Movable Gas Supply Member for Warped Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate warpage due to high process chamber temperatures can cause interference with gas supply members in substrate-processing apparatuses, leading to processing inaccuracies.
Innovation Solution
A substrate-processing apparatus with a raising and lowering mechanism for the gas supply member, allowing it to be adjusted relative to the process chamber, thereby avoiding interference with warped substrates and ensuring accurate processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the process chamber is heated to high temperature before substrate processing, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the substrate may warp due to thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The supply member is made movable through a raising and lowering mechanism, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position relative to the substrate. This enables the system to adapt to substrate warpage by moving the supply member closer to or farther from the substrate surface, maintaining effective gas supply despite thermal deformation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the supply member is positioned close to the substrate for accurate gas supply, then the processing precision is improved, but interference with warped substrates occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The supply member's position is made dynamically adjustable through the raising and lowering mechanism. This allows the system to maintain optimal proximity to the substrate for accurate gas supply while avoiding interference by moving the supply member away when substrate warpage occurs, thus resolving the conflict between precision and interference avoidance.
3Device complexity
If a fixed supply member is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to adapt to substrate warpage is lost
Solution Approach 1:
A raising and lowering mechanism is introduced to make the supply member movable, enabling it to adapt to substrate warpage by adjusting its vertical position. This dynamic capability allows the system to handle warped substrates effectively while maintaining relatively simple mechanical structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate-processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to process a plurality of substrates; a rotation table that is disposed in an interior of the process chamber so as to be rotatable and at which the substrates are to be placed at positions that are away in a radial direction of the rotation table from a center of rotation of the rotation table; a supply member configured to supply gas to the substrates placed on the rotation table; and a raising and lowering mechanism configured to raise and lower the supply member relative to the rotation table.