Vacuum Processing Apparatus Substrate Placement Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
In film deposition processes, wafers often float and move laterally due to residual gas in the vacuum chamber, leading to improper placement and warping, which can result in failed film deposition and reduced semiconductor product yield.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum processing apparatus and method that includes a process chamber with a turntable and substrate receiving areas, where a lifting member supports the substrate and an exhaust mechanism selectively evacuates the gap between the substrate and the receiving area before placement, ensuring the substrate is securely positioned and preventing floating and lateral movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the process chamber is evacuated to create a vacuum atmosphere for film deposition, then the film deposition quality is improved, but residual gas remains in the concave portions causing substrate floating and positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust mechanism evacuates the concave portions before the substrate is lowered into them. This preliminary evacuation removes residual gas that would otherwise cause the substrate to float and deviate from its intended position, ensuring accurate placement while maintaining the vacuum atmosphere needed for film deposition
2Productivity
If the turntable rotates to transfer substrates, then substrate processing efficiency is improved, but centrifugal force causes substrates to move out of concave portions
Solution Approach 1:
The regulation parts are specifically designed to engage with local features on the substrate edges. These regulation parts create localized mechanical constraints that prevent substrate movement due to centrifugal force during turntable rotation, while allowing efficient substrate transfer between positions
3Manufacturing precision
If gas nozzles supply process gas to form processing atmosphere, then film deposition is enabled, but gas flow causes substrate movement and warpage
Solution Approach 1:
The regulation parts provide mechanical support and stabilization to the substrate during gas supply. This counteracts the destabilizing effect of gas flow on the substrate, preventing movement and warpage while allowing the process gas to effectively deposit the film
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 solution ensures accurate substrate placement, prevents film deposition failures, and reduces particle generation and yield loss by maintaining the substrate in close contact with the receiving area despite centrifugal forces and air currents, thereby enhancing the reliability of the film deposition process.
Implementation Method 1
an exhaust mechanism to selectively evacuate a gap between the substrate receiving area and the substrate before the lifting member places the substrate on the substrate receiving area
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum processing apparatus is configured to include a process chamber, a turntable provided in the process chamber, and a substrate receiving area provided in one surface of the turntable and including a regulation part formed therearound to regulate a position of a substrate. A transfer mechanism is provided outside the process chamber, and a lifting member is configured to support the substrate and to move up and down in order to transfer the substrate between the transfer mechanism and the turntable. An exhaust mechanism is configured to selectively evacuate a gap between the substrate receiving area and the substrate before the lifting member places the substrate on the substrate receiving area.