Particle Supply Device for Controlled Dust Intrusion Evaluation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dust intrusion evaluations in the semiconductor industry face challenges due to uncontrollable environmental conditions, making it difficult to perform reliable assessments of dust contamination when the lid of a FOUP is opened, and preventing evaluations under consistent conditions across multiple load ports or clean rooms.
Innovation Solution
A particle supply device with a housing and a particle supplier that creates a controlled environment by sealing the space between the FOUP and the load port, using a particle concentration measurer and controller to maintain a predetermined particle concentration, simulating clean room conditions, and optionally incorporating an air blower or particle recoverer to enhance evaluation accuracy and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional dust intrusion evaluation is performed without environmental control, then the evaluation can be performed simply, but the evaluation reliability is poor and results are inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the evaluation system into a controlled test chamber (simple enclosure) and a particle supply system (controlled particle generation). This segmentation allows environmental control to be achieved without requiring a complete clean room, thus improving reliability while limiting the increase in overall system complexity to only the essential test chamber components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a particle supply system as an intermediary device that releases particles into the test chamber. This intermediary allows precise control over particle concentration and distribution during the evaluation, enabling reliable dust intrusion measurements without requiring complex environmental control of the entire facility.
2Measurement precision
If dust intrusion evaluation is performed without particle concentration control, then the evaluation process is simple, but the measurement precision is insufficient for reliable dust intrusion assessment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a particle concentration sensor that continuously monitors the particle concentration in the test chamber and feeds this information back to the particle supply system. This feedback mechanism automatically adjusts particle release to maintain a predetermined concentration level, ensuring high measurement precision for dust intrusion assessment while automating the control process to manage system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls and changes the particle concentration parameter in the test chamber to a predetermined value during the evaluation. By standardizing this critical parameter, the system achieves precise and reproducible dust intrusion measurements. The particle supply system adjusts particle release rates to maintain this controlled parameter, balancing measurement precision with manageable system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple load ports are evaluated under different environmental conditions, then each evaluation can be performed independently, but comparison between load ports becomes unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal test chamber that can accommodate multiple different load ports while maintaining the same controlled environmental conditions. The particle supply system and measurement apparatus remain consistent across evaluations, allowing reliable comparison between different load ports. This universal setup enables the system to adapt to various load port configurations while maintaining evaluation reliability through standardized controlled conditions.
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
Enables highly reliable dust intrusion evaluations under controlled environmental conditions, allowing for consistent assessments across multiple load ports and replicating clean room conditions, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of dust contamination assessments.
Implementation Method 1
a particle supplier 2 supplies particles to an inside of the housing 1
Implementation Method 2
The housing 1 seals a space between a substrate carry-out port provided in a FOUP 5 and a substrate carry-in port provided at a load port 63
Data Source
AI summary
A particle supply device according to one embodiment includes a housing and a particle supplier. The housing seals a space between a substrate carry-out port provided in a FOUP and a substrate carry-in port provided at a load port of a substrate processing device. A particle supplier supplies particles to an inside of the housing.