Substrate Suction Ring With Flexible Edge Protection and Pressure Zoning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing top rings in chemical mechanical polishing apparatuses fail to stabilize substrate holding while preventing peripheral edge breakage and lack flexible adjustment of pressurization areas, necessitating complex fabrication for different substrate types.
Innovation Solution
A substrate suction member with a porous member, shielding member, and bag member that uses gas pressure for stable holding and adjustable pressurization, along with a distribution mechanism for flexible pressurization area control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substrate holder is provided on the side surface of the suction plate to prevent vacuum loss, then substrate holding stability is improved, but the peripheral edge portion of the substrate may be broken by reaction force from the substrate holder
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible shielding plate is introduced as an intermediary element between the substrate holder and the substrate. The shielding plate contacts the substrate's peripheral edge portion and absorbs reaction forces through its flexibility, preventing direct transmission of breakage-causing forces to the substrate while maintaining vacuum sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding plate's flexibility parameter is utilized to change the mechanical interaction characteristics. By making the shielding plate flexible rather than rigid, the system transforms the hard contact that causes breakage into a soft contact that absorbs stress, thereby protecting the substrate edge while maintaining holding stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the lower surface of the substrate holder is raised to prevent substrate breakage, then substrate edge protection is improved, but vacuum may be lost from the side surface of the suction plate
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible shielding plate serves as a mediator that allows the substrate holder to maintain its protective position without compromising vacuum sealing. The shielding plate fills the gap between the raised substrate holder and the substrate, preventing vacuum leakage while continuing to protect the substrate edge from breakage forces.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed pressurization areas are used in the top ring, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but flexible adjustment of pressurization areas for different substrate types is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The top ring's pressurization areas are made dynamically adjustable through a control mechanism that can selectively activate different pressurization chambers. This allows the system to transition from fixed to variable pressurization configurations, enabling adaptation to different substrate types while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing approach using modular elastic films.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressurization system is segmented into multiple independent pressurization chambers that can be selectively activated. Each chamber can be controlled independently, allowing flexible adjustment of pressurization areas for different substrate types without requiring complete redesign of the top ring structure.
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
Stable substrate holding is achieved without edge breakage, and flexible adjustment of pressurization areas is enabled, simplifying operations for various substrate types.
Implementation Method 1
the suction plate is provided with a shielding plate on its upper surface and provided with a substrate holder on its side surface so as to prevent the vacuum in a porous suction plate from being lost
Implementation Method 2
a bag member disposed so as to surround the porous member and communicating with a gas supply source
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An object of the present application is to hold a substrate stably while preventing a peripheral edge portion of the substrate from being broken. A substrate suction member 330 includes a porous member 334 that includes a substrate suction surface 334a for suctioning a substrate WF and pressure reducers 334b communicating with pressure reducing means 31, a shielding member 332 shielding a surface 334c of the porous member 334 opposite to the substrate suction surface 334a, and a bag member 336 disposed so as to surround the porous member 334 and communicating with a gas supply source 331.