Substrate Traverser Ducts for Particle Contamination Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor processing systems face challenges in reducing particulate contamination and improving throughput while maintaining equipment reliability and efficiency, especially with the increasing demand for smaller feature sizes and higher wafer production rates, which are hindered by traditional wafer handling methods that generate particles and increase contamination.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a substrate traverser mechanism with slits and a fan filter unit to provide filtered air, maintaining a pressure differential and airflow velocities that prevent particle contamination, combined with a clock-arm substrate carrier mechanism for continuous processing and reduced chemical vapor escape, addressing the inefficiencies of traditional linear systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single carrier linear wafer motion system is used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to non-productive return time
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the wafer handling function into two independent modules: a clock-arm substrate carrier mechanism for transporting wafers between process chambers, and a linear substrate traverser mechanism for positioning wafers within the transfer module. This segmentation allows each mechanism to operate independently and continuously, eliminating the non-productive return time of a single linear system while keeping individual component complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the clock-arm carrier mechanism and linear traverser mechanism into an integrated transfer module that interfaces between process chambers. The clock-arm mechanism provides continuous wafer delivery while the linear traverser handles precise positioning, creating a merged system that achieves high throughput without requiring multiple separate process tools.
2Productivity
If multiple process tools are joined in parallel to increase throughput, then productivity increases, but device complexity and particle generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clock-arm substrate carrier mechanism enables continuous wafer transport by maintaining constant rotation and delivery to the transfer module, eliminating idle time between wafers. The linear traverser continuously positions wafers as they arrive, ensuring uninterrupted processing flow within a single integrated tool rather than requiring multiple parallel tools.
3Productivity
If wafer handling speed is increased to meet throughput demands, then productivity increases, but particle contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The linear substrate traverser acts as an intermediary mechanism between the clock-arm carrier and the process chamber. It gently receives wafers from the clock-arm mechanism and positions them precisely without direct contact with high-speed moving parts inside the process chamber, thereby reducing particle generation while maintaining handling speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional high-speed mechanical wafer handling mechanisms with a coordinated two-mechanism system that uses controlled, lower-speed operation. The clock-arm mechanism operates at moderate speeds with smooth acceleration and deceleration, and the linear traverser uses precise motor control to position wafers without generating excessive particles, thus substituting brute-force mechanical speed with controlled mechanical coordination.
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
The solution effectively reduces particulate contamination and enhances throughput by ensuring particles are drawn into the filtering system, maintaining chemical containment, and allowing for continuous processing with reduced chemical usage and improved substrate handling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A fan filter unit provides filtered air to the process chamber
Implementation Method 2
maintaining a pressure differential and airflow velocities
Implementation Method 3
airflow velocities that prevent particle contamination
Data Source
AI summary
In various exemplary embodiments described herein, a system and related method to reduce particle contamination on substrates is disclosed. The system includes a substrate traverser mechanism having tracks to transport substrate carriers with one or more traverser ducts arranged to surround, at least partially, the tracks. The one or more ducts have slits along at least a substantial portion of a length of the tracks. A traverser exhaust fan is coupled to one end of each of the one or more traverser ducts. The fan provides sufficient volumetric airflow such that a velocity of the volumetric airflow through the slits is greater than a terminal settling velocity of a predetermined particle size. The fan draws particles less than approximately the predetermined particle size generated by the substrate traverser mechanism into the one or more traverser ducts.