Floating Rotor Substrate Processing Apparatus Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in achieving a sealed environment for single-substrate processing due to complex and oversized sealing structures, which complicates the prevention of liquid and particle flow, and may not ensure complete sealing, especially under reduced pressure conditions.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a chamber that includes a chamber body and cover, a substrate holding part, a rotating mechanism using an annular rotor and stator for generating rotating force, and a processing liquid discharge system to manage liquid flow and prevent splashing, allowing for efficient single-substrate processing in a sealed space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is provided at the rotation axis penetration portion to prevent outflow of processing liquid and entry of particles, then sealing performance is improved, but the structure becomes very complicated and the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the rotation axis and driving mechanism from the sealed internal space, placing them in the external environment. The substrate holding part is rotated by a driving mechanism located outside the chamber, eliminating the need for seals at rotation axes penetrating the chamber wall. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining sealing performance while dramatically simplifying the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary mechanism (magnetic coupling or contactless induction) that allows rotational force to be transmitted through the chamber wall without physical penetration. The driving mechanism outside the chamber couples with the substrate holding part through the chamber wall, enabling rotation while maintaining complete sealing and avoiding complex seal structures.
2Reliability
If a seal is provided at the rotation axis penetration portion to prevent inflow and outflow of atmosphere under reduced pressure, then sealing performance is improved, but the structure becomes very complicated and the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the rotation axis and driving mechanism from the sealed internal space, placing them in the external environment. The substrate holding part is rotated by a driving mechanism located outside the chamber, eliminating the need for seals at rotation axes penetrating the chamber wall. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining sealing performance while dramatically simplifying the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary mechanism (magnetic coupling or contactless induction) that allows rotational force to be transmitted through the chamber wall without physical penetration. The driving mechanism outside the chamber couples with the substrate holding part through the chamber wall, enabling rotation while maintaining complete sealing and avoiding complex seal structures.
3Manufacturing precision
If the internal space is brought into reduced pressure atmosphere for substrate processing, then processing quality is improved, but it becomes difficult to completely seal the internal space due to complex seal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the rotation axis and driving mechanism from the sealed internal space, placing them in the external environment. The substrate holding part is rotated by a driving mechanism located outside the chamber, eliminating the need for seals at rotation axes penetrating the chamber wall. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining sealing performance while dramatically simplifying the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary mechanism (magnetic coupling or contactless induction) that allows rotational force to be transmitted through the chamber wall without physical penetration. The driving mechanism outside the chamber couples with the substrate holding part through the chamber wall, enabling rotation while maintaining complete sealing and avoiding complex seal structures.
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 apparatus enables easy and effective single-substrate processing in a sealed environment, improving sealability, reducing apparatus size, and preventing liquid splashing back onto the substrate, while allowing for precise pressure control and efficient cleaning of the processing chamber.
Implementation Method 1
a stator part disposed around the rotor part outside the chamber, for generating a rotating force between itself and the rotor part
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a substrate rotating mechanism, and a chamber. The substrate rotating mechanism includes an annular rotor part disposed in an internal space of the chamber and a stator part disposed around the rotor part outside the chamber. The substrate holding part is attached to the rotor part in the internal space of the chamber. In the substrate rotating mechanism, a rotating force is generated about a central axis between the stator part and the rotor part. The rotor part is thereby rotated about the central axis, being in a floating state, together with a substrate and the substrate holding part. In the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate can be easily rotated in the internal space having excellent sealability. As a result, it is possible to easily perform single-substrate processing in a sealed internal space.