Substrate Gas Storage for Stable Mixed-Vapor Semiconductor Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In substrate processing for semiconductor devices, it is challenging to supply a sufficient amount of low vapor pressure gas when both low and high vapor pressure gases are introduced simultaneously into the process vessel, leading to variations in processing quality.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing apparatus with a storage system that stores both low and high vapor pressure reactive gases, allowing for controlled simultaneous supply of these gases to the substrate, ensuring a consistent and sufficient gas supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If low vapor pressure gas and high vapor pressure gas are introduced simultaneously into the process vessel, then film formation can be performed with multiple gases, but the low vapor pressure gas cannot be supplied in a sufficient amount

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to use multiple gasesVSAvoidamount of low vapor pressure gas

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The storage unit pre-stores the low vapor pressure gas before the film formation process. This preliminary action ensures that when multiple gases are used simultaneously, the low vapor pressure gas is already available in sufficient quantity and can be supplied at the required flow rate without being limited by its low vapor pressure characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If low vapor pressure gas and high vapor pressure gas are supplied simultaneously, then processing can be performed with gas mixtures, but the flow rate of low vapor pressure gas becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas mixture capabilityVSAvoidflow rate of low vapor pressure gas

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 improves processing quality by stabilizing gas flow rates and ensuring adequate supply of both gases, even when low and high vapor pressure gases are used together, thereby uniformizing the film formation process.

Implementation Method 1

when a low vapor pressure gas and a high vapor pressure gas are introduced into the process vessel simultaneously, it may not be possible to supply a sufficient amount of the low vapor pressure gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVapor pressure difference: Vapour Pressure

Data Source

PatentUS20250011929A1Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 KOKUSAI DENKI KK

AI summary

A substrate processing quality is improved when supplying different gases simultaneously. There is provided a technique that includes: a process vessel; a first supplier supplying a first gas into the process vessel; a gas pipe conveying a second and a third gas into the process vessel, the third gas having an element of the second gas but a molecular structure thereof differing from the second gas; a storage at the gas pipe to store the second gas and the third gas; a first valve at the gas pipe between the storage and the process vessel; a second and a third gas supplier supplying the second and the third gas into the storage, respectively; and a controller for storing the second and the third gas in the storage, supplying the first gas to a substrate and supplying the second and the third gas to the substrate from the storage.