IP Library Granted Patent US 12701945
Granted Patent B2
US 12701945 · App. 18/394,068 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Substrate processing apparatus and method of controlling the same

Inventors: Joonhwan Jang (Cheonan-si, KR); Soonkab Kwon (Gimhae-si, KR); Hyoju Lee (Pohang-si, KR)
Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
H10P72/0406H10P72/0434H10P72/33
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701945
App. No.
18/394,068
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate processing unit including a support member configured to support a substrate, an entrance on one side of the substrate processing unit configured to allow the substrate to enter and exit the substrate processing unit, and a housing configured to accommodate the substrate, and a first blowing member configured to supply air, wherein the first blowing member includes a fan housing with an open top and an open bottom, a fan arranged inside the fan housing and configured to flow air from the open top to the open bottom of the fan housing, a pair of first heaters arranged spaced apart from each other in a first horizontal direction with the fan therebetween and configured to supply heat.

Claims (68)

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a substrate processing unit comprising a support member configured to support a substrate, an entrance on one side of the substrate processing unit and configured to allow the substrate to enter and exit the substrate processing unit, and a housing configured to accommodate the substrate; and

a first blowing member configured to supply air by forming a downward air flow toward the substrate processing unit,

wherein the first blowing member comprises:

a fan housing with an open top and an open bottom;

a fan arranged inside the fan housing and configured to flow air from the open top to the open bottom of the fan housing;

a pair of first heaters arranged spaced apart from each other in a first horizontal direction with the fan therebetween and configured to supply heat; and

a pair of second heaters arranged spaced apart from each other in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction with the fan therebetween and configured to supply heat, and

wherein the substrate processing apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control heat supply by the pair of first heaters and the pair of second heaters.

2 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the pair of first heaters comprise:

an outer heater arranged close to the housing of the substrate processing unit; and

an inner heater facing the outer heater with the fan therebetween, and

wherein the inner heater vertically overlaps a portion of the substrate accommodated in the substrate processing unit.

3 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to, in a case in which the substrate is supported by the support member, control heat supplied by the inner heater to be in a greater amount than heat supplied by the outer heater.

4 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the pair of second heaters comprise:

a front heater arranged close to the entrance of the substrate processing unit; and

a rear heater facing the front heater with the fan therebetween.

5 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to, in a case in which the entrance of the substrate processing unit is opened, control heat supplied by the front heater to be in a greater amount than heat supplied by the rear heater.

6 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein each of the pair of first heaters has a first width in the first horizontal direction, and

wherein the fan housing has a second width less than the first width in the first horizontal direction.

7 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second blowing member arranged in contact with the first blowing member in the first horizontal direction,

wherein the second blowing member is configured to supply air by forming a downward air flow toward the substrate processing unit.

8 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the fan vertically overlaps a portion of the substrate accommodated in the substrate processing unit.

9 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first blowing member further comprises a blocking member configured to block a flow of air flowing backward to the first blowing member, and

wherein the blocking member is further configured to block a flow of air flowing backward into a clearance space between the fan housing and the fan.

10 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 9 ,

wherein the blocking member is an annular plate corresponding to the clearance space between the fan housing and the fan.

11 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a substrate processing unit comprising a support member configured to support a substrate, an entrance on one side of the substrate processing unit configured to allow the substrate to enter and exit the substrate processing unit, and a housing configured to accommodate the substrate; and

a first blowing member configured to supply air by forming a downward air flow toward the substrate processing unit,

wherein the first blowing member comprises:

a fan housing with an open top and an open bottom;

a fan arranged inside the fan housing and configured to flow air from the open top to the open bottom of the fan housing; and

a plurality of heaters arranged around the fan in an annular shape and configured to supply heat, and

wherein the substrate processing apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control heat supply by the plurality of heaters.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of heaters comprise:

an outer heater arranged closest to the housing of the substrate processing unit; and

an inner heater facing an outer heater with the fan therebetween, and

wherein the inner heater vertically overlaps the substrate accommodated in the substrate processing unit.

13 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to, in a case in which the substrate is supported by the support member, control heat supplied by the inner heater to be in a greater amount than heat supplied by the outer heater.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of heaters comprise:

a front heater arranged closest to the entrance of the substrate processing unit; and

a rear heater facing the front heater with the fan therebetween.

15 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 14 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to, in a case in which the entrance of the substrate processing unit is opened, control heat supplied by the front heater to be in a greater amount than heat supplied by the rear heater.

16 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a second blowing member arranged in contact with the first blowing member in a first horizontal direction,

wherein the second blowing member is configured to supply air by forming a downward air flow toward the substrate processing unit.

17 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein each of the plurality of heaters has a cylindrical shape having a first width in a second horizontal direction, and

wherein the fan housing has a second width greater than the first width in a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the second horizontal direction.

18 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the fan vertically overlaps a portion of the substrate accommodated in the substrate processing unit.

19 . A method of controlling a substrate processing apparatus, the method comprising:

placing a substrate into a substrate processing unit by opening an entrance of the substrate processing unit;

controlling heat supplied by a front heater arranged close to the entrance to be in a greater amount than heat supplied by a rear heater arranged farther from the entrance than the front heater;

placing the substrate on a support member inside the substrate processing unit, and then controlling the heat supplied by the front heater to be in a same amount as the heat supplied by the rear heater; and

controlling heat supplied by an inner heater arranged close to the support member to be in a greater amount than heat supplied by an outer heater arranged farther from the support member than the inner heater.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising separating the substrate from the support member and then controlling the heat supplied by the inner heater to be in a same amount as the heat supplied by the outer heater.