Apparatus for processing substrates using double bellows and multi-chambers

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for processing substrate using double bellows and multi-chambers, the apparatus maximally utilizing the advantages of the double bellows and also increasing the volume of substrates processed. The apparatus comprises a multi-chambers comprising two or more reactors, each reactor comprising double bellows, and the multi-chambers comprising a common housing including a connection part for connecting the reactors, and the reactors being symmetric with respect to the connection part.

Description

Substrate processing device using double bellows and multi-chamber

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing device, and more particularly, to a substrate processing device that increases the processing capacity of a substrate by utilizing a double bellows and a multi-chamber.

[0002] Substrate processing equipment manufactures various thin films on substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates. In particular, plasma can be used to lower process temperatures and increase deposition rates. Plasma uses active species such as radicals and ions to perform micro-processing, such as etching, on the substrate surface. These processing equipment requires precise control of process variables within the chamber, such as gas flow, temperature distribution, and plasma state, to achieve the desired conditions. However, substrate entrances and exits are formed on some of the chamber's sidewalls, which cause asymmetry in the gas flow and temperature distribution within the chamber. This asymmetry results in uneven film thickness and quality, deteriorating the physical properties of various devices.

[0003] Meanwhile, Korean Patent No. 10-2317402 describes a substrate processing system utilizing a double bellows, which offers numerous advantages, including precise vertical movement of the inner container and no shaking of the substrate chuck during the vertical movement process. Conventional processing devices process substrates individually in a single chamber, resulting in insufficient substrate throughput. Therefore, there is a need for a method that maximizes the advantages of the double bellows while increasing substrate throughput.

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber that maximizes the advantages of the double bellows while increasing the processing capacity of the substrate.

[0005] A substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber for solving the problem of the present invention comprises a multi-chamber including two or more reactors, wherein the reactors include a double bellows. In this case, the multi-chamber includes a common housing including a connecting portion connecting the reactors, and the reactors are symmetrical with respect to the connecting portion.

[0006] In the device of the present invention, the center of the reactor forms a first gap (D1), and the showerhead of the reactor forms a second gap (D2), wherein the second gap (D2) depends on the first gap (D1). The second gap (D2) varies depending on the effective frequency applied to the showerhead.

[0007] In a preferred device of the present invention, the reactor may include an inner container composed of an upper container and a lower container, a substrate chuck installed inside the inner container, a first driving unit disposed at the lower portion of the inner container and moving the substrate chuck up and down, a second driving unit disposed at the lower portion of the inner container and moving the lower container up and down, and a double expansion unit disposed outside a rotation shaft supporting the substrate chuck and a support shaft supporting the lower container, and having a double bellows for controlling the vertical movement of the substrate chuck and the lower container.

[0008] In the device of the present invention, a joint may be included between the upper container and the lower container. The lower container may ascend in two stages, first ascending alone and second ascending together with the substrate chuck, and the substrate chuck may ascend in two stages, first ascending together with the lower container and second ascending alone. The double bellows includes a first bellows accommodated in a first flange and a second bellows accommodated in a second flange. When the first and second driving units are operated, the first and second bellows may be compressed or relaxed. The first and second flanges limit the compression and relaxation of the first and second bellows.

[0009] According to the substrate processing device using the double bellows and multi-chamber of the present invention, by utilizing the double bellows and multi-chambers, the vertical movement of the internal container is accurately performed, and the advantages of the double bellows, such as no shaking of the substrate chuck during the vertical movement process, are maximized, and the processing amount of the substrate can be significantly increased.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a conceptual drawing comparing a dual chamber according to the present invention with a conventional manufacturing device including a single chamber.

[0011] Figure 2 is a drawing for explaining the double chamber of Figure 1.

[0012] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the double chamber of Fig. 2.

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiments described below may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, exaggerated representations are used for convenience of explanation. Meanwhile, terms indicating positions such as "upper," "lower," and "front" are only related to those shown in the drawings. In practice, the processing device can be used in any optional direction, and the spatial direction during actual use varies depending on the orientation and rotation of the processing device.

[0014] The present invention proposes a substrate processing device that significantly increases substrate throughput by utilizing the advantages of dual bellows and multi-chambers. To this end, a substrate processing device including dual bellows and multi-chambers will be described in detail, and a process for increasing substrate throughput in a multi-chamber utilizing dual bellows will be described in detail. The substrate processing device according to the present invention is used to form various thin films on substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates or to perform micro-processing to manufacture micro-devices, and also utilizes plasma. A multi-chamber refers to a chamber that accommodates two or more reactors, and a dual chamber including two reactors is used as an example here.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a conceptual drawing comparing a dual chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention with a conventional single-chamber manufacturing device. However, this drawing is not intended to be a strict representation of the drawing, and for the sake of convenience of explanation, there may be components not shown in the drawing.

[0016] According to Fig. 1, a conventional manufacturing device (a) includes a loading / unloading unit (P10), a load lock chamber (P20), a transfer chamber (P30), and a single chamber (P40). The loading / unloading unit (P10) loads or unloads a carrier (e.g., FOUP) containing a substrate, and cleans the carrier. The substrate contained in the carrier passes through the load lock chamber (P20) and the transfer chamber (P30) and is then introduced into or retrieved from the single chamber (P40). A transfer module (P31), such as a transfer robot, disposed in the transfer chamber (P30) is responsible for transferring the substrate. The loading / unloading unit (P10), the load lock chamber (P20), the transfer chamber (P30), and the single chamber (P40) are all implemented in a known manner, and are briefly expressed here for the convenience of explanation.

[0017] The manufacturing device (b) of the present invention includes a loading / unloading section (101), a load lock chamber (102), a transfer chamber (103), and a twin chamber (100). The twin chamber (100) is arranged inside the housing (10). A transfer module (104), such as a transfer robot, arranged in the transfer chamber (103) is responsible for transferring the substrate. Since the twin chamber (100) has two reactors, it can process two substrates simultaneously, but since the conventional single chamber (P40) has one reactor, it processes the substrates individually. Accordingly, if the twin chamber (100) of the present invention is applied, the throughput of the substrate can be doubled. If more than two reactors are applied, more substrates can be processed.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a drawing for explaining the double chamber (100) of Fig. 1. At this time, the manufacturing device will be referred to Fig. 1.

[0019] According to FIG. 2, the double chamber (100) refers to two reactors (20, 20a) arranged inside the body (10). A transfer module (104), such as a transfer robot, arranged in the transfer chamber (103) is responsible for transferring the substrate. The centers of each of the first and second reactors (20, 20a) form a first gap (D1) and a second gap (D2), which is the minimum gap of the showerhead. The first gap (D1) is adjusted to ensure smooth operation of the transfer module (104). If the first gap (D1) is too small, a collision may occur between the transfer module (104) and the reactors (20, 20a), and if it is too large, shaking or sagging of the transfer module (104) may occur. In practice, the first gap (D1) is preferably 500 to 600 mm. If the first gap (D1) is less than 500 mm, RF interference and insulation breakdown may occur between the reactors (20, 20a). If the first gap (D1) is greater than 600 mm, shaking and sagging of the transfer module (104) may occur.

[0020] If the second gap (D2) is small, RF interference may occur between the reactors (20, 20a), and insulation breakdown may occur. The second gap (D2) is derived as kV / 3, where kV is substantially equal to the effective voltage, and the dielectric strength of air is 3 kV / mm. Accordingly, as the effective voltage increases, the second gap (D2) increases. The second gap (D2) depends on the first gap (D1). If the first gap (D1) is large, the second gap (D2) is large, and if the first gap (D1) is small, the second gap (D2) is also small. In practice, the second gap (D2) is preferably 54 mm or more. If the second gap (D2) is less than 54 mm, RF interference may occur between the reactors (20, 20a), and insulation breakdown may occur.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the double chamber (100) of Fig. 2. At this time, the double chamber (100) will be referred to Fig. 2.

[0022] According to Fig. 3, the dual chamber (100) is called a dual chamber (100) because the first and second reactors (20, 20a) are formed as one unit and there are two reactors. If there are more than two reactors, it is called a multi-chamber. The dual chamber (100) includes a common housing (21) for forming the first and second reactors (20, 20a) as one unit. In the common housing (21), a connecting portion (21a) is located between the first and second reactors (20, 20a). The connecting portion (21a) connects the first and second reactors (20, 20a) and is a part of the common housing (21). The first and second reactors (20, 20a) are fixed by a fixing portion (21b). It is preferable that the fixing portion (21b) is formed by extending the connecting portion (21a). That is, the fixed portion (21b) may be a part of the common housing (21). The first and second reactors (20, 20a) have the first and second gaps (D1, D2) described above.

[0023] The first and second reactors (20, 20a) are symmetrical with respect to the connection portion (21a), and thus, the first and second reactors (20, 20a) have the same structure. The first and second reactors (20, 20a) include a common housing (21), a substrate chuck (30), an internal container (bowl, 40), and a double-extension portion (50). The common housing (21) houses the internal container (40), and a showerhead (22) is mounted on the upper portion. The substrate chuck (30) is a plate of a predetermined thickness that supports the substrate (S), and has a shape similar to the substrate (S), but is not limited thereto and may be changed to various shapes. The substrate chuck (30) is installed horizontally inside the internal container (40). A heating element (not shown) is provided inside the substrate chuck (30) to heat the substrate (S) placed on the upper portion of the substrate chuck (30). The above heating element can be installed in various ways and structures, and is not particularly limited.

[0024] Additionally, the substrate chuck (30) can also be used as a lower electrode for forming plasma. For example, when the substrate chuck (30) is grounded and RF power (25) is applied to the showerhead (22), plasma can be formed in the space between the substrate chuck (30) and the showerhead (22). The gas used during the process is discharged to the outside through the gas passage (26).

[0025] On the side of the common housing (21), there are located an entrance (23) through which a substrate (S) enters and exits, and a gate (24) for opening and closing the entrance (23). The substrate (S) is loaded onto a substrate chuck (30) located inside an internal container (40) through the entrance (23). After the substrate is loaded, various processes for manufacturing micro-elements, such as thin film formation and micro-machining, are performed on the substrate (S). The common housing (21), showerhead (22), entrance (23), and gate (24) are known in the art, and may be modified in various ways within the scope of the present invention.

[0026] The substrate chuck (30) is connected to a rotation shaft (31), a bracket (32), a first case (33), and a first driving unit (34). The rotation shaft (31) is connected vertically to the bottom surface of the substrate chuck (30), and the bracket (32) accommodates the rotation shaft (31). The rotation shaft (31) may include a coupling, a spindle, etc. that are connected to a motor. At this time, the lower part of the double-extension part (50) is fixed to the first case (33). The first case (33) has a hollow interior and fixes the bracket (32) while being coupled with the bracket (32). The first driving unit (34) moves the substrate chuck (30) up and down. Specifically, the force that induces the rotation and vertical movement of the first driving unit (34) is transmitted to the substrate chuck (30) via the rotation shaft (31). During the process of the substrate chuck (30) rotating and moving up and down, the shaking of the substrate chuck (30) must be minimized. If the substrate chuck (30) shakes, the mounted substrate (S) may move out of its proper position, causing fatal defects in the physical properties of the micro-element or causing losses such as reloading the substrate (S).

[0027] The first driving unit (34) is preferably a precision motor that can be precisely controlled, such as a servo motor or a stepping motor. The servo motor is an electric motor that converts an input voltage into a rotation angle, and a two-phase AC or DC servo motor is used. The stepping motor is also called a pulse motor because it rotates by an angle proportional to a given number of pulses by giving a sequence to step-state pulses. Since the precision motor precisely controls the rotation and vertical movement of the substrate chuck (30), the shaking of the substrate chuck (30) can be minimized. The first driving unit (34) is fixed to the motor mounting unit (35), and the motor mounting unit (35) is fixed to the second case (46).

[0028] One side of the motor mounting portion (35) is connected to a guide (36), and the other side of the guide (36) is connected to the common housing (21). The guide (36) passes through the bracket (32) and the second case (46) and is coupled to the motor mounting portion (35). The guide (36) restricts the movement of the first and second cases (33, 46) so that they move along a predetermined path. The guide (36) prevents shaking when the substrate chuck (30) and the lower container (41) move up and down. The guide (36) on the common housing (21) side is inserted into the first stopper (37). The first stopper (37) stops the forward movement of the first flange (52a).

[0029] The inner container (40) is composed of a lower container (41) that reciprocates and an upper container (42) from which the lower container (41) is detached. The upper surface of the lower container (41) is brought into close contact with or separated from the lower surface of the upper container (42) by a second driving unit (47). The upper container (42) is fixed to the upper side of the common housing (21) and may be arranged to surround the inner wall of the upper side of the common housing (21). For example, the upper container (42) may be in the shape of an annular ring. The lower container (41) has a container shape and includes a bottom surface spaced apart from the lower surface of the substrate chuck (30) at a constant interval and a side wall spaced apart from the side surface of the substrate chuck (30) at a constant interval. The lower container (41) has a symmetrical structure with respect to the center of the substrate chuck (30).

[0030] Optionally, a connecting portion (43) may be provided on the upper surface of the lower container (41) and the lower surface of the upper container (42). The connecting portion (43) may have a protrusion on the upper surface of the lower container (41) and a groove on the lower surface of the upper container (42) into which the protrusion can be inserted. In some cases, the protrusion and the groove may be positioned in opposite directions. The connecting portion (43) improves the adhesion between the lower container (41) and the upper container (42) and facilitates the connecting. At least one or both of the lower container (41) and the upper container (42) may be made of a ceramic material. The ceramic has excellent heat retention, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance, and is therefore preferable as a material for the inner container (40) in which the process of manufacturing the micro-device is performed.

[0031] The lower container (41) is connected to a support shaft (44), a bearing (45), a second case (46), and a second driving unit (47). The second case (46) is connected to the second driving unit (47), and the second case (46) moves up and down by the second driving unit (47). The bearing (45) fixes the support shaft (44). The second case (46) has a hollow interior and fixes the bearing (45) by being coupled with the bearing (45). The second driving unit (47) moves the lower container (41) up and down. Specifically, the vertical movement force of the second driving unit (47) is transmitted to the lower container (41) via the second case (46), the bearing (45), and the supporting shaft (44). When the lower container (41) moves up and down (a), the gap (G) between the lower and upper containers (41, 42) changes.

[0032] The drawing represents an open state before the lower and upper containers (41, 42) are combined, and in this open state, a substrate (S) is loaded onto the substrate chuck (30) through the entrance (23) and the gap (G). If the lower container (41) is raised by the second driving unit (47) and the substrate chuck (30) is raised by the first driving unit (34), a process state is entered. At this time, the first driving unit (34) is built into the second case (46), and the second driving unit (47) is built into the first case (33). The second driving unit (47) built into the first case (33) is installed in the second case (46).

[0033] The second driving unit (47) is preferably an air cylinder that uses compressed air to induce a linear reciprocating motion of a piston installed in a cylinder. The moving speed of the piston is adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of compressed air supplied or discharged to the air cylinder. The air cylinder is equipped with a damper to block noise generated by rapid movement of the piston and induce smooth operation. Since the lower and upper containers (41, 42) are made of a ceramic material, the smooth operation prevents damage to the joint (43) and ensures stable jointing. In addition, the second driving unit (47) can control the movement of the lower container (41) more precisely and smoothly by utilizing a 5-port solenoid valve.

[0034] The double-extension part (50) controls the vertical movement of the substrate chuck (30) by the first driving part (34) and the vertical movement of the lower container (41) by the second driving part (47). Controlling the vertical movement serves to ensure that the substrate chuck (30) and the lower container (41) move stably and to limit the distance that the substrate chuck (30) and the lower container (41) move. The lower container (41) first rises alone, and secondly rises together with the substrate chuck (30). That is, the lower container (41) rises in two stages. The substrate chuck (30) first rises together with the lower container (41), and secondly rises alone with the substrate chuck (30). That is, the substrate chuck (30) rises in two stages. When raising the lower container (41), if the substrate chuck (30) is raised at the same time, the time for raising the substrate chuck (30) can be saved by the same amount of time as the time for raising the lower container (41).

[0035] Specifically, the second driving unit (47) is operated to raise the lower container (41). The first bellows (51a) is compressed, and the second bellows (51b) is relaxed. At this time, while the second driving unit (47) is operated to raise the lower container (41), the first driving unit (34) does not operate. Thereafter, the first and second driving units (34, 47) are operated simultaneously to raise the substrate chuck (30) and the lower container (41) simultaneously. The first driving unit (34) raises the substrate chuck (30) by a predetermined height. The first bellows (51a) is compressed by the first and second driving units (34, 47), and the second bellows (51b) is compressed by the first driving unit (34) but relaxed by the second driving unit (47). Next, the first driving unit (34) is operated to raise the substrate chuck (30) to the process position where the process is to be performed. At this time, the first and second bellows (51a, 51b) are compressed. The first and second flanges (52a, 52b) limit the compression and relaxation of the first and second bellows (51a, 51b).

[0036] The second stopper (60) is connected to the motor mounting portion (35) while passing through the brackets (32). The second stopper (60) restricts the movement of the lower container (41). If the lower container (41) is lowered excessively by the second driving portion (47), there is a risk of damage to the lower container (41). By restricting the lowering of the lower container (41) by the second stopper (60), damage to the lower container (41) can be prevented.

[0037] Above, the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible by a person having ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0038] *Explanation of symbols

[0039] 10; hull

[0040] 20, 20a; first and second reactors

[0041] 21; Common housing 21a; Connection

[0042] 22; Showerhead 23; Entrance

[0043] 24; Gate 25; RF power

[0044] 30; substrate chuck 31; rotary shaft

[0045] 32; bracket

[0046] 33, 46; Cases 1 and 2

[0047] 34, 47; first and second driving units

[0048] 35; Motor mount 36; Guide

[0049] 37, 60; first and second stoppers

[0050] 40; inner container 41; lower container

[0051] 42; upper container 43; joint

[0052] 44; Support shaft 45; Axis bearing

[0053] 50; double expansion member 51; double bellows

[0054] 52; flange

Claims

In a multi-chamber containing 1.2 or more reactors, The above reactor comprises a double bellows, A substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber, wherein the multi-chamber comprises a common housing including a connecting portion connecting the reactors, and the reactors are symmetrical with respect to the connecting portion.

2. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and multi-chamber, characterized in that in the first paragraph, the center of the reactor forms a first interval (D1), the showerhead of the reactor forms a second interval (D2), and the second interval (D2) depends on the first interval (D1).

3. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and multi-chamber, characterized in that in the second paragraph, the second gap (D2) varies depending on the effective frequency applied to the showerhead.

4. In the first paragraph, the reactor Inner container consisting of an upper container and a lower container; A substrate chuck installed inside the above inner container; A first driving unit positioned at the bottom of the inner container and moving the substrate chuck up and down; A second driving unit positioned at the bottom of the inner container and moving the lower container up and down; and A substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber, characterized by including a double expansion part having a double bellows that is arranged outside of a rotating shaft that supports the substrate chuck and a supporting shaft that supports the lower container and controls the vertical movement of the substrate chuck and the lower container. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber, characterized in that in clause 5.4, a joint is included between the upper container and the lower container.

6. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and multi-chamber, characterized in that in the fourth paragraph, the lower container rises in two stages, firstly rising alone and secondly rising together with the substrate chuck, and the substrate chuck rises in two stages, firstly rising together with the lower container and secondly rising alone.

7. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber, characterized in that in the fourth paragraph, the double bellows includes a first bellows accommodated in a first flange and a second bellows accommodated in a second flange.

8. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and a multi-chamber, characterized in that in the 7th paragraph, when the first and second driving units are operated, the first and second bellows are compressed or relaxed.

9. A substrate processing device using a double bellows and multi-chamber, characterized in that in the 7th paragraph, the first and second flanges limit the compression and relaxation of the first and second bellows.

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