KR20060112012A - Gate assembly of semiconductor product device - Google Patents

Abstract

A gate assembly of a semiconductor manufacturing device is provided to minimize the damage of an O-ring due to plasma by forming an O-ring protection unit in a gate. A gate assembly includes a docking plate(50), a gate hole(52) formed to the docking plate by rectangle hole shape for transferring a wafer, a groove(54) formed to the docking plate by quadrangle shape, a gate(60) for blocking the gate hole, and an O-ring(62) formed in the gate for maintaining airtight. The gate assembly further includes an O-ring protection unit(64) inserted into the groove for protecting the damage of the O-ring due to plasma.

Description

GATE ASSEMBLY OF SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCT DEVICE

1 is a configuration diagram of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility 10 having a general multi-chamber structure.

2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional door opening and closing device

3a to 3b is a structural diagram of a door opening and closing device of another conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment

4A to 4C are structural diagrams of a door opening and closing device of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

       Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

50: docking plate 52: gate hole

54: home 60: gate

62: O-ring 64: O-ring protection

The present invention relates to a door opening and closing device of a semiconductor manufacturing facility, and more particularly, to a door opening and closing device for hermetically keeping a chamber in a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

Typically in semiconductor substrate manufacturing processes, semiconductors, dielectrics, and conductor materials such as polysilicon, silicon dioxide, and aluminum layers are deposited on the substrate. The layers are typically formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition, or oxidation and nitriding processes. For example, in a CVD process, the reactive gas is decomposed to deposit a material layer on the substrate and in the PVD process the target is sputtered to deposit the material on the substrate. In the oxidation and nitriding process, the oxide layer or nitride layer is typically formed with a silicon dioxide layer or silicon nitride layer on the substrate.

The semiconductor device for performing such a process selectively and repeatedly performs a process such as photographing, etching, diffusion, chemical vapor deposition, ion implantation, and metal deposition on a wafer, and the wafer is processed in a state in which the wafer is accommodated in a cassette. In addition to being transferred to the manufacturing facilities to perform the process to be transferred to the cassette and each position to perform the process in the manufacturing equipment to perform each process.

In addition, an independent atmosphere is required between adjacent chambers in relation to the transfer of wafers in a semiconductor device manufacturing facility, and a door opening and closing device for opening and closing the door is installed on the gate between the chambers according to such a request.

Hereinafter, a description will be made of a conventional configuration of the door opening and closing device of the chamber for manufacturing a semiconductor device and the operation relationship between the configurations. The configuration installed in a semiconductor device manufacturing facility having a general multi-chamber structure shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Reference is made to the examples.

First, referring to the configuration of the semiconductor device manufacturing facility 10 having a general multi-chamber structure, as shown in FIG. 1, the load lock chambers 12a and 12b for positioning the cassette C on which the plurality of wafers W are mounted are shown. The load lock chambers 12a and 12b are separated from the outside by the cassette C by the door means D, and the predetermined vacuum pressure until opening by the door opening / closing device 14 on the other side. The atmosphere is achieved. On the other side adjacent to the load lock chambers 12a and 12b, there is a transfer chamber 16 which is selectively communicated by the door opening and closing device 14, and inside the transfer chamber 16 there is a load lock chamber ( A robot (R) is installed to fix and support the wafers (W) located at 12a and 12b one by one to the required position. In addition to the above configuration, the process chambers 18a and 18b which perform the process on the wafer W located on each other side of the transfer chamber 16 described above, and before the process is performed in the process chambers 18a and 18b. Each of the auxiliary chambers 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d performing the post-treatment process is selectively installed in communication with the opening and closing of the door opening and closing device 14, and the process chambers 18a and 18b and the respective auxiliary chambers ( Inside the 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, the same or similar vacuum pressure atmosphere as that of the transfer chamber 16 described above in a conventional manner or an independent atmosphere according to each process condition is achieved. The gates of the chambers opened and closed by the door opening and closing device 14 described above are formed to a minimum size to allow the wafer W to be inserted and withdrawn, which allows each chamber to quickly form an independent atmosphere, and simultaneously The purpose is to minimize the blocked area to facilitate confidentiality.

Here, looking at the configuration of the door opening and closing device 14 for blocking the gate (G) in more detail, as shown in Figure 2, the gate hole (GH) formed corresponding to the gate (G) formed on the chamber is in communication A close contact member 22 is provided so that the door 24 is installed at the distal end of the drive means 26, such as a cylinder for telescopic movement, at a position spaced apart from the close contact member 22. The driving is performed at a predetermined angle to face the gate hole GH so that the gate G is opened or closed by being in close contact or spaced apart. At this time, the sealing relationship configuration of the door 24 to the contact member 22 is, as shown in Figure 2, first in the contact member 22, the contact surface forming a right angle with respect to the passage direction of the gate hole (GH). There is (F), and at the outer periphery of the contact surface F, a crimping surface P that is parallel to the passage direction of the gate hole GH, that is, perpendicular to the contact surface F is formed. And the opposite side shape of the door 24 corresponding to the contact member 22 is the contact surface f and the contact surface which correspond to the contact surface F and the contact surface P of the contact member 22 mentioned above, respectively. (p) has a stepped shape perpendicular to each other.

3a and 3b is a structural diagram of another conventional door opening and closing device.

Figure 3a is a front view of the docking plate of the door opening and closing device,

Figure 3b is a cross-sectional configuration of the gate is closed on the docking plate of the door opening and closing device.

The docking plate 30 has a gate hole 32 for transferring the wafer. The gate 40 blocks the gate hole 32 to keep the outside and airtight so as to form a vacuum inside the chamber. The gate 40 has an o-ring 42 formed so that the gate 40 is in close contact with the docking plate 30 so that leakage does not occur when the airtightness is maintained.

In the conventional door opening and closing device as described above, when the gate 40 is in close contact with the docking plate 30 and blocks the gate hole 32, the O-ring 42 prevents the plasma inside the chamber from leaking to the outside. 42) there is a problem that the use cycle is shortened because it is exposed to the plasma damage.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to reduce the exposure of the O-ring from the plasma when the gate is in close contact with the docking plate in the door opening and closing device of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment to solve the above problems to extend the life of the O-ring The present invention provides a door opening and closing device for a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a door opening and closing device of a semiconductor manufacturing equipment that can improve the productivity by reducing the time loss due to O-ring replacement by preventing the O-ring is not damaged by the plasma.

A door opening and closing device of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is a docking plate, a gate hole for transferring a wafer formed in the form of a rectangular hole in the docking plate, and spaced apart along a predetermined interval along the gate hole A groove formed in a rectangular shape on the docking plate, a gate for blocking a gate hole of the docking plate, an o-ring formed in the gate to maintain airtightness when the gate is in close contact with the docking plate, and When the gate is in close contact with the docking plate is characterized in that it comprises an O-ring protection portion for protecting the plasma in the chamber from being exposed to the O-ring is inserted into the groove.

The O-ring protection portion is characterized in that the protruding formed on the gate so that the gate can be fitted into the groove when the gate is in close contact with the docking plate.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

4A to 4C are structural diagrams of a door opening and closing device of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4a is a front view of the docking plate of the door opening and closing device,

Figure 4b is a cross-sectional configuration of the gate is closed on the docking plate of the door opening and closing device,

4C is a gate front view of the door opening and closing device.

The docking plate 50 and the docking plate 50 are formed in the form of a rectangular hole to transfer wafers, and the docking plate 50 is spaced apart at regular intervals along the gate hole 52. A groove 54 formed in a quadrangular shape in the shape, a gate 60 for blocking the gate hole 52 of the docking plate 50, and a gate 60 formed in the gate 60. O-ring 62 for maintaining airtightness when closely attached to the docking plate 50, and the square groove 54 is formed in the gate 60 when the gate 60 is in close contact with the docking plate 50 It is composed of an O-ring protection portion 64 which is fitted to the protection to prevent the plasma in the chamber from being exposed to the O-ring 62.

4A to 4C, the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

When the wafer is transferred between the chamber shown in FIG. 1 and the chamber, the gate 60 is opened without blocking the gate hole 52 formed in the docking plate 50. However, in order to proceed with the process in the chamber after the wafer transfer is completed, the gate 60 is in close contact with the docking plate 50 to block the gate hole 52 formed in the docking plate 50. In this case, an o-ring 62 is formed in the gate 60 to maintain airtightness when the gate 60 is in close contact with the docking plate 50. In addition, the O-ring protection portion 64 protrudes from the gate 60 at a position to be fitted into the groove 54 formed in a quadrangular shape along the outer circumference of the gate hole 52. The groove 54 and the O-ring protection part 64 may have a triangular shape, but may be implemented in a semi-circular shape or a polygonal shape. Therefore, when the gate 60 is in close contact with the docking plate 50, the O-ring protecting unit 64 has a groove 54 formed in a rectangular shape along the outer circumference of the gate hole 52 in the docking plate 50. And to protect the O-ring 62 from being exposed to the plasma in the chamber.

As described above, the present invention forms an O-ring protection part in the gate in the door opening and closing device of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment to close the gate to the docking plate to minimize the O-ring from the plasma when blocking the gate hole damage of the O-ring by the plasma This prevents the prolongation of the O-ring replacement cycle and increases productivity.

In addition, it is possible to minimize the process loss time by increasing the replacement cycle of the O-ring by minimizing damage to the O-ring due to plasma.

Claims (2)

In the door opening and closing device of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, Docking plate, A gate hole formed in the docking plate in a rectangular hole shape for transporting a wafer; Grooves formed in a rectangular shape on the docking plate and spaced apart from each other along the gate hole; A gate for blocking a gate hole of the docking plate; An o-ring formed in the gate to maintain airtightness when the gate is in close contact with the docking plate; And an O-ring protection portion inserted into the groove when the gate is in close contact with the docking plate to protect the plasma in the chamber from being exposed to the O-ring. The method of claim 1, The O-ring protection part, the door opening and closing device of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, characterized in that the gate protrudes to be fitted to the groove when the gate is in close contact with the docking plate.

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