TWI505397B - Chamber and processing device - Google Patents

Description

Chamber and processing device

The present invention relates to a chamber and a processing apparatus such as a processing chamber (processing chamber) that performs processing on a large object to be processed such as a substrate for a flat panel display (hereinafter referred to as a substrate for FPD).

As for the apparatus used in the FPD production plant, there is known a treatment apparatus for applying various treatments to the substrate for FPD in a vacuum or a reduced pressure environment, for example, a substrate for FPD belonging to a target to be processed by plasma. A plasma processing apparatus that performs a treatment such as etching.

The plasma processing apparatus is provided with a processing chamber (processing chamber) that applies plasma treatment to the object to be processed, and a transport chamber (transport chamber) that has a transport mechanism that transports the object to be processed, as described in Patent Document 1. And various chambers such as a load lock chamber (load lock chamber). In the processing chamber, a counter electrode facing each other and a lower electrode serving as a mounting table on which the object to be processed is placed are disposed. A high frequency is applied between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to cause plasma in the processing space between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

However, the substrate to be processed, in particular, the substrate for FPD is gradually increasing in size, and a substrate having a square shape of approximately 2000 mm to 2400 mm is currently used in actual FPD manufacturing. The size of the substrate for FPD is also increasing in size in the future, and eventually becomes approximately 3000 mm square or more. Since the size of the FPD substrate can be increased by the number of FPD panels obtained from one substrate, there is an advantage in that cost reduction can be achieved.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes a chamber in which the shape or size of the chamber can be easily changed according to the user's request even after the chamber is installed.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-67218

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-335743

The enlargement of the substrate for the FPD causes an increase in the size of the chamber itself such as the processing chamber in which the substrate for the FPD is processed, and the entire processing apparatus is also enlarged. In general, a processing device for a substrate for an FPD divides the processing device into each chamber and transports it from the processing device manufacturing plant to the FPD production plant. However, since the chamber itself eventually exceeds the limit of the transport size when the chamber itself becomes large, it is difficult to transport the processing device from its manufacturing plant to the FPD production plant.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a chamber that can be transported even beyond the limits of the transport size, and a processing apparatus that uses the chamber.

In order to solve the above problems, the chamber according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a rectangular parallelepiped body that opens at least one side surface, and a side plate that is detachably attached to the opened side surface of the main body.

A chamber according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a body having a rectangular parallelepiped opening at least one side surface, and a spacer attached to an open side surface of the main body and having an opening conforming to an opening shape of the main body And detachably mounted on the side plates of the spacers.

In the processing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the processing chamber to which the object to be processed is applied is the chamber according to the first or second aspect.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a chamber that can be transported even beyond the limit of the transport size, and a processing apparatus using the chamber.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same parts throughout the drawings.

(first embodiment)

Fig. 1A is a perspective view showing an example in which a chamber according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied to a processing chamber, and Fig. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the processing chamber shown in Fig. 1A. .

As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the processing chamber 1a includes a rectangular parallelepiped body 2 that opens at least one side surface, and a side plate 3a that is detachably attached to the opened side surface of the main body 2, 3b.

The body 2 is made of, for example, aluminum. In the present embodiment, the side surface 2a is the first side wall 5 for loading and unloading the object to be processed (in this example, the loading/unloading port (gate valve opening) 4 of the FPD substrate in the fourth side surface 2a to 2d. Further, in this example, the two side faces 2b and 2c adjacent to the side surface 2a are opened, and the second side wall 6 is formed on one side surface 2d of the side surface 2a. The upper portion of the main body 2 is a ceiling 8 to which an opening 7 such as an electrode is attached, and the lower portion is formed with an opening or an exhaust port through which a wiring or the like is inserted into a mounting table or the like (there is no picture in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B). The bottom plate 10 of the formula). That is, the processing chamber 1a is a body 2 having a rectangular tube shape formed by the first side wall 5, the second side wall 6, the sky plate 8, and the bottom plate 10, and the open end portions of the corner tube are blocked. The side plates 3a and 3b are formed.

In this example, the side plates 3a and 3b are detachably attached to the side faces 2b and 2c via a sealing member 11, for example, an O-ring or the like, using a detachable fixing member 12 such as a bolt.

In the present example, the width w, the height h, and the depth I of the main body 2 are limited to the limit of the transport size. However, in the state in which the side panel 3 is attached to the main body 2, the width w1 along the mounting direction of the side panel exceeds the transport size. The limit.

As in the prior art, the processing chamber 1a of such a size is not transportable when the aluminum plate is melt-bonded and mechanically processed into a box shape.

However, the processing chamber 1a according to the first embodiment is divided into the body 2 and the side plates 3a and 3b. The length of each side of the body 2 is limited to the limit of the transport size, and the body 2 and the side plates 3a, 3b are transported to a production plant such as an FPD production plant where the side plates 3a, 3b are mounted to the body 2. Accordingly, even the processing chamber 1a of a size that is impossible to transport can be installed in a production plant.

As a result, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a processing chamber that can be transported even if it exceeds the limit of the transport size.

Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the processing chamber shown in Fig. 1A. Further, the cross section shown in Fig. 2 corresponds to a cross section taken along line 2A-2A of Fig. 1A.

The processing chamber 1a shown in Fig. 2A is constructed by a capacitive coupling type parallel plate plasma etching processing chamber. Here, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an electroluminescence (EL) display, a plasma display panel (PDP), or the like is exemplified as the FPD.

The substrate 10 of the processing chamber 1a is provided with a target object, for example, a mounting table 21 on which the FPD substrate G is placed. The mounting table 21 is supported by the bottom plate 10 of the processing chamber 1a via the insulating member 22. The mounting table 21 is connected to a power supply line 23 for supplying high-frequency power via an opening 9 formed in the bottom plate 10, and an integrator 24 and a high-frequency power source 25 are connected to the power supply line 23. High frequency power of, for example, 13.56 MHz is supplied from the high frequency power source 25 to the mounting table 21. Accordingly, the mounting table 21 functions as a lower electrode.

An upper electrode base 26 is attached to the opening 7 of the top plate 8 of the mounting table 21, and the upper electrode base 26 supports a shower head 27 that functions as an upper electrode. A gas supply source 29 is connected to the shower head 27 via a gas supply pipe 28a. On the surface of the shower head 27 opposite to the mounting table 21, a plurality of discharge holes of a non-patterned discharge gas are formed. The plasma treatment, for example, the treatment gas system for plasma etching, is supplied from the processing gas supply source 29 to the inside of the processing chamber 1a via the discharge port of the drawing. The shower head 27 constitutes a pair of parallel plate electrodes together with the mounting table 21 functioning as a lower electrode. Furthermore, the size of the opening 7 is also larger than the size of the mounting table 21. The mounting table 21 can be placed inside the processing chamber 1a by, for example, the opening 7.

The side plates 3a and 3b are detachably attached to the side faces 2b and 2c of the main body 2. In this example, the side plates 3a, 3b are detachably mounted to the body 2 via a hinge 30.

In the processing chamber 1a, for example, the object to be processed is a substrate G for FPD having a rectangular planar shape. Further, the rectangular FPD substrate G is a large substrate of about 3000 m square or more. The length of the shortest side of the substrate F of such a large FPD is about 3000 mm, for example, 2800 mm or more. The width w1 of the mounting direction of the processing chambers 1a of the large-sized FPD substrate G, for example, the side plates 3a, 3b, has exceeded the limit of the transport size.

However, in this example, the side plates 3a, 3b of the chamber 1a are detachably connected to the body 2 which is limited to the limit of the transport size. Therefore, it is possible to transport from the manufacturing plant of the manufacturing process chamber 1a to the production plant where the FPD is produced in a state where the body 2 and the side plates 3a, 3b are divided. The conveyed body 2 and the side plates 3a, 3b can be installed in a production plant by being installed in a production plant, even if the processing chamber 1a of the chamber 1a exceeding the limit of the conveyance size is held.

Further, in this example, the main body 2 and the side plates 3a and 3b are detachably connected. In this case, in particular, the hinge 30 is freely mounted in a switch.

When the chamber 1a is processed as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the entire switches of the side plates 3a and 3b can expose the entire interior of the chamber 1a to the outside. When the chamber 1a is integrally connected by the side plates 3a, 3b, for example, it is easier to perform the device for performing maintenance of the inside of the chamber 1a only via the openings 7, 9 which are partially opened in the chamber 1a. The advantage of the maintenance of the interior of the chamber 1a.

(Second embodiment)

Fig. 3A is a perspective view showing an example in which a chamber according to a second embodiment of the present invention is adapted to a processing chamber, and Fig. 3B is an exploded perspective view of the chamber shown in Fig. 3A.

As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the chamber 1b according to the second embodiment is different from the chamber 1a according to the first embodiment in the open side 2b of the main body 2, 2c, and between the side plates 3a, 3b, spacers 31a, 31b are further provided. The other is almost the same as the chamber 1a.

The spacers 31a and 31b are attached to the opened side faces 2b and 2c of the main body 2, and in this example, have openings 32 that conform to the opening shapes of the side faces 2b and 2c of the main body 2.

Fig. 4A is a view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus using the chamber shown in Fig. 3A. Further, the cross section shown in Fig. 4A corresponds to a cross section taken along line 4A-4A of Fig. 3A.

The processing chamber 1b shown in Fig. 4A is constructed in the same manner as the processing chamber 1a shown in Fig. 2A, and is etched by a capacitive coupling type parallel plate plasma etching processing chamber.

The processing chamber 1b is different from the processing chamber 1a in that the open side faces 2b, 2c of the body 2 of the chamber 1b and the side plates 3a, 3b are provided with spacers 31a, 31b, and the size of the FPD substrate G. It is larger than the processing chamber 1a. The other is almost the same as the chamber 1a.

5A to 5C are horizontal cross-sectional views showing an example of advantages produced by the processing chambers 1a and 1b according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5A is a comparative example in which a processing chamber 1c in which a plate shape is joined by fusion bonding and mechanical processing is performed to integrally form a box shape. When the size of the FPD substrate G0 is small, even if the processing chamber 1c is of an integral type, the size of the processing chamber 1c is limited to the limit of the transport size.

Fig. 5B is an embodiment in which the processing chamber 1a according to the first embodiment is held. When the size of the FPD substrate G1 is increased to form the processing chamber 1a in an integrated manner, when the boundary of the transport size is exceeded, the body 2 and the side plates 3a and 3b are divided as shown in FIG. 2 is limited to the limit of the shipping size. Accordingly, as described above, even the processing chamber 1a exceeding the limit of the transport size can be transported.

Fig. 5C is an embodiment in which the processing chamber 1b according to the second embodiment is held. When the size of the FPD substrate G2 becomes larger, the spacers 31a and 31b are interposed between the side faces 2b and 2c and the side plates 3a and 3b, and the distance between the body 2 and the side plates 3a and 3b is extended. According to this, even if the FPD substrate G2 having a large size can be processed, the processing chamber 1b that can be transported can be obtained.

Further, the size of the FPD substrate G has a small size difference per FPD manufacturer even if it is the same size. In such a case, when the processing chamber 1b according to the second embodiment is used, the size of the processing chamber 1b can be finely adjusted by using the spacers 31a and 31b. By finely adjusting the size of the processing chamber 1b, for example, even if the FPD substrate G having different dimensional differences can be obtained, the distance from the edge of the glass substrate G to the side plates 3a and 3b can be made constant, and the FPD substrate having the difference in size can be obtained. G is also capable of performing the processing chamber 1b of uniform processing.

Further, the chambers 1a and 1b are, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 4B, for example, the entire switch side plates 3a and 3b.

When such a chamber 1a, 1b is used, for example, as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B, the body 2 having the side plate 3 and the bottom plate 10 integrated is used as a chamber for the upper cover switch than the top plate 8a. 1c, the advantage of easy access to the lower electrode 21 and easy maintenance is obtained.

(third embodiment)

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an example in which a chamber according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied to a processing chamber, and Fig. 8 is a view showing another chamber according to a third embodiment of the present invention. An exploded perspective view of an example.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the processing chambers 1d and 1e according to the third embodiment are configured to divide the top plate 8 into a split type. In this example, the top plate 8 has a box shape, and is attached to the upper surface of the main body 2 as a top cover via a sealing member 11, for example, an O-ring or the like. The processing chamber 1d shown in Fig. 7 is a division type for the processing chamber 1a according to the first embodiment, and the processing chamber 1e shown in Fig. 8 is for the second embodiment. The processing chamber 1b involved in the type also has the top plate 8 as a split type.

In this way, not only the side plates 3a and 3b are divided into a split type, but the top plate 8 can be detachably attached to the main body 2 as an upper cover.

According to the third embodiment, compared with the first and second embodiments, it is possible to obtain an advantage even when the size of the processing chamber in the height direction exceeds the limit of the transport size.

Further, the roof panel 8 is detachable, and has the advantages of being easier to perform maintenance than the first and second embodiments in which the side panels 3a and 3b are detachably attached.

Further, although there is no special pattern, not only the slab 8, but also the bottom plate 10 shown in FIG. 1B or FIG. 3B may be divided, and even the slab 8 and the bottom plate 10 are only for the flat plate portion. Also.

(fourth embodiment)

Fig. 9A is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing an example in which a chamber according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is adapted to a processing chamber, and Fig. 9B is a view showing a line 9B-9B shown in Fig. 9A. The cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9C-9C shown in Fig. 9A.

As shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 9C, the processing chamber 1f according to the fourth embodiment has the ribs 33 attached to the side plates 3a and 3b, and the wall thickness t1 of the side plates 3a and 3b is made larger than that of the first embodiment. It is thinner than the third embodiment. The ribs 33 can function as reinforcing materials for the side plates 3a and 3b. Therefore, in this example, for example, the wall thickness t1 of the side plates 3a, 3b can be made thinner than the wall thicknesses t2, t3 of the side walls 5, 6 of the body 2.

According to the processing chamber 1f according to the fourth embodiment, since the thickness t1 of the side plates 3a and 3b can be thinned, it is possible to obtain a material such as aluminum used for reducing the processing chamber 1f, and The advantage of the cost involved in the processing chamber 1f can be reduced.

Of course, even if the wall thickness t1 is the thin side plates 3a, 3b, it can be detachably attached, and in this example, the body 2 is detachably attached via the hinge 30. Therefore, it is also possible to obtain good maintainability as in the first to third embodiments.

Fig. 10A is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing another example of the processing chamber according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10B-10B shown in Fig. 10A. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10C-10C shown in Fig. 10A.

As shown in Figs. 10A to 10C, the side plates 3a, 3b to which the ribs 33 are attached can also be applied to the processing chamber 1g having the spacers 31a, 31b. At this time, the cost involved in the processing chamber 1g can be reduced. Further, the side plates 3a and 3b having the ribs 33 can be attached to the spacers 31a and 31b via the hinge 30, for example, so that good maintainability can be maintained.

The present invention has been described above by way of several embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is shown in the processing chamber of the FPD substrate. However, the present invention is also applicable to various other types of chambers such as a transfer chamber or a load lock chamber. The substrate performs a processing chamber of the processing device.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the side plates 3a and 3b are formed as a single plate-shaped member. However, as shown in, for example, FIGS. 11A and 11B, the side plates 3a and 3b are oriented toward the chamber 1h. A box-shaped member having a recess 34 therein may also be used.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the side plates 3a and 3b are opened and closed toward the bottom plate 10 side, but the switch may be turned toward the top plate 8 as shown in Fig. 12 . When the side plates 3a and 3b are opened and closed toward the top plate 8, there is an advantage that the operator can easily access the chamber 1i when the side plates 3a and 3b are opened, for example, during maintenance.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, although the side plates 3a and 3b are detachably attached to the side faces 2b and 2c of the main body 2 via the hinge 30, even as shown in Fig. 13, the entire side plates 3a and 3b are The side faces 2b and 2c may be attached to the side faces 2b and 2c of the main body 2, and may be attached to the side faces 2b and 2c. Even in such a chamber 1j, since the side plates 3a, 3b are removed, there is an advantage that the operator can easily access the chamber 1j at the time of maintenance.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the side plates 3a and 3b are detachably attached to the two side faces, respectively, but the side plates may be detachably attached to at least one side surface.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the two side faces are divided into the divided structures is exemplified, but the dividing structure may be used for all the faces.

Further, the above-described embodiment and the modifications shown in Figs. 11 to 13 can be implemented in any combination.

1a to 1g. . . Chamber

2. . . Ontology

2a to 2d. . . side

3a, 3b. . . Side panel

12. . . Fixed member

30. . . Hinge

31. . . Spacer

32. . . Opening

33. . . Rib

34. . . Depression

G. . . Substrate for FPD (subject to be processed)

w. . . width

h. . . height

I. . . depth

Fig. 1A is a perspective view showing an example of a chamber according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the chamber shown in Fig. 1A.

Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a processing chamber using the chamber shown in Fig. 1A, and Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the side plates are opened.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a chamber according to a second embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3B is an exploded perspective view of the chamber shown in Fig. 3A.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a processing chamber using the chamber shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the side plates are opened.

Fig. 5 to Fig. 5C are horizontal cross-sectional views showing an example of the advantages of the chamber according to the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view showing a processing chamber according to a comparative example, and Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an upper lid is opened.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a chamber according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing another example of the chamber according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing an example of a processing chamber according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view showing a line 9B-9B shown in FIG. Fig. 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9C-9C shown in Fig. 9A.

Fig. 10A is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing another example of the processing chamber according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view showing the line 10B-10B shown in Fig. 10A. Fig. 10C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10C-10C shown in Fig. 10A.

11 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a processing chamber according to a first modification of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the side plates are opened.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a processing chamber according to a second modification of the embodiment of the invention.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a processing chamber according to a third modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

1a. . . Processing chamber

2. . . Ontology

2a to 2d. . . side

3a, 3b. . . Side panel

4. . . Move in and out

5. . . First side wall

6. . . Second side wall

7. . . Opening

8. . . Sky

10. . . Bottom plate

11. . . Sealing member

12. . . Fixed member

w. . . width

h. . . height

W1. . . width

Claims (10)

A chamber characterized by having a rectangular parallelepiped body having at least one side open; and a detachable fixing member for attaching and detachably attaching to a side panel of the open side of the body. The chamber according to claim 1, wherein the body has a corner tube shape, and an end portion of the corner tube corresponds to the side surface. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the body has a switchable upper cover. The chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the side plate is a box-shaped member that has a recess toward the inside of the body. The chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a spacer having an opening that conforms to an opening shape of the body is present between the opened side surface of the main body and the side plate. The chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the side plate is freely attached to the body via a hinge switch. The chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in the side plate mounting rib, a thickness of the side plate is thinner than a wall thickness of a side wall of the body. The chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the width, the height and the depth of the body are each limited within a limit of the transport size, and the body of the side plate is mounted along the side plate. The width of the mounting direction exceeds the limit of the transport size. The chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the object to be processed has a rectangular shape in plan view, and the shortest side of the rectangle has a length of 2800 mm or more. A processing apparatus characterized in that the processing chamber for performing processing on the object to be processed is the chamber described in any one of the above-mentioned claims.