Double-Tube Substrate Processing for Pressure Differential Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate processing apparatuses face issues with tube damage due to significant internal and external pressure differences, leading to reliability and yield deterioration, and limitations in residue management during thin film formation.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a double tube structure, where the pressure between the outer and inner tubes is maintained higher than the reaction space pressure, allowing independent gas supply and exhaust between the tubes to manage pressure changes and prevent damage, and includes a gas utility system for high-pressure and low-pressure processes to enhance thin film quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the tube is made of quartz material to improve heat transfer properties, then thermal processing efficiency is improved, but the tube is damaged when internal temperature and pressure are significantly different from external temperature and pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested tube structure where an inner quartz tube is placed inside an outer protective tube. The inner tube maintains good heat transfer properties for thermal processing, while the outer tube provides mechanical strength and pressure resistance. This nesting arrangement allows the system to simultaneously achieve efficient heat transfer and structural reliability under pressure differential conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining quartz material (inner tube) with another material (outer tube) that has superior mechanical properties. The quartz inner tube provides thermal processing efficiency, while the outer tube provides structural support and resistance to pressure differentials, creating a composite system that leverages the strengths of both materials.
2Productivity
If pressure difference is applied to improve process yield, then thin film formation is enhanced, but tube damage occurs due to material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The nested tube structure allows the inner tube to maintain the pressure differential needed for process yield while the outer tube absorbs and resists the mechanical stress of pressure differentials, preventing tube damage and ensuring reliable operation during high-yield processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer tube acts as a pre-established protective barrier that cushions the inner tube against pressure differential damage before such damage can occur. This prior cushioning allows the system to operate at pressure differentials that improve process yield without compromising tube reliability.
3Device complexity
If residues are present during thin film formation, then process complexity is reduced, but yield deteriorates due to residues inside or on surface of thin film
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality requirements to different locations: the reaction space allows for simpler processing, while the protective space is specifically designed with pressure control capabilities to prevent residue formation and migration. This local differentiation of quality standards allows yield improvement through residue control without requiring complex processing throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective space and outer tube structure serve as an intermediary barrier that prevents residues from the reaction space from contaminating the thin film. This intermediary structure allows the system to maintain simpler processing in the reaction zone while still achieving high yield by blocking residue migration to the film surface.
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 apparatus effectively prevents tube damage and improves thin film quality by managing pressure differentials and residue removal through independent gas control, enhancing product reliability and yield.
Implementation Method 1
a gas utility configured to control a pressure of each of the reaction space and the protective space so that a pressure change process including a high-pressure process, which is in a state of a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and a low-pressure process that is in a state of a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, is performed
Implementation Method 2
improves thin film quality by promoting recrystallization and removing impurities through controlled pressure changes
Implementation Method 3
removing impurities through controlled pressure changes, ensuring stronger molecular bonding and reduced residue adherence
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, the substrate processing apparatus includes a gas utility exhausting each of the reaction space and the protective space so that a pressure change process including a high-pressure process, which is in a state of a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and a low-pressure process that is in a state of a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, is performed on a plurality of substrates introduced into the reaction space.