Orientation Chamber Purging for Semiconductor Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor substrate processing systems face challenges in maintaining a clean environment, particularly due to contamination from particulate and halogen gases, which can affect manufacturing efficiency and yield.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor substrate processing system incorporating an orientation chamber with a purging system that injects cleaning gases to remove contaminants and a degassing process to eliminate halogen gases, using a gas detector to regulate the cleaning gas flow and an energy source to accelerate outgassing, thereby maintaining a controlled atmosphere and preventing cross-contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a cluster tool with multiple process modules is used to process semiconductor substrates, then manufacturing efficiency is improved by performing multiple procedures without exposing to external contaminants, but the system complexity increases and requires multiple seals to create different atmospheric zones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the load lock chamber and orientation chamber into a single integrated chamber. The load lock chamber performs both substrate loading and atmospheric transition functions, while the orientation chamber performs substrate orientation and purging functions. This merging reduces the number of separate chambers and seals required, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated load lock/orientation chamber serves multiple functions: substrate loading, atmospheric transition between vacuum and inert gas environments, substrate orientation, and purging of contaminants. By making the chamber multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated chambers, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the substrate is kept in a sealed cluster tool environment, then contamination from external environment is reduced, but contaminants generated within the system (such as halogen gases from previous processing) can still affect subsequent substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a purging system that actively removes contaminants from the integrated load lock/orientation chamber before a new substrate is loaded or processed. The system uses gas flow to purge halogen gases and other contaminants generated during previous processing steps, ensuring that the chamber environment is clean before the next substrate enters. This preliminary cleaning action prevents internal contamination from affecting subsequent substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The purging system operates continuously or periodically to maintain a clean atmosphere in the integrated chamber. By continuously removing contaminants as they are generated, the system ensures that the atmosphere remains suitable for substrate processing throughout operation, preventing accumulation of harmful internal contaminants.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If separate degassing chambers are added to remove halogen gases from substrates, then internal contamination is reduced, but the device complexity and number of chambers increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the degassing function with the load lock and orientation chambers into a single integrated system. The purging system, which uses gas flow to remove contaminants, is integrated into the existing chamber structure rather than requiring a separate dedicated degassing chamber. This merging eliminates the need for additional chambers while still effectively removing halogen gases and other contaminants from substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated load lock/orientation chamber serves as a multi-functional unit that includes substrate loading, orientation, purging of external contaminants, and removal of internal contaminants such as halogen gases. By making this single chamber universal in its capabilities, the patent eliminates the need for separate dedicated chambers for each function, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining effective contamination control.
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 particulate and halogen contamination, enhancing the performance and yield of semiconductor substrate processing by integrating simultaneous purging and degassing processes within the orientation chamber, eliminating the need for additional degassing chambers.
Implementation Method 1
a purging system configured to inject a cleaning gas into the orientation chamber to remove contaminants from the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a degassing process to eliminate halogen gases, using a gas detector to regulate the cleaning gas flow and an energy source to accelerate outgassing
Data Source
AI summary
An orientation chamber is provided. The orientation chamber includes a substrate holder, an orientation detector, and a purging system. The substrate holder is configured to hold a substrate. The orientation detector is configured to detect an orientation of the substrate. The purging system is configured to inject a cleaning gas into the orientation chamber and remove contaminants from the substrate. The purging system includes a gas regulator adjusting a volume of the cleaning gas supplied into the orientation chamber according to a detection signal output from a gas detector which indicates a content of a specific gas contaminant outgassed from the substrate.