Patent ID: 9496158
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A processing apparatus comprising: a processing container configured to receive a substrate to be processed through a carrying port and process the substrate using a high-pressure fluid; a cover configured to close the carrying port with a first gap formed between the cover and the processing container when the high-pressure fluid is not supplied to the processing container, and retreat from the processing container by an internal atmosphere of the processing container when the high-pressure fluid is supplied to the processing container thereby widening the first gap; a sealing member annularly installed to surround the carrying port or fit to an inner circumferential surface of the carrying port when the carrying port is closed by the cover, having an elasticity with a U-shaped longitudinal cross section, and disposed such that an internal space surrounded in the U shape communicates with the internal atmosphere of the processing container; a restriction mechanism configured to restrict the cover from retreating by the pressure beyond a predetermined position in the processing container, wherein the restriction mechanism includes: a controller configured to control an overall operation of the processing apparatus, wherein the controller is programmed such that, when the high-pressure fluid is not supplied to the processing container, the cover airtightly closes the first gap by squashing the sealing member, and wherein the controller is further programmed such that, when the high-pressure fluid is supplied to the processing container, the sealing member is pressurized by the internal atmosphere of the processing container caused by the high-pressure fluid entering into the internal space surrounded in the U shape through the widened first gap to be pressed to at least one of the cover or the processing container, thereby a state where airtightly closing the first gap widened by the internal atmosphere of the processing container is maintained while the high-pressure fluid is being supplied.