Segmented Treatment Chamber for Fast Local Atmosphere Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional treatment apparatuses face low throughput due to the need to adjust the entire treatment chamber atmosphere for varying workpiece thicknesses, leading to increased processing time and gas usage.
Innovation Solution
A treatment apparatus with a support base and two units forming a closed space, where the internal space is substantially separated into a treatment space and a non-treatment space, allowing for early adjustment of the atmosphere around the workpiece through a gas inlet, reducing the volume of gas needed and stabilizing the treatment space atmosphere.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the treatment chamber volume is increased to accommodate workpieces of varying thickness, then the workpiece can be positioned at appropriate distances from the light source or electrode, but the time required to adjust the atmosphere around the workpiece increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment chamber is divided into a first chamber for accommodating the workpiece and a second chamber for generating ultraviolet light or plasma. This segmentation allows the atmosphere in each chamber to be independently controlled, enabling rapid adjustment of the workpiece environment without needing to adjust the entire large-volume chamber, thus resolving the contradiction between accommodating varying workpiece thicknesses and reducing atmosphere adjustment time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local atmosphere control by providing a gas inlet in the first chamber that directly supplies gas to the workpiece area. This creates a localized inert atmosphere around the workpiece independent of the second chamber's atmosphere, allowing rapid adjustment of local conditions without waiting for the entire treatment chamber to equilibrate, thereby reducing atmosphere adjustment time while maintaining versatility for different workpiece thicknesses
2Adaptability or versatility
If the treatment chamber volume is increased to enable workpiece position adjustment, then the separation distance between workpiece and light source/electrode can be optimized, but the gas consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the treatment chamber into two separate chambers, the patent confines the inert gas supply to only the first chamber where the workpiece is located. This eliminates the need to fill and maintain inert atmosphere in the entire large-volume treatment chamber, significantly reducing gas consumption while preserving the ability to adjust workpiece positioning for different thicknesses
Solution Approach 2:
The gas inlet is positioned to supply inert gas locally to the workpiece area in the first chamber rather than filling the entire treatment chamber. This localized gas supply approach reduces the total volume of gas required to achieve the necessary atmosphere for treatment, thereby reducing gas consumption while maintaining workpiece positioning flexibility
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 enables rapid adjustment of the workpiece atmosphere, improving throughput and reducing costs and environmental impact by minimizing gas usage and stabilizing the treatment space atmosphere.
Implementation Method 1
a discharge lamp or a plasma generator... The second unit emits ultraviolet light or plasma-containing gas generated by the discharge part toward the support base
Implementation Method 2
a discharge lamp or a plasma generator... The second unit emits ultraviolet light or plasma-containing gas generated by the discharge part toward the support base
Implementation Method 3
Higher oxygen concentration in a treatment chamber where the workpiece is located causes that the workpiece cannot be irradiated with the amount of ultraviolet light necessary for treatment, and desired treatment may not be performed. Because the vacuum ultraviolet light is absorbed by oxygen.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a treatment apparatus that can adjust the atmosphere around a workpiece at an early stage and has high throughput. The treatment apparatus includes: a support base on which a workpiece is placed; a first unit in which the support base is accommodated; a second unit that is disposed adjacent to the first unit and accommodates a discharge part; and a gas inlet through which gas is introduced into the first unit. The first unit and the second unit form a closed space. The second unit emits ultraviolet light or plasma-containing gas generated by the discharge part toward the support base. The support base is configured to enable the workpiece to move in a first direction in which the first unit and the second unit are adjacent to each other, and substantially separates an internal space of the first unit in the first direction.