Control of environment within processing modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
High humidity in semiconductor processing chambers affects the quality of ion implantation processes, leading to incomplete filling of gaps between dielectric and conductive features, which can result in material loss and contamination, and poses a risk to workers handling exhaust gases from these chambers.
Innovation Solution
A system for controlling environmental conditions in workpiece handling modules, including a source of clean dry air, filtration units, humidity and gas sensors, and a controller that adjusts airflow and gas recycling to maintain desired humidity and gas concentrations, ensuring a controlled atmosphere within the processing chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ion implantation is performed in a high humidity environment, then the processing can proceed without strict environmental control, but the ion implantation quality deteriorates with incomplete gap filling and material loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the inert atmosphere principle by introducing a controlled low-humidity environment into the workpiece handling module. A humidity control system maintains relative humidity below 50% (preferably below 30%) within the handling module, creating an inert-like environment that prevents moisture-related contamination during ion implantation processes, thereby ensuring complete gap filling and preventing material loss while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a humidity control system as an intermediary between the external high-humidity environment and the internal processing environment. This intermediary system includes humidity sensors, air filtration units, and controlled ventilation that actively manage the atmospheric conditions within the workpiece handling module, isolating the ion implantation process from harmful external humidity without requiring changes to the ion implantation equipment itself
2Device complexity
If exhaust gases from processing chambers are released without control, then the system operation is simple, but worker safety and environmental quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an exhaust gas management system as an intermediary between the processing chambers and the external environment. This system includes gas sensors that monitor exhaust composition, filtration units that remove contaminants, and controlled ventilation that directs exhaust away from workers. This intermediary system protects workers and the environment from harmful exhaust gases while maintaining reasonable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control for exhaust gas management through gas sensors that continuously monitor the composition and quality of exhaust gases. The sensor data feeds back to a control system that adjusts ventilation rates and activates filtration systems when harmful gas concentrations are detected, dynamically managing worker safety and environmental protection based on real-time conditions
3Device complexity
If no environmental control is implemented in workpiece handling modules, then the system complexity is reduced, but humidity and contamination levels increase affecting process quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an environmental control system as an intermediary between the external environment and the workpiece handling module interior. This system includes humidity sensors, temperature sensors, air filtration units, and controlled ventilation that actively manage atmospheric conditions within the handling module, ensuring consistent process quality by isolating sensitive workpieces from environmental variations without requiring complex modifications to processing equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by actively controlling and maintaining specific environmental parameters within the workpiece handling module. The system monitors and adjusts humidity (maintaining below 50% relative humidity), temperature, and air quality parameters to optimal ranges for ion implantation processes. This active parameter management ensures process quality consistency while using standardized environmental control technologies
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 solution effectively reduces humidity and gas concentrations to prevent material loss and contamination, enhancing the success of ion implantation processes and ensuring a safer working environment by maintaining optimal conditions within the semiconductor processing chambers.
Implementation Method 1
A fluid moving device is in fluid communication with the plenum and delivers the air to a chamber
Implementation Method 2
The chamber includes a humidity sensor that senses a humidity within the chamber
Implementation Method 3
a gas sensor that senses a concentration of a gas within the chamber
Implementation Method 4
A controller is in communication with the humidity sensor, the gas sensor, the exhaust valve, the fluid moving device and the source of air. The controller adjusts a flow of air into the chamber based on the sensed humidity
Implementation Method 5
The controller adjusts an amount of gas exhausted from the chamber based on the sensed concentration of the gas within the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for adjusting and controlling conditions within the environment of a workpiece handling module include sensors for detecting humidity and concentration of harmful gasses. Signals generated by these sensors are utilized to generate signals that control the flow of air into the environment and/or the flow of air and gases out of the environment. By controlling the humidity, negative impacts on processes carried out in the environment are avoided. By controlling the gas concentration, exposure of workers to harmful gases is avoided.