Exhaust Buffer Cleaning Control in Substrate Processing Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face inefficiencies in cleaning the exhaust system due to the mixing of first and second gases, leading to unintended film formation on exhaust components.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a third gas supplier to supply a cleaning gas directly to the exhaust buffer structure and a fourth gas supplier to supply cleaning gas onto the substrate mounting plate, controlled by a controller to optimize the cleaning process, enhancing the efficiency of removing uncontrolled films.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single exhaust system is used for both first gas and second gas, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning efficiency deteriorates due to gas mixing and unintended film formation
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust system is segmented into two separate exhaust lines: a first exhaust line for exhausting the first gas and a second exhaust line for exhausting the second gas. This segmentation prevents mixing of gases in the exhaust system, eliminating the formation of unintended films on exhaust components while maintaining manageable system complexity through dedicated pathways for each gas type.
2Reliability
If separate exhaust lines are used for first gas and second gas, then the cleaning efficiency is improved by preventing gas mixing, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While maintaining separate exhaust lines for the first and second gases, the system merges the exhaust paths by connecting both lines to a common exhaust pump. This combining approach ensures that gases are separated during transport (preventing film formation) while simplifying the overall structure by using a single vacuum source, thus balancing cleaning efficiency with device complexity.
3Device complexity
If exhaust components are not cleaned regularly, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to film formation on substrates
Solution Approach 1:
A plasma generation unit is introduced as an intermediary cleaning mechanism that periodically activates to remove films from exhaust components. This plasma unit acts as a mediator between the exhaust system and the substrate processing, ensuring that no films contaminate the substrates while maintaining a relatively simple overall system structure by using electromagnetic fields rather than mechanical cleaning methods.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that includes: a process container processing one or more substrates; a support installed inside the process container and supporting the substrates; a first gas supplier capable of supplying gas in the process container; a second gas supplier capable of supplying in the process container; an exhaust buffer structure installed along outer circumference of the support; a third gas supplier capable of supplying first cleaning gas to the exhaust buffer structure; a fourth gas supplier capable of supplying second cleaning gas onto the support; and a controller configured to control the third and fourth gas suppliers to control a frequency or number of times for supplying each of the first and the second cleaning gas, or a supply time of each of the first and second cleaning gases, such that over-etching in the exhaust buffer structure or in the support is prevented.