Shower Head Cooling Plate Segmentation for Uniform Gas Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses have limited design freedom for gas flow paths, which affects the efficiency and responsiveness of gas distribution and cooling in plasma processing systems.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a shower head featuring a cooling plate and a gas uniform distribution layer that includes multiple gas flow paths and coolant passages, allowing for improved gas distribution and cooling efficiency, and a fastening mechanism to secure the plates, enhancing the design flexibility and responsiveness of the gas flow system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional integrated cooling plate design is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but gas flow path design freedom is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is divided into a first plate and a second plate that are coupled together. The first plate contains the gas distribution layer with gas flow paths, while the second plate contains the coolant passages. This segmentation allows independent optimization of gas flow path design and coolant flow design, providing design freedom for gas distribution while maintaining structural integrity through the coupling mechanism.
2Manufacturing precision
If gas distribution uniformity is improved through complex flow paths, then plasma processing performance increases, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the gas distribution functions into a dedicated first plate with optimized flow paths and the cooling function into a second plate, the design achieves uniform gas distribution through carefully designed gas flow paths in the first plate without requiring complex integration. This modular approach simplifies manufacturing while maintaining gas distribution uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas distribution layer in the first plate is designed with specific local features including gas inlet ports positioned at corners and intermediate portions, and gas flow paths with varying cross-sectional areas to control flow distribution. This local optimization ensures uniform gas distribution across the substrate processing area while keeping the overall structure manufacturable.
3Temperature
If cooling efficiency is enhanced through optimized coolant passages, then substrate temperature control improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is segmented into two plates where the second plate specifically handles coolant flow. This allows optimization of coolant passage design for efficient heat removal from the gas distribution layer and substrate, while the first plate focuses on gas distribution. The segmentation enables independent optimization of thermal management without complicating the overall structure.
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 enhances the uniformity and responsiveness of gas distribution, reduces manufacturing costs, and improves the cooling efficiency, enabling better plasma processing performance and increased flexibility in design.
Implementation Method 1
a gas uniform distribution layer configured to distribute a gas to a plurality of gas inlets
Implementation Method 2
a cooling plate configured to cool the shower plate, the cooling plate including a first plate and a second plate coupled to each other
Implementation Method 3
a fastening member configured to fasten the first plate and the second plate to each other
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a processing chamber; a substrate support that is disposed in the processing chamber and holds a substrate; and a shower head facing the substrate support, the shower head including a shower plate formed with a gas flow path through which a gas is discharged, and a cooling plate holding and cooling the shower plate, and the cooling plate including a first plate having a gas distribution layer through which the gas is distributed, a second plate having a coolant passage through which a coolant is supplied and a gas diffusion space into which the gas distributed by the gas distribution layer is supplied, and a fastening member fastening the first plate and the second plate.