Vacuum processing apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a vacuum processing apparatus for performing a desired process for a substrate after establishing a vacuum atmosphere therein. More particularly, the vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, which is divided into a chamber body and an upper cover. The upper cover is configured to be easily opened away from and closed to the chamber body.

1 . A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a chamber body and an upper cover spaced apart upward from the chamber body, further comprising: 
 a horizontal drive device provided at the outside of the upper cover and adapted to horizontally move the upper cover; and    a closure mechanism adapted to perform a vertical movement, to close and open a gap between the chamber body and the upper cover.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the closure mechanism includes:    an inner wall structure inserted into side walls of the upper cover and adapted to close and open the gap between the chamber body and the upper cover via a vertical movement thereof; and    an inner wall structure lifting device provided above the upper cover and adapted to vertically move the inner wall structure.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the inner wall structure includes: 
 a sealing member inserted into an insertion groove, which is dented along lower surfaces of the side walls of the upper cover, the sealing member being adapted to seal the gap between the upper cover and the chamber body;    a plurality of connecting rods vertically penetrated through certain positions of the side walls of the upper cover to connect the sealing member to the inner wall structure lifting device; and    an auxiliary sealing member configured to come into close contact with a surface of the sealing member and a surface of the upper cover and adapted to assist the creation of a vacuum in the chamber body and the upper cover.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , 
 wherein the sealing member has a stepped lower portion defining a first contact surface and a second contact surface, and    wherein the first contact surface comes into contact with upper surfaces of the side walls of the chamber body, and the second contact surface comes into contact with the auxiliary sealing member.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the inner wall structure lifting device includes: 
 a guide plate located above the upper cover and coupled to upper ends of the plurality of connecting rods to guide simultaneous movement of the connecting rods; and    a plurality of drive motors fixedly mounted on the guide plate to vertically move the guide plate.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a supporting frame disposed aside the chamber body and adapted to receive the upper cover when the upper cover is horizontally moved by the horizontal drive device.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the supporting frame includes a pair of rotating members disposed thereon to be coupled to the upper cover when the upper cover is moved onto the supporting frame, thereby serving to rotate the upper cover.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the horizontal drive device includes: 
 an upper cover movement frame located at a position higher than a drive height of a gate valve while being disposed at opposite sides of the upper cover, the upper cover movement frame providing a horizontal movement path of the upper cover; and    a pair of horizontal movers each having a first end fixedly disposed on the upper cover movement frame and a second end coupled to the rotating members, the horizontal movers serving to horizontally move the upper cover along the upper cover movement frame.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the upper cover movement frame includes: 
 a pair of first horizontal frame pieces each to support the first end of one of the horizontal movers at an upper surface thereof; and    a plurality of first vertical frame pieces coupled to lower surfaces of the first horizontal frame pieces to support the first horizontal frame pieces at a predetermined height.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein each of the horizontal movers includes: 
 a roller coupled to the upper cover movement frame to perform a rotating movement thereon;    a vertical connector connected to both the roller and the center of the upper cover at different heights; and    a motor to provide power required to rotate the roller.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the closure mechanism serves as a sealing device, which selectively seals rim regions of both the chamber body and the upper cover and is separable from both the chamber body and the upper cover.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the sealing device is moved in a diagonal direction, which deviates from a movement path of the gate valve.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 12 , 
 wherein the chamber body is provided: along an upper end surface thereof, with an outwardly extending lower protrusion; and the upper cover is provided, along a lower end surface thereof, with an outwardly extending upper protrusion, and    wherein the sealing device has: a lower contact surface to come into close contact with the lower protrusion; and an upper contact surface to come into close contact with the upper protrusion,    whereby the interior of the chamber body and the upper cover is sealed as the lower and upper protrusions of the chamber body and the upper cover simultaneously come into close contact with the lower and upper contact surfaces of the sealing device.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the lower or upper contact surface of the sealing device takes the form of an inclined surface, and the lower or upper protrusion has an inclined surface corresponding to the inclined lower or upper contact surface.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein at least one auxiliary seal is formed at the lower or upper contact surface of the sealing device, the auxiliary seal being made of a flexible material and adapted to assist the sealing of the interior of the chamber body and the upper cover.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the sealing device is provided with a plurality of sealing device drive units, which are coupled to the sealing device to move the sealing device in a diagonal direction.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein each of the sealing device drive units includes: 
 a rotatable roller located at one of lower corners of the sealing device; and    a cam configured to perform a rotating motion while coming into contact with the roller and adapted to move the sealing device in the diagonal direction.    
   
   
       18 . A processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: 
 a chamber body lifting device mounted at a lower surface of the chamber body and adapted to vertically move the chamber body; and    a horizontal drive device mounted at an outer surface of the upper cover and adapted to horizontally move the upper cover while supporting the upper cover at a predetermined height.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein a guide member is provided at the outside of the chamber body to guide vertical movement of the chamber body.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the chamber body lifting device includes bellows cylinders.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the horizontal drive device includes: 
 an upper cover movement frame located around the outer surface of the upper cover at a position higher than a drive height of the gate valve, the upper cover movement frame providing a horizontal movement path of the upper cover; and    a pair of horizontal movers each having a first end to come into close contact with the upper cover movement frame to move thereon and a second end coupled to the upper cover.    
   
   
       22 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 21 , 
 wherein the upper cover movement frame includes:    a pair of first horizontal frame pieces located at opposite sides of the chamber body, one of the opposite sides of the chamber body being provided with the gate valve, each first horizontal frame piece having gears formed at an elongated upper surface thereof; and a plurality of first vertical frame pieces coupled to the first horizontal frame pieces to support the first horizontal frame pieces, and    wherein each of the horizontal movers includes:    a drive shaft having drive gears to be engaged with the gears of one of the first horizontal frame pieces; and    a drive motor mounted on the upper cover.    
   
   
       23 . A processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: 
 one or more horizontal drive units to support the upper cover so as to horizontally move the upper cover in a direction facing the arrangement direction of the gate valve;    a pair of upper cover movement frames located at opposite sides of the upper cover in a vertically movable manner and adapted to provide a horizontal movement path of the horizontal drive units; and    a plurality of vertical drive units coupled to a lower surface of each of the upper cover movement frames while being spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance, the vertical drive units serving to vertically move the upper cover movement frames and the upper cover.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 23 , 
 wherein the apparatus further comprises a pair of lower frames spaced apart in parallel from lower ends of the upper cover movement frames, the plurality of vertical drive units being arranged on the lower frames by the predetermined distance, and    wherein the plurality of vertical drive units are simultaneously driven on the lower frames to vertically move the upper cover movement frames parallel to the floor.    
   
   
       25 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a supporting frame disposed aside the chamber body and adapted to receive the upper cover when the upper cover is horizontally moved by the upper cover movement frames.    
   
   
       26 . A processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: 
 an upper cover lifting device separably disposed on the upper cover to vertically move the upper cover; and    a horizontal drive device disposed at opposite sides of the upper cover and adapted to horizontally move the upper cover after the upper cover is lifted by the upper cover lifting device.    
   
   
       27 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein the upper cover lifting device includes: 
 a plurality of hoist cranes coupled to an upper surface of the upper cover to lift the upper cover; and    a crane supporting frame spaced apart in parallel from the upper surface of the upper cover, the plurality of hoist cranes being coupled to and supported by the crane supporting frame.    
   
   
       28 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the upper cover lifting device further includes: 
 a vibration-proof member interposed between the crane supporting frame and the upper cover and adapted to prevent vibration of the upper cover when the upper cover is lifted.    
   
   
       29 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the vibration-proof member is a vibration-proof jig having a shape corresponding to a rim region of the upper cover, the vibration-proof jig being coupled with a vibration stopper formed at the upper surface of the upper cover to prevent vibration of the upper cover.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein the vibration-proof jig is provided with one or more upper cover height sensors, which are interposed between the vibration-proof jig and the vibration stopper to sense the height of the lifted upper cover.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the upper cover height sensors are contact type sensors.  
   
   
       32 . A processing apparatus comprising a chamber body having a gate valve for enabling loading and unloading of a substrate and an upper cover separably disposed on the chamber body, the processing apparatus further comprising: 
 a transportation hoist jig system, and    wherein the transportation hoist jig system includes:    a body having a polygonal column shape having an appropriate thickness, the body being centrally provided with a connecting loop; and    a plurality of connecting loops provided at respective corners of a lower surface of the body to move toward a center of the body in a diagonal direction, the connecting loops being simultaneously moved inward or outward to be changed in position.    
   
   
       33 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein the body includes: 
 a plurality of guide slots perforated through a thickness of the body to diagonally extend from the center to the corners of the body;    a plurality of screws received in the guide slots of the body, respectively, while being fixed at opposite ends thereof to the body;    a plurality of movers each fastened to a certain circumferential location of one of the screws and adapted to move forward or rearward in accordance with rotation of the screw, each mover being provided at a lower surface thereof with a connecting loop; and    a cylindrical power source having helical threads formed at a lower surface thereof, the helical threads being engaged with threads formed at an end of each of the screws to allow the plurality of screws to be simultaneously rotated in accordance with rotation of the power source.    
   
   
       34 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein each of the guide slots of the body has a downwardly tapered cross section.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the screws include left and right screws, which are located opposite to each other, threads of the left screw extending in a direction opposite to that of threads of the right screw.  
   
   
       36 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 35 , wherein a plurality of handles are circumferentially arranged along an upper end of the power source to allow the power source to be manually rotated.  
   
   
       37 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the transportation hoist jig system further includes: a bearing located to come into contact with lower ends of threads formed at the end of each of the screws to facilitate the rotation of the screws.