Substrate Processing Chamber Sealing With Particle Removal Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of environmental particles during the clamping process in supercritical drying chambers leads to critical defects in semiconductor manufacturing, primarily due to the compression of springs used for shock absorption, which are integral to the chamber's sealing mechanism.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that incorporates a damping unit, such as a spring with a central hole, and a particle removal unit that applies negative pressure to remove particles produced by the damping unit, along with a control unit to manage the process stages, including an opening, loading, sealing, processing, and particle removal steps, effectively addressing the issue of particle generation during chamber closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring damping unit is used to absorb shock during chamber closure, then the sealing reliability is improved, but particles are generated that cause defects in semiconductor processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes particles generated by the damping unit using a particle removal unit with negative pressure generation. This separates the harmful particle generation function from the beneficial shock absorption function, allowing the spring to continue providing sealing reliability while its harmful byproduct (particles) is actively removed from the processing chamber
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a particle removal unit as an intermediary system between the damping unit and the processing environment. This intermediary actively manages the particles generated by the spring, using negative pressure to suction particles away before they can contaminate the substrate, thus resolving the contradiction between needing the spring for sealing and avoiding particle contamination
2Reliability
If the chamber is closed and clamped to seal the processing space, then the processing integrity is improved, but shock and particles are generated during the closing process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by using the damping unit (spring) to absorb shock before it can affect the processing chamber during closure. Additionally, the particle removal unit is activated during the closing process to preemptively remove particles generated by the damping action, cushioning the processing environment from harmful effects
Solution Approach 2:
The particle removal unit acts as an intermediary that manages the harmful effects (shock and particles) generated during chamber closure. By introducing this intermediate system, the patent allows the chamber to be properly sealed for processing integrity while the intermediary actively removes harmful byproducts from the closure process
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 solution efficiently prevents process defects by simultaneously removing particles during the clamping stage, ensuring high-quality substrate processing and reducing defects in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a damping unit coupled to the first chamber body and absorbing shock that is applied to the first chamber body when relative movement is generated between the first chamber body and the second chamber body
Implementation Method 2
a particle removal unit removing particles produced at the damping unit
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus of processing a substrate and a method thereof. The apparatus of processing a substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a housing having an internal space; a process chamber disposed in the internal space and defining a processing space in which a substrate is processed-the process chamber including a first chamber body of which a relative position is fixed with respect to the housing and a second chamber body defining the processing chamber by being combined with the first chamber body; an elevation unit moving the second chamber body with respect to the first chamber body such that the processing space can be switched between a sealed state and an open state; a damping unit coupled to the first chamber body and absorbing shock that is applied to the first chamber body when relative movement is generated between the first chamber body and the second chamber body; and a particle removal unit removing particles produced at the damping unit.