Remote Solid Refill Chamber for Semiconductor Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor manufacturing processes face downtime and quality/safety excursions due to the need to service and change out large delivery vessels for chemical precursors, which are not efficiently managed in existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for coupling a delivery vessel to a remote refill vessel, where the chemical is stored, changed in phase (e.g., through heating or pressurizing), and transported to the delivery vessel, allowing for continuous operation and reducing the need for frequent vessel replacements by maintaining a temperature gradient within the delivery vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If delivery vessels are made progressively larger to reduce the need to service and change them, then the frequency of vessel replacement is reduced, but the delivery vessels eventually empty and still require swapping out causing downtime and quality or safety excursions
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the chemical storage function into two separate components: a large remote refill vessel for bulk storage and a smaller delivery vessel for active delivery to the reaction chamber. This segmentation allows the delivery vessel to be quickly replaced while the refill vessel maintains a large chemical supply, resolving the contradiction between reducing replacement frequency and maintaining operational continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote refill vessel acts as an intermediary between the bulk chemical supply and the delivery vessel. It provides a buffer storage capacity that enables the delivery vessel to be swapped without interrupting the overall supply chain, thus eliminating downtime while maintaining adequate chemical precursor capacity in the system.
2Productivity
If delivery vessels are made progressively larger to reduce servicing needs, then operational frequency is improved, but service and changeout operations become more complex and risky
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the storage system into a remote refill vessel and a delivery vessel, the system enables independent handling of each component. The smaller delivery vessel can be serviced with simpler, less risky operations while the larger refill vessel remains stationary and provides continuous supply, thus improving productivity without increasing handling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts the bulk storage function from the delivery vessel and places it in a separate remote refill vessel. This allows the delivery vessel to be optimized for easy, quick replacement while the refill vessel handles the bulk storage complexity, resolving the contradiction between continuous operation and simplified servicing.
3Loss of time
If delivery vessels are made progressively larger to reduce changeout frequency, then service frequency is reduced, but safety risks increase during service operations
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation of storage into remote refill and delivery vessels allows the system to reduce service frequency at the refill vessel while maintaining a smaller, safer delivery vessel for active use. The remote refill vessel can be serviced less frequently with reduced safety risks due to its remote location and stable storage conditions, while the delivery vessel is quickly replaced with minimal safety exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote refill vessel serves as a safe intermediary that buffers the system against the need for frequent service operations. It provides a large chemical supply that can be depleted over time without requiring frequent handling, thus reducing safety risks while maintaining adequate supply duration.
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 approach minimizes downtime, reduces labor and safety risks, and allows for continuous operation by enabling remote refilling of delivery vessels, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of semiconductor processing.
Implementation Method 1
changing a phase of the chemical in the remote refill vessel to a second phase
Implementation Method 2
changing the phase of the chemical further comprises heating the chemical or pressurizing the chemical
Implementation Method 3
changing the phase of the chemical further comprises heating the chemical or pressurizing the chemical
Implementation Method 4
maintaining a temperature gradient within an inner volume of the delivery vessel wherein the top portion of the delivery vessel is at a higher temperature than the bottom surface
Implementation Method 5
changing the phase of the chemical further comprises sublimating the chemical at a first temperature below a melting point of the chemical
Implementation Method 6
changing the phase of the chemical further comprises liquifying the chemical at a first temperature above a melting point of the chemical
Data Source
AI summary
The substrate processing system includes a delivery vessel having a first inner volume, disposed in a first location on a substrate processing platform, a remote refill vessel in fluid communication with the delivery vessel via a chemical delivery line, the remote refill vessel comprising a second inner volume greater than the first inner volume and disposed in a second location remote from the substrate processing platform, and a first heating device or a first pressurizing device, or a combination thereof, proximate the remote refill vessel, operable to heat or pressurize, or a combination thereof, a chemical disposed in the remote refill vessel sufficient to change a phase of the chemical from a first phase to a second phase.