Ultrasonic Substrate Transfer Unit for Faster Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The photolithography process in semiconductor device fabrication is hindered by slow cooling of heating units, leading to reduced capacity utilization and substrate damage due to natural cooling and squeeze phenomena during temperature adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating apparatus with a transferring unit that includes a support plate with protrusions, a temperature adjusting member, and an ultrasound applying member to enhance cooling efficiency and prevent substrate damage by applying ultrasound between the substrate and the support plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If natural cooling manner is used to cool the heating plate, then energy consumption is reduced, but cooling time increases significantly reducing capacity utilization rate
Solution Approach 1:
A transferring unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the heating plate and the substrate processing system. This transferring unit includes its own cooling mechanism that can independently cool substrates during transfer operations, acting as a mediator that enables continuous processing without waiting for the main heating plate to cool naturally.
Solution Approach 2:
The transferring unit performs preliminary cooling actions on substrates before they are fully processed on the heating plate. By pre-cooling substrates or preparing cooling capacity in advance during transfer operations, the system reduces the overall cooling wait time and maintains higher capacity utilization.
2Temperature
If substrate is lifted from cooling plate to cool the substrate, then cooling effect is achieved, but substrate becomes temporarily attached to cooling plate causing squeeze phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical lifting operation with an acoustic field-based cooling approach. An ultrasound applying member generates ultrasonic vibrations that create acoustic radiation pressure and acoustic streaming effects, enabling cooling through acoustic cavitation and enhanced heat transfer without mechanical contact or lifting, thus preventing substrate attachment and squeeze phenomena.
Solution Approach 2:
Ultrasonic vibration is applied to the substrate or the cooling surface to create high-frequency mechanical oscillations that enhance heat transfer through acoustic streaming and cavitation effects. This vibration-based cooling method achieves effective cooling without the need to lift the substrate, preventing attachment issues.
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 ultrasound enhances convective heat transfer, reducing cooling time and minimizing substrate damage, thereby improving capacity utilization and preventing the squeeze phenomenon.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasound applying member to apply an ultrasound between the substrate placed on the plurality of protrusions and the support plate
Implementation Method 2
The ultrasound enhances convective heat transfer, reducing cooling time
Data Source
AI summary
A transferring unit, a substrate treating apparatus including the same, and a substrate treating method are provided. The substrate treating apparatus includes a support plate, a plurality of protrusions protruding upward from the support plate to support a substrate, a temperature adjusting member provided in the support plate to heat or cool the substrate, and an ultrasound applying member to apply an ultrasound between the substrate placed on the plurality of protrusions and the support plate.