Substrate processing apparatus

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing chamber including a plurality of stages, including a processing stage in which a work is processed, the plurality of stages arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction;

a first load lock chamber for feeding the work, said first load lock chamber being communicated to said processing chamber;

a second load lock chamber for carrying out the work, said second load lock chamber being communicated to said processing chamber;

a first buffer storage being located between said processing chamber and said first load lock chamber, said first buffer storage storing the work to be transferred therebetween;

a second buffer storage being located between said processing chamber and said second load lock chamber, said second buffer storage storing the work to be transferred therebetween;

means for moving the work from one of the stages to a next stage, said means for moving being turned to move the work in order;

means for transferring the work between said first buffer storage and said means for moving and between said second buffer storage and said means for moving; and.

a carrier holding the work,

wherein the work is conveyed and transferred together with the carrier.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of said load lock chambers has a first open-close plate, which is opened when the work is fed into and carried out from said load lock chamber and which is air-tightly closed when inner pressure of said load lock chamber is reduced, and

a second open-close plate is provided between each of said load lock chambers and each of said buffer storages, said second open-close plate is opened when said load lock chamber reaches prescribed degree of vacuum so as to convey the work between said load lock chamber and said buffer storage.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein said first load lock chambers has means for heating the work.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein said first load lock chambers has means for cooling the work.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a holder, which holds a plurality of works, are respectively set in said load lock chambers and said buffer storages, and

said substrate processing apparatus further comprises means for collectively conveying the works between the holder of each of said load lock chambers and the holder of each of said buffer storages.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a holder, which holds a plurality of works, are respectively set in said load lock chambers and said buffer storages,

each of said buffer storages has a mechanism for elevating the holder, and

said substrate processing apparatus further comprises a mechanism for transferring the works between the holder, which is supported by the elevating mechanism, and a transferring stage of said processing chamber.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the transferring mechanism includes a hand, which is reciprocally moved between each of said buffer storages and the transferring stage.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the transferring mechanism includes:

a first arm transferring the works between said first buffer storage and said second buffer storage; and

a second arm transferring the works between said second buffer storage and the said second transferring stage.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the carrier has a planar shape formed into a trapezoid, and

the narrow side of the trapezoid faces the center of said processing chamber when the carrier is transferred into said processing chamber.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein said processing chamber includes the processing stage for processing the work and a transferring stage for transferring the work, and

the work is moved between the processing stage and the transferring stage by said means for moving, which includes rotary arms, whose number is equal to that of the stages, and a mechanism for rotating the rotary arms.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 ,

wherein the rotating mechanism includes an elevating mechanism, which moves the rotary arms between an upper position, which is located above setting plates of the stages for conveying the work, and a lower position, which is located under the setting plates for setting the work onto the setting plates.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein said processing chamber includes the processing stage for processing the work and a transferring stage for transferring the work, and

the work is moved between the processing stage and the transferring stage by said means for moving, which includes a turn table for supporting the work and a mechanism for rotating the turn table.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each lock chamber is spaced radially outwardly from the processing chamber, the buffer storage located between the processing chamber and the lock chamber.

14. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing chamber including a plurality of stages, including a processing stage in which a work is processed, the plurality of stages arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction;

a first load lock chamber for feeding the work, said first load lock chamber being communicated to said processing chamber;

a second load lock chamber for carrying out the work, said second load lock chamber being communicated to said processing chamber;

a first buffer storage being located between said processing chamber and said first load lock chamber, said first buffer storage storing the work to be transferred therebetween;

a second buffer storage being located between said processing chamber and said second load lock chamber, said second buffer storage storing the work to be transferred therebetween;

means for moving the work from one of the stages to a next stage, said means for moving being turned to move the work in order;

means for transferring the work between said first buffer storage and said means for moving and between said second buffer storage and said means for moving;

wherein said processing chamber includes the processing stage for processing the work and a transferring stage for transferring the work;

the work is moved between the processing stage and the transferring stage by said means for moving, which includes a turn table for supporting the work and a mechanism for rotating the turn table; and,

wherein pins are provided to the turn table, and

the pins are collectively moved between upper positions, at which the pins are upwardly projected from the turn table to support the work for transferring the work, and lower positions, at which the pins are retracted in the turn table for setting the work, by an elevating mechanism.