Atomic layer deposition apparatus
An atomic layer deposition apparatus including an atomic layer deposition reactor and a reactor door. The reactor door is arranged against the end edge of the reactor in a closed position of the reactor. The apparatus having a cooling arrangement for cooling the reactor door having a shell structure surrounding the reactor from the outside of the reactor such that a cooling channel is formed between the shell structure and the at least one side wall of the reactor; a heat exchanger element arranged in the cooling channel in an area of the end edge; and a ventilation discharge connection in connection with the cooling channel provided at a distance from the edge end.
1 . An atomic layer deposition apparatus for processing substrates, the apparatus comprising:
a reactor configured for atomic layer deposition, the reactor defining an opening to a deposition space within the reactor, the reactor comprising at least one side wall, an end edge, and a flange structure protruding from the at least one side wall of the reactor away from the deposition space, the flange structure being provided at the end edge of the reactor; and
a reactor door configured to open and close the opening of the reactor, the reactor door being arranged against the flange structure in a closed position of the reactor, the reactor door including at least one radiation shield plate disposed on an inner side of the reactor door facing toward the deposition space for limiting an amount of excess heat that enters the reactor door from within the reactor,
the apparatus further comprises a cooling arrangement for cooling the reactor door, the cooling arrangement comprising:
a shell structure surrounding an exterior of the reactor such that a cooling channel is formed between the shell structure and the at least one side wall of the reactor;
a heat exchanger element arranged in the cooling channel adjacent the end edge, the heat exchanger element having at least one air intake that provides fluid communication between an exterior of the apparatus and the cooling channel, a portion of the heat exchanger element being in contact with the flange structure to form a heat transfer connection with the flange structure for cooling the reactor door arranged against the flange structure;
a ventilation discharge connection fluidly connected to the cooling channel, the ventilation discharge connection being provided at a distance from the end edge of the reactor for discharging gas entering through the at least one air intake of the heat exchanger element; and
a collar arranged around the reactor adjacent the end edge, the collar comprising:
a wall portion protruding away from the shell structure in a transverse direction with respect to the at least one side wall of the reactor; and
a collar portion extending from the wall portion toward the end edge of the reactor, the collar portion being arranged to form together with the end edge of the reactor an opening to the cooling channel;
wherein the cooling channel extends from the opening along the collar portion toward the wall portion of the collar, continues along the wall portion toward the at least one side wall of the reactor, and further extends between the shell structure and the at least one side wall of the reactor to the ventilation discharge connection.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger element forms a heat transfer connection with the side wall of the reactor to transfer heat from the side wall of the reactor to the end edge and thereby to the reactor door.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger element is arranged in the cooling channel at a distance of up to five centimetres from the end edge of the reactor.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger element is made of material having a thermal conductivity of more than 50 W·m −1 ·K −1 preferably more than 100 W·m −1 ·K −1 .
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling channel extends between the ventilation discharge connection and the end edge of the reactor.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the collar guides the cooling channel from the end edge toward the side wall of the reactor such that the cooling channel extends from the opening along the collar portion toward the wall portion of the collar, continues along the wall portion toward the at least one side wall of the reactor, and further extends between the shell structure and the at least one side wall of the reactor to the ventilation discharge connection.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger element and the wall portion of the collar together define a portion of the cooling channel extending transversely with respect to the side wall of the reactor.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shell structure including the collar portion extends along the length of the side wall of the reactor and forms a hood around the reactor door.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor door comprises a door structure and a perforated plate arranged at a distance from the door structure such that a space is arranged between the door structure and the perforated plate.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the perforated plate comprises inlet perforations at a lower part of the perforated plate formed to provide an air passage from an exterior side of the perforated plate to the space between the door structure and the perforated plate.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger element is arranged between the at least one side wall of the reactor and the shell structure such that the heat exchanger element extends around the reactor and from the at least one side wall to the shell structure.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling channel extends around the reactor such that the opening of the cooling channel is formed between the shell structure and the end edge of the reactor and extends around the end edge of the reactor.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the perforated plate comprises inlet perforations at a lower part of the perforated plate formed to provide an air passage from an exterior side of the perforated plate to the space between the door structure and the perforated plate and outlet perforations at an upper part of the perforated plate formed to provide an air passage from the space between the door structure and the perforated plate to the exterior side of the perforated plate for air to be guided to the collar.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiation shield plate is configured to cool the reactor door.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiation shield plate on the reactor door helps prevent radiation heat from entering the reactor door from within the reactor.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiation shield plate is attached to the inner side of the reactor door for preventing excess heat from entering the reactor door from within the reactor.