US5324540A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for supporting and rotating substrates in a process chamber
Assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd
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Filing: 1993-08-17
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Granted: 1994-06-28
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Expires: 2013-08-17
Abstract
Abstract A system for supporting and rotating substrates in a process chamber comprising a first exhaust vacuum pump for exhausting the process chamber, a shaft vertically extending into the process chamber to support wafers in it, bearings for supporting the shaft rotatable, a mechanism for rotating the shaft together with the wafers, a bearing casing for covering the bearings and communicated with the process chamber, a second exhaust vacuum pump for exhausting the bearing casing, and a controller for controlling the first and second exhaust vacuum pumps in such a way that the bearing casing is exhausted by the second exhaust vacuum pump before the process chamber is exhausted by the first exhaust vacuum pump.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo Terada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:21
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0436; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/4412; C23C16/458; C23C16/4582; C23C16/4583; C23C16/4584; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C30B25/12; H02; H02K; H02K49/00; H02K49/10; H02K49/104; H02K49/106; F; F27; F27D; F27D3/00; F27D2003/0085; F27D2003/0087; H02K5/00; H02K5/04; H02K5/12; H02K5/128
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A system for supporting and rotating substrates in a process chamber comprising: first exhaust means for exhausting the process chamber; a shaft vertically extending into the process chamber to support the substrates in it; bearings for supporting the shaft rotatable; means for rotating the shaft together with the substrates; a bearing casing for covering the bearings and communicated with the process chamber; second exhaust means for exhausting the bearing casing; and control means for controlling the first and second exhaust means in such a way that the bearing casing is exhausted by the second exhaust means before the process chamber is exhausted by the first exhaust means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A system for supporting and rotating substrates in a process chamber comprising: first exhaust means for exhausting the process chamber; a shaft vertically extending into the process chamber to support the substrates in it; bearings for supporting the shaft rotatable; means for rotating the shaft together with the substrates; a bearing casing for covering the bearings and communicated with the process chamber; second exhaust means for exhausting the bearing casing; and control means for controlling the first and second exhaust means in such a way that the bearing casing is exhausted by the second exhaust means before the process chamber is exhausted by the first exhaust means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system according to claim 1, further comprising a driven permanent magnet attached to the shaft in the bearing casing and a drive permanent magnet arranged outside the bearing casing to have magnetic interaction with the driven permanent magnet to add rotation force to the shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 2, further comprising a covering member for air-tightly covering the driven permanent magnet in the bearing casing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system according to claim 2, wherein the bearings are two and these two bearings are separated from each other in such a way providing the drive permanent magnet between two bearings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system according to claim 1, further comprising ring members located in a passage through which the process chamber and the bearing casing are communicated with each other, and attached to the shaft to form a labyrinth seal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for introducing protection gas into the bearing casing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system according to claim 6, wherein said protection gas is nitrogen gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said process chamber is a process tube of the heat process apparatus of the vertical type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said process chamber is a process tube of the CVD apparatus of the vertical type.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said process chamber is a load lock one.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of supporting and rotating substrates in a process chamber comprising: preparing a heat process apparatus of the vertical type provided with a process tube, heater means and first exhaust means, and wafer boat supporting and rotating means provided with second exhaust means; supporting a wafer boat in the process tube by the wafer boat supporting and rotating means; heating the wafer boat in the process tube., exhausting a bearing casing for the wafer boat supporting and rotating means by the second exhaust means; partly exhausting the process tube by the first exhaust means; fully exhausting the process tube by the first exhaust means; supplying process gas into the process tube while rotating the wafer boat to form heat-processed film on the surface of each wafer., exhausting the process tube by the first exhaust means; and carrying the wafer boat out of the process tube.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of supporting and rotating substrates in a process chamber comprising: preparing a heat process apparatus of the vertical type provided with a process tube, heater means and first exhaust means, and wafer boat supporting and rotating means provided with second exhaust means; supporting a wafer boat in the process tube by the wafer boat supporting and rotating means; heating the wafer boat in the process tube., exhausting a bearing casing for the wafer boat supporting and rotating means by the second exhaust means; partly exhausting the process tube by the first exhaust means; fully exhausting the process tube by the first exhaust means; supplying process gas into the process tube while rotating the wafer boat to form heat-processed film on the surface of each wafer., exhausting the process tube by the first exhaust means; and carrying the wafer boat out of the process tube.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5058526A
Cited
US5016567A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-06-27 | 1997-12-27 | 1998-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-06-27 | 2001-12-27 | 2002-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-06-27 | 2005-12-27 | 2006-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |