Substrate Processing Vacuum Pump Purge for Film Adhesion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques fail to effectively suppress film adhesion to the interior of vacuum pumps during substrate processing, particularly in turbo molecular pumps used in film deposition processes.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus that includes a process gas supply to deposit a film on a substrate, a vacuum pump to exhaust the chamber, and a purge gas supply that uses the same carrier gas as the process gas to purge the vacuum pump, thereby maintaining a consistent gas environment and reducing film deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a turbo molecular pump is used to exhaust the processing chamber during film deposition, then vacuum performance is improved, but film adhesion to the pump interior occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust system is segmented into two separate gas pathways: a process gas pathway for film deposition and a purge gas pathway for pump protection. The purge gas supply introduces inert gas specifically into the pump interior through a dedicated inlet, separating the pump environment from the process gas environment to prevent film adhesion while maintaining vacuum performance.
Solution Approach 2:
An inert gas (such as nitrogen or argon) is introduced into the turbo molecular pump interior to create an inert atmosphere that prevents film deposition. The inert gas displaces the process gas and source gas from the pump interior, eliminating the conditions necessary for film adhesion while allowing the pump to maintain its vacuum function.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If inert gas is introduced into the exhaust system to prevent film adhesion, then film adhesion is suppressed, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inert gas supply system serves multiple functions: it prevents film adhesion in the pump interior, maintains a protective atmosphere during pump operation, and can be integrated with existing vacuum system controls. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically controls the inert gas supply based on pump operation status. The controller activates the inert gas supply when the pump is operating and deactivates it when the pump is stopped, allowing the system to self-regulate without requiring complex manual intervention or additional monitoring systems.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If purge gas is supplied into the vacuum pump, then film adhesion is prevented, but gas consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inert gas is supplied at a controlled, minimal flow rate that is sufficient to prevent film adhesion but not excessive. The gas flow is optimized to maintain just enough inert atmosphere in the pump interior to prevent deposition, thereby minimizing gas consumption while achieving the protective effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The inert gas supply operates continuously during pump operation to maintain constant protection against film adhesion. This continuous action prevents the need for periodic maintenance or intervention, and the steady-state operation allows for optimized gas flow rates that minimize consumption while ensuring continuous protection.
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 effectively suppresses film adhesion to the vacuum pump, reducing maintenance costs and particle generation by maintaining a controlled gas environment within the pump.
Implementation Method 1
a process gas including a source gas and a carrier gas that carries the source gas
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum pump configured to exhaust an interior of the processing chamber
Implementation Method 3
a purge gas supply configured to supply a purge gas into the vacuum pump. The purge gas includes a first gas that is identical to the carrier gas
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure is an apparatus that deposits a film on a substrate disposed in a processing chamber, and includes a process gas supply configured to supply, into the processing chamber, a process gas including a source gas and a carrier gas that carries the source gas, a vacuum pump configured to exhaust an interior of the processing chamber, and a purge gas supply configured to supply a purge gas into the vacuum pump. The purge gas includes a first gas that is identical to the carrier gas.