Cooling unit, processing chamber, part in the processing chamber, and cooling method

Abstract

A cooling unit for cooling a target object to a target temperature includes a decompression chamber thermally connected to the target object; a spraying part which sprays a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber; and an electric field generator which generates an electric field such that the heat medium sprayed from the spraying part is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber. The cooling unit further includes an exhaust part which evacuates the decompression chamber such that a pressure in the decompression chamber is equal to or lower than a saturated vapor pressure of the heat medium at the target temperature.

1 . A cooling unit for cooling a target object to a target temperature, comprising:
 a decompression chamber thermally connected to the target object;   a spraying part which sprays a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber;   an electric field generator which generates an electric field such that the heat medium sprayed from the spraying part is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber; and   an exhaust part which evacuates the decompression chamber such that a pressure in the decompression chamber is equal to or lower than a saturated vapor pressure of the heat medium at the target temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the spraying part has a nozzle for spraying the heat medium into the decompression chamber, and the heat medium is electrically charged by friction between the nozzle and the heat medium. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a voltage application part which applies a voltage to the spraying part. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the decompression chamber is formed in the target object. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the decompression chamber is provided outside the target object and is in contact with the target object. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the target object is a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus which performs a specific process on a substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling unit of  claim 1 , wherein the target object is a part in a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus which performs a specific process on a substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling unit of  claim 7 , wherein the part in the processing chamber is a mounting table which mounts the substrate in the processing chamber. 
     
     
         9 . A cooling unit for cooling a target object to a target temperature, comprising:
 a decompression chamber thermally connected to the target object;   a spraying part which sprays a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber;   an electric field generator which generates an electric field such that the heat medium sprayed from the spraying part is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber;   a target object temperature detection part which detects a temperature of the target object; and   an exhaust part which evacuates the decompression chamber such that the temperature detected by the target object temperature detection part becomes the target temperature.   
     
     
         10 . A processing chamber for performing a specific process on a substrate, comprising:
 a decompression chamber formed in a wall of the processing chamber;   a spraying part which sprays a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than a target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber; and   an electric field generator which generates an electric field such that the heat medium sprayed from the spraying part is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber.   
     
     
         11 . A part in a processing chamber for performing a specific process on a substrate, comprising:
 a decompression chamber formed in the part;   a spraying part which sprays a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than a target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber; and   an electric field generator which generates an electric field such that the heat medium sprayed from the spraying part is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber.   
     
     
         12 . A cooling method for cooling a target object to a target temperature by using a decompression chamber thermally connected to the target object, comprising:
 spraying a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber;   generating an electric field such that the sprayed heat medium is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber; and   evacuating the decompression chamber such that a pressure in the decompression chamber is equal to or lower than a saturated vapor pressure of the heat medium at the target temperature.   
     
     
         13 . The cooling method of  claim 12 , wherein said evacuating the decompression chamber comprises evacuating the decompression chamber such that the inner pressure of the decompression chamber becomes equal to the saturated vapor pressure of the heat medium at the target temperature. 
     
     
         14 . A cooling method for cooling a target object to a target temperature by using a decompression chamber thermally connected to the target object, comprising:
 spraying a liquid heat medium having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature to an inner surface of the decompression chamber;   generating an electric field such that the sprayed heat medium is attached to the inner surface of the decompression chamber;   detecting a temperature of the target object; and   evacuating the decompression chamber such that the detected temperature becomes the target temperature.