Aerated Nozzle Assembly for Semiconductor Wafer Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor wafer cleaning methods suffer from excessive splashing and residue, which can lead to contamination and inefficiency in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a semiconductor substrate cleaning system that includes a cleaning chamber with a pedestal and a cleaning arm equipped with a nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly features a housing and a body with a gas port to aerate the cleaning fluid, reducing splashing and improving cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cleaning fluid is used without aeration, then the cleaning fluid flow is simple and easy to control, but excessive splashing occurs leading to contamination and reduced cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gas port through the nozzle body that allows gas to be introduced into the cleaning fluid stream. This pneumatic modification creates turbulence in the fluid flow, which enhances the cleaning effectiveness by improving contaminant removal while the controlled gas introduction prevents excessive splashing and contamination.
2Productivity
If cleaning fluid is flowed at high speed to improve cleaning efficiency, then contaminant removal is enhanced, but splashing increases causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing gas through the gas port into the high-speed cleaning fluid stream, the system creates controlled turbulence that enhances contaminant removal at high flow rates while the gas-fluid interaction prevents uncontrolled splashing, thus maintaining high productivity without excessive harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of gas changes the physical parameters of the cleaning fluid stream, creating a two-phase flow that modifies the flow characteristics. This parameter change allows the system to operate at higher speeds for improved cleaning efficiency while the altered flow physics reduce splashing and contamination.
3Ease of manufacture
If the nozzle assembly structure is simplified, then manufacturing is easier and cost is reduced, but the ability to aerate fluid and reduce splashing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a housing portion and a body portion with an integrated gas port. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard processes and then assembled, maintaining ease of manufacture while enabling the aeration function that reduces splashing and improves cleaning reliability.
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
The aerated cleaning fluid achieves a turbulent flow that effectively removes contaminants from the substrate while minimizing splashing, thereby reducing contamination and enhancing the efficiency of the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
a gas port disposed through the body and configured to aerate a fluid passing through the nozzle assembly
Implementation Method 2
The aerated cleaning fluid achieves a turbulent flow that effectively removes contaminants from the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein provide a semiconductor substrate cleaning chamber. The cleaning chamber includes side walls that partially define a cleaning volume, a pedestal disposed within the side walls, and a cleaning arm disposed above the pedestal. The cleaning arm includes a nozzle assembly disposed on a nozzle end of the cleaning arm. The nozzle assembly includes a housing, and a body disposed within the housing and having a gas port disposed through the body and configured to aerate a fluid passing through the nozzle assembly.