Cooling mechanism and processing system
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsKeita Kumagai, Yoshiaki Sasaki, Hirohito Kikushima, Hayato Itomi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cooling mechanism includes a plurality of support stands which is provided in a vertical direction over a plurality of stages in an atmospheric transfer chamber where a down-flow is formed, a plurality of support pins which is provided in each of the support stands and supports a target object in contact with the backside of the target object. The cooling mechanism further includes a plurality of air guide plates which is provided in the support stands and cools the target object supported by the support stand located at a lower stage using the down-flow.
Claims12
A cooling mechanism comprising:
- a plurality of support stands disposed in a vertical direction at a plurality of stages in an atmospheric transfer chamber, wherein a down-flow is formed and a transfer mechanism for transferring a target object is disposed in a central portion of the atmospheric transfer chamber;
- a plurality of support pins disposed at each of the plurality of support stands and configured to support the target object in contact with a backside of the target object;
- and
- a side cooling unit configured to:
- emit a cooling gas from a side of the target object supported by the support pins;
- and allow the cooling gas to flow along a surface of the target object, wherein the side cooling unit includes:
- a cooling gas passage configured to allow the cooling gas to flow;
- and a gas outlet disposed at an exit of the cooling gas passage and is located at a lateral side of the target object,
- wherein the cooling gas passage vertically extends and has an upper end formed as an inlet to receive the down-flow and the down-flow is used as the cooling gas,
- wherein the gas outlet has a plurality of gas discharge ports extending in a horizontal direction in association with the target object and comprises a plurality of guide partition plates extending along an inner wall of the cooling gas passage to partition the plurality of gas discharge ports,
- wherein the cooling mechanism is disposed in the atmospheric transfer chamber,
- wherein a horizontal level of each of the plurality of gas discharge ports except an uppermost first gas discharge port is set to be located between adjacent target objects vertically supported at a plurality of stages, with the uppermost first gas discharge port and a second gas discharge port being set to be located at a horizontal level between a target object supported by an uppermost first support stand and a target supported by a second support stand, and
- wherein the down-flow is in direct contact with the target object supported by the uppermost first support stand.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.