Nozzle Spacer for Local Dry Etching Heat Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high temperature generated in the plasma generator of existing local dry etching apparatuses causes the nozzle to deteriorate and shorten its lifespan, leading to limited operational life.
Innovation Solution
A local dry etching apparatus with a vacuum chamber, a nozzle, a discharge tube, and an electromagnetic wave irradiation part, where a spacer is interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube to reduce heat conduction and maintain the nozzle at a lower temperature, thereby extending its life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the plasma generator is used to generate plasma in the discharge tube, then plasma discharge is achieved, but the nozzle becomes hot and deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A heat insulating member is inserted between the discharge tube and the nozzle to block heat transmission. This intermediary component prevents thermal energy from reaching the nozzle, thereby protecting it from deterioration while maintaining plasma generation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful thermal effect is extracted or isolated from the nozzle by placing the heat insulating member in between, separating the heat source (discharge tube) from the sensitive component (nozzle) to eliminate the adverse thermal impact.
2Device complexity
If the nozzle is directly connected to the discharge tube, then the structure is simple, but heat conduction causes nozzle deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulating member serves as an intermediary component inserted into the connection between the discharge tube and nozzle. This addition is minimal in complexity but effective in blocking heat conduction, extending nozzle lifespan without significantly complicating the overall structure.
3Temperature
If rough surfaces are formed at connection surfaces to reduce heat transfer, then some heat isolation is achieved, but the effect is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than relying on surface treatment alone, a dedicated heat insulating member is introduced as an intermediary. This provides superior and more controllable heat isolation effectiveness compared to surface roughening, while the insulating member itself remains a simple component to manufacture and install.
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 spacer effectively reduces heat conduction from the discharge tube to the nozzle, leading to a longer operational life of the nozzle in an inexpensive and simple manner, while maintaining the vacuum insulation effect.
Implementation Method 1
a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube
Implementation Method 2
an electromagnetic wave irradiation part configured to irradiate electromagnetic waves to a plasma generator in the discharge tube to generate plasma in the plasma generator
Data Source
AI summary
A local dry etching apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin, a nozzle including a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber, a discharge tube including a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle, a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube, an electromagnetic wave irradiation part configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via the electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator, and a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube.