IPA Vapor Mixing With Bypass Stabilization for Substrate Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate drying methods, such as Marangoni drying, face inefficiencies due to the need for multiple large vessels for IPA vapor storage, inconsistent IPA vapor concentration delivery, and throughput issues, leading to potential contamination and defects in substrate processing.
Innovation Solution
A fluid delivery system comprising a controller, liquid mass flow controller, vaporizer, mass flow controller, mixing unit, and drain circuit to efficiently mix and deliver IPA vapor with a carrier gas to a substrate processing chamber, allowing for a constant and controlled flow rate and concentration, while utilizing a single IPA vessel to reduce space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate vessels are used for each processing chamber, then each chamber can have dedicated IPA vapor supply, but space efficiency deteriorates and refilling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple separate IPA vessels into a single shared vessel that supplies IPA vapor to multiple processing chambers through a common delivery system. This merging approach maintains dedicated supply reliability while significantly improving space efficiency and reducing the number of refilling operations required.
Solution Approach 2:
The single IPA vessel is designed to serve multiple processing chambers simultaneously, making it a universal supply source. The system uses a shared vapor delivery mechanism that can distribute IPA vapor to different chambers as needed, allowing one vessel to perform the function that previously required multiple vessels.
2Productivity
If IPA vapor is delivered immediately after vaporization, then throughput is maintained, but vapor concentration consistency deteriorates during stabilization period
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary stabilization of the IPA vapor concentration before delivering it to the processing chamber. A bypass line allows the vapor to be pre-mixed and stabilized with carrier gas, ensuring consistent concentration is achieved before the vapor enters the main processing flow, thus maintaining both throughput and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bypass line as an intermediary pathway that allows IPA vapor to be pre-mixed and stabilized before reaching the processing chamber. This intermediate step acts as a buffer that ensures consistent vapor concentration without delaying the overall process throughput.
3Manufacturing precision
If bypass line is used for stabilization, then vapor concentration consistency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass line serves as a simple intermediary element that provides vapor stabilization without requiring complex control systems. By using a straightforward parallel flow path with basic mixing, the system achieves consistent vapor concentration while minimizing the addition of complex components or control logic.
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 system ensures consistent IPA vapor concentration and efficient substrate throughput by stabilizing the IPA mixture delivery, reducing contamination risks and optimizing space usage with a single IPA vessel serving multiple chambers.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid mass flow controller (LMFC) in communication with a vaporizer and configured to deliver liquid isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to the vaporizer at a controlled flow rate
Implementation Method 2
a mass flow controller (MFC) in communication with the mixing unit and configured to deliver a carrier gas to the mixing unit, the mixing unit mixing the carrier gas with the IPA vapor to create a predetermined mixture
Implementation Method 3
a drain circuit including a first flow path having a first valve between the mixing unit and the drain, a second flow path having a second valve between the mixing unit and the processing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for delivering IPA vapor to a substrate processing chamber. In one aspect, the invention includes a controller, a liquid mass flow controller (LMFC) associated with a vaporizer to convert a first fluid to a vapor, a mass flow controller (MFC) associated with the carrier gas, a mixing unit to mix the vapor with the carrier gas to create the predetermined mixture and a drain circuit including a first flow path having a first valve between the mixing unit and a drain, a second flow path having a second valve between the mixing unit and the processing chamber, whereby the first flow path can be opened until the predetermined mixture is reached and thereafter, the second flow path can be opened allowing the predetermined mixture to be delivered to the chamber.