Photo chemical reaction apparatus

• US 4,895,107 A
• Filed: 07/05/1988
• Issued: 01/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyagawa, Ryohei, Yano, Kensaku, Furukawa, Akihiko, Iida, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Bueker, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Owens, Terry J.
• Application Number:
  US07/215,175
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 118/50.1, 118/719, 118/723, 118/729, 118/722, 427/53.1, 427/54.1, 427/248.1, 156/345, 156/646
• US Class Current: 118/722
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4409 characterised by sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/482 using incoherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/488 Protection of windows for introduction of radiation into the coating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating

Abstract

A photo chemical reaction apparatus comprises a vacuum container partitioned into a reaction chamber and a carrier chamber by use of partition board. The partition board has an opening into which a carrier tray can be detachably inserted so as to cause the rection chamber to be hermetically sealed. The carrier tray has a substrate holder opposite to a light-penetrating window. A reaction gas flows between this window and a substrate to be processed mounted on the substrate holder.

Claims

1. A photo chemical reaction apparatus for treating a workpiece with a reaction gas and light, comprising:

a light source;

movable carrier means for transporting workpieces to be photo chemically treated, including a carrier tray, having supporting means and a light-penetrating window for exposing a workpiece to the light source; and

a processing vacuum container defining a reaction chamber for exposing the workpiece to the reaction gas and the light from the light source and a carrier chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing vacuum container includes at least one gate valve for isolating from the outside of the processing vacuum container.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing vacuum container includes an opening between the carrier chamber and the reaction chamber, the carrier trays each being movable within the processing vacuum container for sealing the opening during exposure of the workpiece to the reaction gas and the light from the light source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supporting means includes a plurality of rods for spacing the workpiece from the window.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the processing container includes a partition defining the opening and each carrier tray includes a sealing plate extending therefrom for sealing the opening when the workpiece is moved into the reaction chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light-penetrating window is made of synthetic quartz.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carrier tray includes two light-penetrating windows and two supporting means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source includes a mercury-vapor lamp for emitting ultraviolet rays.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source includes a laser.

10. A photo chemical reaction apparatus for treating a workpiece with a reaction gas and light, comprising:

a light source;

movable carrier means for transporting workpieces to be photo chemically treated, including a plurality of carrier trays, each having supporting means and a light-penetrating window for exposing a workpiece to the light source;

transport vacuum container means for isolating the plurality of carrier trays from the atmosphere;

a processing vacuum container defining a reaction chamber for exposing the workpiece to the reaction gas and the light from the light source and a carrier chamber connected to the transport vacuum container means for receiving a carrier tray therefrom without exposure to the atmosphere; and

means for moving the carrier trays between the transport vacuum container and the carrier chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processing vacuum container includes at least one gate valve for isolating the transport vacuum container means from the carrier chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the transport vacuum container means includes an elongated vacuum container having gear means therein, the plurality of trays including means interacting with the gear means for moving the trays along the vacuum container.