Substrate Holding Jig Anti-Tipping Mechanism for Semiconductor Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing apparatuses, such as vertical diffusion CVD systems, fail to reliably prevent boat substrates from tipping over during transfer and processing, especially during earthquakes or external vibrations, due to gaps in anti-tipping mechanisms and deflection issues caused by varying wafer loads, leading to potential damage and reduced manufacturing productivity.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus equipped with a substrate holding jig movement suppression mechanism that includes a boat anti-tipping mechanism with vertical and horizontal pins to securely lock the substrate holding jig in place, preventing horizontal and vertical movement and rotation, thereby ensuring the substrate remains stable during transfer and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a boat locking mechanism is used to prevent the boat from tipping over, then the boat stability is improved, but the mechanism cannot lock the boat while it is moving between positions, leaving it vulnerable to tipping during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-tipping damper is pre-installed on the boat support arm in a retracted position. Before the boat is moved to a new position, the damper is extended to engage with the boat, preventing tipping during the transfer process. This preliminary action ensures protection is in place before the boat becomes vulnerable.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-tipping damper is designed as a movable component that can extend and retract. It dynamically adjusts its position: retracted when the boat is stationary at a mount stand, and extended when the boat is being transferred. This dynamic behavior allows the system to provide protection only when needed, resolving the contradiction between stability during transfer and mechanism simplicity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If an anti-tipping damper is installed on the boat support arm, then the boat is prevented from tipping over during movement, but the gap between the damper and boat prevents complete prevention of tipping
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-tipping damper is designed as a telescopic or extendable structure that can dynamically adjust its length. When the boat needs protection, the damper extends to eliminate the gap and make full contact with the boat. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to achieve precise engagement without requiring precise manufacturing tolerances for the gap.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper's effective length is changed based on operational conditions. By extending the damper, the system changes the physical parameter of contact distance from 'with gap' to 'no gap', ensuring complete prevention of boat tipping while maintaining ease of manufacturing through adjustable rather than fixed dimensions.
3Device complexity
If the boat support arm supports the boat on one side only, then the structure is simplified, but deflection occurs varying with wafer load, causing the boat to move sideways
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-tipping damper acts as an intermediary element between the boat support arm and the boat. While the support arm provides primary support on one side, the damper serves as a secondary stabilizing element that prevents sideways movement by contacting the boat's side. This intermediary component compensates for the instability caused by single-sided support without requiring a complex dual-sided support structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber for storing a substrate and performing a specified processing on the substrate, a substrate holding jig for holding the substrate in the processing chamber, a placement stand capable of moving the substrate holding jig inside and outside the processing chamber while mounting the substrate holding jig, a substrate holding jig movement mechanism for moving the substrate holding jig to a location different from the placement stand while holding the substrate holding jig, and a substrate holding jig movement suppression mechanism for suppressing vertical and horizontal movement of the substrate holding jig in order to keep the substrate holding jig mounted on the placement unit of the substrate holding jig movement mechanism.