Optical Processing Apparatus Light Path Deviation for Substrate Exposure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing systems face challenges in maintaining stable light irradiation during the exposure process, leading to reduced throughput due to the need for wafers to pass through light irradiation areas multiple times and the time required for light sources to stabilize after being turned on.
Innovation Solution
An optical processing apparatus with a light irradiation unit that forms a strip-like irradiation area wider than the substrate, allowing relative movement between the stage and light irradiation unit, and a light-path changing unit that deviates light when not intended for irradiation, preventing exposure and stabilizing light intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the light source is turned off during substrate movement to prevent unnecessary exposure, then substrate exposure control is improved, but light intensity stability deteriorates due to the time required for the light source to stabilize after being turned on
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is turned on in advance before the substrate enters the irradiation area, allowing the light intensity to stabilize. The control unit manages the timing so that the light source starts emitting light before substrate movement begins, ensuring stable light intensity when exposure is needed while maintaining high throughput by avoiding repeated on-off cycles.
2Productivity
If the light source remains on continuously to maintain stable light intensity, then throughput is improved, but unnecessary substrate exposure occurs during loading and unloading movements
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is activated in advance before the substrate enters the irradiation area and is deactivated after the substrate has passed through, rather than remaining continuously on or off. This timing-based control ensures stable light intensity during exposure while preventing unnecessary exposure during loading and unloading operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the position of the substrate and the state of the light source, dynamically adjusting the light source operation based on whether the substrate is in the irradiation area. This feedback mechanism ensures that light is emitted only when needed, maintaining both exposure control and throughput.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the wafer is moved through the light irradiation area multiple times for loading and unloading, then operational flexibility is improved, but exposure stability deteriorates due to difficulty in adjusting irradiation amount
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit tracks the number of times the wafer passes through the irradiation area and accumulates the total irradiation amount. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the light source operation to ensure that the total exposure remains within the required range, even when the wafer passes through multiple times during loading and unloading operations.
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 solution ensures stable light irradiation of the substrate surface, preventing throughput reduction by avoiding unstable light exposure and minimizing the time required for light source stabilization, thus enhancing processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a light source unit configured to emit light
Implementation Method 2
a light-path changing unit configured to deviate light emitted from the light irradiation unit from a movement area of a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An optical processing apparatus includes: a housing; a stage; and a light irradiation unit configured to cause a light source unit to emit light so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending over an area wider than a width of a substrate in a right and left direction. The stage and the light irradiation unit are moved by a moving mechanism relatively to each other in a back and forth direction. Light emitted from the light irradiation unit is deviated by a light-path changing unit from a relative movement area of a substrate. When a substrate is relatively moved below the light irradiation unit without the intension of being subjected to a light irradiation process, a control unit outputs a control signal such that an irradiation area is not formed on a surface of the substrate by the light-path changing unit, while the light source unit emitting light.