Patent ID: 11869791
Assignee: ULVAC, INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  C | IPC C  H

Claim 0:
1. A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:
a vacuum chamber comprising a region in which a single vacuum atmosphere is formed;
first and second processing regions provided in the region of the vacuum chamber, predetermined vacuum processing being performed on substrates held by a plurality of substrate holders in the first and second processing regions;
a conveying path for conveying the substrate holder; and
a substrate holder conveying mechanism provided in the vacuum chamber and conveying each of the plurality of substrate holders including first and second driven units along the conveying path,
wherein the conveying path includes a first convoying portion configured to introduce the substrate holder and convey the substrate holder in a first conveying direction along the conveying path while horizontalizing the substrate holder, a second conveying portion configured to convey the substrate holder along the conveying path in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction while horizontalizing the substrate holder and to discharge the substrate holder, and a conveyance turnaround portion configured to turn and convey the substrate holder from the first conveying portion to the second conveying portion, the first conveying portion being configured to pass through one of the first and second processing regions, the second conveying portion being configured to pass through the other of the first and second processing regions,
wherein the substrate holder conveying mechanism includes a plurality of first drive units on an outer side with respect to the first and second conveying directions, each of the plurality of first drive units being in contact with a respective first driven unit of the substrate holder to drive the substrate holder along the conveying path,
wherein a direction change mechanism including a plurality of second drive units and first and second direction change paths is provided in a vicinity of the conveyance turnaround portion of the conveying path, each of the plurality of second drive units being in contact with the a respective second driven unit of the substrate holder to drive the substrate holder along the conveying path, the first and second direction change paths being for respectively guiding and conveying the first and second driven units of the substrate holder so as to turn the substrate holder from the first conveying direction to the second conveying direction,
wherein the substrate holder is delivered from the first conveying portion to the second conveying portion while maintaining a posture of the substrate holder by operating the first drive unit of the substrate holder conveying mechanism and the second drive unit of the direction change mechanism such that the first and second drive units remain in the same vertical position with each other and respectively guiding and conveying the first and second driven units of the substrate holder along the first and second direction change paths of the direction change mechanism,
wherein an anti-sag member is provided to be assembled to the first drive unit of the substrate holder conveying, mechanism and includes a travel roller in a part on the outer side with respect to the first and second conveying directions, the travel roller configured to rotate about a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the first conveying direction and the second conveying direction, and the anti-sag member inhibits a conveyance drive member constituting the second conveying portion of the conveying path from sagging,
wherein a guide unit is provided below the second conveying portion of the conveying path located on a lower side of the substrate holder conveying mechanism, the guide unit extending in the second conveying direction, and
wherein the anti-sag member is configured so that the travel roller travels along the second conveying portion of the conveying path while the travel roller is guided and supported by the guide unit, and the first drive unit of the substrate holder conveying mechanism is in contact with the first driven unit of the substrate holder to drive the substrate holder along the conveying path in the second conveying direction.