Adjustable Exhaust Plate for Substrate Surface Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, achieving high substrate throughput while maintaining low costs is challenging due to the difficulty in adjusting gas supply amounts and treating times for surface modification processes, which affect the surface properties of substrates during processes like photolithography.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that control the residual amount of gas in a treatment space by adjusting the opened area of exhaust holes using an adjustable plate, allowing for varying contact angles and gas exhaustion rates to modify substrate surface properties without altering gas supply amounts or treatment times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the gas supply amount and treating time are adjusted to control substrate surface properties, then the surface modification precision is improved, but the substrate throughput decreases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust hole area is made dynamically adjustable through the adjustment plate mechanism, allowing the exhaust capacity to be varied in real-time. This enables precise control of residual gas amounts without changing gas supply parameters or treatment time, thereby maintaining both high throughput and surface modification precision
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of changing gas supply amount or treatment time, the invention changes the exhaust hole area parameter to control the residual gas amount. This alternative parameter adjustment achieves the desired surface modification while maintaining fixed gas supply conditions and treatment duration, preserving substrate throughput
2Manufacturing precision
If the gas supply amount is increased to improve surface modification, then the surface property control is improved, but the gas consumption increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment plate mechanism provides a feedback control system where the exhaust hole area is adjusted based on the required residual gas amount. This allows precise control of gas consumption by matching exhaust capacity to actual process needs, preventing excessive gas supply while maintaining surface modification quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the exhaust hole area parameter instead of increasing gas supply amount. This parameter substitution achieves the same surface modification effect with optimized gas consumption, reducing material loss while maintaining manufacturing precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables precise control over substrate surface properties, improving hydrophobicity and adhesion of photoresist films by optimizing gas exhaustion and supply, thus enhancing semiconductor manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
an adjustment plate overlapping the exhaust plate, wherein the adjustment plate is constructed to control an opened amount of the exhaust hole when viewed from above
Implementation Method 2
the surface modification operation of the substrate includes an operation of converting a hydrophilic surface to a hydrophobic surface. The surface modification operation is done by supplying a process gas to the surface of the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for treating a substrate using a process gas includes a chamber having a treatment space defined therein, a substrate support unit for supporting the substrate in the treatment space, a gas supply pipe disposed in a ceiling surface of the chamber for supplying the process gas to the treatment space, and an exhaust unit for exhausting the process gas in the treatment space, wherein the exhaust unit includes an exhaust plate having an exhaust hole defined therein through which the process gas is exhausted, and an adjustment plate overlapping the exhaust plate, wherein the adjustment plate is constructed to control an opened amount of the exhaust hole when viewed from above.