Robot Arm Cleaning Dummy Chamber for Semiconductor Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased complexity of processing semiconductor devices with decreased feature sizes in integrated circuit manufacturing leads to contamination issues during lithography, particularly due to chemicals adhering to the robot arm mechanism, causing unwanted defects and pollution.
Innovation Solution
A processing apparatus with a dummy chamber integrated into the processing rack for cleaning the robot arm mechanism, which includes a shower head for fluid dispensing, a purge system for drying, and a brush or air knife for physical cleaning, allowing for immediate removal of contaminants between wafer transfers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot arm mechanism is used to transfer waffer between processing chambers, then wafer transfer efficiency is improved, but contamination of the robot arm with chemicals causes wafer pollution and defects
Solution Approach 1:
A dummy chamber is introduced as an intermediary space between processing chambers. The robot arm transfers into the dummy chamber where chemicals are purged, preventing direct contamination of the robot arm during wafer transfer operations. This mediator chamber allows the robot arm to be cleaned without interrupting the overall wafer transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Chemical purging is performed as a preliminary action before the robot arm transfers wafers. By clearing chemicals from the processing chamber into the dummy chamber beforehand, the robot arm is prevented from picking up contaminants during subsequent wafer transfer operations, addressing the contamination issue before it can affect wafers.
2Manufacturing precision
If chemical purging is performed continuously to prevent contamination, then wafer cleanliness is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Chemical purging is performed periodically at specific intervals in the process sequence rather than continuously. The dummy chamber accumulates chemicals during certain steps and purges them at designated times, maintaining wafer cleanliness while minimizing the time lost to purging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy chamber is nested within the existing processing chamber structure, utilizing available space efficiently. This integration allows purging operations to occur within the existing chamber volume without requiring additional external equipment or significantly increasing system footprint or processing time.
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
Prevents wafer pollution by effectively removing contaminants from the robot arm, maintaining a clean environment and reducing defects during the lithography process.
Implementation Method 1
a shower head for fluid dispensing
Implementation Method 2
a purge system for drying
Implementation Method 3
a brush or air knife for physical cleaning
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes transferring a wafer into a first processing chamber by using a robot arm mechanism, and applying a photoresist on the wafer in a first processing chamber. The wafer is transferred from the first processing chamber into a second processing chamber by using the robot arm mechanism, and the photoresist is exposed to a pattern of light in the second processing chamber. The method includes transferring the wafer from the second processing chamber into a third processing chamber by using the robot arm mechanism, and developing the exposed wafer in the third processing chamber. The method includes cleaning the robot arm mechanism in a dummy chamber.