Gas management assembly for substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus for improving the economy of substrate processing by regenerating and reusing exhaust gas.SOLUTION: A gas assembly 100 for a substrate processing apparatus includes: an exhaust module 130 having a basic exhaust line 131 formed to exhaust chamber gas to a discharge system, the module including process gas supplied to chambers IC and EC of a substrate processing apparatus HA, to a discharge system; a regeneration connection module 160 having a regeneration exhaust line 161 formed to branch from the basic exhaust line and to exhaust the chamber gas to a regeneration system; and a control module configured to automatically switch an exhaust path of the chamber gas between the basic exhaust line and the regeneration exhaust line on the basis of at least one of an operation mode of the substrate processing apparatus, the pressure in the chambers, and the pressure in the regeneration exhaust line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus that supplies gas to or exhausts gas from a chamber of the substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, semiconductor substrates undergo various processes during the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, such as oxidation, nitridation, silicidation, ion implantation, and deposition processes, as well as hydrogen or deuterium heat treatment processes to improve interface characteristics of semiconductor devices.

[0003] Gases used in processing are supplied into the chamber to act on the semiconductor substrate, and after processing, the supplied gases must be exhausted from the chamber.

[0004] The gases exhausted from the chamber are filtered to remove process by-products and other toxic components. These exhaust gases contain expensive gases. Disposing of these expensive gases after a single use is a huge economic waste.

[0005] The above-mentioned background art is technical information that the inventor possessed in order to derive the embodiments of the present invention or that he acquired in the process of deriving the embodiments, and is not necessarily publicly known art that was made public to the general public prior to the filing of this application. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a gas management assembly for substrate processing equipment that improves the economics of substrate processing by reclaiming and reusing exhaust gases.

[0007] A second object of the present invention is to provide a gas management assembly for substrate processing equipment that allows selective operation of the regeneration system to enhance regeneration efficiency for exhaust gases.

[0008] A third object of the present invention is to provide a gas management assembly for substrate processing equipment that allows for easy retrofitting of a regeneration system even if the regeneration system was not incorporated during initial fabrication. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention provides a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus, which may include an exhaust module having a primary exhaust line configured to exhaust chamber gas, including a process gas, supplied to a chamber of the substrate processing apparatus to a release system; a regeneration connection module having a regeneration exhaust line branching from the primary exhaust line and configured to exhaust the chamber gas to a regeneration system; and a control module configured to automatically switch the exhaust path of the chamber gas from one of the primary exhaust line and the regeneration exhaust line to the other based on at least one of an operating mode of the substrate processing apparatus, a pressure of the chamber, and a pressure of the regeneration exhaust line.

[0010] Here, the exhaust module includes a gas discharger installed in the main exhaust line and configured to adjust the amount of exhaust of the chamber gas; and a main line switchgear installed behind the gas discharger in the main exhaust line and configured to interrupt the flow of the chamber gas to the emission system, and the regeneration connection module includes a regeneration line switchgear installed in the regeneration exhaust line to be located behind the gas discharger and configured to interrupt the flow of the chamber gas to the regeneration exhaust line, and the control module can control the opening and closing operations of the main line switchgear and the regeneration line switchgear for the automatic switching.

[0011] Here, the control module can switch the exhaust path to the primary exhaust line when the operation mode is one of process start, process end, and process interruption.

[0012] Here, when the operation mode is a process progress mode, the control module may switch the exhaust path to the regeneration exhaust line if the pressure in the chamber is equal to or higher than a minimum switching pressure.

[0013] Here, the minimum switching pressure may be higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0014] Here, when the operation mode is the process progress mode, the control module may switch the exhaust path to the main exhaust line if the pressure in the chamber exceeds a maximum switching pressure, and the maximum switching pressure may be higher than the minimum switching pressure.

[0015] Here, the control module can automatically switch to the regeneration exhaust line only when the regeneration system is ready to operate.

[0016] Here, the chamber gas may contain deuterium.

[0017] Here, when the control module performs the automatic switching, it can open both the primary exhaust line and the regeneration exhaust line during the delay time.

[0018] Here, the delay time may be within a few seconds.

[0019] Here, the device may further include a housing having an internal space that accommodates the exhaust module and the regeneration connection module; and a filling module configured to fill the internal space with a protective gas at a pressure higher than the external pressure of the housing.

[0020] Here, the housing may include a main housing that houses at least a portion of the exhaust module; and an auxiliary housing that houses the regenerative connection module.

[0021] Here, the main housing and the auxiliary housing communicate with each other, and the filling module can communicate with only one of the main housing and the auxiliary housing.

[0022] The substrate processing apparatus further includes a gas supply module configured to supply the process gas to the chamber at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and processes the substrate at the pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] In the gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, which is configured as described above, the control module automatically switches between the primary exhaust line that exhausts chamber gas to the discharge system and the regeneration exhaust line that branches off from the primary exhaust line and exhausts chamber gas to the regeneration system based on the operating mode of the high-pressure substrate processing apparatus, the chamber pressure, or the pressure of the regeneration exhaust line, so that the chamber gas can be regenerated and reused by the regeneration system. In addition, when the regeneration efficiency is high, the chamber gas can flow to the regeneration system, thereby improving the regeneration efficiency.

[0024] Since the regeneration connection module is installed in the auxiliary housing connected to the main housing, the regeneration connection module can be installed later even if it is not installed at the time of initial manufacture. As a result, the exhaust gas regeneration function can be easily added to existing gas management assemblies. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2]2 is a block diagram for explaining a control configuration of a gas management assembly for the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating how the control module controls the exhaust of chamber gases. [Figure 5] 5 is a flowchart showing a specific example of steps (S3 and S5) in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining automatic switching timing of a control module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be modified in various ways and realized in various different forms. However, the present embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the technical spirit and scope of the present invention, as well as the possibility of substituting or adding the configuration of any one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment.

[0028] The accompanying drawings are merely for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and should not be construed as limiting the technical ideas disclosed in this specification, but should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included within the idea and technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the size and thickness of components may be exaggerated or reduced for ease of understanding, but this should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe particular implementations or embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, singular terms include plural terms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the specification, terms such as "comprises," "consists," and the like are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification. In other words, in the specification, terms such as "comprises," "consists," and the like should be understood not to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0031] When a component is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that although it may be directly coupled / communicating or connected to the other component, there may be other components in between. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0032] When a component is referred to as being "on top of" or "under" another component, it should be understood that it may not only be located directly on top of the other component, but that there may also be other components in between.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms commonly used and predefined should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined in this application.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Referring to this figure, a gas management assembly 100 is configured to supply gas to chambers IC and EC of a high-pressure substrate processing apparatus HA and to exhaust gas from the chambers IC and EC. The gas management assembly 100 can also be understood as part of the high-pressure substrate processing apparatus HA.

[0036] The high-voltage substrate processing apparatus HA will be described below focusing on the chambers IC and EC. The chambers IC and EC may include an inner chamber IC and an outer chamber EC.

[0037] The inner chamber IC forms a processing space that accommodates a substrate to be processed. The inner chamber IC may be made of a non-metallic material, such as quartz, to reduce contamination in a high-pressure and high-temperature working environment. Although simplified in the drawing, a door (not shown) for opening and closing the processing space may be provided at the bottom of the inner chamber IC. The processing space is opened by lowering the door, and the substrate attached to a holder (not shown) is inserted into the inner chamber IC. The inner chamber IC may be heated to several hundred to several thousand degrees Celsius by operating a heater (not shown) disposed outside the inner chamber IC. The substrate may be, for example, a semiconductor wafer. In this case, the holder may be a wafer boat that can stack multiple semiconductor wafers.

[0038] The outer chamber EC is configured to accommodate the inner chamber IC. Unlike the inner chamber IC, the outer chamber EC is free from contamination issues and may be made of metal. The outer chamber EC may also have a door (not shown). The door of the outer chamber EC may be opened in conjunction with the door of the inner chamber IC. The inner chamber IC may be installed in the outer chamber EC.

[0039] The following describes gas management assembly 100. Gas management assembly 100 may include a housing 110, an air supply module 120, an exhaust module 130, a fill module 140, an exhaust module 150, a regenerative coupling module 160, and a sensing module 170.

[0040] The housing 110 has an internal space 111. The housing 110 may have a roughly rectangular parallelepiped body. An air intake module 120, an exhaust module 130, and the like may be installed in the internal space 111.

[0041] The gas supply module 120 is configured to be able to supply gas to the chambers IC and EC. The gas supply module 120 may be connected to a utility line (gas supply line) of a semiconductor factory. The gas supply module 120 may have a first supply line 121 connected to the inner chamber IC and a second supply line 125 connected to the outer chamber EC.

[0042] Gases for substrate processing, such as hydrogen gas (H), deuterium gas (D), fluorine gas (F), ammonia gas (NH), chlorine gas (Cl), and nitrogen gas (N), may be selectively supplied to the inner chamber IC via the first supply line 121. Inert gases, such as nitrogen gas or argon gas (Ar), may be supplied to the outer chamber EC via the second supply line 125. The gas supplied to the outer chamber EC is specifically supplied to the space between the outer chamber EC and the inner chamber IC. Both the hydrogen gas supplied to the inner chamber IC and the nitrogen gas supplied to the outer chamber EC may be commonly referred to as process gases.

[0043] The process gas may be supplied to the chambers IC and EC at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, for example, several atmospheres to several tens of atmospheres. When the pressure of the inner chamber IC is a first pressure and the pressure of the outer chamber EC is a second pressure, the second pressure may be set relative to the first pressure. For example, the second pressure may be set slightly higher than the first pressure. Such a pressure difference provides the advantage of preventing gas leakage from the inner chamber IC and preventing damage to the inner chamber IC.

[0044] A regulator supply 122 may be installed in the first supply line 121 to set and maintain the relationship between the first pressure and the second pressure. The regulator supply 122 measures and supplies the amount of gas input to the inner chamber IC. For example, the regulator supply 122 may be a mass flow controller (MFC). A switch supply 123 is installed after the regulator supply 122 to open or close the first supply line 121. A switch supply 127 may be installed in the second supply line 125. Unlike the regulator supply 122, the switch supply 127 does not measure the flow rate. The opening and closing of the switch supply 127 is adjusted based on the pressure of the outer chamber EC.

[0045] The exhaust module 130 is configured to exhaust gas (chamber gas) from the chambers IC and EC. The chamber gas may be a mixture of the process gas and process by-products, such as particles, derived from the substrate. The chamber gas may have a high temperature due to a high-temperature process, for example, a temperature higher than the ignition point of the process gas. The exhaust module 130 may be connected to a utility line (gas exhaust line) of a semiconductor factory.

[0046] The exhaust module 130 may include a first exhaust line (main exhaust line) 131 for exhausting gas from the inner chamber IC and a second exhaust line 135 for exhausting gas from the outer chamber EC. The first exhaust line 131 is connected to the top of the inner chamber IC and extends outside the outer chamber EC. A gas exhauster 133 may be installed in the first exhaust line 131. The second exhaust line 135 is connected to the outer chamber EC and may include a gas exhauster 137. The gas exhausters 133 and 137 may adjust the pressure of the chambers IC and EC by adjusting the amount of the process gas or the chamber gas exhausted. The gas exhausters 133 and 137 may be, for example, flow control valves. When the first exhaust line 131 and the second exhaust line 135 converge, the active gases, such as hydrogen / deuterium gas, in the chamber gas are diluted with the inactive gas, thereby reducing their concentrations.

[0047] The filling module 140 is configured to be able to fill the internal space 111 with a protective gas. The protective gas may be, for example, an inert gas. The inert gas may include, for example, nitrogen gas or argon gas.

[0048] By filling the protective gas, the pressure (third pressure) in the internal space 111 has characteristics different from the first pressure and the second pressure. The third pressure is higher than the external pressure of the housing 110 (usually atmospheric pressure) but lower than the first pressure and the second pressure. Specifically, the third pressure may be closer to the external pressure than the first pressure and the second pressure, and may be slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. For example, the third pressure may be a pressure that is several tens to several hundreds of Pa higher than atmospheric pressure. It is sufficient that the third pressure is set to a level that can block external air (oxygen) from entering the internal space 111.

[0049] The exhaust module 150 is configured to exhaust the gas in the internal space 111 to the outside. The gas in the internal space 111 is mainly the protective gas, but may also be a mixed gas containing the chamber gas. The mixed gas is generated when a leak of the process gas or the chamber gas occurs in the gas supply module 120 or the exhaust module 130.

[0050] The exhaust module 150 includes an exhaust duct 151 that communicates with the internal space 111. The exhaust duct 151 may communicate with a utility line (gas exhaust line) of the semiconductor factory. A gate valve 155 may be installed in the exhaust duct 151. When it is necessary to exhaust gas from the internal space 111, the gate valve 155 is opened.

[0051] The regeneration connection module 160 is configured to guide the chamber gas (specifically, gas exhausted from the inner chamber IC) to the regeneration system. The regeneration connection module 160 may include a regeneration exhaust line 161 branching from the first exhaust line or the main exhaust line 131 and connected to the regeneration system. A branch point 163 from which the regeneration exhaust line 161 branches may be located in the interior space 111. The regeneration system recovers and reuses a major gas, such as expensive deuterium gas, from the chamber gas. The regeneration system may include a reclaimer R. A regeneration line switch 165 may be installed in the regeneration exhaust line 161. The regeneration line switch 165 may be an on-off valve that opens and closes the regeneration exhaust line 161. In an alternative embodiment, the major gas may include not only expensive gases but also hazardous gases. The toxic gases are recovered from the regeneration system but may not be reused. Specifically, the toxic gases may be treated separately from other gases in a dedicated scrubber.

[0052] A basic line switch 134 may be installed in the basic exhaust line 131 corresponding to the regeneration line switch 165. The basic line switch 134 is a valve that opens and closes the basic exhaust line 131. The basic line switch 134 and the regeneration line switch 165 may be installed after the gas discharger 133 along the exhaust path of the chamber gas. When the basic line switch 134 is open and the regeneration line switch 165 is closed, the chamber gas flows to the discharge system through the basic exhaust line 131. The discharge system can filter and discharge the process by-products from the chamber gas. The discharge system may have a scrubber S for collecting the process by-products. Alternatively, when the basic line switch 134 is closed and the regeneration line switch 165 is open, the chamber gas flows to the reclaimer R through the regeneration exhaust line 161. If the second exhaust line 135 joins the first exhaust line 131 at the branch point 163 and thereafter, the inert gas from the outer chamber EC flows only into the scrubber S. The inert gas does not need to be regenerated, so it does not need to be sent to the reclaimer R.

[0053] The sensing module 170 may include a pressure gauge 171 and a gas sensor 175 to sense the environment of the internal space 111. The pressure gauge 171 senses the gas pressure in the internal space 111. Although not shown in the drawing, the pressure gauge 171 may additionally include gauges for sensing the pressures of the chambers IC, EC, and the regeneration exhaust line 161. The gas sensor 175 senses the process gas (specifically, an active gas such as hydrogen) leaking into the internal space 111, as well as gases such as oxygen flowing in from the outside.

[0054] The control configuration of the gas management assembly 100 will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the control configuration of the gas management assembly for the substrate processing apparatus of Figure 1.

[0055] Referring to this figure (and FIG. 1), the gas management assembly 100 may further include a control module 180 and a containment module 190 in addition to the previously mentioned air supply module 120, exhaust module 130, fill module 140, etc.

[0056] The control module 180 is configured to be able to control the air supply module 120, the exhaust module 130, etc. The control module 180 can control the filling module 140, the exhaust module 150, etc. based on the sensing result of the sensing module 170.

[0057] The storage module 190 is configured to be able to store data, programs, etc. that the control module 180 can refer to for control purposes.

[0058] According to this configuration, the control module 180 can fill the internal space 111 with the protective gas or exhaust the gas in the internal space 111 due to the leakage of the process gas based on the detection result of the detection module 170. For the former, the control module 180 can control the filling module 140, and for the latter, the control module 180 can control the exhaust module 150.

[0059] The control module 180 controls the filling module 140 together with the exhaust module 150 to inject the protective gas into the internal space 111 when exhausting the gas in the internal space 111. This allows the concentration of the chamber gas to be diluted if the chamber gas leaks into the internal space 111. The injection of the protective gas may also facilitate the exhaust of the chamber gas.

[0060] The control module 180 can exhaust gas from the interior space 111 as well as the chambers IC and EC because processing in the chambers IC and EC cannot proceed any further if a problem occurs due to a leak in the gas management assembly 100. To exhaust the chambers IC and EC, the control module 180 can control the exhaust module 130.

[0061] Another embodiment of the gas management assembly 100 is also described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram of a gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Referring to this figure, gas management assembly 200 is generally the same as gas management assembly 100 according to the previous embodiment, but differs in the configuration of housing 210 and regenerative connection module 260. The configuration of high-pressure heat treatment apparatus HA (see FIG. 1) is omitted in this figure. Furthermore, the configuration of gas management assembly 200 that is the same as that of the previous embodiment is shown in the figure but will not be further described.

[0063] The housing 210 is divided into a main housing 211 and an auxiliary housing 215. An air supply module 220, an exhaust module 230, and the like are disposed in an internal space 212 of the main housing 211. The exhaust module 230 may have a first exhaust line (primary exhaust line) 231 for exhausting gas from the internal chamber IC and a second exhaust line 235 for exhausting gas from the external chamber EC. The filling module 240 and the like may be in communication with the internal space 212. The auxiliary housing 215 is attached to the main housing 211 and has an internal space 216. The internal space 216 may have a smaller volume than the internal space 212.

[0064] A portion of the main exhaust line 231 and a branch point 263 where the regeneration exhaust line 261 branches off from the main exhaust line 231 may be located in the interior space 216. The main line switch 234 and the regeneration line switch 265 may also be located in the interior space 216.

[0065] The internal space 216 may be in communication with the internal space 212. In this case, the internal space 212 may also be filled with the protective gas by the filling module 240. In an alternative embodiment, the internal space 216 may be configured independently of the internal space 212, and a separate protective gas filling line may be connected to the internal space 216. Alternatively, the filling module 240 may fill the internal space 216 with the protective gas while the internal space 216 is in communication with the internal space 212.

[0066] According to this configuration, the regenerative connection module 260 is installed via the auxiliary housing 215 attached to the main housing 211, so even if the regenerative connection module 260 is not included in the initial manufacturing of the gas management assembly 200, the regenerative connection module 260 can be easily added. In other words, because the auxiliary housing 215 and the regenerative connection module 260 are added to the outside of the main housing 211, there is no need to make any structural changes to the main housing 211 (and the components arranged inside the main housing 211).

[0067] By connecting the internal space 216 to the internal space 212, the regeneration connection module 260 can also be protected by the protective gas. Even if gas leakage occurs from the branch point 263, the main line switch 234, the regeneration line switch 265, etc., the protective gas prevents the leaked gas from coming into contact with the outside air.

[0068] During the process of exhausting the chamber gas, the control module 180 of the gas management assembly 100 can integrally control the exhaust module 130 and the regenerative connection module 160. Specific details regarding this will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. The control-related details regarding the gas management assembly 100 can also be applied to the gas management assembly 200.

[0069] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing how the control module controls the evacuation of chamber gases.

[0070] Referring again to this figure, the control module 180 determines whether the chamber gas needs to be exhausted (S1). The chamber gas needs to be exhausted in at least one of various operation modes of the chambers IC and EC, such as an idle mode, a standby mode, and a process mode.

[0071] If the chamber gas needs to be evacuated, the control module 180 determines (S3) the operating modes and associated pressures of the chambers IC and EC. The associated pressures may include the pressure of the internal chamber IC and the pressure in the regeneration exhaust line 161. The pressure in the regeneration exhaust line 161 may be the pressure of the gas measured in the reclaimer R (see FIG. 1).

[0072] The control module 180 automatically switches the exhaust path of the chamber gas based on information such as the operation mode (S5). Specifically, the control module 180 can switch the exhaust path from either the main exhaust line 131 of the exhaust module 130 or the regeneration exhaust line 161 of the regeneration connection module 160 to the other. The control module 180 can also switch the exhaust path to the regeneration exhaust line 161 only when the regeneration system is ready to operate. To switch the exhaust path, the control module 180 can control the opening and closing operations of the main line switch 134 and the regeneration line switch 165.

[0073] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a specific example of steps (S3 and S5) in FIG.

[0074] Continuing with reference to this figure, the control module 180 determines the operation mode (S11). The operation mode may include process start, process progress, process end, and process abort.

[0075] When the operation mode is the process start (S13), the process end (S23), or the process interruption (S25), the control module 180 switches the exhaust path to the main exhaust line 131. To do so, the control module 180 opens the main line switch 134 and closes the regeneration line switch 165. The chamber gas flows to the scrubber S.

[0076] If the operation mode is the process progress mode (S15), the control module 180 determines whether the pressure in the inner chamber IC is equal to or greater than the minimum switching pressure (S17). If the pressure in the inner chamber IC is equal to or greater than the minimum switching pressure, the control module 180 switches the exhaust path to the regeneration exhaust line 161 (S19). The control module 180 closes the main line switch 134 and opens the regeneration line switch 165. This allows the chamber gas to flow to the reclaimer R. The minimum switching pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure, but may be, for example, a level less than several atmospheres.

[0077] If the pressure in the inner chamber IC is lower than the minimum switching pressure (S17), the control module 180 switches the exhaust path to the main exhaust line 131 (S27). If the pressure in the inner chamber IC is lower than the minimum switching pressure, the chamber gas does not naturally flow to the regeneration system. Furthermore, since the chamber gas is not naturally exhausted smoothly, the chamber gas in the inner chamber IC may be purged with a purge gas, for example, nitrogen gas. Even if the chamber gas is purged and sent to the reclaimer R, the chamber gas is diluted with the purge gas, resulting in low regeneration efficiency for the chamber gas. In such cases, it may be better for the chamber gas to flow to the discharge system rather than the regeneration system.

[0078] The control module 180 additionally determines whether the pressure in the regeneration exhaust line 161 exceeds a maximum switching pressure (S21). If the pressure in the regeneration exhaust line 161 is equal to or less than the maximum switching pressure, the control module 180 maintains the exhaust path to the regeneration exhaust line 161. If the pressure in the regeneration exhaust line 161 exceeds the maximum switching pressure, the control module 180 switches the exhaust path to the main exhaust line 131 (S27). The maximum switching pressure may be several to several tens of atmospheres, which is a pressure level that ensures safe operation of the reclaimer R. The maximum switching pressure may have a value that is several times or several tens of times higher than the minimum switching pressure.

[0079] In operation modes other than the above-described operation modes, the control module 180 can switch the exhaust path or maintain the switchable state. For example, in the standby mode, the control module 180 can switch the exhaust path to the primary exhaust line 131. In the idle mode, the control module 180 can allow the exhaust path to be manually switched to the regeneration exhaust line 161 by an operator if the pressure in the inner chamber IC is less than the minimum switching pressure or the pressure in the regeneration exhaust line 161 is less than the maximum switching pressure.

[0080] FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the automatic switching timing of the control module.

[0081] Referring again to this figure, the control module 180 may open both the primary exhaust line 131 and the regeneration exhaust line 161 during a certain period of time while opening one of the primary exhaust line 131 and the regeneration exhaust line 161 and closing the other. This period of time may be referred to as a delay time (Td). The delay time may be within a few seconds.

[0082] Specifically, referring to FIG. 6(a), in a state where the basic line switch 134 is open and the regeneration line switch 165 is closed, switching to the opposite state can be performed. The control module 180 must close the basic line switch 134 and open the regeneration line switch 165. The closing of the basic line switch 134 and the opening of the regeneration line switch 165 are not performed simultaneously, but can be performed with a delay time (Td) therebetween. Therefore, the basic line switch 134 can be closed after the delay time (Td) has passed since the regeneration line switch 165 was opened. The delay time (Td) can mitigate the pressure shock applied to the inner chamber IC due to the switching of the exhaust path.

[0083] 6(b), the delay time (Td) is also ensured in the opposite case. Specifically, the regeneration line switch 165 may be closed after the delay time (Td) has elapsed since the basic line switch 134 was opened.

[0084] Although the gas management assemblies 100 and 200 have been described herein as being used in a high-pressure substrate processing apparatus HA, the present invention is not limited thereto. The gas management assemblies 100 and 200 can also be applied to substrate processing apparatuses that process substrates at subatmospheric pressure rather than high pressure. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to substrate processing apparatuses having a single chamber rather than a dual-chamber IC or EC. The present invention can also be applied to single-wafer type substrate processing apparatuses as well as batch type substrate processing apparatuses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 100, 200: Gas management assembly 110, 210: Housing 120, 220: Air supply module 130, 230: Exhaust module 140, 240: Filling module 150, 250: Emission module 160, 260: Regeneration connection module 170, 270: Sensing module 180: Control module 190: Storage module

Claims

1. an exhaust module including a primary exhaust line configured to exhaust chamber gases, including process gases, supplied to a chamber of the substrate processing apparatus to a discharge system; a regeneration connection module including a regeneration exhaust line branching from the primary exhaust line and configured to exhaust the chamber gas to a regeneration system; and a control module configured to automatically switch the exhaust path of the chamber gas from one of the primary exhaust line and the regenerative exhaust line to the other based on at least one of an operation mode of the substrate processing apparatus, a pressure in the chamber, and a pressure in the regenerative exhaust line; A gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus comprising:

2. The exhaust module includes: a gas discharger installed in the main exhaust line and configured to adjust the amount of exhaust of the chamber gas; and a main line switch disposed in the main exhaust line after the gas ejector and configured to interrupt the flow of the chamber gas to the discharge system; The regeneration connection module includes: a regeneration line switch disposed in the regeneration exhaust line so as to be located after the gas discharger and configured to interrupt the flow of the chamber gas to the regeneration exhaust line; The control module 2. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a control section for controlling opening and closing operations of the basic line switch and the regeneration line switch for the automatic switching.

3. The control module 2. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust path is switched to the primary exhaust line when the operating mode is one of a process start, a process end, and a process interrupt.

4. The control module 2 . The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the operation mode is a process progress mode, the exhaust path is switched to the regeneration exhaust line if the pressure in the chamber is equal to or higher than a minimum switching pressure.

5. The minimum switching pressure is 5. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the gas management assembly is at above atmospheric pressure.

6. The control module When the operation mode is the process progress mode, if the pressure in the chamber exceeds a maximum switching pressure, the exhaust path is switched to the main exhaust line; The maximum switching pressure is The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the gas management assembly is above the minimum switching pressure.

7. The control module 10. The gas management assembly for substrate processing equipment of claim 1, wherein automatic switchover to the regeneration exhaust line occurs only when the regeneration system is ready for operation.

8. The chamber gas is 10. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, comprising deuterium.

9. The control module 2. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein when said automatic switchover occurs, said primary exhaust line and said regeneration exhaust line are both open during a delay time.

10. The delay time is 10. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the gas management assembly is within a few seconds.

11. a housing having an interior space for accommodating the exhaust module and the regenerative coupling module; and 10. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fill module configured to fill the interior space with a protective gas at a pressure higher than a pressure outside the housing.

12. The housing includes: a main housing that houses at least a portion of the exhaust module; and 12. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, comprising a secondary housing that houses the regeneration linkage module.

13. The main housing and the auxiliary housing are Communicating with each other, The filling module comprises:

13. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the gas management assembly is in fluid communication with only one of the main housing and the auxiliary housing.

14. a gas supply module configured to supply the process gas to the chamber at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; The substrate processing apparatus includes:

10. The gas management assembly for a substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas management assembly processes substrates at said above atmospheric pressure.

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