High Throughput Chemical Treatment System for Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-throughput chemical treatment systems for substrates suffer from low throughput in non-plasma processes, making them less practical for efficient material processing, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing where high selectivity and rapid processing are required.
Innovation Solution
A high-throughput chemical treatment system is designed to chemically treat multiple substrates in a dry, non-plasma environment, featuring a temperature-controlled substrate holder, gas injection assembly, heater assembly, and vacuum pumping system, allowing for simultaneous processing of multiple substrates with precise control over chemical processing parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single substrate is processed per chamber in a conventional cluster tool, then consistent and repeatable process characteristics are achieved, but processing throughput is low
Solution Approach 1:
The processing chamber is divided into multiple independent processing zones, each capable of handling substrates independently. This segmentation allows multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously in different zones while maintaining consistent process characteristics in each zone, thereby resolving the contradiction between throughput and process consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from processing substrates sequentially in a single chamber to processing multiple substrates in parallel across multiple processing zones. This dimensional change from single-point to multi-point processing enables simultaneous handling of multiple substrates while maintaining process consistency through independent zone control.
2Productivity
If multiple substrates are processed simultaneously, then throughput is enhanced, but process control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the chamber into independent processing zones with separate control systems, the complexity of managing multiple substrates is distributed across zones rather than centralized. Each zone can be controlled independently, simplifying the overall control architecture while enabling parallel processing of multiple substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing system is designed with universal components and standardized interfaces that can handle multiple substrates through repeated use of the same processing mechanisms. This multi-functionality allows the system to process different substrates in different zones using the same fundamental processes, reducing control complexity despite increased throughput capability.
3Manufacturing precision
If a chemical removal process is used for selective material removal, then high selectivity is achieved, but processing throughput is low
Solution Approach 1:
The chemical removal process is distributed across multiple processing zones, each performing the selective removal operation independently. This segmentation allows the high-selectivity chemical process to be applied simultaneously to multiple substrates in parallel zones, maintaining selectivity while dramatically increasing overall throughput through concurrent processing.
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 system significantly enhances processing throughput while maintaining selectivity, enabling efficient chemical alteration and thermal treatment of substrates, thereby improving the efficiency of material processing in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
introduce one or more process gases to a process space in the chemical treatment chamber in order to chemically alter exposed surface layers on two or more substrates
Implementation Method 2
a heater assembly coupled to the gas injection assembly and configured to elevate a temperature of the gas injection assembly
Implementation Method 3
a post treatment of the chemically altered exposed surfaces in order to desorb the altered surface chemistry
Implementation Method 4
a vacuum pumping system coupled to the chemical treatment chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A high throughput chemical treatment system for processing a plurality of substrates is described. The chemical treatment system is configured to chemically treat a plurality of substrates in a dry, non-plasma environment.