Gas Supply System for Rapid Plasma Gas Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing gas supply systems for plasma processing apparatuses are inefficient in replacing gases, leading to prolonged processing times and reduced throughput due to the time-consuming process of gas replacement.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply system with a configuration that includes a first device for selecting and distributing gases, a second device for controlling flow rates, and a third device for gas exhaustion, allowing for rapid gas replacement by stopping flow rate control units, closing valves, and opening exhaust valves to quickly remove gases from the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If gas replacement is performed using conventional gas supply system, then gas can be replaced, but time required for gas replacement is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is divided into multiple independent gas supply lines, each capable of supplying different gases. This segmentation allows selective switching between gas sources without requiring complete system evacuation and repressurization, significantly reducing gas replacement time.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple gas sources are pre-positioned and connected to the plasma processing chamber through separate supply lines with isolation valves. This preliminary arrangement enables immediate gas switching by simply opening/closing valves without requiring time-consuming system reconfiguration or complete gas evacuation.
2Device complexity
If multiple gas sources are connected through single pipeline, then system complexity is reduced, but gas replacement time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single shared pipeline, the system employs multiple independent gas supply lines connecting different gas sources directly to the plasma processing chamber. Each line is equipped with isolation valves, enabling independent gas switching without affecting other gas supplies, thus reducing gas replacement time despite increased system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A gas supply system includes a first device to a third device. A plurality of integral units of the first device is configured to select one or more gases from one or more gas sources and supply the selected gases. The second device is configured to distribute plural gases from the integral units and supply the distributed gases while controlling flow rates of the distributed gases. The third device is configured to exhaust the gases within the gas supply system to a gas exhaust device.