Substrate Impurity Recovery Using Gas-Mist Liquid Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated recovery of impurities from hydrophilic semiconductor substrates is challenging due to the need for manual wiping of recovery liquids, which hinders efficient and accurate quantitative analysis.
Innovation Solution
An impurity recovery device that uses sprayers to spray a recovery liquid and dry gas mist onto the substrate, combined with a rotating recovery portion to collect the liquid, followed by a series of cleaning and drying steps, allowing for automated impurity collection and analysis regardless of substrate hydrophobicity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual wiping is used for hydrophilic substrates, then impurity recovery can be performed, but automation is difficult and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a gas blower to blow gas along the surface of the substrate, carrying the recovery liquid from the liquid introduction unit to the recovery portion. This pneumatic transport mechanism enables automated recovery of impurities from hydrophilic substrates without manual wiping, resolving the contradiction between automation and productivity.
2Ease of operation
If recovery liquid is sprayed onto substrate, then automated processing is enabled, but liquid distribution control becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The gas blown along the substrate surface acts as an intermediary carrier, transporting the recovery liquid from the introduction unit to the recovery portion. This intermediary gas flow ensures controlled and uniform liquid distribution across the substrate surface, enabling automated processing while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual wiping mechanics with a gas-driven liquid transport system. The gas blower creates airflow that carries the recovery liquid across the substrate surface, substituting mechanical contact with aerodynamic transport for automated and precise liquid distribution.
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
Enables automated and efficient recovery of impurities from both hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates, improving the accuracy of subsequent quantitative analysis by preventing manual intervention and ensuring thorough impurity collection.
Implementation Method 1
sprayers that spray a recovery liquid and a dry gas mist toward a substrate
Implementation Method 2
a recovery portion that rotates while being in contact with an outer circumference of the substrate and that recovers the recovery liquid
Data Source
AI summary
An impurity recovery device according to the present embodiment may recover impurities present on a surface of a substrate. The substrate may be placed on a stage. A sprayer may spray a recovery liquid toward the substrate along a direction from a side of a central part of the substrate to a side of the end part of the substrate. A recovery portion may recover the recovery liquid from the end part of the substrate.