Ceramic Plug Structure for Precise Wafer Gas Feed Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing semiconductor manufacturing equipment members face challenges in embedding plugs in plug placement holes with high positioning accuracy without using adhesives, leading to potential discharge issues and reduced fixing strength.

Innovation Solution

A member for semiconductor manufacturing equipment featuring a ceramic substrate with a tapered plug placement hole and a ceramic plug with a dense outer peripheral surface, directly fitted without adhesives, ensuring precise positioning and enhanced fixing strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If adhesive materials are used to fix the plug to the plug placement hole, then the fixing strength is improved, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates and discharge risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing strengthVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the adhesive material from the plug fixing structure. By removing the adhesive layer entirely, the patent achieves direct contact between the plug and plug placement hole, thereby eliminating positioning errors introduced by adhesive thickness variations and preventing discharge pathways that could form through adhesive materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the plug and plug placement hole into a direct contact structure without intermediate adhesive layers. The tapered inner peripheral surface of the plug placement hole directly engages with the outer peripheral surface of the plug, combining the functions of positioning and fixing into a single integrated interface that eliminates discharge risks associated with adhesive materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If adhesive materials are used to fix the plug, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to discharge risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of plug installationVSAvoiddischarge suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the potential harm of adhesive materials (which can create discharge pathways and positioning errors) into a benefit by using the tapered geometric interface itself to provide both the mechanical interference fit for easy installation and the discharge suppression through direct ceramic-to-ceramic contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Manufacturing precision

If a tapered plug placement hole is used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplug positioning accuracyVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies the tapered geometry only locally to the inner peripheral surface of the plug placement hole, rather than changing the entire device structure. This localized application of the tapered surface provides precise positioning and easy insertion while maintaining the overall simplicity of the device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of adding complex positioning mechanisms or adjustment devices, the invention inverts the approach by using the tapered geometry of the plug placement hole itself to provide self-aligning and self-positioning functionality during insertion, thereby achieving high positioning accuracy through a simplified structural feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 solution allows for high-accuracy plug embedding, preventing discharge and easy replacement while maintaining structural integrity and suppressing discharge.

Implementation Method 1

a plug placement hole that vertically penetrates the ceramic substrate and comprises a tapered inner peripheral surface in which an area of an upper opening is larger than an area of a lower opening; a ceramic plug comprising a dense outer peripheral surface and a gas passage penetrating the plug, the ceramic plug being embedded such that the dense outer peripheral surface of the plug is directly fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the plug placement hole

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

a ceramic plug comprising a dense outer peripheral surface and a gas passage penetrating the plug

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical barrier:

Data Source

PatentUS20250210394A1Member for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 NGK INSULATORS LTD

AI summary

A member for a semiconductor manufacturing equipment, comprising: a ceramic substrate having an upper surface on which a wafer is to be placed and a lower surface; a plug placement hole that vertically penetrates the ceramic substrate and comprises a tapered inner peripheral surface in which an area of an upper opening is larger than an area of a lower opening; a ceramic plug comprising a dense outer peripheral surface and a gas passage penetrating the plug, the ceramic plug being embedded such that the dense outer peripheral surface of the plug is directly fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the plug placement hole; a conductive base plate bonded to the lower surface of the ceramic substrate via a bonding layer; and a gas supply path that passes through the base plate and the bonding layer to supply gas to the gas passage of the ceramic plug.