Priming Nozzle and Separation Chamber for Faster Substrate Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The ramp-up time for cleaning agents in substrate processing modules, such as those used in semiconductor manufacturing, is significant, leading to reduced throughput due to the need for the dispensing nozzle to reach dispensing thresholds before resuming operation.
Innovation Solution
A priming system is introduced that includes diversion valves and a separation chamber to redirect cleaning agents outside the processing volume during idle periods, allowing for immediate resumption of dispensing at predetermined thresholds when needed, thereby reducing ramp-up time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the dispensing nozzle stops dispensing cleaning agents during idle periods, then energy is saved and processing efficiency is improved, but the ramp-up time increases when resuming dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The priming system maintains cleaning agents at predetermined dispensing thresholds during idle periods by continuously circulating and pressurizing them in the priming loop. This preliminary action ensures that when dispensing resumes, the agents are already at the required pressure and flow rate, eliminating the ramp-up delay that would otherwise occur when restarting from standby conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the ramp-up function from the main dispensing nozzle by introducing a separate priming system with its own nozzle. The priming nozzle is dedicated solely to maintaining agent readiness, while the dispensing nozzle focuses on actual substrate cleaning. This separation allows the priming system to continuously prepare agents without interfering with the dispensing cycle
2Reliability
If the cleaning agents are pressurized to reach dispensing thresholds, then dispensing performance is improved, but the time required to reach thresholds increases
Solution Approach 1:
The priming system implements continuous circulation and pressurization of cleaning agents through a closed loop containing the priming nozzle, separation chamber, and diversion valve. This continuous action maintains agents at optimal pressure and flow conditions throughout idle periods, ensuring immediate dispensing performance when needed without the time penalty of building pressure from scratch
3Loss of time
If the priming system continuously dispenses cleaning agents outside the processing volume, then ramp-up time is reduced, but cleaning agent consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation chamber captures cleaning agents that are dispensed during the priming phase and redirects them back into the agent supply system instead of allowing them to be wasted. The diversion valve controls the flow to redirect agents from the priming nozzle back to the supply source, enabling recovery and reuse of the cleaning agents, thus minimizing consumption while maintaining continuous priming
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a priming system, a substrate cleaning module having the priming system, and a method of operating the substrate cleaning module. The priming system includes a diversion valve configured to selectively direct a flow of an agent; a priming nozzle mechanism coupled with the diversion valve; and a separation chamber coupled with the priming nozzle mechanism. The priming nozzle mechanism includes a releasing nozzle configured to release the agent inside the separation chamber, and the separation chamber is configured to process the agent. The method of operating the substrate cleaning module includes operations to redirect an agent from a dispensing nozzle to a releasing nozzle during a time period when the dispensing nozzle stops dispensing the agent. The method further includes operations to continue dispensing the agent by the releasing nozzle during the same time period when the dispensing nozzle stops dispensing the agent.