Dummy Substrate Cooling for Semiconductor Substrate Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Changing the substrate processing temperature from high to low in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses requires more time than changing from low to high, and using coolants can complicate the apparatus configuration and risk damage.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a controller that transports a dummy substrate with a lower temperature to the substrate support apparatus to facilitate faster cooling, maintaining a simple configuration by using a dummy substrate with a temperature lower than the preceding processing step, and potentially using multiple dummy substrates for enhanced cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If coolant is used to cool the substrate support apparatus, then the cooling speed is improved, but the device complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cooling function from a separate coolant system and integrates it into the existing substrate handling system by using dummy substrates as heat sinks. This eliminates the need for additional coolant supply paths and complex cooling apparatus while achieving effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy substrate serves as an intermediary object that transfers heat from the substrate support apparatus. By placing a cold dummy substrate on the heated substrate support, heat is transferred from the support to the dummy substrate, achieving cooling without direct coolant contact with the support apparatus.
2Speed
If coolant is used to cool the substrate support apparatus, then the cooling speed is improved, but the reliability decreases due to evaporation and pressure damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses dummy substrates as disposable or reusable heat sink objects instead of relying on coolant systems. The dummy substrates can be repeatedly cooled in advance and then used to cool the substrate support apparatus, eliminating risks associated with coolant evaporation and pressure buildup in closed systems.
3Device complexity
If ambient heat loss is used to cool the substrate support apparatus, then the device complexity remains simple, but the cooling speed is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy substrates are cooled in advance in a separate storage chamber before being transferred to the substrate support apparatus. This preliminary cooling action allows the dummy substrate to act as a pre-charged heat sink, dramatically accelerating the cooling process compared to passive ambient cooling while keeping the overall system simple.
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 method allows for quicker temperature reduction of the substrate support apparatus without increasing apparatus complexity, maintaining a simple configuration and improving cooling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the heat of the substrate support apparatus is transferred to the dummy substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which is provided with a first storage chamber that stores a substrate to be processed, a second storage chamber that stores a dummy substrate, a substrate support apparatus with a heating function that supports a substrate, and a substrate transport apparatus that transports the substrates between the storage chambers and the substrate support apparatus, is further provided with a controller which, in the event that the temperature of substrate processing in a preceding substrate processing step is higher than the temperature of substrate processing in a subsequent substrate processing step, operates the substrate transport apparatus to transport the dummy substrate, whose temperature is lower than the temperature of substrate processing in the preceding substrate processing step, prior to carrying out the subsequent substrate processing step.