JP2013077667A - Substrate transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate transfer apparatus which has a relatively inexpensively feasible structure and comprises a robot hand whose position is not varied even by chamber deformation caused by variation in internal air pressure.SOLUTION: The substrate transfer apparatus comprises: a vacuum chamber; and a transfer robot which is disposed in the vacuum chamber and holds an incoming substrate to transfer it to a desired position. The transfer robot is fixed to a floor on which the substrate transfer apparatus is installed. A part of the transfer robot is attached to a part of a wall of the vacuum chamber via an O-ring such that the inside of the vacuum chamber can be kept airtight and they can move relatively to each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device for transferring a large substrate such as a display device such as an organic EL device or a liquid crystal display to a vacuum film forming apparatus, and in particular, the transfer position does not change even in a vacuum environment. The present invention relates to a structure for realizing stable substrate transfer.

  For example, as a method for manufacturing an organic EL device, a vacuum deposition method is generally widely used. In such a vacuum deposition method, as is also known from Patent Document 1 below, a so-called deposition chamber held in a vacuum is used. (Hereinafter, generally referred to as “vacuum device”), heating the vapor deposition material while controlling the evaporation rate of the vapor deposition material from the evaporation source using a method such as resistance heating or induction heating. It is common to perform physical vapor deposition (PVD).

  When film formation is performed using such a vacuum apparatus, a large substrate is also transferred to the vacuum apparatus by a robot, which is a substrate transfer apparatus mounted in a chamber whose interior is held in vacuum.

JP 2010-62043 A

  However, as is also known from Patent Document 1 described above, when a substrate is transferred by a robot 110 which is a substrate transfer device mounted in a chamber 100 whose inside is held in a vacuum, it is also shown in FIG. As described above, when the inside of the chamber is changed from the atmospheric state to the vacuum state, the vacuum chamber to which the robot is fixed is deformed by the atmospheric pressure, and accordingly, the position of the robot hand is changed. That is, the deformation of the chamber becomes a factor for displacing the position (in particular, the height h) at which the substrate is carried in the transfer of the substrate by the robot. FIG. 6 shows an example of a structure for fixing the robot to the vacuum chamber, here, a structure for fixing the robot in a secret manner with screws and an O-ring.

  Conventionally, as a means for suppressing the displacement in the height of the substrate to be transferred to an acceptable level, for example, a mechanical strength is increased by attaching a large number of ribs to the floor of the chamber. However, the deformation of the chamber itself has been suppressed. However, such means increases the cost of the chamber.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to change the position (especially the height) of the robot hand even when the chamber is deformed due to fluctuations in the internal atmospheric pressure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer apparatus having a structure that can be realized at a relatively low cost.

  To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, first, a substrate provided with a vacuum chamber and a transfer robot provided in the vacuum chamber for holding the transferred substrate and transferring it to a desired position. The transfer robot is fixed to a floor surface on which the substrate transfer apparatus is installed, and a part of the transfer robot is airtightly sealed inside the vacuum chamber with a part of a wall constituting the vacuum chamber. A substrate transfer device is provided that is attached via means that can be held and moved relative to each other.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the substrate transfer apparatus described above, the means for holding the inside of the vacuum chamber in an airtight manner and making it movable relative to each other is preferably an O-ring.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the above-described substrate transfer apparatus, the O-ring is attached to the outer wall surface of the driving unit of the transfer robot, or is attached to the outer wall surface of the leg portion of the transfer robot. Preferably it is.

  According to the present invention described above, the position (particularly the height) of the robot hand does not fluctuate even when the chamber is deformed due to fluctuations in the internal atmospheric pressure, and can be realized at a relatively low cost. The excellent effect that the substrate transfer apparatus is provided is achieved.

It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the organic electroluminescent device manufacturing apparatus which is a film-forming apparatus by which the board | substrate conveyance apparatus (conveyance chamber) which becomes one embodiment of this invention was employ | adopted. It is a see-through | perspective perspective view which shows an example of the internal structure of the processing chamber which is a film-forming apparatus, if the conveyance chamber of the said organic EL device manufacturing apparatus adjoins. It is a perspective view including the partial cross section for showing the internal detailed structure of the conveyance chamber which becomes one embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by a broken-line circle A in FIG. 3, showing an example of an airtight connection structure between a vacuum chamber and a transfer robot drive unit. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the board | substrate conveyance apparatus (conveyance chamber) used as a prior art, and its problem. It is an expanded sectional view of the part shown with circle B of a broken line in the above-mentioned figure.

  Hereinafter, as an apparatus including a vacuum apparatus employing a substrate transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a film forming apparatus, particularly a film forming for depositing an organic EL material on a large substrate for an organic EL device. The apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, attached FIG. 1 shows an example of an organic EL device manufacturing apparatus that uses a substrate transport apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention as a part thereof. In FIG. , Roughly, a load cluster 3 that carries a substrate 6 to be processed (work), four clusters (A to D) that respectively process substrates, between adjacent clusters, or between cluster A and load cluster 3 In addition, it is composed of a total of five delivery chambers 4a to 4e installed between the next process (for example, the sealing process).

  In addition, the load cluster 3 receives the substrate 6 from the load lock chamber 31 having the gate valve 10 and the load lock chamber 31 in order to maintain the vacuum in front and back, and turns the substrate 6 to carry the substrate 6 into the delivery chamber 4a. And a transfer robot 5R. In addition, each load lock chamber 31 and each delivery chamber 4a to 4e have a gate valve 10 in the front and rear thereof, and by controlling the opening and closing of the gate valve 10, the load cluster 3, Alternatively, the substrate 6 is delivered to the next cluster or the like.

  Each cluster (A to D) has a transfer chamber 2 having a single transfer robot 5 inside, and receives a substrate from the transfer robot 5 to perform a predetermined process (arranged vertically in the drawing) 2. There are two processing chambers 1 (subscripts “a” to “d” indicate clusters and subscripts “u” and “d” indicate upper / lower sides). A gate valve 10 is provided between the transfer chamber 2 and the processing chamber 1.

  Next, FIG. 2 attached is a processing (film formation) chamber including a part of the above-described organic EL device manufacturing apparatus, in particular, a transfer chamber 2 and a film forming apparatus for depositing an organic EL material therein. 1 is shown. Here, a vacuum deposition chamber 1bu for forming an EL layer on the substrate 6 by depositing a light emitting material in a vacuum is shown as a configuration of the processing chamber.

  As shown in the figure, the vacuum deposition chamber 1bu is roughly divided into a deposition unit 7 for evaporating the light emitting material and depositing it on the substrate 6, an alignment unit 8 for depositing on a necessary part of the substrate 6, and a transfer chamber 2. The substrate 6 is transferred to and from the transfer robot 5, and the processing transfer unit 9 is configured to move the substrate 6 to the vapor deposition unit 7.

  The processing delivery section 9 can deliver the substrate 6 without interfering with the comb-like hand 52 of the transfer robot 5 and has a comb-like hand (substrate chuck) 91 having means for fixing the substrate 6; A hand turning drive means 92 for turning the comb-like hand 52 to move the substrate 6 upright to the alignment unit 8 is provided. As a means for fixing the substrate 6, for example, electromagnetic adsorption or a clip is used in consideration of being in a vacuum.

  Although the details of the transfer robot 5 will be described below, the transfer robot 5 is arranged inside the vacuum chamber 21 constituting the transfer chamber, that is, transfers the substrate in a vacuum environment.

  FIG. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of the above-described vacuum chamber 21 and the transfer robot 5 disposed in the vacuum chamber 21 including the floor surface F on which the film forming apparatus is installed. As is clear from this figure, The substrate transfer robot 5 includes the above-described comb-like hand 52 and arms 53 and 54 for freely moving the comb-like hand to a desired position. A joint 55 and the like are provided for realizing proper rotation.

  Also, below the arms 53 and 54, a so-called transfer robot including a transfer robot placed at a predetermined position and including an electric motor and various mechanisms for applying a driving force such as rotation and extension to the arm. The drive unit 56 is provided. A leg part 57 extending downward is integrally attached to the lower surface of the drive part 56 having a substantially cylindrical outer shape. The leg part 57 is fixed to the floor surface F, whereby the transfer robot 5 Is determined.

  Next, FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion indicated by a broken-line circle in FIG. 3, that is, a structure for holding and connecting the vacuum chamber 21 and the driving unit 56 of the transfer robot in an airtight manner. An example is shown. That is, in this example, the vacuum chamber 21, more specifically, a portion where the end of the wall is in contact with the drive unit 56 having a substantially cylindrical shape, that is, a groove is provided around the drive unit 56, In addition, for example, a rubber O-ring 58 is inserted, and these O-rings 58 are connected so as to be movable (slidable) with each other while maintaining airtightness between the vacuum chamber 21 and the drive unit 56. ing.

  As described above in connection with the prior art, this is because when the inside of the vacuum chamber 21 is changed from the atmospheric state to the vacuum state, the wall surface of the vacuum chamber is deformed by the atmospheric pressure. That is, in the present invention, the transfer robot 5 is fixed to the floor F on which the film forming apparatus is installed (see FIG. 3), and the wall surface of the vacuum chamber 21 that is deformed by the pressure inside the transfer robot 5 is In particular, the O-ring 58 is attached to the wall surface of the drive unit 56 so as to be movable (slidable) freely up and down while maintaining the atmospheric pressure (vacuum) inside the chamber (in the drawing). See arrow). According to this, even if the vacuum chamber is deformed by the atmospheric pressure, the movement of the wall surface does not adversely affect the position of the transfer robot 5, for example, vertical displacement, that is, stable. It is possible to realize good robot conveyance for realizing substrate conveyance at a relatively low cost.

  In the above-described embodiment, in particular, the air tightness in the chamber is maintained in the driving unit 56 between the vacuum chamber 21 whose wall surface is moved by the internal atmospheric pressure and the transfer robot 5 fixed to the floor surface F. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, another part of the transfer robot 5, for example, a part of the leg part 57 (particularly, the lower surface of the drive part 56). In the same manner as described above, the chambers can be connected while maintaining airtightness. Furthermore, instead of the O-ring 58, for example, a so-called labyrinth structure or the like may be used to connect the chambers while maintaining airtightness in the chambers.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Transfer robot, 6 ... Board | substrate, 21 ... Vacuum chamber, 52 ... Comb-shaped hand, 53, 54 ... Arm, 55 ... Joint, 56 ... Drive part, 57 ... Leg part, F ... Floor surface.

Claims (4)

A vacuum chamber;
In the substrate transfer apparatus provided in the vacuum chamber and provided with a transfer robot for holding the transferred substrate and transferring it to a desired position,
The transfer robot is fixed to a floor surface on which the substrate transfer apparatus is installed, and a part of the transfer robot can be held airtight inside the vacuum chamber on a part of a wall constituting the vacuum chamber, and A substrate transfer apparatus, wherein the substrate transfer apparatus is attached through means for enabling mutual movement.   2. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for holding the inside of the vacuum chamber in an airtight manner and making it movable relative to each other is an O-ring.   3. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the O-ring is attached to an outer wall surface of a drive unit of the transfer robot.   3. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the O-ring is attached to an outer wall surface of a leg portion of the transfer robot.

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