JP2011046990A - Voltage-applying device and substrate-treating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a voltage-applying device which has an improved efficiency of voltage application to a substrate holder and can be stably used for a long period of time. <P>SOLUTION: The voltage-applying device includes: a vacuum treatment chamber; the substrate holder 20 provided in the vacuum treatment chamber; a power-feeding member 13 for applying voltage to the substrate holder; a diaphragm type power-feeding part 22 provided at a tip of the power-feeding member; and a movable mechanism 18 which is provided outside the vacuum treatment chamber and moves the power-feeding member so as to bring the diaphragm type power-feeding part into contact with the substrate holder or detach the part from the holder. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a voltage application apparatus, and more particularly to a substrate processing apparatus using a voltage application apparatus that supplies power to a transportable substrate holder.

Conventionally, for example, in the manufacture of a magnetic recording medium, a base layer film made of a NiP plating layer is provided on an aluminum alloy substrate, and a magnetic layer film made of a Cr base layer and a Co alloy layer is formed on the base layer film by sputtering. Further, a protective layer film such as a carbon sputtered film is provided on the magnetic layer film. In sputtering of a magnetic film, a bias is applied to a substrate to improve holding power, corrosion resistance, and the like.

A magnetic recording medium using a substrate made of glass or other insulating material instead of an aluminum alloy substrate is also known. In the manufacture of a magnetic recording medium using a substrate made of an insulating material, the underlayer film is also formed by a sputtering method. First, the substrate is introduced into a vacuum processing chamber, and about 5 × 10 ⁻⁶ Torr or less. After evacuating to the pressure of Ar, introducing Ar gas and adjusting the pressure to about 2 × 10 ⁻⁵ Torr, a DC magnetron sputtering method is used to form a metal film (eg, NiP, Cr, etc.) as an underlayer, Thereafter, the substrate is heated, and then a magnetic layer film and a protective layer film made of a Cr film and a Co alloy film are sequentially formed. During the formation of the magnetic layer film, bias application with a negative voltage of about 300 V is performed.

  In the inline apparatus substrate processing apparatus, the holder on which the substrate is mounted moves along the transfer path between the vacuum processing chambers and is subjected to various processes in each vacuum processing chamber. A plate spring is used as an elastic member for the power supply member so that it can be moved so as to be in contact with the holder during power supply and non-contact when the holder is moved.

Patent Document 1 describes that a bias power source is applied to a substrate holder that can be transferred by a transport mechanism via a bias application power source during sputtering.
In Patent Document 2, when a magnetic layer is formed on a non-conductive substrate, the substrate is charged with various layers such as a magnetic layer so that the substrate is charged with a negative charge. In a substrate holder for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium that holds the substrate, a holding portion that vertically supports the substrate with three or more supports, and a lower portion that is provided below the region where the substrate is to be held Conducting operation in which a bias voltage application terminal attached to an upper end by an upward force is brought into contact with the lower end surface of the substrate, and a lower end portion and the bias voltage application terminal are electrically connected. A substrate holder characterized by having a movable part.

JP-A-5-334648 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-7174

  In the prior art, the plate spring is brought into contact with the substrate holder as the structure for feeding the bias application, but both the plate spring and the substrate holder are plate-like, so even if they are pressed firmly, the plate spring is contacted microscopically. The actual contact area is reduced due to deformation or bias with respect to the area, and the voltage application efficiency is poor. In the worst case, a minute gap is formed, and there is a possibility that problems such as arc discharge and melting of the leaf spring may occur.

  In the prior art, in order to make the contact between the leaf spring and the substrate holder as uniform as possible, it is necessary to adjust the installation position, etc., and also according to the deformation amount of the leaf spring so that the leaf spring contacts the holder in parallel. The stroke amount also needs to be adjusted. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the leaf spring when it is used up to the repeated load life of the leaf spring. Since this replacement work takes time, there is a problem that the downtime of the apparatus is affected and productivity is lowered.

An object of the present invention is to provide a voltage application device and a substrate processing apparatus that can improve the voltage application efficiency, can be used stably over a long period of time, and can reduce downtime of an apparatus necessary for adjustment and the like. It is to provide.

A voltage application apparatus according to the present invention is provided in a vacuum processing chamber, a substrate holder provided in the vacuum processing chamber, a power supply member for applying a voltage to the substrate holder, and a tip portion of the power supply member A diaphragm-type power supply unit; and a movable mechanism that is provided outside the vacuum processing chamber and moves the power-feeding member so that the diaphragm-type power supply unit contacts or does not contact the substrate holder. And

  According to the present invention, since the diaphragm deforms and contacts the substrate holder, the voltage application efficiency to the substrate holder can be improved by increasing the contact area. In addition, the frequency of replacing the power supply unit due to poor contact is reduced, and the power supply unit can be used stably for a long period of time. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to adjust the installation position or the like severely, the apparatus downtime can be shortened and the productivity of the apparatus can be improved.

It is a lineblock diagram showing one embodiment of a thin film formation device concerning the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the board | substrate holder 20 vicinity of FIG. 2 in detail. It is sectional drawing which shows the diaphragm type electric power feeding part which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

    Next, the best mode for carrying out the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to an apparatus for manufacturing a magnetic recording disk will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a thin film forming apparatus according to the present invention. The apparatus of this embodiment is an inline type apparatus. The in-line type is a general term for apparatuses in which a plurality of chambers are vertically arranged in a line, and a transport path for the substrate 9 is set via the chambers. In the present embodiment, a plurality of chambers 1, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, 800 are provided vertically along a rectangular outline, and a rectangular conveyance path is formed along this. Is set. The plurality of chambers are connected by vacuum.

  Each of the chambers 1, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, and 800 is a vacuum chamber that is evacuated by a dedicated or dual-purpose exhaust system. A gate valve 10 is provided at the boundary between the chambers 1, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, and 800. The substrate 9 is mounted on the carrier 2 and is transported along the transport path by a transport mechanism (not shown) in FIG.

  Of the plurality of chambers 1, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, 800, the chamber 81 arranged adjacent to one side of the square mounts the substrate 9 on the carrier 2. The load lock chamber to perform. An unload lock chamber 82 collects the substrate 9 from the carrier 2.

  The chambers 1, 80, 83, 84, 85, 88, 89, and 800 arranged on the other three sides of the square are processing chambers for performing various processes. Specifically, 83 is a preheating chamber for preheating the substrate 9 before the thin film is formed, and 1 is an anisotropy layer forming chamber for preparing the anisotropy layer.

  84 is an underlayer forming chamber for forming an underlayer on the anisotropy imparting layer, 88 is an intermediate layer forming chamber for forming an intermediate layer on the underlayer, and 80 is a magnetic for forming a magnetic recording layer on the intermediate layer. It is a recording layer forming chamber.

  Reference numeral 85 denotes a protective layer forming chamber for forming a protective layer on the magnetic recording layer, and 800 denotes an etching chamber. The square corner chamber 87 is a direction changing chamber 87 provided with a direction changing mechanism for changing the transport direction of the substrate 9 by 90 degrees. The processing chamber 89 is a spare.

  The carrier 2 holds the substrate 9 by holding the periphery of the substrate 9 in contact with several places. The transport mechanism moves the carrier 2 by introducing power to the vacuum side by a magnetic coupling method. The carrier 2 moves while being supported by a number of driven rollers arranged along the transport line. As the configuration of the carrier 2 and the transport mechanism, for example, the configuration disclosed in JP-A-8-274142 can be employed.

  FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80. In the present embodiment, the magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80 is described as a substrate processing apparatus, but the present invention can also be used in other vacuum chambers that require bias application when forming a film on a substrate. In FIG. 2, the same parts as those in FIG. The magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80 is for sputtering the magnetic recording layer. FIG. 2A shows a state in which the diaphragm power supply unit 22 is in contact with the substrate holder 20, and FIG. 2B shows a state in which the diaphragm power supply unit 22 is separated from the substrate holder 20.

Specifically, the magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80 is provided with a pair of tanks that are opposed to both surfaces of the substrate 9 and an exhaust system 11 that exhausts the inside, a gas introduction system 12 that introduces a process gas into the interior, A sputtering cathode 100. Moreover, the board | substrate holder 20 which has the electroconductivity of metal etc. for hold | maintaining the board | substrate 9 is provided. The material of the substrate holder 10 is made of an aluminum alloy such as A5052, and the surface thereof is subjected to blasting in order to prevent the adhered film from being peeled off by sputtering or the like and generating dust.
Further, as a voltage application device for applying a voltage to the substrate holder 10, a vacuum processing chamber 80, a substrate holder 20 provided in the vacuum processing chamber 80, and a power supply member 13 for applying a voltage to the substrate holder 20. And the diaphragm type power supply unit 22 provided at the tip of the power supply member 13 and the outside of the vacuum processing chamber 80, and the power supply member 13 is movable so that the diaphragm type power supply unit 22 contacts the substrate holder 20. Or a movable mechanism 18 to be non-contacted.

  The movable mechanism 18 includes a bellows 14 as a hermetically sealed seal member and a conductor rod 15 provided inside the bellows 14, and the power supply member 13 is fixed or integrally formed at the tip of the conductor rod 15. A diaphragm type power feeding portion 22 is fixed or integrally formed at the tip thereof. In this structure, when the conductor rod 15 is driven in the left-right direction in the drawing by the bellows 14, the diaphragm-type power feeding unit 22 comes into contact with or is not in contact with the substrate holder 20.

The diaphragm type power supply unit 22 is formed of a conductive (metal) member having elasticity (for example, Inconel, stainless alloy steel, Co—Ni alloy, etc.) in a diaphragm shape. That is, the cavity 25 is provided between the diaphragm power supply unit 22 and the power supply member 23 that supplies a voltage to the diaphragm power supply unit 22.
A high voltage can be applied to the substrate holder 20 from the bias application power source 16 connected to the conductor rod 15 by bringing the diaphragm power supply unit 22 into contact with the substrate holder 20 by driving the driving unit 18.

  The power supply member is provided with a vent 23 that communicates the cavity 25 and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber 80. The vent 23 enables the outside and inside of the diaphragm type power supply section 22 to have the same pressure, and the elasticity of the diaphragm can be ensured even in a vacuum. By supplying power from the bias application power supply 16 to the power supply member 23 in a state where the diaphragm power supply unit 22 is in contact with the substrate holder 20 (the state shown in FIG. 2A), the voltage application efficiency is improved. be able to.

The exhaust system 11 includes a vacuum pump such as a cryopump, and is configured to be able to exhaust the inside of the magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80 to about 10 ⁻⁵ Pa. In the present embodiment, the sputtering cathodes 100 are disposed on both sides of the substrate 9 held by the carrier 2 in order to simultaneously perform sputtering on both surfaces of the substrate 9.

  While the argon gas is being introduced by the gas introduction system 12, the inside of the magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80 is maintained at a predetermined pressure by the exhaust system 11, and in this state, the sputtering cathode power supply (not shown in FIG. 2) is operated. As a result, sputtering occurs and a film is formed on the substrate 9. In the present embodiment, the drive unit 18 is controlled so that the diaphragm power supply unit 22 contacts the substrate holder 20 by a control unit (computer) (not shown) while the cathode power supply is operating or just before the operation. That is, while the sputtering cathode is driven to form a film on the substrate 9 or immediately before the film formation, the diaphragm-type power feeding unit 22 is brought into contact with the substrate holder 20 to apply a bias voltage to the substrate holder 20. Can be membrane.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the substrate holder 20 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a view showing the periphery of the substrate holder 20 in detail. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a side view. 3, the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the figure, 20a represents the upper end of the substrate holder 20, and 20b represents the lower end. Reference numeral 5 denotes a claw for holding the substrate 9 on the substrate holder 20, and reference numeral 21 denotes a shield.

  The substrate holder 20 is mounted on the carrier 2 in order to move the substrate holder 20 between a plurality of chambers. The substrate holder 20 and the carrier 2 are configured to be electrically insulated by the insulating stone 300. This is because substrate processing such as sputtering or ion beam etching is performed by changing the substrate potential during various substrate processing.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the shield 21 divides the inside of the processing chamber into a substrate processing space and an exhaust space. The substrate processing space is a space where the substrate 9 held by the substrate holder 20 is positioned and the substrate processing is performed. The exhaust space is a space where the substrate 9 held by the substrate holder 20 is not located and is connected to the exhaust means 11. The substrate holder 20 has a lower end portion 20b extending below the shield 21 in the exhaust space, and applies a bias to the substrate holder 20 by bringing the diaphragm power feeding portion 22 into contact with the lower end portion 20b. It is. The diaphragm-type power feeding unit 22 is not brought into contact with the upper end portion 20a of the substrate holder 20 that holds the substrate 9 so as not to interfere with the substrate processing or due to the contact between the substrate holder 20 and the diaphragm-type power feeding unit 22. This is to reduce the adhesion of dust to the substrate.

  Further, by using a diaphragm type power supply unit 22 having elasticity or performing speed control at the time of contact, the impact at the time of contact with the lower end portion 20b is reduced and the generation of dust is reduced.

  In the present embodiment, a bias is applied to the substrate 9 by bringing the diaphragm-type power feeding portion 22 into contact with the substrate holder 20 while the film is formed by sputtering from the sputtering cathode to the substrate 9 as described above or immediately before the film formation. To be applied. In this configuration, a sufficient contact area of the diaphragm with the substrate holder 20 can be secured, damage to the power feeding unit due to abnormal discharge or the like can be reduced, and stable use over a long period of time can be achieved.

  In addition, since it is not necessary to adjust the installation position or the like severely, the apparatus downtime can be shortened. The productivity of the apparatus can be improved.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a diaphragm type power feeding unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. 4, the same parts as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 4 shows an example in which a power supply bellows 24 is added to the configuration of the diaphragm power supply unit 22 of FIG.

  In this embodiment, by combining the elasticity of the diaphragm and the elasticity of the metal bellows, the contact area with the substrate holder 20 by the diaphragm power supply unit 22 and the stroke adjustment and position adjustment by the metal bellows are realized at the same time. be able to. By appropriately selecting the spring constant of the bellows, it becomes possible to share the functions, and a more optimal structure can be obtained. As a material of the metal bellows according to the present embodiment, stainless alloy steel (SUS316L or the like), AM350, Hastelloy, Inconel, or the like can be adopted, which is a material that can be welded and used in a vacuum.

Further, the cavity 25 formed inside the diaphragm type power supply unit 22 communicates with the space inside the processing chamber 80 by the bellows 24 and the vent 23 formed inside the power supply member 13. By doing so, the outer side and the inner side of the diaphragm type power feeding section 22 can be made the same pressure, and the elasticity of the diaphragm can be ensured even in a vacuum.

  In the above embodiment, the magnetic recording layer forming chamber 80 that performs film formation using a sputtering cathode has been described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. However, the present invention is a substrate that forms a film in another vacuum chamber. It can also be used in processing equipment. For example, the thin film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 can be used in the anisotropy layer forming chamber 1 for forming the anisotropy layer.

  Also, an underlayer forming chamber 84 for forming an underlayer on the anisotropy imparting layer, an intermediate layer forming chamber 88 for forming an intermediate layer on the underlayer, and a magnetic recording layer for forming a magnetic recording layer on the intermediate layer It can also be used for the forming chamber 80. Further, it can be used in a protective layer forming chamber 85 for forming a protective layer on the magnetic recording layer.

  Further, the present invention can also be used for an etching chamber 800 that performs an etching process using an ion beam. However, in this case, it is possible to use the same configuration by adopting a structure in which the bias application power source 16 is grounded for the purpose of grounding the substrate holder 20 to the ground, not for bias application.

  The present invention can be used in an in-line type substrate processing apparatus capable of simultaneously forming a vacuum thin film layer from both sides of a substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Anisotropy provision layer formation chamber 2 Carrier 5 Claw 9 Substrate 10 Gate valve 11 Exhaust means 12 Gas supply means 13 Power supply member 14 Bellows 15 Conductor rod 16 By tomorrow application power source 17 Contact part 18 Movable mechanism 20 Substrate holder 21 Shield 22 Diaphragm Type power feeding section 23 vent hole 24 power feeding bellows 25 cavity 80 magnetic recording layer forming chamber 81 load lock chamber 82 unload lock chamber 83 preheat chamber 84 underlayer forming chamber 85 protective layer forming chamber 87 direction change chamber 88 intermediate layer forming chamber 89 Preliminary chamber 100 Sputtering cathode 300 Insulating stone

Claims (4)

A vacuum chamber;
A substrate holder provided in the vacuum chamber and a power supply member for applying a voltage to the substrate holder;
A diaphragm-type power feeding unit provided at the tip of the power feeding member;
A movable mechanism that is provided outside the vacuum chamber and moves the power supply member so as to contact or non-contact the diaphragm power supply unit with the substrate holder;
A voltage applying apparatus comprising: Between the diaphragm type power supply unit and the power supply member, a cavity is provided,
The voltage application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply member is provided with a vent hole that communicates the cavity and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber. The voltage application apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bellows is provided between the power supply member and the diaphragm power supply unit. A plurality of vacuum chambers connected to each other;
Conveying means for conveying the substrate holder along the plurality of vacuum chambers;
With
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of vacuum chambers is the voltage applying apparatus according to claim 1.