Movable Pin Substrate Holding Device for Uniform Edge Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing technologies face challenges in achieving uniform processing at the peripheral edge of substrates due to fixed contact support positions, leading to potential processing failures and uneven processing widths.
Innovation Solution
A substrate holding/rotating device with movable pins arranged along the circumference, allowing the contact support position to be changed during rotation, utilizing a first and second pin group with movable pins that alternate between hold and open positions to ensure uniform processing across the substrate edge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clamping members are constantly in contact with the substrate to hold it during processing, then the substrate is securely held, but processing failures occur at the contact support positions due to uneven processing liquid feeding
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping members are made movable along the radial direction, transitioning between a clamping state (contacting the substrate) and an unclamping state (separated from the substrate). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to switch between secure holding and non-interference during processing, eliminating processing failures at contact positions while maintaining substrate stability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping members operate in periodic cycles, alternating between clamping and unclamping states during the processing procedure. This periodic action ensures that the substrate is securely held at the beginning and end of processing, while allowing uniform processing liquid feeding during the actual processing phase, thus achieving both reliable holding and processing uniformity.
2Reliability
If multiple clamping members are used to alternately hold the substrate during processing, then the influence of clamping members on processing is suppressed, but the contact support position remains unchanged causing localized processing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping members are equipped with moving mechanisms that allow them to shift their contact support positions along the peripheral edge of the substrate. This dynamic position adjustment ensures that even when multiple clamping members are used, their contact points are distributed uniformly, preventing localized processing failures and achieving uniform processing across the entire peripheral edge.
3Device complexity
If clamping members are disposed at fixed positions on the substrate periphery, then the device structure is simple, but processing liquid feeding becomes unsatisfactory at contact support positions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of fixed-position clamping members, the invention employs clamping members with moving mechanisms that enable radial movement. This dynamic capability allows the clamping members to adjust their positions to optimize processing liquid feeding, ensuring uniform distribution across the substrate periphery while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The position parameter of the clamping members is made variable rather than fixed. By enabling the clamping members to change their radial position, the system optimizes the processing liquid feeding characteristics at different contact support positions, achieving uniform processing without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The substrate holding/rotating device includes a plurality of movable pins each having a support portion in contact with a peripheral edge portion of the substrate to support the substrate, and a rotation unit which rotates the plurality of movable pins around the rotation axis, a support portion of each of the movable pins included in a first pin group is disposed so as to move between a first hold position included hold positions, the first hold position close to a rotation axis and a second hold position included the hold positions, the second hold position far apart from the first hold position to one in a circumferential direction and also so as to move between the first and second hold positions and an open position far apart from the rotation axis.