Particle capture unit, method for manufacturing the same, and substrate processing apparatus
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsTsuyoshi Moriya, Syunsuke Toyoizumi, Katsuyuki Takahiro
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Abstract
A particle capture unit adopted to be exposed to a space in which particles fly includes at least a first layer formed of a plurality of first fiber-like materials and a second layer formed of a plurality of second fiber-like materials. The first fiber-like materials are thinner than the second fiber-like materials and arrangement density of the first fiber-like materials in the first layer is higher than that of the second fiber-like materials in the second layer, the second layer is interposed between the first layer and the space, and the first and second layers are hardened and bonded together by sintering.
Claims17
A particle capture unit in a substrate processing apparatus, the particle capture unit comprising:
- a sheet-shaped particle capturing multilayer structure including a first layer formed of a plurality of first fibers and a second layer formed of a multiplicity of second fibers,
- wherein the first fibers are thinner than the second fibers and an arrangement density of the first fibers in the first layer is higher than that of the second fibers in the second layer,
- wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes an exhaust system communicating with a pump having rotational blades, and wherein the exhaust system includes a gas-impermeable member having an inner peripheral surface, and further wherein a space is defined within the inner peripheral surface through which a particle-containing exhaust gas flows;
- wherein the multilayer structure is configured to be disposed along the inner peripheral surface of the gas-impermeable member such that the second layer is interposed between the first layer and the space, and
- wherein the first layer and the second layer are hardened and bonded together by sintering.
A method for manufacturing a particle capture unit and placing the particle capture unit in a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes an exhaust system communicating with a pump having rotational blades, and wherein the exhaust system includes a gas-impermeable member having an inner peripheral surface, and wherein a space is defined within the inner peripheral surface through which a particle-containing exhaust gas flows;
- the method comprising:
- forming a first layer with a plurality of first fibers and a second layer with a multiplicity of second fibers;
- overlapping and shaping the first layer and the second layer into a sheet-shaped particle capturing multilayer structure;
- hardening and bonding the first layer and second layer together by sintering the multilayer structure;
- and
- placing the sintered multilayer structure in the substrate processing apparatus such that the sintered multilayer structure is positioned along the inner peripheral surface of the gas-impermeable member of the exhaust system communicating with the pump and such that the second layer is interposed between the first layer and the space,
- wherein the first fibers are thinner than the second fibers and wherein an arrangement density of the first fibers in the first layer is higher than that of the second fibers in the second layer.
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a processing chamber in which a substrate is processed;
- an exhaust pump having rotational blades that are rotatable at a high speed, the exhaust pump serving to exhaust a particle-containing gas from the processing chamber;
- an exhaust system which allows the processing chamber to communicate with the exhaust pump the exhaust system including an inner peripheral surface defining a space through which a particle-containing exhaust gas flows;
- a particle capture unit exposed to the space in the exhaust system through which the particle-containing exhaust gas flows;
- and
- wherein the particle capture unit includes a particle capturing multilayer structure including a first layer formed of a plurality of first fibers and a second layer formed of a multiplicity of second fibers,
- wherein the first fibers are thinner than the second fibers and an arrangement density of the first fibers in the first layer is higher than that of the second fibers in the second layer,
- wherein the multilayer structure is disposed along the inner peripheral surface of at least a portion of the exhaust system such that the second layer is interposed between the first layer and the space,
- wherein the first layer and second layer are hardened and bonded together by sintering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.