Ionized Gas Substrate Removal System for Electrostatic Chuck
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing substrates from electro-static chucks often result in residual charges, leading to substrate damage, positional shifts, and inefficient static electricity elimination, particularly due to increased pressure and dust accumulation from ultrasonic waves, and inadequate ionized gas supply.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus featuring an ionized gas generation unit, a gas supplying path made of insulating material, and a gas exhaust path to efficiently supply and exhaust ionized gas between the substrate and electro-static chuck, ensuring effective static electricity elimination and smooth substrate removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ultrasonic waves are applied to remove substrate smoothly, then substrate removal smoothness is improved, but dust is produced and accumulated on the substrate and electro-static chuck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the ultrasonic wave method with ionized gas supply. Instead of using mechanical vibration that generates dust, the patent uses ionized gas to reduce adhesion forces between the substrate and electro-static chuck, enabling smooth removal without dust generation. The ionized gas weakens the electrostatic attraction without causing mechanical stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert environment using ionized gas between the substrate and electro-static chuck. This ionized atmosphere prevents dust generation and accumulation by eliminating the mechanical contact and friction that would otherwise produce particles, while still allowing smooth substrate release.
2Productivity
If ionized gas is supplied through conventional gas paths, then gas supply is achieved, but static electricity elimination efficiency is poor due to inadequate direct supply to the gap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gas supply system into distinct components: a gas supplying path made of insulating material specifically designed to deliver ionized gas directly to the gap between substrate and electro-static chuck, separate from the conventional cooling gas supply. This segmentation ensures that ionized gas reaches the target area efficiently for rapid charge elimination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the insulating gas supplying path as an intermediary structure that enables direct supply of ionized gas to the substrate-chuck interface. The insulating material ensures that the ionized gas maintains its properties while being transported, and the direct path eliminates inefficiencies of conventional gas supply methods.
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 eliminates residual charges and enables safe, smooth substrate removal by uniformly diffusing ionized gas across the substrate surface, reducing the risk of damage and dust accumulation, and optimizing static electricity elimination efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an ionized gas generation unit configured to ionize a pressure-controlled gas to generate an ionized gas
Implementation Method 2
an electro-static chuck configured to retain a substrate on a platform by electrostatic attraction
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes: an electro-static chuck configured to retain a substrate on a platform by electrostatic attraction; an ionized gas generation unit configured to ionize a pressure-controlled gas to generate an ionized gas; a gas supplying path, which is made of insulating material or to whose inner surface insulating processing is applied, configured to allow passage of the generated ionized gas; a gas supplying tube configured to supply the ionized gas that has passed the gas supplying path to a gap between the substrate and the electro-static chuck; and a gas exhaust path, which is provided inside the platform, configured to exhaust the gas that has been supplied to the gap.