# US 12,601,061 B2 · Thin film deposition apparatus having multi-stage heaters and thin film deposition method using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,601,061 B2 - Document ID: US12601061B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/091,949 - Filed: 2022-12-30 - Published: 2023-07-06 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-31 - Assignees: Hanwha Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Hanwha Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ram Woo; Seung Jun Lee; Sang Yeop Kim; Jin Hwan Lee; Sang Bo Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601061B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence) - C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A thin film deposition apparatus includes: a chamber configured to process a plurality of substrates; a plurality of heater members disposed to correspond to the substrates to heat the substrates; a plurality of lift pins configured to be elevated through the heater members and support lower surfaces of the substrates; a plurality of support plates on which lower ends of the lift pins are configured to be seated; a plurality of support columns coupled with and supporting the heater members; and a plurality of spray ports configured to supply a process gas to the substrates, wherein the support plates are mounted on a plurality of seats formed on at least one side of the chamber, and configured to be elevated together with the heater members when the heater members are elevated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thin film deposition apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to process a plurality of substrates; a plurality of heater members disposed to correspond to the substrates to heat the substrates; a plurality of lift pins configured to be elevated through the heater members and support lower surfaces of the substrates; a plurality of support plates on which lower ends of the lift pins are configured to be seated; a plurality of support columns coupled with and supporting the heater members; a plurality of spray ports configured to supply a process gas to the substrates; and a plurality of fingers protruding from the support columns in a lateral direction and configured to lift lower surfaces of the support plates, wherein the support plates are mounted on a plurality of seats formed on at least one side of the chamber, and configured to be elevated off of the seats and together with the heater members when the heater members are elevated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seats protrude from a sidewall of the chamber toward an inside of the chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thin film deposition apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seats uniformly protrude from the sidewall of the chamber toward the inside of the chamber along a circumferential direction. ### Claim 4 A thin film deposition apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to process a plurality of substrates; a plurality of heater members disposed to correspond to the substrates to heat the substrates; a plurality of lift pins configured to be elevated through the heater members and support lower surfaces of the substrates; a plurality of support plates on which lower ends of the lift pins are configured to be seated; a plurality of support columns coupled with and supporting the heater members; and a plurality of spray ports configured to supply a process gas to the substrates, wherein the support plates are mounted on a plurality of seats formed on at least one side of the chamber, and configured to be elevated together with the heater members when the heater members are elevated, wherein a plurality of fingers protruding in a lateral direction are formed on the support columns, and when the support columns are elevated together with the heater members, the fingers are configured to lift lower surfaces of the support plates, wherein the seats protrude from a sidewall of the chamber toward an inside of the chamber, wherein the seats are formed with a plurality of steps, and wherein the support plates are configured to be placed at right positions on the seats when the support plates are lowered together with the heater members. ### Claim 5 A thin film deposition apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to process a plurality of substrates; a plurality of heater members disposed to correspond to the substrates to heat the substrates; a plurality of lift pins configured to be elevated through the heater members and support lower surfaces of the substrates; a plurality of support plates on which lower ends of the lift pins are configured to be seated; a plurality of support columns coupled with and supporting the heater members; and a plurality of spray ports configured to supply a process gas to the substrates, wherein the support plates are mounted on a plurality of seats formed on at least one side of the chamber, and configured to be elevated together with the heater members when the heater members are elevated, wherein a plurality of fingers protruding in a lateral direction are formed on the support columns, and when the support columns are elevated together with the heater members, the fingers are configured to lift lower surfaces of the support plates, and wherein at a load position where the lift pins are maximally exposed to upper sides of the heater members so that the substrates are loaded or unloaded, the support plates are configured to maintain a state mounted on the seats even if the heater members are elevated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The thin film deposition apparatus of claim 5, wherein at a contact position where the heater members are elevated together with the support columns and are moved by a specific distance, the fingers are configured to start to be in contact with the lower surfaces of the support plates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thin film deposition apparatus of claim 6, wherein when the heater members are moved by the specific distance, exposure values of the lift pins to the heater members are configured to reach 0. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The thin film deposition apparatus of claim 6, wherein at a process position where the heater members are closest to the spray ports and the spray ports supply the process gas to the substrates, the lower ends of the lift pins and the support plates are configured to be spaced apart from each other, and the support plates and the seats are configured to be farthest apart from each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to elevate, lower or rotate the heater members, wherein a coupling groove configured to be engaged with a portion of one of the fingers is formed on a lower surface of each of the support plates.