Vacuum Stage Cooling via Fluid Gap and Insulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing technologies face challenges in achieving high cooling performance and uniform film formation at extremely low temperatures, particularly in maintaining the cooling performance of substrates during rotation in ultra-high vacuum environments.
Innovation Solution
A stage device with a chiller, cold heat transfer body, and heat insulating structure unit, where a gap between the stage and cold heat transfer body is filled with cooling fluid to efficiently transfer cold heat, and a driving mechanism allows the stage to rotate while maintaining the substrate at extremely low temperatures, utilizing a vacuum insulated structure to prevent heat input and ensure efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the stage is directly contacted with the cold heat transfer body to improve cooling efficiency, then cooling performance is improved, but the stage cannot rotate due to mechanical constraint
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling fluid serves as an intermediary substance that transfers cold heat from the cold heat transfer body to the stage through the gap, enabling thermal contact without mechanical contact, thus allowing rotation while maintaining cooling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses fluid (gas or liquid) in the gap between the stage and cold heat transfer body to conduct heat, replacing direct solid contact with fluid-mediated heat transfer, which allows rotational movement while maintaining thermal coupling
2Adaptability or versatility
If the stage is separated from the cold heat transfer body by a gap to enable rotation, then rotation capability is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling fluid acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between the stage and cold heat transfer body, transferring thermal energy effectively across the separation distance, thus maintaining cooling efficiency while enabling rotation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters such as gap distance, fluid type, and flow rate to maximize heat transfer efficiency across the gap, ensuring that cooling performance is maintained despite the separation required for rotation
3Device complexity
If conventional cooling structures are used without vacuum insulation, then device complexity is reduced, but heat input from environment increases reducing cooling performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vacuum insulation as an inert thermal environment surrounding the cold heat transfer body, eliminating heat conduction and convection from the environment, thus maintaining extremely low temperatures with improved cooling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum insulated structure combines vacuum space with reflective barriers and structural components to create a composite thermal management system that effectively blocks environmental heat input while maintaining system functionality
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 enables high cooling performance and uniform film formation at extremely low temperatures, improving cooling efficiency, reducing cooling time, and minimizing gas consumption, while maintaining a high throughput and low costs.
Implementation Method 1
cooling fluid supplied to the gap to transfer cold heat of the cold heat transfer body to the stage
Implementation Method 2
heat insulating structure unit having a vacuum insulated structure and configured to surround at least the cold head and a connection portion between the cold head and the cold heat transfer body
Data Source
AI summary
A stage device includes a stage configured to hold a target substrate in a vacuum chamber, a chiller having a cold head maintained at an extremely low temperature and a cold heat transfer body fixed in contact with the cold head and disposed below a bottom surface of the stage with a gap between the stage and the cold heat transfer body. The stage device further includes a heat insulating structure unit having a vacuum insulated structure and configured to surround at least the cold head and a connection portion between the cold head and the cold heat transfer body, cooling fluid supplied to the gap to transfer cold heat of the cold heat transfer body to the stage, and a stage support rotated by a driving mechanism and configured to rotatably support the stage.