HMDS Primer Gas Feedback Control for Stable Wafer Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for applying primers in semiconductor photolithography fail to maintain accurate and stable concentrations due to undetected carrier gas leaks, leading to inadequate adhesion of photoresist layers and potential device failures.
Innovation Solution
An automatic feedback system using entrance and export side sensors to regulate the flow and concentration of HMDS primer, ensuring a stable reaction concentration in the wafer priming chamber by adjusting the carrier gas flow, even with undetected leaks in the piping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods are used to apply primer without feedback control, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the primer concentration becomes unstable and adhesion quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors detect the actual primer concentration in the application gas, and this information is fed back to a controller that adjusts the primer delivery parameters. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures stable primer concentration and reliable adhesion quality, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and system complexity.
2Reliability
If carrier gas flow is increased to compensate for undetected leaks, then the primer concentration may be maintained, but the carrier gas consumption increases and cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system continuously monitors primer concentration and adjusts the primer delivery rate to compensate for carrier gas leaks. This allows the system to maintain stable primer concentration without unnecessarily increasing carrier gas flow, thereby minimizing carrier gas consumption and cost while ensuring reliable adhesion.
3Reliability
If primer concentration is increased to ensure adequate adhesion, then adhesion quality improves, but excess primer causes photoresist peeling and device failures
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system precisely regulates primer concentration by continuously monitoring the actual amount of primer in the application gas and adjusting delivery parameters accordingly. This prevents both insufficient adhesion and excessive primer deposition that causes photoresist peeling, eliminating the harmful effects while ensuring adequate adhesion quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts primer delivery parameters based on real-time concentration measurements, optimizing the primer concentration to the precise level needed for adequate adhesion without causing photoresist peeling. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between sufficient adhesion and avoiding harmful effects.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling an amount of primer in a primer application gas, includes a first sensor for detecting a first content in the primer application gas that is fed into a chamber containing a semiconductor wafer, a second sensor for detecting a second content in an exhaust gas that is exhausted from the chamber, and a flow control device that controls the amount of primer in the primer application gas based on a first sensor signal from the first sensor and a second sensor signal from the second sensor.