Substrate processing apparatus and control method therefor

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided therein and having an opening disposed through one side thereof to communicate with the substrate processing space; an outer door moving with respect to the chamber assembly to open / close the substrate processing space; a locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the outer door in a state in which the outer door closes the substrate processing space; and a sealing member which is disposed in a sealing groove formed on the chamber assembly and moves with respect to the sealing groove to seal a gap between the chamber assembly and the outer door.

Description

Substrate processing device and control method thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing device used to process a substrate and a control method thereof.

[0002] During the semiconductor device manufacturing process, various processes are performed on the semiconductor substrate. For example, heat treatment processes such as annealing are performed on the semiconductor substrate.

[0003] This heat treatment process is performed in a high-temperature, high-pressure environment within a sealed chamber. To ensure the precision and stability of the heat treatment process, the chamber must be maintained with stable sealing. Therefore, a sealing structure capable of effectively sealing the chamber opening through which the substrate enters and exits is required.

[0004] To this end, a structure has been proposed in a conventional substrate processing device to seal the gap by placing an elastic sealing gasket in the gap of the chamber opening and closing and pressing it.

[0005] However, in conventional substrate processing devices, the sealing gasket loses elasticity and hardens or wears out due to repeated compression during the chamber opening and closing process, which gradually reduces the sealing ability of the chamber, and there is a problem that fine particles are generated during the damage process of the sealing gasket and enter the inside of the substrate processing device.

[0006] The present invention has been devised to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art as described above, and provides a substrate processing device and a control method thereof that can prevent particles from being generated when a sealing member is damaged due to friction and wear during the opening and closing process of a chamber.

[0007] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0008] In order to achieve the above purpose, in embodiments, a substrate processing device is provided, which includes a chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided therein and an opening disposed on one side thereof to communicate with the substrate processing space, an external door that moves with respect to the chamber assembly to open and close the substrate processing space, a locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the external door while the external door is closed to the substrate processing space, and a sealing member disposed in a sealing groove formed in the chamber assembly and moving with respect to the sealing groove to seal a gap between the chamber assembly and the external door.

[0009] In embodiments, the chamber assembly further includes a control member for controlling movement of the sealing member, wherein the control member can move the sealing member in response to the relative positions of the chamber assembly and the outer door.

[0010] In embodiments, the chamber assembly is formed around the opening and further includes a seating portion in which a sealing groove is arranged, and the sealing member is positioned at a first position in close contact with the outer door when the outer door is spaced apart from the seating portion by a first predetermined distance, and when the outer door and the seating portion are closer than the first distance, the sealing member can be positioned at a second position that avoids contact with the outer door.

[0011] In embodiments, the locking assembly may include a support protrusion disposed on the chamber assembly and an outer door, and a catch protrusion supported on an upper surface of the support protrusion when the outer door is in a locked state.

[0012] In embodiments, the sealing member may be positioned in a first position where it is in close contact with the outer door, with the catch protrusion resting on the upper surface of the support protrusion, and the sealing member may be positioned in a second position where it avoids contact with the outer door, with the catch protrusion spaced from the upper surface of the support protrusion.

[0013] In embodiments, the control unit can control movement of the sealing member by increasing or decreasing pressure in the lifting space formed between the sealing member and the sealing groove.

[0014] In embodiments, the invention may further include a pipe assembly connected to an air hole provided in the sealing groove and capable of supplying gas to the elevating space or recovering gas from the elevating space.

[0015] In embodiments, the sealing groove extends circumferentially with respect to the center of the opening, and a plurality of air holes may be provided and spaced apart from each other at equal intervals along the extending direction of the sealing groove on the inside of the sealing groove.

[0016] In the embodiments, the sealing member includes an exposed portion that protrudes outwardly from the sealing groove according to the pressure increase of the lifting space, an inserted portion that is inserted into the inside of the sealing groove and has a recessed surface formed in a direction toward the exposed portion, and a contact portion that is positioned between the exposed portion and the inserted portion and is in close contact with both side walls of the sealing groove, and the lifting space can be formed between the recessed surface and the sealing groove.

[0017] In embodiments, a substrate processing device is provided, which includes a chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided therein and an opening disposed on one side thereof that communicates with the substrate processing space, an external door that moves with respect to the chamber assembly to open and close the substrate processing space, a locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the external door while the external door is closed to the substrate processing space, and a sealing member disposed in a sealing groove formed in the external door and moving in the depth direction of the sealing groove to seal a gap between the chamber assembly and the external door.

[0018] In embodiments, the control unit further includes a control unit for controlling movement of the sealing member, and the control unit can control movement of the sealing member by increasing or decreasing pressure in an elevation space formed between the sealing member and the sealing groove.

[0019] In embodiments, a control method for a substrate processing device is provided, including a chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided therein and an opening disposed on one side thereof to communicate with the substrate processing space, an outer door for opening and closing the opening, a locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the outer door, and a sealing member disposed in a sealing groove formed around the opening, the control method comprising a door alignment step in which the outer door moves toward the chamber assembly to cover the opening, a locking step in which the locking assembly locks the outer door so that the outer door does not come off from the chamber assembly, and a sealing step in which the sealing member moves in a depth direction of the sealing groove to seal a gap between the outer door and the chamber assembly.

[0020] In embodiments, the substrate processing device further includes a control unit that controls movement of the sealing member, and the control unit can control movement of the sealing member by increasing or decreasing pressure in an elevation space formed between the sealing groove and the sealing member.

[0021] In embodiments, the substrate processing device further includes a pipe assembly capable of injecting gas into the elevating space or recovering gas from the elevating space, and the control unit can regulate the pressure of the elevating space through the pipe assembly.

[0022] In embodiments, in the sealing step, the pressure in the lifting space may be formed higher than the pressure in the substrate processing space.

[0023] In embodiments, in the sealing step, the sealing member may be positioned at a first position that is in close contact with the outer door, and in the locking step, the sealing member may be positioned at a second position that avoids contact with the outer door.

[0024] In embodiments, the device further comprises an unlocking step for unlocking the outer door so that the outer door can be removed from the chamber assembly, wherein in the unlocking step, the sealing member can be moved from the first position to the second position.

[0025] The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiments can improve the sealing of the chamber assembly by including a sealing member movable with respect to the sealing groove.

[0026] In addition, the substrate processing device according to the embodiments can prevent the sealing member from being damaged or generating particles due to friction and grinding during the repeated opening and closing process of the door module.

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a substrate processing device.

[0028] Fig. 2 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a substrate processing device.

[0029] Figure 3 is a reference drawing for explaining the locking structure of the door module of the substrate processing device.

[0030] Figure 4 is a reference diagram for explaining the pressure-boosting and pressure-reducing structure of the sealing home.

[0031] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 4.

[0032] Figure 6 is a reference drawing for explaining a sealing member included in a substrate processing device.

[0033] Figure 7 is a reference drawing for explaining a sealing member included in a substrate processing device.

[0034] Figure 8 is a flowchart schematically illustrating the locking process of the door module.

[0035] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a control method of a sealing member.

[0036] Figure 10 is a flowchart schematically illustrating the unlocking process of the door module.

[0037] Fig. 11 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a substrate processing device according to another embodiment.

[0038] Before going into the detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted with meanings and concepts that conform to the technical idea of ​​the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term in order to explain his own invention in the best way. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0039] The same reference numbers or symbols used in each drawing attached to this specification represent parts or components that perform substantially the same functions. For convenience of explanation and understanding, the same reference numbers or symbols may be used in different embodiments. In other words, even if components with the same reference numbers are depicted in multiple drawings, they do not necessarily represent a single embodiment.

[0040] In the following description, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms such as "comprises" or "comprises" should be understood to indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0041] In addition, in the description below, expressions such as top, upper, lower, lower, side, front, and rear are expressed based on the direction shown in the drawing, and it is noted in advance that they may be expressed differently if the direction of the object in question changes.

[0042] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., may be used in this specification and claims to distinguish between components. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish identical or similar components from each other, and the use of these ordinal numbers should not be interpreted in a limited manner. For example, components associated with these ordinals should not be interpreted in a restricted manner, such as in the order of use or arrangement, based on their numbers. If necessary, each ordinal number may be used interchangeably.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the presented embodiments. For example, those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention may propose other embodiments within the spirit of the present invention by adding, modifying, or deleting components, etc., but such embodiments will also be considered to be within the spirit of the present invention. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0044] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a substrate processing device (1).

[0045] Fig. 2 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a substrate processing device (1).

[0046] Figure 3 is a reference drawing for explaining the locking structure of the door module (40) of the substrate processing device (1).

[0047] A substrate processing device (1) according to one embodiment may include a chamber assembly (CA) having a substrate processing space (11) and a door module (40) for opening and closing the substrate processing space (11).

[0048] In one embodiment, the chamber assembly (CA) may have a multi-chamber structure including an inner chamber (10) and an outer chamber (20) surrounding the inner chamber (10).

[0049] In one embodiment, the inner chamber (10) may have a hollow structure in which a substrate processing space (11) in which a substrate can be heat-treated is formed on the inside, and a substrate entrance / exit connected to the substrate processing space (11) is arranged on one side. A semiconductor substrate can be heat-treated in the inner chamber (10).

[0050] In one embodiment, the outer chamber (20) has a hollow structure with one side open, and may be configured to surround the inner chamber (10) by being spaced apart from the outer surface of the inner chamber (10) by a predetermined distance. That is, the substrate processing device (1) according to one embodiment may have a dual chamber structure of an inner chamber (10) having a substrate processing space (11) in which a substrate is accommodated, and an outer chamber (20) in which the inner chamber (10) is accommodated.

[0051] In one embodiment, an external chamber space (21) may be formed between the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber (20). The outer chamber (20) provided with the external chamber space (21) in this manner can protect the inner chamber (10) from the external environment and at the same time prevent high-temperature and high-pressure reaction gas injected into the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10) from leaking to the outside.

[0052] In one embodiment, during the processing of a semiconductor substrate by the substrate processing device (1), different types of gases may be injected into the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10) and the outer chamber space (21) of the outer chamber (20). For example, a heat treatment process gas such as hydrogen or deuterium may be injected into the substrate processing space (11) at a first pressure value, and an inert gas may be injected into the outer chamber space (21) at a second pressure value higher than the first pressure value. When the pressure of the outer chamber space (21) is formed higher, the effect of preventing the heat treatment process gas from leaking from the inner chamber (10) can be expected. However, the types and pressures of gases injected into the substrate processing space (11) and the outer chamber space (21) during the processing of the semiconductor substrate are not limited to those described above, and may be set in various ways as needed.

[0053] In one embodiment, a utility unit (UT) capable of supplying or exhausting gas to the substrate processing space (11) and the external chamber space (21) may be arranged on one side of the substrate processing device (1).

[0054] In one embodiment, the chamber assembly (CA) may further include a manifold (30) disposed on an open side of the outer chamber (20). The manifold (30) may be coupled to one side of the outer chamber (20) to close the outer chamber space (21). An opening (31) communicating with the substrate processing space (11) may be formed inside the manifold (30). A substrate to be processed may enter the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10) through the opening (31) of the manifold (30).

[0055] Referring to Fig. 2, the external chamber (20) and the manifold (30) may be provided as separate members and configured to be mutually coupled. However, if necessary, the external chamber (20) and the manifold (30) of the substrate processing device (1) may be formed as one piece.

[0056] In one embodiment, the manifold (30) may be coupled to an open side of the outer chamber (20) to seal the outer chamber space (21). For example, referring to FIG. 2, the outer chamber (20) may be coupled to an outer edge of the upper surface of the manifold (30), and the inner chamber (10) may be coupled to an inner edge. At this time, the outer chamber (20) and the inner chamber (10) may be coupled to the manifold (30) in close contact with each other so that gas does not leak out at the portion where they contact the manifold (30). Accordingly, the open side of the outer chamber (20) may be closed by the upper surface of the manifold (30), and a space extending from the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10) to the opening (31, see FIG. 3) of the manifold (30) may be formed.

[0057] In one embodiment, a door module (40) can be raised or lowered on one side of the manifold (30) to open and close the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10).

[0058] In one embodiment, the door module (40) may include an inner door (41) for opening and closing a substrate processing space (11) of an inner chamber (10), a door base (42) for supporting the inner door (41), an outer door (43) rotatably coupled to the door base (42), and an elastic member (44) connected between the inner door (41) and the door base (42).

[0059] In one embodiment, the inner door (41) may be configured to open and close the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10). For example, referring to FIG. 2, the inner door (41) may be in close contact with a step portion (32) provided on the inner wall of the manifold (30) to close the substrate processing space (11). In order to improve the sealing performance between the inner door (41) and the step portion (32) of the manifold (30), the substrate processing device (1) may further include a sealing gasket (not shown) that closes the gap between the inner door (41) and the step portion (32).

[0060] However, the sealing structure of the substrate processing space (11) by the inner door (41) is not limited to that shown in Fig. 2. For example, unlike Fig. 2, the inner door (41) may be omitted in the substrate processing device (1) of the embodiment, and the substrate processing space (11) may be sealed by an outer door (43).

[0061] Continuing with reference to FIG. 2, a substrate loading unit (46) for loading a substrate to be processed may be positioned on the upper side of the inner door (41). The substrate loading unit (46) is connected to the door module (40) and can be raised and lowered together with the door module (40) as it is raised. The substrate to be processed can be loaded onto the substrate loading unit (46) and enter the substrate processing space (11) of the inner chamber (10) as the door module (40) is raised.

[0062] In one embodiment, a heating device (47) capable of heating the substrate processing space may be placed on one side of the substrate loading section (46).

[0063] In one embodiment, the inner door (41) is supported by the door base (42) and can be raised and lowered together with the raising and lowering of the door base (42). An elastic member (44, see FIG. 3) may be placed between the door base (42) and the inner door (41). The elastic member (44) serves to cushion the impact generated when the inner door (41) touches the step portion (32) of the manifold (30), and at the same time, it can apply elastic force to the inner door (41) so that it can be more securely attached to the step portion (32).

[0064] In one embodiment, an external door (43) configured to be rotatable relative to the door base (42) may be arranged at the lower end of the door base (42). The external door (43) may be configured to be raised and lowered (in the Y-axis direction) on one side of the manifold (30) to seal the substrate processing space (11).

[0065] In one embodiment, the outer door (43) may be rotatably coupled to the door base (42). That is, the outer door (43) may be connected to the door base (42) and may be configured to be raised and lowered together with the door base (42), while simultaneously being rotatable relative to the door base (42). A friction reducing member (45) may be arranged between the outer door (43) and the door base (42) to ensure smooth rotation of the outer door (43). For example, the friction reducing member (45) may be provided as a rolling bearing or sliding bearing type.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a catch (52) for locking or unlocking the door module (40) may be provided on the edge of the outer door (43). The catch (52) of the outer door (43) may be included in the lock assembly (50) of the substrate processing device (1) together with the support catch (51) provided on the manifold (30).

[0067] In one embodiment, the support protrusions (51) of the manifold (30) may be provided in multiple numbers. The multiple support protrusions (51) may be spaced apart from each other in the direction of the circumference based on the central axis (C) of the outer door (43) on the inner surface of the manifold (30).

[0068] In one embodiment, the outer door (43) may also have a plurality of catches (52). The plurality of catches (52) may be spaced apart along the outer periphery of the outer door (43).

[0069] In one embodiment, the outer door (43) can rise toward the opening (31) of the manifold (30) to close the opening (31) while the catch protrusion (52) and the support protrusion (51) are aligned to be staggered from each other. With the outer door (43) closing the opening (31) of the manifold (30), the outer door (43) can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise to lock or unlock the door module (40). Here, the 'locked' state of the door module (40) may mean a state in which the descent of the door module (40) is restricted by the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30). In addition, the 'unlocked' state of the door module (40) may mean a state in which the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30) and the external door (43) have their catch protrusions (52) aligned in a staggered manner so that the descent of the door module (40) is not restricted by the support protrusion (51).

[0070] That is, in the locked state of the door module (40), the catch protrusion (52) of the outer door (43) can be located on the upper surface of the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30). In this state, the outer door (43) is supported by the support protrusion (51) and its downward movement is restricted, thereby allowing the door module (40) to be fixed to the manifold (30). In the unlocked state of the door module (40), the outer door (43) can be aligned so that the catch protrusion (52) is offset from the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30). Accordingly, during the raising and lowering process of the outer door (43), the catch protrusion (52) of the outer door (43) does not interfere with the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30), and the raising and lowering motion of the outer door (43) is not restricted by the manifold (30).

[0071] In one embodiment, when the door module (40) is raised to seal the substrate processing space (11), the outer door (43) can be rotated in one direction to engage with the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30) to lock the door module (40). Conversely, when the door module (40) is locked, the outer door (43) can be rotated in a direction opposite to one direction to return to a state where it does not engage with the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30), thereby unlocking the door module (40).

[0072] In one embodiment, the elevation of the door module (40) and the rotation of the external door (43) in the substrate processing device (1) may be controlled by a control unit (90). For example, referring to FIG. 2, the substrate processing device (1) may further include a door driving unit (48) that generates a driving force for the elevation of the door module (40) and the rotation of the external door (43), and a control unit (90) that controls the driving of the door driving unit (48).

[0073] In one embodiment, to increase the sealing of the substrate processing space (11), the substrate processing device (1) may further include a sealing member (70) that seals the gap between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30).

[0074] In one embodiment, the sealing member (70) may be placed in a sealing groove (60) formed in a chamber assembly (CA, see FIG. 1). For example, referring to FIG. 3, a seating portion (33) on which an external door (43) may be seated is formed around an opening (31) of a manifold (30), and the sealing groove (60) may be formed on the seating portion (33).

[0075] In one embodiment, the sealing member (70) may be formed of a material capable of elastic deformation so as to effectively seal the gap between the manifold (30) and the outer door (43). For example, the sealing member (70) may be formed of a polymer resin material such as polypropylene, polyurethane, polyimide, and polytetrafluoroethylene. However, the material of the sealing member (70) is not limited to that described above, and may be formed of any material that can stably seal the gap between the manifold (30) and the outer door (43).

[0076] In order to seal the gap between the manifold (30) and the outer door (43), at least a portion of the sealing member (70) needs to protrude from the mounting surface (33) toward the outer door (43). However, if the sealing member always protrudes from the mounting surface of the manifold (30), there is a risk that the sealing member and the outer door (43) will repeatedly rub against each other during the opening and closing of the door module (40), thereby damaging the sealing member, or that the sealing member may be worn away from the sealing groove (60) as the outer door (43) rotates while being positioned close to the mounting surface (33). In addition, in this case, there is a risk that fine particles may fall off from the sealing member and enter the substrate processing space (11) due to wear caused by friction generated when the outer door (43) rotates or moves while in contact with the sealing member.

[0077] In order to prevent such problems, the sealing member (70) of the substrate processing device (1) according to embodiments of the present invention may be configured to be movable relative to the sealing groove (60) in correspondence with the position of the outer door (43). For example, the sealing member (70) may be formed to be movable in the depth direction of the sealing groove (60) in correspondence with the position of the outer door (43). Accordingly, while the outer door (43) moves or rotates, the sealing member (70) enters the interior of the sealing groove (60) to avoid contact with the outer door (43), and when the outer door (43) is switched to a locked state and no longer moves or rotates, the sealing member (70) protrudes outward from the sealing groove (60) again to seal the gap between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30).

[0078] The substrate processing device (1) according to the embodiments may be formed so as to be able to move the sealing member (70) to a desired position. For example, the substrate processing device (1) is formed so as to be able to control the pressure in the space between the sealing groove (60) and the sealing member (70), and the sealing member (70) may be moved in the depth direction of the sealing groove (60) by the pressure change in the space between the sealing groove (60) and the sealing member (70). More specifically, when gas is injected into the space between the sealing groove (60) and the sealing member (70) (hereinafter referred to as the 'elevating space (61, see FIG. 5)'), the pressure in the elevating space (61) increases, and this increased pressure pushes the sealing member (70) to move in a direction toward the outside of the sealing groove (60). Conversely, if the gas in the elevating space (61) is recovered again, the pressure in the elevating space (61) decreases, and accordingly, the sealing member (70) may move toward the inside of the sealing groove (60) due to the pressure of the external environment. In this way, the substrate processing device (1) can move the sealing member (70) by adjusting the pressure in the elevating space (61) by injecting gas into the elevating space (61) or recovering gas in the elevating space (61).

[0079] In one embodiment, to inject gas into or recover gas from the lifting space (61), the substrate processing device (1) may further include a pipe assembly (80) connected to the lifting space (61) and a control unit (90) capable of controlling the flow of gas in the pipe assembly (80). For example, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the pipe assembly (80) may be coupled to a manifold (30) and may be connected to a sealing groove (60) through the interior of the manifold (30).

[0080] In one embodiment, the pipe assembly (80) may include a supply pipe (81) used to inject gas into the elevating space (61) and a recovery pipe (82) used to recover gas from the elevating space (61). The supply pipe (81) and the recovery pipe (82) may branch from a single pipe connected to the sealing groove (60) and may be connected to a utility unit (UT) capable of supplying power, gas, etc. to the substrate processing device (1), respectively.

[0081] In one embodiment, the substrate processing device (1) may further include a pressure sensing unit (84) capable of sensing the pressure in the lifting space (61). The control unit (90) may compare the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensing unit (84) (hereinafter, sensed pressure) with a preset target pressure, and control the air flow inside the pipe assembly (80) based on the comparison.

[0082] In one embodiment, the control unit (90) can control the gas flow in the pipe assembly (80). For example, the control unit (90) can control the opening and closing of a valve (83) connected to a supply pipe (81) and a return pipe (82) to inject gas into the sealing groove (60) or to recover gas inside the sealing groove (60).

[0083] Meanwhile, the driving force for raising and lowering the door module (40) can be generated through a door driving unit (48) connected to the door module (40). For example, the door driving unit (48) can raise and lower the door module (40) by generating the driving force through an electric motor.

[0084] In one embodiment, the control unit (90) can control the door drive unit (48) to control the position, movement amount, movement speed, rotation direction or rotation amount of the external door (43) of the door module (40).

[0085] Hereinafter, the operation of the sealing member (70) included in the substrate processing device (1) will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0086] Figure 4 is a reference drawing for explaining the pressure-boosting and pressure-reducing structure of the sealing home (60).

[0087] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 4.

[0088] Figure 6 is a reference drawing for explaining a sealing member (70) included in a substrate processing device (1).

[0089] Figure 7 is a reference drawing for explaining a sealing member (70) included in a substrate processing device (1).

[0090] The substrate processing device (1) described in FIGS. 4 to 7 corresponds to the substrate processing device (1) described in FIGS. 1 to 3, so redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0091] In one embodiment, the sealing member (70) of the substrate processing device (1) may be formed to be movable relative to the sealing groove (60). For example, the sealing member (70) may be formed to be at least partially disposed within the sealing groove (60) of the manifold (30) and to be movable in the depth direction of the sealing groove (60).

[0092] In one embodiment, the substrate processing device (1) can move the sealing member (70) by controlling the air pressure of the lifting space (61) formed between the sealing groove (60) and the sealing member (70).

[0093] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the sealing member (70) can be formed by an exposed portion (71) that can protrude outwardly from the sealing groove (60), an inserted portion (73) inserted into the inside of the sealing groove (60), and a contact portion (72) that is in close contact with the inner wall of the sealing groove (60) between the exposed portion (71) and the inserted portion (73).

[0094] In one embodiment, the exposed portion (71) of the sealing member (70) is a portion that protrudes further downward than the manifold (30) and comes into contact with the outer door (43) when the sealing member (70) seals the gap between the manifold (30) and the outer door (43). Meanwhile, when the sealing member (70) releases the seal from the gap between the manifold (30) and the outer door (43), the exposed portion (71) may move toward the inside of the sealing groove (60) so as not to come into contact with the outer door (43).

[0095] In one embodiment, the insertion portion (73) of the sealing member (70) is a portion opposite to the exposed portion (71), and is a portion inserted into the inside of the sealing groove (60). A recessed surface (73a) is formed in the insertion portion (73) toward the exposed portion (71), and a lifting space (61) can be formed between this recessed surface (73a) and the sealing groove (60).

[0096] In one embodiment, the insertion portion (73) in the sealing member (70) may be formed to have an approximately V-shaped cross-section, and may be formed to be somewhat elastically deformable according to changes in the pressure of the lifting space (61). For example, when the pressure of the lifting space (61) increases, the insertion portion (73) may be deformed to spread out on both sides and come into contact with the inner wall of the sealing groove (60). As the insertion portion (73) is deformed in this way, the contact friction between the sealing member (70) and the sealing groove (60) increases, which may prevent the sealing member (70) from being pushed out of the sealing groove (60) and returning to the inner side of the sealing groove (60) by an external force (e.g., pressure applied by an external door). Conversely, when the pressure of the lifting space (61) decreases, the insertion portion (73) that was spread out on both sides may contract again and become separated from the inner wall of the sealing groove (60). Accordingly, the contact area between the sealing member (70) and the sealing groove (60) is reduced and the contact friction is also reduced, so that the sealing member (70) can move more easily into the sealing groove (60).

[0097] In one embodiment, the sealing portion (72) of the sealing member (70) can be in close contact with the inner wall of the sealing groove (60). To increase the sealing property, the thickness of the sealing portion (72) can be formed to be thicker than other parts of the sealing member (70).

[0098] In one embodiment, the sealing member (70)'s sealing portion (72) is tightly sealed against the inner wall of the sealing groove (60), so that gas introduced into the elevating space (61) can be prevented from escaping between the sealing member (70) and the inner wall of the sealing groove (60). Accordingly, the control unit (90, see FIG. 2) can control the pressure of the elevating space (61) by controlling the amount of gas inside the elevating space (61) through the pipe assembly (80).

[0099] In one embodiment, the pipe assembly (80) can be connected to an air hole (62), which is an opening formed on the lower surface of the sealing groove (60). Gas supplied through the pipe assembly (80) can be injected into the lifting space (61) through the air hole (62).

[0100] In one embodiment, the sealing member (70) can move in the depth direction of the sealing groove (60) according to a change in the air pressure of the elevating space (61). For example, when gas is injected into the elevating space (61) and the air pressure of the elevating space (61) increases, the sealing member (70) can be pushed outward of the sealing groove (60) by the increased air pressure. Conversely, when the gas of the elevating space (61) is recovered by the pipe assembly (80), the air pressure of the elevating space (61) decreases, and thus the sealing member (70) can move inward of the sealing groove (60).

[0101] Meanwhile, the sealing groove (60) may extend in a circumferential direction based on the central axis (C, see FIG. 3) of the outer door (43) on the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30), and a plurality of air holes (62) of the sealing groove (60) may be provided and arranged along the extending direction of the sealing groove (60). In order for the pressure of the lifting space (61) to be formed equally throughout the entire sealing groove (60), the plurality of air holes (62) may be arranged at equal intervals along the extending direction of the sealing groove (60).

[0102] In one embodiment, in the substrate processing device (1), the movement of the sealing member (70) can be adjusted in response to the position of the outer door (43). Hereinafter, the movement of the sealing member (70) according to the position of the outer door (43) will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0103] Fig. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a process in which a support protrusion (51) and a catch protrusion (52) of a lock assembly (50) move relative to each other, and Fig. 7 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a state in which an outer door (43) is locked.

[0104] In one embodiment, as the outer door (43) rotates while keeping the opening (31) of the manifold (30) closed, the catch (52) of the outer door (43) may be positioned in a locked position where at least a portion overlaps the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30) in the upward and downward direction of the outer door (43), or in an unlocked position where it does not overlap. At this time, in order to prevent damage or particle generation due to friction and grinding between the catch (52) of the outer door (43) and the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30), the outer door (43) may rotate in a state where the catch (52) is spaced apart from the support protrusion (51) of the manifold (30) by a predetermined distance. For example, referring to FIG. 6, the gap (dm) (hereinafter, clamping gap) between the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30) and the support protrusion (51) may be greater than the thickness (dd) of the catch protrusion (52) of the outer door (43), and accordingly, the outer door (43) can be rotated while a predetermined gap is formed between the catch protrusion (52) and the upper surface of the support protrusion (51).

[0105] Meanwhile, if necessary, the outer door (43) may be rotated while being spaced apart from the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30) by a predetermined distance (i.e., the engaging projection (52) is spaced apart from both the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30) and the upper surface of the support projection (51)), or while the engaging projection (52) is in close contact with the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30).

[0106] At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the sealing member (70) can move toward the inside of the sealing groove (60) to maintain a state of not contacting the outer door (43). That is, while the outer door (43) rotates and switches from an unlocked state to a locked state, the pipe assembly (80) recovers the gas in the lifting space (61) of the sealing groove (60) to lower the pressure in the lifting space (61), and accordingly, the sealing member (70) can move toward the inside of the sealing groove (60) to avoid contact with the outer door (43).

[0107] Accordingly, when the outer door (43) rotates or moves relative to the manifold (30), the sealing member (70) is prevented from being rubbed against the outer door (43) or the sealing member (70) is prevented from being damaged by the outer door (43), and the outer door (43) can move more smoothly.

[0108] In one embodiment, when the outer door (43) is locked by the lock assembly (50), the outer door (43) is lowered slightly from its height when rotating, and accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, the catch projection (52) is supported by being seated on the upper surface of the support projection (51), and a predetermined gap can be formed between the catch projection (52) of the outer door (43) and the seat portion (33) of the manifold (30).

[0109] At this time, the sealing member (70) moves to the outside of the sealing groove (60) to fill the gap (g) between the outer door (43) and the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30). That is, after the outer door (43) is completely switched to the locked state, the pipe assembly (80) injects gas into the lifting space (61) of the sealing groove (60) to increase the pressure of the lifting space (61), and accordingly, the sealing member (70) moves to the outside of the sealing groove (60) to seal the gap (g) between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30).

[0110] The movement of the sealing member (70) can be controlled by the control unit (90), as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0111] In one embodiment, the control unit (90) can change the position of the sealing member (70) in response to the relative positions of the mounting portion (33) and the outer door (43). For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the position where the sealing member (70) seals the gap (g) between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30) is referred to as the first position of the sealing member (70), and as shown in FIG. 6, when the position where the sealing member (70) is deeply inserted into the sealing groove (60) to avoid contact with the outer door (43) is referred to as the second position of the sealing member (70), the control unit (90) can control the sealing member (70) to be in the second position while the outer door (43) moves toward the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30), and can control the sealing member (70) to move to the first position while the outer door (43) is supported on the upper surface of the support protrusion (51).

[0112] That is, the control unit (90) controls the sealing member (70) to be positioned at a first position in close contact with the outer door (43) when the mounting portion (33) and the outer door (43) are spaced apart by a preset first distance (here, the first distance may be the distance between the mounting portion (33) and the outer door (43) as shown in FIG. 7), and when the mounting portion (33) and the outer door (43) are closer than the first distance, the control unit (90) can control the sealing member (70) to be positioned at a second position that avoids contact with the outer door (43).

[0113] In this way, by controlling the sealing member (70) to be in different positions depending on the position of the external door (43), the external door (43) and the sealing member (70) can be prevented from coming into contact with each other during the movement of the external door (43), thereby preventing damage to the sealing member (70) or generation of particles in advance.

[0114] Meanwhile, the movement method of the sealing member (70) is not limited to the pressure change method of the above-described lifting space. For example, the substrate processing device (1) may control the movement of the sealing member (70) through an electric drive unit (not shown) that is connected to the sealing member (70) and electrically raises and lowers the sealing member (70). That is, in the substrate processing device (1) according to the embodiments, the movement of the sealing member (70) may be implemented by various types of drive devices that can move the sealing member (70) in response to the movement of the external door (43).

[0115] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10, the movement of the sealing member (70) during the locking or unlocking process of the door module (40) will be described in more detail.

[0116] Figure 8 is a flowchart schematically illustrating the locking process of the door module.

[0117] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a control method of a sealing member.

[0118] Figure 10 is a flowchart schematically illustrating the unlocking process of the door module.

[0119] The control method described through FIGS. 8 to 10 is performed in the substrate processing device (1) described above in FIGS. 1 to 7, and therefore, any description overlapping with FIGS. 1 to 7 may be omitted. In addition, the drawing numbers cited in the following description may refer to the drawing numbers of FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0120] In one embodiment, a method of controlling a substrate processing device (1) may include a door alignment step in which an outer door (43) moves relative to a chamber assembly (CA) to cover an opening (31) of a manifold (30), a locking step in which a locking assembly (50) locks the outer door (43) so that the outer door (43) does not come off from the chamber assembly (CA), and a sealing step in which a sealing member (70) moves in the depth direction of a sealing groove (60) to seal a gap between the outer door (43) and the chamber assembly (CA).

[0121] Referring to Fig. 8, in the door alignment step, the control unit (90) recovers the gas in the lifting space (61) to reduce the pressure in the lifting space (61), and accordingly, the sealing member (70) moves toward the inside of the sealing groove (60) to avoid contact with the outer door (43) (S801).

[0122] In one embodiment, as the outer door (43) gradually rises, the outer door (43) may be positioned close to the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30) to close the substrate processing space. (S802). When the outer door (43) is in close contact with the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30) or is slightly spaced apart from the mounting portion (33) (for example, about 1 mm apart), the engaging projection (52) may be rotated relative to the supporting projection (51) until it faces the upper surface of the supporting projection (51), thereby setting the outer door (43) to a locked state (locking step, S803). The clamping gap (e.g., dm in FIGS. 6 and 7) of the manifold (30) is formed to be larger than the thickness of the catch (52) (e.g., dd in FIGS. 6 and 7), and the catch (52) rotates relative to the support protrusion (51) while being spaced apart from the support protrusion (51), so that particles can be prevented from being generated or damaged due to the catch (52) and the support protrusion (51) coming into contact with each other. Similarly, in order to prevent particle generation and damage, the outer door (43) and the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30) can be controlled to maintain a predetermined gap (e.g., a gap of about 1 mm) while the support protrusion (51) and the catch (52) rotate relative to each other.

[0123] In one embodiment, when the outer door (43) is locked, the outer door (43) may be lowered slightly (e.g., approximately 1 mm) until the catch (52) is seated on the upper surface of the support protrusion (51) (S804). Accordingly, a slight gap (e.g., approximately 2 mm) may be created between the upper surface of the catch (52) and the seating portion (33) of the manifold (30).

[0124] In one embodiment, the control unit (90) injects gas into the lifting space (61) to move the sealing member (70) toward the outside of the sealing groove (60). Accordingly, the sealing member (70) gradually moves toward the outer door (43) and comes into close contact with the surface of the outer door (43) to seal the gap (e.g., the gap of 2 mm as mentioned above) between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30) (sealing step, S805). The position of the sealing member (70) at this time may be the first position as described above with reference to FIG. 7.

[0125] In one embodiment, the sealing member (70) can be pressed against the surface of the outer door (43) at a pressure higher than the internal pressure of the substrate processing space. For example, when the pressure of the substrate processing space (11) of the chamber assembly (CA) during the substrate processing process is assumed to be approximately 30 bar, in the sealing step (S804), a sufficient amount of gas can be injected into the elevation space (61) so that the pressure of the elevation space (61) can be formed higher than 30 bar, thereby pressing the sealing member (70) against the surface of the outer door (43) at a pressure of 30 bar or higher. Accordingly, the pressure at which the sealing member (70) seals the gap between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30) can be formed higher than the pressure of the substrate processing space (11) during the substrate processing process.

[0126] In this way, the substrate processing device (1) according to the embodiment can completely seal the substrate processing space (11) of the chamber assembly (CA) by ensuring that the sealing pressure by the sealing member (70) has a higher value than the internal pressure of the substrate processing space (11).

[0127] Meanwhile, in the locking step prior to the sealing step, the sealing member (70) may be positioned at the second position described with reference to FIG. 6. Accordingly, while the outer door (43) rotates in the locking step, the sealing member (70) may not come into contact with the outer door (43).

[0128] In one embodiment, if any portion of the sealing member (70) does not lower sufficiently, there is a risk of allowing a gap between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30). To prevent this, the substrate processing device (1) may detect whether the sealing member (70) has moved sufficiently to bridge the gap between the outer door (43) and the manifold (30), and if the sealing member (70) has not moved to a desired degree, may take steps to readjust the position of the sealing member (70).

[0129] Such a readjustment method can be performed by controlling the pressure of the lifting space (61). More specifically, referring to FIG. 9, in order to move the sealing member (70) to the first position, the control unit (90) can inject gas through the pipe assembly (80) so that the lifting space (61) has a preset pressure value (hereinafter, target pressure) (S901).

[0130] In one embodiment, the substrate processing device (1) may further include a pressure sensing unit capable of sensing the pressure of the lifting space (61). The control unit (90) may compare the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensing unit (hereinafter, sensed pressure) with the target pressure (S902, S903).

[0131] In one embodiment, when the detection pressure has a value greater than the target pressure, the control unit (90) can determine that the sealing member (70) has moved a sufficient distance to come into close contact with the outer door (43) and the substrate processing space (11) is sealed (S904).

[0132] If the sensed pressure does not reach the target pressure, the control unit (90) according to one embodiment may determine that the sealing member (70) has not been sufficiently pushed out from the sealing groove (60). That is, in this case, since the pressure in the lifting space (61) has not sufficiently increased, there is a concern that at least a portion of the sealing member (70) may not move sufficiently to come into contact with the outer door (43).

[0133] In this case, the control unit (90) recovers the gas in the lifting space (61) through the pipe assembly (80) to return the sealing member (70) to its initial position (e.g., fully inserted into the sealing groove (60)) (S905). Thereafter, the control unit (90) may repeat the above-described process by injecting gas again through the pipe assembly (80) so that the lifting space (61) has a preset pressure value (hereinafter, target pressure). In this way, the control unit (90) may readjust the pressure in the lifting space (61) until it is determined that the sealing member (70) has moved sufficiently.

[0134] However, in the substrate processing device (1), various control methods other than the above-described method can be applied to determine whether the sealing member (70) has moved to a desired degree. For example, a contact sensor may be arranged at a portion of the external door (43) that comes into contact with the sealing member (70), so as to detect whether the sealing member (70) has moved sufficiently and has come into contact with the external door (43). Alternatively, a position sensor that detects the movement of the sealing member (70) may be arranged in the chamber assembly (CA), so as to determine the amount of movement of the sealing member (70).

[0135] Referring to Fig. 10, the process of unlocking the outer door (43) after the substrate processing is completed can be performed in the reverse order of the above-described process.

[0136] In one embodiment, the control unit (90) can first recover the gas in the lift space (61) and lower the air pressure to move the sealing member (70) inside the sealing groove (60), i.e., from the first position to the second position, in order to unlock the outer door (43) (S1001).

[0137] Thereafter, the outer door (43) can be moved upward so that the catch (52) is slightly spaced from the support protrusion (51) (S1002). At this time, the outer door (43) can be raised until it comes into contact with the mounting portion (33) of the manifold (30), or can be raised only to a position spaced apart from the mounting portion (33) by a predetermined distance.

[0138] However, the order of movement of the sealing member (70) and the movement of the external door (43) is not limited to what has been described above. For example, the movement of the sealing member (70) and the movement of the external door (43) may be performed simultaneously, or the movement of the external door (43) may be initiated first.

[0139] In one embodiment, with a gap formed between the support protrusion (51) and the catch protrusion (52), the catch protrusion (52) rotates relative to the support protrusion (51) to switch the outer door (43) to an unlocked state (S1003). In the unlocked state, the catch protrusion (52) of the outer door (43) may be aligned in an offset position from the upper surface of the support protrusion (51) without facing each other.

[0140] Afterwards, the outer door (43) is lowered, thereby opening the substrate processing space (11) of the chamber assembly (CA) (S1004).

[0141] Fig. 11 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a substrate processing device (1') according to another embodiment.

[0142] In another embodiment, the sealing member (70') may be positioned in a sealing groove (60') formed in the outer door (43') and formed to move in a direction toward the manifold (30'). For example, referring to FIG. 11, the sealing groove (60') may be formed to open upwardly on the upper surface of the outer door (43'), and the sealing member (70') may be positioned inside the sealing groove (60') so as to be movable in the depth direction of the sealing groove (60').

[0143] In another embodiment, the pipe assembly (80') is connected to the outer door (43') to inject gas into the sealing groove (60') or to withdraw gas inside the sealing groove (60'), thereby causing the sealing member (70) to move relative to the sealing groove (60') to seal the gap between the outer door (43') and the manifold (30').

[0144] In the substrate processing device (1') described in Fig. 11, other features except for the placement position of the sealing member (70') and the connection position of the pipe assembly (80') are the same as those of the substrate processing device (1) described above through Figs. 1 to 10, and in this regard, reference may be made to the descriptions of Figs. 1 to 10.

[0145] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be implemented by deleting some components, and the embodiments may be implemented in combination with each other.

Claims

1. A chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided inside and an opening connected to the substrate processing space on one side; An external door that moves relative to the chamber assembly to open and close the substrate processing space; A locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the outer door while the outer door closes the substrate processing space; and A substrate processing device comprising a sealing member disposed in a sealing groove formed in the chamber assembly and moving relative to the sealing groove to seal a gap between the chamber assembly and the outer door.

2. In paragraph 1, The above chamber assembly It further includes a control unit that controls the movement of the above sealing member, A substrate processing device in which the control unit moves the sealing member in response to the relative positions of the chamber assembly and the outer door.

3. In paragraph 2, The above chamber assembly It further includes a mounting portion formed around the opening and in which the sealing groove is arranged, In a state where the outer door is spaced apart from the mounting portion by a preset first distance, the sealing member is positioned at a first position in close contact with the outer door, A substrate processing device in which the sealing member is positioned at a second position that avoids contact with the outer door, while the distance between the outer door and the mounting portion is closer than the first gap.

4. In paragraph 2, The above lock assembly a support protrusion disposed on the chamber assembly; and A substrate processing device disposed on the outer door and including a catch protrusion supported on the upper surface of the support protrusion while the outer door is in a locked state.

5. In paragraph 4, In a state where the above-mentioned hook protrusion is seated on the upper surface of the above-mentioned support protrusion, the sealing member is located at a first position in close contact with the outer door, A substrate processing device in which the sealing member is positioned at a second position to avoid contact with the outer door while the catch protrusion is spaced apart from the upper surface of the support protrusion.

6. In paragraph 2, A substrate processing device in which the control unit controls the movement of the sealing member by increasing or decreasing the pressure in the lifting space formed between the sealing member and the sealing groove.

7. In paragraph 6, A substrate processing device further comprising a pipe assembly connected to an air hole provided in the above sealing groove and capable of supplying gas to the above lifting space or recovering gas from the above lifting space.

8. In paragraph 7, The above sealing groove extends circumferentially with respect to the center of the above opening, A substrate processing device in which the above air holes are provided in multiple numbers and are spaced apart from each other at equal intervals along the extension direction of the sealing groove on the inside of the sealing groove.

9. In paragraph 6, The above sealing member An exposed portion protruding outward from the sealing groove according to the pressure increase of the above-mentioned lifting space; An insertion portion formed with a recessed surface that is inserted into the inner side of the sealing groove and is directed toward the exposed portion; and A sealing portion positioned between the above-mentioned exposed portion and the above-mentioned inserted portion and in close contact with both side walls of the sealing groove; A substrate processing device in which the above-mentioned lifting space is formed between the above-mentioned recessed surface and the above-mentioned sealing groove.

10. A chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided inside and an opening connected to the substrate processing space on one side; An external door that moves relative to the chamber assembly to open and close the substrate processing space; A locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the outer door while the outer door closes the substrate processing space; and A substrate processing device including a sealing member disposed in a sealing groove formed in the outer door and moving in the depth direction of the sealing groove to seal a gap between the chamber assembly and the outer door.

11. In paragraph 10, It further includes a control unit that controls the movement of the above sealing member, A substrate processing device in which the control unit controls the movement of the sealing member by increasing or decreasing the pressure in the lifting space formed between the sealing member and the sealing groove.

12. A control method for a substrate processing device comprising a chamber assembly having a substrate processing space provided therein and an opening on one side communicating with the substrate processing space; an external door for opening and closing the opening; a locking assembly configured to lock or unlock the external door; and a sealing member disposed in a sealing groove formed around the opening. A door alignment step in which the outer door moves toward the chamber assembly to cover the opening; A locking step in which the locking assembly locks the outer door so that the outer door does not come off from the chamber assembly; and A control method of a substrate processing device including a sealing step in which the sealing member moves in the depth direction of the sealing groove to seal the gap between the outer door and the chamber assembly.

13. In paragraph 12, The above substrate processing device further includes a control unit that controls movement of the sealing member, A control method of a substrate processing device in which the control unit controls movement of the sealing member by raising or lowering the pressure in the lifting space formed between the sealing groove and the sealing member.

14. In paragraph 13, The above substrate processing device further includes a pipe assembly capable of injecting gas into the elevating space or recovering gas from the elevating space, A control method of a substrate processing device in which the control unit controls the pressure of the lifting space through the pipe assembly.

15. In paragraph 13, A control method for a substrate processing device in which, in the above sealing step, the pressure of the lifting space is formed higher than the pressure of the substrate processing space.

16. In paragraph 12, In the above sealing step, the sealing member is positioned at a first position that is in close contact with the outer door, A control method of a substrate processing device, wherein in the above locking step, the sealing member is positioned at a second position to avoid contact with the outer door.

17. In paragraph 16, Further comprising an unlocking step for unlocking the outer door so that the outer door can be removed from the chamber assembly; A control method of a substrate processing device in which, in the above unlocking step, the sealing member moves from the first position to the second position.

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