Patent Publication Number: US-2013247822-A1

Title: Deposition apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0030180 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 23, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a deposition apparatus. 
     (b) Description of the Related Art 
     In a deposition apparatus which deposits a film on a silicon substrate, when the substrate is loaded before processing or unloaded after processing, a substrate supporting pin or substrate lift pin is used. 
     The substrate supporting pin includes a fixed supporting pin and an unfixed supporting pin. The fixed supporting pin fixes a lower portion of the substrate supporting pin to a pin hole of a lift pin supporter. When the fixed supporting pin is used, the substrate supporting pin may be damaged by friction at the inside of the pin hole. 
     When the unfixed substrate supporting pin is used, the substrate supporting pin moves vertically at the time the substrate is loaded or unloaded. Further, when the substrate supporting pin moves vertically, the substrate supporting pin may be caught in a substrate lift pin hole and damaged. 
     As such, when the supporting pin is damaged, the substrate is not accurately loaded or unloaded. As a result, the substrate may be damaged. Further, when the substrate is not loaded at an accurate position, processing gas permeates into a rear side of the substrate, resulting in deposition of an unnecessary thin film or generation of contaminated particles in a reactor. 
     In a deposition process using plasma, static electricity may be generated on the substrate where the thin film is deposited. If the substrate is moved after the processing, the substrate supporting pin sticks to the rear side of the substrate due to the static electricity, thus, obstructing the movement of the substrate or damaging the substrate supporting pin or the substrate. 
     In order to solve the above identified problems, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0068132 discloses a method of discharging static electricity through a lower plate supporting the substrate supporting pin by gold-plating the substrate supporting pin. Further, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0008975 discloses a method of preventing damage to a substrate or a supporting pin by inserting a metal rod into the substrate supporting pin to discharge static electricity generated during processing through a lift hoop supporting the supporting pin. 
     However, even if the structures described in the above identified publication are used, when an unnecessary thin film, such as an oxide thin film, is formed between the supporting pin and the plate or lift hoop supporting the supporting pin while the process is repeated several times, discharging of the static electricity itself is not performed. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a deposition apparatus having advantages of reducing damage to a substrate supporting pin when a substrate is loaded or unloaded by using the substrate supporting pin, and preventing a substrate supporting pin from deviating from a means supporting the substrate supporting pin to prevent the substrate supporting pin or the substrate from being damaged, although static electricity is generated during a plasma process. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a deposition apparatus, including: a substrate supporter; a substrate supporting pin inserted into a hole formed in the substrate supporter; a supporting plate supporting the substrate supporting pin, in which the substrate supporting pin is inserted into the hole formed in the supporting plate; and a protecting member disposed between the substrate supporting pin and the hole and sticking into the hole. 
     The protecting member may surround a lower end of the substrate supporting pin. The protecting member may include an elastic body. In addition, or alternatively, the protecting member may include a spring. 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a deposition apparatus, including: a substrate supporter; a substrate supporting pin inserted into a hole formed in the substrate supporter; a supporting plate supporting the substrate supporting pin; a guide ring sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin; and a guide plate sticking to the supporting plate, in which the guide ring and the guide plate are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. 
     The guide plate may be overlapped with at least a part of the guide ring. The guide ring and the guide plate may be spaced apart from each other at about 2 mm to about 10 mm. The guide plate may be overlapped with the entire guide ring. 
     According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a protecting member made of an elastic body is inserted into a pin hole into which a fixed substrate supporting pin is inserted and the substrate supporting pin is fixed through the protecting member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damages to the substrate and a decrease in yield due to damages to the substrate supporting pin by preventing the substrate supporting pin from being damaged by loading or unloading of the substrate or static electricity. 
     Further, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the deposition apparatus includes a substrate supporting pin guide member capable of preventing misalignment of an unfixed substrate supporting pin, and as a result, it is possible to prevent damages to the substrate and a decrease in the yield due to damages to the substrate supporting pin by preventing the substrate supporting pin from being damaged by loading or unloading of the substrate or static electricity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a protecting member of a substrate supporting pin according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram schematically illustrating an operation of the part of the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5A  is a diagram illustrating a part of a deposition apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the deposition apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6A  is a diagram illustrating a part of a deposition apparatus according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the deposition apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 6A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
     In the drawings, the thickness of layers, films, panels, regions, etc., are exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. 
     First, a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the deposition apparatus includes an outer wall  100 , a gas passage pipe  110 , a chamber wall  120 , a substrate supporter  130 , a chamber plate  140  defining a reaction space together with the substrate supporter  130 , a high-frequency connection terminal  150  for transferring high-frequency power to the chamber plate  140  in order to induce plasma in the chamber, and a high-frequency power supply  151  connected to the high-frequency connection terminal  150 . 
     The respective constituent elements will be described in more detail as follows. 
     A substrate  135  which is an object to deposit a film is disposed on the substrate supporter  130 , and a heating plate  160  is disposed below the substrate supporter  130 . The heating plate  160  serves to increase the temperature of the substrate up to a temperature required for a process, and may be omitted. 
     In order to load or unload the substrate, a substrate supporter driver  170  for driving the substrate supporter  130  includes a substrate supporting pin  31  which is inserted into a hole formed in the substrate supporter  130  to support the substrate, and a vertical driver  33  controlling a vertical movement of the substrate supporter  130 . As the vertical driver  33 , various means controlling the vertical movement of the substrate supporter  130 , such as a pneumatic cylinder, may be used. The substrate supporting pin  31  may be supported by a supporting plate  101  formed at the lower portion of the deposition apparatus. 
     Now, the vertical movement of the substrate supporter  130  for loading or unloading the substrate will be described. Before and after a deposition process, the substrate supporter  130  and the heating plate  160  connected to the vertical driver  33  move downwards and the chamber wall  120  and the substrate supporter  130  are separated from each other to open the chamber. As a result, the substrate  135  may be loaded in the chamber or unloaded to the outside. In this case, if the substrate supporting pin  31  is an unfixed type, the substrate supporting pin  31  moves up or down by the vertical movement of the supporting plate  101 , and thus, the substrate  135  may be unloaded from the substrate supporter  130  or loaded on the substrate supporter  130 . 
     The substrate supporting pin  31  and the supporting plate  101  supporting the substrate supporting pin  31  of the deposition apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a protecting member of a substrate supporting pin.  FIG. 4  is a diagram schematically illustrating an operation of the part of the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the substrate supporting pin  31 , which is inserted into the substrate supporter  130  and the heating plate  160 , passes through a supporting pin inserter  30   a  formed in the substrate supporter  130  and the heating plate  160  to be inserted and fixed in a pin hole formed in the supporting plate  101 . A substrate supporting pin protecting member  101   a  is formed in the pin hole formed in the supporting plate  101  of the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and the substrate supporting pin  31  is inserted into the pin hole through the substrate supporting pin protecting member  101   a.    
     The substrate supporting pin protecting member  101   a  may include an elastic body. Accordingly, even if the substrate supporting pin  31  moves horizontally, the substrate supporting pin  31  may not be damaged and may be restored to an original position. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the substrate supporting pin protecting member  101   a  may be a plate spring. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , when the substrate supporter  130  and the heating plate  160  move vertically, the substrate supporter  130  and the heating plate  160  may move horizontally. As a result, the substrate supporting pin  31  fixed in the supporting plate  101  is easily damaged due to friction with the supporting pin inserter  30   a.  However, in the case of the deposition apparatus, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the substrate supporting pin  31  is protected by elasticity of the substrate supporting pin protecting member  101   a  formed in the pin hole of the supporting plate  101 , thereby preventing the substrate supporting pin  31  from being damaged due to the movement of the substrate supporter  130  and the heating plate  160 . Further, even if the substrate supporting pin  31  and the substrate  135  stick to each other and move together by static electricity accumulated on the substrate  135  after the deposition process, the substrate supporting pin  31  is protected by the substrate supporting pin protecting member  101   a  formed in the pin hole of the supporting plate  101 , thereby preventing the substrate supporting pin  31  from being damaged. 
     Then, the substrate supporting pin  31  and the supporting plate  101  supporting the substrate supporting pin  31  of the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5A and 5B .  FIG. 5A  is a diagram illustrating a part of a deposition apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the deposition apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 5A . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the substrate supporting pin  31  of the deposition apparatus, which is an unfixed type, is supported by the supporting plate  101  and protected by a supporting pin guide member. The supporting pin guide member includes a supporting pin guide ring  102  sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin  31 , and a supporting pin guide plate  103  sticking to the supporting plate  101  and that is spaced apart from the supporting pin guide ring  102  in a vertical direction. The supporting pin guide plate  103  is disposed to be vertically overlapped with a part of the supporting pin guide ring  102 . 
     The supporting pin guide ring  102  and the supporting pin guide plate  103  are disposed to maintain a vertical distance of about 2 mm to about 10 mm. 
     When the substrate is loaded or unloaded, the supporting plate  101  supporting the substrate supporting pin  31  moves vertically, and thus, the substrate supporting pin  31  moves vertically. Even in this case, the substrate supporting pin  31  is inserted into the substrate supporter  130  through the supporting pin inserter formed at the substrate supporter  130 . When the substrate supporting pin  31  moves vertically, friction with the supporting pin inserter in the substrate supporter  130  is generated, and as a result, sticking in the supporting pin inserter occurs, and thus, the substrate supporting pin  31  may be damaged. 
     However, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , when the substrate supporting pin  31  sticks into the supporting pin inserter such that the vertical movement is not smooth, as the supporting plate  101  moves, the supporting pin guide plate  103  sticking to the supporting plate  101  moves together with the supporting plate  101 . After the supporting pin guide plate  103  contacts the supporting pin guide ring  102  sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin  31 , the substrate supporting pin  31  physically moves vertically together with the supporting pin guide ring  102 , thereby preventing damage to the substrate supporting pin  31  which may be resulted when the substrate supporting pin  31  sticks in the supporting pin inserter and does not move. 
     Further, even if the substrate supporting pin  31  and the substrate  135  stick to each other by static electricity accumulated on the substrate  135  after the deposition process, and thus, the supporting plate  101  moves, the substrate supporting pin  31  does not move. Even in this case, as the supporting plate  101  moves, the supporting pin guide plate  103  sticking to the supporting plate  101  moves together. After the supporting pin guide plate  103  contacts the supporting pin guide ring  102  sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin  31 , the substrate supporting pin  31  physically moves together with the supporting pin guide ring  102 , thereby preventing the substrate supporting pin  31  from being damaged due to sticking. 
     Many features of the deposition apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment described above may all be applied to the deposition apparatus. 
     The substrate supporting pin  31  and the supporting plate  101  supporting the substrate supporting pin  31  of a deposition apparatus according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 6A and 6B .  FIG. 6A  is a diagram illustrating a part of a deposition apparatus according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the deposition apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 6A . 
     The deposition apparatus described referring to  FIGS. 6A and 6B  is similar to the deposition apparatus illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Referring to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the substrate supporting pin  31  of the deposition apparatus is an unfixed type, supported by the supporting plate  101  and protected by a supporting pin guide member. The supporting pin guide member includes a supporting pin guide ring  102  sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin  31 , and a supporting pin guide plate  103  sticking to the supporting plate  101  and that is spaced apart from the supporting pin guide ring  102  in a vertical direction. The supporting pin guide ring  102  and the supporting pin guide plate  103  are disposed to maintain a vertical distance of about 2 mm to about 10 mm. 
     However, unlike the deposition apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , in the deposition apparatus exemplified in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the supporting pin guide plate  103  of the supporting pin guide member surrounds the substrate supporting pin  31 . That is, the substrate supporting pin  31  is inserted into the supporting pin guide plate  103 . The supporting pin guide plate  103  is formed to be vertically overlapped with the entire supporting pin guide ring  102 . Accordingly, when the supporting plate  101  moves, but the substrate supporting pin  31  does not move, the supporting pin guide plate  103  physically moves the substrate supporting pin  31  by contacting the entire supporting pin guide ring  102  surrounding the substrate supporting pin  31 , and thus, may move more effectively. 
     Like the deposition apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment described above, when the substrate supporting pin  31  sticks into the supporting pin inserter and does not move, as the supporting plate  101  moves, the supporting pin guide plate  103  sticking to the supporting plate  101  moves together with the supporting plate  101 . After the supporting pin guide plate  103  contacts the supporting pin guide ring  102  sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin  31 , the substrate supporting pin  31  physically moves vertically together with the supporting pin guide ring  102 , thereby preventing damages to the substrate supporting pin  31  which may be resulted when the substrate supporting pin  31  sticks into the supporting pin inserter and does not move smoothly. 
     Further, the substrate supporting pin  31  and the substrate  135  can stick to each other by static electricity accumulated on the substrate  135  after the deposition process, and thus, the supporting plate  101  moves, but the substrate supporting pin  31  does not move. In this case, as the supporting plate  101  moves, the supporting pin guide plate  103  sticking to the supporting plate  101  moves together, and the supporting pin guide plate  103  contacts the supporting pin guide ring  102  sticking to the lower portion of the substrate supporting pin  31  so that the substrate supporting pin  31  physically moves together with the supporting pin guide ring  102 , thereby preventing the substrate supporting pin  31  from being damaged due to sticking. 
     Many features of the deposition apparatus according to the exemplary embodiments described above may all be applied to the deposition apparatus. 
     The shapes and layouts of the substrate supporting pin, the substrate supporting pin protecting member, and the substrate supporting pin guide member of the deposition apparatus according to the exemplary embodiments described above are only the examples for describing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto and may be modified in various forms. 
     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.