Patent ID: 8377210
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
1. A film forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of vacuum chambers connected to form a closed square loop; a square path forming a closed loop provided in the plurality of vacuum chambers; and a stock chamber for storing a plurality of substrate holders and feeding the plurality of substrate holders to the square path; wherein the stock chamber includes a substrate-holder-retaining-member for mounting the plurality of substrate holders thereon in parallel in which principal surfaces of the plurality of substrate holders are in an upright position, wherein the stock chamber is connected with at least one of a plurality of direction changing chambers which are configured to change a direction of transfer of the substrate holders along the square path and which are provided at corners of the square path, and wherein the stock chamber continuously feeds the plurality of substrate holders to the square path by repeatedly moving the substrate-holder-retaining-member, which has the plurality of substrate holders mounted thereon, in a predetermined direction and by using a magnet mechanism to move the substrate holders mounted on the substrate-holder-retaining-member to the at least one of the direction changing chambers along a direction which is perpendicular to the predetermined direction.