Substrate Processing Dummy Cycle Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate processing, the repeated use of dummy substrates for atmosphere conditioning leads to inefficiencies when return processing is necessary, increasing the number of dummy substrate processing cycles and degrading processing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method and apparatus that includes a first processing chamber, a second processing chamber, and a retraction chamber, where dummy substrates are used only after the last product substrate is processed, allowing for reduced wasteful dummy substrate processing by optimizing the sequence of substrate processing and dummy substrate loading/unloading to minimize idle time in chambers requiring return processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dummy substrate processing is executed for each product substrate in return processing, then atmosphere conditioning is ensured, but the number of dummy substrates increases and processing efficiency degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by executing dummy substrate processing only once before the entire batch of product substrates enters the processing chamber, rather than before each individual substrate. This preliminary atmosphere conditioning ensures the chamber is properly prepared for all subsequent product substrate processing cycles, eliminating the need for repeated dummy substrate operations while maintaining reliable atmosphere control.
2Reliability
If return processing is performed with multiple dummy substrate cycles, then processing conditions are maintained, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate dummy substrate processing operations into a single consolidated operation. Instead of executing dummy substrate cycles before each product substrate return, the system performs one comprehensive dummy substrate processing sequence that conditions the atmosphere for all return processing operations, thereby reducing total processing time while maintaining condition stability.
3Reliability
If dummy substrates are loaded before each product substrate, then chamber atmosphere is conditioned, but device utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dummy substrate processing operation from the individual product substrate processing cycle and separates it as an independent preliminary step. By taking out the dummy substrate operation from each substrate's processing sequence and consolidating it before the batch enters, the system eliminates unnecessary device idle time and improves overall utilization while maintaining proper atmosphere control.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing method comprises: an execution step of executing the first processing for the plurality of substrates, and executing the second processing for the substrates having undergone the first processing; a recovery step of recovering the plurality of substrates having undergone the first processing and the second processing to the retraction chamber; a conditioning step of, after completion of the first processing for the last substrate among the plurality of substrates, loading a dummy substrate into the first processing chamber, executing the third processing for the dummy substrate, and unloading the dummy substrate from the first processing chamber; and a second execution step of, after the dummy substrate is unloaded from the first processing chamber in the conditioning step, loading the substrates recovered in the recovery step into the first processing chamber, and executing the third processing for the substrates loaded into the first processing chamber.