Substrate Transport Cooling Buffer for Exposure Device Downtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
The efficiency of substrate processing is reduced due to temporary stops in the exposure device operation or substrates remaining in the exposure device, leading to temperature fluctuations that hinder appropriate processing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a receiving transferring section that includes a placement cooler and a temperature maintainer, controlled by a transport controller to manage substrate transport, ensuring the substrate is kept at the correct temperature and only transported to the exposure device when it is operational, using first and second transport devices to handle substrates between processing sections and the exposure device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the transport device immediately carries in the next substrate when processing starts, then processing speed is improved, but substrate temperature changes and processing quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is cooled to the appropriate temperature in advance in the placement cooler before being transported to the exposure device. This preliminary temperature adjustment ensures that when the substrate arrives at the exposure device, it is already at the optimal temperature for processing, eliminating temperature fluctuations caused by rapid sequential transport.
2Manufacturing precision
If the transport device waits for exposure device readiness, then substrate temperature stability is improved, but processing efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The placement cooler pre-cools substrates before transport to the exposure device, so temperature stability is achieved in advance. This allows the system to maintain high processing efficiency without waiting for temperature stabilization during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The placement cooler acts as an intermediary component between the processing section and the exposure device. It provides a buffer that decouples the transport timing from the temperature control requirement, allowing substrates to be transported immediately while still achieving temperature stability through the intermediary cooling process.
3Productivity
If multiple substrates are transported sequentially, then equipment utilization is improved, but temperature control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature control function is segmented into separate modules: the placement cooler for pre-cooling substrates and the temperature maintainer for maintaining temperature during waiting periods. This segmentation allows multiple substrates to be processed in sequence without increasing overall system complexity, as each module handles specific temperature control tasks independently.
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 configuration maintains substrate temperature and prevents efficiency losses by allowing continuous processing, even during exposure device downtime, ensuring substrates are transported in an appropriate state when the device is ready, thus minimizing processing delays.
Implementation Method 1
a placement cooler configured such that the substrate can be placed on the placement cooler, the placement cooler being for cooling the placed substrate
Implementation Method 2
a temperature maintainer configured such that the substrate can be placed on the temperature maintainer, the temperature maintainer being for maintaining a temperature of the placed substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate on which exposure processing has not been performed is carried into a placement cooling unit and cooled. The cooled substrate is held and carried out from the placement cooling unit by a transport device. In the case where an exposure device is able to receive the substrate, the substrate that has been carried out from the placement cooling unit is transported to the exposure device by the transport device. In the case where the exposure device is unable to receive the substrate, the substrate that has been carried out from the platform cooling unit is carried into a cooling buffer unit by the transport device. In the cooling buffer unit, a temperature of the substrate is maintained. After the exposure device becomes able to receive the substrate, the substrate is carried out from the cooling buffer unit and transported to the exposure device by the transport device.