Substrate Lifting Structure With Suction for Particle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in effectively preventing the scattering of particles generated by drive mechanisms during the up and down movement of transfer arms, which can contaminate the substrate and affect processing quality.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a lifting unit that includes a cover enclosing a drive mechanism, a suction tube to capture particles, and a specific air flow design to minimize particle scattering, ensuring cleanliness during substrate processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a drive mechanism is used to move the lifting body up and down, then the substrate processing capability is improved, but particles are generated from the drive mechanism causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful factor (particles) is extracted from the system by introducing a suction tube that actively removes particles generated from the drive mechanism. The suction tube is connected to a particle removal device that extracts particles from the internal region, preventing them from contaminating the substrate processing area.
Solution Approach 2:
A suction tube is introduced as an intermediary element between the drive mechanism and the substrate processing environment. This suction tube acts as a mediator that captures and removes particles before they can reach the substrate, thus protecting the processing area while allowing the drive mechanism to continue its function.
2Ease of operation
If the lifting body protrudes from the internal region to the external region, then the processing body can access the substrate, but particles can scatter from the internal region to the external region
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube serves as an intermediary that intercepts particles attempting to scatter from the internal region to the external region. It is positioned to capture particles near the lifting body, preventing their spread to the substrate processing area while allowing the lifting body to maintain its protruding configuration for substrate access.
Solution Approach 2:
A suction mechanism using pneumatic principles is employed to create a controlled airflow that captures and removes particles. The suction tube utilizes negative pressure to draw particles away from the lifting body and into a removal device, preventing particle scattering while maintaining the structural configuration needed for substrate processing.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a cover is used to enclose the base, then the internal region is protected, but particles generated inside can still escape to the external region
Solution Approach 1:
Particles that are generated inside the covered internal region are actively extracted using the suction tube. The suction tube penetrates or is positioned within the covered region to capture particles at their source, preventing their escape to the external region while maintaining the protective enclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction mechanism operates continuously or during critical phases to maintain a particle-free environment within the covered internal region. By continuously removing particles as they are generated, the system ensures that particles do not accumulate or escape, maintaining the protective function of the cover while enabling safe substrate processing.
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
The apparatus effectively suppresses particle scattering and contamination, enhancing the cleanliness and quality of substrate processing by continuously removing particles through suction, thereby improving processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a suction tube having a suction port that sucks particles generated from the drive mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a base including a drive mechanism; a cover enclosing the base; a lifting body protruding from an internal region enclosed by the cover to an external region outside the internal region, and moving up and down with respect to the base by the drive mechanism; a processing body that is connected to the lifting body in the external region, and processes a substrate; and a suction tube with a suction port for sucking particles generated from the drive mechanism.