Elastomeric Sheet Adhesive for Semiconductor Vacuum Chamber Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plasma processing equipment in semiconductor manufacturing faces challenges with high particle and contamination due to the short lifetime of consumable parts and the corrosive nature of the plasma environment, which leads to defects in integrated circuits and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A bonded component assembly using an elastomeric sheet adhesive joint between support members and components, allowing for thermal expansion mismatch accommodation and reduced contamination by precise control of bonding material placement, with a heat-curable, thermally conductive silicone adhesive that maintains high shear strain and thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid bonding materials are used to join support members and components, then bonding strength is improved, but thermal stress damage occurs due to thermal expansion mismatch during temperature cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding material's physical parameters are changed by transitioning from a rigid state to a cured elastomeric state. The uncured elastomeric adhesive has flexible molecular chains that can stretch and compress, while the cured adhesive forms cross-linked bonds that maintain flexibility. This parameter change allows the bonding material to accommodate thermal expansion differences between support members and components while maintaining strong bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding material is formulated as a composite system combining elastomeric polymers with cross-linking agents. The elastomeric base material provides flexibility and thermal expansion accommodation, while the cross-linking components create strong chemical bonds between support members and components. This composite structure achieves both high bonding strength and thermal stress resistance.
2Reliability
If elastomeric bonding materials are used to accommodate thermal expansion, then thermal stress resistance is improved, but bonding strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding material is applied in an uncured elastomeric state before final assembly and curing. In this preliminary state, the material is highly flexible and can be easily positioned and adjusted. After assembly, the material is cured to develop full bonding strength while retaining elastomeric properties. This preliminary action allows optimal positioning before the material sets, ensuring both strong bonding and thermal stress resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding material undergoes a controlled parameter change from uncured to cured state. The uncured state provides high flexibility for assembly, while the curing process develops strong cross-linked bonds. The cured elastomeric adhesive maintains key properties including flexibility, thermal conductivity, and electrical insulation while achieving high bonding strength through cross-linking.
3Reliability
If adhesive is applied in excess to ensure complete bonding coverage, then bonding coverage is improved, but particle contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding process is divided into separate stages: first applying the uncured elastomeric adhesive to achieve complete coverage, then removing excess adhesive before final curing. This extraction of excess material after positioning but before curing ensures complete bonding coverage while preventing particle contamination from excess adhesive that could detach during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The uncured elastomeric adhesive is applied in advance to ensure complete coverage of the bonding surface. Because the material remains flexible and workable in the uncured state, it can be easily spread to achieve uniform coverage. After positioning components, excess adhesive is removed before curing, preventing contamination while maintaining complete bonding coverage.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If bonding material is placed in precise patterns to reduce contamination, then particle contamination is reduced, but bonding coverage may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The process allows initial application of adhesive in precise patterns to minimize contamination, then permits controlled spreading to achieve complete coverage. The uncured elastomeric material can be gently manipulated to fill gaps and ensure complete bonding coverage without creating excessive adhesive that would cause contamination. After positioning, any remaining excess is carefully removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive's workable state in the uncured condition allows precise pattern application followed by controlled spreading. The material's viscosity and flow properties in the uncured state enable it to fill gaps and ensure complete coverage while remaining controllable. After curing locks the bonding structure, the coverage is maintained without requiring excess adhesive application.
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 solution effectively reduces particle contamination and extends the lifetime of components by accommodating thermal expansion and maintaining high operational performance, thereby enhancing the reliability and yield of semiconductor processing.
Implementation Method 1
allows movement in a lateral direction of the component relative to the support member during temperature cycling due to mismatch of thermal expansion of the support member and the component
Implementation Method 2
An elastomeric sheet adhesive joint between mating surfaces of the at least one load bearing surface and the component
Implementation Method 3
with a heat-curable, thermally conductive silicone adhesive that maintains high shear strain and thermal conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
A bonded assembly to reduce particle contamination in a semiconductor vacuum chamber such as a plasma processing apparatus is provided, including an elastomeric sheet adhesive bond between mating surfaces of a component and a support member to accommodate thermal stresses. The elastomeric sheet comprises a silicone adhesive to withstand a high shear strain of ≧800% at a temperature range between room temperature and 300° C. such as heat curable high molecular weight dimethyl silicone with optional fillers. The sheet form has bond thickness control for parallelism of bonded surfaces. The sheet adhesive may be cut into pre-form shapes to conform to regularly or irregularly shaped features, maximize surface contact area with mating parts, and can be installed into cavities. Installation can be manually, manually with installation tooling, or with automated machinery. Composite layers of sheet adhesive having different physical properties can be laminated or coplanar.