Abstract: A vacuum transfer device, which is arranged between a process chamber and a load lock chamber and transfers a substrate between the process chamber and the load lock chamber, includes a container, a transfer device, an exhaust device, a dew-point meter, and a control device. The container is connected to each of the process chamber and the load lock chamber via a gate valve. The transfer device is provided inside the container and transfers the substrate between the process chamber and the load lock chamber. The exhaust device exhausts a gas in the container. The dew-point meter measures a dew-point temperature of the gas in the container. The control device determines whether a process is ready to be executed, based on the dew-point temperature measured by the dew-point meter, and when the process is ready to be executed, notifies that fact to a user of the vacuum transfer device.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a rotation driving mechanism for rotationally driving a first linear arm and a second linear arm to move a holding part between a waiting location and a transfer location; a rotation angle detection mechanism for detecting rotation angles of the first linear arm and the second linear arm; a position detection sensor for detecting a position of the second linear arm; a calculation part for calculating a position of the holding part based on the rotation angles of the first linear arm and the second linear arm; and a control part for comparing a position information of the holding part with a position information of the second linear arm and allowing the transfer location to which the target object is transferred to be collected, based on a difference between the position information of the holding part and the position information of the second linear arm.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a workpiece in a depressurized state, including: a processing module including a vacuum processing chamber whose interior is depressurized and in which the process is performed on the workpiece; a vacuum transfer module including a vacuum transfer chamber whose interior is maintained in a depressurized state; a gas supply mechanism for supplying the gas for preventing at least oxidation into the vacuum transfer chamber; and a controller for controlling the gas supply mechanism to supply the gas into the vacuum transfer chamber in an idle state in which the process is not performed on the workpiece in the vacuum processing apparatus such that a first oxygen concentration in the vacuum transfer chamber in the idle state is adjusted to be lower than a second oxygen concentration the vacuum transfer chamber in a vacuum state.

Abstract: A vacuum transfer module includes: a housing kept in a vacuum atmosphere and to which a load-lock module and a processing module for performing a vacuum process on a workpiece are connected; a transfer mechanism including a rotation body for rotating around a rotary shaft inside the housing, which transfers the workpiece between the load-lock module and the processing module through the interior of the housing; a gas supply port opened inside the housing to supply an inert gas for purging the housing; and an exhaust port opened inside the housing and through which the housing is exhausted to form the vacuum atmosphere when the inert gas is supplied, and formed such that an angle between a first straight line connecting the exhaust port and the rotary shaft, and a second straight line connecting the gas supply port and the rotary shaft ranges from 100 to 260 degrees.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a rotation driving mechanism for rotationally driving a first linear arm and a second linear arm to move a holding part between a waiting location and a transfer location; a rotation angle detection mechanism for detecting rotation angles of the first linear arm and the second linear arm; a position detection sensor for detecting a position of the second linear arm; a calculation part for calculating a position of the holding part based on the rotation angles of the first linear arm and the second linear arm; and a control part for comparing a position information of the holding part with a position information of the second linear arm and allowing the transfer location to which the target object is transferred to be collected, based on a difference between the position information of the holding part and the position information of the second linear arm.

Abstract: A leakage determining method determines whether or not atmospheric air enters a vacuum transfer chamber for transferring a substrate under a vacuum atmosphere between a preliminary vacuum chamber and a processing chamber. The method includes controlling a pressure in the vacuum transfer chamber to a preset pressure by supplying a pressure control gas into the vacuum transfer chamber; performing supply control, when the substrate is not transferred, by reducing the amount of the pressure control gas supplied into the vacuum transfer chamber or stopping the supply of the pressure control gas; and measuring an oxygen concentration in the vacuum transfer chamber after the supply control of the pressure control gas and determining leakage of atmospheric air into the vacuum transfer chamber by determining whether or not atmospheric air whose amount exceeds a preset allowable level enters the vacuum transfer chamber based on temporal changes of the measured oxygen concentration.

Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a processing vessel, a gas introduction unit, a processing gas supply unit, a nonreactive gas supply unit, a vacuum pumping unit, a pressure gauge and a control unit. The control unit controls a valve opening ratio of a pressure control valve based on a detection value of the pressure gauge while making a processing gas flow to a flow rate controller of the processing gas supply unit at a constant flow rate when performing a process in which a partial pressure of the processing gas is important. Meanwhile, when performing a process wherein the partial pressure of the processing gas is relatively unimportant, the control unit fixes the valve opening ratio of the pressure control valve at a predetermined value, and operating a flow rate controller of the nonreactive gas supply unit to control a flow rate based on the detection value.