Tokyo Electron Limited

Tokyo Electron Limi Ted

Norihiko Tsuji

Keisuke Kondoh

Hachishiro Iizuka

Shinji Wakabayashi

Hiroki Oka

Atsushi Kawabe

Koichiro Kimura

Akira Yasumuro

Tsutomu Sakurabayashi

A substrate processing device includes a transfer chamber configured to transfer a substrate under an atmospheric atmosphere and a plurality of processing units each including at least one processing chamber for processing the substrate under a vacuum atmosphere and at least one load-lock chamber connected to the processing chamber to switch an inner atmosphere thereof between the atmospheric atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere. The transfer chamber includes a connection unit configured to connect the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber such that each of the processing units is detachably attached. The connection unit includes an opening that allows the transfer chamber to communicate with the load-lock chamber, and an opening/closing mechanism configured to open and close the opening portion.

Substrate processing device

An atmospheric transfer deviceincludes a wafer transfer mechanismholding and transferring a wafer W; a housingaccommodating the wafer transfer mechanism; a gas supply unitsupplying an inert gas into the housing; a gas circulation unitreturning a gas discharged from the housingback into the housing; and a foreign substance removing unitremoving a foreign substance contained in the gas discharged from the housing. The foreign substance removing unitincludes a humidifying unitconfigured to add moisture to the gas discharged from the housing; a filterconfigured to adsorb and remove, by using the moisture, the foreign substance contained in the gas humidified by the humidifying unit; and a dehumidifying unitconfigured to remove the moisture from the gas from which the foreign substance is removed by the filter

Substrate transfer device and substrate transfer method

There is provided a substrate transfer apparatus for unloading each of a plurality of target substrates, which is to be transferred to each of a plurality of processing devices, from each of a plurality of containers connected to the substrate transfer apparatus, each of the plurality of containers being configured to accommodate the plurality of target substrates. The apparatus comprises: a transfer chamber including an arm disposed to take out each of the plurality of target substrates which is to be transferred to each of the plurality of processing devices from each of the plurality of containers; a plurality of connection units arranged side by side in a vertical direction and a lateral direction along one side surface of the transfer chamber, and connected to the plurality of containers, respectively; and movement mechanisms configured to move at least one of the plurality of connection units in the lateral direction.

Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate processing system comprising plural connection units arranged side by side in a vertical and lateral directions along one side surface of a transfer chamber

A connecting mechanism includes a mounting unit, a substrate transfer port, a door closing or opening the substrate transfer port, a coupling mechanism coupling a cover of the substrate container mounted on the mounting unit with the door, and a gas exhaust/purge unit. First, second and third seal members respectively seal a first space between a peripheral portion of the substrate transfer port and the door, a second space between the door and the cover of the substrate container, and a space between the peripheral portion of the substrate transfer port and the main body. The gas exhaust unit exhausts the first space and a second space. The purge gas, which has been supplied into the substrate container by the gas exhaust/purge unit, is supplied into the first and the second space by allowing the gas exhaust unit to exhaust the first and the second space.

Connecting mechanism and connecting method of substrate container

Disclosed is a gate valve that opens/closes a plurality of vertically arranged openings by a plurality of valve bodies when conveying a plurality of vertically arranged substrates to an inside of a vacuum container. The gate valve includes: a housing including the plurality of openings formed therein; a supporting member configured to support the plurality of valve bodies; a driving mechanism configured to move the plurality of valve bodies via the supporting member such that the plurality of openings is opened/closed; and a plurality of guide mechanisms arranged to correspond to the plurality of valve bodies, respectively. Each of the plurality of guide mechanisms includes: a vertically stretchable bellows fixed to the housing; and a guide member contained in the bellows and configured to guide the supporting member inside the bellows.

Gate valve and substrate processing system

A film forming apparatus including a raw material supplying section for supplying a raw material of a liquid or a gas-liquid mixture, a raw material vaporizing section for vaporizing the raw material to form a raw material gas, and a film forming section for conducting a film forming treatment using the formed raw material gas, and a filter on the transport path for the raw material gas from the raw material vaporizing section to the film forming section. An outer edge of the filter is pressed to the inner surface of the transport path over the whole perimeter thereof by a cyclic supporting member, which is less prone to be deformed by a loading in the pressing direction than the outer edge, and is fixed to the inner surface of the transport path in a compressed state between the inner surface of the transport path and the supporting member.

Film forming apparatus and vaporizer

Three exhaust trap units are arranged in series in an exhaust trap device for trapping substances solidified from exhaust gas and exhaust gas paths are formed inside the exhaust trap units. One or more collision plates are placed in each trap unit. The collision plates in each of the two upstream side exhaust trap units are arranged such that a space extending in the axial direction of the exhaust path is present therein without being blocked by any of the collision plates. The collision plates in the downstream side exhaust trap unit are arranged such that such a space is not present. Uneven distribution of the amount of accumulation of solidified substances is suppressed without performing complex control, and outflow of the solidified components to the downstream side of the exhaust trap device can be reliably reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Nirasaki, Japan

Norihiko Tsuji