Cooling Trap Bypass Structure for Vacuum Pump Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in efficiently removing monomers like PMDA and ODA during Vapor Deposition Polymerization, as they can solidify and cause vacuum pump issues, leading to increased evacuation time and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A trap apparatus is introduced between the chamber and the evacuating unit, featuring a cooling trap portion and a bypass portion with movable channels, allowing for selective paths to either trap or bypass the monomers, controlling their solidification and removal through gravity settling, thereby reducing the need for additional valves and simplifying the apparatus design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If source monomers are removed by cooling them to solidify in the vacuum pump, then monomer removal is achieved, but the vacuum pump becomes contaminated and malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful monomers from the gas stream before they reach the vacuum pump by introducing a removing apparatus that chemically reacts with and traps the monomers, separating the purification function from the vacuum pumping function
Solution Approach 2:
The removing apparatus acts as an intermediary component between the chamber and vacuum pump, using chemical reactions with internal wall coatings to trap monomers before they can contaminate the vacuum pump
2Reliability
If a removing apparatus is added between chamber and vacuum pump, then monomer contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removing apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions: it removes monomers through chemical reaction, maintains vacuum pressure differential, and can be integrated into existing chamber structures, reducing the need for separate dedicated components
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the removing apparatus internal walls by coating them with reactive materials that specifically react with monomers, enabling selective removal without affecting other system parameters
3Quantity of substance
If monomers are solidified in the vacuum pump, then monomer removal occurs, but evacuation time increases due to pump contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The removing apparatus performs preliminary action by trapping monomers before they reach the vacuum pump, preventing the need for time-consuming pump cleaning or maintenance interruptions during operation
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 removes PMDA and ODA monomers by controlling their solidification and deposition, reducing the evacuation time and preventing contamination of the vacuum pump, while allowing for a more compact and cost-effective apparatus design.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling trap portion provided with a first space and configured to cool gas introduced into the first space to be a temperature lower than a temperature at which an unreacted component included in the gas is solidified
Implementation Method 2
cool gas introduced into the first space to be a temperature lower than a temperature at which an unreacted component included in the gas is solidified
Implementation Method 3
unreacted components are reacted in the removing apparatus to be adhered on an inside wall so that the unreacted components are removed
Data Source
AI summary
A trap apparatus provided between a chamber and an evacuating unit includes an inlet port and an exhausting port to be respectively connected to the chamber and the evacuating unit; a cooling trap portion provided with a first space for cooling gas in the first space; and a bypass portion provided with a first channel capable of communicating between the inlet port and the first space, a second channel capable of communicating between the first space and the exhausting port, and a second space capable of communicating between the inlet port and the exhausting port, the bypass portion being relatively movable with respect to the cooling trap portion to selectively form a first path from the inlet port to the exhausting port via the first channel, the first space and the second channel, and a second path from the inlet port to the exhausting port via the second space.