Low-Volume Substrate Process Chamber for Fast Pressure Cycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing chambers have large processing volumes, leading to inefficient gas usage, increased processing time, and high operational costs due to the need to fill and evacuate substantial volumes of gas, which is not utilized in the processing space.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a reduced processing volume of 20 liters or less, featuring an upper gas inlet above the substrate support, dedicated pumps for rapid pressure cycling, and a design that allows direct gas injection into the processing space, enabling fast pump-down and pump-up cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional processing chambers are used with large processing volumes, then substrate processing can be performed, but gas usage increases significantly and processing time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The processing chamber is segmented into distinct regions: a minimal processing volume (20 liters or less) for substrate processing and a separate region for pump ports and gas inlets. This segmentation allows the processing space to be minimized while maintaining functional requirements for pumping and gas delivery, directly reducing pumping time and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Gas inlets are positioned in three-dimensional space above the substrate support rather than only at the chamber base, enabling direct gas delivery to the processing volume. This spatial reconfiguration reduces the volume of gas needed for processing and decreases the time required to fill and evacuate the chamber, addressing both productivity and time loss.
2Productivity
If conventional processing chambers with large volumes are used, then substrate processing can be performed, but operational costs increase due to excessive gas consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The essential processing function is extracted from the large conventional chamber volume and concentrated into a minimal processing volume (20 liters or less). By removing the excess volume that does not contribute to substrate processing, gas consumption is significantly reduced while maintaining processing efficiency, directly addressing both productivity and substance loss.
Solution Approach 2:
Gas delivery is localized directly to the processing volume through strategically positioned inlets above the substrate support. This localized gas delivery ensures that gas is concentrated where it is needed for processing rather than filling the entire chamber volume, improving processing efficiency while minimizing gas consumption and waste.
3Reliability
If large processing volumes are used in conventional chambers, then substrate processing can be performed, but the chamber requires expensive and time-consuming evacuation and refilling cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is segmented to separate the minimal processing volume from the pump and inlet regions. This segmentation enables rapid evacuation and refilling of only the essential processing volume, maintaining process consistency through controlled gas delivery while reducing cycle time to less than 5 seconds for pressure cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
Gas inlets are pre-positioned in optimal locations above the substrate support to enable direct and rapid gas delivery to the processing volume. This preliminary configuration of gas delivery pathways allows for fast refilling during pressure cycling, reducing cycle time while ensuring consistent process conditions are quickly reestablished.
4Ease of operation
If conventional chamber designs with volumes exceeding 40 liters are used, then substrate processing can be performed, but the majority of the volume is not part of the processing space
Solution Approach 1:
The non-essential volume (exceeding 40 liters in conventional chambers) is extracted from the processing chamber, leaving only the minimal processing volume (20 liters or less) required for substrate processing. This extraction improves space utilization efficiency while reducing the overall chamber volume to eliminate wasted processing space.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing chamber is designed with local quality optimization where the processing volume is concentrated in the region most effective for substrate processing (above the substrate support), while pump ports and gas inlets are localized in separate regions. This creates a compact design with 20 liters or less total volume, maximizing processing space utilization and minimizing wasted volume.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and apparatuses for a substrate processing assembly with a low processing volume. In disclosed embodiments, a processing volume may include a processing space adjacent to a substrate being processed on a substrate support as well as a volume of the processing chamber surrounding and below the substrate support. In some embodiments, the total processing volume is 15 liters or less in certain embodiments, resulting in lower gas usage and faster processing times than conventional approaches. In some embodiments, the distance between the substrate and a target, electrode, chamber lid, or showerhead face is 35 mm or less in certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, the processing chamber has a dedicated pump for pumping the chamber to a processing pressure as well as evacuating the chamber after processing of the substrate.