Plasma device including a hazardous gas collection and exhaust structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plasma treatment apparatus having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure, comprising: a conveying unit for transporting a stage including a workpiece; a plasma treatment unit including a head disposed on one side in the vertical direction of the stage; and an exhaust unit disposed on the other side in the vertical direction of the stage, wherein the exhaust unit is configured to capture residual gas generated after plasma treatment of the workpiece, thereby controlling the flow and velocity of process gas to improve uniformity and the effect of blocking harmful gases.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plasma treatment device having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure, and more specifically, to a plasma treatment device for plasma treatment of a flat workpiece in a production process such as a display or semiconductor. Background Technology

[0002] Plasma technology is utilized in various processes within the production of displays, such as OLEDs, and semiconductors. Specifically, in OLED production, plasma technology is employed in processes such as surface cleaning, surface modification, encapsulation, and surface treatment, while in semiconductor production, it is utilized in processes such as etching, ion implantation, deposition, and cleaning.

[0003] In relation to the above technology, Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2018-0047389 discloses an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device, a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel using the same, and a liquid crystal display panel. Referring to FIG. 1, the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device comprises a plurality of work tables (1) on which the plurality of liquid crystal display panels are arranged, and an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation unit (2) comprising an atmospheric pressure plasma head arranged on a path in which the plurality of work tables (1) move and configured to irradiate atmospheric pressure plasma onto the liquid crystal display panels. The atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation unit (2) is characterized by irradiating atmospheric pressure plasma onto a lower area of ​​the liquid crystal display panel including a pad area (P). Furthermore, the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation unit (2) is configured to remove an organic material (P') covering at least a portion of the lower area of ​​the liquid crystal display panel.

[0004] Conventional plasma treatment devices, such as the atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device mentioned above, focus solely on providing uniform plasma treatment to the surface of the workpiece through the arrangement of high-frequency electrodes, adjustment of gas nozzles, and work table structures. However, harmful residual gases generated after plasma treatment not only degrade the quality of the workpiece but also cause safety issues in the working environment. In particular, in processes where large flat glass is transported at a constant speed, turbulence or airflow imbalance can lead to a decrease in treatment uniformity. Accordingly, there is a need for technology regarding a structure that captures and exhausts harmful gases generated after plasma treatment. Prior art literature

[0005] (Patent Document 0001) KR 10-2018-0047389 A (Published May 10, 2018) (Patent Document 0002) KR 10-2330480 B1 (Published November 24, 2021) The problem to be solved

[0006] The present invention was devised to solve the problems of the prior art, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a plasma treatment device having a structure capable of efficiently capturing and exhausting harmful gases generated during plasma treatment in the production process of semiconductor-based products. means of solving the problem

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, a plasma treatment device having a harmful gas collection and exhaust structure according to the present invention comprises: a conveying unit for transporting a stage including a workpiece; a plasma treatment unit including a head disposed on one side in the vertical direction of the stage; and an exhaust unit disposed on the other side in the vertical direction of the stage; wherein the exhaust unit can collect residual gas generated after plasma treatment of the workpiece.

[0008] Additionally, the exhaust unit comprises: a collection housing with a hollow interior disposed on the lower side of the stage; an exhaust port connected to one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing for discharging gas; and a pair of guide blades each disposed on the upper sides in the front-rear direction of the collection housing; wherein one end of the guide blade is connected to the upper side of the collection housing and the other end can be inclined into the hollow of the collection housing.

[0009] In addition, the guide wing can be tilted in a '^' shape.

[0010] In addition, the pair of guide wings can have their other ends extended in directions facing each other and bent downward.

[0011] In addition, the exhaust ports may be composed of multiple units and spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

[0012] Additionally, the exhaust portion further includes a first side plate that is coupled to the upper side of one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing and extends upward; and at least one connecting pipe may be connected to the first side plate.

[0013] In addition, the upper end of the connecting pipe may be connected to the first side plate, and the lower end may be tilted to one side in the front-rear direction.

[0014] In addition, a pair of the above-mentioned connecting tubes arranged adjacent to each other may be tilted so that the lower end is spaced apart from the upper end.

[0015] In addition, the head may be positioned above the center of the front-rear direction of the first side plate.

[0016] In addition, in the plasma treatment device having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure according to the present invention, a first length, which is the distance between one end of the first side plate in the front-rear direction and one end of the head in the front-rear direction, and a second length, which is the distance between the other end of the first side plate in the front-rear direction and the other end of the head in the front-rear direction, may be equal to each other. Effects of the invention

[0017] The plasma treatment device having a harmful gas collection and exhaust structure according to the present invention, configured as described above, has the advantage of being able to control gas flow by applying a hollow-shaped structure to the end portion of the collection housing through a pair of guide blades, thereby blocking the flow of ionized particles descending downward, colliding with the lower exhaust structure, and rising back up.

[0018] In addition, the plasma treatment device having a harmful gas collection and exhaust structure according to the present invention has the advantage of being formed into a hood-type structure through the exhaust port and connecting pipe of the exhaust section, thereby enhancing the gas collection effect.

[0019] In addition, the plasma treatment device having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure according to the present invention has the advantage of improving the efficiency of capturing and exhausting harmful gases by providing a basis for controlling the airflow of the treatment space according to the transfer speed and the generated gas, and can prevent workers from being exposed to harmful gases and resulting in casualties. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0020] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation device according to the prior art. FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3 are perspective views of a plasma treatment device having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view of a plasma treatment device having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure according to the present invention. FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a plasma treatment unit and an exhaust unit according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side view of the plasma treatment unit and the exhaust unit according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a front cross-sectional view of the exhaust section according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the exhaust section according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a plasma treatment device having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0021] A plasma treatment apparatus having a harmful gas capture and exhaust structure according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "plasma treatment apparatus") will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The drawings presented below are provided as examples to ensure that the concept of the present invention is sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the drawings presented below and may be embodied in other forms. Furthermore, throughout the specification, the same reference numerals indicate the same components.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and descriptions of known functions and configurations that could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention are omitted in the following description and accompanying drawings.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms used in this specification are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0024] FIGS. 2 to 4 relate to a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, where FIGS. 2 and 3 show a perspective view of the plasma processing apparatus, and FIG. 4 shows a side view of the plasma processing apparatus.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3, the plasma processing device (10) according to the present invention may include a transfer unit (100), a plasma processing unit (200), and an exhaust unit (300).

[0026] The above-mentioned transfer unit (100) can be implemented to transport a stage (20), which is a semiconductor-based product, in a forward and backward direction. At this time, the transfer unit (100) may include a function to control the angle or adjust the height by rotating the stage (20). The transfer unit (100) may include a guide rail (110) installed on a work table (30) and extended in a forward and backward direction, and a transport device (120) that moves in a forward and backward direction along the guide rail (110). The stage (20) may be coupled to the transport device (120), and the transport device (120) may include a rotation axis extending in a left and right direction, thereby controlling the stage (20) to rotate around the rotation axis.

[0027] The plasma processing unit (200) may include a head (210) that performs a plasma processing function including electrodes and a power source, and a supply unit (220) that supplies process gas to the head (210). Here, the process gas may be various gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, or inorganic gases depending on the type of product or process. Here, the process gas supplied from the supply unit (220) may have a flow rate of hundreds of LPM (Liter per Minute) or more, or a flow velocity of 10 m / s and a pressure of 0.1 bar or more.

[0028] The plasma processing unit (200) may include a head housing (230) for fixing the position of the head (210) and a fixing housing (240) for fixing the head housing (230) to the work table (30). The head (210) may be positioned on one side in the vertical direction of the stage (20), and, for example, the head (210) may be positioned on the upper side of the stage (20).

[0029] The exhaust unit (300) can capture harmful gases ionized by plasma and may be positioned on the upper or lower side of the stage (20). For example, the exhaust unit (300) may be positioned on the lower side of the stage (20). Furthermore, the positional relationship between the upper and lower sides of the stage (20) is defined by the position in the plasma processing area, and the upper and lower directions may be defined based on the position of the stage (20) transported by the transport unit (100).

[0030] Referring to FIG. 4, the standby position of the stage (20) before plasma treatment may coincide with the end of the head (210) of the plasma treatment unit (200), or may be positioned spaced apart from the end of the head (210) by a predetermined length (L). For example, the standby position of the stage (20) may be positioned spaced about 110 mm apart from the end of the head (210).

[0031] FIGS. 5 to 7 relate to a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, where FIGS. 5 and 6 show perspective views of a plasma processing unit and an exhaust unit, and FIG. 7 shows a side view of a plasma processing unit and an exhaust unit, respectively.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the exhaust unit (300) may include a collection housing (310) having a hollow (310) formed inside and positioned below the stage (20), an exhaust port (320) connected to one side of the collection housing (310) in the left-right direction for discharging gas, and a pair of guide wings (330) each positioned at the upper ends of both sides in the front-rear direction of the collection housing (310). In this case, the pair of guide wings (330) may be composed of a first guide wing (331) positioned in the front and a second guide wing (332) positioned in the rear. Additionally, the exhaust port (320) may be made up of multiple units and spaced apart from each other along the front-rear direction, and may be positioned below the upper end of the collection housing (310).

[0033] The exhaust unit (300) may further include a first side plate (340) positioned on the upper side of one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing (310) and a connecting pipe (350) with one end connected to the first side plate (340). In this case, the first side plate (340) may be extended upward and positioned on one side in the left-right direction of the stage (20), and the connecting pipe (350) may have the other end positioned lower than the end.

[0034] The exhaust section (300) may further include a second side plate (360) positioned on the upper side of the other side of the collection housing (310) in the left-right direction. At this time, the upper end of the second side plate (360) may be positioned higher than the upper end of the first guide wing (331) or the second guide wing (332), and may be positioned lower than the upper end of the first side plate (340).

[0035] Referring to FIG. 7, the upper end of the connecting pipe (350) is connected to the first side plate (340), and the lower end may be tilted to one side in the front-rear direction. At this time, the connecting pipe (350) may be made in multiple numbers and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. Additionally, an adjacent pair of connecting pipes (350) may be tilted so that the lower end is spaced apart from the upper end.

[0036] The head (210) may be positioned above the center of the first side plate (340) in the front-rear direction. At this time, the first length (L1), which is the distance between one end of the first side plate (340) in the front-rear direction and one end of the head (210) in the front-rear direction, and the second length (L2), which is the distance between the other end of the first side plate (340) in the front-rear direction and the other end of the head (210) in the front-rear direction, may be the same as each other, or the first length (L1) and the second length (L2) may be different from each other. For example, the first length (L1) or the second length (L2) may have a length of approximately 108 mm.

[0037] FIGS. 8 and 9 relate to a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, where FIG. 8 shows a front cross-sectional view of the exhaust section and FIG. 9 shows a side cross-sectional view of the exhaust section.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 8, the hollow (311) of the collection housing (310) may be configured in a shape in which the cross-sectional area narrows as it extends downward. At this time, the inner surface of one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing (310) may be extended vertically, and the inner surface of the other side in the left-right direction of the collection housing (310) may be tilted so that the hollow (311) narrows. Additionally, the exhaust port (320) may be connected to one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing (310) and open into the hollow (311), thereby further improving the collection efficiency. Furthermore, the collection housing (310) may further include a bottom hole (312) that penetrates vertically at the bottom of one side of the hollow.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 9, the guide wing (330) may be formed such that one end is connected to the top of the collection housing (310) and the other end is inclined toward the hollow (331) of the collection housing (310). At this time, a pair of the guide wings (330) may be arranged so that their other ends extend in directions facing each other to seal the upper sides of the front and rear ends of the hollow (331). Additionally, the guide wing (330) may be inclined in a '^' shape. As described above, the present invention can control the direction of the gas in a downward direction by applying an inward-facing structure (including a form with added bending or processing) to the exhaust section (300) to block the flow of ionized particles descending downward, colliding with the lower structure, and rising back up. Furthermore, the upper part of the exhaust section (300) may be implemented as a hood-type structure to enhance the gas collection effect.

[0040] FIG. 10 relates to a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 10 shows a plan view of the plasma processing apparatus.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 10, the plasma treatment device (10) according to the present invention may include a sensor for measuring harmful gases such as ozone, NOx, and hydrogen fluoride. In this case, the sensor may be composed of multiple sensors, some of which may be located on the upper surface of the work table (30) and others of which may be spaced further apart. As an example, the plurality of sensors may include a sensor located on the upper side of the work table (30) and spaced about 300 mm apart from the head (110), and a sensor spaced about 1 m apart from the head (110).

[0042] The plasma treatment device (10) according to the present invention as described above can lead to advantages such as stably controlling harmful gases generated after plasma treatment in conjunction with the transport speed of the workpiece, improving the quality of plasma treatment by homogenizing the airflow within the process space, and improving the working environment by suppressing the diffusion of external harmful gases.

[0043] As described above, the plasma processing device (10) according to the present invention may have an exhaust port (320) installed at the upper or lower part of the plasma processing space, and each exhaust port (320) may have a structure and an outlet position set according to the processing gas flow and transfer speed, and may control the flow rate using a sensor-based control module connected to an exhaust fan. The exhaust unit (300) including such exhaust ports (320) may contribute to suppressing vortices of residual gas and equalizing the flow through a collection housing (310) with a folded and inclined structure. Furthermore, the present invention can improve process uniformity and ensure worker safety by controlling the residual gas generated after processing with an exhaust flow rate synchronized with the transfer speed, thereby suppressing the diffusion of harmful gases outside the plasma processing area. In addition, the present invention has the advantage of excellent industrial applicability as it can be mounted on the upper or lower part of a transfer device and applied in a modular manner to existing equipment.

[0044] As described above, the present invention has been explained with specific details such as specific components and limited exemplary drawings; however, this is provided merely to aid in a more comprehensive understanding of the invention, and the invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations from this description.

[0045] Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and all things equivalent to or having equivalent variations to the claims set forth below, as well as the claims set forth below, shall be considered to fall within the scope of the concept of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0046] 10 : Plasma processing device 20: Stage 30 : Work table 100 : Transfer section 110 : Guide rail 120 : Transport device 200 : Plasma processing unit 210 : Head 220 : Supply unit 230 : Head housing 240 : Fixed housing 300 : Exhaust section 310 : Collection housing 311 : Communist China 312 : Bottom hole 320 : Exhaust port 330 : Guide wing 331 : 1st guide wing 332 : Second guide wing 340 : First side plate 350 : Connector 360 : Second side plate

Claims

Claim 1 A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a conveying unit for conveying a stage including a workpiece; a plasma processing unit including a head disposed on one side in the vertical direction of the stage; and an exhaust unit disposed on the other side in the vertical direction of the stage; wherein the exhaust unit collects residual gas generated after plasma processing of the workpiece, and the exhaust unit comprises: a collection housing disposed on the lower side of the stage and having a hollow interior; an exhaust port connected to one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing for discharging gas; and a pair of guide blades each disposed on the upper sides in the front-rear direction of the collection housing; wherein one end of the guide blade is connected to the upper side of the collection housing and the other end is inclined into the hollow of the collection housing. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide blade is inclined in a '^' shape. Claim 4 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of guide wings have their other ends extended in directions facing each other and bent downward. Claim 5 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the exhaust ports are formed in multiple numbers and spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Claim 6 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust portion further comprises a first side plate that is coupled to the upper side of one side in the left-right direction of the collection housing and extends upward, and wherein at least one connecting pipe is connected to the first side plate. Claim 7 A plasma processing device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting pipe is characterized in that its upper end is connected to the first side plate and its lower end is inclined to one side in the front-rear direction. Claim 8 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a pair of connecting tubes arranged adjacent to each other are inclined such that the lower end is spaced apart from the upper end. Claim 9 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the head is positioned above the front-rear center of the first side plate. Claim 10 A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that a first length, which is the distance between one end of the first side plate in the front-rear direction and one end of the head in the front-rear direction, and a second length, which is the distance between the other end of the first side plate in the front-rear direction and the other end of the head in the front-rear direction, are equal to each other.

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