Cooling Device for Shower Head Supports Using Swirling Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for components in semiconductor manufacturing processes, such as the support portion of a shower head, are inefficient and lead to uneven temperature distribution, which can affect the quality of film formation on semiconductor wafers.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device that utilizes a housing with strategically arranged supply holes and a discharge path to create a swirling flow of gas, effectively cooling the cooling target by forming a swirling airflow that uniformly dissipates heat across the component surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling methods are used for the shower head support portion, then the component can be cooled, but the temperature distribution becomes uneven and cooling efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The supply holes are strategically positioned at different locations and orientations around the housing to deliver cooling gas to specific regions that require it most. Each supply hole is configured to target particular areas of the shower head support portion, creating localized cooling zones that address hot spots and achieve more uniform overall temperature distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with a curved, substantially spherical shape that surrounds the shower head support portion. This spherical configuration allows cooling gas to flow uniformly around the component from all directions, improving temperature distribution uniformity and cooling efficiency compared to conventional linear or planar cooling arrangements.
2Temperature
If cooling gas is supplied to the shower head support portion, then the component temperature can be reduced, but factory utility consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device utilizes the vacuum pumping system already present in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment to provide the cooling gas flow. The vacuum pump creates a pressure difference that naturally drives the cooling gas through the supply holes and across the shower head support portion without requiring additional cooling fans or blowers, thereby reducing factory utility consumption while effectively lowering component temperature.
3Device complexity
If simple cooling structures are used, then device complexity is low, but cooling uniformity on irregular surfaces is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple discrete supply holes distributed around the housing rather than using a single complex cooling mechanism. Each supply hole is a simple structural element, but collectively they provide comprehensive coverage of the shower head support portion, achieving uniform cooling on irregular surfaces while keeping individual components simple and the overall device complexity low.
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 swirling flow efficiently cools the cooling target, maintaining temperature within safe limits and reducing the need for factory utility consumption, while ensuring uniform cooling even on components with irregular surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
to form a swirling flow rotating along the sidewall in the interior of the housing, each of the plurality of supply holes is formed toward a direction in which the gas is released along the swirling flow
Implementation Method 2
A cooling device that cools a cooling target with use of a gas... The swirling flow efficiently cools the cooling target, maintaining temperature within safe limits
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device that cools a cooling target using a gas, includes: a housing configured to accommodate the cooling target and having a sidewall surrounding the cooling target; a plurality of supply holes arranged at an interval in the sidewall of the housing and serving as a flow path to introduce the gas from an external space of the housing to an interior of the housing; and a discharge path opened to the housing and configured to discharge the gas in the interior of the housing, wherein, to form a swirling flow rotating along the sidewall in the interior of the housing, each of the plurality of supply holes is formed toward a direction in which the gas is released along the swirling flow, when the housing is viewed in a plan view.