Transfer Chamber Locks for Substrate Oxidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for treating substrates, such as silicon wafers, in a reaction chamber are inefficient as they require sequential processing and cannot handle varying treatment durations for multiple substrates simultaneously, leading to prolonged processing times and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system with a transfer chamber and lock arrangement allows for precise control of gas atmosphere and treatment duration, enabling multiple substrates to be treated individually and simultaneously in a reaction chamber with controlled pressure and temperature, using a vacuum chamber and inert gases to maintain high-quality oxidation without ionization mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sequential substrate treatment is used to maintain gentle oxidation quality, then oxide layer quality is improved, but processing time and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the treatment process into separate segments: a reaction chamber for oxidation treatment and a transfer chamber for substrate transfer. Multiple substrates are held in the reaction chamber simultaneously, each receiving individualized treatment durations while maintaining separate processing paths through the use of multiple locks (first lock for vacuum chamber access, second lock for reaction chamber access). This segmentation allows parallel handling of multiple substrates without compromising the quality of individual treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
Substrates are pre-loaded into the reaction chamber and held in a ready state before treatment begins. The vacuum chamber and transfer chamber are prepared in advance with appropriate vacuum conditions. This preliminary preparation allows multiple substrates to be staged and transferred systematically, enabling efficient batch processing while maintaining precise control over each substrate's treatment duration.
2Manufacturing precision
If individual treatment durations are assigned to each substrate, then treatment precision is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses separate lock mechanisms (first lock between vacuum chamber and transfer chamber, second lock between transfer chamber and reaction chamber) to segment the transfer process. This segmentation allows independent control of substrate entry and exit timing, enabling precise treatment duration control for each substrate without requiring complex integrated control systems. Each lock can be operated independently to manage the timing of substrate transfer between chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer chamber acts as an intermediary between the vacuum chamber and the reaction chamber. It provides a buffer zone where substrates can be temporarily held and prepared for transfer to the reaction chamber. This intermediary structure simplifies the overall control logic by decoupling the vacuum pumping operations from the oxidation treatment operations, allowing independent timing and control of each process stage.
3Productivity
If multiple substrates are treated simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but atmosphere control difficulty deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the atmosphere control into two distinct environments: the vacuum chamber maintained at vacuum conditions and the reaction chamber maintained at controlled atmospheric pressure with specific gas composition. The transfer chamber serves as an intermediate zone. This segmentation allows multiple substrates to be treated simultaneously in the reaction chamber under uniform atmospheric conditions, while the vacuum chamber independently maintains vacuum for substrate preparation. Each chamber's atmosphere is controlled independently without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer chamber with its associated locks acts as an intermediary that isolates the vacuum and atmospheric environments. It allows substrates to be transferred between chambers without mixing the atmospheric conditions. This intermediary structure enables independent atmosphere control in each chamber, simplifying the management of multiple substrates treated simultaneously by ensuring uniform atmospheric conditions within the reaction chamber while maintaining separate vacuum conditions in the vacuum chamber.
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
This approach accelerates the substrate treatment process while maintaining high-quality oxide layer formation, allowing for varied treatment durations and efficient processing of multiple substrates without compromising quality.
Implementation Method 1
oxidation of a substrate (for example, an already coated substrate) is preferred... naturally oxidizing the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a high quality vacuum, for example an ultra high vacuum (UHV), can be provided
Implementation Method 3
the vacuum chamber may be a chamber which can be filled with an inert gas in order to prevent any chemical and/or physical reaction with the substrate's surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a system and method for treating a substrate in a reaction chamber. A transfer chamber is arranged between a first lock and a second lock, wherein the second lock is provided between the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber. A substrate is transferred into the transfer chamber through the first lock, and the first lock is closed. In a next step, the transfer chamber is flooded with the same gas as in the reaction chamber and the pressure and temperature of the gaseous atmosphere in the transfer chamber is controlled to be the same as in the reaction chamber. Then, the second lock is opened and the substrate is transferred from the transfer chamber into the reaction chamber to treat the substrate. The present invention also relates to a computer program product for carrying out the method of the invention.