JP6824947B2 - Processing chamber and substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a processing chamber for internally heat-treating a substrate and a substrate processing apparatus using the same, and particularly to an apparatus having a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the chamber body.

For example, in the processing process of various substrates such as a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate for a display device, a glass substrate for a photomask, and a substrate for an optical disk, a process of applying a coating liquid to the substrate and then volatilizing the components contained in the coating liquid. Is widely used. The substrate may be heated to promote volatilization. In a substrate processing apparatus for the purpose of such heat treatment, in order to suppress heat dissipation to improve energy efficiency and prevent components of the coating liquid volatilized by heating from scattering to the surroundings, in the chamber. Processing is generally performed. In this case, the components of the coating liquid volatilized by heating may be cooled and precipitated in the chamber and adhere to the inner wall surface of the chamber. Such deposits can become a source of contamination by falling onto the substrate.

In order to deal with this problem, for example, in the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a means for forming an air flow by a heated gas is provided along the ceiling surface of the chamber. That is, an air supply port for discharging the heated gas is provided on the side of the chamber, and the heated gas is exhausted from an exhaust port provided on the side opposite to the air supply port across the substrate. As a result, the volatilized components of the coating liquid are discharged to the outside without being precipitated in the chamber.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-251670

In such a chamber, a part of the wall surface, for example, the upper surface is generally configured as a detachable lid for maintenance work such as attachment / detachment and cleaning of a processing unit such as a heating device installed in the chamber. Is the target. In this case, the gap between the chamber body and the lid portion placed on the chamber body is maintained in airtightness by inserting a sealing material such as packing.

However, since the temperature inside the chamber where the heat treatment is performed as described above becomes high, a large temperature difference occurs between the portion of the lid portion facing the chamber inner space and the other portion. Due to this temperature difference, the lid is deformed, resulting in insufficient sealing, which reduces airtightness and may allow outside air to enter the chamber. As a result, the temperature drops at the peripheral edge of the lid, and there is a problem that the volatile components from the coating liquid liquefy or solidify and adhere to the surface facing the chamber inner space.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in a processing chamber having a removable lid portion, it is possible to prevent a decrease in airtightness due to thermal deformation of the lid portion, and to prevent a decrease in airtightness due to thermal deformation of the lid portion in a portion of the lower surface of the lid portion facing the chamber internal space. It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique capable of suppressing a temperature drop.

One aspect of the present invention is a processing chamber for heat-treating a substrate to be processed, which has an opening at the upper part to heat the substrate to be processed and the substrate to be processed in order to achieve the above object. A chamber body accommodating a heat source, a lid portion that can be opened and closed with respect to the opening, and the lid portion and the chamber body surrounding the opening between the lid portion and the chamber body in a closed state with respect to the opening. The lid portion has a plate-like body whose peripheral edge protrudes outward from the seal position in contact with the seal portion in a plan view, and the plate-like body has the seal position. A reinforcing member extending along the peripheral edge is connected to the outer side. In a more specific first aspect, the plate-shaped body is a hollow structure in which a frame body is sandwiched between a pair of flat plates, and the reinforcing member is provided on the outside of the frame body in a plan view. There is. In the second aspect, the reinforcing member has a hollow pipe having a rectangular cross section. In the third aspect, the reinforcing member has a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member attached to the side surface of the plate-shaped body and having a vertical size in a cross section larger than a horizontal size. In the fourth aspect, the sealing portion is formed of an elastic material, and is formed of a main body-side sealing material provided on the chamber body so as to surround the opening along the circumference of the opening and the elastic material. The lower surface of the lid portion has a lid-side sealing material provided at a position facing the main body-side sealing material, and in the closed state, the main body-side sealing material and the lid-side sealing material come into contact with each other. Seal the gap.

In the invention configured in this way, the lid portion protrudes outward from the seal position that separates the inner space and the outer space of the chamber, and the protruding portion is reinforced by a reinforcing member. By providing the reinforcing member as conventionally performed, it is possible to suppress thermal deformation of the lid portion and prevent deterioration of airtightness due to poor sealing. However, heat is transferred to the reinforcing member and dissipated, which may cause a local temperature drop on the lower surface of the lid. In the present invention, since the reinforcing member is arranged at a position protruding outward from the seal position, heat dissipation through the reinforcing member is suppressed inside the seal position. From these facts, in the present invention, it is possible to suppress a temperature drop on the lower surface of the lid portion facing the chamber inner space inside the seal position.

Further, another aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing apparatus including the processing chamber and a heating unit as a heat source arranged inside the processing chamber. In the invention configured as described above, the heat treatment is performed in the processing chamber having the lid portion whose peripheral edge portion is reinforced by the reinforcing member. In the processing chamber of the present invention, the temperature drop in the lower surface of the lid portion facing the chamber internal space is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the volatile components from the substrate, which is the object to be treated, from being cooled and adhering to the lower surface of the lid portion and falling onto the substrate.

As described above, according to the present invention, the provision of the reinforcing member suppresses thermal deformation of the lid portion, and the deformation reduces the airtightness and lowers the temperature of the lower surface of the lid portion due to the intrusion of outside air. Is prevented. Further, since the reinforcing member is arranged outside the seal position, the influence of heat dissipation through the reinforcing member on the inside of the seal position can be suppressed. Therefore, inside the seal position, it is possible to suppress a temperature drop on the lower surface of the lid portion facing the space inside the chamber.

It is a side sectional view which shows the structure of the substrate processing apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is an exploded view which shows the more detailed structure of the top plate. It is a figure which shows the structure of the seal part. It is a figure which shows the dimensional relationship of a top plate and a chamber main body. It is a partial cross-sectional view of a top plate. It is a figure which illustrates the effect of this embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 1A shows a state in which the top plate 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is closed, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the top plate 12 is opened.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 receives various substrates such as a semiconductor substrate and a glass substrate coated with a coating liquid such as a photoresist liquid on the surface and heats them under normal pressure to remove solvent components in the coating liquid. It is used for the purpose of volatilizing. For example, this substrate processing apparatus 1 can be used for the purpose of forming a photoresist film on the surface of a substrate. The types of the substrate and the coating liquid are not limited to this. In order to show the directions in each of the following figures in a unified manner, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate axes are set as shown in FIG. 1 (a). Here, the XY plane represents the horizontal plane. Further, the Z axis represents the vertical axis, and more specifically, the (−Z) direction represents the vertical downward direction.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a processing chamber 10 and a hot plate 15 housed therein. The hot plate 15 has a flat surface whose upper surface 15a is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 150 ° C.) by a control unit (not shown). The substrate S, which is the object to be processed, is brought into the processing chamber 10 from the outside and placed on the upper surface 15a of the hot plate 15 to be heated. As a result, the coating liquid applied to the upper surface of the substrate S is heated and the solvent component volatilizes, so that a film is formed on the upper surface of the substrate S. The heat treatment is carried out in the processing chamber 10 in order to prevent the solvent component volatilized from the substrate S from scattering and dust and the like from adhering to the substrate S.

The processing chamber 10 includes a substantially box-shaped chamber main body 11 having an opening 111 at the top, and a top plate 12 which is openable and closable with respect to the opening 111. More specifically, the top plate 12 is a plate-like structure in which both ends in the Y direction are vertically supported by the support mechanisms 13 and 13. The support mechanism 13 raises and lowers the top plate 12 in response to a control command from the control unit to switch between the closed state shown in FIG. 1A and the open state shown in FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 1A, the top plate 12 is positioned downward by the support mechanism 13 in the closed state, and at this time, the opening 111 of the chamber body 11 is closed by the top plate 12 via the seal portion 14. On the other hand, in the open state shown in FIG. 1B, the top plate 12 is positioned at an upper position separated upward from the chamber main body 11 by the support mechanism 13.

The pair of support mechanisms 13, 13 includes an air cylinder 131, a channel member 133, and a guide rail 134. The air cylinder 131 is attached to the ceiling of the place where the substrate processing device 1 is installed or a fixed object such as a gantry (not shown), and raises and lowers the movable rod 132 extending downward in response to a control command from the control unit. A channel member 133 extending in the X direction is attached to the lower end of the movable rod 132. A guide rail 134 extending in the X direction is attached to the channel member 133. The vertical movement of the movable rod 132 causes the channel member 133 and the guide rail 134 to move up and down integrally.

A rotatable roller member 129 is mounted on a rotating shaft 128 extending from the side portion of the top plate 12 at both ends of the top plate 12 in the Y direction, and the roller member 129 is engaged with the guide rail 134. Therefore, the roller member 129 rolls along the guide rail 134, so that the top plate 12 can move horizontally in the X direction. By retracting the top plate 12 from the upper part of the chamber body 11 in the (+ X) direction or the (−X) direction as necessary, the inside of the chamber is exposed through the opening 111 of the top plate chamber body 11. Can be done. In this state, the operator can access the inside of the processing chamber 11 from above and perform maintenance work such as attachment / detachment and cleaning of parts.

In this way, the support mechanism 13 for supporting the top plate 12 to move it up and down and to move it horizontally is attached to the side surface of the top plate 12. As will be described later, the top plate 12 has a plane size larger than that of the chamber 11 main body, and when the support mechanism 13 is attached to the side surface thereof, it can be generated from the support mechanism 13 due to elevating and horizontal movement. Dust is prevented from falling into the chamber.

An opening 112 is provided on the (+ Y) side end surface of the chamber body 11, and a shutter member 113 is attached so as to close the opening 112. As shown by the dotted line in FIG. 1A, the shutter member 113 is openable and closable with respect to the opening 112. By opening the shutter member 113 in response to a control command from the control unit, it is possible to accept the substrate to be processed from the outside and carry out the processed substrate. An external transfer robot (not shown) can be used to carry in and out the board. Further, in the closed state of the shutter member 113, the airtight state is maintained by the rubber packings 114 and 114 provided between the shutter member 113 and the side wall surface of the chamber.

On the other hand, the airtightness between the top plate 12 and the chamber body 11 is ensured by the seal portion 14. The seal portion 14 includes a main body side packing 141 attached to the upper surface of the chamber main body 11 and a top plate side packing 142 attached to the lower surface of the top plate 12. The main body side packing 141 is provided on the upper surface of the chamber main body 11 so as to surround the opening 111 in an annular shape along the periphery of the opening 111. The top plate side packing 142 is provided at a position on the lower surface of the top plate 12 facing the main body side packing 141.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1A, the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 come into contact with each other in the closed state of the top plate 12. The main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 are made of an elastic material having relatively high heat resistance, for example, ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), and at least one of them is elastically deformed by being pressed against each other in a contact state. To do. By maintaining the state in which the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 are in close contact with each other by elastic deformation, the airtightness between the chamber main body 11 and the top plate 12 is maintained. A more detailed structure of the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 will be described later. In the open state of the top plate 12 shown in FIG. 1B, the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 are separated from each other in the vertical direction.

In addition to this, the processing chamber 11 is provided with a gas nozzle 16 that discharges heated gas along the lower surface of the top plate 12 near the end on the (+ Y) direction side in the upper part of the chamber. Further, an exhaust port 115 formed in a slit shape with the X direction as the longitudinal direction is provided on the upper portion of the side surface on the chamber body 11 (−Y) direction side. The gas nozzle 16 warms the lower surface of the top plate 12 by discharging high-temperature gas and circulating it in the vicinity of the lower surface of the top plate 12. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the components volatilized from the coating liquid on the substrate S from being cooled by the cold top plate 12 and being liquefied or recrystallized and adhering to the top plate 12.

An exhaust mechanism (not shown) is connected to the exhaust port 115, and substantially the same amount of gas as the amount supplied from the gas nozzle 16 into the chamber is exhausted from the chamber through the exhaust port 115. Therefore, the pressure in the chamber is maintained at almost atmospheric pressure. Further, the components vaporized from the coating film on the substrate S are also exhausted by this.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a more detailed structure of the top plate. The top plate 12 is a single plate-like structure as a whole. However, as shown in FIG. 2, the internal structure is a so-called flash panel structure in which a frame for ensuring strength and thickness is sandwiched between upper and lower panels. The reason for adopting such a structure is mainly for weight reduction and ensuring heat insulation. That is, as described above, the top plate 12 needs to be retracted for maintenance work. Therefore, the top plate 12 needs to be as light as possible while ensuring the necessary strength. Further, the processing chamber 10 contains a hot plate 15 as a heat source inside, and from the viewpoint of thermal efficiency, heat insulation between the inside of the chamber and the surrounding atmosphere outside the chamber is required. By making the top plate 12 have a hollow flash panel structure, these demands can be met.

More specifically, the top plate 12 includes a frame portion 120 having an inner frame 121, an outer frame 122, and a reinforcing material 123, and an upper panel 124 and a lower panel 125 that sandwich the frame portion 120 from above and below. The inner frame 121 is a rectangular annular frame formed by a hollow square pipe. Similarly, the outer frame 122 is also formed in a rectangular ring shape by a hollow square pipe, and is arranged so as to surround the outer side of the inner frame 121. The reinforcing member 123 is arranged in a grid pattern in an annular region surrounded by the inner frame 121. The upper panel 124 is provided so as to cover the upper portion of the frame portion 120 configured in this manner, that is, the (+ Z) side end portion. On the other hand, the lower panel 125 is provided so as to cover the lower portion of the frame portion 120, that is, the (−Z) side end portion. The upper panel 124 and the lower panel 125 are mechanically bonded to the frame portion 120 by using appropriate bonding means, such as bonding, welding, and a consolidation member such as a screw.

A flat plate-shaped reinforcing plate 126 is attached to each of the four side surfaces of the plate-shaped structure thus constructed. The reinforcing plate 126 is provided together with the outer frame 122 for the purpose of increasing the bending rigidity of the top plate 12. For this purpose, the reinforcing plate 126 has a shape in which the vertical size in the cross section is larger than the horizontal size, that is, the reinforcing plate 126 has a vertically long cross section. As a result, it is possible to increase the rigidity against deformation of the top plate 12 in the direction in which the peripheral edge portion warps.

Each member constituting the top plate 12 described above may be made of, for example, steel or stainless steel, but the material may be appropriately changed depending on the application. Also, the materials of each member do not have to be the same. Further, although not shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 1A, roller members 129 are rotatably attached to both ends of the top plate 12 on the Y direction side.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the seal portion. As described above, the seal portion 14 includes a main body side packing 141 and a top plate side packing 142. As shown in FIG. 3A, the cross-sectional shape of the main body side packing 141 is such that the flat portion 141a and the flat portion 141a grow (extend) substantially upward from the (-Y) direction side end portion and the tip end. It is a cantilever type having a movable piece 141b curved toward the (+ Y) direction. The flat portion 141a is fixed to the upper end portion of the chamber main body 11 by a consolidation member 144 such as a screw via a holding metal fitting 143. The movable piece 141b is elastically deformed by a pressing force from above.

On the other hand, the top plate side packing 142 is a hollow body in which a thin rubber sheet body is folded back around an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof to form a loop-shaped cross section, and the sheet end is on the (+ Y) direction side. They are overlapped with each other and fixed to the top plate 12 by a fixing member 146 via a holding metal fitting 145. Therefore, the loop portion is elastically deformed by pressing from below, the hollow portion surrounded by the loop portion is crushed, and its cross-sectional shape and its area are changed. The material of the top plate side packing 142 and its thickness are selected so as to be softer than the main body side packing 141, that is, the amount of elastic deformation for the same pressing force is larger. In order to attach the top plate side packing 142 made of a soft rubber sheet to the top plate 12 in close contact with the top plate 12, the holding metal fitting 145 uses an angle member having an L-shaped cross section that is not easily deformed.

As shown in FIG. 3A, when the distance D1 between the top plate 12 and the chamber main body 11 is sufficiently large and the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 are separated from each other, the top plate side packing 142 is large. It forms a loop and has a shape that hangs downward due to its own weight. At this time, the chamber internal space and the external space communicate with each other.

As shown in FIG. 3B, assuming that the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 come into contact with each other when the distance between the top plate 12 and the chamber main body 11 is D2 (<D1), this contact causes the chamber. The inner space and the outer space are separated, and a sealing effect is generated. The position where the space inside the chamber isolated from the outside by the seal portion 14 extends to the outermost side is referred to as "seal position Ps". When the distance between the top plate 12 and the chamber main body 11 is smaller than this value D2, the softer top plate side packing 142 is mainly elastically deformed, so that the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 come into contact with each other. The state of being sealed with is maintained.

Also at this time, since the hanging of the top plate packing 142 due to the action of gravity causes a displacement toward the main body side packing 141 side, it acts to maintain the sealed state. On the other hand, since the deformation of the main body side packing 141 is smaller than that of the top plate side packing 141, gravity does not act in the direction of breaking the sealed state.

The top plate side packing 142 is softer and more easily deformed than the main body side packing 141. If there is a difference in the amount of elastic deformation with respect to the same pressing force in this way, one of them will be deformed to follow the surface shape of the other when they come into contact with each other. In this case, the top plate side packing 142 is deformed following the main body side packing 141. As a result, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the top plate side packing 142 and the main body side packing 141. The larger the loop in the cross section of the top plate side packing 142, the larger the stroke in elastic deformation can be taken. By doing so, it is possible to improve the followability to the change in the distance between the chamber main body 11 and the top plate 12.

The processing chamber 10 is used at a substantially normal pressure inside, and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the chamber is small. Therefore, the seal portion 14 does not need to withstand a high pressure difference, and if the packings are in close contact with each other when they come into contact with each other as described above, sufficient airtightness can be maintained.

As shown in FIG. 3 (c), assuming that the top plate side packing 142 is completely crushed at a value D3 (<D2) where the distance between the top plate 12 and the chamber body 11 is even smaller, the top plate 12 and the chamber body 11 are completely crushed. When the distance from and is D2 or more and D3 or less, the sealing effect by the sealing portion 14 can be obtained. Even if the distance changes within this range, the seal state is maintained mainly by changing the amount of elastic deformation according to the distance between the top plate 12 and the chamber body 11.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the upper surface of the packing 141 on the main body side has a curved surface whose cross section is convex upward. On the other hand, the lower surface of the top plate side packing 142 has a curved surface whose cross section is convex downward. Further, the lowermost end portion of the top plate side packing 142 is located closer to the inside of the chamber than the uppermost end portion of the main body side packing 141. Therefore, when both packings are in contact with each other, as shown in FIG. 3B, the main body side packing 141 is deformed so as to push the top plate side packing 142 into the chamber internal space side, and finally. As shown in FIG. 3C, the main body side packing 141 is in a state in which the top plate side packing 142 is sandwiched between the main body side packing 141 and the lower surface of the top plate 12. As a result, the packing 141 on the main body side and the packing 142 on the top plate side are brought into close contact with each other over a wide area, and stable airtightness can be maintained.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a dimensional relationship between the top plate and the chamber body. More specifically, FIG. 4A is an exploded and assembled perspective view of the processing chamber 10, and FIG. 4B is a top view of the processing chamber 10. The top plate 12 composed of the above-mentioned members of the top plate 12 and the chamber body 11 is larger than the chamber body 11 in a plan view. As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), when the top plate 12 is placed on the chamber main body 11 so that the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 are in contact with each other, the peripheral edge of the top plate 12 is formed. On all four sides, the packings are in contact with each other and extend far to the outside of the seal position Ps that separates the inside and the outside of the chamber.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the top plate. More specifically, FIG. 5A is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4B. Further, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the top plate in a conventional general processing chamber. As shown in FIG. 5A, the top plate 12 has a flash panel structure, and double-structured square pipe frames 121 and 122 are sandwiched between the upper panel 124 and the lower panel 125. .. Of these, the inner square pipe frame 121 functions as a frame for fixing the inner reinforcing member 123. On the other hand, the outer square pipe frame 122 is provided to further increase the bending rigidity of the top plate 12. Here, the shape of each part is set so that the position occupied by the outer square pipe frame 122 in the Y direction is outside the seal position Ps. The effect obtained by adopting such a structure will be described below.

A hot plate 15 serving as a heat generating source exists in the space inside the chamber. Therefore, the lower surface 12a of the top plate 12 is heated by the radiant heat from the hot plate 15 and the atmosphere in the chamber warmed by the hot plate 15. Further, an air flow of heated gas is generated along the lower surface of the top plate 12. As a result, the lower surface 12a of the top plate 12 facing the chamber internal space, more specifically, the lower panel 125 is heated to a high temperature. On the other hand, the upper panel 124 is exposed to the outside air, and its temperature is closer to room temperature. The heat of the lower panel 125 is also conducted to the upper panel 124 via the frame portion 120, more specifically, the reinforcing material 123, the frames 121, 122, etc., but between the upper panel 124 and the lower panel 125. It is inevitable that a large temperature difference will occur.

The problem that the top plate 12 warps due to such a temperature difference may occur. More specifically, the lower panel 125 having a higher temperature than the upper panel 124 causes a larger thermal expansion, so that the peripheral edge portion of the top plate 12 tends to warp upward. When the top plate 12 is warped and the distance from the chamber body 11 is widened and the airtightness is broken, the temperature of the lower surface of the top plate 12 is lowered due to the intrusion of cold outside air, which causes liquefaction and recrystallization of volatilized components.

In order to prevent such warpage, the frames 121 and 122 and the reinforcing plate 126 are arranged. However, these structures themselves may act as heat conductors that take away the heat of the lower panel 125, and as a result, the temperature of the lower surface of the top plate 12 may be lowered.

In particular, the problem is remarkable in the structure of the comparative example shown in FIG. 5 (b). As shown in FIG. 5B, in the general processing chamber 20, the plane sizes of the chamber main body 21 and the top plate 22 are substantially the same for the purpose of avoiding an increase in the installation space. Therefore, the frame 221 for reinforcing the peripheral edge of the top plate 22 and fixing the reinforcing member 223 must be provided inside the seal position Ps. Further, the reinforcing plate 226 for reinforcing the side surface of the top plate 22 is also provided at a position relatively close to the seal position Ps.

In such a structure, the heat applied to the lower panel 225 from the heat generating source in the chamber is transferred to the upper panel 224 and the outside air via the frame 221 and the reinforcing plate 226, and is particularly close to the peripheral edge of the lower panel 225. The temperature drop becomes remarkable at the position.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, the top plate 12 is extended to the outside of the seal position Ps, and the outer frame 122 and the reinforcing plate 126 for reinforcing the top plate 12 are provided outside the seal position Ps. Has been done. On the other hand, the inner frame 121 suffices to function as a frame for fixing the reinforcing member 123, and high bending rigidity is not required. Therefore, it is possible to use a square pipe having a relatively small cross-sectional area. As described above, the frame 121 having a small cross-sectional area and therefore a small heat capacity is arranged inside the seal position Ps, while the frame 122 and the reinforcing plate 126 having high rigidity but also a large heat capacity are arranged outside the seal position Ps. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the temperature drop on the lower surface of the top plate 12 to be small, at least in the region inside the seal position Ps.

Further, since it is not necessary to consider the problem of temperature decrease on the outside of the seal position Ps, it is possible to provide necessary and sufficient reinforcement from the viewpoint of mechanical strength. As a result, the warp of the top plate 12 can be suppressed more strongly, and the temperature drop due to the breakage of the airtightness due to the warp can be more effectively suppressed.

From the viewpoint of maintaining airtightness, the warp of the top plate 12 is most problematic at the seal position Ps. In other words, if the deformation of the top plate 12 is suppressed at the seal position Ps, the airtight state is maintained even if the other parts are deformed. Therefore, it is desirable that the reinforcement by the reinforcing member such as the outer frame 122 effectively functions at the seal position Ps. In that sense, it can be said that it is preferable that the reinforcing member such as the square pipe frame is arranged across the seal positions Ps. However, from the viewpoint of preventing the temperature drop of the top plate lower surface 12a in the chamber, it is preferable that the reinforcing member is provided outside the seal position Ps.

As described above, regarding the arrangement of the reinforcing members, preferable forms are contradictory between the viewpoint of reinforcement and the viewpoint of temperature maintenance. As shown in FIG. 5A, one method of satisfying both of these is to make the frame portion 120 a double structure of the inner frame 121 and the outer frame 122, and to make the boundary between the inner frame 121 and the outer frame 122 substantially. The structure is to match the seal position Ps. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the temperature drop of the top plate lower surface 12a in the chamber while ensuring the mechanical strength of the top plate 12 in the vicinity of the seal position Ps.

In order to more effectively suppress the dissipation of heat through the outer frame 122, it is preferable to provide a space between the outer frame 121 and the inner frame 121 as shown in FIG. 5A. In this way, since direct heat conduction from the inner frame 121 to the outer frame 122 does not occur, heat dissipation from the inner frame 121 to the outer frame 122 is further suppressed. As a result, the temperature drop of the lower panel 125 in the chamber is further suppressed.

Further, as described above, the warp of the top plate 12 is suppressed by performing strong reinforcement by a plurality of members, and the warp causes the airtightness to break and the outside air invades, thereby lowering the temperature of the lower panel 125. Can be prevented from occurring. Further, even if the top plate 12 is warped due to the temperature difference in the top plate 12 and the distance from the chamber main body 11 is widened, the seal portion 14 of the present embodiment is subject to such fluctuation of the distance. It has a function to follow and maintain an airtight state. Therefore, if the warp is small, the airtightness can be sufficiently maintained.

As shown in FIG. 5B as a comparative example, when the packing 24 is provided on only one of the top plate 22 and the chamber main body 21, the packing 24 is deformed following the warp of the top plate 22. , It is necessary to set a considerably large deformable amount of the packing 24, that is, a stroke in elastic deformation in advance. However, the packing 24 may be permanently deformed by being exposed to high heat for a long time in a pressed state, and the larger the deformable amount, the more likely the packing 24 is permanently deformed. Therefore, it is difficult to sufficiently increase the deformable amount.

In the seal portion 14 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, the top plate side packing 142 hanging under its own weight acts as a seal when it comes into contact with the main body side packing 141, so that permanent deformation due to pressing is assumed to occur on the top plate side packing. Even if it occurs in 142, the deterioration of the sealing function is limited.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the effect of the present embodiment. FIG. 6A is a diagram schematically showing the temperature distribution of the lower surface of the top plate 12 in the chamber. The temperature of the lower surface of the top plate 12, more specifically, the lower surface of the lower panel 125 is considered to be substantially constant near the center of the chamber in the horizontal direction, but drops significantly near the seal position Ps and is outside the seal position Ps. Then, the temperature finally becomes close to room temperature. As shown by the solid line, the temperature distribution in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 5 (a) maintains a substantially uniform temperature up to the vicinity of the seal position Ps, and greatly decreases outside the seal position Ps.

On the other hand, in the temperature distribution in the comparative example shown in FIG. 5 (b), as shown by the dotted line, a larger temperature drop occurs inside the seal position Ps. If the temperature of the lower surface of the top plate is lower than the liquefaction or solidification temperature of the volatile components from the coating liquid inside the inner wall surface of the chamber, the liquefied or solidified volatile components adhere to this portion. This may fall into the chamber and contaminate the substrate S and the like. In the present embodiment, since the temperature drop can be suppressed to the vicinity of the seal position Ps, it is possible to prevent the generation of deposits at least on the inside of the inner wall surface of the chamber.

FIG. 6B is a diagram schematically showing the operation of the seal portion 14. When the lower plate 125 thermally expands, a warp occurs so that the peripheral edge portion of the top plate 12 is displaced upward as shown in FIG. 6B. Therefore, the distance D between the upper end of the chamber body 11 and the lower surface 12a of the top plate changes depending on the position. When this interval D is within the range of the above-mentioned values D2 to D3, as shown in the figure, the airtight state is mainly maintained by the deformation of the top plate side packing 142, and the temperature drop due to the intrusion of outside air is prevented. ..

As described above, in this embodiment, the reinforcing members (outer frame 122, reinforcing plate 126) are provided on the peripheral edge of the top plate 12, and the top plate is caused by the lower surface 12a being heated in the chamber. The warp of 12 is mechanically suppressed. As a result, the airtightness is prevented from being broken due to the warp of the top plate 12, and the temperature drop of the top plate lower surface 12a due to the intrusion of outside air is suppressed.

Further, the size of the top plate 12 in a plan view is larger than that of the chamber body 11, and the peripheral edge of the top plate 12 extends to the outside of the seal position Ps. Then, by providing the reinforcing member mainly outside the seal position Ps, it is possible to dissipate heat through the reinforcing member outside the seal position Ps. As a result, it is possible to suppress a temperature drop of the top plate lower surface 12a inside the seal position Ps.

As described above, the structure of the top plate 12 in the present embodiment suppresses warpage by mechanical reinforcement to prevent low-temperature outside air from entering, and also suppresses direct heat dissipation through the reinforcing member. Has the effect of All of these have the effect of suppressing the components volatilized from the coating liquid from being liquefied or solidified again and adhering to the top plate 12 due to the temperature drop of the top plate lower surface 12a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent such deposits from falling into the chamber and contaminating the substrate S and the like.

On the other hand, the seal portion 14 in this embodiment has a structure capable of maintaining an airtight state even if the top plate 12 is warped. That is, packings made of elastic material are provided on each of the chamber body 11 and the top plate 12, and the packings are configured to come into contact with each other when the top plate 12 is closed to the chamber body 11.

The material and shape of one of the packings, that is, the top plate side packing 142, is set so as to be more elastically deformed with respect to the same pressing force as compared with the other packing, that is, the main body side packing 141. Therefore, when both packings come into contact with each other, the main body side packing 141 is not significantly deformed, whereas the top plate side packing 142 is deformed more greatly so that the main body side packing 141 is brought into close contact with the surface of the main body side packing 141.

That is, even if the distance between the chamber body 11 and the top plate 12 fluctuates due to the warp of the top plate 12, the seal portion 14 can follow this and maintain the airtight state. As described above, the seal portion 14 does not have the effect of suppressing the warp of the top plate 12, but even if the warp occurs, the seal portion 14 has an effect of breaking the airtightness and preventing the outside air from entering. ..

As described above, in the above embodiment, the top plate 12 functions as the "lid portion" and the "plate-like body" of the present invention. Then, the inner frame 121 and the reinforcing material 123 are integrally formed into the "frame body" of the present invention, the upper panel 124 and the lower panel 125 are respectively formed into the "flat plate body" of the present invention, and the outer frame 122 and the reinforcing plate 126 are respectively. It corresponds to the "reinforcing member" of the present invention. Further, the main body side packing 141 and the top plate side packing 142 function as the "main body side sealing material" and the "lid side sealing material" of the present invention, respectively. Further, in the above embodiment, the hot plate 15 functions as the "heating unit" of the present invention, while the gas nozzle 16 functions as the "air flow forming unit" of the present invention.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the top plate 12 of the above embodiment includes an outer frame 122 and a reinforcing plate 126 as reinforcing members for suppressing warpage. However, it is not always necessary to provide both of them, and only one of them may be equipped. Further, the reinforcing member provided on the side surface of the top plate 12 is not limited to the plate-shaped one as in the above embodiment, and may be, for example, a hollow pipe.

Further, the top plate 12 of the above embodiment has a flush panel structure having a hollow inside, and for example, the hollow portion may be filled with a heat insulating material.

Further, in the above embodiment, a loop type packing is provided on the top plate 12 and a cantilever type packing is provided on the chamber body 11 side, but these may be reversed. However, in order to make the sagging of the packing due to gravity useful for maintaining the sealing function, it is preferable to use the packing that is easily deformed as described above on the top plate side. Further, the shape of these packings may be used for packing for sealing the opening on the side surface of the chamber, for example.

Further, the top plate side packing 142 of the above embodiment has a loop shape formed by folding back a rubber sheet body, but a member molded in a loop shape in advance may be used, or a hollow tube. It may be fixed with a holding metal fitting in a state where a part of the above is crushed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the substrate S is heated by being placed on the heated hot plate 12, but the method for heating the substrate is not limited to this. For example, the substrate may be heated by radiant heat from a heater as a "heating unit" arranged above the chamber internal space. Further, a heating unit for supplying hot air may be provided in the chamber.

In the heat treatment of the above embodiment, the coating film is dried and cured by accepting the substrate S in which a coating film is formed, that is, a liquid film is formed on the surface, and volatilizing the solvent component by heating. It is something to make. However, for example, the heat treatment for sublimating and removing the sublimating component from the solid film in which the coating film is solidified in advance and the heat treatment for volatilizing all the components of the coating film and drying the substrate also have the above configuration. It is possible to apply the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the above.

As described above, as described by exemplifying a specific embodiment, in the processing chamber according to the present invention, for example, the plate-shaped body is a hollow structure in which a frame body is sandwiched between a pair of flat plates, and is viewed in a plan view. A reinforcing member may be provided on the outside of the frame body. According to such a configuration, it is possible to construct a plate-like body having sufficient strength in a lightweight manner. Then, by providing the reinforcing member on the outside of the frame body, it is possible to more effectively suppress the deformation of the plate-shaped body due to heat.

Further, for example, in a plan view, the outer peripheral edge of the frame may be configured to fit inside the seal position. According to such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the dissipation of heat to the outside from the seal position through the frame body, and it is possible to suppress the temperature drop of the lower surface of the lid portion.

Further, for example, the lid portion may have an inner frame as a frame body and an outer frame as a reinforcing member that surrounds the inner frame in a plan view. According to such a configuration, the frame body for maintaining the structure of the plate-shaped body and the reinforcing member for suppressing the deformation thereof can be optimally designed according to their respective functions.

Further, for example, a hollow pipe having a rectangular cross section can be used as the reinforcing member. By using a hollow member as the reinforcing member, it is possible to achieve both high strength and light weight. In addition, it is possible to suppress heat dissipation through the reinforcing member.

Further, for example, as the reinforcing member, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member attached to the side surface of the plate-shaped body and having a vertical size in the cross section larger than the horizontal size can be used. According to such a configuration, the bending rigidity in the direction in which the peripheral edge portion of the plate-shaped body warps can be increased, and the thermal deformation of the plate-shaped body can be suppressed.

Further, for example, the sealing portion is formed of an elastic material and is formed of a main body side sealing material provided on the chamber main body so as to surround the opening along the circumference of the opening and an elastic material, and is formed of the main body side of the lower surface of the lid portion. It has a lid-side sealing material provided at a position facing the sealing material, and in the closed state, the main body-side sealing material and the lid-side sealing material come into contact with each other to seal the gap. According to such a configuration, since the gap is sealed by the contact between the elastic sealing materials, the sealing material follows the increase in the gap due to the thermal deformation of the lid to maintain the sealing state. It is possible to maintain.

Further, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, for example, the heating unit may have a hot plate on which the substrate to be processed is placed on the heated upper surface. In such a configuration, the lower surface of the lid is heated by the heat radiation from the hot plate and the warmed atmosphere inside the chamber. On the other hand, a local temperature drop due to heat dissipation through the structure constituting the lid and intrusion of outside air due to a decrease in airtightness tends to cause adhesion of volatile components. By applying the present invention to such a configuration, it is possible to suppress thermal deformation of the lid portion and heat dissipation to the outside, and prevent adhesion of volatile components to the lid portion.

Further, for example, the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention may have a configuration having an air flow forming portion for flowing a heated gas along the lower surface of the lid portion in the processing chamber. Even in such a configuration, the lower surface of the lid portion is heated by the heated gas, and the same problem as described above may occur. It is effective to apply the present invention to such a configuration.

The present invention can be applied to various processing chambers provided with a heat source for processing inside and a substrate processing apparatus using the same. For example, it is suitably applied to a substrate processing device that volatilizes the components of a coating film formed on the substrate surface by heating for the purpose of forming a functional layer such as a photoresist film and a protective film on the substrate surface of a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, etc. It is possible.

1 Substrate processing device 10 Processing chamber 11 Chamber body 12 Top plate (lid, plate-like body)
13 Support mechanism 14 Seal part 15 Hot plate (heating part)
16 Gas nozzle (air flow forming part)
120 Frame part 121 Inner frame (frame body)
122 Outer frame (reinforcing member)
123 Reinforcing material (frame body)
124 Upper panel (flat plate)
125 Lower panel (flat plate)
126 Reinforcing plate (reinforcing member)
141 Body side packing (main body side sealing material)
142 Top plate side packing (lid side sealing material)
Ps seal position S substrate (processed substrate)

Claims (9)

A processing chamber for heat-treating the substrate to be processed.
A chamber body having an opening at the top and accommodating the substrate to be processed and a heat source for heating the substrate to be processed.
A lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the opening
A seal portion that surrounds the opening between the lid portion and the chamber body in a closed state with respect to the opening and seals a gap between the lid portion and the chamber body is provided.
The lid portion has a plate-like body whose peripheral edge protrudes outward from the seal position in contact with the seal portion in a plan view .
The plate-shaped body is a hollow structure in which a frame body is sandwiched between a pair of flat plates, and a reinforcing member extending along the peripheral edge outside the seal position is connected to the outside of the frame body in a plan view. The processing chamber has been. The processing chamber according to claim 1 , wherein the outer peripheral edge of the frame is contained inside the seal position in a plan view. The processing chamber according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the lid portion has an inner frame as the frame body and an outer frame as the reinforcing member that surrounds the inner frame in a plan view. A processing chamber for heat-treating the substrate to be processed.
A chamber body having an opening at the top and accommodating the substrate to be processed and a heat source for heating the substrate to be processed.
A lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the opening
A seal portion that surrounds the opening between the lid portion and the chamber main body in a closed state with respect to the opening and seals a gap between the lid portion and the chamber main body is provided.
The lid portion has a plate-like body whose peripheral edge protrudes outward from the seal position in contact with the seal portion in a plan view, and the plate-like body is reinforced so as to extend along the peripheral edge outside the seal position. The members are combined and
A processing chamber having a hollow pipe having a rectangular cross section as the reinforcing member . A processing chamber for heat-treating the substrate to be processed.
A chamber body having an opening at the top and accommodating the substrate to be processed and a heat source for heating the substrate to be processed.
A lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the opening
A seal portion that surrounds the opening between the lid portion and the chamber main body in a closed state with respect to the opening and seals a gap between the lid portion and the chamber main body is provided.
The lid portion has a plate-like body whose peripheral edge protrudes outward from the seal position in contact with the seal portion in a plan view, and the plate-like body is reinforced so as to extend along the peripheral edge outside the seal position. The members are combined and
As the reinforcing member, a processing chamber having a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member attached to a side surface of the plate-shaped body and having a vertical size in a cross section larger than a horizontal size . A processing chamber for heat-treating the substrate to be processed.
A chamber body having an opening at the top and accommodating the substrate to be processed and a heat source for heating the substrate to be processed.
A lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the opening
A seal portion that surrounds the opening between the lid portion and the chamber main body in a closed state with respect to the opening and seals a gap between the lid portion and the chamber main body is provided.
The lid portion has a plate-like body whose peripheral edge protrudes outward from the seal position in contact with the seal portion in a plan view, and the plate-like body is reinforced so as to extend along the peripheral edge outside the seal position. The members are combined and
The seal portion is
A body-side sealing material formed of an elastic material and provided on the chamber body so as to surround the opening along the circumference of the opening.
It has a lid-side sealing material formed of an elastic material and provided at a position facing the main body-side sealing material on the lower surface of the lid portion.
A processing chamber that seals the gap by abutting the main body side sealing material and the lid side sealing material in the closed state . The processing chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .
A substrate processing apparatus including a heating unit as a heat source arranged inside the processing chamber. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the heating unit has a hot plate on which a substrate to be processed is placed on a heated upper surface. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 , further comprising an air flow forming portion for flowing a heated gas along the lower surface of the lid portion in the processing chamber.

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