring portions formed at the ends of 5, and 46, respectively. Disk substrates 18-1 and 18-2 are mounted on the first and second susceptors 28 and 29, respectively.
It is rotated and conveyed.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the first and second arms 45 and 46 which constitute the disk transport mechanism 40. The first and second arms 45 and 46 are respectively the double rotation shafts 43 and 44. First arm 4 fixed on top
5 is stepwise bent from the top of the double rotary shaft 43 to the ring portion to which the first susceptor 28 is fitted, and the ring portions at the ends of the first and second arms 45 and 46 are the same. Aligned to lie in a horizontal plane of height. The rotation angles of the first and second arms 45 and 46 are independently rotated by the double rotation shafts 43 and 44 within a range of 90 degrees as shown in the figure. This rotation angle range is not necessarily limited to within 90 degrees, but may be within 120 degrees.

The operation of the sputtering apparatus having the above structure will be described below. In this device, the first and second
Since the sputtering chambers 11 and 11 'are installed, different kinds of films can be formed in the respective sputtering chambers by using targets made of different materials. For example, this apparatus can be used for both CD and DVD disk deposition. Further, when this apparatus is used only for film formation of a disk for CD, for example, by using targets made of the same material for the first and second sputtering chambers 11 and 11 ', the production efficiency is significantly improved. can do. In any case, the transport mechanism 40 causes the first
Since the second arms 45 and 46 can independently rotate and transfer the disk substrates 18-1 and 18-2, the disks loaded into the disk transfer chamber 12 via the transfer chamber opening 20 of the load lock unit. Substrates 18-1, 18-2
Can be alternately transported below the first and second sputtering chambers 11 and 11 'to form a film by sputtering.

According to the sputtering apparatus of this embodiment, since the first and second arms 45 and 46 rotate only within an angle range of 90 degrees to 120 degrees, the disk transfer chamber 12 has a horizontal cross section of its inner surface. Since it may be a semicircular shape instead of a circular shape, the volume of the disk transfer chamber 12 can be reduced, the upper and lower walls forming the disk transfer chamber 12 can be made thin, and the weight of the entire apparatus can be reduced.

The transfer mechanism 40 installed in the disk transfer chamber 12 also uses two narrow first and second arms 45 and 46 as in the embodiment of FIG. Since the inside of the disk transfer chamber 12 is not divided into upper and lower parts like a table, the gas released from the disk substrate during the sputtering process can be easily exhausted by a vacuum pump installed below the disk transfer chamber 12. it can.

Further, the arms 45 and 46 can be easily removed for maintenance through the sputter chamber opening 19.

Further, the first and second arms 4 described above
Since the ring portions 5 and 46 are aligned so as to be located in the horizontal plane of the same height, the free fall distance of the disk substrate 18-1 onto the first susceptor 28 after the completion of the sputtering process and the disk The free fall distance of the substrate 18-2 onto the second susceptor 29 becomes equal, and it is possible to prevent a transport trouble caused by a difference in the free fall distance.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a rotary arm type sputtering apparatus in which the vacuum container can be easily evacuated, cleaned, or maintained, and there are few transport problems.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rotary arm type sputtering apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a main part of the sputtering apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a rotary arm type sputtering apparatus showing another embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a horizontal sectional view of a main part of the sputtering apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Sputtering room 12 Disc transfer chamber 13 Magnet device 15 Target 16 center mask 17 Upper wall 18 disk substrate 19 Sputtering chamber opening 20 Transport chamber opening 21 bottom wall 22 rotation axis 23 motor 24 Arm fixing plate 25 First Arm 26 Second Arm 27 fixing screw 28 First susceptor 29 Second susceptor 30 disk transport mechanism 31 first air cylinder 32 Second air cylinder 33 External transport mechanism

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Jiro Ikeda             1-4 Yata-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Stock             Sony Music Entertainment Inc.             Inside (72) Inventor Yoshifumi Oda             1 share, 1000 Kasama-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Shibaura Works Yokohama Office F-term (reference) 4K029 CA05 DC39 KA01                 5D121 EE03 EE19

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sputtering chamber for forming an airtight discharge space therein, a magnetic field generator disposed above the sputtering chamber so as to apply a magnetic field to the sputtering chamber, and a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator. To be applied, a target placed above the sputtering chamber, a disc transfer chamber connected to the sputtering chamber through an opening, and provided in the disc transfer chamber, each of which is fixed to a vertical rotating shaft. First and second horizontal arms, susceptors supported by the first and second horizontal arms, and a reciprocating motion of these susceptors in the vertical direction, and a disk substrate supported by the susceptor. And a pusher mechanism provided in the disc transfer chamber so as to reciprocate vertically. Extending in opposite directions in substantially the same horizontal plane with respect to the straight rotation axis, and the susceptor position in the extension direction of the first and second horizontal arms is fixed to the vertical rotation axis so as to be adjustable. A rotating arm type sputtering device characterized in that 2. The first and second horizontal arms extending in opposite directions in the substantially same horizontal plane are arranged such that their extending directions maintain an angle of about 180 degrees with respect to each other of the vertical rotation axis. The rotating arm type sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotating arm type sputtering apparatus rotates. 3. A sputtering chamber that forms an airtight discharge space inside, a magnetic field generator disposed above the sputtering chamber so as to apply a magnetic field to the sputtering chamber, and a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator. To be applied, a target placed in the upper part of the sputtering chamber, a disc transfer chamber connected to the sputter chamber through an opening, and provided in the disc transfer chamber, each having a different vertical rotation axis. First and second horizontal arms fixed to rotate independently in a horizontal plane of height, susceptors supported by these first and second horizontal arms, respectively, and these susceptors in a vertical direction. While reciprocating,
A pusher mechanism provided in the disc transfer chamber so as to vertically reciprocate the disc substrate supported by the susceptor, and at least one of the first and second horizontal arms is supported by the susceptor. A rotating arm type sputtering apparatus, wherein the disk substrates to be formed are bent so as to be arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane. 4. The rotary arm type sputtering apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vertical rotary shaft is constituted by a double rotary shaft to which each of the first and second horizontal arms is fixed.