Shower Head Assembly Pad Openings to Prevent Gas Hole Blockage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas hole blockage occurs due to displacement of the thermal conductive pad during high-temperature processes in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, leading to impaired heat transfer and gas flow.
Innovation Solution
A shower head assembly with a thermal conductive pad having openings larger than the gas holes, ensuring fluid coupling between gas holes, thereby preventing pad displacement and gas hole blockage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thermal conductive pad is used to improve heat transfer performance, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the pad may displace during high-temperature processes and block gas holes
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductive pad incorporates openings at specific locations corresponding to gas hole positions. These openings create localized quality differences in the pad structure, allowing gas to pass through while maintaining thermal conduction in other areas. This resolves the contradiction by enabling both heat transfer functionality and gas flow prevention of blockage simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The openings in the thermal conductive pad act as an intermediary structure between the pad material and the gas holes. Instead of allowing the solid pad material to directly block the gas holes, the openings provide a mediated path for gas flow while the surrounding pad material maintains thermal conduction. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction between heat transfer and gas flow requirements.
2Area of stationary object
If the thermal conductive pad is made larger to improve contact area and heat transfer, then heat transfer performance is improved, but the risk of displacement and gas hole blockage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pad design incorporates localized openings at critical positions where gas holes are located, while maintaining solid material in areas needed for thermal conduction and structural stability. This local differentiation allows the pad to be sufficiently large for heat transfer while preventing displacement-induced blockage at gas hole locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductive pad is segmented by incorporating openings that divide the solid material into regions. This segmentation creates a structure that maintains overall contact area for heat transfer while creating discrete zones that prevent displacement and allow gas flow, resolving the contradiction between pad size and displacement resistance.
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
Prevents gas hole blockage and maintains efficient heat transfer performance during high-temperature processes, ensuring uninterrupted gas flow and process continuity.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal conductive pad between the first plate and the second plate
Implementation Method 2
the thermal conductive pad including a first opening that fluidly couples the first gas hole to the second gas hole
Data Source
AI summary
A shower head assembly includes: a first plate including a first gas hole; a second plate including a second gas hole that is fluidly coupled to the first gas hole; and a thermal conductive pad between the first plate and the second plate, the thermal conductive pad including a first opening that fluidly couples the first gas hole to the second gas hole, wherein the first opening has a diameter greater than at least one from among a diameter of the first gas hole and a diameter of the second gas hole.