Rotating Substrate Gas Nozzle Layout for Uniform Film Thickness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing technologies face challenges in achieving uniform film thickness distribution and productivity, particularly in handling multiple substrates simultaneously during processes like film forming, where ensuring uniform gas supply and processing efficiency is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a turntable and multiple placing tables, equipped with nozzles that discharge processing gases within a radial range shorter than the substrate radius and include gas suction sections, allows for uniform gas distribution and processing across the entire substrate surface, enhancing in-plane uniformity and productivity by rotating the turntable and placing tables to align with the nozzles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple substrates are processed simultaneously on a turntable with placing tables, then productivity is improved, but uniformity of film thickness distribution deteriorates due to difficulty in achieving uniform gas supply to all substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is designed with localized nozzles positioned at specific radial distances from the turntable center, allowing different gas flow characteristics for substrates at different positions. The nozzles are configured to discharge processing gas in a radial range shorter than the substrate radius, creating locally optimized gas distribution zones that ensure uniform film thickness across all substrates while maintaining high productivity through simultaneous multi-substrate processing.
2Area of stationary object
If nozzles discharge processing gas over the entire substrate radius, then complete substrate coverage is achieved, but gas distribution uniformity deteriorates leading to non-uniform film formation
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzles are configured to discharge processing gas in a radial range that is intentionally limited to be shorter than the substrate radius. This partial action approach ensures that the processing gas is concentrated in optimal zones, creating uniform gas distribution across the substrate surface without the excess gas that would cause non-uniform film formation. The gas discharge radius is carefully controlled to match the effective processing zone requirements.
3Device complexity
If processing gas is discharged without dedicated suction sections, then device complexity is reduced, but gas removal efficiency deteriorates affecting processing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The gas suction sections are integrated with the existing nozzle structures, merging the gas discharge and gas suction functions into unified components. This integration allows efficient removal of processing gas and byproducts while maintaining a compact device design. The suction sections are strategically positioned to work in conjunction with the discharge nozzles, creating effective gas flow patterns that enhance processing quality without adding significant device complexity.
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 configuration ensures uniform film formation across multiple substrates, improving processing efficiency and productivity by ensuring precise gas delivery and suction, thereby promoting uniformity and quality of the substrate processing.
Implementation Method 1
a processing gas discharger configured to discharge a processing gas with respect to the plurality of substrates on the plurality of placing tables that move with the rotation of the turntable
Implementation Method 2
a gas suction section configured to suck the gas at an outer side of the processing gas discharger
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a turntable rotatably provided inside the processing chamber, a plurality of placing tables rotatable with respect to the turntable and placed with a plurality of substrates, respectively, at positions separated from a rotation center of the turntable, and a plurality of nozzles disposed at positions passing centers of the plurality of placing tables as the turntable rotates. The plurality of nozzles include a processing gas discharger configured to discharge a processing gas with respect to the plurality of substrates on the plurality of placing tables that move with the rotation of the turntable, in a radial range shorter than a radius of the plurality of substrates, and a gas suction section configured to suck a gas at an outer side of the processing gas discharger.