Substrate Processing Apparatus Common Gas Supply Box
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Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate processing apparatuses, the quality of films formed by multiple processing modules can differ significantly, leading to inconsistencies in semiconductor device manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a substrate processing apparatus with a common supply box controlling gas flow and valve groups between processing modules, allowing for synchronized but shifted gas supply sequences to ensure uniform film formation across modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple processing modules operate independently to increase productivity, then manufacturing throughput is improved, but film quality uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas supply systems of multiple processing modules into a single common supply box that distributes process gases to all modules. This unification ensures that all modules receive identical gas compositions and flow rates, eliminating quality variations while maintaining parallel processing capabilities for high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a shift time parameter that offsets the gas supply timing between processing modules. By carefully controlling this time parameter, the system ensures that gas supply to multiple modules occurs in a coordinated sequence, preventing overlap and maintaining uniform film formation conditions across all modules operating in parallel
2Manufacturing precision
If gas supply sequences are synchronized across processing modules to improve film uniformity, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing separate gas supply systems for each processing module, the patent combines all gas supply functions into a single common supply box. This consolidation reduces the overall number of gas cylinders, flow controllers, and piping systems, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining precise control over gas delivery to multiple modules
Solution Approach 2:
The common supply box is designed to serve multiple processing modules simultaneously with a single unified system. This multi-functional design allows one gas supply unit to control gas delivery to several modules, reducing redundancy and simplifying the overall system architecture while ensuring consistent gas supply parameters across all modules
3Manufacturing precision
If gas supply timing is shifted between processing modules to prevent gas overlap, then film quality uniformity is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic gas supply sequences with a defined shift time between modules. Each module receives gas supply in a repeating cycle, with the timing offset ensuring that when one module is receiving gas, others are in different process phases. This periodic timing prevents gas overlap and maintains uniform film quality while keeping the overall processing time efficient through parallel operation
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that includes: a first processing module including a first processing chamber for processing vertically arranged substrates; a second processing module including a second processing chamber for processing the substrates, the second processing chamber disposed adjacent to the first processing chamber; a first exhaust box storing a first exhaust system exhausting the first processing chamber; a second exhaust box storing a second exhaust system exhausting the second processing chamber; a common supply box controlling at least one of a flow path and a flow rate of process gases supplied into the first and second processing chambers; a first valve group connecting gas pipes from the common supply box to the first processing chamber such that a communication state is controllable; and a second valve group connecting the gas pipes from the common supply box to the second processing chamber such that a communication state is controllable.