Integrated Process Gas Heating for Uniform Semiconductor Gas Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing process gas supply devices for semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature along gas lines, leading to particle generation and unstable reactions due to space constraints and increased heating zones.
Innovation Solution
A process gas supply device with an integrated heater part that surrounds both the gas hub and multiple gas lines, using a thermally conductive block and a heat generating element to uniformly heat the gas lines and hub, thereby maintaining stable process gas temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If individual heating jackets are installed on each gas line to heat them separately, then each gas line can be heated independently, but the device complexity and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual heating jackets into a single integrated heating structure that surrounds multiple gas lines simultaneously. This merging approach reduces the number of heating zones from multiple individual zones to one unified heating zone, thereby simplifying the control system and reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to heat all gas lines uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated heating structure serves multiple gas lines with a single heating element, making the heating system multi-functional. Instead of requiring separate heating jackets for each gas line, one universal heating structure performs the heating function for all gas lines, reducing the overall number of components and simplifying the system architecture.
2Temperature
If individual heating jackets are installed on each gas line, then each gas line can be heated, but the space occupied increases due to space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple heating functions into a single integrated heating structure, the total space occupied is reduced compared to having separate heating jackets for each gas line. The integrated structure consolidates the heating functionality into one compact unit that surrounds multiple gas lines, thereby minimizing the overall space requirement in the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated heating structure is designed to nest around multiple gas lines simultaneously, with the gas lines positioned within the heating structure. This nesting arrangement allows the heating structure to efficiently occupy minimal space while providing heating to all gas lines, optimizing the use of available space in the confined device environment.
3Ease of operation
If multiple individual heating zones are created for each gas line, then each zone can be controlled, but temperature uniformity decreases causing particle generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple heating zones into a single unified heating zone with one integrated heating element. This eliminates the temperature variations that occur at the boundaries between multiple adjacent heating zones, ensuring uniform temperature distribution across all gas lines. The single heating zone approach prevents the formation of temperature gradients and hot/cold spots that would otherwise lead to particle generation.
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 ensures uniform and stable heating of process gas throughout the gas lines and hub, preventing particle generation and ensuring stable reactions, while also optimizing space usage and reducing the complexity of heating zone control.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive block configured to surround the plurality of gas lines and the gas hub; and a heat generating element that is in at least partially contact with the thermally conductive block to heat the thermally conductive block
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a process gas supply device, which stably controls a temperature of a process gas to supply the process gas, and a substrate processing system including the same. The process gas supply device includes a gas hub to which a process gas is supplied from a gas supply source, a plurality of gas lines branched from the gas hub to transfer the supplied process gas, and an integrated heater part provided to surround the plurality of gas lines and the gas hub so as to heat the gas hub and the plurality of gas lines at the same time.