Substrate Chuck Venting Control for Fast, Low-Wear Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate holding techniques face issues with excessive gas supply causing substrate floatation and sideslip, or insufficient gas supply leading to substrate separation and chuck wear, resulting in prolonged unloading times and decreased productivity.
Innovation Solution
A holding apparatus with a chuck, supply mechanism, and controller that simultaneously supply gas and communicate the first space with an outer space to quickly stop substrate holding, using solenoid valves and flow paths to manage pressure and gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If gas is supplied to the space between the substrate and substrate chuck to stop holding, then substrate chuck wear is reduced, but substrate may float and sideslip if gas supply amount is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The chuck is divided into multiple regions with different hole configurations: first holes for gas supply and second holes for communication with outer space. This segmentation allows different zones to perform different functions - the first holes provide controlled gas supply to reduce chuck wear, while the second holes prevent excessive gas accumulation that would cause substrate floatation and sideslip.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If gas supply amount is increased to prevent substrate chuck wear, then chuck wear is reduced, but unloading time is prolonged due to time needed to fill vacuum space
Solution Approach 1:
The second holes are pre-configured in the chuck structure to provide a communication path with the outer space. When gas supply is activated, the pressure equalization can immediately occur through these pre-positioned holes, eliminating the delay that would otherwise be required to fill the vacuum space. This preliminary structural preparation enables rapid pressure equalization without prolonging unloading time.
3Ease of operation
If vacuum is stopped from region outside substrate, then unloading is facilitated, but substrate may be forcibly separated causing chuck wear
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the chuck have different functional qualities: the first holes provide localized gas supply directly to the substrate-chuck interface to prevent wear, while the second holes provide localized communication with outer space to facilitate controlled pressure equalization. This local differentiation of functional qualities allows the substrate to be easily unloaded through the second holes while the first holes simultaneously prevent chuck wear by maintaining appropriate gas pressure at the interface.
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 approach reduces substrate chuck wear and sideslip while minimizing unloading time, thereby enhancing productivity.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a gas to a first space between the substrate and the chuck
Implementation Method 2
making the first space and an outer space communicate with each other
Data Source
AI summary
A holding apparatus that holds a substrate, including a chuck configured to hold the substrate, a supply mechanism configured to supply a gas to a first space between the substrate and the chuck via first holes provided at first positions of the chuck, an opening mechanism configured to make the first space and an outer space communicate with each other via second holes provided at second positions of the chuck that are different from the first positions, and a controller configured to control the supply mechanism and the opening mechanism so that a period during which holding of the substrate by the chuck is stopped includes a period during which supplying of the gas to the first space and communicating between the first space and the outer space are performed simultaneously.