Differential Pumping Head for Stable Focused Ion Beam CVD
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in existing process apparatuses is that precursor gas supplied to the head of a focused ion beam column often fails to reach the substrate surface reliably, leading to instability in forming films using CVD techniques.
Innovation Solution
A process apparatus with a differential pumping device featuring annular grooves and a focused ion beam column that ensures precursor gas is supplied directly to the substrate surface through a high-vacuum processing space, facilitated by a head with annular grooves connected to a vacuum pump and a focused ion beam column with a chamber communicating with the processing space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If precursor gas is supplied directly to the head of the focused ion beam column, then the film-forming process should be simplified, but the precursor gas fails to reach the substrate surface reliably leading to process instability
Solution Approach 1:
The head is segmented into multiple functional regions with annular grooves at different levels. The groove structure divides the gas supply path into distinct zones, allowing precursor gas to be delivered systematically to the substrate surface through the processing space, ensuring reliable film formation while maintaining process simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The processing space acts as an intermediary chamber between the precursor gas supply and the substrate surface. This intermediate space allows the gas to be properly distributed and delivered to the substrate, resolving the issue of gas failure to reach the surface while maintaining a simplified overall process structure
2Reliability
If a large-sized vacuum chamber is used to create vacuum space, then the vacuum environment is stable, but the apparatus size increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum system is segmented into a main vacuum chamber and a separate processing space. The processing space is a localized vacuum region created within the larger chamber, allowing stable vacuum conditions to be maintained in the critical processing area without requiring the entire apparatus to be a large vacuum chamber
Solution Approach 2:
High vacuum quality is localized to the processing space where it is most needed for film formation. The groove structure creates a localized vacuum environment at the substrate surface, providing stable vacuum conditions only where required rather than throughout the entire apparatus, thus reducing overall apparatus size
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 stabilizes the film-forming process by ensuring precursor gas reaches the substrate surface accurately, enhancing the quality and reliability of film formation while reducing maintenance complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the annular grooves being connected to a vacuum pump to suck gas from the one of the annular grooves with the process surface-facing surface opposed to the process surface to create a high-level vacuum in the processing space
Implementation Method 2
the focused ion beam column also including a focused ion beam optical system which is disposed in the chamber and works to emit a focused ion beam through the orifice
Implementation Method 3
A precursor gas supply is connected to the innermost one of the annular grooves to eject a precursor gas toward the process surface so that the precursor gas flows into the processing space along the process surface
Data Source
AI summary
A process apparatus includes a differential pumping device having a head which has a plurality of annular grooves in a surface which faces a substrate to be processed. An orifice is formed inside an innermost one of the annular grooves and defines a processing space for processing the substrate. A vacuum pump is connected to at least one of the annular grooves to suck gas therefrom, with the surface of the head facing the substrate processing surface to create a high-level vacuum in the processing space. A focused ion beam column is equipped with a cylindrical chamber leading to the orifice. The chamber has disposed therein a focused ion beam optical system which emits a focused ion beam through the orifice. A precursor gas supply connects to the innermost annular groove to eject a precursor gas to flow into the processing space along the process surface.