Closed Liner Gas Injector Layout for Uniform Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate processing apparatuses face issues with gas injectors experiencing deposition of reaction gases, leading to clocking and breakage due to mismatched thermal expansion between materials, which results in contamination and non-uniform gas distribution over substrates.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features a closed liner with gas injectors having a single exit opening at the top, evenly distributed along the substrate support length, and a gas exhaust duct creating a downflow to remove contaminants, using materials like silicon carbide or quartz to match thermal expansion coefficients and prevent deposition on the tube and injectors, ensuring uniform gas distribution and reducing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If gas injectors are used to provide reaction gas to the inner space, then gas distribution to substrates is enabled, but deposition occurs on the injectors causing clocking and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
A liner is introduced as an intermediary component between the gas injectors and the process chamber. The liner is made of silicon carbide or quartz materials that are resistant to deposition, preventing reaction gas deposits from forming on the injectors while still allowing gas to pass through to the substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The material composition of the liner is specifically selected (silicon carbide or quartz) to change the thermal expansion parameters and chemical resistance properties of the system. This material selection prevents deposition by matching thermal expansion coefficients and providing a non-stick surface for reaction gases.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple gas injectors are distributed over the substrate support length, then uniform gas distribution is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas injection system is segmented into multiple individual injectors distributed along the substrate support length. Each injector is independently positioned and can be individually adjusted, allowing precise control over gas distribution uniformity across different zones of the substrate boat.
3Reliability
If the liner is closed at the upper end, then gas containment is improved, but heat dissipation may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The liner creates a controlled inert environment within the process chamber, containing the reaction gases and preventing contamination from the external atmosphere. The liner's material properties (silicon carbide or quartz) maintain thermal stability while allowing controlled gas flow and heat transfer.
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 configuration enhances the uniformity of gas deposition on substrates, prolongs the life of gas injectors by reducing deposition and breakage, and effectively removes contaminants from the processing chamber, improving the overall processing efficiency and substrate quality.
Implementation Method 1
a gas exhaust duct creating a downflow to remove contaminants
Implementation Method 2
using materials like silicon carbide or quartz to match thermal expansion coefficients and prevent deposition on the tube and injectors
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus having a tube, a closed liner lining the interior surface of the tube, a plurality of gas injectors to provide a gas to an inner space of the liner, and, a gas exhaust duct to remove gas from the inner space is disclosed. The liner may have a substantially cylindrical wall delimited by a liner opening at a lower end and being substantially closed for gases above the liner opening. The apparatus may have a boat constructed and arranged moveable into the inner space via the liner opening and provided with a plurality of substrate holders for holding a plurality of substrates over a substrate support length in the inner space. Each of the gas injectors may have a single exit opening at the top and the exit openings of the plurality of injectors are substantially equally divided over the substrate support length.