| 摘要 |
<p>PURPOSE:To protect semiconductor substrates from contamination by dust by providing a cover plate which covers the lower part of a vacuum chamber so as to be able to come in and out of the vacuum chamber. CONSTITUTION:A housing chamber 11 which houses a cover plate 7 which covers the lower part of a vacuum chamber 10 is formed at the lower part of a semiconductor processing chamber 9. The cover plate 7 is so provided as to be able to go in and out of the lower part of the vacuum chamber 10 from and to the housing chamber 11. When the pressure in the vacuum chamber 10 is the atmospheric pressure, semiconductor substrates 1 are held by a cassette 2 and carried into the vacuum chamber 10. The vacuum chamber 10 is then evacuated via a gas exhaust outlet 4. After the vacuum is created, a shutter plate 6 is released and the cover plate 7 inserted into the vacuum chamber 10 to cover the lower part of the vacuum chamber 10. With this constitution, dust is not whirled up even if the pressure in the vacuum chamber 10 is returned to the atmospheric pressure so that the substrates 1 can be protected from contamination by dust.</p> |
