LOAD LOCK DEVICE, ITS METHOD, AND SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a load lock device, its method, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein an inner volume can be reduced, a notch alignment of a wafer can be made upon an evacuation, and its time can be shortened. SOLUTION: The load lock device comprises a chamber 301 which can form a vacuum state; gate valves 315 which are provided in the chamber 301 for inputting and outputting a wafer 305, and can each be opened and closed in both an atmospheric state and a vacuum state; a carrying means 306 for carrying the wafer rotatably; an evacuating means 310 for setting an inside of the chamber in the vacuum state; a purge means 308 for restoring the inside of the chamber to the atmospheric state; a detecting means 320 for detecting a central position and a direction of the wafer 305 carried by the carrying means 306; a rotation driver 304 for rotating the carrying means 306; and a control means 319 for rotating the rotation driver 304 so that the direction is arranged to a predetermined direction based on an output detected by the detecting means 320. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT