# US 12,603,260 B2 · Apparatus for treating substrate and method for treating substrate

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- Number: US 12,603,260 B2
- Document ID: US12603260B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/976,996
- Filed: 2022-10-31
- Published: 2023-05-04
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2021-11-01
- Assignees: Semes Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Semes Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Dong Uk Kim; In Hoe Kim; Hyoung Kyu Son
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603260B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32743: {for introducing the material into processing chamber}
- C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)}
- C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
- H01J 37/32458: {Vessel}
- H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)}
- H10P 72/0454: {surrounding a central transfer chamber}
- H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers}
- H01J 37/32522: {Temperature}
- H01J 2237/201: for mounting multiple objects
- H01J 2237/20214: Rotation
- H01J 2237/20235: Z movement or adjustment
- H01J 2237/332: Coating
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- 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)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

The inventive concept provides a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a chamber having an inner space; a separation unit provided at the inner space and configured to be combined with the chamber to divide the inner space into a plurality of treating spaces and a transfer space; a plurality of support units provided at each of the plurality of treating spaces and configured to support a substrate; a plurality of gas supply units provided at each of the plurality of treating spaces and configured to supply a process gas to the substrate supported on the plurality of support units; and a transfer unit provided at the transfer space and configured to transfer the substrate between the plurality of treating spaces.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
a chamber having an inner space and including a top wall, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, a plurality of side walls connecting the top wall and the bottom wall, a protruding wall protruding upward from the bottom wall, and a plurality of partition walls;
a separation unit provided at the inner space and including a top plate, a plurality of side plates extending downwardly from an edge of an outer side of the top plate and facing the protruding wall, and a separation plate extending downwardly from the top plate and facing a partition wall of the plurality of partition walls, the separation unit configured to divide the inner space into a plurality of treating spaces and a transfer space;
a plurality of support units provided at each of the plurality of treating spaces and configured to support a substrate;
a plurality of gas supply units provided at each of the plurality of treating spaces and configured to supply a process gas to the substrate supported on the plurality of support units; and
a transfer mechanism provided at the transfer space and configured to transfer the substrate between the plurality of treating spaces.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation unit is provided to be movable in an up/down direction within the inner space, and the separation unit is movable between a contact position in which the separation plate of the separation unit contacts the partition wall of the plurality of partition walls of the chamber and a separation position which separates the separation plate of the separation unit from the partition wall of the plurality of partition walls of the chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the separation unit separates the inner space into the plurality of treating spaces and the transfer space at the contact position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the separation unit further includes a purge gas supply line embedded in the plurality of side plates the separation plate, and a gas supply source supplying a purge gas to the purge gas supply line; and wherein a discharge port of the purge gas supply line is formed at an end of the plurality of side plates and an end of the separation plate, and wherein an air curtain is formed by a supply of the purge gas from the discharge port, if the separation plate is positioned at the separation position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transfer space is formed between the plurality of treating spaces, and
the transfer space transfers a substrate which has been treated in each of the plurality of treating spaces in a state at which the separation unit is positioned in the separation position to another treating space in a clockwise direction or in a counter clockwise direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of side plates of the separation unit includes a first to a fourth side plate which are adjacent to each other, and wherein the separation plate of the separation unit includes:
a first separation plate having an end which combines with the first side plate;
a second separation plate having an end which combines with the second side plate and the other end which combines with the other end of the first separation plate;
a third separation plate having an end which combines with the third side plate; and
a fourth separation plate having an end which combines with the second plate and the other which combines with the other end of the third separation plate, and which is spaced apart from the second separation plate, and
wherein the plurality of treating spaces includes a first treating space and a second treating space which are spaced apart, and
wherein the first treating space is formed in a combination of the first side plate, the second side plate, the first separation plate, and the second separation plate, and
the second treating space is formed in a combination of the second side plate, the third side plate, the third separation plate, and the fourth separation plate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 6, wherein different substrate treatment processes are performed at the first treating space and the second treating space, and
wherein any one process among a deposition process and an etching process is performed at the first treating space, and
the other one process among the deposition process and the etching process is performed at the second treating space.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first treating space and the second treating space are positioned to be provided alternately.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the separation plate of the separation unit comprises:
a fifth separation plate having an end which combines with the third side plate and is spaced apart from the third separation plate;
a sixth separation plate having an end which combines with the fourth side plate and having the other end combining with the other end of the fifth separation plate;
a seventh separation plate having an end which combines with the first side plate and is spaced apart from the first separation plate; and
an eighth separation plate having an end which combines with the fourth side plate and having the other end combining with the other end of the seventh plate, and which is spaced apart from the sixth separation plate, and
wherein the plurality of treating spaces further comprise a third treating space which is formed by the third side plate, the fourth side plate, the fifth separation plate, and the sixth separation plate, and a fourth treating space which is formed by the fourth side plate, the first side plate, the seventh separation plate, and the eighth separation plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of substrates are taken into the plurality of treating spaces, and
different substrate treatment processes are simultaneously performed at the plurality of treating spaces.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of treating spaces includes four treating spaces, and the transfer space is formed between the plurality of treating spaces.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein processes having a different process temperature from each other are simultaneously performed at the plurality of treating spaces.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism comprises:
a central part at which a rotation shaft is combined; and
a plurality of arms which extend from the central part to an outside and which support the substrate, and
wherein the plurality of arms are provided in a number corresponding to the plurality of treating spaces.