Laser Processing Gas Flow Control for Debris-Free Beam Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor exposure technologies face challenges in achieving high resolution due to chromatic aberrations caused by wide spectral linewidths in excimer laser light, which affects processing precision and material handling, especially when processing materials like glass and ceramics.
Innovation Solution
A laser processing system that includes a gas supply and recovery system, where the direction of gas flow is controlled to oppose the movement of the irradiated region, ensuring effective debris removal and maintaining processing precision by adjusting the gas flow direction in response to changes in the beam scan direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the beam scan direction is changed during laser processing, then processing versatility is improved, but debris removal effectiveness deteriorates due to gas flow direction mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow direction is made dynamic by switching between first and second gas supply ports based on the beam scan direction. When the beam scans in a first direction, the first gas supply port activates; when scanning in the opposite direction, the second gas supply port activates. This dynamic adaptation ensures continuous effective debris removal regardless of scan direction changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control where the controller monitors the beam scan direction and automatically switches the gas supply port configuration accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures the gas flow direction always opposes the beam scan direction, preventing debris reattachment while maintaining processing versatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If gas flow rate is increased to improve debris removal, then processing precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing gas flow rate uniformly, the system applies gas flow locally and selectively through different supply ports based on the specific scan direction. This localized approach maintains effective debris removal precision while minimizing overall gas consumption and energy usage by activating only the necessary gas supply port during each scanning phase.
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 approach enhances processing rate and uniformity by effectively removing debris and preventing reattachment, thereby improving the precision and efficiency of semiconductor processing.
Implementation Method 1
a gas supply port via which a gas is supplied to a periphery of an irradiated region of the processing receiving object that is a region irradiated with the laser light, a gas recovery port via which the gas supplied via the gas supply port is recovered
Data Source
AI summary
A laser processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a placement base on which a processing receiving object is placed, an optical system that guides laser light to the processing receiving object, a gas supply port via which a gas is supplied to a laser light irradiated region of the processing receiving object, a gas recovery port via which the supplied gas is recovered, a mover that moves the irradiated region, and a controller that controls, in accordance with the moving direction of the irradiated region, the direction of the flow of the gas flowing from the gas supply port to the gas recovery port, and the controller changes the direction of the gas flow in response to a change in the moving direction of the irradiated region in such a way that the gas flows in the direction opposite the moving direction of the irradiated region.