Placing Table Coolant Zoning for Uniform Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature adjustment systems in semiconductor manufacturing, such as plasma processing apparatuses, face challenges in achieving uniform temperature control across a placing table, leading to non-uniform heat distribution during processes like deposition and etching.
Innovation Solution
A temperature adjustment system comprising a heat exchange unit, a chiller device, a heating device, and a control device, with multiple heat exchange chambers and temperature detectors, allows for precise control of coolant pressure and flow rates to maintain uniform temperatures across the placing table, utilizing heaters and chiller units to adjust temperatures efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional heat control method is used with a single heat exchange system, then the system structure is simple, but the temperature uniformity across the placing table is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The placing table is divided into multiple regions (first region and second region), and each region is equipped with independent heat exchange chambers. This segmentation allows independent temperature control for each region, resolving the contradiction by achieving temperature uniformity through localized control while maintaining a modular system structure that doesn't overly complicate the overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
Different heat exchange chambers are configured with different coolant flow rates based on the specific temperature requirements of each region. The control device independently adjusts the coolant flow to each heat exchange chamber, enabling localized temperature optimization across the placing table surface without requiring complete system redesign.
2Speed
If coolant flow rate is increased to improve cooling efficiency, then temperature control speed improves, but temperature uniformity across different regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the coolant flow rate to each heat exchange chamber based on real-time temperature feedback from temperature detectors. The control device continuously monitors temperatures and modifies flow rates accordingly, enabling the system to maintain both fast response speed and temperature uniformity through adaptive control rather than fixed flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature detectors are installed in each region to provide real-time temperature feedback to the control device. This feedback mechanism enables the control device to adjust coolant flow rates to each heat exchange chamber independently, ensuring that temperature control speed and uniformity are maintained simultaneously through closed-loop control.
3Temperature
If pressure of coolant is adjusted to change temperature range, then overall temperature adjustment is achieved, but regional temperature uniformity is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant supply system is segmented into multiple independent channels, each serving a specific heat exchange chamber. This allows the control device to adjust pressure and flow rate for each region independently while maintaining overall temperature range control, resolving the contradiction by enabling simultaneous global and local temperature management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes multiple parameters (coolant flow rate, pressure, and temperature) independently for each heat exchange chamber based on regional requirements. The control device coordinates these parameter changes to achieve both overall temperature range adjustment and regional temperature uniformity through multi-parameter optimization.
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 system effectively reduces temperature non-uniformity on the placing table, enabling precise and uniform temperature adjustments, even during changes in processing conditions, thereby improving the consistency of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchange unit HE, a chiller device ChA, a heating device AH, a temperature detection device TDA and a control device Cnt. The heat exchange unit HE is configured to perform heat exchange using a coolant
Implementation Method 2
The chiller device is configured to circulate the coolant with respect to the multiple heat exchange chambers
Implementation Method 3
a heating device AH... control the chiller device to adjust a pressure of the coolant such that a temperature of the placing table reaches a first temperature range
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchange unit performs heat exchange using a coolant and is disposed inside a placing table and equipped with heat exchange chambers. The heat exchange chambers are disposed in regions, respectively, set on the placing table. The regions are set along a placing surface of the placing table. A chiller device circulates the coolant with respect to the heat exchange chambers. A temperature detection device includes temperature detectors. The temperature detectors are disposed in the regions, respectively, between the respective heat exchange chambers and the placing surface. A control device controls the chiller device to adjust a pressure of the coolant such that a temperature of the placing table reaches a first temperature range, and controls the chiller device to individually adjust flow rates of the coolant supplied to the heat exchange chambers, respectively, such that all of temperatures measured by the temperature detectors reach the first temperature range.