Hybrid Substrate Carrier Segmentation for Wafer Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition to 300 mm wafers in semiconductor production leaves a need for flexible and cost-effective solutions to continue producing 200 mm wafers without hardware modifications, ensuring process transparency and minimal downtime.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid substrate carrier system with a carrier ring and plate configuration that allows electrostatic clamping of substrates, enabling seamless operation on 300 mm platforms with minimal hardware changes, and includes a thermally conductive carrier plate for efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a substrate carrier is designed for 300 mm wafers, then it cannot process 200 mm wafers, but redesigning hardware for 200 mm wafer support causes production downtime and increased cost
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier is divided into two separate components: a carrier ring and a carrier plate. The carrier plate can be selectively placed within the carrier ring depending on the wafer size being processed. This segmentation allows the same carrier structure to adapt between 200 mm and 300 mm wafer processing without requiring hardware redesign or production downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier plate is designed with dynamic positioning capability through a radially extending protrusion that can be inserted into a receptacle on the carrier ring. This dynamic configuration allows the carrier plate to be quickly installed or removed based on processing requirements, enabling rapid adaptation between different wafer sizes without permanent hardware modifications.
2Strength
If electrostatic clamping is used to secure substrates, then substrate holding strength is improved, but thermal conductivity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate is constructed from a composite structure combining an electrostatic chuck layer for substrate clamping and a thermally conductive layer for efficient heat transfer. This composite material approach allows both electrostatic clamping strength and thermal conductivity to be optimized simultaneously, resolving the trade-off between substrate holding strength and heat transfer efficiency.
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
Enables efficient production of 200 mm wafers on 300 mm platforms with no downtime, maintaining process stability and transparency, and providing cost savings by allowing easy switching between 200 mm and 300 mm wafer production.
Implementation Method 1
the carrier plate includes an electrode disposed beneath a support surface to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the support surface of the carrier plate
Implementation Method 2
includes a thermally conductive carrier plate for efficient heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a hybrid substrate carrier are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate carrier includes: a carrier ring having an inner ledge adjacent a central opening of the carrier ring; and a carrier plate having a diameter greater than central opening and configured to rest upon the inner ledge, wherein the carrier plate includes an electrode disposed beneath a support surface to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the support surface of the carrier plate.