Raised Floor Substrate Processing Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing apparatuses face challenges with chemical liquid leakage, leading to increased costs and reduced maintainability due to the use of resin materials with low strength and susceptibility to deflection, which complicates assembly and requires additional components for protection.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a raised floor structure, where the substrate processing part is installed on a base member with higher rigidity than the chamber's bottom wall, preventing chemical liquid from contacting sensitive components and eliminating the need for additional protective covers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resin material is used for the bottom wall to ensure chemical resistance, then chemical resistance is improved, but strength and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining resin material (for chemical resistance) with metal base support members and a metal base member (for strength and rigidity). The resin bottom wall is supported by multiple metal base support members that extend upward, and these support members are in turn supported by a rigid metal base member, creating a composite structure that leverages the advantages of both materials.
2Reliability
If resin material is used for the bottom wall to ensure chemical resistance, then chemical resistance is improved, but deflection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining resin material (for chemical resistance) with metal base support members and a metal base member (for strength and rigidity). The resin bottom wall is supported by multiple metal base support members that extend upward, and these support members are in turn supported by a rigid metal base member, creating a composite structure that leverages the advantages of both materials.
3Reliability
If additional protective covers are provided over electrical components to prevent chemical liquid contact, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the substrate processing part (including electrical components) from the chemical environment. The base member raises the substrate processing part to a position where it is separated from the bottom wall and the chemical liquid, extracting it from the harmful environment without requiring additional protective covers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dimensionality change by moving the substrate processing part from the same horizontal plane as the bottom wall to an elevated position in the vertical dimension. The base member raises the substrate processing part upward, creating a vertical separation that protects electrical components from chemical liquid while maintaining operational accessibility.
4Manufacturing precision
If height adjustment is performed individually on constituent components to compensate for deflection, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the base member a universal reference base for all constituent components of the substrate processing part. Instead of each component needing individual adjustment relative to the deflection-prone resin bottom wall, all components are mounted on the rigid base member which provides a stable, uniform reference plane, simplifying assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
In an substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, a chamber is configured so as to cover an internal space with a bottom wall, side walls extending from the periphery of the bottom wall, and a ceiling wall covering the upper end of the side walls. A plurality of base support members stand vertically upward from the bottom wall, and the base member is supported by upper end portions of these base support members. A so-called raised floor structure is formed. Then, the substrate processing part is installed on the upper surface of the base member. By adopting such a layout using the raised floor structure, even if leakage of the processing liquid occurs and the processing liquid is pooled on the bottom wall of the chamber, it is possible to reliably prevent the processing liquid from coming into contact with the substrate processing part.