Substrate Holder Clamping Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate holders require a significant force to compress seals for holding substrates, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially when handling variously shaped substrates like square or circular wafers during plating processes.
Innovation Solution
A substrate holding method utilizing a clamper system with a front frame, rear frame, and seals, where the force is applied closer to the clamper than the seals, allowing for efficient compression and locking with a relatively small force, and includes an outer seal to minimize protrusion and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substrate holder seals the vicinity of end portions of a substrate, then the front surface of the substrate is exposed to the plating solution, but a significant force is required to compress the seal member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies force to the front frame or rear frame at positions closer to the clampers than the seals, utilizing the lever arm effect created by the spatial arrangement. This dimensional positioning allows a smaller clamping force to generate sufficient sealing pressure through the mechanical advantage of the frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The front frame and rear frame act as intermediary elements that transmit and amplify the clamping force from the clampers to the seals. By applying force to these frames rather than directly to the seals, the system uses the frame structure as a mechanical mediator to achieve effective sealing with reduced input force.
2Reliability
If a significant force is applied to compress the seal member, then secure holding is achieved, but the ease of placement of the substrate onto the substrate holder deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The force application point is positioned in a different spatial dimension (closer to the clampers) than the seal location, creating a mechanical lever system. This allows the operator to achieve secure substrate holding with less force, improving ease of substrate placement while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of force application position from directly at the seal location to a position closer to the clampers. This parameter change in the force application point creates mechanical advantage, reducing the magnitude of force needed while achieving the same sealing pressure and substrate holding security.
3Reliability
If the substrate holder structure is designed to compress seals effectively, then sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The front frame and rear frame serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, transmit clamping forces, and act as leverage arms for seal compression. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, maintaining device simplicity while achieving reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate holder structure uses its own frame components (front frame and rear frame) to generate the necessary sealing force through the clamping action. The system is self-sufficient, using the applied clamping force amplified through the frame structure to compress the seals, without requiring separate actuation mechanisms for each seal.
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 method enables secure holding of substrates with reduced operational force, minimizing the size of the plating device and ensuring effective sealing, even for differently shaped substrates, thereby improving the ease and efficiency of substrate handling and plating processes.
Implementation Method 1
seals which come into contact with one of the front frame and the rear frame and the substrate when the front frame and the rear frame are clamped
Data Source
AI summary
A method for holding a substrate on the substrate holder is provided, and in this method, the substrate holder includes a front frame, a rear frame, a clamper for clamping the front frame and the rear frame; and seals configured to come into contact with the substrate and one of the front frame and the rear frame when the front frame and the rear frame are clamped. The method includes pressing at least one of the front frame and the rear frame toward another one to press the seals against the substrate, and compressing the seals; and clamping the front frame and the rear frame by the clamper in a state that the seals are compressed. During the seals being compressed, a place where a force is applied to at least one of the front frame and the rear frame is a position closer to the clamper than the seals.