Apparatus for controlling a temperature of a loading chuck and methods of operating the same

Abstract

An apparatus may include a first refrigerant tank, a second refrigerant tank, and first to fourth refrigerant lines. The first refrigerant tank may store a first refrigerant. The second refrigerant tank may store a second refrigerant. The first refrigerant line may be connected between the first refrigerant tank and a refrigerant passageway of a loading chuck to supply the first refrigerant to the refrigerant passageway. The second refrigerant line may be connected between the first refrigerant tank and the refrigerant passageway to return the first refrigerant to the first refrigerant tank. The third refrigerant line may be connected between the second refrigerant tank and the refrigerant passageway to supply the second refrigerant to the refrigerant passageway. The fourth refrigerant line may be connected between the second refrigerant tank and the refrigerant passageway to return the second refrigerant to the second refrigerant tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a loading chuck, the apparatus comprising:
 a first refrigerant tank selectively coupled to a refrigerant passageway in thermal communication with the loading chuck, the first refrigerant tank including a first refrigerant maintained at a first temperature;   a second refrigerant tank selectively coupled to the refrigerant passageway, the second refrigerant tank including a second refrigerant maintained at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature; and   at least one switching valve that selectively couples the first refrigerant tank or the second refrigerant tank to the refrigerant passageway responsive to selection of a set temperature for the loading chuck.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one switching valve is configured to selectively couple the second refrigerant tank to the refrigerant passageway responsive to selection of a first temperature of the loading chuck and to selectively couple the first refrigerant tank to the refrigerant passageway responsive to selection of a second temperature of the loading chuck, wherein the second temperature is lower than the first temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant comprise a substantially same material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one heater coupled between the second refrigerant tank and the refrigerant passageway that maintains the second refrigerant at the second temperature; and   a cooling member thermally coupled to the first refrigerant tank that maintains the first refrigerant at the first temperature.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one heater comprises:
 a first heat exchanger that heats the second refrigerant when the second refrigerant is returned from the refrigerant passageway to the second refrigerant tank; and   a second heat exchanger that heats the second refrigerant when the second refrigerant is sent to the refrigerant passageway from the second refrigerant tank.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a heating member thermally coupled to the second refrigerant tank that maintains the second refrigerant at the second temperature; and   a cooling member thermally coupled to the first refrigerant tank that maintains the first refrigerant at the first temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the loading chuck further comprises a heater that is thermally coupled to the loading chuck, wherein the heater is positioned proximate the refrigerant passageway and wherein the heater is activated to raise the loading chuck from the second temperature to the first temperature of the loading chuck. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an auxiliary refrigerant tank coupled to the first refrigerant tank and the second refrigerant tank, the auxiliary refrigerant tank including an auxiliary refrigerant to be supplied to the first or second refrigerant tanks to maintain a desired level of refrigerant in the first and second refrigerant tanks. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first temperature is between about −80° and about 0° C. and wherein the second temperature is between about 20° C. and about 80° C. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for controlling a temperature of a loading chuck, the apparatus comprising:
 a first refrigerant tank configured to receive a first refrigerant;   a second refrigerant tank configured to receive a second refrigerant having a temperature higher than a temperature of the first refrigerant;   a first refrigerant line connected between the first refrigerant tank and a refrigerant passageway of the loading chuck to supply the first refrigerant to the refrigerant passageway;   a second refrigerant line connected between the refrigerant passageway and the first refrigerant tank to return the first refrigerant to the first refrigerant tank;   a third refrigerant line connected between the second refrigerant tank and a refrigerant passageway of the loading chuck to supply the second refrigerant to the refrigerant passageway; and   a fourth refrigerant line connected between the refrigerant passageway and the second refrigerant tank to return the second refrigerant to the second refrigerant tank.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the third refrigerant line corresponds to a line branched off from the first refrigerant line, and the fourth refrigerant line corresponds to a line branched off from the second refrigerant line. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first switching valve installed in a branched portion between the first refrigerant line and the third refrigerant line; and   a second switching valve installed in a branched portion between the second refrigerant line and the fourth refrigerant line.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a heat exchanger installed in at least one of the third refrigerant line and the fourth refrigerant line to rapidly heat the second refrigerant.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a heating member thermally coupled to the second refrigerant tank to heat the second refrigerant.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary refrigerant tank connected with the first refrigerant tank and the second refrigerant tank and configured to receive an auxiliary refrigerant to selectively supply the auxiliary refrigerant to the first refrigerant tank and/or the second refrigerant tank.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a cooling member connected to the first refrigerant tank to decrease the temperature of the first refrigerant in the first refrigerant tank.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second refrigerant tank is connected with the first refrigerant tank to selectively supply the second refrigerant to the first refrigerant tank. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the loading chuck comprises a heater arranged under the refrigerant passageway. 
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling a temperature of a loading chuck, the method comprising:
 circulating a first refrigerant through a refrigerant passageway of the loading chuck to provide the loading chuck with a first temperature;   directly heating the loading chuck and circulating a second refrigerant having a second temperature higher than the first temperature through the refrigerant passageway to provide the loading chuck with the second temperature; and   directly heating the loading chuck with the circulation of the second refrigerant being stopped to maintain the second temperature of the loading chuck.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 heating the second refrigerant while it is circulated through the refrigerant passageway.