Hydrophobization Substrate Cooling and Heating Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrophobization treatment processes for substrates are inefficient in making the front surface hydrophobic within a short period, often prolonging semiconductor production throughput due to time-consuming temperature adjustments and inadequate gas distribution.
Innovation Solution
A hydrophobization treatment apparatus and method utilizing a cooling device, light irradiation device, gas supply device, exhaust device, and lifting device, where a first gas supply control cools the substrate, followed by a second gas supply control that heats the substrate with thermal radiation, ensuring efficient gas distribution and reaction on the substrate's surface, facilitated by a control device managing these processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temperature adjustment control is performed to raise substrate temperature to approximately 90°C before hydrophobization treatment, then the hydrophobization treatment can be effectively performed, but the treatment time is prolonged and production throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is cooled to a lower temperature (approximately 23°C or lower) before the hydrophobization treatment is performed. This preliminary cooling action prepares the substrate in an optimal state for gas distribution and hydrophobization reaction, eliminating the need for time-consuming heating to 90°C while still achieving effective treatment results
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter from the conventional high temperature (90°C) to a lower temperature range (23°C or lower). This parameter change is achieved through the cooling device that cools the substrate before treatment, and it enables effective hydrophobization while significantly reducing treatment time and improving productivity
2Productivity
If the substrate is cooled to a lower temperature before hydrophobization treatment, then gas distribution is improved and treatment time is reduced, but additional cooling equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device is designed to serve multiple functions: it cools the substrate before hydrophobization treatment, maintains the substrate at the optimal temperature during treatment, and can be integrated with the existing mounting table structure. This multi-functionality justifies the added device complexity by delivering significant productivity improvements and enabling effective gas distribution
3Reliability
If gas is supplied to the substrate surface, then hydrophobization treatment is performed, but gas disturbances occur at high temperature reducing treatment efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the substrate temperature parameter to a lower range (23°C or lower) before and during gas supply. This temperature parameter change eliminates thermal convection and gas disturbances that occur at high temperatures, allowing the hydrophobization gas to distribute uniformly across the substrate surface and react effectively, thereby improving both treatment effectiveness and 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
The apparatus effectively makes the substrate's front surface hydrophobic in a shorter time by ensuring proper cooling and heating, preventing gas disturbances and optimizing gas flow, thereby enhancing production throughput.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling device which cools a substrate and includes a cooling plate positioned to face a back surface of a substrate
Implementation Method 2
a light irradiation device which includes light sources and irradiates thermal radiation light emitted from the light sources onto a front surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 3
a gas supply device which supplies a hydrophobization-treatment gas to the substrate and includes a gas container and gas discharge ports
Data Source
AI summary
A hydrophobization treatment apparatus includes a cooling device which cools a substrate, a light irradiation device which irradiates thermal radiation light from light sources onto front surface of the substrate, a gas supply device which supplies hydrophobization-treatment gas to the substrate, an exhaust device which exhausts the gas, a lifting device which moves the substrate such that the lifting device raises and lowers the substrate between the cooling device and light sources, and a control device which has circuitry to control the light irradiation device, the gas supply device, the exhaust device and the lifting device. The circuitry of the control device executes first gas supply control to discharge and exhaust the gas into and from the space between the gas container and substrate, and after the first control, second gas supply control to discharge and exhaust the gas into and from the space between the gas container and substrate.