KR101204220B1 - Gate valve of Vacuum chamber device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum chamber device, and in terms of its configuration, the vacuum chamber 10 in which the gate 12 is formed so that the sample F is transferred is divided into at least two places and is formed by the gate valve 20. It is connected to each other, it is characterized in that the vacuum degree inside each vacuum chamber 10 is independently controlled by the opening and closing operation of the gate valve 20.
Accordingly, according to the present invention, as the vacuum chamber divided into at least two parts is connected to be opened and closed by a gate valve, each vacuum chamber is independently released and the clean state inside the vacuum chamber in which an important processing operation is performed is performed. It is maintained at a high level to prevent processing defects due to foreign matters, and in particular, the time and cost loss due to the resetting of the degree of vacuum inside the vacuum chamber for restarting after sample replacement is greatly reduced.

Description

Gate valve of vacuum chamber device

The present invention relates to a gate valve of a vacuum chamber device, and more particularly, in a continuous process using a plurality of vacuum chambers, in order to independently control the vacuum state of each vacuum chamber, the gates between the vacuum chambers are opened or It relates to a gate valve that can be closed.

In general, a vacuum chamber is a device for maintaining a closed working space in a vacuum state for performing a special process including deposition, etching, and plating treatment, and gates for entering and exiting a sample are formed at both sides of the vacuum chamber, and a vacuum pump is provided. The degree of vacuum is maintained by discharging the air inside the vacuum chamber using a.

These vacuum chambers may be used either independently or in connection with a plurality, depending on the type of work or the shape of the object to be processed, and in the case of using a plurality of connections, each vacuum chamber has a gate valve or a buffer in which a vacuum pump is installed. It is connected to each other by a chamber (buffer chamber).

However, in the case of using a conventional gate valve, it is used when the workpieces can be introduced into the processor chamber in the form of a single piece rather than continuously, such as a wafer, and when the workpieces are positioned over each processor chamber. Buffer chamber was used.

However, in the case of the above-mentioned buffer chamber, not only a separate vacuum pump is required but also the airtightness is not perfectly maintained. Therefore, when connecting the vacuum chambers requiring high vacuum, a plurality of buffer chambers are required. It took a lot of time and the driving conditions were also difficult.

As a technique to solve this problem, a vacuum chamber is manufactured in a large size, and a sample loading part and a sample unloading part are put together in a vacuum chamber to perform various processing processes in a vacuum state, but a large vacuum chamber internal space is vacuumed. In the state of maintenance and especially when the sample is changed, the time and cost loss of releasing the vacuum degree of the vacuum chamber and then maintaining it in the vacuum state increases, and the processing that should be maintained in a highly clean state during the change of the sample (coating The foreign matter containing fine dust penetrated into the vacuum chamber for the treatment), resulting in an increase in the defective rate due to the processing.

The present invention was conceived to solve the above problems, and prevents processing defects due to foreign matters including fine dust during continuous processing of samples in the form of films and tapes, and when replacing the finished samples. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gate valve of a vacuum chamber in which the vacuum degree inside the processor vacuum chamber in which deposition and coating are actually performed can be maintained in a set state, thereby reducing time and cost loss according to the vacuum degree setting.

In order to achieve this object, a feature of the present invention is that in a gate valve 20 connecting between two vacuum chambers 10, the gate valve 20 is external so that the two vacuum chambers 10 are connected to each other. The valve housing 22 and the valve housing 22 to be cut off and installed inside the valve housing 22 are transported in the opposite direction by the inclined rail 25 by a driving means, and are located between the two vacuum chambers 10 at the time of mutual contact. The plurality of gate rollers 26 and the plurality of gate rollers 26 which are in axial contact with the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing 22 or the side walls of the vacuum chamber 10 while being in contact with each other about a sample in the form of a film or a tape. The outer periphery of both edges of the plurality of gate rollers 26 when the plurality of gate rollers 26 are in contact with each other so as to protrude from the side wall of the valve housing 22 or the vacuum chamber 10 at positions corresponding to both edges of the substrate 26. The closing plate 28 is installed in intimate contact.

On the other hand, the driving means is a motor or cylinder power source (M), the transfer block 27 is coupled to the gate valve 26, the power source (M) and the transfer block 27 by connecting the gate roller 26 Consists of the transfer means (S) for moving in the opposite direction, the gate roller 26 is installed in the horizontal hole (27a) of the transfer block 27 to ensure the fluidity in the horizontal direction.

In addition, the transfer means (S) is connected to each other by a timing belt (T), can be used to connect the power source (M) to only one transfer means (S) or a plurality of transfer means (S), A screw may be used as the transfer means (S).

In addition, the position of the gate roller 26 can be confirmed by the position sensor, the position sensor is installed in the transfer block 27 for transporting the gate roller or replaceable as an encoder installed in a motor that is one of the power source, The measured position of the gate roller is transmitted to a separate controller or monitoring device and used for the control of the whole process using the vacuum chamber.

On the other hand, the gate valve can be used anywhere in the vacuum chamber for processing the film or tape-like material such as superconducting wire, ITO film.

According to the above configuration and operation, the present invention provides a vacuum chamber in which at least two divided vacuum chambers are connected to be opened and closed by a gate valve so that each vacuum chamber is independently pressure-controlled and a corresponding vacuum chamber is performed. The clean state of the inside is maintained at a high level to prevent processing defects due to foreign matters, and in particular, the time and cost loss due to the resetting of the degree of vacuum inside the vacuum chamber for restarting after sample replacement is greatly reduced.

1 is a block diagram showing the overall vacuum chamber apparatus according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the gate valve of the vacuum chamber device according to the present invention.
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the gate valve of the vacuum chamber device according to the present invention from the front.
4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG. 3. FIG.
Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an operation state of the main part of the vacuum chamber apparatus according to the present invention.

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

The gate valve 20 according to the present invention is installed between the plurality of vacuum chambers 10 having the gate 12 to which the sample F is transferred, and the respective vacuum by the opening and closing operation of the gate valve 20. The degree of vacuum inside the chamber 10 is independently controlled.

As an example of an apparatus for performing a coating process using such a vacuum chamber, as shown in FIG. 1, a vacuum chamber 10 for loading a sample, a vacuum chamber 10 for coating treatment, and a coated sample are frozen. A vacuum chamber 10 for loading is provided, and the gates 12 of the vacuum chamber 10 are connected to each other by the gate valve 20, and the respective vacuum chambers 10 are opened and closed by the gate valve 20. Internal vacuum is controlled independently.

At this time, the gate valve 20 is a pair of gate rollers 26 in the valve housing 22 which connects the gate 12 of the vacuum chamber 10 to each other so as to maintain the airtight and mutually reverse direction by the drive means. It is transported on the inclined rail 25 and is engaged with the inner circumferential surface of the closing plate 28 and the valve housing 22 to open and close the gate 12.

In the drive means is a power source (using a motor in the embodiment of the present invention) (M), the transfer block 27 is coupled to the gate roller 26, by connecting the power source (M) and the transfer block (27) Conveying means (S) for moving the gate roller 26 in the opposite direction to each other, the conveying means (S) uses a screw (S).

In addition, the outer circumference of the gate roller 26 is formed of a soft elastic material including rubber, and is slid along the inclined rail 25 when transferred in opposite directions, that is, to close the gate 12. When the pair of gate rollers 26 are in close contact with each other, the side wall or the valve housing 22 of the vacuum chamber 10 in which the gate 12 is formed is transferred to the inclined angle by the inclined rail 25 as shown in FIG. 4. Close to the inner circumferential surface thereof, on the contrary, when the gate 12 is opened, the pair of gate rollers 26 are spaced apart from each other, and are transferred to the inclined angle by the inclined rail 25 so that the side wall or the valve housing 22 of the vacuum chamber 10 is closed. In the embodiment of the present invention, the valve housing 22 is not installed at the side wall of the vacuum chamber 10 so that the gate roller 26 is engaged with the side wall of the vacuum chamber 10.

In addition, the closing plate 28 is a pair of arc-shaped contact surface (28a) is formed to be interviewed with the outer peripheral surface of the pair of gate rollers 26, the closing plate 28 is the gate roller around the gate 12 It is provided to be in close contact with both ends of the (26). Accordingly, when the gate 12 is closed as shown in FIG. 5, the gate roller 26 is pressed while being in contact with each other by the inclined rail 25, and at the same time, the outer circumferential surface of the side wall of the vacuum chamber 10 and the arc-like ground of the closing plate 28 are closed. In close contact with 28a, the gate 12 is closed intimately.

Thus, the gate roller 26 is in close contact with the side wall of the vacuum chamber 10 temporarily when closing the gate 12 of the vacuum chamber 10, and in the state spaced apart from the side wall of the vacuum chamber 10 when opening As it is conveyed, wear and dust of the gate roller 26 due to friction during the opening and closing operation are prevented, and the guide roller for guiding the transfer of the sample F when the processing process is performed with the gate 12 open. It will serve as.

On the other hand, in Figures 2 to 3, the gate roller 26 is connected to the screw is provided with both the left and right screws are shown in a state in which the transfer to the opposite direction, but not limited to each gate roller 26 by the cylinder It is also possible to open and close the control of the feed is controlled.

In addition, the gate roller 26 is formed so as to be secured in the horizontal direction is accommodated on the horizontal hole (27a) of the transfer block 27 is provided so that both ends are transferred in the opposite direction by the power source (M). As the gate roller 26 is transferred, the fluidity is secured in the horizontal direction by the horizontal long hole 27a when the gate 12 is opened and closed, so that the transfer force to the inclination angle due to the sliding motion with the inclined rail 25 is accurately transmitted. do.

In addition, the transfer block 27 is moved by a screw (S) connected to the power source (M) and the plurality of screws (S) coupled to the plurality of transfer blocks 27 located on both sides of the gate roller 26 is a timing belt. Are connected to each other by (T).

This is because when the width of the wire or film-type wire applied is small, the power source (M) is connected to only one screw to drive a plurality of screws (S) through the timing belt (T), film or tape form If the wire width is large, the power source (M) may be installed on the plurality of screws (S), respectively.

In addition, the transfer block 27 is attached to the position sensor to determine the current position of the gate roller 26 and transmits to the connected controller can be used for the overall process control device equipped with the gate valve of the present invention.

Looking at the operation of the coating device having a gate valve, the vacuum chamber 10 is a vacuum chamber 10 is stored and loaded with a sample before processing, a vacuum chamber 10 for the coating treatment, and the coated sample The vacuum chamber 10 for unloading is divided into three parts, and each vacuum chamber 10 is connected to each other so as to be openable and open by the gate valve 20.

Subsequently, when each vacuum chamber 10 is maintained in a vacuum state due to the operation of the vacuum pump P, the gate valve 20 is opened so that the sample F is in a state in which each of the vacuum chambers 10 is in communication with each other. The coating process is performed while being continuously transferred, and when the coating process is completed, the gate valve 20 closes the gate 12 to divide and close each vacuum chamber 10 into an independent space.

Subsequently, the pressure of the vacuum chamber 10 for loading / unloading the sample F is released, and then the sample F is replaced, and only for the vacuum chamber 10 for loading / unloading the sample F only. After operating the vacuum pump (P) to set the vacuum level to the set pressure, the gate valve 20 is opened to perform a coating process in a state in which each of the vacuum chambers 10 are in communication with each other.

As such, since the vacuum chamber 10 is dividedly formed and the internal vacuum degree is independently controlled by the gate valve 20, the vacuum degree can be locally released only for the vacuum chamber 10 in consideration of the characteristics of the processing process. After replacing the sample (F) after the coating work is completed, the time and cost of resetting the vacuum is greatly reduced, as well as preventing the intrusion of external air into the corresponding vacuum chamber 10 to maintain a high degree of cleanliness including the coating process. Coating defects caused by foreign substances and environmental changes are prevented.

In addition, although the structure which installed the vacuum chamber 10 in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 1, it is not limited to this, It is possible to expand or reduce the installation number of the vacuum chamber 10 according to the process process process step.

10: vacuum chamber 20: gate valve 22: valve housing
26: gate roller

Claims (5)

In the gate valve 20 connecting between the two vacuum chamber 10,
The gate valve 20 has a valve housing 22 for connecting the two vacuum chambers 10 to the outside and airtightly maintained,
An inclined rail 25 fixedly coupled to the inside of the valve housing 22;
It is installed in the valve housing 22 and is transported in the opposite direction by the inclined rail 25 by a driving means in contact with each other around the sample positioned between the two vacuum chambers 10 in the axial direction A plurality of gate rollers 26 whose outer circumferential surface is in intimate contact with the inner circumferential surface of the valve housing 22 or the side wall of the vacuum chamber 10;
Protruding from the side wall of the valve housing 22 or the vacuum chamber 10 in a position corresponding to both edges of the plurality of gate rollers 26 so that the plurality of gate rollers 26 are in contact with each other, both sides of the plurality of gate rollers 26 And a closing plate (28) having a pair of arc-shaped contact surfaces (28a) formed to be in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the end portion. According to claim 1, wherein the drive means is a gate roller by connecting the power source (M) of the motor or cylinder, the transfer block 27 is coupled to the gate roller 26, the power source (M) and the transfer block (27) Consists of the conveying means (S) for moving the 26 in the opposite direction, the gate roller 26 is coupled to both ends of the horizontal hole (27a) formed in the conveying block 27 to ensure the fluidity in the horizontal direction Gate valve of the vacuum chamber, characterized in that. According to claim 2, The transfer means (S) are connected to each other by a timing belt (T), by connecting the power source (M) to only one transfer means (S) or a plurality of transfer means (S) Gate valve of the vacuum chamber, characterized in that used. 3. The gate valve of claim 2, wherein the transfer block (27) further comprises a position sensor for checking the position of the gate roller (26). 2. The gate valve of claim 1, wherein the gate valve is used in a vacuum chamber for processing a film or a tape-shaped material including a superconducting wire and an ITO film.

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