Cooling device for semiconductor inspection apparatus to adjust temperature of inspection apparatus of semiconductor wafer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling devices for semiconductor inspection apparatuses face challenges in efficiently managing temperature across a wide range, particularly when high heat generation occurs, as they require separate setups for low and high inspection temperatures, leading to increased pressure on refrigeration systems and operational limitations.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a controller, circulating liquid passage, refrigerator, tank, pump, heater, heat exchanger, bypass passage, and valves that allow circulating liquid to bypass the heat exchanger, enabling efficient cooling and heating management across varying inspection temperatures by utilizing both the refrigerator and an auxiliary cooler.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the refrigerator is operated to remove heat from wafers generating large amounts of heat during inspection, then heat removal capability is improved, but system pressure increases and the refrigerator cannot operate under excessive load
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling circuits, each capable of handling specific heat loads. This allows the total heat removal task to be divided among several refrigerators, preventing any single unit from operating under excessive pressure while maintaining overall heat removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to handle heat removal in partial stages through multiple cooling circuits. Rather than requiring one refrigerator to handle all heat loads simultaneously (excessive action), the heat is progressively removed through staged cooling, allowing each refrigerator to operate within safe pressure limits.
2Reliability
If separate inspection apparatuses are prepared for high and low temperature inspections, then temperature control reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single inspection apparatus is designed with multi-functional temperature control capabilities. By integrating multiple cooling circuits that can be selectively activated, the system can reliably perform both high-temperature and low-temperature inspections without requiring separate dedicated apparatuses, thus reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature control system is made dynamic and adaptable through selective activation of cooling circuits. The system can adjust its configuration in real-time based on inspection requirements, transitioning between different operational modes (high temperature, low temperature, heat removal) within a single apparatus rather than requiring fixed separate systems.
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
Enables operation of the cooling device at high temperatures while maintaining efficient heat removal, allowing for semiconductor wafer inspection across both high and low temperature conditions without overloading the refrigeration system.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger of the refrigerator for cooling the circulating liquid is arranged on a downstream side of the wafer chuck in the circulating liquid passage
Implementation Method 2
a heater for heating the circulating liquid are arranged on an upstream side of the wafer chuck in the circulating liquid passage
Data Source
AI summary
In a cooling device 20 of the present invention, a bypass passage 20C for allowing circulating liquid to partly or wholly bypass a heat exchanger 15; a first valve 21; and a second valve 22 are provided. Thus, the a cooling device 20 having a refrigerator 100 capable of cooling to a low temperature can be operated even at high temperature and heat can be removed even when the inspection temperature is high. Thus, the inspection can be performed both cases when the inspection temperature is high and low. Consequently, the semiconductor wafer generating a large amount of heat during the inspection can be also inspected without causing problems.