Supersonic Particle Cleaning for Semiconductor Coating Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing atmospheric plasma spray (APS) coating technique suffers from the formation of void and crack layers within the coating film due to rapid cooling, leading to reduced etch rate and potential damage during semiconductor processes, and conventional cleaning methods like chemical treatments can further reduce coating thickness and alter surface roughness.
Innovation Solution
A surface treatment apparatus and method utilizing a supersonic nozzle to spray particles with hardness similar to the coating component, such as Yttrium Oxide, at supersonic speeds to remove contaminants and residues without chemical treatments, followed by gas blowing to clean and recoat the surface, maintaining coating thickness and surface roughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If APS coating technique is used to rapidly stack Y2O3 film, then coating efficiency is improved, but void layers and crack layers are formed inside the coating film
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the coating technique from atmospheric plasma spray (APS) to hot spray coating, altering the fundamental process parameters including heating method, particle acceleration mechanism, and deposition conditions. This parameter change enables rapid coating while avoiding the rapid cooling that causes void and crack formation in APS, thus maintaining both high productivity and coating integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the plasma-based thermal field of APS with a heated gas flow mechanical system in hot spray coating. The heating gas flows through a nozzle to heat and accelerate particles mechanically, substituting the complex plasma field with a simpler thermal-mechanical system that achieves similar coating efficiency without the detrimental rapid cooling effect
2Ease of operation
If chemical treatment is used to clean the part, then contaminants are removed, but coating thickness is reduced and surface roughness changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical treatment with a physical cleaning method using a jet device that sprays particles or gas at supersonic speed. This mechanical/cinetic cleaning approach removes polymer residues through impact force without chemical reactions, thereby eliminating the side effects of chemical treatment such as coating thinning and surface roughness changes while maintaining effective contaminant removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a jet device as an intermediary between the cleaning requirement and the coating surface. This intermediary delivers cleaning particles or gas that act as a mediator to remove contaminants without directly contacting and damaging the coating, thus achieving effective cleaning while preserving coating integrity
3Ease of operation
If polishing head is used to clean the part, then contaminants are removed by physical force, but coating thickness is reduced and surface average roughness changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the contact-based mechanical polishing method with a non-contact jet spraying method. Instead of using a polishing head that physically contacts and abrasively removes material, the system uses a jet device to spray particles or gas at supersonic speed to remove contaminants, eliminating direct mechanical contact and its associated damage to coating thickness and surface finish
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic principles by using a jet device that sprays particles or gas at supersonic speed to clean the coating surface. This pneumatic cleaning approach replaces contact mechanical polishing with a fluid-based non-contact method, achieving effective contaminant removal without the mechanical damage caused by polishing heads
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 method efficiently cleans and regenerates the surface, reducing coating thickness loss and maintaining surface integrity, while avoiding chemical treatments, thus enhancing productivity and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a nozzle configured to spray particles or a gas to the object at supersonic speed
Implementation Method 2
spray particles or a gas to the object at supersonic speed... to remove contaminants and residues
Implementation Method 3
followed by gas blowing to clean and recoat the surface
Implementation Method 4
spray particles with hardness similar to the coating component... to remove contaminants and residues
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive concept provides a method for treating a surface of an object to be treated, in which a part provided and contaminated in an apparatus for treatment of a substrate such as a wafer serves as the object to be treated. In an embodiment, the surface treatment method includes forming a vacuum in an atmosphere in which the object is provided and cleaning the surface of the object by collision of first particles with contaminants on the surface of the object at supersonic speed.