Supporting Chuck Fluid Distribution for Cleaner Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contaminants such as particles and metal impurities remain on semiconductor substrates during manufacturing, leading to decreased reliability, and existing substrate processing systems face challenges in mitigating particle generation and removing contaminants effectively.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a supporting chuck that accommodates processing fluid, featuring multiple supply lines and discharge holes to evenly distribute fluid, preventing pattern collapse and substrate damage while enhancing process efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If processing fluid is supplied to chamber using existing lines and valves, then high pressure supercritical condition is achieved, but particles are generated due to flow velocity and contaminants remain in lines
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting chuck accumulates processing fluid in its inner space before substrate processing begins. This preliminary accumulation allows the fluid to be ready for immediate use, preventing contamination that would occur during fluid delivery during the actual processing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting chuck acts as an intermediary device between the fluid supply system and the substrate. It receives fluid through supply lines, stores it in its inner space, and then delivers it directly to the substrate surface, isolating the substrate from potential contaminants in the supply lines.
2Productivity
If processing fluid is supplied through existing systems, then substrate processing is performed, but contaminants remain on substrate surface reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system accumulates processing fluid in the supporting chuck before substrate processing begins. This ensures the fluid is ready and prevents contamination during the actual processing operation, maintaining both productivity and substrate cleanliness.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge holes are positioned to spray processing fluid in a direction away from the substrate support surface, extracting the fluid delivery function from the substrate support function and preventing contaminant deposition on the substrate.
3Reliability
If processing fluid flow rate is increased to improve cleaning, then contaminant removal is enhanced, but particle generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting chuck accumulates processing fluid before substrate processing, allowing the fluid to be delivered directly to the substrate without high-velocity flow through long supply lines, thus reducing particle generation while maintaining effective contaminant removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting chuck serves as an intermediary that decouples the fluid supply system from the substrate processing, allowing controlled fluid delivery that removes contaminants without generating particles through high-velocity flow.
4Productivity
If multiple supply lines and discharge holes are added to improve fluid distribution, then process efficiency increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting chuck performs multiple functions: it supports the substrate, accumulates processing fluid in its inner space, and delivers the fluid through discharge holes. This multi-functionality improves process efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting chuck merges the substrate support function with the fluid accumulation and delivery function into a single integrated component, improving process efficiency while avoiding the complexity of separate systems.
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 apparatus ensures even fluid distribution, preventing substrate damage and improving process efficiency by diversifying fluid supply methods, thereby maintaining substrate quality and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
one or more discharge holes configured to spray the first processing fluid accommodated in the inner space to the processing space
Implementation Method 2
having an inner space configured to accommodate a first processing fluid
Implementation Method 3
one or more first supply lines configured to receive the first processing fluid from the outside of the chamber and transfer the first processing fluid to the inner space of the supporting chuck
Implementation Method 4
one or more exhaust lines connected to the chamber and configured to discharge a processing fluid from the processing space to an outside of the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber having a processing space in which substrate processing is performed therein, one or more exhaust lines connected to the chamber and configured to discharge a processing fluid from the processing space to an outside of the chamber, a supporting chuck disposed in the processing space, configured to support the substrate from below so that the substrate is disposed on an upper portion of the supporting chuck, and having an inner space configured to accommodate a first processing fluid, and one or more first supply lines configured to receive the first processing fluid from the outside of the chamber and transfer the first processing fluid to the inner space of the supporting chuck. In addition, various embodiments may be possible.