Offline Brush Conditioning With Chemical Delivery for Wafer Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional brush conditioning methods in the semiconductor industry are inefficient, requiring significant time and resources, as brushes are not immediately usable due to contaminants and need to be conditioned before use, leading to lost productivity and higher running costs.
Innovation Solution
An offline brush conditioning system with a conditioning plate, brush holding device, and chemical delivery conduit is used to condition brushes, allowing for controlled chemical delivery and monitoring of contamination levels, reducing cross-contamination and optimizing the conditioning process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional brush conditioning methods are used, then brushes can be conditioned before use, but the process requires significant time and resources, leading to lost productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is conditioned before actual use on semiconductor wafers by contacting it with a conditioning plate that has previously been contaminated. This preliminary conditioning action removes loose contaminants from the brush bristles, allowing the brush to be ready for production use without requiring extended conditioning time during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
A conditioning plate serves as an intermediary element between the brush and the final product. The plate is deliberately contaminated and then used to condition the brush by contact, transferring contaminants to the plate and cleaning the brush in the process, thereby preparing the brush for its intended use without direct time-consuming conditioning procedures.
2Reliability
If brushes are conditioned using conventional methods, then they can be prepared for use, but the running costs increase due to time and resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The conditioning plate performs the conditioning function for the brush through simple contact during normal operation. The plate's contaminated surface naturally conditions the brush by removing contaminants through friction and contact, eliminating the need for separate conditioning equipment, chemicals, or extended processing time, thereby reducing running costs.
3Productivity
If brushes are used immediately without conditioning, then productivity increases, but contaminants on the brush cause defects in semiconductor wafer processing
Solution Approach 1:
The brush undergoes preliminary conditioning by contact with the contaminated conditioning plate before being used on semiconductor wafers. This preliminary action removes loose contaminants from the brush, ensuring that when the brush contacts the wafer, it does not transfer harmful contaminants that would cause defects, thus maintaining both productivity and product quality.
4Manufacturing precision
If extensive brush conditioning is performed, then contamination levels are reduced, but the time required for brush preparation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conditioning plate acts as a mediator that provides effective contamination control through a single contact event. The plate's pre-contaminated surface efficiently transfers contaminants to the brush during brief contact, achieving sufficient cleaning without requiring extended conditioning time, thus balancing contamination control with time efficiency.
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 system effectively reduces the time and cost associated with brush conditioning, ensuring brushes are ready for use within a shorter timeframe, thereby enhancing productivity and reducing defects in semiconductor wafer processing.
Implementation Method 1
a conduit configured to receive a chemical from a source for delivery of the chemical to one or both of the brush and the conditioning plate
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is disclosure for embodiments providing delivery of chemicals for conditioning a brush offline, where the brush is not coupled to a machine that makes use of the brush to clean a surface of an object.