KR101490454B1 - Slot Valve Assembly And Operating Method Thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a slot valve assembly for opening and closing a chamber and a chamber in a substrate processing apparatus, and a slot valve assembly having first and second openings on a first surface and a second surface facing each other, A body; A first plate which is driven in a first direction and driven in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to open and close the first opening in the body; A fixing bar provided on the second surface above the second opening; A second plate that is driven independently from the first plate and is fixed by the fixing bar to seal the second opening; And a driving unit for driving the first and second plates.

Slot valve assembly, gate plate, stationary bar

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a slot valve assembly,

The present invention relates to a slot valve assembly, and more particularly, to a slot valve assembly for opening and closing a chamber and a chamber in a substrate processing apparatus, and a method of operating the same.

BACKGROUND ART An apparatus for processing a substrate of a semiconductor or a display device includes a cluster type in which a plurality of substrates are independently processed in parallel and an in-line type in which a plurality of substrates are subjected to a series of sequential processes, ) Type. Cluster type semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes a load lock chamber for temporarily storing a plurality of substrates, a plurality of process chambers for directly processing a plurality of substrates, a load lock chamber, and a plurality of process chambers And a transfer chamber connected to transfer the substrate therebetween. A slot valve assembly is installed between each of the load lock chambers and the plurality of process chambers and the transfer chamber. The slot valve assembly includes a slot lock chamber and a slot for connecting the transfer chamber to each of the load lock chamber and the process chamber. While at the same time controlling the physical connections such as pressure between them.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional cluster type semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

1, a cluster type substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a load lock chamber 20, first, second and third process chambers 30, 40, 50, a transfer chamber 60, First, second, third and fourth slot valve assemblies 70a, 70b, 70c, 70d. The load lock chamber 20 and the first, second and third process chambers 30, 40 and 50 are disposed in the vicinity of the transfer chamber 60, and the first, second, third and fourth slot valve assemblies 30, Second and third process chambers 30, 40, 50 and the transfer chamber 60, respectively, as shown in Figures 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D.

A plurality of substrates transferred from the outside are transferred to and stored in the load lock chamber 20, and are transferred from the load lock chamber 20 to the substrate Second and third process chambers 30, 40 and 50 by a robot (not shown) of the transfer chamber 60, and the processed substrate is again transferred to the robot of the transfer chamber 60 And transferred to and stored in the load lock chamber 20. When the processes for the plurality of substrates are completed, the substrate of the load lock chamber 20 is returned to the outside.

In this process, the first, second, third and fourth slot valve assemblies 70a, 70b, 70c and 70d are connected to the load lock chamber 20 and the first, second and third process chambers 30, 40, 50 and the transfer chamber 60 as needed. For example, the load-lock chamber 20 and the transfer chamber 60 are closed by the first slot valve assembly 70a while a plurality of substrates are being transferred from the outside to the load-lock chamber 20, The load lock chamber 20 and the transfer chamber 60 are opened by the first slot valve assembly 70a while the substrate of the transfer chamber 20 is extracted by the robot of the transfer chamber 60. [

Third, and fourth slot valve assemblies 70b, 70c (not shown) while the substrate is being transferred between the transfer chamber 60 and each of the process chambers 30, 40, 50 by the robot of the transfer chamber 60. Similarly, And 70d open the transfer chamber 60 and the respective process chambers 30,40 and 50 while the process is proceeding in the respective process chambers 30,40 and 50, The transfer chamber 60 and the respective process chambers 30, 40, 50 are closed by the four-slot valve assemblies 70b, 70c, 70d. At this time, the first, second, third and fourth slot valve assemblies 70a, 70b, 70c, and 70d may operate independently of each other.

Although not shown, these slot valve assemblies are made up of a number of components, including O-rings, which include parts consumed by continued use, so that they can be replaced or repaired on a regular or as needed basis Maintenance should be done. The maintenance of the slot valve assembly is performed by venting the process chamber to an atmospheric pressure (ATM) state, and the slot valve assembly is stopped for maintenance, so that the process chamber and the transfer chamber are opened So that the transfer chamber is at atmospheric pressure.

In the case where the transfer chamber is at atmospheric pressure, the substrate can not be transferred to the process chamber in a vacuum state. Further, since the transfer chamber is not normally operated (substrate transfer) due to contamination of the substrate due to foreign substances, The operation of the transfer chamber as well as the process chamber is also stopped, thereby lowering the operation rate of the substrate processing apparatus and increasing the production cost of the product. Although not shown, all of the chambers connected to both ends of the slot valve assembly, which is the object of maintenance, are shut down even in the case of the in-line type substrate processing apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a slot valve assembly and a method of operating the same that can normally operate a transfer chamber even during maintenance of a slot valve assembly, a process chamber, or a load lock chamber in a substrate processing apparatus It has its purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, a slot valve assembly according to the present invention includes: a main body having first and second openings on a first surface and a second surface facing each other; A first plate which is driven in a first direction and driven in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to open and close the first opening in the body; A fixing bar provided on the second surface above the second opening; A second plate that is driven independently from the first plate and is fixed by the fixing bar to seal the second opening; And a driving unit for driving the first and second plates.

In the above-described slot valve assembly, the second plate may include a protruding portion protruding upward, and the fixing bar may include an extending portion that extends downwardly, a second portion that is positioned between the second surface and the extending portion, And a receiving portion which is formed in the receiving portion.

The slot valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a third plate parallel to and spaced from the first plate and driven like the first plate, wherein the first plate extends from the third plate along the second direction And the first opening is closed.

In the above-described slot valve assembly, the first and third plates are driven along the first direction between a minimum height and a maximum height, and the first plate is located at the highest height, and the first opening is closed .

The slot valve assembly may further include a first pressure holding means formed on one surface of the first plate facing the first opening and a second pressure holding means formed on one surface of the third plate facing the second opening, Second pressure holding means, and first and second supporting rods supporting the first and third plates while being connected to the driving portion.

In the above-described slot valve assembly, partition walls spaced in parallel to the first and second surfaces and including a third opening corresponding to the first and second openings are formed between the first and second surfaces .

The slot valve assembly may include a third plate that is driven as the first plate, and the first plate is extended from the third plate in the second direction to close the first opening. .

In the above-described slot valve assembly, the second plate and the first and third plates are driven independently from each other along the first direction between a minimum height and a maximum height, and the first plate has the highest height And the first opening portion is closed.

The slot valve assembly may include a support protrusion formed on the outer periphery of the third opening in the partition, wherein the first and third plates are driven along the first direction between a minimum height and a maximum height And the third plate is located at the highest level and is in contact with the support protrusion.

In the above-described slot valve assembly, the driving unit may include first and second driving units for driving the first plate in the first direction, and a plurality of driving devices for driving the first plate in the second direction. And driving control means for controlling the plurality of driving elements.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: at least one process chamber or a load lock chamber for processing a substrate; A transfer chamber for transferring the substrate to the at least one process chamber or the load lock chamber; A slot valve assembly coupled between the at least one process chamber or the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber for disconnecting or coupling the pressure of the process chamber or the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber, A body having first and second openings in each of the second surfaces; A first plate which is driven in a first direction and driven in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to open and close the first opening in the body; A fixing bar provided on the second surface above the second opening; A second plate that is driven independently from the first plate and is fixed by the fixing bar to seal the second opening; And a driving unit for driving the first and second plates.

In order to achieve the above object, a method of operating a slot valve assembly according to the present invention is a method of operating a slot valve assembly in which, in a body having first and second openings on first and second surfaces facing each other, Opening the first and second openings such that the first and second plates are at the lowest level; Driving the first plate along a first direction such that the first plate is located at a highest height corresponding to the first opening and driving the second plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to close the first opening; And the second plate is driven independently from the first plate and is fixed by a fixing bar installed above the second opening to seal the second opening.

According to the present invention, since the transfer chamber normally operates even during the maintenance of the slot valve assembly, the process chamber, or the load lock chamber, the process for substrate processing is continuously performed, thereby lowering the equipment operation rate and increasing the cost And productivity is maximized.

The transfer chamber and the process chamber or the load lock chamber maintain the slot valve assembly in a vacuum state and an atmospheric pressure state, respectively, so that leakage due to back pressure is prevented and defective manufacturing processes are improved.

In order to maintain the slot valve assembly, the process chamber, or the load lock chamber, a fixing bar is provided on the upper side of the opening when the opening portion connected to the transfer chamber is closed by the plate of the shutter portion, Thereby improving the adhesion and further enhancing the pressure breakage between the transfer chamber and the slot valve assembly.

By the provision of the fixing bar, the partition wall provided inside the slot valve assembly can be removed, and the transfer efficiency of the transfer robot is improved by reducing the space between the transfer chamber and the process chamber or the load lock chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a slot valve assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view of a slot valve assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a slot valve assembly having tapered support protrusions according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side perspective view illustrating operation of a slot valve assembly according to an embodiment.

2, the slot valve assembly 100 according to the first embodiment includes a body portion 110, a gate plate portion 120, a driving portion 130, and a shutter portion 140. As shown in FIG. The gate plate part 120 and the shutter part 140 are inserted into the body part 110 and serve to open and close the first, second and third openings 118a, 118b and 118c of the body part 110, The driving unit 130 drives the gate plate unit 120 and the shutter unit 140 in a first direction (vertical direction) and a second direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the first direction.

The main body 112 includes a main body 112, an upper cover 114 and a lower cover 116. The main body 112 has a hexahedral space defined therein, First and second openings 118a and 118b are formed on the first surface 170 and the second surface 172, respectively. The first and second openings 118a and 118b are formed in the body 112 between the first surface 170 and the second surface 172 of the main body 112. The first surface 170 and the second surface 172 A partition wall 112d is formed. The partition wall 112d is formed with a third opening 118c corresponding to the first and second openings 118a and 118b.

Although not shown, a process chamber or a load lock chamber is connected to one surface 170 of the main body 112 having the first opening 118a formed therein and the other surface 172 of the main body 112 having the second opening 118b formed therein A transfer chamber is connected and the substrate is transported to the respective chamber through the first, second and third openings 118a, 118b and 118c. As a means for maintaining the pressure inside the chamber when the main body 112 is connected to the respective chambers, the first and the second openings 118a and 118b are formed on one surface 170 and the other surface A first groove 112a for providing a sealing means such as an O-ring is formed on the outer periphery of the first and second openings 118a and 118b.

The upper and lower portions of the main body 112 are open and the upper and lower portions of the main body 112 are engaged with the upper cover 114 and the lower cover 116, respectively. The upper and lower peripheral edges of the main body 112 and the upper and lower covers 114 and 114 of the main body 112 are connected to each other to maintain the pressure inside the main body 112 when the main body 112 is engaged with the upper cover 114 and the lower cover 116. [ Second, third and fourth grooves 112b (not shown) are formed on the periphery of the cover 116, respectively, and can be coupled via sealing means such as O-rings. The lower cover 116 is formed with a plurality of holes 116b for connecting the gate plate portion 120, the shutter portion 140, and the driving portion 130. In the first embodiment, the main body 112, the upper cover 114 and the lower cover 116 are coupled to each other to form a slot valve assembly. However, the upper and lower portions of the main body 112 are closed, ).

The gate plate portion 120 includes a first plate 122, a third plate 124, a first support 126a and a second support 126b. The shutter 140 includes a second plate 142a And sealing means 142b such as an O-ring. The first and third plates 122 and 124 are spaced apart from each other in parallel and correspond to the third opening 118c formed in the partition 112d and the first opening 118a formed in one surface of the main body 112 respectively And may have a larger area than the first and third openings 118a and 118c. The first plate 122 is driven in the first direction (vertical direction) by the driving unit 130 and in the second direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the first direction to form the first opening 118a of the main body 112, Can be opened or closed.

In order to maintain the internal pressure when the first plate 122 closes the first opening 118a of the main body 112, the first plate 122 faces the first opening 118a, The first plate 122 and the main body 112 can be coupled with each other through a sealing means 124a such as an O-ring with a groove (not shown). The third plate 124 is driven in the first direction by the driving unit 130. When the third plate 124 is driven in the upward direction and is positioned at the highest height, The third plate 124 corresponds to the opening 118c and comes into contact with the outer peripheral supporting protrusion 160 of the third opening 118c. The support protrusion 160 supports the third plate 124 when the first plate 122 is extended forward and closes the first opening 118a so that the first plate 122 is supported by the first opening 118a, As shown in FIG.

In the first embodiment, when the third plate 124 is in contact with the outer circumferential support projection 160 of the third opening 118c at the highest height, no sealing means is interposed. In another embodiment, The partition plate 112d and the third plate 124 are in close contact with each other with a separate sealing means such as an O-ring interposed therebetween in order to seal the third opening 118c at the maximum height, . 5, in order to further secure the closing of the third opening 118c, the supporting protrusions 160 of the third opening 118c are formed such that the cross-sectional area gradually increases from the lower portion to the upper portion, And the facing third plate 124 may be formed in an inclined tapered shape in which the thickness thereof gradually decreases from the bottom to the top when viewed in section.

The first and third plates 122 and 124 are supported by the first and second supports 126a and 126b and the second plate 142a is supported by the third and fourth supports 126c and 126d . The first, second, third and fourth supports 126a, 126b, 126c and 126d are connected to the driving part 130 through the plurality of holes 116b of the lower cover 116 of the main body 112 do. The driving unit 130 includes first, second, third and fourth vertical driving units 132a, 132b, 132c and 132d, a plurality of horizontal driving devices 134a and a horizontal driving control unit 134b.

The first and second vertical driving portions 132a and 132b are connected to the first and second supporting rods 126a and 126b to drive the gate plate portion 120 in a first direction (vertical direction) The four vertical driving parts 132c and 132d are connected to the third and fourth supporting parts 126c and 126d to drive the shutter part 140 in the first direction. When the gate plate portion 120 is driven in the first direction, the first plate 122 is driven to have the highest position corresponding to the first opening 118a. The first, second, third, and fourth vertical drivers 132a, 132b, 132c, and 132d may be pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric linear actuators.

When the process chamber or the load lock chamber connected to the slot valve assembly 100 or the slot valve assembly 100 is to be repaired, the shutter 140 is driven to disconnect the communication between the transfer chamber and the slot valve assembly 100, The chamber is kept under vacuum and maintenance is continued. When the vacuum between the transfer chamber and the slot valve assembly 100 is cut off, the shutter 140 is driven in the vertical direction so that the second plate 142a closes the second opening 118b. The second plate 142a is fixed by the fixing bar 162 when the second plate 142a closes the second opening 118b. The fixing bar 162 is provided on the upper surface of the second opening 118b on the other surface 172 of the main body 112 and has an extension 162a extending downward and a lower extension 162a extending between the extension 162a and the other surface 172 And a receiving portion 162b. The fixing bar 162 is spaced apart from the second opening 118b and is disposed parallel to the upper surface of the second opening 118b.

The upper portion of the second plate 142a includes a protrusion 164 that can be received in the receiving portion 162b. The projecting portion 164 is close to the other surface 172 and corresponds to the accommodating portion 162b and is driven by the third and fourth vertical driving portions 132c and 132d to seal the second opening 118b, And functions to fix the shutter unit 140 to enhance the adhesion between the shutter unit 140 and the other surface 172. The protrusion 164 is formed along the upper portion of the second plate 142a. Although the shutter unit 140 is automatically driven by the third and fourth vertical driving units 132c and 132d in the first embodiment, the operator may manually drive the shutter unit 140. [

The plurality of horizontal driving elements 134a are disposed between the first and third plates 122 and 124 of the gate plate portion 120 to drive the first plate 122 in the second direction The driving control section 134b controls the plurality of horizontal driving elements 134a. When the first plate 122 is driven in the second direction, the position at which the first plate 122 completely closes the first opening 118a is driven to be the maximum elongation length. As the plurality of horizontal driving elements 134a, a pressure element may be used, and in this case, the horizontal driving control section 134b may be a pressure control means. Although not shown, the horizontal drive control unit 134b may transmit control signals to the plurality of horizontal drive devices 134a through the first and second support bases 126a and 126b.

The operation of the slot valve assembly 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 4A to 4D are side perspective views illustrating the operation of the slot valve assembly 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

4A shows a state in which the slot valve assembly 100 opens the first and second openings 118a and 118b. FIG. 4B shows that the slot valve assembly 100 opens the second opening 118b, Figures 4c and 4d show the first and second and third openings 118a, 118b and 118c in a state where the first and second openings 118a and 118c are closed. The second opening 118b is closed and the first opening 118a and the third opening 118c are opened. The slot valve assembly 100 is operated when a substrate processing process is performed 4A and 4B and maintains the pressure of the transfer chamber connected to the second opening 118b in the state of FIGS. 4C and 4D during the maintenance of the slot valve assembly 100, . The shutter 140 is not driven but only the gate plate unit 120 is driven so that the pressure between the chambers connected to the slot valve assembly 100 is connected to or disconnected from the slot valve assembly 100, 100, the pressure between the chambers connected to the slot valve assembly 100 is cut off by driving the shutter unit 140.

4A, when the gate plate portion 120 and the shutter portion 140 are at the lowest level, the first and third plates 122 and 124 do not overlap with the first and third openings 118a and 118c And the second plate 142a does not overlap with the second opening 118b so that the first, second and third openings 118a, 118b and 118c are opened and the substrate can be transported between the respective chambers . 4B, the gate plate portion 120 is driven to be positioned at the highest height by the first and second vertical driving portions 132a and 132b, and the shutter portion 140 is not driven and the lowest height is maintained. The third plate 124 comes into contact with the support projection 160 of the partition wall 112d and the first plate 122 contacts the plurality of horizontal drive elements 134a And the horizontal drive control section 134b to close the first opening 118a.

When the substrate processing process is performed in the process chamber connected to the first opening 118a, a pressure difference may occur in the process chamber compared to the transfer chamber connected to the second opening 118b, and the reaction gas, etc., So that the first plate 122 closes the first opening 118a by the horizontal driving force and the pressure difference, and maintains the pressure disconnection between the chambers connected to the slot valve assembly 100 The substrate processing process can be smoothly proceeded. In this case, since the first opening portion 118a is sealed by the first plate 122, the third opening portion 118c may not be completely sealed by the third plate 124. [

4C and 4D, the shutter portion 140 is driven in the vertical direction so that the second plate 142a closes the second opening 118b. At this time, when the projecting portion 164 of the second plate 142a is aligned with the receiving portion 162b of the fixing bar 162, the vertical driving of the shutter 140 is completed. The second plate 142a is brought into close contact with the other surface 172 provided with the second opening 118b to completely close the second opening 118b. The fixing bar 162 and the projection 164 function to enhance the adhesion between the second plate 142a and the other surface 172. [ The pressure between the transfer chamber connected to the second opening 118b of the slot valve assembly 100 and the process chamber or load lock chamber connected to the first opening 118a is cut off and the process chamber or load lock chamber It is possible to perform a maintenance operation of the slot valve assembly 100 by vacuuming. At this time, since the shutter unit 140 is driven independently from the first and third plates 122 and 124 to close the second opening 118b, the gate plate unit 120 opens the first opening 118a In one state, it can be located at the lowest height or the highest height, and maintenance work can be performed smoothly.

4A to 4D, the slot valve assembly 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention independently drives the gate plate portion 120 and the shutter portion 140, (118a, 118b). 4A, the first and third plates 122 and 124 of the gate plate unit 120 and the second plate 142a of the shutter unit 140 are moved to the lowest state The first and second openings 118a and 118b are opened and the first plate 122 of the gate plate portion 120 is positioned in the state shown in FIG. 4B in order to process the substrate in the process chamber, 1, the opening 118a is closed. Particularly, during maintenance of the slot valve assembly 100 such as O-ring replacement and repair, the second plate 142a of the shutter unit 140 and the first plate 142 of the gate plate unit 120, The transfer chamber connected to the second opening 118b can be opened and closed by a low pressure such as a vacuum by placing the second opening 118b in a state as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D to close the second opening 118b and open the first opening 118a. The process chamber or the load lock chamber connected to the first opening 118a can be brought into an atmospheric pressure state while the operator can perform the maintenance work through the opened first opening 118a.

At this time, since the transfer chamber is in a vacuum state, the transfer of substrates between the process chamber or the load lock chamber other than the atmospheric pressure process chamber or the load lock chamber is continued to reduce the equipment operation rate and increase the cost of the substrate processing process And the productivity can be maximized. In addition, maintenance of the slot valve assembly while maintaining vacuum in the transfer chamber maintains the cleanliness of the transfer chamber and, as a result, improves the yield and quality of the manufactured product.

Then, since the transfer chamber and the process chamber or the load lock chamber maintain the vacuum valve and the atmospheric pressure state, that is, the process chamber or the load lock chamber is higher in pressure than the transfer chamber, The force by the car acts as a transfer chamber from the process chamber and thus the second plate 142a is further brought into close contact with the body 112 to close the second opening 118b. Therefore, leakage due to back pressure can be prevented and defects in the manufacturing process can be improved.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a slot valve assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7a to 7c are side perspective views illustrating an operation of a slot valve assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the spacing between the transfer chamber and the process chamber or load lock chamber is increased by installing a partition wall in the slot valve assembly. An increase in the distance causes a decrease in the transport efficiency due to the longer transport distance of the transport apparatus for transporting the substrate. Therefore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the partitioning walls are removed from the slot valve assembly to reduce the distance between the transfer chamber and the process chamber or the load lock chamber, thereby improving the transfer efficiency of the transfer robot.

6, the slot valve assembly 200 according to the second embodiment includes a body portion 210, a gate plate portion 220, a driving portion 230, and a shutter portion 240. As shown in FIG. The gate plate portion 220 and the shutter portion 240 are inserted into the body portion 210 to open and close the first and second openings 218a and 218b of the body portion 210, And serves to drive the gate plate portion 220 and the shutter portion 240 in the first direction (vertical direction) and the second direction (horizontal direction).

The main body 212 includes a main body 212, an upper cover 214 and a lower cover 216. The main body 212 has a hexahedral space defined therein, First and second openings 218a and 218b are formed on both sides, respectively. Although not shown, a process chamber or a load lock chamber is connected to one surface 270 of the main body 212 having the first opening 218a formed therein, and the other surface 272 of the main body 212 having the second opening 218b formed therein A transfer chamber is connected, and the substrate is transferred to the respective chambers through the first and second openings 218a, 218b. In order to maintain the pressure inside the chamber when the main body 212 is connected to and connected to each chamber, one surface 270 and the other surface 272 of the main body 212 having the first and second openings 218a, A first groove 212a for providing a sealing means such as an O-ring is formed on the outer periphery of the first and second openings 218a and 218b.

The upper and lower portions of the main body 212 are open and the upper and lower portions of the main body 212 are engaged with the upper cover 214 and the lower cover 216, respectively. The upper and lower peripheral portions of the main body 212 and the upper cover 214 and the lower cover 216 are connected to each other to maintain the pressure inside the main body 212 when the main body 212 is coupled with the upper cover 214 and the lower cover 216. [ Second, third and fourth grooves 212b (not shown) are formed on the periphery of the lower cover 216 and can be coupled via sealing means such as O-rings. The lower cover 216 is formed with a plurality of holes 216b for connecting the gate plate portion 220, the shutter portion 240, and the driving portion 230. In the first embodiment, the main body 212 separated from each other, the upper cover 214 and the lower cover 216 are combined to form a slot valve assembly. However, the upper and lower portions of the main body 212 are closed, ).

The gate plate portion 220 includes a first plate 222, a third plate 224, a first support 226a and a second support 226b. The shutter 240 includes a second plate 242a And sealing means 242b such as an O-ring. The first and third plates 222 and 224 are spaced apart from each other in parallel and correspond to the first and second openings 218a and 218b respectively and have a larger area than the first and second openings 218a and 218b Lt; / RTI > Here, the first plate 222 is driven in a first direction (vertical direction) by a driving unit 230 and in a second direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the first direction, The first opening 218a can be opened or closed.

In order to maintain the internal pressure when the first plate 222 closes the first opening 218a of the main body 212, the first plate 222 faces the first opening 218a, The first plate 222 and the main body 212 can be coupled with each other through the sealing means 224a such as an O-ring with five grooves (not shown) formed therein. The third plate 224 is driven in the first direction by the driving unit 230. When the third plate 224 is driven in the upward direction to be positioned at the highest height, But the third plate 224 does not seal the second opening 218b. In the slot valve assembly 200, the second opening 218b is connected to the transfer chamber, and the first opening 218a is connected to the process chamber or the load lock chamber. Therefore, when the first opening 218a is closed, the pressure in the transfer chamber and the process chamber or the load lock chamber is cut off, so that the second opening 218b connected to the transfer chamber is not required to be sealed.

In the second embodiment, when the first plate 222 seals the first opening 218a at the maximum height, it can contact the outer peripheral supporting protrusion (not shown). As another method, in the same manner as in Fig. 5 of the first embodiment, in order to further tighten the closing of the first opening 218a, the sectional area of the supporting protrusion of the first opening 218a gradually increases from the lower portion to the upper portion And the facing first plate 222 may be formed in an inclined tapered shape in which the thickness of the first plate 222 becomes gradually thinner from the lower portion toward the upper portion when viewed in section.

The first and third plates 222 and 224 are supported by first and second supports 226a and 226b and the second plate 242a is supported by third and fourth supports 226c and 226d . The first, second, third and fourth support rods 226a, 226b, 226c and 226d are connected to the driving part 230 through a plurality of holes 216b of the lower cover 216 of the main body 212 do. The driving unit 230 includes first, second, third and fourth vertical driving units 232a, 232b, 232c and 232d, a plurality of horizontal driving devices 234a and a horizontal driving control unit 234b.

The first and second vertical driving parts 232a and 232b are connected to the first and second supporting parts 226a and 226b to drive the gate plate part 220 in the first direction The four vertical driving parts 232c and 232d are connected to the third and fourth supporting parts 226c and 226d to drive the shutter part 240 in the first direction. When the gate plate 220 is driven in the first direction, the first plate 222 is driven to have the highest position corresponding to the first opening 218a. The first, second, third and fourth vertical driving parts 232a, 232b, 232c and 232d may be pneumatic, hydraulic or electric linear actuators.

When repairing the process chamber or the load lock chamber connected to the slot valve assembly 200 or the slot valve assembly 200, the shutter 240 is driven to disconnect the transfer chamber and the slot valve assembly 200, Continue maintenance while maintaining vacuum. When the vacuum between the transfer chamber and the slot-ball assembly 200 is cut off, the shutter unit 240 is driven in the vertical direction so that the second plate 242a closes the second opening 218b. When the second plate 242a closes the second opening 218b, the second plate 242a is fixed by the fixing bar 262. [ The fixing bar 262 is provided on the upper surface of the second opening 218b on the other surface 272 of the main body 212 and has an enlarged portion 262a extending downward and a lower portion 262b extending between the extending portion 262a and the other surface 272 Receiving portion 262b.

The upper portion of the second plate 242a includes a protrusion 264 that can be received in the receiving portion 262b. The projecting portion 264 is close to the other surface 272 and corresponds to the accommodating portion 262b and is driven by the third and fourth vertical driving portions 232c and 232d to seal the second opening 218b, And functions to fix the shutter unit 240 and to strengthen the adhesion between the shutter unit 240 and the other surface 272. [ In the second embodiment, the shutter unit 240 is automatically driven by the third and fourth vertical driving units 232c and 232d, but the operator may manually drive the shutter unit 240. [

The plurality of horizontal driving elements 234a are disposed between the first and third plates 222 and 224 of the gate plate portion 220 to drive the first plate 222 in the second direction The driving control section 234b controls the plurality of horizontal driving elements 234a. When the first plate 222 is driven in the second direction, the position at which the first plate 222 completely closes the first opening 218a is driven to have the maximum elongation length. As the plurality of horizontal driving elements 234a, a pressure element may be used. In this case, the horizontal driving control section 234b may be a pressure control means. Although not shown, the horizontal drive controller 234b may transmit control signals to the plurality of horizontal drive elements 234a through the first and second support rods 226a and 226b.

The operation of the slot valve assembly 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

7A to 7C are side perspective views illustrating the operation of the slot valve assembly 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

7A shows a state in which the slot valve assembly 200 opens the first and second openings 218a and 218b. FIG. 7B shows a state in which the slot valve assembly 200 opens the second opening 218b, 7C shows a state in which the first valve opening portion 218a is closed by the shutter portion 240 by the slot valve assembly 200 and the first opening portion 218a is closed 7A and FIG. 7B. When the slot valve assembly 200 is maintained, the slot valve assembly 200 is operated in the state of FIG. 7C The maintenance work proceeds while maintaining the pressure of the transfer chamber connected to the second opening 218b.

In other words, when the substrate processing process is performed, the shutter unit 240 is not driven but only the gate plate unit 220 is driven so that the pressure between the chambers connected to the slot valve assembly 200 is connected or disconnected. 200, the pressure between the chambers connected to the slot valve assembly 200 is cut off by driving the shutter unit 240.

7A, when the gate plate portion 220 and the shutter portion 240 are at the lowest level, the first, second and third plates 222, 242a, 224 are in contact with the first and second openings 218a, 218b. So that the first and second openings 218a and 218b are opened and the substrate can be transported between the respective chambers. 7B, the gate plate portion 220 is driven to be positioned at the highest height by the first and second vertical driving portions 232a and 232b, and the shutter portion 240 is not driven, and the lowest height is maintained. The first plate 222 is extended forward by the plurality of horizontal driving elements 234a and the horizontal driving control portion 234b to close the first opening 218a in a state where the gate plate portion 220 is at the highest level, do.

When the substrate processing process is performed in the process chamber connected to the first opening 218a, a pressure difference may occur in the process chamber compared to the transfer chamber connected to the second opening 218b, and the reaction gas, The first plate 222 closes the first opening 218a by the horizontal driving force and the pressure difference, and the first opening 222a maintains the pressure cutoff between the chambers connected to the slot valve assembly 200 The substrate processing process can be performed smoothly.

7C, the shutter unit 240 is driven in the vertical direction, so that the second plate 242a closes the second opening 218b. The pressure between the transfer chamber connected to the second opening 218b of the slot valve assembly 200 and the process chamber or load lock chamber connected to the first opening 218a is cut off and the process chamber or load lock chamber It is possible to perform a maintenance operation of the slot valve assembly 200 by vacuum venting. At this time, since the shutter unit 240 is driven independently from the first and third plates 222 and 224 to close the second opening 218b, the gate plate unit 220 can open the first opening 218a In one state, it can be located at the lowest height or the highest height, and maintenance work can be performed smoothly.

7A to 7C, the slot valve assembly 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention independently drives the gate plate unit 220 and the shutter unit 240, (218a, 218b). The first and third plates 222 and 224 of the gate plate unit 220 and the second plate 242a of the shutter unit 240 are placed in a state as shown in FIG. The first and second openings 218a and 218b are opened and the first plate 222 of the gate plate portion 220 is positioned in the state shown in Figure 7B to process the substrate in the process chamber, 218a. Particularly, during maintenance of the slot valve assembly 200 such as O-ring replacement and repair, the distance between the second plate 242a of the shutter unit 240 and the first plate 242a of the gate plate unit 220, The transfer chamber connected to the second opening 218b is maintained at a vacuum pressure while the second chamber 222 is in the state as shown in Fig. 7C to close the second opening 218b and open the first opening 218a. The process chamber or the load lock chamber connected to the first opening 218a can be brought into the atmospheric pressure state and the operator can perform the maintenance work through the opened first opening 218a.

At this time, since the transfer chamber is in a vacuum state, the transfer of substrates between the process chamber or the load lock chamber other than the atmospheric pressure process chamber or the load lock chamber is continued to reduce the equipment operation rate and increase the cost of the substrate processing process And the productivity can be maximized. In addition, since the slot valve assembly is maintained while maintaining the vacuum of the transfer chamber, the cleanliness of the transfer chamber is maintained and as a result, the yield and quality of the manufactured product are improved.

And, since the transfer chamber and the process chamber or the load lock chamber maintain the vacuum valve and the atmospheric pressure state, that is, the process chamber or the load lock chamber is higher in pressure than the transfer chamber, The force by the car acts as a transfer chamber from the process chamber and thus the second plate 242a is further in close contact with the body 212 to close the second opening 218b. Therefore, leakage due to back pressure can be prevented and defects in the manufacturing process can be improved.

1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional cluster type semiconductor manufacturing equipment

2 is an exploded perspective view of a slot valve assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a front view of a slot valve assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

4A to 4D are side perspective views illustrating an operation of the slot valve assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a side perspective view of a slot valve assembly having a tapered support protrusion according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

6 is an exploded perspective view of a slot valve assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

7A to 7C are side perspective views illustrating the operation of the slot valve assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (16)

A main body having first and second openings on each of a first surface and a second surface facing each other; A first plate which is driven in a first direction and driven in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to open and close the first opening in the body; Position fixing means provided on the second surface above the second opening; A second plate independently driven by the first plate and fixed by the position fixing means to seal the second opening; A driving unit for driving the first and second plates; The slot valve assembly comprising: The method according to claim 1, Wherein the second plate includes a protruding portion protruding upward and the position fixing means includes an extending portion extending downwardly and a receiving portion positioned between the second surface and the extending portion and mating with the protruding portion. Lt; / RTI > 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein the position fixing means has a U-shaped cross-section. 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein the thickness of the protrusion is smaller than the thickness of the second plate except for the protrusion. delete delete delete delete delete delete At least one process chamber or load lock chamber for processing the substrate; A transfer chamber for transferring the substrate to the at least one process chamber or the load lock chamber; A slot valve assembly coupled between the at least one process chamber or the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber for disconnecting or coupling the pressure of the process chamber or the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber, A main body having first and second openings on each of a first surface and a second surface facing each other; A first plate which is driven in a first direction and driven in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to open and close the first opening in the body; Position fixing means provided on the second surface above the second opening; A second plate independently driven by the first plate and fixed by the position fixing means to seal the second opening; A driving unit for driving the first and second plates; The slot valve assembly comprising: The substrate processing apparatus comprising: The first and second plates spaced apart from each other in parallel are positioned at the lowest level in the main body having the first and second openings on the first and second surfaces facing each other, ; Driving the first plate along a first direction such that the first plate is located at a highest height corresponding to the first opening and driving the second plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to close the first opening; The second plate being driven independently from the first plate and being fixed by position fixing means provided above the second opening to seal the second opening; Wherein the slot valve assembly comprises a plurality of slots. 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein the second plate includes a protruding portion protruding upward, the position fixing means includes an expanding portion extending downwardly, and a receiving portion located between the second surface and the expanding portion, Wherein said step of engaging said protrusion comprises aligning said protrusion with said receptacle. 12. The method of claim 11, Wherein the second plate includes a protruding portion protruding upward and the position fixing means includes an extending portion extending downwardly and a receiving portion positioned between the second surface and the extending portion and mating with the protruding portion. . 15. The method of claim 14, Wherein the position fixing means has a cross-sectional shape of a letter " a ". 15. The method of claim 14, Wherein the thickness of the protrusion is smaller than the thickness of the second plate except for the protrusion.

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