Patent ID: 12243767

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference toFIGS.1to8. The present invention may be embodied in different forms and should not be constructed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, the embodiments are provided to explain the present invention more completely to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the dimensions of each component shown in the figures are exaggerated for clarity of description.

FIGS.1and2show the structure of a conventional substrate support assembly. As shown inFIG.1, the substrate support assembly includes a support frame2and a substrate support member (or lift pin)3. The support frame2has an insertion hole4formed in a vertical direction, and the substrate support member3is inserted into the insertion hole4. The support frame2has a through hole1formed in a horizontal direction, and the through hole1communicates with the insertion hole4. The operator inserts the substrate support member3into the insertion hole4and then inserts a fixture (not shown) into the through hole1to press the substrate support member3located on the through hole1, so that the substrate support3can be fixed.

In addition, as shown inFIG.2, the substrate support assembly includes a support frame20and a substrate support member (or lift pin). The support frame20has an insertion hole22formed in a vertical direction, and a thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole22. The substrate support member is provided with a pin shaft32, a support body34, and a screw body36, and the screw body36is inserted into the insertion hole22by screwing. The operator inserts a tool (for example, a driver) into the insertion hole22through the lower portion of the insertion hole22, and the tools is coupled to the tool groove38formed on the lower portion of the screw body36, and then the operator rotates the screw body36so that the pin shaft32is fixed to the support frame20.

However, all of the above-described methods are vulnerable to vibration generated during the elevating or lowering process of the support frame, therefore the screw joint is released and the substrate support member is separated from the support frame. Also, due to the different height of the substrate support members cause problems such as tilting of the substrate.

FIG.3shows a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.4shows the base and the support rod and the substrate support member shown inFIG.3. The substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber110, a substrate support120, and a substrate support assembly.

The reaction chamber110has a passage112formed on a side surface thereof, and a substrate to be processed (not shown) is placed on the substrate support120after moving into the reaction chamber110through the passage112. The substrate may be processed variously in the reaction chamber110, for example, the substrate may be etched or a thin film may be formed on the substrate. In this process, a shower head (not shown), a power supply (not shown), a gas supply (not shown), etc. may be installed inside or outside the reaction chamber110. Further, the reaction chamber110has an exhaust port114formed on the side surface thereof, and the exhaust pump116is installed in the exhaust port114. During the aforementioned process, the by-products or unreacted gas formed in the reaction chamber110may be discharged through the exhaust port114using the exhaust pump116. The reaction chamber110may have various shapes such as a cylindrical shape or a hexahedral shape.

The substrate support120is disposed in the reaction chamber110. For example, the substrate support120may have a rectangular plate or disk shape. The substrate support120may include a heater for heating the substrate, and may include an electrostatic chuck for fixing the substrate. The substrate support120has a plurality of guide holes122, and the substrate support member230may be raised to protrude upward from the substrate support120and lowered through the guide hole122.

The substrate support assembly includes a support frame and a substrate support member230. The support frame is installed under the substrate support120, and the lifting shaft130is connected to the support frame through the bottom wall of the reaction chamber110. The lifting shaft130is connected to the actuator140so as to be able to move up and down together with the support frame, and the substrate support member230is installed on the support frame to lift the substrate while moving up and down together with the support frame. The bellows132may be installed on the lifting shaft130to seal an inner space of the reaction chamber110.

Specifically, the substrate moves into the reaction chamber110through the passage112and is placed on the substrate support member230while the substrate support member230is raised. Thereafter, when the substrate support member230is lowered, the substrate is placed on the upper surface of the substrate support120, and the aforementioned process is performed. When the process is completed, the actuator140is driven to raise the substrate support member230, and the substrate is separated from the substrate support120. Thereafter, the substrate is withdrawn from the reaction chamber110by the robot arm.

On the other hand, unlike previously described, the substrate support member230maintains a fixed state in the reaction chamber110, and the actuator140moves the substrate support120up and down to place the substrate on the substrate support120or be separated from the substrate support120. The actuator140may be a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a lead screw, a solenoid, a step motor, or the like.

The support frame includes a base211and a support rod212. The base211has a ring shape, and the support rod212is fixed to the upper surface of the base211. The substrate support member230is inserted and installed in the support rod212. As described above, as the substrate support member230(or the substrate support120) is raised or lowered, due to vibration applied to the substrate support member230, the substrate support member230can be separated from the support rod212.

FIG.5shows an embodiment of the substrate support and the support rod shown inFIG.4.FIG.6shows the substrate support ofFIG.5which is installed on a support rod. First, as shown inFIG.5, the support rod212has an insertion hole recessed from one surface along one direction. The insertion hole may extend to the inside of the support rod212or may be formed through the support rod212. In the insertion hole, the inner movement hole242, the screw hole244, the outer movement hole246, and the inclined hole248are sequentially arranged and separated from the inside to the outside.

The substrate support member230includes a shaft body and a pin shaft238, and the shaft body includes an inner screw body232, a connection body234, an outer body236, and a shaft body member237. The shaft body is a part that is inserted into the insertion hole, and the pin shaft238is a part that contacts and supports the substrate.

A process of inserting and installing the shaft body of the substrate support member230into the insertion hole of the support rod212will be described as follows.

First, the screw hole244has a thread formed on the inner circumferential surface, the inner screw body232has a thread formed on the outer circumferential surface, and both threads correspond to each other. Therefore, when the operator rotates in one direction while inserting the inner screw body232into the outer movement hole246, the inner screw body232starts screwing with the screw hole244to move toward the inner movement hole242, and as shown inFIG.6, after passing through the screw hole244, the inner screw body232may be located in the inner movement hole242. At this time, the screwing of the inner screw body232and the screw hole244is released.

Since the inner movement hole242has no thread and has a smooth inner circumferential surface, the inner screw body232is placed in a free state on the inner movement hole242. Likewise, the connection body234and the outer body236are placed in a free state in the screw hole244and the outer movement hole246, respectively.

More specifically, the thread has a major diameter and a minor diameter, the major diameter means the diameter of the crest in the male screw or the diameter of the root in the female screw, and the minor diameter means the diameter of the root in the male screw or the diameter of the crest in the female screw. Since the major diameter d1′ of the inner screw body232is smaller than the diameter D3of the outer movement hole246, the inner screw body232is placed in a free state while being inserted into the outer movement hole246.

As described above, when the inner screw body232passes through the screw hole244, the screw connection of the inner screw body232and the screw hole244is released by the inner screw body232's weight. Since the major diameter d1′ of the inner screw body232is smaller than the diameter D1of the inner movement hole242, the inner screw body232is placed in a free state while being inserted into the inner movement hole242.

Meanwhile, as described above, the inner screw body232and the screw hole244are not only unscrewed by the inner screw body232's weight, but also the inner screw body232is separated from the screw hole244by the inner screw body232's weight, so that the substrate support120cannot be separated from the support rod212due to vibration or the like. That is, the substrate support120cannot be separated from the support rod212because the inner screw body232and the screw hole244cannot be screwed without the intention of the operator.

In other words, since the minor diameter D2of the screw hole244is smaller than the diameter D1of the inner movement hole242and the major diameter d1′ of the inner screw body232, the substrate support120cannot be separated from the insertion hole of the rod212. In addition, since the minor diameter (D2) of the screw hole244is smaller than the diameter d3of the outer body236, it is possible to limit the further insertion of the substrate support member230by the outer body236.

In addition, the connection body234has a length greater than that of the screw hole244, and the diameter of the connection body234is smaller than the valley diameter (D2) of the screw hole244. Accordingly, the connection body234is placed in a free state in the screw hole244. In addition, since the diameter d3of the outer body236is smaller than the diameter D3of the outer movement hole246, the outer body236is placed in a free state in the outer movement hole246.

On the other hand, the inclined hole248extends from the top of the outer movement hole246upwardly and being inclined to the outside, and guides the substrate support member230into the insertion hole.

FIG.7shows another embodiment of the substrate support and the support rod shown inFIG.4. andFIG.8shows the substrate support ofFIG.7which is installed on a support rod. Hereinafter, only a configuration different from the above-described contents will be described, and the above-described contents may be equally applied to the following.

The outer movement hole346has a minimum diameter (D3), and has a shape inclined outward in the opposite direction to the screw hole344. Similarly, the outer body336has a minimum diameter (d3), and has a shape inclined outward in the opposite direction to the connection body334. Both have shapes corresponding to each other, and unlike the above-described embodiment, the inclined hole248may be omitted.

Since the major diameter (d1′) of the inner screw body332is smaller than the minimum diameter (D3) of the outer movement hole346, the inner screw body332is inserted into the outer movement hole346and be placed in a free state. In addition, since the minimum diameter (D3) of the outer body336is smaller than the minimum diameter of the outer movement hole346, the outer body336is placed in a free state in the outer movement hole346.

Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments, the invention may be embodied in many different forms. Thus, technical idea and scope of claims set forth below are not limited to the preferred embodiments.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention may be applicable to a various apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor or a various method for manufacturing semiconductor.