Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a process chamber including a lower portion having an open top and a processing space provided therein, and an upper portion disposed above the lower portion to open and close the processing space; a sealing portion including at least two sealing members spaced apart between the upper portion and the lower portion, sealing the space between the upper portion and the lower portion; a first connecting line having a first end disposed between the at least two sealing members and a second end extending to the outside of the process chamber; a detection portion connected to the second end of the first connecting line and detecting a change in internal pressure of the first connecting line; and a first valve disposed on the first connecting line to selectively open and close the connecting line.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing device. Background Technology

[0002] To manufacture semiconductor devices, a specific pattern must be formed on a substrate such as a wafer. When forming a specific pattern on the substrate, processes such as deposition, lithography, and etching can be performed sequentially.

[0003] The aforementioned processes are performed within a chamber that provides a sealed space. Typically, O-rings are installed on the openings of the chamber to maintain airtightness and prevent the process gas used for wafer processing from leaking out. However, if the substrate processing using process gas is performed for an extended period, the O-rings may deteriorate due to the chemical components contained in the process gas, thereby reducing the chamber's sealing capability. In this case, the process gas inside the chamber may leak out due to the reduced sealing capability, potentially leading to explosions. This issue can also cause problems such as a decrease in semiconductor yield. Prior art literature

[0004] Republic of Korea Registered Patent No. 10-2507647 (March 3, 2023) The problem to be solved

[0005] The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a substrate processing device capable of not only detecting process gas leakage from a process chamber but also determining the replacement time of sealing members, such as O-rings, based on the process gas leakage detection results. means of solving the problem

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a substrate processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a process chamber comprising a lower portion having an open top and a processing space provided inside, and an upper portion disposed above the lower portion to open and close the processing space; a sealing portion comprising at least two sealing members spaced apart between the upper portion and the lower portion, sealing the space between the upper portion and the lower portion; a first connecting line having a first end disposed between the at least two sealing members and a second end extending to the outside of the process chamber; a detection portion connected to the second end of the first connecting line and detecting a change in internal pressure of the first connecting line; and a first valve disposed on the first connecting line to selectively open and close the connecting line.

[0007] A substrate processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: a process chamber including a lower portion having an open top and a processing space provided therein, and an upper portion arranged to be vertically movable to open and close the processing space; a support portion disposed in the upper processing space and supporting a substrate; a sealing portion including a first sealing member and a second sealing member spaced apart along the radial direction of the process chamber between the upper portion and the lower portion, sealing the space between the upper portion and the lower portion; a first connecting line having a first end disposed between the at least two sealing members and a second end extending to the outside of the process chamber; a detection unit connected to the second end of the connecting line and detecting a change in internal pressure of the first connecting line; a first valve disposed in the first connecting line to selectively open and close the connecting line; and a control unit that determines whether gas is leaking from the processing space and determines the state of the sealing portion and whether replacement is required using the detection result of the detection unit, wherein the first connecting line is through an internal passage provided in the lower portion of the process chamber The internal passage is extended, wherein the first end of the internal passage is positioned between the first sealing member and the second sealing member and is an open end, and the second end of the internal passage is positioned on one side of the lower part and is an open end, and the internal passage is formed to extend partially in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the lower part and then extend along the width direction toward one side of the lower part, and when a processing process for a substrate is performed in the processing space, the first connecting line is closed by the first valve, and the internal pressure of the processing space and the internal pressure of the first connecting line are maintained at a preset pressure, wherein the preset pressure is a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, and the control unit can determine that the gas is leaking from the processing space if it is detected by the detection unit that the internal pressure of the first connecting line has increased. Effects of the invention

[0008] A substrate processing device according to embodiments of the present invention can detect the leakage of gases, such as process gases, from the processing space of a process chamber, and can also monitor the condition of a sealing member based on the gas detection results to determine the necessity and timing of replacement. Accordingly, when a process gas leak occurs, it can be detected in real time to prevent accidents caused by the process gas leak, and also prevent a decrease in substrate yield caused by the process gas leak. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0009] FIG. 1a schematically illustrates a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1b schematically illustrates a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1c schematically illustrates a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2(a) illustrates the process chamber according to the present invention in an open state, and FIG. 2(b) illustrates the closed state. FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 1 when the substrate processing device according to the present invention is in a working state. FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 1 when the substrate processing device according to the present invention is in a different state. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments may be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, in describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description may be omitted. Additionally, the same reference numerals may be used throughout the drawings for parts having similar functions and operations. Furthermore, in this specification, terms such as 'top', 'upper part', 'upper side', 'upper surface', 'upper wall surface', 'bottom', 'lower part', 'lower side', 'lower surface', 'lower wall surface' are based on the drawings, and terms such as 'inside' and 'outside' are based on the outer edge of the corresponding component, and in reality, may vary depending on the direction in which the element or component is arranged.

[0011] Additionally, throughout the specification, the statement that a component may ‘include’ something may mean that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include other components.

[0012] FIG. 1a schematically illustrates a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1b schematically illustrates a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1c schematically illustrates a substrate processing apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Also, FIG. 2(a) illustrates a process chamber according to the present invention in an open state, and FIG. 2(b) illustrates a closed state.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1a to 1c, a substrate processing apparatus (1, 1A, 1B) according to embodiments of the present invention can perform a processing process on a substrate (W), such as a semiconductor wafer. To this end, the substrate processing apparatus (1, 1A, 1B) may include a process chamber (100). Plasma is generated inside the process chamber (100) [processing space (101) to be described later], and a deposition or etching process on a substrate (W), such as a semiconductor wafer, can be performed by the action of the plasma.

[0014] As illustrated in FIG. 1a, a substrate processing device (1) according to one embodiment (Example 1) of the present invention may include a process chamber (100), a support member (200), a nozzle member (300), an Adaptive Pressure Control (APC) valve (V10), a Turbo Molecular Pump (TMP) (P10), a dry pump (400), and a sealing member (S). Additionally, the substrate processing device (1A) may further include a detection member (500), a first valve (600), a second valve (V20), a third valve (V30), and a control member (not shown).

[0015] A processing space (101) may be provided inside the process chamber (100). A support member (200) may be disposed within the processing space (101). The support member (200) is a support on which a substrate (W) is disposed and supported, and may be, for example, in the shape of a cylinder.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 2, the process chamber (100) may include a lower portion (110) and an upper portion (120). In one embodiment, the lower portion (110) may have an open top and a processing space (101) may be provided inside. The lower portion (110) may be installed so as to be fixed to the floor surface of a building or the like where the process chamber (100) is installed. At this time, the upper portion (120) may be positioned above the lower portion (110) so as to be vertically movable along the vertical direction (Z).

[0017] In this case, the processing space (101) described above can be opened or closed according to the lifting operation of the upper part (120). For example, when a substrate (W) is supplied or discharged into the processing space (101), or when work such as cleaning for maintenance of the process chamber (100) is performed, the upper part (120) can be raised to open the processing space (101), as shown in FIG. 2 (a). As another example, when a substrate processing process is performed after the supply of the substrate (W) is completed, the upper part (120) can be lowered to close the processing space (101), as shown in FIG. 2 (b).

[0018] Referring again to FIG. 1a, the nozzle part (300) is a component that sprays a processing liquid onto a substrate (W) and can be positioned on the upper side of the support part (200). More specifically, the nozzle part (300) is positioned at the upper part (120) of the process chamber (100) and can face the support part (200) or the substrate (W) supported by the support part (200). The nozzle part (300) can be connected to a processing liquid source (not shown) through a processing liquid supply line (not shown). The nozzle part (300) can apply the processing liquid supplied through the processing liquid supply line onto the substrate (W).

[0019] An exhaust line (hereinafter referred to as the first exhaust line) (L10), which is a pipe for discharging gas within the processing space (101), may be connected to the lower part of the processing space (101). An APC valve (V10) may be connected to the first exhaust line (L10). More specifically, one end of the first exhaust line (L10) may be connected to the processing space (101), and the other end of the first exhaust line (L10) may be connected to the TMP (P10), and an APC valve (V10) may be connected between the one end and the other end of the first exhaust line (L10). Additionally, the TMP (P10) may be connected to the dry pump (400) by the second exhaust line (La). In this way, the APC valve (V10), the TMP (P10), and the dry pump (400) may be connected sequentially by the exhaust lines (L10, La).

[0020] Additionally, the dry pump (400) may be connected to the processing space (101) through a separate pipe (hereinafter, bypass line) (L40). More specifically, one end of the bypass line (Lb) may be connected to the processing space (101). The other end of the bypass line (Lb) may be connected to the second exhaust line (La) or directly connected to the dry pump (400).

[0021] The above APC valve (V10), TMP (P10), and dry pump (400) are exhaust devices that can vacuum exhaust the processing space (101) to reduce pressure.

[0022] The dry pump (400) can reduce the pressure inside the processing space (101) from atmospheric pressure to a medium vacuum state (e.g., 1.3 × 10 Pa or less). When vacuuming by the dry pump (400) in this way, the second valve (V20) installed in the bypass line (Lb) connecting the dry pump (400) and the processing space (101) can be opened, and the third valve (V30) installed in the second exhaust line (La) connecting the TMP (P10) and the dry pump (400) can be closed.

[0023] The TMP (P10) can work in cooperation with the dry pump (400) to reduce the pressure inside the processing space (101) to a high vacuum state (e.g., 1.3 × 10⁻³ Pa or lower), which is lower than the medium vacuum state. When vacuuming by the TMP (P10) and the dry pump (400) in this manner, the second valve (V20) mentioned above may be closed and the third valve (V30) may be opened. At this time, when the dry pump (400) vacuums while the second valve (V20) is closed, the internal pressure of the processing space (101) can be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the APC valve (V10).

[0024] As such, the substrate processing device (1) according to Example 1 includes an APC valve (V10), a TMP (P10), and a dry pump (400), so that it can be used in a substrate processing process that must be performed in a high vacuum state. For example, in the substrate processing device (1) of Example 1, an etching process for a substrate (W) can be performed.

[0025] As illustrated in FIG. 1b, a substrate processing device (1A) according to another embodiment of the present invention (Embodiment 2) may include a process chamber (100), a support member (200), a shower head (300'), an APC valve (V10), a TMP (P10), a dry pump (400), and a sealing member (S). Additionally, the substrate processing device (1A) may further include a detection member (500), a first valve (600), a second valve (V20), a third valve (V30), and a control member (not shown).

[0026] A processing space (101) may be provided inside the process chamber (100). In the case of Example 2, the processing space (101) is connected to a ground potential, and a support member (200) made of a conductive material may be disposed inside the processing space (101). For example, the conductive material may be aluminum.

[0027] The support member (200) is a support on which a substrate (W) is placed and supported, and may be, for example, in the shape of a cylinder. In the case of Example 2, although not shown in the drawing, a first high-frequency power supply (not shown) may be connected to the support member (200). The first high-frequency power supply is connected to the support member (200) through a matching unit (not shown) to supply high-frequency power for bias to the support member (200). Such a support member (200) may also serve as a lower electrode.

[0028] The shower head (300') can be positioned as the ceiling portion of the processing space (101) and positioned to face the support portion (200) in the vertical direction. The interior of the process chamber (100) can be divided into the processing space (101) and the buffer room (102), which is positioned above the processing space (101) and is vertically partitioned by the shower head (300').

[0029] Although not shown in the drawing, a second high-frequency power supply (not shown) may be connected to the shower head (300'). For example, the second high-frequency power supply may be connected to the support member (200) through a matching unit (not shown) to supply high-frequency power for plasma excitation to the shower head (300'). In this case, the shower head (300') may function as an upper electrode.

[0030] The shower head (300') may include a plurality of gas holes (310). The plurality of gas holes (310) may be spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the shower head (300'). A gas inlet pipe (130) may be connected to the buffer room (102). The shower head (300') may supply gas supplied from the gas inlet pipe (130) to the buffer room (102) into the processing space (101) through the plurality of gas holes (310).

[0031] In the substrate processing apparatus (1A) according to Example 2 above, high-frequency power for biasing is applied to the support member (200) and high-frequency power for biasing is applied within the processing space (101), and plasma can be generated from the gas supplied from the shower head (300'). Plasma processing, such as etching of the substrate (W), can be performed by the plasma generated in this way. At this time, high-frequency power for plasma excitation may be applied, or it may not be applied.

[0032] In the case of Example 2, the APC valve (V10), TMP (P10), and dry pump (400) are exhaust devices, and the pressure can be reduced by vacuum exhausting the processing space (101), which is the same or similar as in the aforementioned Example 1.

[0033] That is, the dry pump (400) can reduce the pressure inside the processing space (101) from atmospheric pressure to a medium vacuum state (e.g., 1.3 × 10 Pa or less). When vacuuming by such a dry pump (400), a second valve (V20) installed in a bypass line (Lb) connecting the dry pump (400) and the processing space (101) is opened, and the pressure inside the processing space (101) can be reduced to a high vacuum state (e.g., 1.3 × 10⁻³ Pa or less) which is lower than the medium vacuum state in cooperation with the second exhaust line (LaE) connecting the TMP (P10) and the dry pump (400). When vacuuming by such a TMP (P10) and the dry pump (400), the second valve (V20) mentioned above may be closed and the third valve (V30) may be opened. At this time, when the dry pump (400) vacuums with the second valve (V20) closed, the internal pressure of the processing space (101) can be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the APC valve (V10).

[0034] As such, the substrate processing apparatus (1A) according to Example 2, like Example 1, includes an APC valve (V10), a TMP (P10), and a dry pump (400), so that it can be used in a substrate processing process that must be performed in a high vacuum state. For example, in the substrate processing apparatus (1A) of Example 2, an etching process on a substrate (W) can be performed.

[0035] As described above, when the internal pressure of the process chamber (100), i.e., the processing space (101), is adjusted by the TMP (P10) and the dry pump (400) and stabilized to a high vacuum state, an etching process on the substrate (W) can be performed by the plasma generated by the processing liquid applied from the nozzle part (300) or by the gas supplied from the shower head (300').

[0036] Meanwhile, in the case of a substrate processing device that etches a substrate (W) using plasma as in Example 2, for example, it may be a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) device or an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) device.

[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 1c, a substrate processing device (1B) according to another embodiment (Example 3) of the present invention may include a process chamber (100), a support member (200), a nozzle member (300), a dry pump (400), and a sealing member (S). Additionally, the substrate processing device (1B) may further include a detection member (500), a first valve (600), and a control member (not shown).

[0038] At this time, since most of the features of the substrate processing apparatus (1B) of Example 3 are identical or similar to those of Example 1 described above, redundant descriptions will be omitted and the differences will be explained in detail. Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawings, a showerhead is installed in the process chamber (100), and a deposition process on the substrate (W) can be performed by plasma generated by gas supplied from the showerhead.

[0039] The dry pump (400) can reduce the pressure inside the processing space (101) from atmospheric pressure to a medium vacuum state (e.g., 1.3 × 10 Pa or less). At this time, the dry pump (400) can be connected to the first exhaust line (L10). The dry pump (400) can vacuum exhaust gas from the processing space (101) through the first exhaust line (L10). By doing so, the internal pressure of the processing space (101) is reduced, and the processing space (101) can be in a medium vacuum state as described above.

[0040] As such, the substrate processing apparatus (1B) according to Example 3 includes only a dry pump (400), so it can be used in a substrate processing process that must be performed in a medium vacuum state. For example, in the substrate processing apparatus (1B) of Example 3, a deposition process on a substrate (W) can be performed.

[0041] When the internal pressure of the process chamber (100), i.e., the processing space (101), is adjusted by the TMP (P10) and the dry pump (400) and stabilized to a high vacuum state, a deposition process can be performed to form a thin film on a substrate (W) by plasma generated by the processing liquid applied from the nozzle part (300) or by the gas supplied from the shower head (300').

[0042] Meanwhile, during the deposition process on the substrate (W) using plasma, the substrate processing device (1B) can form a thin film on the substrate (W) using, for example, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).

[0043] Referring again to FIGS. 1a to 1c and FIG. 2, a substrate processing apparatus (1, 1A, 1B) according to embodiments of the present invention may include a sealing portion (S). The sealing portion (S) may selectively seal between the upper portion (120) and the lower portion (110) of the process chamber (100). The sealing portion (S) may include at least two sealing members (S10, S20). The sealing members (S10, S20) may be O-rings.

[0044] For example, the sealing portion (S) may include a first sealing member (S10) and a second sealing member (S20). Although the present invention is not limited thereto, for convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on an embodiment in which the sealing portion (S) includes the first and second sealing members (S10, S20). In this case, the first sealing member (S10) may be positioned further inward than the second sealing member (S20) with respect to the radial direction of the process chamber (100) or the lower portion (110). Accordingly, the second sealing member (S20) may be an O-ring having a larger diameter than the first sealing member (S10).

[0045] The first sealing member (S10) and the second sealing member (S20) may be placed in the lower portion (110) of the process chamber (100). The lower portion (110) may include a groove (111) that is concave inward (-Z) from its upper surface. The groove (111) may have a ring shape that extends along the circumferential direction of the lower portion (110) and where both ends meet.

[0046] The grooves (111) are provided in a number corresponding to the sealing members (S10, S20). When the first and second sealing members (S10, S20) are provided as described above, two grooves (111) may also be provided. The lower end of the second sealing member (S20) may be inserted and coupled into the groove (111) positioned relatively radially outward among the two. Additionally, the lower end of the first sealing member (S10) may be inserted and coupled into the groove (111) positioned relatively radially inward among the two. The two grooves (111) as described above may be spaced apart along the radial direction or the width direction (X). Accordingly, the first sealing member (S10) and the second sealing member (S20) inserted and placed within the grooves (111) may also be positioned spaced apart from each other.

[0047] In the above case, the upper portions of the first and second sealing members (S10, S20) may be positioned to protrude upward (+Z) toward each groove portion (111). As shown in FIG. 2 (b), when the process chamber (100) is closed, the upper portion (120) descends, and the lower surface of the upper portion (120) may come into contact with the upper portions of the first and second sealing members (S10, S20). Subsequently, as the upper portion (120) descends further, the first and second sealing members (S10, S20) are pressed up and down, thereby sealing the space between the upper portion (120) and the lower portion (110) of the process chamber (100). Accordingly, while the process chamber (100) is closed, gas inside the processing space (101) may not leak out of the process chamber (100), nor may gas outside the process chamber (100) flow into the processing space (101).

[0048] The first connecting line (L20) can connect the fine gap existing between the upper part (120) and the lower part (110) of the process chamber (100) described above to the detection unit (500) to be described later. The first connecting line (L20) can be provided in various forms such as pipes or tubes.

[0049] One end (hereinafter, the first end) (L21a) of the first connecting line (L20) may be positioned between the first sealing member (S10) and the second sealing member (S20). More specifically, the first end (L21a) of the first connecting line (L20) may be positioned between the two grooves (111) formed in the lower part (110) of the process chamber (100). At this time, the first end (L21a) of the first connecting line (L20) may be provided in an open form. Accordingly, the first connecting line (L20) may communicate with the upper side of the lower part (110) when the process chamber (100) is opened, and may communicate with the fine gap between the upper part (120) and the lower part (110) when the process chamber (100) is closed, through the open first end (L21a). Meanwhile, the other end (hereinafter referred to as the second end) of the first connection line (L20) may be extended and arranged outside the process chamber (100). The second end of the first connection line (L20) may be connected to a detection unit (500) to be described later.

[0050] The first connecting line (L20) as described above may be disposed at least partially inside the process chamber (100). To this end, the process chamber (100) may include an internal passage (112).

[0051] In one embodiment, the internal passage (112) may be disposed in the lower portion (110) of the process chamber (100). In this case, one end of the internal passage (112) (hereinafter, the first end) may be disposed between the two groove portions (111) mentioned above. Then, the internal passage (112) may extend through the interior of the lower portion (110), and the other end of the internal passage (112) (hereinafter, the second end) may be disposed on one side of the lower portion (110). At this time, the first end and the second end of the internal passage (112) mentioned above may be provided in an open form. Accordingly, the internal passage (112) may communicate with the upper side of the lower portion (110) or with a fine gap between the upper portion (120) and the lower portion (110) through the open first end. Additionally, the internal passage (112) may be connected to the outside of one side of the process chamber (100) through the opened second end. A first connecting line (L20) may be connected to the second end of such internal passage (112).

[0052] In another embodiment, although not illustrated in the drawings, an internal passage may be positioned at the upper portion (120) of the process chamber (100). In this case, the first end of the internal passage may be positioned at the lower end of the upper portion (120) in an open form. The internal passage may extend through the interior of the upper portion (120), and the second end of the internal passage may be positioned on one side of the upper portion (120). At this time, the second end of the internal passage is also provided in an open form so that a fine gap between the lower portion (110) and the upper portion (120) can be communicated with the outside of the process chamber (100) by the internal passage. The first connecting line (L20) is connected to the second end of the internal passage, which is the same or similar as in the previously described embodiment.

[0053] Hereinafter, for the convenience of explanation, the invention will be described with reference to an embodiment in which an internal passage (112) is provided at the lower part (110) of the process chamber (100), but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0054] The internal passage (112) may have various shapes. For example, the internal passage (112) may have a bent shape that extends a predetermined distance downward (-Z) from the first end and then extends outward in a radial direction along the width direction (-X) to the second end. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the internal passage (112) may extend in various shapes from the upper surface of the lower end (110) where the first end is located to the side of the lower end (110) where the second end is located.

[0055] In the above case, the first connecting line (L20) may be positioned at least partially within the internal passage (112) as described above. More specifically, the first connecting line (L20) may be extended through the internal passage (112) with its first end (L21a) positioned inside the first end of the internal passage (112). Additionally, the second end of the first connecting line (L20) may be extended so as to protrude outside the process chamber (100) through the open second end of the internal passage (112), and a detection unit (500) may be connected to this second end of the first connecting line (L20).

[0056] The detection unit (500) can detect changes in the internal pressure of the first connection line (L20). For example, the detection unit (500) may be a pressure measuring sensor. The result of detecting the internal pressure change detected by the detection unit (500) is transmitted to a control unit (not shown) to be described later, and this will be described later.

[0057] The first valve (600) can open and close the first connection line (L20). The first valve (600) can be connected to the second end of the first connection line (L20). The second end of the first connection line (L20) may branch in two different directions to form a 'T' shape. In this case, a detector (500) may be connected to either one (L21) of the two branched lines at the second end of the first connection line (L20). Additionally, one side of the first valve (600) may be connected to the other one (L22) of the two branched lines at the second end of the first connection line (L20).

[0058] One end of the second connection line (L30) may be connected to the other side of the first valve (600). At this time, the other end of the second connection line (L30) may be connected to the APC valve (V10) and the TMP (P10), that is, to the first exhaust line (L10). Accordingly, when the first valve (600) is in an open state, the internal pressure of the first connection line (L20) can be regulated and maintained to a 'preset pressure' by the dry pump (400). The preset pressure is a vacuum pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, and may be a pressure lower than the internal pressure of the processing space (101). For example, if the processing space (101) is in a high vacuum state, the preset pressure may be a pressure lower than the internal pressure of the processing space (101) in a high vacuum state.

[0059] The first valve (600) described above may remain open while the substrate processing process is being performed. On the other hand, the first connection line (L20) may be closed by the first valve (600) while maintenance work is being performed on the process chamber (100) or the substrate processing device (1A).

[0060] FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 1 when the substrate processing device according to the present invention is in a working state.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 3, a control unit (not shown) can determine whether gas (g) is leaking from the processing space (101) based on the detection result of the detection unit (500). At this time, the control unit may be implemented in the form of, for example, a circuit board mounted on a control computer of a substrate processing device (1, 1A, 1B), a computer chip mounted on a circuit board, or software embedded in a computer chip or embedded in a control computer. For convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on the substrate processing device (1) according to Example 1, but is not limited thereto.

[0062] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the substrate processing process can be performed with the process chamber (100) closed. During the substrate processing process, the deposition or etching process is performed at a high temperature, and some of the processing liquid, such as an etching solution applied to the substrate (W), may be vaporized by the high temperature and contained in the gas (g) within the processing space (101). At this time, since the upper part (120) and the lower part (110) of the process chamber (100) are sealed by sealing members (S10, S20), the gas (g) containing the vaporized processing liquid [or, in the case of Example 2, the gas supplied to the processing space (101) through the showerhead (300')] may not leak out of the process chamber (100). In this way, the state in which the upper part (120) and the lower part (110) of the process chamber (100) are completely sealed by the sealing part (S) is defined as the 'normal state'.

[0063] In a normal state, gas (g) inside the processing space (101) may not leak through the fine gap between the upper part (120) and the lower part (110) by the first sealing member (S10). Accordingly, since gas (g) does not flow into the first connection line (L20) which is maintained at a 'pre-set pressure' as described above, the detection unit (500) may not detect a change in the internal pressure of the first connection line (L20). In this case, the control unit, upon receiving a detection result from the detection unit (500) that there is no change in the internal pressure as described above, may determine that gas (g) is not leaking from the processing space (101).

[0064] FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 1 when the substrate processing device according to the present invention is in a different state.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 4, when a substrate processing process is performed for a long time and / or multiple times using a processing solution such as an etching solution, a sealing member (i.e., a first sealing member) (S10') placed on the inner side adjacent to the processing space (101) may be degraded by the processing solution, as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 4. When the first sealing member (S10') degrades, some of the gas (g) inside the processing space (101) may flow into the fine gap between the upper part (120) and the lower part (110). In this way, the state in which the first sealing member (S10') is damaged and gas (g) leaks is defined as an 'abnormal state'.

[0066] In the case of an abnormal state, the gas (g) introduced through the aforementioned fine gap can be introduced into the first connecting line (L20) through the open first end (L21a) of the first connecting line (L20) and then move through the interior of the first connecting line (L20). Accordingly, the internal pressure of the first connecting line (L20) increases, and such an increase in internal pressure can be detected by the detection unit (500).

[0067] When the control unit receives a detection result regarding an increase in internal pressure of the first connection line (L20) from the detection unit (500), it can determine that gas (g) is leaking from the processing space (101). Meanwhile, the control unit can control the signal generation unit (not shown) of the substrate processing device (1) to generate and display a signal indicating that gas (g) is leaking from the corresponding process chamber (100).

[0068] In addition, the control unit can determine the condition of the sealing unit (S) and whether replacement is necessary based on the gas leakage determination result as described above. More specifically, if the control unit determines that gas (g) is leaking from the process chamber (100), it can determine that the first sealing member (S10') placed inside is damaged, such as by the occurrence of deterioration. In this case, the control unit can control a signal generator (not shown) to generate and display a sealing member replacement signal indicating that the first sealing member (S10) needs to be replaced. Upon confirming such a sealing member replacement signal, the operator can recognize the need to replace the corresponding first sealing member (S10') and perform the replacement work.

[0069] The substrate processing apparatus (1, 1A, 1B) according to the embodiments of the present invention as described above can detect the leakage of gas (g), such as process gas, from the processing space (101) of the process chamber (100), and can also monitor the condition of the sealing member (S10) based on the detection result of the gas (g) to determine the necessity of replacement and the timing of replacement. Accordingly, when gas (g) leaks, it can be detected in real time to prevent accidents caused by the leakage of gas (g) and to minimize the decrease in yield of the substrate (W) that may occur due to the leakage of gas (g).

[0070] Although the above embodiments have described the present invention as being applied to a substrate processing apparatus, the present invention is not limited thereto. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that it can be applied to various fields and facilities other than substrate processing, and this will also fall within the scope of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0071] 1, 1A, 1B: Substrate processing device 500: Detector 100: Process Chamber 600: First valve 200: Support L10: 1st exhaust line 300: Nozzle part L20: 1st connection line 300': Shower head L30: 2nd connection line 400: Dry pump S: Sealing part V10: APC valve P10: TMP La: 2nd exhaust line Lb: Bypass line W: Substrate

Claims

Claim 1 A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a process chamber including a lower portion having an open top and an internal processing space, and an upper portion disposed above the lower portion to open and close the processing space; a sealing portion including at least two sealing members spaced apart between the upper portion and the lower portion, sealing the space between the upper portion and the lower portion; a first connecting line having a first end disposed between the at least two sealing members and a second end extending to the outside of the process chamber; a detection portion connected to the second end of the connecting line and detecting a change in internal pressure of the first connecting line; and a first valve disposed on the first connecting line to selectively open and close the connecting line. Claim 2 A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sealing portion comprises a first sealing member and a second sealing member spaced apart along the width direction of the process chamber. Claim 3 A substrate processing device according to claim 2, wherein the first connecting line extends through an internal passage provided in the lower portion or the upper portion, the first end of the internal passage is an open end disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, and the second end of the internal passage is an open end disposed on one side of the lower portion or the upper portion. Claim 4 A substrate processing device in claim 3, wherein the internal passage is formed to extend partially in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the lower portion and then extend along the width direction toward one side of the lower portion. Claim 5 A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that determines whether gas is leaking from the processing space using the detection result of the detection unit and determines the state of the sealing unit and whether replacement is necessary. Claim 6 A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, comprising: a first exhaust line connected to the lower end of the process chamber to communicate with the processing space; and a dry pump connected to the first exhaust line and adjusting the internal pressure of the processing space to a preset pressure. Claim 7 A substrate processing device according to claim 6, wherein when a processing process for a substrate is performed in the processing space, the first connecting line is closed by the first valve, and the internal pressure of the processing space is maintained at the preset pressure, wherein the preset pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure. Claim 8 A substrate processing device according to claim 7, wherein the first connection line is connected to the first exhaust line through the second connection line, and when the first valve is closed, the internal pressure of the first connection line is maintained at the preset pressure. Claim 9 A substrate processing device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit determines that the gas is leaking from the processing space when the internal pressure of the first connection line is detected to have increased by the detection unit. Claim 10 A process chamber comprising a lower portion having an open top and an internal processing space, and an upper portion arranged to be vertically movable to open and close the processing space; a support portion disposed in the upper processing space and supporting a substrate; a sealing portion including a first sealing member and a second sealing member spaced apart along the radial direction of the process chamber between the upper portion and the lower portion to seal the space between the upper portion and the lower portion; a first connecting line having a first end disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, and a second end extending to the outside of the process chamber; a detection portion connected to the second end of the connecting line and detecting a change in internal pressure of the first connecting line; and a first valve disposed on the first connecting line to selectively open and close the connecting line. and a control unit that determines whether gas is leaking from the processing space and determines the condition of the sealing part and whether replacement is necessary using the detection result of the detection unit; wherein the first connecting line is extended through an internal passage provided at the bottom of the process chamber, the first end of the internal passage is an open end positioned between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, and the second end of the internal passage is an open end positioned on one side of the bottom part, and the internal passage is in the form of extending partially in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the bottom part and then extending along the width direction toward one side of the bottom part, and when a processing process for a substrate is performed in the processing space, the first connecting line is closed by the first valve, and the internal pressure of the processing space and the internal pressure of the first connecting line are maintained at a preset pressure, wherein the preset pressure is a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, and the control unit, when it is detected by the detection unit that the internal pressure of the first connecting line has increased, the gas from the processing space A substrate processing device that determines that a leak is occurring.

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