# US 2009/0260656 A1 · Processing system, processing method and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260656 A1 - Document ID: US20090260656A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/439,249 - Filed: 2007-11-21 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-11-24 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Jiro Higashijima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260656A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0441: {Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like} - H10P 50/287: {by chemical means} - H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers} - G03F 7/42: Stripping or agents therefor - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A lid 81 included in a processing vessel 30 is held by a simple mechanism to prevent the leakage of an atmosphere in a processing space 83 formed in the processing vessel 30 into an environmental space. A low-pressure space 84 surrounds the processing space 83 formed in the processing vessel 30. The processing vessel 30 is provided with a first sealing member 101 sealing a joint between a part of a vessel body 80 and a part of the lid 81 to separate the low-pressure apace 84 from the processing space 83, and a second sealing member 102 sealing a joint between a part of the vessel body 80 and a part of the lid 81 on the outer side of the first sealing member 101 to separate the low-pressure space from an external space surrounding the processing vessel 30. Pressure in the low-pressure space 84 is adjusted such that pressure in the processing space 83 is equal to or lower than pressure in the external space outside the processing vessel 30 in an internal leakage state where the first sealing member 101 permits leakage and the second sealing member 102 is in a sealing condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processing system comprising: a processing vessel having a vessel body defining a processing space for receiving a workpiece and processing the same therein, and a lid for covering an opening formed in the vessel body to seal the processing space, the processing space being surrounded by a low-pressure space set at a pressure lower than that of the processing space; a first sealing member sealing a joint between a part of the vessel body and a part of the lid to separate the low-pressure apace from the processing space; a second sealing member sealing a joint between a part of the vessel body and a part of the lid on the outer side of the first sealing member to separate the low-pressure space from an external space surrounding the processing vessel; and a low-pressure space pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting pressure in the low-pressure space; wherein the low-pressure space pressure adjusting mechanism adjusts pressure in the low-pressure space such that pressure in the processing space is equal to or lower than pressure in a space outside the processing vessel in an internal leakage state where the first sealing member permits leakage and the second sealing member is in a sealing condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the low-pressure space pressure adjusting mechanism adjusts the pressure in the low-pressure space in the internal leakage state such that the pressure in the processing space is lower than the pressure in the space outside the processing vessel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the pressure in the processing space is higher than the pressure in the space outside the processing vessel when both the first and the second sealing member are in a normal sealing condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing member has heat resistance and corrosion resistance to an atmosphere in the processing space higher than those of the second sealing member, and the second sealing member has a sealing ability higher than that of the first sealing member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing member is formed of a fluorocarbon resin, a first contact surface with which the first sealing member comes into contact is formed of a silicon carbide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the second sealing member is a lip packing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the vessel body includes a base, and an attachment detachably attached to the base, and the first sealing member, a supply port through which a processing fluid is supplied into the processing space, and an exhaust port through which the processing fluid is discharged from the processing space are formed in the attachment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the low-pressure space has a volume not smaller than that of the processing space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1 further comprising a lid moving mechanism for moving the lid relative to the vessel body, and the lid moving mechanism presses the lid covering the opening against the vessel body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the processing fluid to be supplied into the processing space is ozone, steam or a mixed fluid of ozone and steam. ### Claim 11 A processing method of processing a workpiece placed in a processing space defined by a processing vessel, said processing method comprising the steps of: carrying a workpiece through an opening formed in a vessel body of the processing vessel into the vessel body; covering the opening by a lid of the processing vessel to close the processing space, forming a low-pressure space of a pressure lower than that in the processing space on the outer side of the processing space, and creating a normally sealed state where a space outside the processing vessel, the low-pressure space and the processing space are isolated from each other; and evacuating the low-pressure space at a pressure such that pressure in the processing vessel is not higher than pressure in the space outside the processing vessel in an internal leakage state where the processing space and the low-pressure space isolated from the space outside the processing vessel communicate with each other, and processing the workpiece placed in the processing space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The processing method according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece placed in the processing space is processed with the pressure in the low-pressure space adjusted such that the pressure in the processing space is lower than the pressure in a space outside the processing vessel in the internal leakage state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The processing method according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece placed in the processing space is processed after adjusting the pressure in the processing space to a pressure higher than the pressure in the space outside the processing vessel in the normally sealed state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The processing method according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece placed in the processing space is processed with the lid covering the opening pressed against the vessel body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The processing method according to claim 11, wherein the workpiece placed in the processing space is processed by using ozone, steam or a mixed fluid of ozone and steam supplied into the processing space. ### Claim 16 A recording medium storing a program for a computer for controlling a processing system to execute to control the processing system to carry out a processing method of processing a workpiece placed in a processing space defined by a processing vessel, wherein said processing method comprises the steps of: carrying a workpiece through an opening formed in a vessel body of the processing vessel into the vessel body; covering the opening by a lid of the processing vessel to close the processing space, forming a low-pressure space of a pressure lower than that in the processing space on the outer side of the processing space, and creating a normally sealed state where a space outside the processing vessel, the low-pressure space and the processing space are isolated from each other; and evacuating the low-pressure space at a pressure such that pressure in the processing vessel is not higher than pressure in the space outside the processing vessel in an internal leakage state where the processing space and the low-pressure space isolated from the space outside the processing vessel communicate with each other, and processing the workpiece placed in the processing space.