# US 7,411,655 B2 · Load-lock technique

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- Number: US 7,411,655 B2
- Document ID: US7411655B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/696,927
- Filed: 2007-04-05
- Published: 2007-08-02
- Granted: 2008-08-12
- Earliest claimed: 2003-12-02
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Kazuyuki Kasumi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411655B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/3308: {Vertical transfer of a single workpiece}
- H10P 72/0466: {characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A load-lock apparatus has a housing to enclose a first space and to accommodate a substrate, an exhaust pipe to exhaust a gas in the first space, a first gate valve provided in the housing to openably close to separate the first space and a second space, outside the housing, and a second gate valve provided in the housing to openably close to separate the first space and a third space, outside the housing. Pressure in the third space is lower than that in the second space. A capacity changing system moves a first portion of the housing to change capacity of the housing so that the capacity when gas in the first space is exhausted through the exhaust pipe is smaller than the capacity when the substrate is conveyed from the second space to the first space through the first gate valve.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A load-lock apparatus having a housing configured to enclose a first space and to accommodate a substrate, said apparatus comprising:
an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust a gas in the first space;
a first gate valve provided in said housing and configured to openably close to separate the first space and a second space outside said housing;
a second gate valve provided in said housing and configured to openably close to separate the first space and a third space outside said housing, pressure in the third space being lower than that in the second space; and
a capacity changing system configured to move a first portion of said housing to change capacity of said housing, said capacity changing system being configured to change the capacity so that capacity of said housing when gas in the first space is exhausted through said exhaust pipe is smaller than capacity of said housing when the substrate is conveyed from the second space to the first space through said first gate valve.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said capacity changing system includes an arm connected to the first portion of said housing, and a driving unit configured to drive said arm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first portion of said housing comprises a table configured to support the substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a seal member configured to seal a space between the first portion of said housing and a second portion of said housing different from the first portion of said housing.

### Claim 5

An exposure apparatus for performing an exposure of a substrate to a patterned radiation, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a load-lock chamber having a housing configured to enclose a first space and to accommodate a substrate, said load-lock chamber including:
(i) an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust a gas in the first space;
(ii) a first gate valve provided in said housing and configured to openably close to separate the first space and a second space outside said housing;
(iii) a second gate valve provided in said housing and configured to openably close to separate the first space and a third space outside said housing, wherein a pressure in the third space is lower than that in the second space during the exposure of the substrate; and
(iv) a capacity changing system configured to move a first portion of said housing to change a capacity of said housing, said capacity changing system being configured to change the capacity so that the capacity of said housing when gas in the first space is exhausted through said exhaust pipe is smaller than the capacity of said housing when the substrate is conveyed from the second space to the first space through said first gate valve; and
(b) a main chamber in which the exposure is performed, said main chamber being configured to enclose the third space.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A method of manufacturing a microdevice, said method comprising steps of:
exposing a substrate to patterned radiation by use of an exposure apparatus as recited in claim 5;
developing the exposed substrate; and
processing the developed substrate to manufacture the microdevice.

### Claim 7

A load-lock method comprising steps of:
conveying a substrate into a housing;
reducing capacity of the housing after said conveying step; and
reducing pressure inside the housing after said capacity reducing step.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A method according to claim 7, wherein said capacity reducing step moves a first portion of the housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A method according to claim 8, wherein the first portion of the housing comprises a table for supporting the substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A method according to claim 9, wherein a space between the first portion of the housing and a second portion of the housing, different from the first portion of the housing, is sealed.