Patent Publication Number: US-2020294832-A1

Title: Apparatus for processing substrate

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0030097, filed on Mar. 15, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically, to a substrate processing apparatus capable of blocking the introduction of external air and external particles into a chamber by forming an air curtain in a loading/unloading part when the chamber is open. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     Recently, with the rapid development of an information and communication field and popularization of information media such as computers, semiconductor devices are also rapidly developing. Further, various methods have been researched and developed to reduce the size of a discrete device formed on a substrate and maximize device performance according to a trend of high integration of the semiconductor devices in terms of its functionality. 
     Generally, the semiconductor devices are manufactured by repeatedly performing a plurality of substrate treatments such as lithography, deposition and etching, coating of photoresist, development, cleaning, and drying processes. 
     Each process is performed using a process fluid suitable for each purpose, and a suitable process environment is required for each process. 
     Each process is generally performed by accommodating a substrate in a chamber or bath in which a corresponding process environment is formed, and can be performed by accommodating a substrate in a sealed chamber to prevent the introduction of external particles. 
     Particles, such as metal impurities, organic matter, and the like remain on the substrate when each process is performed, and the contaminants cause a process defect of the substrate and adversely affect product yield and reliability. 
     Accordingly, in order to remove the particles, cleaning and drying processes repeatedly performed when each process is completed are very important. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , a single-wafer type substrate processing apparatus according to the related art and a substrate processing method using the same will be described. 
     The substrate processing apparatus according to the related art includes, a chamber  10  which accommodates and processes a substrate W in a sealed substrate processing space formed by coupling of a first housing  11  and a second housing  12 , and a driving part  40  configured to move up and down while supporting the second housing  12  to open and close the chamber  10 . 
     The chamber  10  is open when the substrate W is loaded into the chamber  10  or unloaded from the chamber  10  to the outside, and maintains a sealed state while the substrate W is processed in the chamber  10 . 
     The driving part  40  is formed of a cylinder which performs up and down driving. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1A , when the cylinder is elongated, the second housing  12  ascends, and accordingly, a flange part  21  of the first housing  11  and a flange part  22  of the second housing  12  are coupled to seal the chamber  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , when the cylinder contracts, the second housing  12  descends, and accordingly, the chamber  10  is open and a loading/unloading part  30  through which the inside and the outside of the chamber  10  communicate is formed between the flange part  21  of the first housing  11  and the flange part  22  of the second housing  12 . 
     According to the substrate processing apparatus of the related art, when the chamber  10  is open, external air and external particles can be introduced into the chamber  10  through the loading/unloading part  30 . 
     Accordingly, a substrate processing environment in the chamber  10  can be adversely affected, and a defect of the substrate can occur. 
     As an example of the prior art of the above-described substrate processing apparatus, there is Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 10-2015-0064494. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus f capable of preventing the introduction of external air and external particles into a chamber by forming an air curtain at in a loading/unloading part when the chamber is open. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including a chamber in which a space is formed, and a fluid injection part configured to inject a fluid from an outer side of a loading/unloading part, by which the inside and the outside of the chamber are connected, to form an air curtain. 
     The fluid injection part may inject the fluid in a vertically downward direction or obliquely inject the fluid downward and to the outer side of the chamber. 
     In the chamber formed by coupling of a first housing and a second housing, the fluid injection part may be provided in a plural number at predetermined intervals along a circumference of a flange part of the first housing, and may also be provided in a ring shape along the circumference of the flange part of the first housing. 
     The fluid injection part may be provided with at least one injection part configured to inject the fluid, and the at least one injection part may be provided at a predetermined interval along the circumference of the flange part of the first housing or may be provided in a slit shape. 
     The fluid may be clean air or an inert gas. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  are a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to the related art; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, configurations and actions of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Here, detailed descriptions of contents described in the related art and overlapping contents will be omitted, and elements newly added in the present disclosure will be mainly described. 
     A first embodiment and a second embodiment of substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     Each of substrate processing apparatuses  1 - 1  and  1 - 2  according to the present disclosure includes a chamber  100  for accommodating and processing a substrate W therein, and a fluid injection part  200  forming an air curtain A by injecting a fluid to an outer side of a loading/unloading part  105  by which the inside and the outside of the chamber  100  are connected. 
     The substrate W may be a silicon wafer serving as a semiconductor substrate. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the substrate W may be a transparent substrate such as a glass substrate or the like used for a flat display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a plasma display panel (PDP). The shape and size of the substrate W are not limited to the drawings of the present disclosure, and the substrate W may have various shapes and sizes such as a circular plate, a quadrangular plate, and the like. 
     The process of processing the substrate W is performed by supplying at least one process fluid onto the substrate W. 
     In a process of cleaning the substrate W, a cleaner for removing contaminants on the substrate W is used as the process fluid. 
     The cleaner may be supplied in plural types according to types of contaminants to be processed. For example, an organic solvent or nitrogen (N 2 ) gas may be used to remove a resist. Further, water, hydrogen fluoride (HF), isopropyl alcohol (IPA), nitrogen (N 2 ) gas, or the like may be used to remove silicon oxide (SiO). In addition, hydrochloric acid (HCl), ozone (O 3 ), or nitrogen (N 2 ) gas may be used to remove metal. In addition, ozone (O 3 ) or nitrogen (N 2 ) gas may be used to remove organic matter other than a resist. In addition, ammonia water (APM), nitrogen (N 2 ) gas, or argon (Ar) may be used to remove other particles. In addition, water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and nitrogen (N 2 ) gas may be used to remove ions of fluorine (F), chlorine (CO, or ammonia (NH 4 ). 
     In addition, in a process of drying the substrate W, a desiccant for drying the substrate W is used as the process fluid. 
     The desiccant is provided corresponding to the type of cleaning agent supplied onto the substrate W, and a supercritical fluid such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), water (H 2 O), methane (CH 4 ), ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) propylene (C 2 H 2 ), methanol (C 2 H 3 OH), ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH), sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ), acetone (C 3 H 8 O), or the like may be used as the desiccant. 
     The process fluid requires a substrate processing environment which satisfies a range of temperatures and pressures for processing the substrate W according to the type thereof, and the substrate processing environment is changed according to the type of the process fluid. 
     As an example, in the case of a substrate processing process using a supercritical fluid, a substrate processing environment which satisfies a high temperature greater than or equal to a critical temperature and a high pressure greater than or equal to a critical pressure is required so that the fluid may maintain a supercritical state. 
     The chamber  100  is formed so that a substrate processing space providing the substrate processing environment is formed therein. 
     To this end, the chamber  100  consists of a high rigidity material having a predetermined thickness, and consists of a material having high heat resistance and pressure resistance to withstand changes in temperature and pressure, and having chemical resistance and corrosion resistance so as not to affect the substrate processing process due to deterioration or corrosion in response to the cleaning agent or the desiccant. 
     Stainless steel (SUS) may be a material which satisfies the above conditions. The stainless steel has high rigidity, excellent heat resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, accessibility and economic advantages, and thus is one of the most used materials for constituting the chamber  100 . 
     The chamber  100  is open when the substrate W is loaded into the chamber  100  or unloaded to the outside from the chamber  100 , and maintains a sealed state while the processing of the substrate W is performed in the chamber  100 . 
     The chamber  100  is formed of a first housing  110  and a second housing  120  coupled to form a sealed substrate processing space therein. 
     The first housing  110  may be provided to maintain a fixed position, and since a driving part  104  is connected to the second housing  120 , the second housing  120  moves by driving of the driving part  104  to be coupled to or separated from the first housing  110 , and thus the chamber  100  may be opened and closed. 
     In this case, the first housing  110  may be formed to be coupled to an upper portion of the second housing  120 , and the second housing  120  may be moved up and down by the driving of the driving part  104  to be coupled to or separated from the first housing  110 . 
     The driving unit  104  may be formed of a cylinder which is moved up and down, may be formed of a motor, and may be formed using a rack and pinion gear so that rotational driving is converted to linear driving, to move the second housing  120  in various ways. 
     Flange parts  111  and  121  may be formed in a coupling portion at which the first housing  110  and the second housing  120  are coupled. 
     When the second housing  120  descends and is separated from the first housing  110 , a space between the flange part  111  of the first housing  110  and the flange part  121  of the second housing  120  is open, and the loading/unloading part  105  through which the substrate W is loaded or unloaded is formed. 
     The fluid injection part  200  is formed so that a gas supply tank (not shown) which supplies the fluid is connected thereto, and at least one injection part  201  from which the fluid is injected is formed therein. 
     The fluid may be a purge gas, which is clean air, may be an inert gas, and specifically, may be nitrogen gas (N 2 ). 
     The air curtain A formed of the fluid serves to block the loading/unloading part  105  to prevent the introduction of external air and external particles into the substrate processing space in the chamber  100 . 
     Since the fluid injection part  200  is provided at an outer side of the chamber  100 , and specifically, is provided at the flange part  111  of the first housing  110 , the air curtain A may be formed at an outer side of the loading/unloading part  105 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the substrate processing apparatus  1 - 1  according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may be formed so that the injection part  201  is provided at a lower side of the fluid injection part  200  to inject the fluid toward the loading/unloading part  105  in a vertically downward direction. 
     Accordingly, an air curtain A- 1  in a vertically downward direction from the flange portion  111  of the first housing  110  to the flange portion  121  of the second housing  120  is formed. 
     The air curtain A- 1  in the vertical downward direction may prevent the introduction of the outside air and external particles by tightly blocking the loading/unloading part  105  in a vertical direction. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the substrate processing apparatus  1 - 2  according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the first embodiment, and may be formed so that the injection part  201  provided under the fluid injection part  200  obliquely injects the fluid downward and to the outer side of the chamber  100 . 
     Accordingly, an air curtain A- 2  in an obliquely downward direction from the flange portion  111  of the first housing  110  to an outer side of the flange portion  121  of the second housing  120  is formed. 
     The air curtain A- 2  in the obliquely downward direction not only may prevent the introduction of external air and external particles which descend, but also may prevent a change in an inner environment of the chamber  100  due to vortices that may occur by minimizing collisions between the fluid and the flange portion  121  of the second housing  120 . 
     In this case, an inclination angle α of the air curtain A- 2  in the obliquely downward direction may be formed to be 5° to 15° outward from a vertical direction. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a substrate processing apparatus  1 - 3  according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the first embodiment, and may be formed so that the fluid injection part  200  is provided at the flange portion  121  of the second housing  120 , and the injection part  201  is provided at an upper side of the fluid injection part  200  to inject a fluid in a vertically upward direction. 
     Accordingly, an air curtain A- 3  in a vertically upward direction from the flange part  121  of the second housing  120  to the flange part  111  of the first housing  110  is formed. 
     The air curtain A- 3  in the vertically upward direction may prevent the introduction of external air and external particles by pushing the external air and the external particles descending from an upper side of the chamber  100  to block an approaching path which approaches the loading/unloading part  105 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a substrate processing apparatus  1 - 4  according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the third embodiment, and may be formed so that the injection part  201  obliquely injects the fluid upward and to the outer side of the chamber  100 . 
     Accordingly, an air curtain A- 4  in an obliquely upward direction from the flange part  121  of the second housing  120  to an outer side of the flange part  111  of the first housing  110  is formed. 
     The air curtain A- 4  in the obliquely upward direction not only may block an approaching path which approaches the loading/unloading part  105  by pushing external air and external particles descending from an upper side of the chamber  100 , but also may prevent a change in an inner environment of the chamber  100  due to vortices that may occur by minimizing collisions between the fluid and the flange part  111  of the first housing  110 . 
     In this case, an inclination angle β of the air curtain A- 2  in the obliquely upward direction may be formed to be 5° to 15° outward from a vertical direction. 
     Further, a fifth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     A substrate processing apparatus  1 - 5  according to the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the first embodiment, but is different from the configuration of the first embodiment in that fluid injection parts  200 - 1 ,  200 - 2 , and  200 - 3  are formed in a plural number along a circumference of the flange part  111  of the first housing  110 . 
     The flange part  111  of the first housing  110  and the flange part  121  of the second housing  120  are respectively formed in ring shapes at ends of the first housing  110  and the second housing  120 , and accordingly, the loading/unloading part  105  of the chamber  100  may also be formed in a ring shape between the flange part  111  of the first housing  110  and the flange part  121  of the second housing  120 . 
     Since the plurality of fluid injection parts  200 - 1 ,  200 - 2 , and  200 - 3  according to the fifth embodiment are provided at predetermined intervals along the flange part  111  of the first housing  110 , air curtains A which uniformly block the ring-shaped loading/unloading part  105  are formed. 
     Further, as at least one injection part  201  provided in the plurality of fluid injection parts  200 - 1 ,  200 - 2 , and  200 - 3  is provided at a predetermined interval along the flange part  111  of the first housing  110 , the air curtains A may be more compactly formed. 
     In addition, a sixth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIG. 7 . 
     A substrate processing apparatus  1 - 6  according to the sixth embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the fifth embodiment, but is different from the configuration of the fifth embodiment in that at least one injection part  201  provided in the plurality of fluid injection parts  200 - 1 ,  200 - 2 , and  200 - 3  is formed in a slit shape. 
     According to the sixth embodiment, since a fluid supplied to the plurality of fluid injection parts  200 - 1 ,  200 - 2 , and  200 - 3  is injected through the at least one slit-shaped injection part  201 , air curtains A which block a loading/unloading part  105  having a relatively large area are formed. 
     Further, a seventh embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIG. 8 . 
     A substrate processing apparatus  1 - 7  according to the seventh embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the first embodiment, but is different from the configuration of the first embodiment in that the fluid injection part  200 - 4  is formed in a ring shape along a circumference of the flange part  111  of the first housing  110 . 
     Since at least one injection part  201  is uniformly provided at a predetermined interval in the fluid injection part  200 - 4 , air curtains A which uniformly block a ring-shaped loading/unloading part  105  are formed. 
     Further, an eighth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIG. 9 . 
     A substrate processing apparatus  1 - 8  according to the eighth embodiment of the present disclosure follows the configuration of the seventh embodiment, but is different from the configuration of the seventh embodiment in that at least one injection part  201  provided in the fluid injection part  200 - 4  is formed in a slit shape. 
     According to the eighth embodiment, since a fluid supplied to the fluid injection part  200 - 4  is injected through the at least one slit-shaped injection part  201 , air curtains A which block a loading/unloading part  105  having a relatively large area are formed. 
     As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus of the present disclosure, since air curtains which block the outer side of the loading/unloading part  105  of the chamber  100  are formed by injecting a fluid from an air supply part  200 , a defective occurrence rate of the substrate W may be reduced by preventing the introduction of external air and external particles into the substrate processing space in the chamber  100 . 
     According to a substrate processing apparatus of the present disclosure, since the introduction of external air and external particles into a chamber is prevented by forming an air curtain which blocks a loading/unloading part when the chamber is open, a defective occurrence rate of a substrate can be reduced. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be modified without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure in the claims, and such a modification is included in the scope of the present disclosure.