KR20080058690A - Apparatus for treating substrates - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for treating substrates is provided to lead guide pins vertically and horizontally, using first and second guide grooves so as to reduce the opened and closed range of chambers and to prevent interference between the chambers. An apparatus for treating substrates comprises upper and lower chambers(234,232), guide pins(240), and guide members(250). The upper and lower chambers are detached. The guide pins are protruded from sides of the upper chamber. The guide members guide a moving path of the guide pins when opening and closing the upper chamber. The guide members include guide grooves(252) corresponding to the moving path of the guide pins. The guide grooves include first guide grooves(252a) and second guide grooves(252b) which guide the guide pins vertically and horizontally, respectively.

Description

Substrate Processing Unit {APPARATUS FOR TREATING SUBSTRATES}

1 is a plan view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic perspective view of the process chamber of FIG. 1;

3A to 3C are schematic operational state diagrams showing the opening and closing operation of the process chamber.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

100: equipment front end module 200: process equipment

210: load lock chamber 220: transfer chamber

230: process chamber 232: lower chamber

234: upper chamber 240: guide pin

250: guide member 252: guide groove

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly to a substrate processing apparatus of the cluster type.

Generally, a semiconductor device is manufactured by depositing and patterning various materials on a wafer in a thin film form. To this end, different steps of different processes such as a deposition process, an etching process, a cleaning process, and a drying process are required. In each process, the wafer is mounted and processed in a process chamber that provides optimum conditions for the progress of the process.

In recent years, as the semiconductor devices become more compact and highly integrated, process precisions, complexity, and wafer caliber are required, and the semiconductor device manufacturing process is collectively processed in view of the increase in the throughput associated with the increase in the number of complex processes and the sheeting. Cluster type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus attracts attention

Generally, a cluster type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus consists of a process equipment and an equipment front end module (EFEM) which carries in and out a wafer to a process equipment. The process equipment consists of a transfer chamber, a load lock chamber and a plurality of process chambers, the load lock chamber and the process chambers being arranged around the transfer chamber.

The substrate processing process is performed in the internal space of the process chamber, and the process chamber must be opened and closed in order to perform maintenance work such as replacing or cleaning the components in the process chamber before and after the process. At this time, the process chamber should be easily opened for maintenance work, and should have a minimum opening / closing operation range to avoid interference with other chambers arranged around the transfer chamber.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the problem in view of the problems of the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as described above, an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can minimize the opening and closing operation range of the process chamber. It is for.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can facilitate maintenance work.

In order to achieve the above object, the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention provides a space in which a substrate processing process is performed, and includes upper and lower chambers that can be separated vertically; A guide pin protruding from the side of the upper chamber; And a guide member for guiding a movement path of the guide pin when opening and closing the upper chamber.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention having the configuration as described above, the guide member is preferably connected to the side of the lower chamber, the guide groove corresponding to the movement path of the guide pin is preferably formed.

According to an aspect of the invention, the guide grooves and the first guide grooves formed to guide the upward inclined movement of the guide pin; And a second guide groove extending from the first guide groove and configured to guide the horizontal movement of the guide pin.

According to another aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the plurality of guide pins are formed on each of both sides of the upper chamber protruding, the guide groove of the guide member to correspond to the number of the guide pins.

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: process chambers; A load lock chamber receiving a substrate to be transferred to the process chambers; A transfer chamber disposed between the load lock chamber and the process chambers and transferring a substrate between the process chambers or between the process chambers and the load lock chamber; A substrate transfer module disposed adjacent to the load lock chamber to transfer a substrate between the load lock chamber and a container in which the substrate is accommodated, wherein the process chambers provide a space in which a substrate processing process is performed, A lower chamber; A plurality of guide pins protruding from each side of the upper chamber; And a guide member for guiding the movement path of the guide pins when the upper chamber is opened and closed.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention having the configuration as described above, the guide member is connected to each of both side surfaces of the lower chamber, it is preferable that the guide grooves corresponding to the movement path of the guide pins are formed. .

According to one feature of the invention, each of the guide grooves and the first guide grooves formed to guide the inclined movement of the guide pins; And a second guide groove connected to the first guide groove and configured to guide the horizontal movement of the guide pins.

Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as much as possible, even if shown on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

(Example)

1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a substrate processing apparatus 10 according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 10 has an equipment front end module (EFEM) 100 and a process equipment 200.

The facility front end module 100 is mounted in front of the process facility 200 to transfer the substrate between the vessel 112 in which the substrates are accommodated and the process facility 200. The facility front end module 100 has a plurality of loadports 110 and a frame 120. Frame 120 is located between load port 110 and process equipment 200. The container 112 containing the substrate is loaded with a load port 110 by a transfer means (not shown), such as an overhead transfer, an overhead conveyor, or an automatic guided vehicle. Is put on. The container 112 may be a sealed container such as a front open unified pod. In the frame 120, a frame robot 122 for transferring a substrate between the vessel 112 placed in the load port 110 and the process facility 200 is installed. In the frame 120, a door opener (not shown) for automatically opening and closing the door of the container 112 may be installed. In addition, the frame 120 may be provided with a fan filter unit (not shown) for supplying clean air into the frame 120 so that clean air flows from the top to the bottom in the frame 120.

A predetermined process is performed on the substrate in the process facility 200. The process facility 200 has a loadlock chamber 210, a transfer chamber 220, and a process chamber 230. The transfer chamber 220 has a generally polygonal shape when viewed from the top. The load lock chamber 210 or the process chamber 230 is located at the side of the transfer chamber 220. The load lock chamber 210 is located on the side of the transfer chamber 220 adjacent to the facility front end module 100 and the process chamber 230 is located on the other side.

The load lock chamber 210 includes a loading chamber 212 in which substrates flowing into the process equipment 200 temporarily stay in order to proceed with a process, and an unloading chamber in which substrates flowing out of the process equipment 200 temporarily stay in a process. Has (214). The interior of the transfer chamber 220 and the process chamber 230 is maintained in a vacuum, and the interior of the load lock chamber 210 is converted to a vacuum and atmospheric pressure. The load lock chamber 210 prevents foreign contaminants from entering the transfer chamber 220 and the process chamber 230. A gate valve (not shown) is installed between the load lock chamber 210 and the transfer chamber 220 and between the load lock chamber 210 and the facility front end module 100. When the substrate is moved between the facility front end module 100 and the load lock chamber 210, the gate valve provided between the load lock chamber 210 and the transfer chamber 220 is closed, and the load lock chamber 210 and the transfer chamber are closed. When the substrate is moved between the 220, the gate valve provided between the load lock chamber 210 and the facility front end module 100 is closed.

The transfer robot 222 is mounted in the transfer chamber 220. The transfer robot 222 loads the substrate into the process chamber 230 or unloads the substrate from the process chamber 230. In addition, the transfer robot 222 transfers the substrate between the process chamber 230 and the load lock chamber 210.

The process chamber 230 may be provided with a plurality of chambers for performing various substrate processing processes. For example, process chamber 230 may be a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber configured to supply reactant gases for the deposition of a material film on a substrate, an etching chamber configured to supply gas for etching the deposited material film, or And an ashing chamber configured to remove the photoresist layer remaining on the substrate after the photographing process.

2 is a schematic perspective view of the process chamber 230 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the process chamber 230 has a lower chamber 232 and an upper chamber 234. The lower chamber 232 has an open top structure, and the upper chamber 234 has a bottom open structure. The upper chamber 234 is installed above the lower chamber 232 to form a predetermined space, and a process of processing a substrate such as deposition, etching, or ashing in this space is performed. An opening 233 is formed on the front surface of the lower chamber 232, and a substrate to be processed is carried into the process chamber 230 through the opening 233 (hereinafter, the opening 233 of the lower chamber 232). Is defined as the front surface of the process chamber 230, and the surface facing the front surface is defined as the rear surface of the process chamber 230.)

Maintenance operations such as replacing or cleaning components in the process chamber 230 are performed at the front and rear stages of the substrate processing process, and the process chamber 230 must be opened and closed. The opening and closing operation of the process chamber 230 may be variously performed according to a coupling structure of the upper chamber 234 and the lower chamber 232.

The present invention has a configuration in which the upper chamber 234 is inclined to the rear upper side of the lower chamber 232 and then horizontally moved to the rear to open the process chamber 230, for which the path of the upper chamber 234 is moved. Means for guiding are provided. As a means for guiding the movement path of the upper chamber 234, a guide pin 240 and a guide member 250 for guiding the guide pin 240 may be used.

The guide pins 240 may protrude on both sides of the upper chamber 234 and may be provided in plural. When the guide pins 240 are provided in plural numbers, the upper chamber 234 can be moved more stably as compared to the case where one guide pin 240 is used, and the guide pins 240 are rotated as the center of rotation. Thus, the upper chamber 234 may be prevented from rotating.

Guide members 250 for guiding the guide pins 240 may be installed at both sides of the lower chamber 232, respectively. The guide member 250 is formed with a guide groove 252 corresponding to the movement path of the guide pin 240. The guide groove 252 is formed from the first guide groove 252a formed to be inclined to guide the rear upward tilt movement of the guide pin 240 and from the first guide groove 252a to guide the rear horizontal movement of the guide pin 240. It has a second guide groove 252b extending horizontally. A plurality of guide grooves 252 may be formed to correspond to the number of guide pins 240 provided in the upper chamber 234.

Referring to the operation of opening and closing the process chamber 230 by the configuration as described above are as follows.

3A to 3C are schematic operational state diagrams showing the opening and closing operation of the process chamber.

First, in a state in which the process chamber 230 is closed (FIG. 3A), the upper chamber 234 is moved upward. Then, the guide pin 240 protruding from the upper chamber 234 is guided along the first guide groove 252a of the guide member 250, so that the upper chamber 234 is rear upper side of the lower chamber 232. In this state, when the upper chamber 234 is moved backward, the guide pin 240 is guided along the second guide groove 252b of the guide member 250, and the upper chamber is moved. 234 moves horizontally to the rear of the lower chamber 232 (FIG. 3C).

Since the opening operation of the process chamber 230 is performed in the space corresponding to the width of the process chamber 230 by the operation as described above, the opening and closing operation range of the process chamber 230 is the upper portion of the process chamber 230. Limited to the space, it is possible to prevent the interference between the chambers disposed adjacent to the opening and closing operation.

In addition, since the upper chamber 234 is moved to the upper rear space of the lower chamber 232, a sufficient working space for the maintenance work can be secured to facilitate the maintenance work of the process chamber 230.

On the other hand, the closing operation of the process chamber 230 may be performed in the reverse order of the above-described process, the process chamber 230 may be moved using an operator or a separate driving device (not shown).

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to describe the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

According to the present invention as described above, by minimizing the opening and closing operation range of the chamber, it is possible to prevent the interference between the chambers disposed adjacent to the opening and closing operation of the chamber.

In addition, the space of the process equipment can be reduced, and more chambers can be arranged in the same space.

Moreover, maintenance work of an installation can be performed more easily.

Claims (7)

An upper and lower chamber which provides a space where a substrate processing process is performed and which can be separated up and down; A guide pin protruding from the side of the upper chamber; A guide member guiding a movement path of the guide pin when opening and closing the upper chamber; Substrate processing apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, The guide member, And a guide groove connected to a side of the lower chamber and corresponding to a movement path of the guide pin. The method of claim 2, The guide groove, A first guide groove formed to guide the upward inclined movement of the guide pin; And a second guide groove extending from the first guide groove and configured to guide the horizontal movement of the guide pin. The method of claim 4, wherein A plurality of guide pins are formed to protrude on each side of the upper chamber, the guide groove of the guide member is formed to correspond to the number of the guide pins. Process chambers; A load lock chamber receiving a substrate to be transferred to the process chambers; A transfer chamber disposed between the load lock chamber and the process chambers and transferring a substrate between the process chambers or between the process chambers and the load lock chamber; A substrate transfer module disposed adjacent to the load lock chamber to transfer a substrate between the load lock chamber and a container in which the substrate is accommodated; The process chambers, An upper and lower chamber which provides a space where a substrate processing process is performed and which can be separated up and down; A plurality of guide pins protruding from each side of the upper chamber; And a guide member for guiding a movement path of the guide pins when the upper chamber is opened and closed. The method of claim 5, wherein The guide member, And guide grooves connected to both side surfaces of the lower chamber and corresponding to movement paths of the guide pins. The method of claim 6, Each of the guide grooves, A first guide groove formed to guide the inclined movement of the guide pins; And a second guide groove connected to the first guide groove and configured to guide the horizontal movement of the guide pins.

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