Vacuum Substrate Cooling Arm with Rotatable Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing arrangements for rotatable positioning of substrates in vacuum chambers struggle to efficiently cool substrates to very low temperatures while allowing for free adjustment of substrate orientation, especially for larger substrate areas like semiconductor wafers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed arrangement includes an arm with a cooling surface at its end, which is cooled from outside the vacuum chamber, and a clamping device that allows for azimuthal rotation and efficient cooling of the substrate by separating axial movement from rotation, enabling high thermal conductivity and arbitrary angle rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a substrate holder is cooled using a copper braid connected to a cold finger, then the substrate can be cooled to low temperatures, but the cooling efficiency is limited and cannot achieve very low temperatures for large substrate areas
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder is divided into multiple independent cooling zones, each with its own cooling element. This segmentation allows different regions of the substrate to be cooled independently, improving overall cooling efficiency and enabling very low temperatures across large substrate areas by distributing the cooling load across multiple zones rather than relying on a single copper braid connection
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling elements are nested within the substrate holder structure, with cooling channels or elements integrated into the holder's internal geometry. This nested arrangement maximizes thermal contact between the cooling system and the substrate holder, improving heat transfer efficiency while maintaining compact dimensions suitable for vacuum chamber environments
2Adaptability or versatility
If a substrate holder is designed for azimuthal rotation to adjust orientation, then the substrate orientation can be freely adjusted, but the rotational movement interferes with the cooling connection to the cold finger
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling connection system is designed with dynamic elements that accommodate rotational movement. The cooling elements are positioned and configured to maintain thermal contact with the substrate holder during azimuthal rotation, allowing the substrate orientation to be freely adjusted while preserving the reliability of the cooling connection throughout the rotation range
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate holder design integrates multiple functions into a single structure: it provides both the cooling interface and the rotational mounting interface. The holder's geometry is designed to maintain thermal contact while enabling rotation, making it a multi-functional component that simultaneously achieves cooling and orientation adjustment without requiring separate mechanisms
3Force
If a clamping device is designed to press the substrate against the cooling surface, then the substrate can be securely fastened, but the clamping force may interfere with the thermal contact between substrate and cooling surface
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device is designed to apply force at specific locations on the substrate that are separate from the cooling contact area. The clamping points are positioned at the substrate's periphery or edges, while the cooling surface contacts the substrate's central or active area. This local differentiation allows strong clamping force to be applied for secure fastening while maintaining optimal thermal contact quality at the cooling interface without interference
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 arrangement enables efficient cooling of substrates to very low temperatures while allowing for precise rotational manipulation within the vacuum chamber, effectively addressing the limitations of prior art by improving thermal conductivity and rotational flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The arm comprises at the second end a cooling surface for cooling of the flat substrate in contact with the cooling surface
Implementation Method 2
the cooling surface is configured to be cooled by cooling of the first end of the arm outside the vacuum chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for manipulating a flat substrate in a vacuum chamber comprises an arm having a length axis extending between a first end and a second end. At the second end, a cooling surface for cooling of the flat substrate is in contact with the cooling surface. The clamping device comprises a first bearing device arranged around the centre axis and movable in the direction along the centre axis, a substrate clamping device comprising a second bearing device in engagement with the first bearing device such that the second bearing device is rotatable around the centre axis, and a substrate engagement device, fixed to the second bearing device, and configured for engagement with the periphery of the substrate. The clamping device also comprises an adjustable actuation device configured to apply an adjustable actuation force on the first bearing device in the direction along the centre axis.