JPS59200434A - Detachable mechanism of sample base of cvd device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To mount or demount a sample base easily, and to improve safety and workability by installing a mechanism which can execute operation, in which the sample base is gripped and lifted, moved on a stage, dropped at the position on the stage and placed on the stage and released, or reverse operation automatically in succession. CONSTITUTION:When pushing a removable button 8, an arm 4 is turned by a shaft 10, and a chucking head 5 mounted to the nose of the arm reaches right above one stage, one sample base 3, in a CVD reaction furnace. The arm 4 is dropped by the shaft and the chucking head 5 grips the sample base 3 on a stage at that time (the chucking head such as a vacuum chuck sucks the sample base). When the arm 4 is lifted and turned and the chucking head 5 reaches right above a stage 9 for cooling on the outside of the CVD-device reaction furnace, a rotary motion is stopped, the arm 4 is dropped at the position, and the chucking head 5 releases the sample base 3 just when the sample base 3 is placed on the stage 9 for cooling. The sample base 3 placed on the stage 9 for cooling is cooled, and treated easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a mechanism that allows a sample stage of a CVD apparatus to be automatically attached and removed without manual handling.

[Background of the invention]

A sample stage on which a sample is placed in a CVD apparatus needs to be cleaned frequently. For this reason, in the past, the sample stage had to be replaced and cleaned manually by an operator, but this resulted in the following problems. That is, when replacing the sample stage, for safety reasons, the temperature inside the C'VD reactor (500°C) must be lowered to around room temperature, and this requires a lot of time and manual replacement. These problems include the tendency for the sample stage to be damaged or misplaced due to rough handling, and the increased weight of the sample stage as the diameter of the wafer (sample) increases, making the work itself more dangerous.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that does not have the above-mentioned conventional problems and allows an operator to automatically attach and detach a sample stage of a CVD apparatus by simply pressing an operation button, for example.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the sample stage of the CVD apparatus is driven by a drive unit provided outside the CVD apparatus, and is capable of reciprocating movement over the side wall of the CVD apparatus and reciprocating movement in the vertical direction of the CVD apparatus. An arm that can hold and lift the sample stand and a means for grasping or releasing the sample stand provided at the tip of this arm correspond to and interlock with the sample stand stop position of the CVD apparatus, grip and lift the sample stand, and release the sample outside the CVD apparatus. Move the sample stand onto the stage, lower it from this position, place the sample stand on the stage, and release it, or conversely, grab the sample stand placed on the stage outside the CVD apparatus and lift it up. Move the sample table onto the stage and lower it at this position to perform CV
A mechanism was provided to automatically sequentially place and release the objects on the stage in the D device.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is 'CV
D reactor (inside), 2 is the reactor side wall, 3 is the sample stage, 4 is the arm, 5 is the chuck head that grips or releases the sample stage, 6 is the drive unit, 7 is the attachment button, 8 is the removal button, 9
10 is a stage for cooling the sample table provided outside the reactor, and 10 is a rotating shaft to which an arm 4 is attached and is capable of vertically reciprocating movement. Although not shown, a large number of stages are provided along the periphery of the CVD reactor 1 on which the sample stage 3 is placed and rotates around its axis.

When the operator presses the removal button 8, the arm 4 moves to the rotation axis 10.
The arm 4 is rotated by the rotary shaft so that the chuck head 5 installed at the tip of the arm is directly above one stage, that is, one sample stage 3 in the CVD reactor. Grasp the sample stage 3 on the stage (in this example, the vacuum chunk sucks it), then the arm 4 rises and rotates until the chuck head 5 is directly above the cooling stage 9 outside the CVD apparatus reactor. The rotational movement stops, the arm 4 descends at this position, and the chuck head 5 releases the sample stage 3 when the sample stage 3 is just placed on the cooling stage 9. The sample stage 3 placed on the cooling stage 9 is cooled and can be easily handled later. After the sample stage has sufficiently cooled down, it is taken out of the main mechanism either manually by an operator or automatically by a separate mechanism. At the same time, the next sample stage in the reactor moves by one index and becomes ready for removal.

Similarly, when mounting the sample stage, the sample stage 3 placed on the stage 9 by an operator or an automatic mechanism is placed on standby at the mounting standby position around the inside of the CVD apparatus reactor 1 by pressing the mounting button 7. The chuck head 5 is then placed on a single stage that has been previously used and released from the chuck head 5. After that, the stage group around the inside of the reactor 1 revolves by one index, and the next stage becomes in a standby state.

Although not shown, automatic wafer transport mechanisms, etc.
When the rotational phase of the sample stage is required, protrusions and depressions that indicate the phase may be provided on the stage and on the back surface of the sample stage, respectively.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is extremely easy to attach and remove the sample stage of a CVD apparatus, and the time required to replace the sample stage, which conventionally required about 3 hours every 12 hours, can be reduced to 3 hours.
The time is reduced to approximately 0 minutes, greatly improving safety and workability.

The present invention can be applied to plasma CVD apparatuses, epitaxial growth apparatuses, dry etching apparatuses, and other batch-type apparatuses in general that require sample stage exchange.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. 1-CVD equipment reactor (inside), 2-reactor side wall,
3.--Sample stage, 4.--Arm, 5.--Chuck head, 6.
- drive unit, 7 - attachment button, 8 - removal button,
9-cooling stage, 10-rotation axis. Agent Patent Attorney Takeo Agata

Claims (1)

[Claims] For the sample stage of the CVD apparatus, there is an arm that is driven by a drive unit provided outside the CVD apparatus and is capable of reciprocating movement over the side wall of the CVD apparatus and reciprocating movement in the vertical direction of the CVD apparatus, and an arm provided at the tip of this arm. In addition, the means for grasping or releasing the sample stage is CV
Corresponding to and interlocking with the sample stand stop position of the D device, grab and lift the sample stand, move it to the sample stand storage place outside the CVD equipment, lower it at this position, place the sample stand in the place, and release it, or Conversely, the following steps are performed: grasp and lift the sample stand placed in a storage area outside the CVD apparatus, move it to the sample stand storage area inside the CVD apparatus, lower it from this position, place it in the storage area inside the CVD apparatus, and release it. A mechanism for attaching and detaching a sample stage of a CVD apparatus, characterized in that the attachment and detachment are automatically performed.