Vacuum Attraction Member with Two-Phase Suction for Substrate Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum attraction techniques often fail to achieve sufficient substrate flatness, especially when dealing with warped substrates, as they rely on initial attraction by a member connected to a vacuum suction device protruding from the base body, which may not adequately correct unevenness.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum attraction member with a base body, protruding portions, a support member that can be displaced to match the height of these protrusions, and an auxiliary vacuum suction path to equalize the substrate's surface height in two phases, ensuring better contact and flatness, using a tubular bellows member for flexibility and a separate base member for adjustable suction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substrate is attracted by a member connected to a vacuum suction device protruding from the base body, then the substrate can be held by vacuum attraction, but the substrate flatness is insufficient when the substrate is warped
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum suction system is segmented into multiple independent suction paths: a first vacuum suction path with protruding portions for initial attraction, and a second vacuum suction path with recessed portions for flatness correction. This segmentation allows each path to perform specialized functions, resolving the contradiction between holding capability and flatness precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The first vacuum suction path with protruding portions performs preliminary attraction of the substrate before the second vacuum suction path engages. This preliminary action stabilizes the substrate in position, enabling the subsequent flatness correction phase to work effectively on an already-positioned substrate.
2Device complexity
If a single vacuum suction path is used to attract the substrate, then the device structure is simple, but the flatness correction capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The base body is divided into multiple regions with different suction path configurations: protruding portions for initial attraction and recessed portions for flatness correction. This spatial segmentation allows the system to achieve enhanced flatness correction capability without requiring completely separate systems, balancing complexity and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second vacuum suction paths are merged into a single integrated base body structure, sharing common support infrastructure while maintaining independent suction control. This merging approach achieves sophisticated flatness correction without the complexity of entirely separate systems.
3Ease of operation
If the support member is fixed at a high position, then the internal space is easily accessible, but the substrate cannot be properly equalized in height
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed with movable characteristics, allowing it to adjust its position dynamically during the substrate processing sequence. This dynamic capability enables the support member to accommodate substrates at different heights during equalization while maintaining accessibility to the internal space, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and precision control.
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 method effectively improves substrate flatness by ensuring equalization of the lower and upper surface heights in two phases, ensuring more assured contact with the protruding portions and preventing local height variations, thus enhancing the overall flatness of the substrate.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum suction is performed on the internal space of the support member through the auxiliary vacuum suction path so that the upper end of the support member is displaced to the height position equal to the height positions of the upper ends of the multiple protruding portions
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate is arranged above a base body such that the substrate comes into contact with an upper end of a support member. Subsequently, vacuum suction is performed on an internal space of the support member through an auxiliary vacuum suction path so that the upper end of the support member is displaced to a height position equal to the height positions of upper ends of multiple protruding portions. Then, vacuum suction is performed, through a vacuum suction path, on a space of which the top and the bottom are defined by the base body and the substrate so that the substrate is brought into contact with the upper ends of the multiple protruding portions.