Screwless Chamber Assembly Using Interlocking Wafer Processing Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for assembling chamber components in semiconductor fabrication use screws, which can lead to damage during locking and loosening, and may corrode over time, making them unsatisfactory for reliable assembly.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of screwless semiconductor chambers, where components are assembled without screws using contours and features that allow parts to interlock, such as mortise and tenon joints, inner spirals, and location pinning, facilitating assembly through gravity and non-rigid adherence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screws are used to assemble chamber components, then the assembly can be securely fastened, but the screws may become damaged during locking and loosening and may corrode over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes screws entirely from the assembly system and replaces them with a screwless interface mechanism. The chamber component includes a first portion with a convex protrusion and a second portion with a concave opening, allowing direct mechanical interlocking without fasteners. This extraction of the screw element eliminates the harmful factors of screw damage and corrosion while maintaining secure assembly through the complementary geometric features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the screw-based mechanical fastening system with a contour-based mechanical interlocking system. Instead of using threaded fasteners that rely on friction and clamping force, the invention uses precisely shaped convex and concave features that provide inherent mechanical coupling. This substitution eliminates the need for repeated locking and loosening operations that cause screw damage and corrosion.
2Reliability
If screws are used for chamber component assembly, then components can be securely connected, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By removing screws from the assembly system, the patent eliminates the complexity associated with screw selection, installation, tightening, and removal. The screwless interface requires only alignment and engagement of the convex protrusion with the concave opening, significantly simplifying the assembly process while maintaining secure connection through the interlocking geometric features.
Solution Approach 2:
The convex protrusion and concave opening are designed to self-align and self-engage during assembly. The geometric features guide the components into proper alignment and automatically secure the connection without requiring external fastening tools or operations. This self-service mechanism reduces assembly complexity and eliminates the need for skilled labor in screw installation and tightening.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a system includes: a gas distributor assembly configured to dispense gas into a chamber; and a chuck assembly configured to secure a wafer within the chamber, wherein at least one of the gas distributor assembly and the chuck assembly includes: a first portion comprising a convex protrusion, and a second portion comprising a concave opening, wherein the convex protrusion is configured to engage the concave opening.