Substrate Transfer Device Ionization Particle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device processing, fine particles in the atmosphere can become charged and cause contamination on substrates during transfer, especially in substrate processing apparatuses with electrostatic chucks, leading to damage and reduced production yield due to static electricity accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A substrate transfer device with an atmosphere introduction and exhaust system, a substrate transfer mechanism, and a gas ionizing unit that ionizes the atmosphere and a particle collecting unit to neutralize and remove charged particles, preventing their attachment on substrates. The system includes a fan filter unit and rectifying plates to collect charged particles, ensuring a clean atmosphere for substrate transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrostatic chuck is used to attract and hold the processing target substrate, then substrate holding stability is improved, but particle adsorption increases due to electrostatic force
Solution Approach 1:
An atmosphere control unit is introduced as an intermediary system between the electrostatic chuck and the substrate. This unit controls the atmospheric conditions (pressure, composition, flow) in the substrate processing chamber, which mediates the interaction between the electrostatic field and substrate particles, reducing harmful particle adsorption while maintaining substrate holding stability
Solution Approach 2:
The atmosphere control unit changes physical parameters of the environment (pressure, gas composition, flow rate) to modify the behavior of particles in the electrostatic field. By adjusting these parameters, the system reduces particle adsorption on the substrate while maintaining the necessary electrostatic holding force
2Ease of operation
If atmospheric pressure transfer is used for substrate transfer, then transfer simplicity is improved, but particle contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The atmosphere control unit creates a controlled atmospheric environment during substrate transfer. By controlling the gas composition and pressure in the transfer path, the system maintains a clean atmosphere that prevents particle contamination while allowing simple atmospheric pressure transfer operations
3Reliability
If static electricity is accumulated in the substrate processing apparatus, then electrostatic chuck performance is improved, but substrate damage increases due to discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The atmosphere control unit implements feedback control by monitoring conditions in the substrate processing chamber and adjusting atmospheric parameters accordingly. This feedback mechanism prevents excessive static electricity accumulation that could lead to discharge and substrate damage, while maintaining sufficient electrostatic chuck performance
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 prevents particle contamination by neutralizing and removing charged particles from the atmosphere, reducing the risk of substrate damage and improving production yield by maintaining a clean environment during substrate transfer.
Implementation Method 1
a gas ionizing unit for ionizing the atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
a substrate processing apparatus employing an electrostatic chuck which attracts and holds the processing target substrate
Implementation Method 3
the adsorption strength by which such small-sized particles are adsorbed onto a member, e.g., a processing target substrate, may be dominantly affected by an electrostatic force
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate transfer device includes an atmosphere introduction unit and an atmosphere exhaust unit provided at a top and a bottom portion of a main body of the device, respectively; and a substrate transfer mechanism provided between the atmosphere introduction unit and the atmosphere exhaust unit. The substrate transfer device further includes a downward flow forming unit provided, adjacent to the atmosphere introduction unit, to allow an atmosphere to be introduced through the atmosphere introduction unit and to downwardly flow through the substrate transfer mechanism and be exhausted through the atmosphere exhaust unit; and a gas ionizing unit for ionizing the atmosphere and a particle collecting unit for collecting particles included in the atmosphere, the gas ionizing unit and the particle collecting unit being sequentially provided in the direction in which the atmosphere downwardly flows, between the downward flow forming unit and the substrate transfer mechanism.