GAS-TIGHT MODULE AND EXHAUST METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20090025631A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: MORIYA, Tsuyoshi
• Application Number:
  US12/174,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20090025631A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber

Abstract

A gas-tight module capable of preventing the collapse of a pattern formed on a principal surface of a substrate, without lowering throughput. A load lock module of a substrate processing system includes a transfer arm, a chamber, and a load lock module exhaust system. A plate-like member is disposed in the chamber such as to face the principal surface of a wafer transferred into the chamber. An exhaust passage isolated from the remaining space in the chamber is defined by the wafer and the plate-like member at a location right above the principal surface of the wafer. The sectional area of the exhaust passage is smaller than that of the remaining space in the chamber.

Claims

1. A gas-tight module comprising:

a chamber into which is transferred a substrate formed with a pattern on its principal surface by being subjected to predetermined processing; and

a plate-like member disposed to face the principal surface of the substrate transferred into said chamber.

2. The gas-tight module according to claim 1, wherein said plate-like member is disposed at a distance equal to or less than 5 mm from the principal surface of the wafer.

3. The gas-tight module according to claim 1, wherein said plate-like member has a mesh structure or a porous structure.

4. The gas-tight module according to claim 1, wherein said plate-like member is one subjected to slit processing.

5. The gas-tight module according to claim 1, wherein said plate-like member is formed with a plurality of holes extending therethrough.

6. The gas-tight module according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of holes are formed in said plate-like member so as to extend perpendicular to the principal surface of the substrate.

7. The gas-tight module according to claim 5, including an exhaust apparatus disposed to face the principal surface of the substrate and adapted to exhaust inside of said chamber.

8. The gas-tight module according to claim 1, including a gas supply unit adapted to supply a light element gas into said chamber.

9. The gas-tight module according to claim 1, including a separation unit adapted to separate said plate-like member and the principal surface of the substrate away from each other.

10. A gas-tight module comprising:

a chamber into which is transferred a substrate formed with a pattern on its principal surface by being subjected to predetermined processing; and

a substrate lifting unit adapted to lift the substrate toward a portion of said chamber that faces the principal surface of the substrate transferred into said chamber.

11. An exhaust method for a gas-tight module having a chamber into which is transferred a substrate formed with a pattern on its principal surface by being subjected to predetermined processing, the method comprising:

a disposing step of disposing a plate-like member in the chamber so as to face the principal surface of the substrate transferred into the chamber; and

an exhausting step of exhausting inside of the chamber.

12. The exhaust method according to claim 11, including:

a low vacuum exhaustion step of exhausting the inside of the chamber to a low vacuum prior to said exhausting step, and

a gas supply step of supplying a light element gas into the chamber exhausted to the low vacuum.

13. An exhaust method for a gas-tight module having a chamber into which is transferred a substrate formed with a pattern on its principal surface by being subjected to predetermined processing, the method comprising:

a substrate lifting step of lifting the substrate toward a portion of the chamber that faces the principal surface of the substrate transferred into the chamber; and

an exhaust step of exhausting inside the chamber.