Operation method of vacuum processing device

1. An operation method of a vacuum processing device comprising two vacuum transfer vessels configured to include a transfer chamber in which a wafer which is an object to be processed is transferred in a depressurized inside, and to be disposed side by side in a front and rear direction; an intermediate chamber vessel configured to be disposed to be connected between the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include an intermediate chamber communicating with each of the two vacuum transfer chambers therein;

and a plurality of vacuum processing vessels configured to be connected to each of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include a processing chamber in which the wafer is transferred and processed by using plasma therein, which transfers the wafer to each of the plurality of vacuum processing vessels and processes the wafer therein, wherein

each of the two vacuum transfer vessels includes:

a transfer robot configured to transfer the wafer to the inside of each of the vacuum transfer chambers; at least one supply port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber behind the transfer robot in the front and rear direction, and to supply a gas toward a center side of the vacuum transfer chamber; and one exhaust port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber in front of the transfer robot, and to exhaust the gas, wherein the supply port and the exhaust port are respectively disposed on either right or left side in a front and rear axial direction passing through a center of the intermediate chamber, and

a first operation in which a gas is supplied between a pair of the supply port and the exhaust port disposed between the transfer robots in the front and rear direction among the gas supply ports and the exhaust ports of the two vacuum transfer vessels and then the gas is exhausted via the intermediate chamber; and a second operation in which while the two transfer robots are not in operation, the gas is supplied from the supply port of the one vacuum transfer vessel disposed in rear side of the two vacuum transfer vessels and is introduced, via the intermediate chamber, into the other vacuum transfer vessel disposed in front side of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and the gas is exhausted from the exhaust port of the other two vacuum transfer vessels.

2. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the two vacuum transfer vessels is disposed at a diagonal corner part of each of the vacuum transfer chambers sandwiching each of the transfer robots when viewing the supply port and the exhaust port from above.

3. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the gas supply ports, the number of which is equal to or greater than the number of the exhaust ports, are used in the first and second operations.

4. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

a space between the vacuum processing vessels respectively connected to each of the two vacuum transfer chambers is airtightly sealed, and the two vacuum transfer chambers and the intermediate chamber are partitioned as one connected chamber in the first and second operations.

5. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the second operation is performed during maintenance of the inside of the vacuum processing vessel.

6. An operation method of a vacuum processing device comprising:

two vacuum transfer vessels configured to include a transfer chamber in which a wafer which is an object to be processed is transferred in a depressurized inside, and to be disposed side by side in a front and rear direction;

an intermediate chamber vessel configured to be disposed to be connected between the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include an intermediate chamber communicating with each of the two vacuum transfer chambers therein; and

a plurality of vacuum processing vessels configured to be connected to each of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and to include a processing chamber in which the wafer is transferred and processed by using plasma therein, which transfers the wafer to each of the plurality of vacuum processing vessels and processes the wafer therein, wherein

one of the two vacuum transfer vessels includes:

a first transfer robot configured to transfer the wafer to the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber of the vacuum transfer vessel on the front side of the two vacuum transfer vessels; a first supply port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber behind the first transfer robot in the front and rear direction, and to supply a gas toward the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber; and at least a first exhaust port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber in front of the transfer robot, and to exhaust the gas, wherein the first supply port and the first exhaust port are respectively disposed on either right or left side in a front and rear axial direction passing through a center of the intermediate chamber,

the other of the two vacuum transfer vessels includes:

a second transfer robot configured to transfer the wafer to the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber of the vacuum transfer vessel on the rear side of the two vacuum transfer vessels; a second supply port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber behind the second transfer robot in the front and rear direction, and to supply a gas toward the inside of the vacuum transfer chamber; and at least a second exhaust port configured to include an opening on an inner wall of the vacuum transfer chamber in front of the transfer robot, and to exhaust the gas, wherein the second supply port and the second exhaust port are respectively disposed on either right or left side in a front and rear axial direction passing through a center of the intermediate chamber, and

a first operation in which a gas is supplied from the first supply port of the one vacuum transfer vessel on the front side of the two vacuum transfer vessels and is introduced into the other vacuum transfer vessels on the rear side of the two vacuum transfer vessels, and the gas is exhausted from the second exhaust port, and a second operation in which, while the first and second transfer robots are not in operation, a gas is supplied from the second supply port of the other vacuum transfer vessel and is introduced into the one vacuum transfer vessel via the intermediate chamber, and the gas is exhausted from the first exhaust port of the one vacuum transfer vessel.

7. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 6 , wherein

each of the two vacuum transfer vessels is disposed at a diagonal corner part of each of the vacuum transfer chambers sandwiching each of the transfer robots when viewing the supply port and the exhaust port from above.

8. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 6 , wherein

the gas supply ports, the number of which is equal to or greater than the number of the exhaust ports, are used in the first and second operations.

9. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 6 , wherein

a space between the vacuum processing vessels respectively connected to each of the two vacuum transfer chambers is airtightly sealed, and the two vacuum transfer chambers and the intermediate chamber are partitioned as one connected chamber in the first and second operations.

10. The operation method of the vacuum processing device according to claim 6 , wherein

the second operation is performed during maintenance of the inside of the vacuum processing vessel.