Substrate Supporting Member Gas Flow for Particle Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, particles adhere to the rear surface of substrates due to contact with substrate supporting members, and substrates can slide sideways due to air or gas sandwiched between the substrate and the supporting member, leading to defects and reduced yield.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a substrate supporting member featuring a protruding area for edge support and a recessed area with an auxiliary protruding area lower than the main protruding area, allowing gas to flow between the substrate and the supporting member, reducing contact and adhesion, and preventing sideways sliding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the substrate is placed directly on the substrate supporting member, then the substrate is securely supported, but particles adhere to the rear surface of the substrate and the substrate may slide sideways
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate supporting member is divided into multiple functional areas: a protruding area for edge support and a recessed area with an auxiliary protruding area for central support. This segmentation allows different regions to perform different functions - the protruding area provides stable edge support while the recessed area with gas flow prevents particle adhesion and sliding
Solution Approach 2:
A gas supply system is introduced to supply gas to the recessed area between the substrate and the substrate supporting member. The gas flow creates a cushioning effect that prevents direct contact between the substrate and supporting member surface, thereby preventing particle adhesion and substrate sliding while maintaining support stability
2Object-affected harmful factors
If gas is supplied between the substrate and substrate supporting member, then particle adhesion and substrate sliding are suppressed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate supporting member is segmented into a protruding area and a recessed area with an auxiliary protruding area. This segmentation allows gas to be supplied only to the necessary recessed region, preventing particle adhesion and substrate sliding without requiring a completely complex gas distribution system throughout the entire supporting member
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed area structure itself serves as the gas distribution channel. The gas supply inlet is positioned to directly supply gas to the recessed area, utilizing the existing structural geometry rather than requiring additional complex gas distribution components
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 design effectively suppresses particle adhesion and substrate sliding, improving semiconductor device yield by reducing contact pressure and electrostatic adsorption, while maintaining high processing efficiency and throughput.
Implementation Method 1
a flow passage communicated into the recessed area, for flowing a gas between the substrate and the substrate supporting member from the recessed area side
Implementation Method 2
a plasma generating section configured to excite the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate supporting member provided in a processing chamber for processing the substrate and configured to support the substrate, has on its upper surface, a protruding area that supports an edge side of the substrate from below; a recessed area provided inside of the protruding area so as not to be brought into contact with the substrate supported by the protruding area; and an auxiliary protruding area formed lower than the protruding area and provided in the recessed area, and has a flow passage that is communicated with inside of the recessed area, for escaping gas between the substrate and the substrate supporting member from the recessed area side.