Loadlock Module and Semiconductor Manufacturing Apparatus Including the Same

A substrate processing method comprising:

• loading a container containing a substrate in a loadlock chamber of a loadlock module;
• a first pressure switching operation of switching a first internal pressure of the container and a second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber from an atmospheric pressure to vacuum;
• separating a cover of the container from a main body of the container;
• transferring the substrate contained in the container to a process module;
• performing a semiconductor manufacturing process on the substrate;
• transferring the substrate on which the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed into the container;
• mounting the cover of the container on the main body;
• a second pressure switching operation of switching the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber from the vacuum to the atmospheric pressure;
• and
• unloading the container from the loadlock module,
• wherein the loadlock module comprises:
• a first purge gas supply unit configured to supply a first purge gas to an inside of the container through a gas inlet of the container;
• a first exhaust unit configured to exhaust a gas in the inside of the container through a gas outlet of the container;
• a second purge gas supply unit configured to supply a second purge gas to an inside of the loadlock chamber;
• and
• a second exhaust unit configured to exhaust a gas in the inside of the loadlock chamber through an exhaust port of the loadlock chamber, and
• wherein, in the first pressure switching operation and the second pressure switching operation, the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber are adjusted to be balanced with each other.

A substrate processing method comprising:

• loading a container containing a substrate in a loadlock chamber of a loadlock module;
• a first pressure switching operation of switching a first internal pressure of the container and a second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber from an atmospheric pressure to vacuum;
• separating a cover of the container from a main body of the container;
• transferring the substrate contained in the container to a process module;
• performing a semiconductor manufacturing process on the substrate;
• transferring the substrate on which the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed to the container;
• mounting the cover of the container on the main body;
• a second pressure switching operation of switching the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber from the vacuum to the atmospheric pressure;
• and
• unloading the container from the loadlock module,
• wherein, in the separating of the cover of the container from the main body of the container, the cover is separated from the main body when the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber are both switched to the same vacuum.

A substrate processing method comprising:

• loading a container containing a substrate in a loadlock chamber of a loadlock module;
• a first pressure switching operation of switching a first internal pressure of the container and a second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber from an atmospheric pressure to vacuum;
• separating a cover of the container from a main body of the container;
• transferring the substrate contained in the container to a process module;
• performing a semiconductor manufacturing process on the substrate;
• transferring the substrate on which the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed to the container;
• mounting the cover of the container on the main body;
• a second pressure switching operation of switching the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber from the vacuum to the atmospheric pressure;
• and
• unloading the container from the loadlock module,
• wherein, in the first pressure switching operation and the second pressure switching operation, the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber are adjusted to be balanced with each other, and
• in the separating the cover of the container from the main body of the container, the cover is separated from the main body when the first internal pressure of the container and the second internal pressure of the loadlock chamber are both switched to the same vacuum.