US 12,128,550 B2
Vacuum transfer device and method for controlling vacuum transfer device
Seiji Ishibashi, Nirasaki (JP); Hayato Itomi, Nirasaki (JP); and Hiroyuki Takahashi, Nirasaki (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/761,361
Filed by TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/034506
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/054260, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-172276 (JP), filed on Sep. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0288796 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 15/0625 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B25J 9/1694 (2013.01); B25J 11/0095 (2013.01); B25J 21/00 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum transfer device that is arranged between a process chamber and a load lock chamber and transfers a substrate between the process chamber and the load lock chamber, comprising:
a container connected to each of the process chamber and the load lock chamber via a gate valve;
a transfer device provided inside the container and configured to transfer the substrate between the process chamber and the load lock chamber;
an exhaust device configured to exhaust a gas in the container and including a turbo molecular pump and a dry pump;
a dew-point meter configured to measure a dew-point temperature of the gas in the container;
a gas supply device configured to supply an inert gas into the container and including a pressure control valve; and
a control device configured to determine whether or not 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, notify a user of the vacuum transfer device that the process is ready to be executed,
wherein the control device includes:
a determination part configured to determine whether or not the dew-point temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined first temperature after an interior of the container is opened to atmosphere and sealed again; and
a controller configured to notify the user that the process is ready to be executed, when all of a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied, including one condition that the dew-point temperature is determined to be equal to or lower than the predetermined first temperature by the determination part, and
wherein the controller operates the turbo molecular pump and the dry pump to exhaust the gas in the container, stops the operation of the turbo molecular pump when an internal pressure of the container is equal to or lower than a predetermined first pressure, and controls the pressure control valve so that the internal pressure of the container becomes a second pressure higher than the predetermined first pressure while the dry pump is operating.