Swingable Conductive Pad for Warped Substrate Vacuum Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate suction-holding structures fail to effectively vacuum-suck warped substrates due to gaps between the suction-holding member and the substrate, leading to inefficient transfer and potential particle attachment.
Innovation Solution
A substrate suction-holding structure featuring a conductive pad with an annular contact portion, a support column, and a swingable design that allows the pad to fit the warped substrate, combined with a vacuum path connected to a vacuum source, ensuring reliable holding and static electricity diffusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid suction-holding member is used, then the structure is simple and stable, but it cannot adapt to warped substrates causing gaps and failed vacuum suction
Solution Approach 1:
The suction-holding member is designed with a swingable connection to the support column, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and angle. This dynamic capability enables the contact portion to adapt to warped substrate surfaces while maintaining vacuum suction effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction-holding member is divided into distinct functional portions: a contact portion for substrate engagement, a body portion for vacuum distribution, and a swingable connection interface. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently - the contact portion adapts to substrate warpage while the vacuum system maintains stable operation.
2Reliability
If the contact portion is made larger to improve substrate coverage, then vacuum suction reliability improves, but the device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contact portion is designed as a thin, flexible structure that can conform to substrate warpage. This flexible design provides large surface area for reliable vacuum suction without significantly increasing the overall device size or complexity, as the flexibility allows the structure to adapt rather than expand.
Solution Approach 2:
The swingable connection adds a rotational degree of freedom, allowing the contact portion to achieve better substrate coverage by adjusting its orientation rather than simply increasing its size. This dimensional adjustment provides reliable vacuum suction without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the pad is fixed in position, then the structure is simpler, but it cannot accommodate substrate warpage causing gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The swingable support mechanism transforms the fixed pad design into a dynamic system that automatically adjusts to substrate warpage. The support column with swingable connection provides the necessary degrees of freedom for the contact portion to maintain precise contact with warped surfaces without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The swingable pad structure is designed to self-adjust to substrate warpage through its inherent mechanical flexibility and swingable connection. This passive adaptation mechanism achieves high contact precision without requiring external sensors, actuators, or complex control systems, thereby maintaining structural simplicity.
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 structure reliably holds warped substrates, improves transfer efficiency, prevents particle attachment, and enhances processing yield by ensuring consistent contact and vacuum suction.
Implementation Method 1
a suction path extending from the first vacuum chamber and passing through the bottom wall portion of the pad main body, the second vacuum chamber, and the blade main body in this order, the suction path being connected to a vacuum source
Implementation Method 2
the pad main body being conductive... the support column being conductive... static electricity of the substrate can be diffused when the warped substrate is transferred
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate suction-holding structure includes a conductive pad main body including an annular contact portion and a bottom wall portion closing a first vacuum chamber bottom surface surrounded by the contact portion, a conductive blade main body including an upper surface and a second vacuum chamber formed by depressing the upper surface, a conductive support column provided either on the second vacuum chamber or on the pad main body, causing the contact portion to be further on an upper side than the upper surface, and swingably supporting the pad main body with respect to the second vacuum chamber, a cover secured to the blade main body and covering the second vacuum chamber, and a suction path extending from the first vacuum chamber and passing through the bottom wall portion, the second vacuum chamber, and the blade main body in this order, the suction path connected to a vacuum source.