Integrated Substrate Drying and Alignment for Faster Wafer Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing substrate drying and alignment processes in integrated circuit fabrication are inefficient, as they require multiple robot moves and lengthy alignment procedures, which decrease throughput and increase processing time due to the need for precise orientation of substrates before metrology or cassette insertion.
Innovation Solution
A substrate cleaning and drying system that integrates a drying station with an aligner stage and a robot arm to simultaneously dry and align substrates, allowing for efficient vertical drying, tilting, and horizontal alignment, reducing the number of robot moves and streamlining the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional separate drying and alignment processes are used, then alignment precision can be achieved, but processing time increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drying station and aligner stage into a single integrated system. The substrate is dried vertically in the drying station, then tilted and transferred to the aligner stage within the same system, eliminating the need for separate external alignment equipment and multiple robot moves. This integration reduces processing time while maintaining alignment precision through the dedicated aligner stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The aligner stage performs preliminary alignment of the substrate before it is transferred to the metrology system or cassette. By pre-aligning the substrate in the desired orientation within the drying system, the patent eliminates the need for time-consuming alignment adjustments after drying, thereby improving throughput while ensuring alignment precision is achieved beforehand.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple robot moves are used for drying and alignment, then flexibility is maintained, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the drying function and alignment function into a single integrated station, reducing the number of separate robot moves required. The robot arm performs fewer transfers by tilting the substrate from vertical to horizontal orientation within the same system, rather than moving to separate external stations. This maintains the necessary flexibility for substrate handling while significantly reducing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm is designed with dynamic tilting capability, allowing it to transition the substrate from vertical to horizontal orientation on-demand. This dynamic positioning capability provides the flexibility traditionally achieved through multiple discrete moves, but accomplishes the same task in a single continuous motion, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining adaptability.
3Productivity
If vertical drying process is used, then drying efficiency is improved, but substrate orientation changes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm incorporates dynamic tilting capability that allows it to transition the substrate from vertical to horizontal orientation as needed. This dynamic positioning system simplifies the overall device complexity by integrating orientation control into the robot arm itself, rather than requiring separate complex orientation mechanisms. The vertical drying process maintains high drying efficiency while the robot arm handles orientation changes efficiently.
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 enhances throughput by reducing processing time and cost per substrate, enabling faster alignment and insertion into metrology systems or cassettes, with a potential 18% increase in drier productivity and improved robot efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a dispenser to deliver drying fluid comprising a surfactant
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate cleaning and drying system includes a cleaning station, a drying station positioned adjacent the cleaning station, a cleaner robot to transfer a substrate from the cleaning station to the drying station, an aligner stage adjacent to the drying station, a robot arm rotatable between a substantially vertical first position for receiving the substrate from the drying station and a substantially horizontal second position for releasing the substrate onto the aligner stage, and a factory interface robot to transfer a substrate from the aligner stage into a factory interface module while in a horizontal orientation. The aligner stage includes a rotatable support to hold the substrate in a substantially horizontal orientation and to rotate the substrate to a desired orientation.