Vacuum processing apparatus and vacuum processing method

Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus and method includes a sample taken out from a given cassette placed on a cassette support in atmosphere, the sample is carried into a vacuum processing chamber via a chamber enabling switching between atmosphere and vacuum, the sample is subjected to etching processing in the vacuum processing chamber, and at least one inspection process is carried out in the vacuum either before or after etching of the sample in the vacuum processing chamber. The at least one inspection process in the vacuum is a defect inspection.

1 . A vacuum processing apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a sample to vacuum processing;    vacuum carriage means for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chamber;    a switchable chamber capable of being switched between atmosphere and vacuum for carrying the sample into and out of the vacuum processing chamber;    cassette supporting means for supporting a plurality of cassettes capable of housing samples;    carriage means enabling vertical movement for taking out a sample from a given cassette on the cassette supporting means; and    control means performing carriage control for carrying the sample taken out of the given cassette via the carriage means, the switchable chamber and the vacuum carriage means into at least one of the vacuum processing chambers, and for carrying the processed sample out of at least one of the vacuum processing chambers;    wherein the plurality of vacuum processing chambers include at least one vacuum etching chamber and at least one vacuum inspection chamber for inspecting the sample for defects; and    wherein the vacuum inspection chamber is equipped with an inspection chamber for inspecting a defect.    
   
   
       2 . A vacuum processing method comprising the steps of: 
 taking out a sample from a given cassette placed on a cassette supporting means in atmosphere;    carrying the sample into a vacuum processing chamber via a chamber enabling switching between atmosphere and vacuum;    subjecting the sample to etching processing in the vacuum processing chamber; and    carrying out at least one inspection process in the vacuum either before or after etching of the sample in the vacuum processing chamber;    wherein the at least one inspection process in the vacuum is a defect inspection.