Patent ID: 8849446

Claim:
A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of process chambers, wherein in a process chamber, a predetermined process is performed on a processing-target member; a plurality of transferring mechanical units, including vacuum robots, configured to pass and receive processing-target members; a plurality of transferring intermediate units, through which the transferring mechanical units are connected to each other, configured to relay and carry processing-target members; and a controlling unit configured to control passing, receiving, relaying, and transferring of processing-target members; wherein the controlling unit has a sequence determination unit; and wherein the sequence determination unit is configured to determine a sequence of operations for transferring processing-target members to the process chambers and the transferring intermediate units; wherein the sequence determination unit includes a control determination unit configured to determine whether the sequence of operations is determined on the basis of a processing time required for the process chambers to process processing-target members, or determined on the basis of a transferring time required for the vacuum robots to transfer processing-target members, wherein when the sequence of operations is determined on the basis of a processing time, a transferring order is determined by using a means for generating a transferring order to have a high throughput, under conditions in which processing time is prioritized, wherein when the sequence of operations is determined on the basis of a transferring time, the transferring order is determined by using a means for generating a transferring order to have a high throughput, under conditions in which transferring time is prioritized.