1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus which can perform a desired process for a substrate after establishing a vacuum atmosphere therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus in which a vacuum chamber is divided into a chamber body and an upper cover, whereby the upper cover can be easily opened away from and closed to the chamber body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vacuum processing apparatuses are mainly used in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses and flat-panel display (FPD) manufacturing apparatuses. The semiconductor or FPD manufacturing apparatuses are designed to feed a substrate thereinto and to perform a desired process, such as an etching process, for the substrate by use of plasma, etc. Here, examples of FPDs include LCDs, PDPs, OLEDs, etc. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art vacuum processing apparatus generally comprises three kinds of vacuum chambers including a load-lock chamber R, a feeding chamber T, and a process chamber P.
The load-lock chamber R is used to receive a substrate, which will be processed in the apparatus, from an external station for loading the substrate or to discharge a substrate completely processed in the apparatus for unloading the substrate. The feeding chamber T is provided with a robot for feeding a substrate between respective chambers, so that it conveys the substrate, which will be processed, from the load-lock chamber to the process chamber or conveys the substrate, which was completely processed, from the process chamber to the load-lock chamber. The process chamber P is used to perform a desired process, such as a film deposition process or etching process, for a substrate by use of plasma or thermal energy under a vacuum atmosphere. For this, the process chamber P contains: a supporting member to support a substrate in the chamber; a process gas supply system to supply a process gas thereinto; and an exhaust system to empty the chamber and create a vacuum in the chamber.
The process chamber is used to repeatedly perform a great number of processes by use of a variety of process gases or plasma, and therefore, equipment inside the process chamber tends to be easily damaged or polluted, requiring periodical exchange or repair. Referring to FIG. 2, a prior art process chamber, designated by reference numeral 1, is divided into a chamber body 10 and an upper cover 20, so that the upper cover 20 can be opened away from the chamber body 10 for the maintenance and repair of the interior of the process chamber 1. In a conventional solution to open and close the upper cover 20, a crane has been mounted to the top of a clean room in which the process chamber 1 is provided, so that the upper cover 20 is lifted and opened away from the chamber body 10 by use of the crane. In another conventional opening/closing solution, the process chamber may be separately equipped with an opening/closing device to open and close the upper cover.
Referring to FIG. 3 illustrating an example of the conventional opening/closing device for the upper cover 20, the upper cover opening/closing device, designated by reference numeral 50, is provided at an outer surface of the process chamber 1 to open and close the upper cover 20. The opening/closing device 50 includes: a vertical drive unit to vertically lift the upper cover 20; a horizontal drive unit to horizontally move the upper cover 20; and a rotating unit to rotate the upper cover 20. Additionally, the opening/closing device 50 is provided with a horizontal movement guide 60 to provide a movement path of the horizontal drive unit.
Hereinafter, the opening/closing procedure of the upper cover 20 carried out by the opening/closing device 50 having the above configuration will be explained. First, the upper cover 20 is lifted vertically by a predetermined height by use of the vertical drive unit included in the opening/closing device 50. In succession, the lifted upper cover 20 is horizontally moved along the horizontal movement guide 60. After completing such a horizontal movement, the upper cover 20 is rotated by 180° by use of the rotating unit. As a result, both the chamber body 10 and the upper cover 20 of the process chamber 1 are opened, whereby exchange and repair of respective equipment provided in the process chamber 1 can be performed.
Recently, a substrate, which will be processed by the FPD manufacturing apparatus, has been increased in size. More particularly, the size of a vacuum chamber included in the FPD manufacturing apparatus is rapidly increasing. For example, considering a current available vacuum chamber, an upper cover of the chamber has a large size of 3 by 4 meters and a heavy weight of more than 3 to 4 tons. Therefore, in order to vertically lift the large-size heavy upper cover of the vacuum chamber, it is necessary to provide the vertical drive unit with an air cylinder having an extremely high capacity. Due to this, the upper cover of the bulky chamber exhibits an increased lack of stability when it is vertically lifted, and therefore, has an adverse effect on the maintenance and repair of the interior of the vacuum chamber.