KR20030045999A - Power supplier for plasma having operation part of gas and vaccum - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A plasma power supply unit with a gas and a vacuum operating part is provided to simplify a structure of a vacuum plasma apparatus by unifying a gas control unit, a vacuum control unit, and an energy control unit. CONSTITUTION: A plasma power supply unit(10) includes a gas operating portion(11), a gas control portion(12), a plasma power operating portion(13), and a plasma power output portion(14). The gas operating portion includes an on-off switch for opening or shutting a gas valve(32) and a control terminal for setting up a flow rate of gas. The gas control portion generates control signals for opening or shutting the gas valve and controlling the flow rate of the gas. The plasma power operating portion includes a control terminal for setting up an output value of energy supplied to a plasma chamber(51) and an on-off switch for turning on or turning off an energy supply portion. The plasma power output portion generates the energy to the plasma chamber.

Description

Power supplier for plasma having operation part of gas and vaccum

The present invention relates to a plasma power supply for supplying energy to a plasma chamber for generating plasma in a vacuum plasma apparatus.

In general, when energy is transmitted by collision of accelerated electrons to gas molecules or atoms, or when energy by heat or microwave is applied, the outermost electrons of the gas molecules become free electrons by leaving the orbit and exhibiting a positive charge. Molecules or atoms and electrons with negative charges are created. A large number of these positively charged ions and electrons are electrically neutral, and the particles interact with each other to emit unique light and have high reactivity due to the active movement of the particles. It is called plasma.

Such a plasma can be classified into a low temperature glow discharge plasma having a temperature of tens of thousands of degrees and a density of 109 to 1010 / cm 3 and an ultra high temperature fusion plasma having a temperature of tens of thousands of degrees and a density of 1013 to 1014 / cm 3. The industrially active plasma is a low-temperature glow discharge plasma, which is plasma etched and deposited (PECVD: Plasma Enhanceed Chemical Vapor Deposition), surface treatment of metals or polymers, synthesis of new materials, and factory exhaust in semiconductor processes. It is mainly used in environmental fields such as dry processing technology that removes NOx and SOx from gas. Recently, research on plasma display panel (PDP), which is one of the large screen flat panel displays required for the next generation high definition television, has been conducted. It's been making progress.

As an apparatus for generating a plasma that is variously applied as described above, a gas in a gaseous state is typically injected into a plasma chamber in a vacuum state, and then a predetermined energy is supplied to the plasma chamber to form the injected gas as a plasma. A vacuum plasma apparatus for converting is widely used, and the components constituting the vacuum plasma apparatus are as follows.

That is, a vacuum pump for making the plasma chamber into a vacuum state and a valve of a vacuum system for forming a path for supplying the gas pumped from the vacuum pump to the plasma chamber and a vacuum regulator for operating the valve,

In addition, an energy supply device such as a high frequency generator or a pulse generator or a DC power supply for generating energy to be supplied to the plasma chamber is required.

In addition, there is a need for a valve of a gas system that forms an injection path of gas injected into the plasma chamber, and a gas regulator for manipulating the valve and sensing a gas flow rate.

Therefore, since the vacuum plasma apparatus formed as the respective components as described above is composed of components of independent forms, when the finished product is made by combining them, there is a problem that the volume of the finished vacuum plasma apparatus becomes large. There is a problem that requires a relatively expensive cost because all components such as must be purchased.

In addition, since each device must be connected one by one, it takes considerable time and manpower to construct a finished product, and the connection process is difficult, and a predetermined housing for supporting each component that is configured during installation is required. There was an issue that was needed with this addition.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is a gas regulator and a vacuum regulator for operating the valve of the gas system and the valve of the vacuum system of the components of the vacuum plasma apparatus consisting of a plurality of parts as described above and By integrating an energy supply device for supplying energy to a vacuum plasma device, it is possible to provide a plasma power supply that can simplify and simplify the components constituting the vacuum plasma device and can be operated and operated more conveniently.

1 is a vacuum plasticizer using the plasma power supply of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Schematic diagram of zuma device,

2 is a schematic diagram of a vacuum plasma apparatus using the plasma power supply of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10; Plasma Power Supply of First Embodiment of the Invention

11; Gas operation unit 11a; Gas operation display

12; Gas control unit 13; Plasma Power Control Panel

13a; Plasma power supply indication part

14; Plasma power control unit

20; Plasma Power Supply of Second Embodiment

21; Vacuum operation unit 21a; Vacuum operation display

22; Vacuum control unit

31; Gas control valve 32; Gas valve

33; Vent gas valve 34; Gas common piping

41; Vacuum valve 42; Vacuum pump

43; Low vacuum sensor 44; High vacuum sensor

51; Plasma chamber 61; Atmospheric pressure switch

71; Vacuum regulator 81; External interface connector

The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object,

A plasma power supply for supplying energy to a plasma chamber for generating a plasma, the plasma power supply comprising: an opening / closing switch configured to open and close a gas system valve forming an injection path of a gas injected into the plasma chamber, and a gas flowing through the gas system valve. A gas operation unit having a control terminal for setting a flow rate; And a control signal for opening and closing the gas system valve and a control signal for controlling the flow rate of the gas flowing to the gas system valve according to an operation of the gas operating unit, and transmitting the generated control signal to the gas system valve. A gas controller configured to receive a flow rate of the gas flowing through the valve from the gas generator; And a gas operation display unit which displays a flow rate of the gas input to the gas control unit and displays an open / closed state of the open / close switch and a flow rate of the gas set by the control terminal. And a control terminal for setting an output value of energy supplied to the plasma chamber, and an opening and closing switch for setting opening and closing of an energy supplying device for generating energy; And a plasma power output unit which generates an energy of a set output according to an operation of the plasma power supply operation unit, and outputs the energy to a plasma chamber. And a plasma power supply operation display unit for displaying an output value of energy output from the plasma power output unit, and displaying an open / closed state of an open / close switch of the plasma power supply operation unit and a set value of energy set by the control terminal. Characterized in that consists of.

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

1 is a schematic diagram of a vacuum plasma apparatus 100 using the plasma power supply 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the plasma power supply 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention

It consists of the gas operation part 11, the gas operation display part 11a, the gas control part 12, the plasma power supply operation part 13, the plasma power supply operation display part 13a, and the plasma power supply control part 14, and the plasma chamber 51 An electrical circuit is connected to the gas control valve 31 and the gas valve 32 for supplying gas for generating a plasma to the furnace. The gas control valve 31 is used to adjust the injection flow rate of the gas, the gas valve 32 is a valve that is installed to physically open and close the gas supply path.

The vent gas valve 33 is a valve for injecting vent gas (VENT GAS) for making the air pressure in the plasma chamber 51 equal to atmospheric pressure, and is connected to the plasma power supply 10 by an electric line. At this time, nitrogen gas is usually used as the vent gas to be injected.

In addition, the plasma chamber 51 is provided with a low vacuum sensor 43 and a high vacuum sensor 44 for sensing the vacuum pressure value of the plasma chamber 51, the plasma chamber 51 in a vacuum state by the pumping action The vacuum valve 41 located in the path for transferring the pumping action in the vacuum pump 42 to the plasma chamber 51 is connected. The operation of the vacuum pump 17 is started by the control of the vacuum regulator 71 to bring the plasma chamber 51 into a vacuum state.

In addition, the sensing signal of the vacuum pressure value in the low vacuum sensor 43 and the high vacuum sensor 44 is transmitted to the vacuum control unit 71, the vacuum control unit 71 is the sensing signal of the transmitted vacuum pressure value Is converted into Torr, which is a standard unit of vacuum pressure, and the converted value is displayed on a predetermined display unit (not shown).

In addition, the external interface connector 81 is a connection means used when controlling the external controller by connecting to each operation unit of the present invention. Through the external controller to control the gas valve opening and closing signal and the gas control valve set value of the gas operating unit 11, the value of the flow rate of the actual flowing gas, the output energy set value of the plasma power supply operating unit 13 and the value of the actual supplied energy The interface connector 81 may be attached to the back panel of the plasma power supply 10. In addition, in the vacuum control of the vacuum control unit 21, a wiring corresponding to the vacuum degree value sensed by the high and low vacuum sensors, the open / close signal and the operation signal of the vacuum valve and the atmospheric pressure switch may be further connected to the interface connector.

Meanwhile, the energy output of the plasma power output unit 14 of the plasma power supply 10 is supplied into the plasma chamber 51 to convert the gas injected through the gas valve 32 into plasma.

Hereinafter, the components of the plasma power supply 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

1) Gas operation part 11

The gas operation unit 11 includes an on / off switch (not shown) for setting the opening and closing of the gas valve 32 forming the injection path of the gas injected into the plasma chamber 51, and the gas flowing through the gas control valve 31. It has a control terminal (not shown) for setting the flow rate of the. The operator of the vacuum plasma apparatus transmits a control signal for controlling the gas control valve 31 and the gas valve 32 which are connected to the gas control unit 32 by an electric line by operating the open / close switch and the control terminal. Has a predetermined input / output port.

In addition, when a semi-automatic switch having a normal timer is used as the control terminal of the gas control valve 31 and the opening / closing switch of the gas valve 32 in the gas operation unit 11, a predetermined time elapses when the gas injection flow is stabilized. After the semi-automatic switch is operated to set the energy output time point in the plasma power output unit 14 to be described later.

2) gas control unit 12

The gas control unit 12 transmits an opening / closing signal of the gas valve 32 and a gas flow control control signal of the gas control valve 31 through the input / output port of the control unit 31 of the gas operation unit 11. The gas control valve 31 may measure the flow rate of the gas injected into the plasma chamber 51 through a flow sensor (not shown) built in the gas control valve 31 to control the gas flow rate. To pass. To this end, the gas control unit 12 is provided with a conventional valve opening and closing circuit and an analog signal conversion circuit for transmitting control signals to the gas valve 32 and the gas control valve 31.

3) gas operation display section 11a

The gas operation display unit 11a displays the flow rate of the gas input to the gas control unit 11 using 7 segments or an LCD, and displays the open / closed state of the open / close switch using an LED lamp.

4) Plasma power supply operation unit (13)

It has an adjustment terminal (not shown) for setting the output value of the energy supplied to the plasma chamber 51, and an opening and closing switch (not shown) for setting the opening and closing of the energy supply device for generating energy, the control terminal and the opening and closing switch Has a predetermined input / output port for transferring the control signal of the plasma power output unit 14 to be described later.

5) plasma power output unit (14)

The plasma power output unit 14 has an energy supply device for generating energy of a set output according to an operator's operation in the plasma power supply operation unit 13 and outputting the energy to a plasma chamber. The energy supply device may employ a high frequency generator, a direct current power supply or a pulsed power supply as a means for generating energy.

Here, when the energy supply device is a high frequency generator, the frequency has a frequency between 30 [KHz] and 100 [MHz], and the high frequency output is preferably between 10 [W] and 50 [KW].

In addition, when the energy supply device is a DC power supply, the DC voltage has a voltage of 5 [V] to 10 [KV], and the output of the DC power is 50 [W] to 300 [KW. ] Is preferred.

In addition, when the energy supply device is a pulse power supply, the pulse voltage is varied from 0 [V] to 1 [KV], and the frequency of the pulse is in the range of 10 [Hz] to 33 [KHz]. The duty ratio of the pulse (the ratio of ON TIME to OFF TIME) varies from 1 [%] to 99 [%], and the output of the pulse power supply is between 50 [W] and 200 [KW]. It is desirable to have.

6) Plasma power supply operation display unit 13a

The plasma power supply operation display unit 13a displays the output value of the energy output from the plasma power supply output unit 14, and sets the energy set by the open / closed state of the open / close switch of the plasma power supply operation unit 13 and the control terminal. It has display means for displaying a value. It is preferable to use an LED lamp as the display means for indicating the closed state, and to use an LCD module or a 7-segment element as the display means for outputting energy.

Hereinafter, the operation of the plasma power supply 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail.

First, an operator who operates the vacuum plasma apparatus manually operates the vacuum pump 42. Subsequently, when the operator operates the vacuum regulator 71 to open the vacuum valve 41, the pumping action of the vacuum pump 42 is applied to the plasma chamber 51 in accordance with the opening of the vacuum valve 41. When the plasma chamber 51 is delivered, the internal pressure gradually decreases to a low vacuum state. The vacuum pressure in the low vacuum state is sensed by the low vacuum sensor 43 transmits a signal of the vacuum pressure to the vacuum regulator 71, the vacuum regulator 71 transmits a signal of the vacuum pressure transmitted to the vacuum unit The value is converted into Torr, and the value is displayed through a predetermined display unit (not shown) in itself.

Subsequently, when the vacuum pressure value input from the low vacuum sensor 43 reaches the minimum base pressure value preset by the operator in the plasma chamber 51, the operator switches the on / off switch of the gas operation unit 11. When the flow rate of the gas is set by using the control terminal for opening and setting the flow rate of the gas, the opening signal of the open / close switch and the flow rate setting signal of the gas are controlled through the gas control unit 12 and the gas valve 32. The gas valve 32, which is delivered to the valve 31 and connected to the gas control unit 12 by an electric line, is opened, and the gas is injected as much as the flow rate of the gas set through the gas control valve 31. The gas is injected from the gas control valve 31 and flows into the plasma chamber 51 through the gas common pipe 34 through the gas valve 32.

Then, the vacuum pressure value displayed on the display unit of the vacuum regulator 71 is increased by the gas partial pressure of the pressure in the plasma chamber 51, and after a predetermined time, the overall vacuum degree in the plasma chamber 51 is stabilized.

Here, the use of the low vacuum sensor 43 and the high vacuum sensor 44 will be described. In general, the plasma chamber can be divided into a high vacuum and a low vacuum, and the general classification is 10E-1 to 10E-3. Torr band is low vacuum, vacuum detection is possible only by the low vacuum sensor 43, 10E-4 to 10E-7 torr band is high vacuum, and can be measured only by the high vacuum sensor 44. Therefore, if the plasma chamber used is for low vacuum, the high vacuum sensor 44 becomes unnecessary, but if the plasma chamber is for high vacuum, the vacuum plasma apparatus is operated as follows.

First, when the vacuum pump 42 is operated manually and the vacuum valve 42 is opened through the vacuum regulator 71, the pressure in the plasma chamber 51 gradually decreases to a high vacuum state and a vacuum pressure in a high vacuum state. Is sensed by the high vacuum sensor 44 to transmit a signal of the vacuum pressure to the vacuum regulator 71, the vacuum regulator 71 converts the signal of the detected vacuum pressure into a vacuum unit value Torr It displays through the display means (not shown) in itself.

Subsequently, when the vacuum pressure value input from the high vacuum sensor 44 reaches the minimum base pressure value set by the operator of the apparatus, the operator operates the gas operation unit 11. By controlling the gas valve 32 and the gas control valve 31 through the gas is injected into the plasma chamber 51.

Subsequently, since the pressure in the plasma chamber 51 is changed to low vacuum due to the partial pressure of gas in the plasma chamber 51, the high vacuum sensor 44 stops operation, and the vacuum pressure value is vacuumed by the low vacuum sensor 43. The control device 71 is to be delivered. The vacuum pressure value in the plasma chamber 51 is stabilized at an arbitrary value after a predetermined time.

When the degree of vacuum of the plasma chamber 51 is stabilized due to the injection of the gas as described above, the operator of the vacuum plasma apparatus may control a voltage setting terminal for setting an output value of energy supplied from the plasma power supply operation unit 13 to the plasma chamber. The control signal is transmitted to the plasma power output unit 14 by operating an opening / closing switch for setting the opening and closing of the energy supply device that generates the power supply, and the plasma power output unit 14 having received the signal has energy having an output value of the set energy. Is generated through an energy supply device, and is output to the plasma chamber 51.

Then, plasma is generated in the chamber by ionization of the gas gases in the plasma chamber 51. Typically, the time that the plasma is maintained in the plasma chamber 51 is referred to as a machining process time. During the machining process time, the operator may perform a plasma processing desired by chemical and physical phenomena of the plasma.

When the processing time passes, the operation of the vacuum plasma apparatus is stopped in the reverse order. That is, the output of the plasma power output unit 14 is cut off by operating the opening / closing switch of the plasma power supply operation unit 13, By operating the open / close switch and the control terminal to stop the operation of the gas valve 32 and the gas control valve (31).

After a certain time, when the residual gas is vacuum pumped into the plasma chamber 51, the vacuum regulator 71 is operated to block the vacuum valve 41, and the vent gas valve 33 is opened at the gas operating unit 11. When the plasma chamber 51 in the vacuum state is transferred to the atmospheric pressure by transmitting a control signal, the atmospheric pressure switch 61 installed in the plasma chamber 51 is operated, and the atmospheric pressure recognition signal of the atmospheric pressure switch 61 is a vacuum regulator. By being delivered to 71, the operation of the vacuum plasma apparatus is stopped. The operator then opens the plasma chamber 51 at atmospheric pressure to obtain a processed article processed with the desired process.

Next, the plasma power supply of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 (the description of the same reference numerals will be omitted).

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vacuum plasma apparatus using the plasma power supply of the second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the plasma power supply 20 of the second embodiment of the present invention corresponds to the vacuum control unit 71 of the first embodiment to the plasma power supply 10 of the first embodiment described above. 21, a vacuum operation display unit 21a, and a vacuum control unit 22, wherein the vacuum operation unit 21 is an adjustment terminal for setting a minimum base pressure value of the plasma chamber 51; (Not shown) and an opening / closing switch (not shown) for controlling opening and closing of the vacuum valve 41, and a control signal input through the adjusting terminal and the opening / closing switch is transmitted to the vacuum control unit 22 through an input / output port. In addition, the vacuum control unit 22 transfers it to the vacuum valve 41 connected to the electric line according to the input control signal to open and close it. In addition, the vacuum control unit 22 receives the vacuum pressure value from the low vacuum sensor 43 and the high vacuum sensor 44 for sensing the vacuum pressure value of the plasma chamber 51 and transfers the vacuum pressure value to the vacuum operation unit 21, The vacuum operation unit 21 converts the received vacuum pressure value into Torr, which is a vacuum pressure unit, and transfers the same to the vacuum operation display unit 21a, and the operator through a predetermined display unit (not shown) attached to the vacuum operation display unit 21a. It is configured to recognize.

Since the operation of the vacuum plasma apparatus using the plasma power supply 20 of the second embodiment as described above is performed in the same manner as the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are merely for explaining the present invention, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claims. It is.

The effect of the present invention having the above configuration is to unify the various devices constituting the conventional vacuum plasma apparatus, and to operate through each operation unit by the operation of each device, and at the same time, the operator inputs each By displaying through the display unit, the operation for constituting the conventional vacuum plasma apparatus is simplified, so that the desired plasma treatment process for the operator can be simplified.

In addition, there is no need to purchase each part separately to construct a vacuum plasma apparatus, so that the installation space can be miniaturized, the cost can be reduced, and the improvement of the assembly time and the manpower of the apparatus can be greatly improved. It is an invention.

Claims (11)

In the plasma power supply for supplying energy to the plasma chamber for generating a plasma, A gas operation unit having an on / off switch for opening and closing the gas system valve forming the injection path of the gas injected into the plasma chamber, and a control terminal for setting the flow rate of the gas flowing through the gas system valve; And The control signal for opening and closing the gas system valve and the control signal for controlling the flow rate of the gas flowing to the gas system valve are generated according to the operation at the gas operating unit, and are transmitted to the gas system valve. A gas controller configured to receive a flow rate of gas flowing through the valve; And A plasma power supply operation unit having an adjustment terminal for setting an output value of energy supplied to the plasma chamber, and an opening / closing switch for setting opening and closing of an energy supply device for generating energy; And A plasma power output unit having an energy supply device for generating energy of a set output according to an operation in the plasma power supply operation unit and outputting the energy to a plasma chamber; Plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, characterized in that consisting of. The method of claim 1, A gas operation display unit which displays a flow rate of the gas input to the gas control unit, and displays a flow rate of the gas set by the opening / closing switch and the control terminal; Plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit further comprising. The method of claim 1, A plasma power supply operation display unit for displaying an output value of energy output from the plasma power output unit and displaying an open / closed state of an open / close switch of the plasma power supply operation unit and a set value of energy set by the control terminal; Plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit further comprising. The method of claim 1, A vacuum operation unit having a control terminal capable of setting a minimum basic pressure value of the plasma chamber and an open / close switch for controlling opening and closing of the vacuum valve, and generating a control signal input through the control terminal and the open / close switch; And receiving a control signal input through the control terminal and the opening / closing switch of the vacuum operation unit, and transmitting the control signal to a vacuum valve connected by an electric line, and vacuum pressure from a low vacuum sensor and a high vacuum sensor sensing a vacuum pressure value of the plasma chamber. A vacuum control unit which receives a value and transfers the value to the vacuum operation unit; Plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit further comprising. The method of claim 4, wherein A vacuum operation display unit for converting and displaying a vacuum pressure value in the plasma chamber input through the vacuum operation unit into Torr, which is a vacuum pressure unit; Plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit further comprising. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, characterized in that the energy supply device of the plasma power output unit is a high frequency generator. The method of claim 6, The plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, characterized in that the generated frequency of the high frequency generator has a frequency between 30KHz and 100MHz, the high frequency output is between 10W and 50KW. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The energy supply of the plasma power output unit is a plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, characterized in that the DC power supply. The method of claim 8, The plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, characterized in that the DC voltage of the DC power supply has a voltage between 5V and 10KV, and the output of the DC power is between 50W and 300KW. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The energy supply of the plasma power output unit is a plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, characterized in that the pulse power supply. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pulse voltage of the pulsed power supply varies from 0V to 1KV, the frequency of the pulse varies from 10Hz to 33KHz, and the duty ratio of the pulse is from 1% to 99%. A plasma power supply having a gas operation unit and a vacuum operation unit, which is variable and the output of the pulse power source is between 50W and 200KW.