Substrate treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12327737-B2
Application number	US-202217676900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2022
Priority date	Feb 26, 2021
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

A substrate treating apparatus includes a treating housing and a gas supply unit. The treating housing treats substrates in the interior thereof. The gas supply unit supplies a gas to the interior of the treating housing. The gas supply unit has a filter, a duct, and a fan. The filter is located in an upper part of the treating housing. The filter blows off the gas to the interior of the treating housing. The duct is provided in the exterior of the treating housing. The duct is connected to the filter. The fan is provided in the exterior of the treating housing. The fan is connected to the duct. The fan is located in a position not overlapping the filter in plan view. At least part of the fan is located in the same height position as the treating housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
a first treating housing for treating substrates in an interior thereof; and
a first gas supply unit for supplying a gas to the interior of the first treating housing;
wherein the first gas supply unit includes:
a filter disposed in an upper part of the first treating housing for blowing off the gas to the interior of the first treating housing;
a duct disposed in an exterior of the first treating housing and connected to the filter; and
a fan disposed in the exterior of the first treating housing and connected to the duct;

the fan being located in a position not overlapping the filter in plan view;
at least part of the fan being located in a same height position as the first treating housing.

2. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the fan is located in a position lower than the filter.

3. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fan is located in a position not overlapping the first treating housing in plan view.

4. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a projection length of the first gas supply unit projecting upward from the first treating housing is at most twice a length of the filter in a vertical direction.

5. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the duct includes:
a first horizontal portion extending substantially horizontally from the filter;
a vertical portion extending downward from the first horizontal portion; and
a second horizontal portion extending substantially horizontally from the vertical portion and located in a position lower than the first horizontal portion.

6. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first treating housing includes a top plate;
the top plate having:
a first top plate portion with the filter mounted thereon; and
a second top plate portion disposed below the vertical portion and the second horizontal portion;
the second top plate portion being lower than the first top plate portion.

7. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein part of the duct overlaps the filter in front view.

8. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the duct includes a flat part disposed above the filter and extending horizontally for blowing off the gas downward;
the flat part having a vertical length smaller than a vertical length of the filter.

9. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a total vertical length of the flat part and the filter is smaller than twice the vertical length of the filter.

10. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a height position of an upper surface of the flat part corresponds to an upper end of the duct.

11. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the duct includes an outer groove region communicatively connected to an edge region of the flat part for feeding the gas to the flat part;
a vertical length of the outer groove region being larger than the vertical length of the flat part.

12. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the outer groove region has a loop shape surrounding the flat part in plan view.

13. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the outer groove region extends downward from the edge region of the flat part;
at least part of the outer groove region overlapping the filter in front view.

14. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the duct includes baffle plates installed in the outer groove region for guiding, to the flat part, part of the gas flowing through the outer groove region.

15. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the baffle plates cross directions in which the outer groove region extends.

16. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transporting space extending in a horizontal first direction and adjoining the first treating housing;
a transport mechanism installed in the transporting space for transporting the substrates into the first treating housing; and
a piping space adjoining the first treating housing;

wherein
the first treating housing and the transporting space are aligned in a horizontal second direction perpendicular to the first direction in plan view;
the first treating housing and the piping space are aliened in the first direction;
the fan is open to the piping space; and
the fan sends the gas from the piping space to the filter.

17. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein:
the first treating housing includes an exhaust port formed in a position facing the piping space; and
the fan is disposed above the exhaust port.

18. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a horizontal exhaust unit provided in the piping space, connected to the exhaust port, and extending horizontally; and
a vertical exhaust unit provided in the piping space, connected to the horizontal exhaust unit, and extending vertically;

wherein
the fan is located in a position higher than the horizontal exhaust unit; and
the fan and the vertical exhaust unit are aligned in the second direction as seen from the first direction.

19. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein:
the vertical exhaust unit includes:
a first vertical exhaust pipe extending vertically; and
a second vertical exhaust pipe extending vertically;

the horizontal exhaust unit includes:
a switching mechanism for switching an exhaust path of the first treating housing to one of the first vertical exhaust pipe and the second vertical exhaust pipe; and

the fan, the first vertical exhaust pipe, and the second vertical exhaust pipe are aligned in the second direction as seen from the first direction.

20. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor for measuring gas pressure inside the first treating housing; and
a controller for controlling the fan based on detection results of the pressure sensor.

21. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a regulator installed in the interior of the first treating housing for receiving the gas blown off from the filter and blowing off the gas downward; and
a substrate holder installed in the interior of the first treating housing and located below the regulator for holding the substrates;

wherein
the filter blows off the gas downward;
the regulator includes:
a regulating chamber larger than the filter in plan view, located below the filter, and extending horizontally;
a guide member provided in the regulating chamber for guiding the gas downward in the regulating chamber; and
a blowout plate located below the regulating chamber, extending horizontally, and having a plurality of blowout bores;

a whole of the guide member is located outward of the filter in plan view; and
the whole of the guide member is located outward of the substrates held by the substrate holder in plan view.

22. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the guide member is located only in an upper part of the regulating chamber, and extends vertically.

23. The substrate treating apparatus according to claim 21 , further comprising a barrier wall closing lateral parts of th

Assignees

• Screen Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sawashima Jun
• Yamaguchi Takahiro
• Namba Toshimitsu
• Negoro Sei

Classifications

• H10P72/10

  using carriers specially adapted therefor, e.g. front opening unified pods [FOUP] · CPC title

• H10P72/0404 Primary

  for general liquid treatment, e.g. etching followed by cleaning · CPC title

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0458

  vertical arrangement · CPC title