Substrate Carrier Drainage Edges for Droplet Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor processing, liquid droplets often adhere to carrier surfaces and migrate to substrates during wet processing, causing contamination after the process is completed.
Innovation Solution
The carrier is configured with drainage areas and slanted surfaces or lines that direct liquid droplets away from the substrate area, preventing them from falling on the substrates and minimizing contamination. This includes tilted lines and surfaces that lead droplets to the ground, avoiding accumulation points and splattering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the carrier uses vertical or horizontal surfaces to support substrates, then the substrate support function is achieved, but liquid droplets accumulate on these surfaces and drip onto substrates causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional vertical or horizontal support surfaces into slanted surfaces that angle away from the substrate. This inversion causes liquid droplets to naturally drain away from the substrate area rather than accumulate and drip onto it, thereby reducing contamination while maintaining the support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of liquid accumulation on carrier surfaces into a beneficial drainage system. By designing slanted surfaces, the liquid that would normally accumulate and cause contamination is instead directed to drain away from substrates, transforming the contamination risk into a cleaning mechanism.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the carrier has simple rod structures with teeth to hold substrates, then the substrate holding function is achieved, but liquid droplets can migrate along the tooth surfaces and fall on substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the tooth structure by adding slanted surfaces that angle away from the substrate. This inversion of the surface geometry prevents liquid droplets from migrating along the tooth surfaces toward the substrate, instead directing them to drain away, thus reducing contamination while maintaining the holding function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the carrier allows liquid to drain freely to the ground, then drainage is achieved, but liquid splattering can still contaminate substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary drainage path through slanted surfaces that guide liquid away from substrates in a controlled manner. This intermediary structure prevents direct free-fall drainage that causes splattering, while still achieving effective drainage by channeling liquid along the slanted surfaces to a collection point away from the substrate area.
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 reduces or eliminates liquid contamination on substrates by ensuring that any liquid droplets fall outside the substrate area, preventing potential contamination spots and ensuring cleaner substrate surfaces post-processing.
Implementation Method 1
The drainage area can include tilted lines and surfaces toward the ground away from the substrates
Data Source
AI summary
Substrate carrier can have drainage area leading the liquid away from the substrates, so that liquid droplet can be channeled away from the substrate area. The drainage area can include tilted lines and surfaces toward the ground away from the substrates. The carrier can further have drainage area leading the liquid to an end of the carrier, which then can be channeled to the ground without being free fall to the ground.