Semiconductor By-Product Collection Tower with Extended Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional apparatuses for collecting by-products in semiconductor manufacturing processes face inefficiencies due to increased amounts of light gas in exhaust gases, leading to low-density porous by-products and reduced overall collecting efficiency, as well as potential damage to vacuum pumps from premature discharge of uncoagulated powders.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes an internal collecting tower with a cover and seed eliminating fins, a horizontal vortex plate, a heater with a heat conduction plate, and an extended discharging pipe to provide sufficient residence time and flow path for coagulation, generating a vortex to delay heavy gases and distribute heat uniformly, ensuring high-density by-product collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the apparatus uses a conventional trap tube structure with short flow path, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the residence time is insufficient causing low-density porous by-products and reduced collecting efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by placing the discharging pipe inside the internal collecting tower, with the extended discharging pipe penetrating through the collecting tower cover. This nested configuration extends the flow path length without significantly increasing the external footprint of the apparatus, thereby increasing residence time and improving by-product collection efficiency while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the discharging pipe in the vertical dimension by having it penetrate through the collecting tower cover upwardly. This vertical extension adds flow path length in the height direction rather than expanding horizontally, effectively increasing residence time without proportionally increasing the apparatus's horizontal footprint, thus improving collecting efficiency with controlled structural complexity.
2Productivity
If the apparatus discharges exhaust gas quickly through a short flow path, then the operation speed is fast, but the coagulation is insufficient causing low-density by-products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by extending the discharging pipe to increase the flow path length before the exhaust gas exits the apparatus. This extended path allows sufficient residence time for coagulation to occur within the collecting tower, ensuring that by-products achieve high-density formation before discharge, thereby improving coagulation efficiency without requiring reduction of gas flow speed.
3Productivity
If the apparatus collects low-density porous by-products, then the collection process is fast, but the space utilization is poor and collecting efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by extending the discharging pipe to create a longer flow path that ensures sufficient residence time for complete coagulation before discharge. This preliminary coagulation action within the extended flow path transforms low-density porous by-products into high-density compact by-products, thereby improving both space utilization in the collecting tower and the quantity of collected substance.
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 significantly increases the collection efficiency and density of by-products, extending the apparatus's lifespan and utilization of collection space, with up to 40% improvement in space utilization and weight capacity compared to conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a horizontal vortex plate on an inner wall of the housing, the vortex plate generating a vortex
Implementation Method 2
a heater with a heat conduction plate, the heat conduction plate extending in a direction away from the heater
Implementation Method 3
exhaust gas in which the amount of light gas is great in accordance with changes in the semiconductor manufacturing process is coagulated while having sufficient residence time in a long flow path
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an apparatus for collecting a by-product in a semiconductor manufacturing process. An objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for collecting a by-product such that exhaust gas having great amount of light gas is coagulated while having sufficient residence time in a long flow path, whereby the exhaust gas is collected as a high-density by-product. For this purpose, the apparatus includes: a housing receiving and discharging introduced exhaust gas and configured with a horizontal vortex plate; an upper plate covering an upper portion of the housing; an internal collecting tower provided with a collecting tower cover and a seed eliminating fin to extend a flow path and residence time of the exhaust gas; a heater having a heat conduction plate; and an extended discharging pipe configured to extend the flow path and residence time of the exhaust gas and discharge the exhaust gas.