Film Deposition Supply Pipe Plasma Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Film deposition apparatuses face challenges with particle deposition in supply pipes due to reactions between cleaning gases and pipe materials, leading to clogging and reduced efficiency over time.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a plasma generation unit within the supply pipe to generate plasma from cleaning gases and maintaining the supply pipe at a temperature of 100°C or higher, ensuring that particles do not deposit, and performing cleaning cycles within 36 hours or less to prevent clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plasma is generated from cleaning gas and supplied to the reaction chamber, then deposits in the reaction chamber are vaporized and removed, but particles are deposited on the supply pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful reaction between plasma and aluminum pipe into a beneficial cleaning process. By controlling the plasma parameters and pipe temperature, the reaction that would normally create deposits is instead used to vaporize and remove existing deposits from both the reaction chamber and supply pipe, transforming the harmful chemical reactivity into a useful cleaning mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the supply pipe by heating it to a predetermined temperature or higher. This temperature control prevents particle deposition on the pipe while maintaining the plasma's cleaning effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between cleaning performance and particle-free operation
2Object-generated harmful factors
If cleaning is performed frequently to prevent particle deposition, then particle-free operation is maintained, but operational time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by heating the supply pipe to a predetermined temperature before plasma cleaning is performed. This pre-heating prevents particle deposition during the cleaning process itself, allowing longer operational cycles without requiring frequent interruptions for maintenance, thus extending the duration between cleaning operations
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
Prevents particle deposition in the supply pipe, maintaining efficiency and ensuring continuous operation by regularly discharging substances before they form significant deposits, thereby extending the apparatus's operational lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a plasma generation unit provided in the supply pipe to generate plasma from the cleaning gas
Implementation Method 2
the supply pipe is provided with a heater, and the temperature control unit controls driving of the heater
Implementation Method 3
the generated plasma is introduced into the reaction chamber to vaporize deposits in the reaction chamber, and is discharged by a vacuum pump
Data Source
AI summary
An example film forming device is provided with: a chamber for forming a film on a substrate; a supply tube for supplying a cleaning gas to the chamber; and a plasma generating unit, which is provided to the supply tube, and which generates plasma from the cleaning gas. The film forming device is characterized by being provided with: a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the supply tube to temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature; and a supply unit which supplies, each time when a previously set time equal to or shorter than 36 hours elapses, the chamber with the plasma thus generated by the plasma generating unit.