Exhaust apparatus and substrate processing apparatus having an exhaust line with a first ring having at least one hole on a lateral side thereof placed in the exhaust line

• US 10,364,493 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Lee, Hak Joo, Kim, Dae Youn, Kim, Seung Wook, Park, Jin Seok, Kim, Jae Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratland, Jr., Kenneth A
• Application Number:
  US15/672,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20180057937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 117 84, 117 88, 117102, 117200-202, 118715, 118722, 118733
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/345 Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4554 Plasma being used non-continuously in between ALD reactions C23C16/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32513 Sealing means, e.g. sealing between different parts of the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32834 Exhausting

Abstract

An exhaust apparatus using a gas curtain instead of a mechanical opening/closing structure is provided. The exhaust apparatus includes: a first region; a second region connected to the first region; a third region connected to the first region; and a first gas line connected to the second region, wherein when gas is supplied to the first gas line, the first region does not communicate with the second region but communicates with the third region.

Claims

1. An exhaust apparatus comprising:

a first exhaust line;

a second exhaust line connected to the first exhaust line;

a third exhaust line connected to the first exhaust line;

a first ring placed in the second exhaust line, the first ring having at least one hole on a lateral side thereof; and

a first gas line connected to the second exhaust line through the first ring,

wherein when gas is supplied to the first gas line, the first exhaust line does not communicate with the second exhaust line but communicates with the third exhaust line.

2. The exhaust apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second gas line connected to the third exhaust line,

wherein when gas is supplied to the second gas line, the first exhaust line does not communicate with the third exhaust line but communicates with the second exhaust line.

3. The exhaust apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first gas line and the second gas line are connected to each other.

4. The exhaust apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the at least one hole of the first gas supply ring is connected to the first gas line.

5. The exhaust apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bypass line connected to the second exhaust line.

6. The exhaust apparatus of claim 5,

wherein the first ring comprises:

a first hole connected to the first gas line; and

a second hole connected to the bypass line.

7. The exhaust apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first hole is located between the second hole and the first exhaust line.

8. The exhaust apparatus of claim 7, wherein when gas is supplied to the first gas line, gas from the first exhaust line is discharged to the third exhaust line, and gas from the bypass line is discharged to the second exhaust line.

9. The exhaust apparatus of claim 8, wherein gas supplied through the first gas line does not react with gas supplied through the bypass line.

10. The exhaust apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first gas line comprises a first opening/closing unit,

the second gas line comprises a second opening/closing unit, and

the exhaust apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control the first and second opening/closing units.

11. The exhaust apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a gas analysis unit connected to at least one of the first exhaust line, the second exhaust line, and the third exhaust line,

wherein the controller communicates with the gas analysis unit and determines operation timing of the first and second opening/closing units.

12. An exhaust apparatus comprising:

a main exhaust line;

an upper plate connected to the main exhaust line;

a body having a first exhaust path and a second exhaust path that branch off from the main exhaust line;

at least one ring inserted into the body, the ring having at least one hole on a lateral side thereof;

a lower plate having a portion connected to the ring;

a first sub-exhaust line connected to the first exhaust path; and

a second sub-exhaust line.

13. The exhaust apparatus of claim 12, further comprising at least one purge gas supply path penetrating the body and connected to the ring.

14. The exhaust apparatus of claim 13, wherein the gas supply ring is located between the exhaust path and the first sub-exhaust line or between the exhaust path and the second sub-exhaust line.

15. The exhaust apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one bypass gas supply path penetrating the body and connected to the gas supply ring.

16. The exhaust apparatus of claim 15,

wherein the at least one gas hole of the ring comprises:

an upper hole connected to the purge gas supply path; and

a lower hole connected to the bypass gas supply path,

wherein the exhaust apparatus further comprises a sealing measure between the upper hole and the lower hole.

17. The exhaust apparatus of claim 16, wherein purge gas discharged to the exhaust path formed in the body through the purge gas supply path and the upper hole forms a gas curtain in the exhaust path.

18. The exhaust apparatus of claim 16, wherein gas flowing to the exhaust path through the purge gas supply path and the upper hole of the ring is an inert gas, and

gas flowing to the exhaust path through the bypass gas supply path and the lower hole of the ring is dichlorosilane (DCS, SiH₂Cl₂) gas or NH₃ gas.

19. The exhaust apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an anti-backflow device connected to the purge gas supply path.

20. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a gas supply unit;

a reactor;

an exhaust unit; and

an exhaust pump unit,

wherein the gas supply unit comprises;

at least one gas line through which gas is supplied to the reactor from the gas supply unit;

a bypass line branching off from the gas line and connected to the exhaust unit; and

a purge gas line connected from the gas supply unit to the exhaust unit,

wherein the exhaust unit comprises;

a main exhaust line;

an upper plate connected to the main exhaust line;

a body having a first exhaust path and a second exhaust path that branch off from the main exhaust line;

at least one ring inserted into the body, the ring having at least one hole on a lateral side thereof;

a lower plate having a portion connected to the ring;

a first sub-exhaust line connected to the first exhaust path;

a second sub-exhaust line connected to the second exhaust path; and

at least one purge gas supply path penetrating the body and connected to the ring.

21. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 20,

wherein the main exhaust line is connected to the reactor, and the sub-exhaust line is connected to the exhaust pump unit.

22. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 21,

wherein the gas supply ring is located between the exhaust path and the sub-exhaust line.

23. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 22,

wherein the at least one purge gas supply path penetrates the upper plate and is connected to the exhaust path, and

wherein the substrate processing apparatus further comprises at least one bypass supply path penetrating the body and connected to exhaust path and the gas supply ring,

wherein the purge gas supply path is connected to the purge gas line, and the bypass gas supply path is connected to the bypass line.

24. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the gas supply ring comprises at least one hole at a lateral side of the body,

wherein the at least one hole comprises:

an upper hole through which a purge gas from the purge gas supply path passes; and

a lower hole through which a bypass gas from the bypass gas supply path passes.

25. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 24, wherein the lower hole is located between the upper hole and the lower plate.