Shield Plate Gas Displacement for Low Oxygen Atmosphere
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face limitations in quickly creating a low oxygen atmosphere, which can lead to oxidation of metal films during substrate processing, as they often rely on incomplete isolation methods that take time to establish a desired gas condition.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a chamber design that includes a shield plate and gas supply system, allowing for the rapid creation of a desired gas atmosphere by moving the substrate and shield plate within the chamber, using inert gases like nitrogen to minimize oxygen exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shield part is provided to block the lower opening and suppress oxygen concentration increase, then oxidation of metal film is suppressed, but the oxygen concentration cannot be reduced quickly enough
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is filled with inert gas before the substrate is introduced. The shield plate is positioned to block the lower opening in advance, creating a low-oxygen environment before oxidation can occur. This preliminary preparation ensures that when processing begins, the protective atmosphere is already in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber is divided into two separate spaces: a first chamber for holding the substrate and a second chamber for storing inert gas. This segmentation allows independent control of gas environments in each chamber, enabling rapid establishment of low-oxygen conditions in the substrate chamber by introducing inert gas from the storage chamber.
2Reliability
If the chamber is sealed and inert gas is supplied to create low oxygen condition, then oxidation is prevented, but it takes a certain amount of time to create sufficiently low oxygen condition
Solution Approach 1:
Inert gas is supplied to the first chamber before the substrate processing begins. The gas supply is initiated in advance to ensure that the low-oxygen atmosphere is established prior to substrate exposure, preventing oxidation from occurring during the transition period.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield plate is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically positioned to block or open the lower opening based on process requirements. This enables rapid adjustment of gas flow and faster establishment of the desired atmospheric conditions.
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 approach enables quick establishment of a low oxygen atmosphere, effectively preventing metal film oxidation and enhancing processing efficiency by ensuring a controlled gas environment around the substrate.
Implementation Method 1
a gas supply part for supplying gas to the lid internal space in a state in which the shield plate overlaps with the lower opening of the chamber lid part
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber body having an upper opening, a chamber lid part having a lower opening, and a shield plate arranged in a lid internal space of the chamber lid part. The radial dimension of the shield plate is greater than that of the lower opening. Covering the upper opening of the chamber body with the chamber lid part forms a chamber that internally houses a substrate. In the substrate processing apparatus, before the substrate is conveyed and the chamber is formed, the lid internal space of the chamber lid part is filled with the gas supplied from a gas supply part, in a state in which the shield plate overlaps with the lower opening. This allows the chamber to be quickly filled with the gas to achieve a desired low oxygen atmosphere after the formation of the chamber.