Floating Pin Shoulder Seal for Substrate Support Guide Holes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor substrate processing tools experience process gas leakage through guide holes in substrate supports due to the lack of sealing during substrate transfer, which affects thermal contact resistance and substrate chucking.

Innovation Solution

A floating pin assembly with a pin head featuring a flat shoulder surface that seats on a recessed surface of the substrate support, sealing the guide hole and preventing gas leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If guide holes are provided in substrate support for substrate transfer, then substrate positioning is enabled, but process gas leaks through the guide holes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate transfer capabilityVSAvoidprocess gas leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pin head includes a sealing surface that interfaces with the guide hole opening in the substrate support, creating a seal that prevents process gas leakage while allowing the pin to move vertically for substrate transfer operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The floating pin acts as an intermediary element between the substrate and substrate support, providing both mechanical transfer functionality and sealing through its pin head configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If existing lift pins are used for substrate transfer, then substrate positioning is achieved, but no sealing is provided against process gas leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate transfer functionVSAvoidsealing performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges two functions into a single component: the floating pin both transfers the substrate vertically and provides sealing against process gas leakage through its pin head design, eliminating the need for separate sealing mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If process gas leakage occurs through guide holes, then substrate transfer is maintained, but thermal contact resistance increases and chucking becomes non-uniform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate transfer efficiencyVSAvoidsubstrate chucking uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing surface on the pin head creates a barrier that prevents process gas leakage, ensuring uniform thermal contact between the substrate and substrate support during processing while maintaining substrate transfer capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS12347719B2Floating pin for substrate transfer

Publication Date: 2025.07.01 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

A floating pin for positioning a substrate relative to a substrate support includes a shaft configured to move through a guide hole in a substrate support, and a pin head including a top surface and a flat shoulder surface disposed between the top surface and the shaft. The flat shoulder surface is configured to be seated on a recessed surface of the substrate support and seal the guide hole of the substrate support.