WO2008038880A1

WO2008038880A1 - Annealing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2008038880A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/002452
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hyun Woo Lee; Hee Geun Oh
Original assignee: Korea Pionics Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-09-28
Filing date: 2007-05-21
Publication date: 2008-04-03
Also published as: TW200816318A; KR20080029812A; KR100935475B1; TWI351724B

Abstract

Provided is an annealing apparatus including an annealing chamber in which plate-shaped members to be processed are accommodated, a support frame for horizontally aligning and vertically stacking the plate-shaped members in the annealing chamber in a multi-stage manner, and a hot air unit for supplying hot air to the support frame divided into a plurality of sections in a vertical direction to treat the plate-shaped members using the hot air. Since the plurality of plate-shaped members to be processed can be annealed with minimal temperature deviation, it is possible to increase annealing uniformity of the plate-shaped members and improve throughput and yield.

Description

ANNEALING APPARATUS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an annealing apparatus, and more particularly, to an annealing apparatus capable of annealing a plurality of plate-shaped members to be processed, which are horizontally disposed and vertically stacked in a multi-stage manner.

Background Art

[2] Generally, a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate passes through various manufacturing processes, thereby manufacturing a semiconductor device or a flat panel display (FPD).

[3] The various manufacturing processes may include a process of annealing the substrate, for example, a process of annealing the wet-processed substrate to dry the substrate.

[4] An annealing apparatus for performing the annealing process includes an annealing process chamber in which a single plate-shaped member or a plurality of plate-shaped members to be processed such as a substrate and so on are accommodated. Hot air is blown into the annealing process chamber to anneal the plate-shaped member.

[5] Meanwhile, the substrate may be classified into generations depending on its size.

Since the number of modules manufactured per unit substrate is increased in proportion to a size of the substrate, the tendency in this field is to use a large-sized substrate.

[6] For example, in the case of the current seventh generation substrate, a set temperature range required during a drying process is 230°C+5°C, and in the case of the eighth generation substrate, a set temperature range required during a drying process is 230°C+3°C.

[7] Although the large-sized substrate and the high integration require maintenance of a more precise and lower temperature deviation range, even after the annealing, an annealing apparatus capable of smoothly performing the process to satisfy the set temperature range has not been proposed.

[8] Moreover, in the conventional annealing apparatus, when a plurality of substrates are stacked in the annealing chamber and annealed to increase throughput of the apparatus, a temperature deviation in the annealing chamber is greatly increased, which can seriously deteriorate uniformity of the entire annealing process. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem [9] In order to solve the problem, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide an annealing apparatus capable of densely accommodating a plurality of plate-shaped members to be processed, and annealing the accommodated plate-shaped members within a small temperature deviation. Technical Solution

[10] The foregoing and/or other objects of the present invention may be achieved by providing an annealing apparatus including an annealing chamber in which plate- shaped members to be processed are accommodated, a support frame for horizontally aligning and vertically stacking the plate-shaped members in the annealing chamber in a multi-stage manner, and a hot air unit for supplying hot air to the support frame divided into a plurality of sections in a vertical direction to treat the plate-shaped members using the hot air.

Advantageous Effects

[11] As described above, since the annealing apparatus in accordance with the present invention anneals a plurality of plate-shaped members to be processed with minimal temperature deviation, it is possible to increase uniformity of the annealing of the plate-shaped members and improve throughput and yield.

Brief Description of the Drawings [12] The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [13] FlG. 1 is a schematic view of an annealing apparatus in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [14] FlG. 2 is a schematic view of an annealing apparatus in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and [15] FlG. 3 is a schematic view of an annealing apparatus in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [16] * Description of Major Reference Numerals *

[17] 100 : Annealing chamber 101: Upper annealing chamber

[18] 102 : Lower annealing chamber 110: Partition plate

[19] 200: Support frame 210: Heating member

[20] 310: First hot air unit 311: Heater

[21] 312: Blower 320: Second hot air unit

[22] 321 : Heater 322: Blower

[23] 400: Filter

Mode for the Invention [24] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While this invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains that various modifications may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

[25]

[26] First exemplary embodiment

[27] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an annealing apparatus in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[28] Referring to FIG. 1, the annealing apparatus in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an annealing chamber 100, in which plate-shaped members S to be processed are accommodated, a support frame 200 for horizontally aligning and vertically stacking the plate-shaped members S in the annealing chamber 100 in a multi-stage manner, and hot air units 310 and 320 for supplying hot air to the support frame 200 divided into a plurality of sections in a vertical direction to treat the plate-shaped members S using the hot air.

[29] In the first embodiment, the plate-shaped member S accommodated and annealed in the annealing chamber 100 is a glass substrate used for manufacturing a flat panel display.

[30] The annealing chamber 100 is a space in which the substrates S are accommodated and annealed. The support frame 200 is installed in the annealing chamber 100 to horizontally align and vertically support the substrates S in a multi-stage manner. The annealing chamber 100 includes an outer chamber 120 and an inner chamber 130.

[31] The outer chamber 120 is an outer wall substantially defining the annealing chamber

100, and the inner chamber 130 is an inner wall surrounding the support frame 200.

[32] The support frame 200 is a type of rack capable of making the substrates S in point contact or surface contact with the rack to maintain a horizontal posture of the substrates S to prevent damage of the substrates S, and obtaining gap spaces between the substrates S, through which hot air passes, to support the substrates S in a vertical multi-stage manner.

[33] The hot air units 310 and 320 function to horizontally pass hot air to the substrates S supported on the support frame 200 in the inner chamber 130 to anneal the substrates S. Specifically, the hot air is blown to a plurality of sections of the support frame 200 vertically divided in its longitudinal direction. The hot air is discharged to a space defined by the inner chamber 130 and the outer chamber 120 to be circulated after the annealing the substrates S.

[34] The first embodiment illustrates the hot air units 310 and 320 blowing hot air to the support frame 200 vertically divided into two sections.

[35] For this purpose, the hot air units 310 and 320 include a first hot air unit 310 for supplying hot air to the upper section of the support frame 200, and a second hot air unit 320 for supplying hot air to the lower section of the support frame 200.

[36] As described above, the hot air units 310 and 320 include heaters 311 and 321 installed on a hot air conveyance path in the annealing chamber 100 to generate heat, and blowers 312 and 322 for forcedly circulating the hot air generated from the heaters 311 and 321 in the annealing chamber 100.

[37] According to the first embodiment, although the number of stages of the support frame 200 is increased to increase the number of substrates S, since the hot air passes through the plurality of sections divided in a vertical direction of the support frame 200 in a non-overlapping manner to collectively anneal the substrates S, it is possible to remarkably improve throughput of the apparatus.

[38] In the above constitution, the annealing chamber 100 may further include a filter member 400 for filtering the hot air and supplying the filtered hot air to the substrates S supported in the support frame 200.

[39] Specifically, the filter member may be a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and an Ultra Low Penetration Air (ULPA) filter, which are widely used in precision manufacturing processes. The filter member is installed in a direction of introducing the hot air blown from the blowers 312 and 322 to remove foreign substances contained in the hot air before the hot air arrives at the substrates S.

[40]

[41] Second exemplary embodiment

[42] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an annealing apparatus in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[43] Referring to FIG. 2, the annealing apparatus in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention further includes a partition plate 110 installed in an annealing chamber, in addition to the constitution of the first embodiment.

[44] Specifically, the annealing chamber 100 further includes the partition plate 110 for dividing the annealing chamber 100 into an upper section and a lower section with respect to a vertical and longitudinal center of the support frame 200. The annealing chamber 100 is divided into an upper annealing chamber 101 over the partition plate 110, and a lower annealing chamber 102 under the partition plate 110.

[45] As described above, the annealing chamber 100 includes the partition plate 110 installed therein to physically divide an inner space of the annealing chamber 100 into the upper annealing member 101 and the lower annealing chamber 102.

[46] The partition plate 110 functions to prevent hot air generated by a first hot air unit

310 and hot air generated by a second hot air unit 320 from being mixed in the annealing chamber, and to prevent airflows between the upper annealing chamber 101 and the lower annealing chamber 102 from interfering with each other, thereby stably and uniformly annealing substrates S in the corresponding annealing chamber 101 or 102. [47] That is, according to the second embodiment, the interior of the annealing chamber

100 is divided into the upper and lower annealing chambers 101 and 102 with reference to the partition plate 110 such that the upper and lower annealing chambers

101 and 102 are isolated from each other, thereby enabling independent performance of an annealing process of the substrates S in the upper annealing chamber 101 and the lower annealing chamber 102.

[48] As described above, the annealing chamber 100 of the first embodiment is vertically divided into the two annealing chambers 101 and 102, and each of the annealing chambers 101 and 102 is treated by the hot air from each of the hot air units 310 and 320, thereby minimizing the entire temperature deviation.

[49]

[50] Third exemplary embodiment

[51] FlG. 3 is a schematic view of an annealing apparatus in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[52] Referring to FlG. 3, the annealing apparatus in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention further includes a heating member 210 installed in an annealing chamber 100, in addition to the constitution of the second embodiment.

[53] Specifically, the annealing chamber 100 may further include the heating member 210 for independently heating a substrate S supported on a support frame 200.

[54] As described in the prior art, as the size of the substrates S increases, it becomes an important issue to minimize a temperature deviation in the annealing chamber 200.

[55] That is, the substrates S, among the total of the substrates S supported on the support frame 200, disposed at a rear part of the hot air supply path may receive the hot air less than the other substrates S.

[56] For example, since a substrate S supported at a lowermost part of the support frame

200 is disposed at the rear part of the hot air supply path, the substrate S may receive the hot air less than the other substrates S.

[57] For another example, a substrate S adjacent to a shutter (not shown) as an opening, through which the substrates S move in/out, may receive the hot air (or a heat source) less due to an effect of the external airflow introduced when the shutter is opened or closed.

[58] While the third embodiment illustrates the heating member 210 for annealing the substrate S disposed at the lowermost part of the support frame 200 using a direct- heating method, the heating member 210 may be disposed in another part or position, in which the hot air (or the heat source) cannot be smoothly supplied, using the direct- heating method.

[59] The heating member 210 may be an infrared ray heater and so on, which is installed adjacent to a substrate S to directly heat the substrate S.

[60] For example, the heating member 210 heats the substrates S on the basis of a predetermined set value such that a set temperature deviation satisfies a standard range, separately from the second hot air unit 320.

[61] As described above, the third embodiment employs the heating member 210 for heating the substrate S disposed relatively far from the heat source to minimize a temperature deviation generated due to a spatial difference between a relative near part and a relatively far part from the heat source, thereby minimizing the temperature deviation through a temperature compensation process. Therefore, it is possible to improve annealing uniformity of the substrates S annealed in the same annealing chamber 100.

[62] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed herein and, although specific terms are employed, they are used and are to be interpreted in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation. Accordingly, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventi on as set forth in the following claims. Industrial Applicability

[63] As can be seen from the foregoing, since a plurality of plate-shaped members to be processed can be annealed with minimal temperature deviation, it is possible to increase annealing uniformity of the plate-shaped members and improve throughput and yield.

Claims

[1] An annealing apparatus comprising: an annealing chamber in which plate-shaped members to be processed are accommodated; a support frame for horizontally aligning and vertically stacking the plate-shaped members in the annealing chamber in a multi-stage manner; and a hot air unit for supplying hot air to the support frame divided into a plurality of sections in a vertical direction to treat the plate-shaped members using the hot air.

[2] The annealing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the hot air unit comprises: a first hot air unit for supplying hot air to an upper section of the support frame; and a second hot air unit for supplying hot air to a lower section of the support frame.

[3] The annealing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the annealing chamber further comprises a partition plate for physically dividing the support frame into an upper section and a lower section; and the annealing chamber is divided into an upper annealing chamber disposed over the partition plate, and a lower annealing chamber disposed under the partition plate.

[4] The annealing apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the hot air units comprises: a heater installed on a hot air conveyance path to generate heat; and a blower for horizontally passing the hot air generated by the heater from one side to the other side of the plate-shaped members supported on the support frame.

[5] The annealing apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the annealing chamber further comprises a filter member for filtering the hot air to be supplied to the plate-shaped members supported on the support frame.

[6] The annealing apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the annealing chamber further comprises a heating member for separately heating the plate-shaped member supported on the support frame.