Inflatable Liner for Semiconductor Transfer Chamber Volume Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of semiconductor device manufacturing processes increases the frequency of access to transfer modules, leading to longer pumping and venting cycles, which reduces the overall throughput of processed wafers and fabricated semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of inflatable liners within transfer chambers to dynamically modify their interior volumes, allowing for faster pumping down and venting by reducing the interior volumes, thereby shortening the time required to reach desired vacuum and atmospheric pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the frequency of access to transfer modules increases to meet higher storage capacity and processing demands, then the throughput of semiconductor devices is improved, but the pumping and venting cycle time increases, reducing overall system throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer chamber incorporates an expandable liner that can dynamically change the chamber volume between expanded and contracted states. This dynamic volume adjustment allows the system to optimize between fast access (contracted volume) and high throughput (expanded volume), resolving the contradiction between increased access frequency and reduced cycle time
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of chamber volume by deploying or retracting the liner. When the liner is contracted, the effective chamber volume is reduced, enabling faster pumping and venting cycles. When expanded, the chamber can accommodate multiple wafers for higher throughput, thus adapting to different operational requirements
2Productivity
If the interior volume of transfer chambers is increased to accommodate more wafers and improve throughput, then the productivity is improved, but the time required for pumping down and venting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer chamber uses a deployable liner that can be expanded to increase volume for high-throughput operations or contracted to reduce volume for rapid pressure cycling. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize chamber volume based on operational needs, resolving the contradiction between accommodating more wafers and maintaining fast cycle times
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer chamber is segmented into a fixed structural chamber and a flexible liner component. The liner can be independently deployed or retracted, allowing the system to adjust the effective volume without changing the entire chamber structure, thus enabling flexible optimization between throughput and cycle time
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 solution reduces the pumping down time by about 5% to 10% and venting time by about 5% to 10%, enhancing the throughput of semiconductor device manufacturing systems by minimizing wafer transfer time between transfer chambers and processing chambers.
Implementation Method 1
The liner is configured to be inflated to reduce a volume of the transfer chamber during a pressure adjustment operation of the transfer module
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing system. The semiconductor device manufacturing system includes a processing module and a transfer module. The processing module includes a processing chamber that is configured to process a semiconductor wafer and a gate valve that is configured to provide access to the processing chamber. The transfer module includes a transfer chamber that is coupled to the processing chamber and a liner that is coupled to an inner surface of the transfer chamber. The liner is configured to reduce a volume of the transfer chamber prior to or during a transfer chamber pressure adjustment operation of the transfer module.