Partitioned Gas Storage Container for Flash Supply Temperature Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Adiabatic expansion caused by flash supply of source gas in semiconductor manufacturing affects substrate processing.

Innovation Solution

A storage container with a larger flow path cross-sectional area and internal partition structures to manage gas flow, reducing the impact of adiabatic expansion during flash supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a large amount of source gas is supplied at once in a very short time (flash supply), then productivity is improved, but temperature decreases due to adiabatic expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas supply rateVSAvoidgas temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The storage container is divided into multiple storage chambers by partition walls, with each chamber having its own gas supply path to the process chamber. This segmentation allows the total gas flow to be distributed across multiple independent paths, reducing the adiabatic expansion effect in each individual path while maintaining high overall productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a storage container with multiple storage chambers as an intermediary device between the gas source and the process chamber. This intermediary structure enables controlled distribution of gas flow through multiple paths, mitigating the temperature decrease caused by rapid gas expansion while still achieving high supply rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If the flow path cross-sectional area is increased to reduce adiabatic expansion, then temperature is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas temperatureVSAvoidstorage container structure

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than creating one large complex flow path, the invention segments the storage container into multiple simpler chambers with individual supply paths. This segmentation achieves the temperature maintenance benefit of large flow paths while keeping each individual chamber and its associated piping relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple storage chambers with individual supply paths are merged into a single integrated storage container system. This combining approach achieves the temperature maintenance effect of distributed flow paths while presenting a unified, manageable device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution effectively mitigates temperature decreases due to adiabatic expansion, enabling both high flow rate and temperature compensation during flash supply.

Implementation Method 1

an adiabatic expansion caused by such a flash supply may affect the substrate processing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdiabatic expansion: Adiabatic Cooling

Data Source

PatentUS20260015725A1Storage container, substrate processing apparatus, gas supply method and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 KOKUSAI DENKI KK

AI summary

There is provided a technique that includes a storage container provided in a supply line through which a source gas is supplied to a process chamber, the storage container including: a storage structure capable of storing the source gas therein, wherein a flow path cross-sectional area of the storage structure is set to be greater than that of the supply line; and a partition structure arranged inside the storage structure along a gas flow direction, and configured to partition an inside of the storage structure by passing through a radial central portion of the storage structure when viewed from the gas flow direction such that a plurality of flow paths are formed.