Apparatus for processing substrates or wafers

1 . A method for operating a vacuum apparatus, the vacuum apparatus including:

process chambers;

a transfer chamber coupled to the process chambers;

gate valves provided between the transfer chamber and the process chambers, respectively;

a pump system;

a gas supply;

one or more vacuum ports disposed inside the transfer chamber and connected to the pump system via one or more vacuum valves, respectively;

vent ports disposed inside the transfer chamber and connected to the gas supply via vent valves respectively; and

a controller,

the method comprising controlling, by the controller, opening at least one vacuum valve of the one or more vacuum valves and at least one vent valve of the vent valves such that air flows from at least one vent port of the vent ports to at least one vacuum port of the one or more vacuum ports are line-symmetric with respect to a center line of the transfer chamber.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein only one vent valve of the vent valves is opened while remaining vent valves of the vent valves are closed such that the air flows from only one vent port of the vent ports to at least one vacuum port of the one or more vacuum ports are line-symmetric with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

two or more vacuum ports and two or more vacuum valves are provided, and

the controller controls opening of the two or more vacuum ports such that air flows from at least one vent port of the vent ports to the two or more vacuum ports are line-symmetric with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vent ports are line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one common vent port of the vent ports is provided in front of a sidewall of the transfer chamber where no process chamber is provided and is a closest vent port to the sidewall of the transfer chamber where no process chamber is provided among the vent ports.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vent ports comprise at least one common vent port provided on the center line of the transfer chamber.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum apparatus further comprises a load lock chamber, and the one or more vacuum ports in the transfer chamber include three vacuum ports arranged closer to the load lock chamber than any of the vent ports.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the three vacuum ports are line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one vacuum port of the three vacuum ports is provided on the center line of the transfer chamber.

10 . A method, comprising:

closing all gate valves of a plurality of gate valves between a plurality of processing chambers and a transfer chamber of a vacuum processing apparatus;

opening at least one vent port of a plurality of vent ports and at least one vacuum port disposed in the transfer chamber;

purging the transfer chamber using a first vent gas introduced into the transfer chamber through the at least one opened vent port of the plurality of vent ports,

wherein during the purging, gas flows from the at least one opened vent port of the plurality of vent ports to the at least one opened vacuum port are line-symmetric with respect to a center line of the transfer chamber;

transferring a substrate from a load lock chamber to the transfer chamber;

opening a first vent port of the plurality of vent ports adjacent a first gate valve of the plurality of gate valves between a first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers and the transfer chamber;

opening the first gate valve of the plurality of gate valves;

purging the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers using a second vent gas introduced into the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers through the first vent port of the plurality of vent ports; and

transferring the substrate from the transfer chamber to the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers,

wherein the closing all the gate valves of the plurality of gate valves, the opening the at least one vent port of the plurality of vent ports, the opening the at least one vacuum port, the purging the transfer chamber, the transferring the substrate from the load lock chamber to the transfer chamber, the opening the first vent port of the plurality of vent ports, the opening the first gate valve of the plurality of gate valves, the purging the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers, and the transferring the substrate from the transfer chamber to the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers are controlled by a controller.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein one vent port of the plurality of vent ports is disposed adjacent to each gate valve of the plurality of gate valves between the transfer chamber and each processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein one vent port of the plurality of vent ports is disposed on the center line of the transfer chamber.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one vacuum port includes three vacuum ports line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

14 . A method, comprising:

closing all gate valves of a plurality of gate valves between a plurality of processing chambers and a transfer chamber of a vacuum processing apparatus;

opening at least one vent port of a plurality of vent ports and at least one vacuum port disposed in the transfer chamber, wherein the at least one opened vent port of the plurality of vent ports is line-symmetrically arranged with respect to a center line of the transfer chamber, and the at least one vacuum port is line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber;

purging the transfer chamber by flowing a first vent gas from the at least one opened vent port of the plurality of vent ports to the at least one vacuum port;

transferring a substrate from a load lock chamber to the transfer chamber;

opening a first vent port of the plurality of vent ports adjacent a first gate valve of the plurality of gate valves between a first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers and the transfer chamber;

opening the first gate valve of the plurality of gate valves;

purging the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers using a second vent gas introduced into the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers through the first vent port of the plurality of vent ports; and

transferring the substrate from the transfer chamber to the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers,

wherein the closing all gate valves of the plurality of gate valves, the opening the at least one vent port of the plurality of vent ports, the opening the at least one vacuum port, the purging the transfer chamber, the transferring the substrate from the load lock chamber to the transfer chamber, the opening the first vent port of the plurality of vent ports, the opening the first gate valve of the plurality of gate valves, the purging the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers, and the transferring the substrate from the transfer chamber to the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers are controlled by a controller.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one vent port of the plurality of vent ports is disposed adjacent to each gate valve of the plurality of gate valves between the transfer chamber and each processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one vent port of the plurality of vent ports is disposed on the center line of the transfer chamber.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one vacuum port includes three vacuum ports line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein gas flows of the first vent gas are line-symmetric with respect to the center line of the transfer chamber.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing a process gas to the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers through at least one process gas port arranged in the first processing chamber of the plurality of processing chambers.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein one vent port of the plurality of vent ports is arranged in front of the load lock chamber.