Shield Cooling Structure for Stable Film Formation in Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face issues with shield members warping due to thermal degradation, leading to film peeling and particle generation, which complicates the system and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a cooling structure that maintains the shield member at a constant temperature using a flow path adjacent to the sidewall, utilizing a conductive member, buffer member, and elastic fixing members to stabilize the shield member's temperature without additional cooling structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a shield member is installed in the processing container, then film formation is improved, but the shield member warps due to thermal degradation causing film peeling and particle generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies thermal conduction parameter changes by installing a conductive member (copper or aluminum) between the shield member and sidewall to increase heat dissipation. This changes the thermal parameters of the shield member, preventing warping while maintaining film formation quality. The conductive member has higher thermal conductivity than the shield member material, effectively conducting heat away from the shield member.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a conductive member as an intermediary between the shield member and the sidewall. This intermediary component facilitates thermal conduction from the shield member to the sidewall, preventing direct thermal degradation of the shield member while maintaining its functional position for quality film formation.
2Temperature
If additional cooling structures are added to stabilize the shield member, then temperature stability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the sidewall's inherent thermal conduction capability combined with a simple conductive member to achieve self-cooling of the shield member. The sidewall acts as a heat sink, and the conductive member enables automatic heat dissipation without requiring external cooling systems, controllers, or complex infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cooling function from a separate, complex cooling system and integrates it into the existing sidewall structure through a simple conductive member. This eliminates the need for additional cooling structures while maintaining temperature stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the shield member is directly fixed to the sidewall, then installation is simplified, but thermal degradation occurs causing warping
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive member serves as an intermediary between the shield member and sidewall, enabling simple installation while preventing direct thermal degradation. The intermediary component conducts heat away from the shield member, preventing warping while maintaining installation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite thermal management system by combining the shield member with a conductive member having superior thermal conductivity. This composite structure maintains the shield member's shape stability while allowing simple fixation to the sidewall.
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 effectively stabilizes the shield member's temperature, reducing film peeling and particle generation, simplifying the system, and lowering processing and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a conductive member installed between the shield member and the sidewall in which the flow path is located
Implementation Method 2
a buffer member having conductivity and interposed between the shield member and the conductive member
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of fixing members installed between the sidewall and the conductive member, having elasticity and conductivity, and configured to fix the conductive member so that the conductive member is pressed against the shield member
Implementation Method 4
fixing members... having elasticity and conductivity
Implementation Method 5
a temperature adjustment structure including a flow path inside a sidewall of the processing container
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing container; a temperature adjustment structure including a flow path inside a sidewall of the processing container; a shield member installed in the processing container so as to be adjacent to the flow path; a conductive member installed between the shield member and the sidewall in which the flow path is located; a buffer member having conductivity and interposed between the shield member and the conductive member; and a plurality of fixing members installed between the sidewall and the conductive member, having elasticity and conductivity, and configured to fix the conductive member so that the conductive member is pressed against the shield member.