KR20070048936A - Process chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process chamber used in a substrate processing process, the process chamber according to the present invention is coupled to each of the housing, the opening and closing member for opening and closing the open part of the housing, the housing and the opening and closing member And at least one hinge for guiding the opening and closing of the opening and closing member, wherein the hinge is provided with a clearance adjusting member for adjusting the clearance between the housing and the opening and closing member. Thus, the process chamber according to the present invention is provided with a clearance adjusting member for adjusting the clearance between the housing and the opening and closing member, the operator can effectively seal the process chamber.

Chamber, process chamber, vacuum chamber, organic material deposition chamber, opening and closing member, door, clearance control, hinge, hinge

Description

Process Chamber {PROCESS CHAMBER}

1 is a front view of the vacuum chamber according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the vacuum chamber according to the present invention from the top.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the side of the vacuum chamber according to the present invention.

4a to 4c are views for explaining the operation and effect of the vacuum chamber according to the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

100: vacuum chamber 134: second coupling portion

110: housing 136: connecting member

120: opening and closing member 138: rotating shaft

122: handle 140: play control member

130: door hinge 142: elastic body

132: first coupling portion 144: adjusting portion

The present invention relates to a process chamber used in a substrate processing process, and more particularly, to a process chamber in which the inside is reduced to a process pressure to perform a substrate processing process.

A process chamber used in a semiconductor manufacturing process or a flat panel display element provides a space in which a predetermined substrate is accommodated to perform a predetermined processing process on the surface of the substrate. In general, the process chamber is made to be sealed to the outside, when the substrate is accommodated inside the process is initiated, the inside is adjusted to the process temperature and the pressure is reduced to the process pressure.

As described above, the process chamber for performing the treatment process on the substrate is manufactured so as to be completely sealed to the outside so that the inside can be reduced to a process pressure. In particular, such a process chamber is partially opened to form an opening for entry and exit of a substrate and maintenance of an operator, and these open portions are opened and closed by a predetermined opening / closing member such as a door. At this time, the door is required to completely seal the open portion of the process chamber in order for the process chamber to satisfy the process pressure.

In particular, it is essential that the inside of the chamber is completely sealed by the opening and closing member of the high vacuum chamber in which the inside is decompressed to the process pressure by a pressure reducing member such as a vacuum pump. However, the case of the conventional opening and closing member has not completely closed the open opening of the vacuum chamber. For example, the opening and closing member provided for the maintenance of the operator is opened and closed by the operator manually manually, and the opening and closing member is opened and closed by the door hinge. However, since the opening / closing member has a large load, the repeated use of the opening / closing member causes excessive pressure on the door hinge for guiding the opening / closing of the door, or complete close contact between the process chamber and the opening / closing member decompressed to a high vacuum state. There was a problem that the sealing of the process chamber is not made completely not made. If the process chamber is not completely sealed, the process pressure cannot be satisfied and the substrate treating process cannot be performed.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is a process chamber comprising a housing that is opened and closed by a predetermined opening and closing member, providing a process chamber that can adjust the clearance between the opening and closing member and the housing. Is in.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process chamber in which the opening and closing member can completely seal the housing.

Process chamber according to the present invention for achieving the above object is coupled to each of the housing, the opening and closing member for opening and closing the opening, the housing and the opening and closing member, at least one for guiding opening and closing of the opening and closing member It includes a door hinge, the door hinge is provided with a clearance control member for adjusting the clearance of the housing and the opening and closing member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the clearance control member includes an elastic body, one end of which is coupled to the opening and closing member to push the opening and closing member, and an adjusting portion that stretches or extends the elastic body at the other end of the elastic body.

According to the present invention, the door hinge has a first coupling part, the part of which is fixed to one side of the housing, a second coupling part of which is fixed to one side of the door, and the first and second coupling parts to rotate with each other. And a rotation shaft for engaging the other side of each of the first and second coupling parts.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge is a first coupling part of which part is fixed to one side of the door, a second coupling part of which part is fixed to one side of the housing, the first coupling part and the second coupling part A connecting member for connecting, the first coupling portion and the one side of the connecting portion to bind, the first rotating shaft to rotate the first coupling portion and the connecting member, and the second coupling portion and the other side of the coupling unit And a second rotation shaft for rotating the second coupling part and the connection member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the process chamber is accommodated therein to perform a process of evaporating organic matter on the substrate.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiment of the present invention may be modified in various forms, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shape of the elements in the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

(Example)

1 is a view showing the vacuum chamber according to the present invention from the front, Figure 2 is a plan view showing the vacuum chamber according to the present invention from the top. 3 is a plan view showing the vacuum chamber according to the present invention from the side.

1 to 3, the vacuum chamber 100 according to the present invention includes a housing 110, an opening and closing member 120, and a door hinge 130.

The housing 110 has a space therein for performing a predetermined substrate processing process. For example, the housing 110 may accommodate a substrate therein to perform a process of depositing an organic thin film on the surface of the substrate by evaporating the organic substance to the substrate. The housing 110 satisfies a vacuum state inside the process. To this end, a predetermined pressure reducing member (not shown) may be connected to one side of the housing 110. The pressure reducing member is, for example, a vacuum line in which suction means such as a vacuum pump is installed, and in the housing 110, the pressure reducing member sucks air in the housing 110 during the process to convert the air in the housing 110 into the vacuum line. By discharging, the inside of the housing 110 satisfies a predetermined process pressure.

In addition, the housing 110 has a substrate entrance (not shown) for accommodating the substrate therein. Such substrates include wafers used in semiconductor manufacturing processes and glass substrates used in flat panel display devices. In addition, an opening (not shown) is formed at the other side of the housing 110 by a worker for maintenance in the housing 110. In particular, the opening of the housing 110 is opened and closed by the opening and closing member 120 to be described later. Here, the opening and closing member 120 according to the present example is a door in which an operator manually opens and closes the opening of the housing 110. However, the opening and closing member 120 may be a cover for opening and closing the opening by a predetermined fixing means.

The opening and closing member 120 opens and closes the above-described opening of the housing 110. The opening and closing member 120 completely closes the opening of the housing 110, so that the inside of the housing 110 is decompressed during the process. If the opening and closing member 120 does not completely close the opening, an error occurs in the process pressure during the process and the process is stopped. Therefore, a sealing ring (not shown) is further provided between the opening and closing member 120 and the housing 110 for effective sealing. The sealing ring enables the sealing member 120 to be effectively sealed between the opening and closing member 120 and the housing 110 when the opening and closing member 120 closes the housing 110.

In addition, the door hinge 130 to be described later is coupled to the opening and closing member 120, the door hinge 130 guides the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member 120. A handle 122 is provided at one side of the front side of the opening and closing member 120. The handle 122 is installed by the operator to perform opening and closing of the opening and closing member 120. The handle 122 may be provided in various ways.

The door hinge 130 includes a first coupling part 132, a second coupling part 134, a connection member 136, a rotation shaft 138, and a play adjustment member 140. One side of the first coupling part 132 is coupled to the housing 110, and the other side is coupled to one side of the connection member 136 by a first rotation shaft 138a to be described later. That is, one side of the first coupling part 132 is fixed to the housing 110 by a plurality of fixing members 131. In addition, the other side of the first coupling portion 132 is provided with a first rotation shaft 138a in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fixing member 131 is provided, the other side of the first coupling portion 132 and the connection member ( One side of 136 is bound to each other by the first rotation shaft 138a. Thus, one side of the connecting member 136 rotates about a first rotational axis 138a at a predetermined rotational angle.

The second coupling portion 134 is the same as the first coupling portion 132 described above, one side is coupled to one side of the opening and closing member 120, the other side is connected to the connection member (2) by the second rotating shaft 138b to be described later ( 136) and the other side. That is, one side of the second coupling part 132 is fixed to the housing 110 by the plurality of fixing members 131, and the other side of the second coupling part 132 is perpendicular to the direction in which the fixing member 131 is provided. The second rotation shaft 138b is provided in a direction to which the other side of the second coupling portion 132 and the other side of the connection member 136 are coupled to each other by the second rotation shaft 138b. Thus, the other side of the connection member 136 may rotate at a predetermined rotational angle about the second rotation shaft 138b.

The connection member 136 is disposed between the first coupling part 132 and the second coupling part 134. As described above, the connection member 136 is fastened to the first coupling part 132 by the first rotation shaft 138a and the second coupling part by the second rotation shaft 138b. In this case, the gap adjustment member 140 to be described later is disposed in the connection member 136, the opening and closing member 120 between the housing 110 and the opening and closing member 120 so as to be in close contact with the housing 110 Adjust the play. Detailed description of the clearance adjustment member 140 will be described later. Since the connection member 136 is provided to rotate the first coupling portion 132 and the second coupling portion 134 to each other, the shape and coupling manner may be applied in various ways.

Here, as another embodiment of the present invention, the first coupling portion 132 and the second coupling portion 134 may be directly rotated by a rotation shaft. That is, one side of the first coupling portion 132 is coupled to the housing 110, and the other side of the first coupling portion 132 is coupled to the other side of the second coupling portion by the rotation shaft. One side of the second coupling part 134 is coupled to the opening and closing member 120. Thus, the first coupling portion 132 and the second coupling portion 134 are rotated at a predetermined rotational angle about the rotation axis without a predetermined connection member.

The clearance adjusting member 140 includes an elastic body 142 and the adjusting unit 144. One end of the elastic body 142 is coupled to the opening and closing member 120, the other end is coupled to the connecting member 136. The elastic body 142 is stretched or stretched by the adjusting unit 144 to be described later. The elastic body 142 is, for example, made of a spring shape, by pushing the opening and closing member 120 by the control unit 144 to further close the opening and closing member 120 to the housing 110.

The adjusting unit 144 is installed on the door hinge 130, in particular the connecting member 136. The adjusting unit 144 is operated by an operator to stretch or stretch the above-mentioned elastic body 142. For example, the adjusting unit 144 is configured as a bolt, and when the operator tightens the adjusting unit 144 to push the other end of the elastic body 142, the elastic body 142 is stretched to push the opening and closing member 120. . In addition, when the worker releases the adjusting part 144, the adjusting part 144 is pushed out of the other end of the elastic body 142 and the elastic body 142 is elongated to reduce the force applied to the opening / closing member 120. That is, the adjusting unit 144 is installed so that the elastic body 142 adjusts the degree to which the opening and closing member 120 is in close contact with the housing 110, the operator adjusts the adjusting unit 144, the opening and closing member 120 When opening and closing the opening of the housing 110, the degree of contact between the opening and closing member 120 and the housing 110 may be adjusted.

Hereinafter, an operation process and effects of the process chamber having the above-described configuration will be described.

4a to 4c are views for explaining the operation and effect of the vacuum chamber according to the present invention. Referring to Figure 4a, the process chamber 100 according to the present invention, when the operator maintains the interior of the housing 110, the operator opens the opening and closing member 120 of the process chamber 100, the housing ( 110) Carry out some maintenance work inside. When the above-described maintenance work is completed, the worker closes the opening and closing member 120.

4B and 4C, when the opening / closing member 120 is closed, the operator adjusts the adjusting unit 144 of the play control member 140 to further close the opening / closing member 120 to the housing 110. Be sure to For example, the operator tightens the adjusting unit 144, and stretches the elastic body 142 by the adjusting unit 144, pushes the opening and closing member 120 when the elastic body 142 is stretched and the opening and closing member 120 is housing Closer to the 110. In addition, the worker releases the adjusting unit 144 when the opening / closing member 120 is in close contact with the housing 110 to extend the elastic body 142 so that the elastic body 142 pushes the opening / closing member 120. Decreases.

As described above, the clearance adjustment member 140 by the operator adjusts the adjustment unit 144, and adjusts the degree of expansion and expansion of the elastic body 142 to reduce the clearance between the housing 110 and the opening and closing member 120. Will be adjusted. Thus, when the phenomenon occurs that the opening and closing member 120 completely closes the housing 110, the operator adjusts the clearance adjusting member 140 to allow the opening and closing member 120 to completely close the housing 110. .

In the above, the configuration and operation of the process chamber according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown in accordance with the above description and drawings, but this is merely described for example, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Of course it is possible.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the process chamber for performing the organic material deposition process has been described as an example, the process chamber according to the present invention can perform a variety of processes. Therefore, the process chamber according to the present invention may be a chamber for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process or a liquid crystal display device process.

As described above, the process chamber according to the present invention is provided with a clearance adjusting member for adjusting the clearance between the housing and the opening / closing member, so that the worker can effectively seal the process chamber. Thus, the operator can adjust the sealing degree of the opening and closing member is installed in the process chamber can prevent the phenomenon that the opening and closing member does not completely seal the inside of the process chamber.

Claims (5)

In the process chamber used for the substrate processing process, A housing having an opening formed at one side thereof; An opening and closing member for opening and closing the opening; Coupled to each of the housing and the opening and closing member, including at least one door hinge for guiding the opening and closing of the opening and closing member; In the door hinge, Process chamber, characterized in that the clearance control member for adjusting the clearance of the housing and the opening and closing member is provided. The method of claim 1, The play control member, An elastic body having one end coupled to the opening and closing member to push the opening and closing member; And a control unit configured to expand or contract the elastic body at the other end of the elastic body. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The door hinge, A first coupling part of which is fixed to one side of the housing; A second coupling part of which is fixed to one side of the door; And a rotation shaft for engaging the other side of each of the first and second coupling parts such that the first and second coupling parts rotate with each other. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The door hinge, A first coupling part of which is fixed to one side of the housing; A second coupling part of which is fixed to one side of the door; A connection member for connecting the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion; A first rotating shaft for coupling the first coupling part and one side of the connection part to rotate the first coupling part and the connection member; And a second rotating shaft configured to bind the second coupling part and the other side of the connection part to rotate the second coupling part and the connection member. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The process chamber, A process chamber, characterized in that the substrate is accommodated therein to perform a process of depositing an organic material on the substrate.

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