Noble Metal Plated High-Pressure Container for Semiconductor Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-pressure containers used in semiconductor processing face contamination issues due to the elution of metal particles during machining, which are difficult to remove and lead to contamination of substrates during processing with supercritical fluids, and the maintenance of coatings inside these containers is challenging, especially in narrow spaces.
Innovation Solution
A high-pressure container with a metal block cavity machined from one face to another, featuring a plating layer of noble metals on the inner walls to prevent contaminant elution, and a cover to seal the processing space, allowing for easy maintenance and clean processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the inside of a metal block is machined to form a processing space, then the volume of internal processing space is reduced and the number of joints is minimized, but contaminants are eluted from the internal wall surface during machining
Solution Approach 1:
A plating layer of noble metal is formed on the inner wall surface of the processing space before the machining process. This preliminary coating prevents contaminant elution during subsequent machining operations by creating a barrier between the machining tools and the metal block surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The plating layer of noble metal acts as an intermediary substance between the metal block and the machining environment. It serves as a protective interface that prevents direct contact between the machining tools and the base metal, thereby preventing contaminant generation while allowing the machining process to proceed.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a coating is applied inside the high-pressure container to prevent contaminant elution, then substrate cleanliness is improved, but maintenance becomes difficult in narrow processing spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The plating layer of noble metal provides self-service by being inherently resistant to further contaminant elution. Once applied, it maintains its protective function without requiring frequent maintenance or recoating, even in narrow processing spaces where access is difficult.
Solution Approach 2:
The plating layer is applied as a thin, durable coating that, while not permanently indestructible, provides sufficient protection for the service life of the container. In cases where the coating does deteriorate, the narrow space constraints are accepted as a trade-off for the initial protection provided.
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
The noble metal plating effectively suppresses contaminant elution during substrate processing with supercritical fluids, ensuring cleanliness and ease of maintenance, even in narrow processing spaces.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of inner wall surfaces of the flat cavity is coated with a plating layer of a noble metal
Implementation Method 2
The supercritical fluid has small viscosity, as compared with liquid, as well as high ability to dissolve liquid. In addition, no interface exists between the supercritical liquid and gas in an equilibrium state.
Implementation Method 3
the supercritical fluid is converted into gas by decreasing the pressure
Data Source
AI summary
In the present disclosure, the high-pressure chamber includes a chamber main body including a flat rectangular parallelepiped block of a metal which is formed with a flat cavity that serves as a substrate processing space in which a processing using a high-pressure fluid is performed on a substrate, and the substrate processing space being formed by machining the block from one of faces of the block other than the widest face towards another face opposing thereto. In a case where the cavity is constituted as a through hole, the though hole is provided with a cover configured to open or close the cavity on one side of the through hole, and a second block configured to air-tightly seal the cavity on the other side.