Spiral-Vent Exhaust Conduit Liner for Deposition Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device fabrication, the deposition of material on the inner surfaces of conduits used for transporting exhaust gas from processing chambers leads to clogging, reducing throughput and affecting process uniformity due to the buildup of unreacted gases and byproducts from chemical vapor deposition processes.
Innovation Solution
A gas curtain device with a conduit liner that forms a gas curtain within the conduits to isolate the inner surfaces from deposited materials, preventing or reducing material deposition and maintaining a laminar flow to ensure consistent gas transport and uniform process results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional conduit systems are used for transporting exhaust gas, then the system structure is simple, but material deposits on the inner surfaces causing clogging and reducing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit system is segmented into multiple functional components: an inner conduit liner that can be independently removed, an outer conduit structure, and a cleaning system. This segmentation allows the liner to be replaced without replacing the entire conduit system, maintaining simplicity while preventing clogging and preserving throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cleaning actions by introducing reactive gases (oxygen or nitrogen) before material deposition becomes severe. This preventive maintenance approach clears deposits before they cause clogging, maintaining throughput without requiring complete system disassembly.
2Reliability
If conduits are cleaned frequently to prevent clogging, then material buildup is reduced, but processing time is lost and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-cleaning by introducing reactive gases that automatically remove deposits from the conduit inner surfaces. This self-service cleaning mechanism maintains process uniformity and prevents clogging without requiring external intervention or shutdown of the processing system, eliminating time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning process occurs continuously or periodically without interrupting the main substrate processing workflow. Reactive gases are introduced during or between processing cycles to maintain conduit cleanliness, ensuring continuous productive action without time loss to separate cleaning operations.
3Manufacturing precision
If the conduit inner surface is exposed to exhaust gas, then the system is simple, but material deposition occurs affecting process uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
A protective liner acts as an intermediary between the exhaust gas and the conduit inner surface. This liner prevents direct contact between deposited materials and the conduit structure, maintaining process uniformity by ensuring consistent gas flow characteristics while the liner itself can be easily replaced when saturated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic methods by introducing reactive gases (oxygen or nitrogen) through the conduit to chemically clean the inner surfaces. This gas-based cleaning mechanism maintains manufacturing precision by removing deposits that would affect flow uniformity, without requiring complex mechanical cleaning structures.
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 gas curtain device extends the time between conduit cleanings, increases the number of substrates that can be processed before cleaning is necessary, and achieves more uniform results by preventing material buildup, thus enhancing the efficiency and reliability of semiconductor fabrication processes.
Implementation Method 1
A gas curtain device with a conduit liner that forms a gas curtain within the conduits to isolate the inner surfaces from deposited materials
Implementation Method 2
maintaining a laminar flow to ensure consistent gas transport and uniform process results
Data Source
AI summary
A conduit system for transporting gas from a gas containing chamber for processing a substrate from which semiconductor devices are formed includes a liner with a spiral vent. The conduit system utilizes a curtain of gas to prevent or reduce deposition of material onto an inner surface of the conduit transporting the gas from the gas containing chamber.