Substrate Sealing Structure With Reinforced Air Curtain

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing substrate processing apparatuses face issues with foreign matter ingress during atmosphere separation release, particularly during loading/unloading, centering, and maintenance, which compromises the integrity of the processing environment.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing apparatus with a tube-shape upper and lower sealing mechanism, combined with flow straightening members, forms an atmosphere-separated space and maintains an air curtain to prevent foreign matter ingress by controlling gas flow rates and forming a differential pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the cup member moves down to release atmosphere separation during loading/unloading and maintenance, then accessibility to the substrate is improved, but foreign matter may flow into the processing space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility during loading/unloading and maintenanceVSAvoidforeign matter ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A gas curtain is introduced as an intermediary barrier between the processing space and the external environment. Gas is supplied from the first opening in the ceiling wall through the atmosphere separating mechanism to create a protective gas layer that prevents foreign matter from entering the processing space while allowing operational access during loading/unloading and maintenance activities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the atmosphere separated space is formed using sealing members, then foreign matter is prevented from entering, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign matter preventionVSAvoidsealing mechanism structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The atmosphere separating mechanism employs flexible sealing members (upper and lower sealing members) that can move vertically to create and release the atmosphere separated space. These flexible sealing elements provide effective foreign matter prevention while maintaining relatively simple structural implementation compared to rigid sealing systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing members are designed to be movable in the vertical direction, allowing the atmosphere separated space to be dynamically formed during substrate processing and released during loading/unloading and maintenance. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt between protection mode and access mode without requiring complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Effectively suppresses foreign matter flow into the processing space, ensuring a clean environment during substrate processing even when atmosphere separation is released, enhancing processing integrity.

Implementation Method 1

a gas supplier configured to supply gas from a first opening provided in a ceiling wall of the chamber into the internal space

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas flow:

Implementation Method 2

maintains an air curtain to prevent foreign matter ingress by controlling gas flow rates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir curtain:

Implementation Method 3

an outside flow straightening member attached to the upper sealing member in such a manner as to straighten the flow of the gas passing between the upper sealing member and the lower sealing member to cause the gas to flow downward along an outer side surface of the lower sealing member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow straightening:

Implementation Method 4

forming a differential pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDifferential pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 5

an atmosphere separating mechanism having a tube-shape upper sealing member and a tube-shape lower sealing member and being configured to allow formation of an atmosphere separated space separated from a surrounding environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAtmosphere separation:

Data Source

PatentUS20260076129A1Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method and substrate processing system

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD

AI summary

A substrate processing apparatus has an outside flow straightening member and an inside flow straightening member. The outside flow straightening member straightens a gas passing between an upper sealing member and a lower sealing member so as to form an air curtain.When formation of an atmosphere separated space is released, the inside flow straightening member moves up and down integrally with the lower sealing member while the outside flow straightening member is attached to the upper sealing member and is maintained at a fixed position. This generates a differential pressure between an exit side of the outside flow straightening member and an exit side of the inside flow straightening member to increase the flow rate of the gas to flow downward from the outside flow straightening member along the outer side surface of the lower sealing member. Thus, the air curtains are reinforced.