Substrate Stage Blocking Structure for Guide Rail Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the movement of positioning devices in substrate processing apparatuses, foreign substances generated from the surroundings or damper systems can flow into the guide rail trenches and be introduced onto semiconductor substrates, leading to defects.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus is designed with a blocking member, including a vertical and horizontal blocking plate, positioned between the guide rail and the substrate stage to prevent the inflow of foreign substances. The horizontal blocking plate extends to cover the trench of the guide rail, while the vertical blocking plate covers the side wall of the substrate stage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a guide rail with a trench is used to guide the positioning device, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but foreign substances can accumulate in the trench and be introduced onto the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
A blocking member is introduced as an intermediary element between the guide rail trench and the substrate stage. This blocking member prevents foreign substances accumulated in the trench from being introduced onto the substrate, while not interfering with the guiding function of the trench. The blocking member acts as a mediator that resolves the contradiction by blocking the harmful path while preserving the useful function.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member is designed with a segmented structure including a vertical blocking plate and a horizontal blocking plate. The vertical blocking plate covers the opening of the trench, while the horizontal blocking plate extends toward the substrate stage. This segmentation allows the blocking function to be distributed across multiple surfaces that work together to prevent contamination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a blocking member is added to prevent foreign substance inflow, then substrate contamination is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is designed as thin plate structures rather than bulky components. The vertical blocking plate and horizontal blocking plate are implemented as thin film-like elements that provide effective blocking function while minimizing space occupation and structural complexity. This allows the contamination prevention function to be added without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the blocking member is fixed to the positioning device, then blocking effectiveness is improved, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to be moved between a blocking position (where it prevents foreign substance inflow) and a retracted position (where it allows access for cleaning and maintenance). This dynamic design enables the system to switch between different operational states, resolving the contradiction between blocking effectiveness and ease of maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a table in an exposure chamber that is configured to perform an exposure process on a semiconductor substrate, a guiding device including a first horizontal driving body slidably movable in a first horizontal direction and a guide rail on the first horizontal driving body and having a trench extending in a second horizontal direction, a positioning device connected to the guiding device, the positioning device including a slider, a second horizontal driving body and a substrate stage, the slider configured to slidably move in the second horizontal direction along the trench, the second horizontal driving body connected or fixed to the slider, the substrate stage on the second horizontal driving body and configured to support the semiconductor substrate, and a blocking member between the guide rail and the substrate stage to block an inflow of foreign substances onto the substrate stage.