Gas Jet Flow Straightener for Uniform Activated Gas Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional activated gas generation apparatuses face limitations in generating high-density activated gas uniformly and efficiently, particularly due to issues with radical attenuation, complex structures, and the inability to treat large areas such as wafers with a diameter of 300 mm effectively.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a plurality of gas spray holes functioning as first restricting cylinders, followed by a second restricting cylinder in the nozzle part, and a gas jet flow straightener with a narrower outlet area than inlet area, to direct and straighten the activated gas flow, suppressing the Mach disk phenomenon and ensuring high-speed, uniform delivery of activated gas to the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single gas spray hole is provided in the electrode, then the structure is simple, but the treatment area is extremely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The single gas spray hole is divided into multiple gas spray holes (first through fourth holes) arranged in a specific pattern. This segmentation allows the activated gas to be distributed across a larger treatment area, enabling effective treatment of large substrates such as 300mm diameter wafers while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
2Productivity
If the activated gas is sprayed at ultrahigh speed to minimize radical attenuation, then the gas delivery efficiency is improved, but the Mach disk phenomenon causes extreme deceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle structure is designed with specific geometric features (converging-diverging shape with optimized angle ranges) that preliminarily counteract the Mach disk phenomenon before it fully develops. This preliminary anti-action allows the gas jet to maintain higher speeds and reduces extreme deceleration, improving gas delivery efficiency to the substrate
3Area of stationary object
If the discharge space is enlarged or multiple electrodes are provided to treat large areas, then the treatment coverage is improved, but the apparatus size and structure become complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple large electrodes or expanding the discharge space, the invention segments the gas delivery function into multiple spray holes with specific arrangements. This allows large area treatment coverage to be achieved while maintaining a compact discharge space and relatively simple apparatus structure
Solution Approach 2:
The gas spray holes are arranged in specific three-dimensional configurations (including vertical and horizontal arrangements) to expand the treatment coverage in multiple directions from a compact discharge space, effectively treating large substrates without proportionally increasing apparatus size
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
This configuration allows for the efficient generation and uniform supply of high-density activated gas at high speeds, effectively addressing radical attenuation and enabling uniform film formation treatments on large substrates.
Implementation Method 1
an activated gas generating electrode group for generating an activated gas by utilizing a discharge phenomenon from a source gas
Implementation Method 2
each of a plurality of gas spray holes...functions as a first restricting cylinder...supplying the activated gas downward
Implementation Method 3
the presence of the second restricting cylinder of the nozzle part provided downstream of the first restricting cylinder makes it possible to suppress a Mach disk phenomenon which causes the extreme deceleration of the sprayed activated gas
Implementation Method 4
the cylindrical gas jets of the plurality of nozzle passing activated gases are converted into the liner flow-straightened activated gas along the X direction (predetermined direction)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide an activated gas generation apparatus capable of uniformly generating a high-density activated gas at a relatively high speed. In the present invention, the activated gas generation apparatus is constituted by providing a gas jet flow straightener (70) below an activated gas generating electrode group and a nozzle constituent part. The gas jet flow straightener (70) receives a plurality of nozzle passing activated gases as a whole at an inlet part (711) of a gas flow-straightening passage (71). The gas flow-straightening passage (71) is formed so that the outlet opening area of an outlet part (710) is set to be narrower than the inlet opening area of the inlet part (711), and the cylindrical gas jet of each of the plurality of nozzle passing activated gases is converted into a linear flow-straightened activated gas by the flow-straightening action of the gas flow-straightening passage (71).