Semiconductor Substrate Transport Mechanism for Airtight High-Temperature Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining airtightness during high-temperature treatments with corrosive gases, leading to impurity contamination and compromised film quality due to the erosion of seal members like magnetic seals and bellows.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a detachable substrate transporting mechanism and a second container that allows for airtight treatment without seal members, using a protective gas atmosphere and a transport path for temperature control to prevent impurity introduction and enhance film quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seal members such as magnetic seals and bellows are provided between the rotational shaft and the through hole to maintain airtightness, then the treatment container can be kept airtight, but the seal members may be eroded by corrosive gases and high temperatures, leading to impurity contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes seal members from the treatment container structure entirely. Instead of having a rotational shaft penetrating through the container wall with seal members, the substrate placing unit is designed to rotate without requiring penetration through the container, thereby eliminating the source of potential contamination while maintaining airtightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary mechanism to achieve substrate placement and rotation without mechanical penetration. The magnetic seal serves as a mediator that maintains airtightness without requiring physical contact between rotating and stationary parts through the container wall.
2Ease of operation
If a rotational shaft penetrates through the treatment container to rotate the substrate placing unit, then the substrate can be rotated during treatment, but the gap between the rotational shaft and through hole allows air containing impurities to enter
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical rotational shaft penetration system with a magnetic field-based rotation system. The substrate placing unit is rotated using magnetic forces that act through the airtight container wall, eliminating the need for mechanical penetration and the associated impurity contamination risk.
3Temperature
If the heating unit heats the treatment container to high temperature for film deposition, then the desired treatment can be performed, but corrosive gases may erode seal members
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes seal members from the high-temperature treatment environment. By eliminating the penetration structure and seal members, the treatment container can be heated to high temperatures without the risk of seal member erosion, enabling reliable high-temperature film deposition processes.
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
The solution ensures improved air tightness, prevents impurity contamination, and maintains high film quality by allowing airtight treatment without seal members and controlling temperature and atmosphere effectively, even with corrosive gases, thus enhancing productivity and film quality.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit configured to heat the substrates housed within the second container
Implementation Method 2
a transport path extending within the first container from the entrance to the exit and to load and unload the substrates into and out of the second container in order
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
Techniques are provided to improve the quality of the thin films deposited on substrates. A substrate transporting mechanism is configured to transport a plurality of substrates arranged in a line along a transport path extending in a first container from an entrance to an exit, and to load and unload substrates into and out of a second container in order. The driving units to drive the substrate transporting mechanism are configured to be detachable from the substrate transporting mechanism provided in the first container and are respectively provided in a substrate loading chamber and a substrate unloading chamber.