KR101199954B1 - Boat For Processing A Substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a boat for processing a substrate, comprising: a support unit (100) provided with a plurality of support members (115) on which a substrate holder or a bottom surface of a substrate is supported; A support plate 110 having lower ends of the support unit 100 coupled to both sides thereof such that the support 115 is disposed to face each other; And a heater unit 130 disposed between the supports 115 to supply heat to a central portion of the substrate. As described above, the present invention provides a heater for supplying heat to the center portion of the substrate when the substrate is heated, for each layer on which the substrate is loaded, thereby reducing the temperature variation according to the position of the substrate, thereby preventing deformation of the substrate. .

Description

Board For Processing A Substrate

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a boat for processing a substrate, and more particularly, to a boat for processing a substrate by operating a heater during substrate processing to process the substrate by heat.

Large area substrate processing systems used in the manufacture of flat panel displays can be broadly divided into deposition apparatuses and annealing apparatuses.

Annealing devices used in the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, and solar cells are responsible for the heat treatment steps necessary for processes such as crystallization and phase change for a predetermined thin film deposited on a substrate such as a silicon wafer or glass. to be.

For example, in a liquid crystal display and a thin film crystalline silicon solar cell, a silicon crystallization device for crystallizing amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate with polysilicon is a typical annealing device.

A temperature of at least 550 ° C. to 600 ° C. is required for the crystallization of amorphous silicon. That is, the annealing apparatus is a substrate processing apparatus which applies heat to the thin film formed on the board | substrate, and heat is applied also to a board | substrate similarly to a thin film by an annealing apparatus.

In the substrate processing apparatus, there are a sheet type which can perform heat treatment on one substrate and a batch type which can perform heat treatment on a plurality of substrates. Single leaf type has the advantage of simple configuration of the device, but the disadvantage of low productivity has been in the spotlight for the recent mass production.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a batch type substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the batch heat treatment apparatus 1 may have a substrate processing space for a boat 5 loaded with a plurality of substrates 10 and a plurality of substrates 10 loaded with the boat 5. The chamber 2 for providing a chamber, the heater 3 surrounding the outside of the chamber 2 to create a substrate processing environment of the chamber 2, the gas required for the composition of the substrate processing atmosphere of the substrate 10 chamber 2 ) And a gas supply pipe 4b for discharging the gas.

In the conventional batch type substrate processing apparatus 1, since the heater 3 is installed outside the cylindrical chamber 2, a temperature difference occurs between the center portion and the outer peripheral portion of the substrate 1 during the substrate processing process. There is a problem that uniform substrate processing cannot be performed over the entire area of (1). That is, the uniform substrate treatment is not performed over the entire surface of the substrate, the properties of the thin film formed on the substrate are not uniform, and there is a problem in that the performance of the flat panel display or the solar cell manufactured is degraded.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a boat for processing a substrate which can reduce the temperature variation according to the position of the substrate when heating the substrate for processing the substrate in the boat.

In order to achieve the above object, the substrate processing boat according to the present invention, the support unit 100 is provided with a plurality of support base 115 in which the bottom of the substrate holder or the substrate is supported in the vertical direction; A support plate 110 having lower ends of the support unit 100 coupled to both sides thereof such that the support 115 is disposed to face each other; And a heater unit 130 disposed between the supports 115 to supply heat to a central portion of the substrate.

In addition, two support units 100 are installed along the longitudinal direction of both sides of the support plate 110, and the two support units 100 have a plurality of guides 118 for guiding a substrate or a substrate holder. Can be installed.

In addition, a guide unit 120 for supporting the guide 118 may be installed between the two support units 100 installed on both sides of the support plate 110.

In addition, a lower heater 150 for supplying heat may be provided below the support plate 110.

In addition, the heater unit 130 may include a plurality of tube heaters 131 extending from the outside of the substrate or the substrate holder to the center of the bottom surface of the substrate or the substrate holder.

In addition, the heater unit 130 may include a heater support rod 135, the tube heater 131 is installed in the vertical direction, the lower end is fixed to the support plate 110.

In addition, the tube heater 131 may have a “⊃” shape, and both ends thereof may be inserted into the heater support rod 135 and stacked on the heater support rod 135.

In addition, a bottom surface of the tube heater 131 may be provided with a support bracket 140 for supporting along the longitudinal direction of the tube heater 131.

In addition, the support bracket 140 is a support plate 141 for supporting at intervals on the bottom surface of the tube heater 131; And the support plate 141 may include a pedestal 142 is fixed at intervals.

" 형상을 갖고, 상기 튜브히터(131)가 안치되는 안치부(143)를 포함할 수 있다.In addition, the support plate 141 is "

", And may include a settled portion 143 in which the tube heater 131 is placed.

In addition, the support plate 110 may be provided with a supporter 145 to which the pedestal 142 is coupled and fixed in the vertical direction.

On the other hand, the heater unit 130 may be installed in a plurality of places of the support plate 110.

In addition, the tube heater 131 may be disposed at the bottom surface of the substrate holder or the central portion of the substrate in three directions of the support plate 110.

As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, a heater for supplying heat to the center of the substrate when the substrate is heated is provided for each layer on which the substrate is loaded, thereby reducing the temperature variation according to the position of the substrate to prevent deformation of the substrate. You can get the effect.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the substrate is uniformly heated over the entire area, it is possible to prevent warpage of the substrate when the substrate is heated, and to prevent unbalanced deposition of the substrate caused by the temperature difference of the substrate.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a batch substrate processing apparatus according to the prior art.
2 is a perspective view of a boat for processing a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is an exploded view of the heater unit, the support unit, and the guide unit of FIG. 2.
4 is an enlarged view of the heater unit of FIG. 2.
5 is an enlarged view of the tube heater and the support bracket of FIG. 4.
6 is an enlarged view of the support bracket of FIG. 5.
7 is a plan view of a heater unit of a boat for processing a substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are different, but need not be mutually exclusive. For example, certain features, structures, and characteristics described herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in connection with an embodiment. It is also to be understood that the position or arrangement of the individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled, if properly explained. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar functions throughout the several views, and length and area, thickness, and the like may be exaggerated for convenience.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The material of the substrate loaded in the boat for processing the substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, and substrates of various materials such as glass, plastic, polymer, silicon wafer, stainless steel, and the like may be loaded. Hereinafter, a description will be given assuming a rectangular glass substrate that is most commonly used in the field of flat panel displays such as LCDs and OLEDs and thin film silicon solar cells.

The substrate is preferably loaded in the boat while mounted on the substrate holder. When the substrate processing temperature reaches the softening temperature of the glass substrate during the substrate processing process, bending of the substrate may occur due to the weight of the substrate itself. The warpage phenomenon of the substrate becomes a bigger problem due to the large area of the substrate. In order to solve this problem, it is preferable to proceed with the substrate treatment with the substrate mounted on the substrate holder.

The chamber is supplied with an atmosphere gas for creating a substrate processing atmosphere inside the chamber. The substrate processing atmosphere composition gas may be nitrogen, argon, etc., but is not necessarily limited thereto. In addition, when the substrate processing process is completed, the inside of the chamber may be rapidly cooled. To this end, a cooling gas such as helium, nitrogen, and argon may flow into the chamber. The cooling gas flows through the inside of the chamber and takes heat inside the chamber, thereby rapidly lowering the temperature inside the chamber. Accordingly, the unloading operation of the substrate can be performed within an early time after the substrate processing step is completed, so that the productivity of the substrate processing step can be improved.

2 and 3, a boat for processing a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention is raised from the lower side of the chamber (not shown) for processing the substrate to the inside of the chamber, or lowered out of the lower side of the chamber. The substrate or the substrate holder on which the substrate is mounted may be stacked.

The boat of the present invention includes a support unit 100 of a substrate or a substrate holder, and a support plate 110 on which the support unit 100 is installed at a right angle. The support unit 100 includes a support 115 for stacking the substrate holders in the vertical direction. The support plate 110 is a base portion to which the lower end of the support unit 100 is coupled. The support 115 on the support plate 110 may be disposed to face each other to support both bottom surfaces of the substrate holder. The support unit 100 installed in the vertical direction on both sides of the support plate 110 may load a plurality of substrate holders by the support bases 115 disposed to be spaced apart from each other.

The above has just described the stacking structure of the substrate holder on which the substrate to be substrate-processed is placed. There may be various stacking or stacking structures for batch processing of substrates. As a structure in which substrates are disposed at intervals and may be processed in a batch, a structure in which the substrate is vertically installed on the support plate 110 may be possible.

The heater unit 130 for processing the substrate seated on the stacked or stacked substrate holder as described above is installed between the support (115). The heater unit 130 is a heat supply device capable of processing a substrate by supplying heat to a central portion of the substrate.
Although it was described in the prior art of FIG. 1, the conventional substrate processing apparatus transmits heat only from the heater 3 installed on the outside of the substrate 10 to generate a temperature difference between the edge portion and the center portion of the substrate 10. There was this.
The main function of the heater unit 130 in the present invention is to supply heat to the center portion of the substrate to reduce the temperature difference generated between the edge portion and the center portion of the substrate. In this case, the heater unit 130 may supply heat at the same time as the heater (not shown) installed on the outside of the chamber, may be supplied with a time difference.

Meanwhile, referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, two support units 100 are installed at edge portions of the support plate 110 along the length direction of both sides of the support plate 110. Two support units 100 are provided with guides 118 for guiding the substrate holder onto each support 115 for each support 115. Guide 118 is formed as close to the straight line as possible to guide the substrate holder in a straight line. Guide 118 may be installed inside the support (115). The guide 118 supports both sides of the substrate holder, and when the substrate holder is moved from one support 115 to the other support 115 spaced apart in the moving direction, the substrate holder is misaligned so that the support 115 is supported. It prevents the phenomenon from coming off.

A guide unit 120 supporting the guide 118 is installed between the two support units 100 installed at both sides of the support plate 110. The guide unit 120 is formed with a support protrusion 121 that can restrain or support the position of the guide 118. The support protrusion 121 is formed along the vertical direction of the guide unit 120. The support protrusion 121 has a shape capable of supporting the guide 118 having a shorter length than the support 115 of the support unit 100. The support unit 100 and the guide unit 120 are fixed on the support plate 110 in a similar structure.

3 and 4 look at the specific configuration of the heater unit 130.

The heater unit 130 includes a plurality of tube heaters 131 extending from the outside of the substrate or the substrate holder to the center of the bottom surface of the substrate or the substrate holder. The main configuration that generates heat in the heater unit 130 is the tube heater 131. The tube heater 131 is a known tube type heater including a sheath heater. The tube heater 131 has an advantage that the shape can be freely changed, so that the tube heater 131 can be easily installed in the heater unit 130 and can be easily disposed between the substrates.

The heater unit 130 includes a heater support rod 135 in which the tube heater 131 is installed in the vertical direction and the lower end is fixed to the support plate 110. The heater support rod 135 allows the tube heater 131 to be disposed between the stacked substrates. Although not shown, the heater support rod 135 includes a power supply terminal connected to a terminal embedded in the tube heater 131. The heater support rod 135 is fixed on the support plate 110. Both ends of the tube heater 131 having a “⊃” shape are inserted into the two heater support rods 135 and stacked on the heater support rods 135. The closed area formed by the tube heater 131 and the heater support rod 135 is a minimum area to which heat is supplied by the tube heater 131.

Although not shown, the tube heater 131 having a “⊃” shape may be configured to widen the closed area formed with the heater support rod 135. That is, a plurality of tube heaters 131 having a longer length of the tube heater 131 connected to the heater support rod 135 and a wider gap between both ends may be disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate. The plurality of configurations of the tube heater 131 for one layer may be determined in consideration of the uniform heat transfer area of the substrate according to the area of the substrate.

" 형상을 갖고, 튜브히터(131)가 안치되는 안치부(143)를 포함한다. 도면을 참조하여, 일예로, 하나의 튜브히터(131)를 살펴보면, 튜브히터(131)는 받침대(142)의 길이 방향을 따라서 양측에 배치된 지지판(141)의 안치부(143)에 지지되고 고정된다. 튜브히터(131)의 단부는 히터 지지봉(135)에 결합되며, 그 외 부분은 지지판(141)에 지지되는 구조이다. 이와 같이, 튜브히터(131)는 외팔보 구조이지만, 지지판(141)에 의해 보강적으로 지지된다.4 to 6, since the tube heater 131 is hardly configured to be close to a rigid body, a configuration capable of supporting the tube heater 131 is required. That is, the bottom surface of the tube heater 131 is provided with a support bracket 140 for supporting along the longitudinal direction of the tube heater 131. The support bracket 140 includes a support plate 141 supporting at intervals on the bottom surface of the tube heater 131 and a pedestal 142 to which the support plate 141 is fixed at intervals. As shown in Figure 6, the support plate 141 is "

And a settled portion 143 in which the tube heater 131 is placed. Referring to the drawings, referring to one tube heater 131, for example, the tube heater 131 may be a pedestal 142. It is supported and fixed to the settled portion 143 of the support plate 141 disposed on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the end of the tube heater 131 is coupled to the heater support rod 135, the other portion is the support plate 141. In this way, the tube heater 131 is a cantilevered structure, but is reinforceably supported by the support plate 141.

The pedestal 142 on which the tube heater 131 is supported is fixed to the supporter 145. The supporter 145 is a structure standing upright on the support plate 110 in a vertical direction. The pedestal 142 is inserted into the supporter 145. The pedestal 142 may be fixed only by being inserted into the supporter 145. In addition, the pedestal 142 may be fixed to the supporter 145 through a predetermined fastening means. The fastening means includes a conventional screw or bolt fastening or welding.

Meanwhile, referring back to FIG. 2, a lower heater 150, that is, a susceptor, is provided below the support plate 110 to supply heat. The lower heater 150 is installed on an upper part of a lift unit that raises or lowers a boat (not shown), and serves to supply heat for substrate processing from the bottom of the boat.

Referring to FIG. 7, the heater unit 130 may be installed at a plurality of locations of the support plate 110. That is, when looking at the heat transfer structure for one substrate, when a large area of the substrate is made, in order to achieve uniform heat transfer to the bottom surface of the substrate, a plurality of heaters extending from the outer portion of the substrate to the center portion It may be necessary. In this case, as shown, the heater unit 130 is installed to extend to the center of the substrate holder or the substrate at three points of the support plate 110, tube heaters 131, 162 for heating the bottom of the substrate holder or substrate, 163). As such, the tube heaters 131, 162, and 163 may be provided in three directions so that a more uniform heat supply may be realized over the entire surface of the substrate during substrate processing on the large-area substrate. However, for uniform heat transfer to the substrate, the arrangement of the tube heaters is not limited to three directions, but may be performed in four or more directions.

The drawings of the embodiments of the present invention described above are omitted in detail, and are schematically illustrated so as to easily identify parts belonging to the technical idea of the present invention. It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present invention and are merely a reference for understanding the technical scope of the present invention.

100: support unit
110: support plate
115: support
118: guide
120: guide unit
121: support protrusion
130: heater unit
131: tube heater
135: heater support rod
140: support bracket
141: support plate
142: pedestal
143: settlement
145: supporters
150: lower heater
162: second tube heater
163: third tube heater

Claims (13)

Support plate 110;
A plurality of support units (100) having a substrate holder or a plurality of supports (115) on which the bottom of the substrate is supported in the vertical direction and having a lower end coupled to the support plate (110) to face each other; And
It is disposed between the support 115 includes a heater unit 130 for supplying heat to the central portion of the substrate,
The heater unit 130 is formed in a "⊃" shape and the heater support rod 135 and the lower end is fixed to the support plate 110 and both ends are inserted into the heater support rod 135 and up and down on the heater support rod 135 And a plurality of tube heaters (131) installed in a stacked shape in a direction and extending from the outside of the substrate or the substrate holder to the center of the bottom surface of the substrate or the substrate holder. The method of claim 1,
Two support units 100 are installed along the length direction of both sides of the support plate 110, and the two support units 100 are provided with a plurality of guides 118 for guiding a substrate or a substrate holder. Substrate processing boat, characterized in that. The method of claim 2,
The boat for processing a substrate, characterized in that the guide unit 120 for supporting the guide 118 is installed between the two support units (100) installed on both sides of the support plate (110). The method of claim 1,
The lower portion of the support plate 110 is a substrate processing boat, characterized in that the lower heater 150 for supplying heat is provided. delete delete delete The method of claim 1,
The bottom surface of the tube heater (131) is a substrate processing boat, characterized in that the support bracket 140 for supporting the tube heater (131) in the longitudinal direction is provided. 9. The method of claim 8,
The support bracket 140 is a support plate 141 for supporting at intervals on the bottom surface of the tube heater 131; And
The support plate 141 is a substrate processing boat, characterized in that it comprises a pedestal (142) fixed at intervals. 10. The method of claim 9,
The support plate 141 is "

And a settling portion (143) in which the tube heater (131) is placed. 10. The method of claim 9,
The support plate (110) is a substrate processing boat, characterized in that the supporter 145 is provided with the pedestal (142) is coupled to be fixed in the vertical direction. The method of claim 1,
The heater unit 130 is a substrate processing boat, characterized in that installed in a plurality of places of the support plate (110). The method of claim 12,
The plurality of heater unit 130 is a substrate processing boat, characterized in that arranged in the bottom surface of the substrate holder or the substrate in the three directions of the support plate (110).

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