Substrate processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016281233-A1
Application number	US-201414777945-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2014
Priority date	Mar 18, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus ( 100 ) comprising a process tunnel ( 102 ) including a lower tunnel wall ( 122 ), an upper tunnel wall ( 142 ), and two lateral tunnel walls ( 128 ), said tunnel walls being configured to bound a process tunnel space ( 104 ) that extends in a longitudinal transport direction ( 7 ) and that is suitable for accommodating at least one substantially planar substrate ( 180 ) oriented parallel to the upper and lower tunnel walls ( 122, 142 ), the process tunnel being divided in a lower tunnel body ( 120 ) comprising the lower tunnel wall and an upper tunnel body ( 140 ) comprising the upper tunnel wall, which tunnel bodies ( 120, 140 ) are separably joinable to each other along at least one longitudinally extending join ( 160 ), such that they are mutually movable between a closed configuration in which the tunnel walls ( 122, 128, 42 ) bound the process tunnel space ( 104 ) and an open configuration that enables lateral maintenance access to an interior of the process tunnel.

First claim

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a process tunnel including a lower tunnel wall, an upper tunnel wall, and two lateral tunnel walls, said tunnel walls being configured to bound a process tunnel space extends in a longitudinal transport direction and that is suitable for accommodating at least one substantially planar substrate oriented parallel to the upper and lower tunnel walls; a plurality of gas injection channels provided in both the lower and the upper tunnel wall, wherein the gas injection channels the lower tunnel wall are configured to provide for a lower gas bearing, while the gas injection channels in the upper tunnel wall are configured to provide for an upper gas bearing, said gas bearings being configured to floatingly support a d accommodate said substrate there between; and a plurality of gas exhaust channels, provided in both said lateral tunnel walls or, alternatively in at least one of the lower and the upper tunnel wall directly adjacent both of said lateral tunnel walls, wherein the gas exhaust channels in or directly adjacent each lateral tunnel wall are spaced apart in the transport direction; wherein the process tunnel is divided in a lower tunnel body comprising the lower tunnel wall and an upper tunnel body comprising the upper tunnel wall, which tunnel bodies are separably joinable to each other along at least one longitudinally extending join, such that they are mutually movable between a closed configuration in which the tunnel walls und the process tunnel space and an open configuration that enables lateral maintenance access to an interior of the process tunnel; and wherein a press or at least one clamp configured to force the upper and the lower tunnel bodies together along the at least one longitudinally extending join in order to effect the closed configuration.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the press or the at least one clamp is configured to separate the upper and lower tunnel bodies at the longitudinally extending join in order to effect the open configuration.

4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a hinge that is connected with both the upper and the tower tunnel body and that is configured to hinge the upper tunnel body relative to the lower tunnel body in order to effect the open configuration and to bring the upper and lower tunnel bodies together along the a least longitudinally extending join in which position said press or said at least one clamp forces the upper and the lower tunnel bodies together along the at least one longitudinally extending join in order to effect the closed configuration.

5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower tunnel walls are substantially flat, and
wherein the press is configured to move the upper and lower tunnel bodies with the upper and lower tunnel walls in a parallel relationship.

6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lower tunnel body comprises the two lateral tunnel walls, such that its lower tunnel wall and lateral tunnel walls together define a generally U-shaped lateral cross-sectional wall profile.

7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein at least one of the lateral tunnel walls defines a flat upward facing join surface, and wherein the upper tunnel body defines a flat downward facing join surface that is co-planar with an inner surface of the upper wall and configured to abut the flat upward facing join surface in the closed configuration, so as to define the at least one longitudinally extending join.

8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the join does not intersect the gas exhaust channels provided in or directly adjacent the lateral tunnel walls.

9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising pressure regulation means configured to equalize pressures on opposite sides of the join, such that a pressure drop ΔP join across the join obeys ΔP join ≈0.

10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the pressure regulation means comprise:
a gas pump that is associated with a controlled gas exhaust channel adjacent the join, and that is capable of controlling a gas pressure inside the controlled gas exhaust channel; and a pressure control system configured to control the pressure inside the controlled gas exhaust channel by controlling the gas pump, so as to locally effect a condition ΔP join ≈0 adjacent to the controlled gas exhaust channel.

11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the pressure control system includes:
a differential pressure sensor associated with the controlled gas exhaust channel and configured to monitor a pressure difference between a first location inside the process tunnel space, adjacent to both the join and the controlled gas exhaust channel, and a second location outside the process tunnel space, and to generate a signal reflecting the pressure difference; a controller, operably connected to both the differential pressure sensor and the gas pump, and configured to control the gas pump in dependence of the signal received from the differential pressure sensor, so as to locally effect the condition ΔP join ≈0 adjacent the controlled gas exhaust channel.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the gas pump includes an extractor fan.

13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the pressure control means comprise:
an auxiliary containment defining a buffer space that is configured to contain a pressurized buffer gas, which buffer space is in fluid communication with an outside of the join; a gas pump operably connected to the secondary containment so as to pressurize the buffer space with said buffer gas; and a pressure control system configured to control a pressure of the buffer gas inside the buffer space by controlling the gas pump so as to effect a condition ΔP join ≈0 across the join.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the pressure control system includes:
a differential pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure difference between a first location inside the process tunnel space and a second location inside the buffer space, and to generate a signal reflecting the pressure difference; and a controller, operably connected to both the differential pressure sensor and the gas pump, and configured to control the gas pump in dependence of the signal received from the differential pressure sensor, so as to locally effect the condition ΔP join ≈0.

Assignees

• Asm Int Nv

Inventors

• Granneman Ernst Hendrik August
• Tak Pieter

Classifications

• H10P72/36

  using air tracks · CPC title

• C23C16/45557

  Pulsed pressure or control pressure · CPC title

• C23C16/4412

  Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps · CPC title

• C23C16/45544 Primary

  characterized by the apparatus · CPC title

• C23C16/54

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating · CPC title