Temperature Conditioning Plate for SEM Vacuum Pump-Down Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fast pumping down processes in vacuum chambers of scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) can cause sudden temperature variations, leading to thermal drifting issues on wafers and potential damage to delicate components.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a temperature conditioning plate thermally coupled to a heat conduction source within a predetermined distance from the object in the vacuum chamber, which helps to attenuate temperature variations during the pumping down process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a fast pumping down process is utilized to enhance system throughput, then productivity is improved, but temperature stability deteriorates causing thermal drifting issues and potential damage to delicate components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidtemperature stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

A temperature conditioning plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the heat conduction source and the wafer. The plate is thermally coupled to a heat conduction source and positioned within a predetermined distance from the wafer to actively compensate for temperature variations during fast pumping down processes, thereby maintaining temperature stability while allowing high-speed vacuum operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts thermal parameters by controlling the heat conduction source to compensate for temperature drops. The temperature conditioning plate modifies the thermal state of the surrounding environment, changing the temperature parameter from unstable to stable during the pumping down process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 stabilizes the temperature of objects within the vacuum chamber, reducing thermal drifting issues and protecting sensitive components from temperature-related damage.

Implementation Method 1

the plate being thermally coupled to a heat conduction source

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20250191875A1Vacuum chamber system including temperature conditioning plate

Publication Date: 2025.06.12 ASML NETHERLANDS BV

AI summary

A vacuum chamber system comprises a supporting structure configured to support an object to be thermally stabilized, a plate, having a first surface facing the object, positioned such that the first surface is located within a predetermined distance from the object when the object is placed on the supporting structure, the plate being thermally coupled to a heat conduction source, and a chamber enclosing the supporting structure and the plate.