Substrate treating apparatus and substrate treating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9263310-B2
Application number	US-201113164868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2011
Priority date	Jun 21, 2010
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A substrate treating apparatus is provided. The substrate treating apparatus includes a loading/unloading unit, a process unit in which a substrate treating process is performed, a loadlock unit disposed between the loading/unloading unit and the process unit, and a carrying member transferring a substrate between the process unit and the loadlock unit. Herein, the carrying member is provided in the process unit and the loadlock unit, and the loading/unloading unit, the loadlock unit, and the process unit are sequentially disposed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
a loading/unloading unit;
a process unit in which a substrate treating process is performed;
a loadlock unit disposed between the loading/unloading unit and the process unit; and
a carrying member transferring a substrate between the process unit and the loadlock unit,
wherein the carrying member is provided in the process unit and the loadlock unit,
wherein the loading/unloading unit, the loadlock unit, and the process unit are sequentially disposed,
wherein the carrying member comprises:
a first transfer unit provided in each of the loadlock unit and the process unit, the first transfer unit in the loadlock unit and the first transfer unit in the process unit having the same height; and
a second transfer unit provided in each of the loadlock unit and the process unit, the second transfer unit in the loadlock unit and the second transfer unit in the process unit having the same height,

wherein the second transfer unit is provided at a lower position than the first transfer unit,
wherein the first transfer unit comprises:
a first transfer module provided in a first treating room of the loadlock unit; and
a loading module provided in the process unit and with the same height as the first transfer module,

wherein the second transfer unit comprises:
a second transfer module provided in a second treating room of the loadlock unit; and
an unloading module provided in the process unit and with the same height as the second transfer module, and

wherein the first treating room and the second treating room are vertically partitioned in the loadlock unit.

2. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the loading module comprises:
a first transfer member provided with the same height as the first transfer module;

and
a first driving member providing a driving force to the first transfer member, and

wherein the unloading module comprises:
a second transfer member provided with the same height as the second transfer module; and
a second driving member providing a driving force to the second transfer member.

3. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the first transfer member comprises:
a driving shaft passing through a sidewall of a treating chamber of the process unit;
a feeding roller provided to one end of the driving shaft to support a lower side of the substrate loaded into the treating chamber;
a driven pulley provided to the other end of the driving shaft; and
a sealing mechanism tightly coupled to an outer surface of the sidewall of the treating chamber and provided such that the driving shaft is inserted and is movable in a rotational or axial direction,

wherein the first driving member comprises:
a power transmission shaft;
a driver provided to one end of the power transmission shaft to provide a rotational force; and
a drive pulley provided to the other end of the power transmission shaft, and

wherein the driven pulley and the drive pulley are coupled to each other by a power transmission member such that the driving force generated from the first driving member is transmitted to the first transfer member.

4. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 ,
wherein the second transfer member comprises:
a driving shaft passing through a sidewall of a treating chamber of the process unit;
a feeding roller provided to one end of the driving shaft to support a lower side of the substrate unloaded from the treating chamber; and
a driven pulley provided to the other end of the driving shaft,

wherein the second driving member comprises:
a driving shaft;
a driver provided to one end of the driving shaft to provide a rotational force; and
a drive pulley provided to the other end of the driving shaft, and

wherein the driven pulley and the drive pulley are connected by a power transmission member such that the driving force generated from the second driving member is transmitted to the second transfer member.

5. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sealing mechanism includes a magnetic substance provided on an inner surface thereof, and a magnetic fluid provided between the magnetic substance and an outer surface of the driving shaft, and
wherein the magnetic fluid is magnetically induced by a magnetic force generated from the magnetic substance to seal a gap between the magnetic substance and the driving shaft.

6. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first transfer member comprises:
a movable plate disposed between the driven pulley and the sealing mechanism;
a bearing member provided to the movable plate to rotatably support the driving shaft; and
a driving section configured to move the movable plate in a horizontal direction.

7. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first driving member comprises:
a rotational shaft coupled to the driver;
a connecting shaft connecting the rotational shaft and the power transmission shaft;
a supporting plate into which the connecting shaft is rotatably inserted; and
a driving section configured to move the supporting plate in the horizontal direction.

8. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the loadlock unit further comprises a partition wall partitioning the loadlock unit into the first treating room and the second treating room.

9. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the loadlock unit further comprises:
a first heater provided in the loadlock unit and disposed above the first transfer module; and
a second heater disposed between the first transfer module and the second transfer module.

10. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the process unit comprises:
a first process unit in which a first process is performed on the substrate; and
a second process unit which is disposed adjacent to the first process unit, in which a second process is performed on the substrate, and
wherein the first process unit and the second process unit are sequentially disposed.

11. A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
a loading/unloading unit;
a process unit in which a substrate treating process is performed;
a loadlock unit disposed between the loading/unloading unit and the process unit; and
a carrying member transferring a substrate between the process unit and the loadlock unit,
wherein the carrying member is provided in the process unit and the loadlock unit,
wherein the loading/unloading unit, the loadlock unit, and the process unit are sequentially disposed, and
wherein the loading/unloading unit comprises:
a tray carrying section carrying a tray in which the substrate is loaded or unloaded;
a substrate loading conveyor section in which the substrates to be supplied to the tray are arranged in one row;
a first substrate carrying robot picking up the substrate standing by in the substrate loading conveyor section to the tray positioned at the tray carrying section; and
a second substrate carrying robot picking up the substrate from the tray positioned at the tray carrying section to carry the substrate picked up to the substrate unloading conveyor section,
wherein the substrate loading conveyor section and the substrate unloading conveyor section are disposed symmetrically at both sides of the tray carrying section.

12. The substrate treating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the loading/unloading unit further comprises a cassette loading conveyor section including an upper conveyor and a lower conveyor,
wherein a cassette containing the substrate to be carried to the substrate loading conveyor section is placed on the upper conveyor, and
wher

Assignees

• Kim Sungho
• Kim Choonsik
• Eom Yongtaek
• Oh Hyuntaek
• Park Hyungkeun
• Semes Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Sungho
• Kim Choonsik
• Eom Yongtaek
• Oh Hyuntaek
• Park Hyungkeun

Classifications

• H10P72/3411

  involving loading and unloading of wafers · CPC title

• H10P72/3402

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/3222 Primary

  Loading to or unloading from a conveyor · CPC title

• C23C16/54

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating · CPC title

• C23C16/4583

  the substrate being supported substantially horizontally · CPC title