Substrate Processing Apparatus Gas Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hydrophobic processing techniques for semiconductor wafers face issues with gas leakage and complex apparatus structures, leading to inefficient processing and increased operational burdens, as well as air turbulence that hinders gas dispersion and prolongs substitution processing times.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus that maintains a processing chamber open at the top, using a cover body to form a chamber with a gap or contact along the periphery, employing a processing gas supply and purge gas system where the processing gas flow rate is less than the exhaust flow rate, drawing purge gas into the chamber to prevent leakage and maintain atmospheric pressure, thereby reducing gas spread to the rear surface and simplifying the apparatus structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the processing chamber is hermetically sealed to prevent gas leakage, then gas leakage is prevented, but the apparatus structure becomes complex and assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hermetic sealing mechanism (exhaust passage, seal member, exhaust unit) from the processing chamber structure. Instead of sealing the chamber, the invention extracts only the necessary gas control functions through selective gas supply and exhaust arrangements that achieve gas leakage prevention without complex sealing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the gas flow control into separate zones: processing gas is supplied to the central processing area while purge gas is supplied to the peripheral area. This segmentation allows independent control of gas flows and achieves effective gas containment without requiring hermetic sealing of the entire chamber.
2Reliability
If the processing chamber is hermetically sealed, then gas leakage is prevented, but the number of components increases and assembly operation becomes burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the hermetic sealing components (exhaust passage, seal member, exhaust unit) from the system. By extracting these unnecessary components, the invention simplifies the apparatus structure and makes assembly operations easier while still achieving gas leakage prevention through alternative gas flow control methods.
3Productivity
If processing gas is supplied at high flow rate, then processing efficiency is improved, but gas disperses to rear surface causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the gas supply system into two segmented zones: processing gas is supplied to the central area for efficient hydrophobic processing, while purge gas is supplied to the peripheral area to contain and control the gas flow direction. This segmentation prevents processing gas from dispersing to the rear surface while maintaining high processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces purge gas as an intermediary substance that acts as a barrier between the processing gas and the rear surface. The purge gas flows in the peripheral area to prevent processing gas from reaching the rear surface, thus eliminating contamination without reducing processing gas flow rate.
4Reliability
If the chamber is sealed with exhaust passages and seal members, then gas leakage is prevented, but the apparatus structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hermetic sealing system (exhaust passage, seal member, exhaust unit) from the processing chamber. By extracting these complex sealing components, the invention achieves gas leakage prevention through simpler gas flow control mechanisms without requiring multi-component sealing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments gas control into functional zones using separate gas supply and exhaust arrangements. Processing gas is supplied to the central area while purge gas is supplied peripherally, and exhaust is positioned to selectively remove gases. This segmentation achieves gas containment through functional zoning rather than structural sealing.
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 approach prevents gas leakage, reduces the complexity of the apparatus, enhances gas dispersion uniformity, and shortens processing times, ensuring effective hydrophobic processing without sealing the chamber, thus simplifying assembly and operation while maintaining high in-plane uniformity and preventing rear surface contamination.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure inside the processing chamber becomes negative
Implementation Method 2
the container main body 11 and the cover body 12 are closely attached to each other by suction
Data Source
AI summary
Processing gas is supplied from the central upper part of a processing chamber to a wafer on a mounting board, while the processing chamber is exhausted from processing gas exhaust passages at areas outside of the wafer. In addition, purge gas is supplied from purge gas supply passages to a buffer chamber formed between the peripheral part of a container main body and that of a cover body. The supplied flow-rate of the processing gas is made less than the exhaust flow-rate in the processing gas exhaust passages. Accordingly, the purge gas in the buffer chamber is drawn into the processing chamber via a purge gas supply hole formed of a gap between the container main body and the cover body due to a negative pressure inside the processing chamber caused by a difference between the flow rates.