Pod Cleaning Chamber Segmentation for EUV Contamination Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing EUV POD cleaning processes face challenges in efficiently separating cleaning and drying operations, which can lead to contamination and reduced productivity.

Innovation Solution

A POD cleaning chamber is designed with a cleaning sub-chamber and a drying chamber, separated by a shutter, and equipped with a chamber moving mechanism to transport the separation POD between the two chambers, allowing for separate and efficient cleaning and drying processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If cleaning and drying operations are performed in the same chamber, then the device complexity is reduced, but the risk of contamination increases and cleaning efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechamber structureVSAvoidcleaning reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning chamber is segmented into a cleaning sub-chamber and a drying chamber separated by a shutter. The cleaning sub-chamber contains cleaning nozzles for washing the POD, while the drying chamber contains drying nozzles for drying the POD. This segmentation prevents contamination between cleaning and drying operations while maintaining separate functional zones within the overall chamber structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If cleaning and drying operations are performed in the same chamber, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity decreases due to process interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechamber structureVSAvoidcleaning productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning chamber is segmented into a cleaning sub-chamber and a drying chamber separated by a shutter. The cleaning sub-chamber contains cleaning nozzles for washing the POD, while the drying chamber contains drying nozzles for drying the POD. This segmentation prevents contamination between cleaning and drying operations while maintaining separate functional zones within the overall chamber structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A shutter is introduced as a dynamic element that can move between positions to separate or connect the cleaning sub-chamber and drying chamber. This allows flexible control over when each operation occurs, enabling sequential processing that improves productivity by preventing process interference while maintaining the ability to combine operations when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If a shutter is added to separate cleaning and drying chambers, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidchamber structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning chamber is segmented into a cleaning sub-chamber and a drying chamber separated by a shutter. The cleaning sub-chamber contains cleaning nozzles for washing the POD, while the drying chamber contains drying nozzles for drying the POD. This segmentation prevents contamination between cleaning and drying operations while maintaining separate functional zones within the overall chamber structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A shutter is introduced as a dynamic element that can move between positions to separate or connect the cleaning sub-chamber and drying chamber. This allows flexible control over when each operation occurs, enabling sequential processing that improves productivity by preventing process interference while maintaining the ability to combine operations when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of time

If cleaning and drying operations are performed simultaneously in the same chamber, then the processing time is reduced, but the contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing timeVSAvoidcontamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning chamber is segmented into a cleaning sub-chamber and a drying chamber separated by a shutter. The cleaning sub-chamber contains cleaning nozzles for washing the POD, while the drying chamber contains drying nozzles for drying the POD. This segmentation prevents contamination between cleaning and drying operations while maintaining separate functional zones within the overall chamber structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A shutter is introduced as a dynamic element that can move between positions to separate or connect the cleaning sub-chamber and drying chamber. This allows flexible control over when each operation occurs, enabling sequential processing that improves productivity by preventing process interference while maintaining the ability to combine operations when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12246361B2Pod cleaning chamber
Publication Date: 2025.03.11 SUBARU TECNICA INTERNATIONAL
  • US12246361B2 patent drawing
  • US12246361B2 patent drawing
  • US12246361B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Proposed is a POD cleaning chamber including: a cleaning sub-chamber including an entrance door and accommodating and cleaning a separation POD being transported, the separation POD resulting from separating a POD; a drying chamber including an exit door and drying the separations POD transferred from the cleaning sub-chamber; a shutter being arranged between the cleaning sub-chamber and the drying chamber, the shutter being configured to ascend and descend; and a chamber moving mechanism transporting the separation POD from the cleaning sub-chamber to the drying chamber.