Vacuum system of semiconductor device manufacturing equipment

Abstract

Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment has a vacuum system that enhances the fluency of the gas being discharged from a chamber of the equipment. The vacuum system has a vent line, and a throttle valve that includes a vent line opening and closing member oriented so that it is readily opened by a concentrated flow of gas in the vent line. The vacuum system may include a heating unit that heats the vent line through which the gas passes. Still further, a bend in the vent line upstream of the vent line opening and closing member may have a gently curved shape and/or may subtend an angle of less than 90°. As a result, the efficiency of the ventilation of the process chamber is improved, making it easier to control the pressure of the process chamber and minimizing the contamination of the throttle valve and the vent line.

1 . Substrate processing equipment, comprising:
 a vacuum chamber; and   a vacuum system that discharges gas from the vacuum chamber, the vacuum system including a pump unit comprising a vacuum pump,   a vent line extending outside of the process chamber and connecting the vacuum pump to the vacuum chamber, the vent line having a bend such that gas discharged from the vacuum chamber by the vacuum pump flows at a greater rate through one portion of a cross-sectional area of the vent line, as taken at a given location downstream of the bend, than through the remaining portion of said cross-sectional area, and   a throttle valve unit including a vent line opening and closing member in the form of a plate having a shape corresponding to that of said cross-sectional area of the vent line and disposed in the vent line at said location, said vent line opening and closing member being mounted to said vent line so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation that extends across the vent line at said location, whereby the vent line opening and closing member has first and second sections disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation, respectively, and wherein said second section of the vent line opening and closing member occupies said one portion of the cross-sectional area of the vent line and said first section of the vent line opening and closing member occupies said remaining portion of said cross-sectional area of the vent line when the vent line opening and closing member is in a closed position.   
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein the vent line has a first run extending from the vacuum chamber, and a second run, said bend extending between and interconnecting the first and second runs, and wherein the axis of rotation of the vent line opening and closing member is skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the first run of the vent line. 
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 2 , wherein the first run extends horizontally from the vacuum chamber, and the second run extends vertically from the bend. 
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 3 , wherein the axis of rotation of the vent line opening and closing member extends horizontally in a direction that is skewed 90° relative to the horizontal run of the vent line. 
   
   
       5 . Substrate processing equipment, comprising:
 a vacuum chamber; and   a vacuum system that discharges gas from the vacuum chamber, the vacuum system including   a pump unit comprising a vacuum pump,   a vent line extending outside of the process chamber and connecting the vacuum pump to the vacuum chamber,   a throttle valve unit including a vent line opening and closing member disposed in the vent line and supported so as to be movable, wherein movement of the vent line opening and closing member controls the degree to which the vent line is open, and   a heating unit comprising a heater operatively associated with the vent line so as to heat gas flowing through the vent line.   
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 5 , wherein the heater comprises a resistive heating element in the form of a coil wound around the vent line. 
   
   
       7 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 6 , wherein the heater is operative to heat the vent line to a temperature of 70˜150° C. 
   
   
       8 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 5 , wherein the vent line has a bend such that gas discharged from the vacuum chamber by the vacuum pump flows at a greater rate through one portion of a cross-sectional area of the vent line, as taken at a given location downstream of the bend, than through the remaining portion of said cross-sectional area, and
 the vent line opening and closing member is in the form of a plate having a shape corresponding to that of said cross-sectional area of the vent line and is disposed in the vent line at said location, said vent line opening and closing member being mounted to said vent line so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation that extends across the vent line at said location, whereby the vent line opening and closing member has first and second sections disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation, respectively, and wherein said second section of the vent line opening and closing member occupies said one portion of the cross-sectional area of the vent line and said first section of the vent line opening and closing member occupies said remaining portion of the cross-sectional area of the vent line when the vent line opening and closing member is in a closed position.   
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 8 , wherein the vent line has a first run extending from the vacuum chamber, and a second run, said bend extending between and interconnecting the first and second runs, and wherein the axis of rotation of the vent line opening and closing member is skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the first run of the vent line. 
   
   
       10 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 9 , wherein the first run extends horizontally from the vacuum chamber, and the second run extends vertically from the bend. 
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 10 , wherein the axis of rotation of the vent line opening and closing member extends horizontally in a direction that is skewed 90° relative to the horizontal run of the vent line. 
   
   
       12 . Substrate processing equipment, comprising:
 a vacuum chamber; and   a vacuum system that discharges gas from the vacuum chamber, the vacuum system including a pump unit comprising a vacuum pump,   a vent line extending outside of the process chamber and connecting the vacuum pump to the vacuum chamber, the vent line having a first run extending from the vacuum chamber, a second run, and a bend extending between and interconnecting the first and second runs, the bend being curvilinear and/or subtending an angle of less than 90°, whereby the bend facilitates a smooth flow of gas therethrough, and   a throttle valve unit including a vent line opening and closing member disposed in the second run of the vent line and supported so as to be movable, wherein movement of the vent line opening and closing member controls the degree to which the vent line is open.   
   
   
       13 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 12 , wherein the bend is curvilinear. 
   
   
       14 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 12 , wherein gas discharged from the vacuum chamber by the vacuum pump flows at a greater rate through one portion of a cross-sectional area of the vent line, as taken at a given location downstream of the bend, than through the remaining portion of said cross-sectional area, and
 the vent line opening and closing member is in the form of a plate having a shape corresponding to that of said cross-sectional area of the vent line and is disposed in the vent line at said location, said vent line opening and closing member being mounted to said vent line so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation that extends across the vent line at said location, whereby the vent line opening and closing member has first and second sections disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation, respectively, and wherein said second section of the vent line opening and closing member occupies said one portion of the cross-sectional area of the vent line and said first section of the vent line opening and closing member occupies said remaining portion of the cross-sectional area of the vent line when the vent line opening and closing member is in a closed position.   
   
   
       15 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 14 , wherein the vent line has a first run extending from the vacuum chamber, and a second run, said bend extending between and interconnecting the first and second runs, and wherein the axis of rotation of the vent line opening and closing member is skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the first run of the vent line. 
   
   
       16 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein the first run extends horizontally from the vacuum chamber, and the second run extends vertically from the bend. 
   
   
       17 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 16 , wherein the axis of rotation of the vent line opening and closing member extends horizontally in a direction that is skewed 90° relative to the horizontal run of the vent line. 
   
   
       18 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 13 , further comprising a heating unit having a heater operatively associated with the vent line so as to heat gas flowing through the vent. 
   
   
       19 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 18 , wherein the heater comprises a resistive heating element in the form of a coil wound around the vent line. 
   
   
       20 . The substrate processing equipment according to  claim 19 , wherein the heater is operative to heat the vent line to a temperature of 70˜150° C.