Substrate Mounting Table Sidewall Cleaning for Film Buildup Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unintended films formed on substrate mounting tables in semiconductor device manufacturing processes can affect substrate processing, leading to inefficiencies and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus is designed with a process chamber, substrate mounting table, process gas supply system, cleaning gas supply system, and exhaust system, where the cleaning gas and assistant gas are specifically directed to the side surfaces of the mounting table during substrate unloading to remove adhering by-products and contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the substrate mounting table is cleaned using conventional methods, then the substrate processing quality is maintained, but the unintended film on the side surface of the mounting table cannot be removed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a cleaning gas supply mechanism that targets the side surface of the substrate mounting table, adding a new spatial dimension to the cleaning process. Conventional cleaning methods only address the top surface, but this invention supplies cleaning gas from the side to remove unintended films that accumulate on vertical surfaces, thereby eliminating the harmful factor without compromising substrate processing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses cleaning gas as an intermediary substance to remove unintended films from the mounting table. The cleaning gas reacts with or dissolves the unintended film material, allowing removal without direct mechanical contact that might damage the mounting table or affect substrate quality. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by providing effective cleaning while maintaining processing reliability.
2Reliability
If the substrate mounting table is cleaned more frequently, then the unintended film influence is reduced, but the production time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables the substrate mounting table to clean itself through the side surface gas supply mechanism. The cleaning process is integrated into the existing production workflow, allowing the mounting table to remove its own unintended films without requiring separate manual intervention or shutdown of production. This self-service capability maintains high cleaning effectiveness while minimizing impact on production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The side surface cleaning mechanism operates continuously or periodically during normal production cycles, maintaining constant cleanliness of the mounting table. Rather than requiring periodic shutdowns for cleaning, the system provides continuous removal of unintended films, ensuring reliability without interrupting the production flow and thereby preserving productivity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a comprehensive cleaning system covering all surfaces is implemented, then all unintended films are removed, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies cleaning functionality specifically where it is most needed - the side surface of the substrate mounting table where unintended films accumulate. Rather than implementing a comprehensive cleaning system for all surfaces, the design targets the specific location with the cleaning gas supply mechanism, achieving effective removal of harmful films with minimal additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system is segmented into targeted zones, with the gas supply mechanism positioned to address only the side surface area. This segmentation allows the system to focus cleaning resources on the problematic region without requiring complex mechanisms to clean entire surfaces, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective film removal capability.
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 effectively reduces the influence of unintended films on the substrate mounting table, ensuring thorough cleaning and preventing contamination, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of the semiconductor device manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning gas and a cleaning assistant gas reacting with the cleaning gas are supplied to a side surface of the substrate mounting table
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that includes: a process chamber capable of processing a substrate; a substrate mounting table including a substrate mounting surface; a process gas supply system supplying process gas into the process chamber; a cleaning gas supply system supplying cleaning gas and cleaning assistant gas to a side surface of the substrate mounting table; an exhaust system capable of exhausting an atmosphere in the process chamber; and a controller capable of controlling the process gas supply system, the cleaning gas supply system, and the exhaust system such that the process gas is supplied to the process chamber while the substrate is on the substrate mounting surface and the cleaning gas and the cleaning assistant gas are supplied to the side surface of the substrate mounting table while the substrate is not on the substrate mounting surface.