High-pressure annealing apparatus having particle scattering prevention function

Abstract

To provide a high-pressure annealing apparatus capable of preventing contamination caused by particles from a parting module.SOLUTION: The high pressure annealing apparatus includes an inner chamber 100 which provides an inner space 105 for performing a heat treatment on a substrate and has an opened lower portion, an outer chamber 200 which accommodates the inner chamber 100 and has an opened lower portion, a heating module 300 which heats the inner chamber 100 in an outer space 205 provided between the inner chamber 105 and the outer chamber 200, a chamber door which opens or closes at least one of the lower portion of the inner chamber 100 and the lower portion of the outer chamber 200 by an elevating operation, a substrate holder which is provided on the chamber door and enters or exits the inner space 105 by the elevating operation of the chamber door, and a shielding element which seals the lower portion of the outer space 205 between the inner chamber 100 and the outer chamber 200.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus used to perform an annealing process or the like on a substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] During an ion implantation process performed for manufacturing semiconductor devices, etc., damage may be inflicted on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, and an annealing process may be performed to repair such damage.

[0003] Typically, an annealing apparatus used to perform such an annealing process may include a chamber providing a substrate processing space for heat-treating the substrate, and a heating module that heats the temperature of the substrate processing space within the chamber to a temperature range required for the process. The chamber may be configured with an open bottom, which may be opened and closed by a door. The heating module may include a heater and be provided to surround the chamber. When the door is opened, a substrate may be loaded into or unloaded from the substrate processing space through the open bottom of the chamber.

[0004] In an annealing apparatus configured as described above, the heating module generates high heat during processing, which can cause thermal damage to the surface of the heating module, resulting in peeling or detachment. Furthermore, thermal expansion of the heating module can cause friction between components of the heating module. This peeling, detachment, and friction can generate a large number of particles. The generated particles can then be dispersed and contaminate the surrounding area.

[0005] In particular, particles may adhere to the surface of a substrate during the process of transferring the substrate into or out of the substrate processing space, thereby contaminating the substrate, which may result in a decrease in yield. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2006-0042705 [Patent Document 2] Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2014-0039987 [Patent Document 3] Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2015-0086831 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a high-pressure annealing apparatus that can prevent contamination caused by particles from a heating module.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention provides a high pressure annealing apparatus that can prevent contamination caused by particles and stably support the chamber.

[0009] The problems to be solved are not limited to these, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there may be provided a high-pressure annealing apparatus including: an internal chamber providing an internal space for performing a heat treatment on a substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer), the internal chamber having an open bottom; an external chamber accommodating the internal chamber and having an open bottom; a heating module for heating the internal chamber in an external space between the internal chamber and the external chamber, the external chambers being spaced apart from each other; a chamber door for opening and closing at least one of the open bottom of the internal chamber and the open bottom of the external chamber facing the internal chamber by a lifting motion, the chamber door moving to a closed position during the lifting motion and to an open position during the lowering motion; a substrate support unit (substrate holder) mounted on an upper portion of the chamber door for entering and exiting (loading and unloading) the internal space through the open bottom of the internal chamber by the lifting motion of the chamber door; and a shielding element (shielding cover) for blocking the open bottom of the external space between the internal chamber and the external chamber.

[0011] In a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a first gas, which is a reactive gas, is supplied to the inner space at a first pressure (higher than atmospheric pressure), and a second gas, which is a protective gas, is supplied to the outer space at a second pressure (the same as the first pressure, or a pressure slightly higher or lower than the first pressure) that is predetermined in relation to the first pressure.

[0012] The inner chamber may be made of quartz, a non-metallic material, and the outer chamber may be made of metal. The shielding element is configured to be coupled to a lower end portion of the outer chamber, which is made of metal, and to support the lower end portion of the inner chamber, which is made of quartz, in a contact manner, thereby stably positioning the inner chamber within the interior space of the outer chamber.

[0013] Specifically, the shielding element may include an upper cover module having a ring-shaped structure that seals the lower part of the external space with a peripheral portion coupled to the lower end portion of the external chamber and a central portion supporting the lower end portion of the internal chamber, a spacer having a ring-shaped structure for supporting the upper cover module from below, and a lower cover module having a ring-shaped structure that is disposed below the upper cover module and seals the lower part of the external space with a peripheral portion coupled to the lower end portion of the external chamber and a central portion supporting the spacer.

[0014] The inner chamber may have a flange at the lower end portion thereof, and the upper cover module may support the flange of the inner chamber.

[0015] The upper cover module may include an upper cover having a peripheral ring portion coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber and a central ring portion provided with a support upper surface that supports the flange of the inner chamber from below, and a pressure ring coupled to the upper cover above the upper cover and provided with a pressure lower surface that pressurizes the flange of the inner chamber.

[0016] The heating module may have a flange at a lower end portion thereof, the flange being coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber, and the upper cover may have a peripheral ring portion coupled to the lower end portion of the heating module and be coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber via the heating module.

[0017] The heating module may be configured to have a ring jaw disposed above the pressure ring, and the upper cover module may further include an elastic member that may be interposed between the ring jaw and the pressure ring in a vertically compressed state.

[0018] The upper cover module may further include a buffer pad interposed between the lower pressure surface of the pressure ring and the flange of the internal chamber.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there may be provided a high-pressure annealing apparatus including: an inner chamber having an open lower portion, which provides an internal space for performing a heat treatment on a substrate; an outer chamber containing the inner chamber and having an open lower portion; a heating module for heating the inner chamber in an external space provided between the inner chamber and the outer chamber; a chamber door for opening or sealing at least one of the lower portion of the inner chamber and the lower portion of the outer chamber by a lifting action; a substrate holder provided on the chamber door and moving in and out of the inner space by the lifting action of the chamber door; and a shielding element for sealing a lower portion of the external space between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, wherein the shielding element includes an upper cover and a lower cover disposed below the upper cover, and wherein the lower portion of the external space is double-sealed by the upper cover and the lower cover.

[0020] The solutions to the problems will be more specific and clear through the following examples, drawings, etc. Also, various solutions other than the solutions mentioned below may be presented. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a shielding element that seals the lower part of the external space is included, so that particles that may be generated from the heating module can be prevented from being discharged from the external space between the internal chamber and the external chamber, thereby actively suppressing the occurrence of substrate contamination problems caused by particles and the resulting reduction in yield.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shielding element is configured to support the inner chamber in a contact manner while being coupled to the outer chamber, so that the position of the fragile inner chamber can be stably fixed without a separate support structure.

[0023] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the present specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and coupling relationship of shielding elements applied to a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can easily understand and practice the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various other forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0026] When describing embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of related well-known functions or configurations may obscure the gist of the present invention, the specific description thereof will be omitted, and parts having similar functions and actions will be given the same reference numerals throughout the drawings.

[0027] At least some of the terms used in this specification are defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention and may vary depending on the intentions, practices, etc. of users and operators. Therefore, such terms should be interpreted based on the overall content of the specification. Furthermore, in this specification, when a term "includes" one element, this does not mean that other elements are excluded, but that other elements may also be included, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, when a part is said to be connected (or coupled) to another part, this includes not only a direct connection (or coupling) but also an indirect connection (or coupling) via another part.

[0028] On the other hand, the size, shape, line thickness, and the like of components in the drawings may be exaggerated to some extent for ease of understanding.

[0029] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a high-pressure annealing apparatus that can perform an annealing process on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer under high-pressure conditions for manufacturing a semiconductor device, can prevent problems such as contamination of the substrate due to particles from a heating module, and can easily and safely fix an internal chamber in a fixed position.

[0030] A high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the main parts of a high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the high pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an inner chamber 100 that provides an inner space (substrate processing space) 105 that can be isolated from the outside for substrate heat treatment, an outer chamber 200 that houses the inner chamber 100, and a heating module 300 that is disposed in an outer space (protected space) 205 between the inner chamber 100 and the outer chamber 200 that are spaced apart from each other.

[0032] Although not shown, the high-pressure annealing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a first gas supply and exhaust unit and a second gas supply and exhaust unit. The first gas supply and exhaust unit may supply a first gas to the inner space 105 and exhaust the supplied first gas from the inner space 105. The first gas may be a reaction gas. The second gas supply and exhaust unit may supply a second gas to the outer space 205 and exhaust the supplied second gas from the outer space 205. The second gas may be a protective gas.

[0033] In addition, the high pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include at least one temperature sensor assembly 50 for detecting the temperature of the heating module 300, a pressure measuring device (not shown) for detecting the pressure of the internal space 105 and the external space 205, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the heating module 300 based on the detected temperature input from the temperature sensor assembly 50 and for controlling the first gas supply and exhaust unit and the second gas supply and exhaust unit based on the detected pressure input from the pressure measuring device.

[0034] In the high pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, when an annealing process is performed, a substrate is placed in the internal space 105, the internal chamber 100 is heated by the heating module 300, the internal space 105 is created as a high temperature atmosphere for the heat treatment of the substrate, and the temperature of the internal space 105 can be maintained at the set temperature required for the process by the control action of the control unit on the heating module 300.

[0035] Furthermore, in the high-pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, when an annealing process is performed, a first gas (reaction gas) may be supplied to the inner space 105 by the first gas supply and exhaust unit, and a second gas (protection gas) may be supplied to the outer space 205 by the second gas supply and exhaust unit. The first gas (reaction gas) supplied to the inner space 105 may be heated to a reaction temperature by the heating module 300, thereby improving, for example, the interface characteristics of a substrate. During the process, the pressure in the inner space 105 may be adjusted to a first pressure within a range required for the process by controlling the control unit for the first gas supply and exhaust unit, and the pressure in the outer space 205 may be adjusted to a second pressure within a range corresponding to the first pressure by controlling the control unit for the second gas supply and exhaust unit. The first pressure (pressure in the inner space 105) may be higher than atmospheric pressure. For example, the first pressure may be several atmospheres to several hundred atmospheres. The second pressure (pressure in the outer space 205) provided by the second gas (protection gas) may be the same as the first pressure. Alternatively, the second pressure may be slightly higher or lower than the first pressure. By adjusting the pressure in this manner, it is possible to prevent the internal chamber 100 and the like from being damaged or broken due to the pressure difference between the internal space 105 and the external space 205.

[0036] The inner chamber 100 may be made of a nonmetallic material. Using a nonmetallic material for the inner chamber 100 can prevent metal contamination of the substrate, which may occur in a high-temperature and high-pressure environment. The inner chamber 100 may be made of quartz. The substrate may be carried into or removed from the inner space 105 while being supported by the substrate holder 60. The substrate holder 60, which is a substrate supporting unit, may be configured to support multiple substrates. For example, the substrate holder 60 may be a wafer boat that supports multiple substrates stacked vertically.

[0037] The first gas supplied to the internal space 105 at a first pressure may be selected from a variety of reactive gases for heat treatment, such as hydrogen, deuterium, oxygen, ammonia, and chlorine.

[0038] The outer chamber 200 may be provided outside the inner chamber 100, accommodate the inner chamber 100, and provide an outer space 205 between the outer chamber 200 and the inner chamber 100. The outer chamber 200 may be provided to have greater strength than the inner chamber 100. The outer chamber 200 is made of metal and can safely protect the brittle inner chamber 100 from the outside.

[0039] The second gas (protective gas) supplied to the outer space 205 at a second pressure may be selected from inert gases such as argon, nitrogen, and the like.

[0040] The inner chamber 100 and the outer chamber 200 may both be formed to have a substantially circular cross section. The inner chamber 100 and the outer chamber 200 may both have a structure with an open bottom. When the inner and outer chambers 100 and 200 have an open bottom structure, an inner bottom opening (the open bottom of the inner chamber 100) 106 may be provided at the bottom of the inner chamber 100 in a shape that communicates with the inner space 105 (see FIG. 5). Also, an outer bottom opening (the open bottom of the outer chamber 200) 206 may be provided at the bottom of the outer chamber 200 in a shape that communicates with the outer space 205 (see FIG. 4). The height of the bottom end (see 206) of the outer chamber 200 may be lower than the bottom end (see 106) of the inner chamber 100. Therefore, the outer lower end opening 206 of the outer chamber 200 may be disposed below and opposite the inner lower end opening 106 of the inner chamber 100. The substrate holder 60 may be inserted into or ejected from the inner space 105 through the inner lower end opening 106 and the outer lower end opening 206, which are opposed to each other.

[0041] In Fig. 1, reference numerals 150 and 250 denote an inner door and an outer door, respectively. The inner chamber 100 can have its inner bottom opening 106 opened and closed by the inner door 150, and the outer chamber 200 can have its outer bottom opening 206 opened and closed by the outer door 250. The inner chamber 100 and the outer chamber 200 can form a chamber. The inner door 150 and the outer door 250 can form a chamber door. The chambers 100, 200 and the chamber doors 150, 250 can form a chamber unit.

[0042] The outer door 250 can open and close the outer bottom opening 206 by moving up and down relative to the outer bottom opening 206, and when the outer bottom opening 206 is closed, a ring-shaped sealing member (see S11 in FIG. 4 ) can be used to seal the outer bottom opening 206. The sealing member S11 can be interposed between the outer chamber 200 and the outer door 250. For example, the sealing member S11 can be provided on the outer bottom opening 206 side so that it can be interposed between the outer chamber 200 and the outer door 250.

[0043] The external door 250 can be precisely raised and lowered by a lifting drive unit (not shown), such as a lifter. The internal door 150 is provided on the external door 250, and can rise and lower together with the external door 250 when the external door 250 is raised and lowered by power from the lifting drive unit. When the chamber doors 150, 250 move to the closed position by the raising movement of the external door 250 and the external door 250 closes the external bottom opening 206, the internal door 150 can close the internal bottom opening 106 by approaching the internal bottom opening 106. Furthermore, when the chamber doors 150, 250 move from the closed position to the open position by the lowering movement of the external door 250 and the external door 250 opens the external bottom opening 206, the internal door 150 can open the internal bottom opening 106 by moving away from the internal bottom opening 106.

[0044] The substrate holder 60 is provided on the inner door 150 and can enter and exit the inner space 105 by the raising and lowering movement of the outer door 250. Specifically, when the chamber doors 150, 250 are moved to the closed position by the raising movement of the outer door 250, the substrate holder 60 can be inserted into the inner space 105 by sequentially passing through the outer lower end opening 206 and the inner lower end opening 106. Thereafter, when the chamber doors 150, 250 are moved from the closed position to the open position by the lowering movement of the outer door 250, the substrate holder 60 can be ejected from the inner space 105 to the outside of the chambers 100, 200 through the inner lower end opening 106 and the outer lower end opening 206. When the substrate holder 60 is ejected, a substrate can be loaded or unloaded from the substrate holder 60.

[0045] The heating module 300 may be formed to have a shape that surrounds the walls and ceiling (i.e., the upper part) of the inner chamber 100. The heating module 300 may be provided to constitute a part of the outer chamber 200, or may be provided separately from the outer chamber 200. The heating module 300 includes a heater, and the heater may be provided as a hot wire, and may further include a heater support member that supports the heater (hot wire) from the outside. For example, the heater support member may be made of a heat insulating material.

[0046] The heating module 300 may have a plurality of heating zones arranged in a vertical direction. The heater of the heating module 300 may be divided into a plurality of zones, with at least one heater disposed in each of the plurality of heating zones. The temperatures of the plurality of heating zones may be independently controlled. A plurality of temperature sensor assemblies 50 may be provided, each disposed at a height corresponding to the plurality of heating zones, to detect the temperature of the heating module 300 for each heating zone. The control unit may control the heating module 300 for each heating zone based on the detected temperatures input from the temperature sensor assemblies 50.

[0047] Because the heating module 300 is maintained at a high temperature during heating, the surfaces of the heater (hot wire), heater support member, etc. may peel off or fall off due to thermal damage, generating particles. Thermal expansion may also generate particles due to friction between the heater and the heater support member, which is made of a heat-insulating material. Particles generated from the heating module 300 in the external space 205 may fall toward the external door 250 below the heating module 300, contaminating the external door 250, or may become trapped between the external chamber 200 and the external door 250, resulting in poor sealing. In particular, the generated particles may be scattered and dispersed to the surrounding area during the process of inserting or ejecting the substrate holder 60 into or from the internal space 105, and may adhere to and contaminate each substrate loaded on the substrate holder 60.

[0048] In order to solve the problems caused by particles from the heating module 300, the high pressure annealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a shielding element CE that seals the lower part of the external space 205 above the external door 250 and prevents particles generated from the heating module 300 from being discharged from the external space 205.

[0049] The configuration and coupling relationship of the shielding element CE are shown in Figures 2 to 9. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the shielding element CE together with the internal chamber 100. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view specifically showing a part of the shielding element CE. Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing the shielding element CE and the like in an exploded state.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 1, the shielding element CE may be provided to have a cover structure that seals the lower portion of the external space 205 between the internal chamber 100 and the external chamber 200. Referring to FIG. 3, the shielding element CE may be configured to be coupled to the lower end portion of the external chamber 200, which has excellent strength, and to support the lower end portion of the internal chamber 100, which has fragility, in a contact manner, thereby more accurately fixing the internal chamber 100 in place. The shielding element CE may further include an upper cover 510 and a lower cover 430 disposed below the upper cover 510, thereby more reliably sealing the lower portion of the external space 205 with the upper cover 510 and the lower cover 430. Such a shielding element CE will be described as follows.

[0051] 2 to 4, the shielding element CE may include a ring-shaped upper cover module 500 having a peripheral portion coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200 and a central portion supporting the lower end portion of the inner chamber 100 to seal the lower portion of the outer space 205, a ring-shaped spacer 600 for supporting the upper cover module 500 from below, and a ring-shaped lower cover module 400 disposed below the upper cover module 500, having a peripheral portion coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200 and a central portion supporting the spacer 600 to seal the lower portion of the outer space 205.

[0052] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the lower cover module 400 and the spacer 600 assembled (coupled). Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing the lower cover module 400 and the spacer 600 disassembled, viewed from different angles. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the upper cover module 500 together with the internal chamber 100.

[0053] 3, 5, 9, etc., the inner chamber 100 may have an outwardly protruding flange 110 provided along the periphery of the lower end thereof. The upper cover module 500 may be provided to support the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100 in a contact manner.

[0054] 2 to 5 and 9, the upper cover module 500 may include an upper cover 510 having a circular ring structure, and a pressure ring 520 also having a circular structure. The upper cover 510 may be configured to have a peripheral ring portion 512 firmly coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200, and a central ring portion 514 having an upper support surface 513 that supports the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100 from below. The pressure ring 520 may be configured to be located above the upper cover 510, coupled to the upper cover 510, and have a lower pressure surface 523 that presses the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100.

[0055] The central ring portion 514 of the upper cover 510 may have a central opening 518 formed in a size and shape corresponding to the internal lower end opening 106 of the internal chamber 100 (see FIG. 5 ). The upper cover 510 and the pressure ring 520 may be coupled to each other by bolts M52. The central ring portion 514 of the upper cover 510 has internal thread grooves F52 arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction, and the pressure ring 520 has through holes H52 arranged to correspond to the internal thread grooves F52 of the central ring portion 514, respectively. The bolts M52 for coupling the upper cover 510 and the pressure ring 520 to each other may be threadedly coupled to the internal thread grooves F52 of the central ring portion 514 through the through holes H52 of the pressure ring 520 (see FIGS. 3 and 5 ). 5, one or more sealing members S52 such as O-rings may be interposed between the lower surface of the flange 110 constituting the internal chamber 100 and the upper supporting surface 513 of the central ring portion 514 constituting the upper cover 510 to maintain airtightness. The sealing member S52 interposed between the flange 110 of the internal chamber 100 and the central ring portion 514 of the upper cover 510 may be provided along the circumferential direction of the upper supporting surface 513 of the central ring portion 514 and may be in the shape of a circular ring.

[0056] 3 to 5, the heating module 300 may have a circular structural flange 310 at its lower end, which is coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200. The flange 310 of the heating module 300 may protrude outward and be provided along the periphery of the lower end of the heating module 300. The outer chamber 200 may have a ring-shaped step 210 at the lower end portion of the inner wall of the outer chamber 200, which provides a lower surface that faces the upper surface of the flange 310 of the heating module 300. The outer chamber 200 and the heating module 300 may be coupled to each other by bolts M31. The flange 310 of the heating module 300 has through holes H31 arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction, and the step 210 of the outer chamber 200 has female thread grooves F21 corresponding to the through holes H31 of the heating module 300, and the bolts M31 for connecting the outer chamber 200 and the heating module 300 can be threadedly coupled to the female thread grooves F21 of the step 210 through the through holes H31 of the heating module 300. A sealing member S31 for maintaining airtightness can be interposed between the step 210 of the outer chamber 200 and the flange 310 of the heating module 300. The sealing member S31 interposed between the step 210 of the outer chamber 200 and the flange 310 of the heating module 300 can be provided along the circumferential direction on the flange 310 of the heating module 300. The sealing member S31 between the step 210 of the outer chamber 200 and the flange 310 of the heating module 300 may be ring-shaped.

[0057] The upper cover 510 may be connected to the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200 via the heating module 300, with the peripheral ring portion 512 being connected to the lower end portion of the heating module 300. Referring to FIG. 5 , the heating module 300 and the upper cover 510 may be connected to each other by bolts M51. The peripheral ring portion 512 of the upper cover 510 has through holes H51 arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction, and the heating module 300 has internal thread grooves F31 corresponding to the through holes H51 of the peripheral ring portion 512. The bolts M51 for connecting the heating module 300 and the upper cover 510 may be threadedly connected to the internal thread grooves F31 of the heating module 300 through the through holes H51 of the peripheral ring portion 512. An airtight state may be maintained between the heating module 300 and the upper cover 510 by a sealing member S51. A sealing member S51 for maintaining airtightness between the heating module 300 and the upper cover 510 may be interposed between a lower end portion of the heating module 300 and a peripheral ring portion 512 of the upper cover 510. The sealing member S51 between the heating module 300 and the upper cover 510 may be provided along the circumferential direction of the peripheral ring portion 512. The sealing member S51 between the heating module 300 and the upper cover 510 may be ring-shaped.

[0058] The heating module 300 may have a ring jaw 320 disposed above the pressure ring 520. The upper cover module 500 may further include an elastic member (elastic ring) 530 having a circular ring structure. The elastic member 530 may be interposed between the lower surface of the ring jaw 320 and the upper surface of the pressure ring 520 in a vertically compressed state. When the upper cover 510 is connected to the heating module 300 with the elastic member 530 interposed between the lower surface of the ring jaw 320 and the upper surface of the pressure ring 520 using the bolts M51, the elastic member 530 may be vertically compressed by the upper ring jaw 320 and the lower pressure ring 520. The elastic member 530 may be relatively flattened by this vertical compression and deformed into a shape in which its inner periphery is in close contact with the outer periphery of the inner chamber 100. The elastic member 530 can stably maintain the pressurized state of the pressurizing ring 520 against the flange 110 of the internal chamber 100, and can naturally support the entire lower portion of the internal chamber 100 from the periphery.

[0059] 3, 9, etc., the upper cover module 500 may further include a ring-shaped pad 540 interposed between the lower pressure surface 523 (see FIG. 5) of the pressure ring 520 and the upper surface of the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100. The pad 540 is a buffer pad having a shock-absorbing function and may be configured to have a predetermined elasticity. For example, the buffer pad 540 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber and have a sealing function as well as a shock-absorbing function. The buffer pad 540 configured in this manner can absorb stress, impact, etc. that may be applied to the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100 when the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100 is compressed using the pressure ring 520. Therefore, the buffer pad 540 can prevent the flange 110 of the inner chamber 100, which is brittle, from being damaged. Although not shown, a pad substantially identical to or similar to the buffer pad 540 may also be interposed between the support upper surface 513 (see FIG. 5) of the central ring portion 514 of the top cover 510 and the underside of the flange 110 of the internal chamber 100.

[0060] 1, 4, 6, etc., the spacer 600 may be provided as a manifold. A ring-shaped body 610 of the manifold 600 may support a nozzle assembly 70 for distributing a first gas into the interior space 105. A first gas supply / exhaust unit may be connected to the nozzle assembly 70 and supply the first gas to the interior space 105 through the nozzle assembly 70.

[0061] 3, 6 to 8, etc., the lower cover module 400 may include an inward flange member 410, a central connecting member 420, and a lower cover 430 between the flange member 410 and the connecting member 420.

[0062] The flange member 410 may be provided at the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200. The flange member 410 may protrude inward and be provided along the inner periphery of the lower end portion of the outer chamber 200. For example, the flange member 410 may be integral with the outer chamber 200 or may be welded to the outer chamber 200.

[0063] The coupling member 420 may be formed to have a ring structure. The coupling member 420 may be formed to have an opening corresponding to the interior bottom end opening 106 of the interior chamber 100. The coupling member 420 may be provided to include a central coupling portion 424 having an opening corresponding to the interior bottom end opening 106 of the interior chamber 100, and a peripheral coupling portion 422 formed along the periphery of the central coupling portion 424.

[0064] The central coupling portion 424 of the coupling member 420 may have a jaw 426 that couples with a ring-shaped lower end protrusion 630 of the manifold 600, which is a spacer (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The manifold 600 has a ring-shaped upper end protrusion 620, and the central ring portion 514 of the upper cover 510 may have a jaw 516 that couples with the upper end protrusion 620 of the manifold 600 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). Although not shown, sealing members may be interposed between the upper cover 510 and the manifold 600 and between the coupling member 420 and the manifold 600. The position of the manifold 600 may be fixed by each of the jaws 426, 516.

[0065] The lower cover 430 may have a ring structure. An upper surface of a peripheral portion of the lower cover 430 may be coupled to a lower surface of the flange member 410 by bolts M41. Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 6 to 8, etc., the lower cover 430 may have through holes H41 that penetrate vertically around the peripheral portion and are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction. The flange member 410 may have female thread grooves F41 corresponding to the through holes H41 in the peripheral portion of the lower cover 430. The bolts M41 for coupling the flange member 410 and the lower cover 430 may be threadedly coupled to the female thread grooves F41 of the flange member 410 through the through holes H41 in the peripheral portion of the lower cover 430. An airtight state between the flange member 410 and the lower cover 430 may be maintained by a sealing member S41. A sealing member S41 for maintaining airtightness between the flange member 410 and the lower cover 430 may be interposed between the lower surface of the flange member 410 and the upper surface of the peripheral portion of the lower cover 430. The sealing member S41 between the flange member 410 and the lower cover 430 may be provided along the circumferential direction of the peripheral portion of the lower cover 430. The sealing member S41 between the flange member 410 and the lower cover 430 may be ring-shaped.

[0066] The upper surface of the central portion of the ring-structured lower cover 430 may be connected to the lower surface of the peripheral connecting portion 422 of the connecting member 420 by bolts M42. Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 6 to 8, etc., the lower cover 430 may have through holes H42 that extend vertically through the central portion and are spaced apart along the circumferential direction. The peripheral connecting portion 422 of the connecting member 420 may have female thread grooves F42 that correspond to the through holes H42 in the central portion of the lower cover 430. The bolts M42 for connecting the connecting member 420 and the lower cover 430 may be threadedly connected to the female thread grooves F42 in the peripheral connecting portion 422 of the connecting member 420 through the through holes H42 in the central portion of the lower cover 430. An airtight state may be maintained between the connecting member 420 and the lower cover 430 by a sealing member S42. A sealing member S42 for maintaining airtightness between the connecting member 420 and the lower cover 430 may be interposed between a lower surface of the peripheral connecting portion 422 of the connecting member 420 and an upper surface of the central portion of the lower cover 430. The sealing member S42 between the connecting member 420 and the lower cover 430 may be provided along the circumferential direction at the central portion of the lower cover 430. The sealing member S42 between the connecting member 420 and the lower cover 430 may be ring-shaped.

[0067] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 1 , the internal door 150 may be configured to contact the connecting member 420 (or lower cover 430) of the lower cover module 400 rather than the lower end of the internal chamber 100 when the internal bottom opening 106 is closed. This prevents the internal door 150 from directly contacting the lower end of the internal chamber 100 when the internal bottom opening 106 is closed, thereby preventing a relatively large impact from being applied to the fragile internal chamber 100. Although not shown, a sealing member such as an O-ring may be interposed between the internal door 150 and the connecting member 420 to maintain airtightness when the internal bottom opening 106 is closed. The elastic member 530 may absorb impact that may be applied to the internal chamber 100 during the process of closing the internal bottom opening 106.

[0068] With the shielding element CE configured as described above, the high pressure annealing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention seals the lower part of the external space 205 provided between the internal chamber 100 and the external chamber 200, thereby preventing particles that may be generated from the heating module 300 from being discharged from the external space 205 between the internal chamber 100 and the external chamber 200, thereby actively suppressing substrate contamination problems caused by particles and resulting yield reductions. Furthermore, the high pressure annealing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention supports the brittle internal chamber 100 in a contact manner while being coupled to the outer chamber 200, which has relatively excellent strength, so that the position of the brittle internal chamber 100 can be stably fixed without a separate support structure.

[0069] Although the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. Furthermore, the technical concepts described in the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented independently or in combination with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 100 Inner Chamber 105 Internal space (substrate processing space) 150 Interior Doors 200 Outer Chamber 205 External Space (Protected Space) 250 exterior doors 300 Heating Module 400 Lower Cover Module 410 Flange member 420 Connecting member 430 Lower cover 500 Top Cover Module 510 Upper cover 520 Pressure Ring 530 Elastic member 540 Buffer Pad 600 spacer CE shielding element

Claims

1. an inner chamber having an open bottom and providing an inner space for performing a heat treatment on a substrate; an outer chamber that houses the inner chamber and has an open bottom; a heating module configured to heat the inner chamber in an outer space provided between the inner chamber and the outer chamber; a chamber door that opens or closes at least one of the lower portion of the inner chamber and the lower portion of the outer chamber by lifting and lowering; a substrate holder provided on the chamber door and adapted to enter and exit the interior space by the vertical movement of the chamber door; a shielding element sealing a lower portion of the outer space between the inner chamber and the outer chamber.

2. a first gas is supplied to the interior space at a first pressure; 2. The high pressure annealing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a second gas is supplied to the outer space at a second pressure predetermined relative to the first pressure.

3. The inner chamber is made of quartz material, The shielding element comprises: coupled to a lower end portion of the outer chamber; 3. The high pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower end portion of the inner chamber is supported in a contact manner.

4. The shielding element comprises: an upper cover and a lower cover disposed below the upper cover; The high-pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part of the external space is double-sealed by the upper cover and the lower cover.

5. The shielding element comprises: an upper cover module having a ring-shaped structure, the upper cover module sealing the lower portion of the outer space with a peripheral portion coupled to a lower end portion of the outer chamber and a central portion supporting a lower end portion of the inner chamber; a ring-shaped spacer for supporting the upper cover module from below; 3. The high-pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a ring-shaped lower cover module disposed below the upper cover module, the ring-shaped lower cover module having a peripheral portion coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber and a central portion supporting the spacer, the ring-shaped lower cover module sealing the lower portion of the outer space.

6. The internal chamber has a flange at the lower end portion thereof, The high pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the upper cover module supports the flange of the inner chamber.

7. The upper cover module includes: an upper cover having a peripheral ring portion coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber and a central ring portion provided with a support upper surface for supporting the flange of the inner chamber below; 7. The high pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a pressure ring coupled to the upper cover above the upper cover, the pressure ring having a lower pressure surface for applying pressure to the flange.

8. the heating module has a flange at a lower end portion thereof, the flange being coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber; 8. The high pressure annealing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the peripheral ring portion of the upper cover is coupled to the lower end portion of the heating module and is coupled to the lower end portion of the outer chamber via the heating module.

9. the heating module has a ring jaw disposed above the pressure ring; the upper cover module further includes an elastic member; 8. The high pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the elastic member is interposed between the ring jaw and the pressure ring in a vertically compressed state.

10. The upper cover module includes:

8. The high pressure annealing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a buffer pad interposed between the lower pressure surface of the pressure ring and the flange of the internal chamber.

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