Vacuum Transfer Device Dew-Point Control for Substrate Moisture Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrates experience significant moisture adherence during transfer between a FOUP and a vacuum transfer device, leading to potential wiring quality deterioration due to oxidation, especially as wiring patterns miniaturize.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum transfer device is implemented between a process chamber and a load lock chamber, equipped with a container, transfer device, exhaust device, dew-point meter, and control device, which controls the internal pressure and humidity levels to minimize moisture exposure by exhausting gases and supplying inert gases, and uses a dew-point meter to determine readiness for processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If substrates are transferred between FOUP and vacuum transfer device in atmospheric conditions, then transfer operation is simple and fast, but moisture adheres to substrate causing wiring quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum transfer device is nested within the FOUP structure, with the container forming an integrated transfer chamber. The substrate transfer mechanism operates within this nested vacuum environment, allowing the transfer device to be compactly integrated into the existing FOUP while maintaining vacuum conditions throughout the transfer path.
Solution Approach 2:
The container interior is maintained at vacuum conditions (inert environment) to prevent moisture adherence during substrate transfer. The exhaust device continuously maintains this vacuum state, creating an inert atmosphere that protects the substrate and wiring patterns from oxidation while transferring between FOUP and process chambers.
2Reliability
If vacuum transfer device is used to prevent moisture adherence, then substrate protection is improved, but device complexity and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust device operates autonomously to maintain vacuum conditions within the container, automatically adjusting to sustain the required pressure differential without manual intervention. The system self-regulates the vacuum state throughout the transfer process, reducing operational complexity while ensuring consistent substrate protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum transfer device performs multiple functions: it protects substrates from moisture, enables transfer between different pressure environments (FOUP and process chambers), and maintains a controlled atmosphere throughout the transfer path. This multi-functionality consolidates several protective measures into a single integrated system, improving ease of operation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If mini-environment transfer device is provided between FOUP and vacuum transfer device, then moisture adherence is reduced, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum transfer device merges the transfer function with the vacuum maintenance function into a single integrated container. Instead of having separate mini-environment devices, the container itself serves as both the transfer chamber and the vacuum-maintained protective environment, eliminating the need for additional separate protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer mechanism is nested within the vacuum-maintained container interior, creating a compact integrated structure. This nesting arrangement allows the transfer device to operate within the protected vacuum environment without requiring additional external protective structures, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining low moisture exposure.
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 setup effectively reduces moisture adherence to substrates, maintaining low humidity levels and ensuring reliable substrate transfer by notifying users when conditions are suitable for processing, thus preventing oxidation and maintaining wiring quality.
Implementation Method 1
since the interior of a vacuum transfer device is controlled to become a low pressure, the amount of moistures adhering to the substrate is not so large in the process of being transferred in the vacuum transfer device
Implementation Method 2
The dew-point meter measures a dew-point temperature of the gas in the container
Implementation Method 3
The container is connected to each of the process chamber and the load lock chamber via a gate valve
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum transfer device, which is arranged between a process chamber and a load lock chamber and transfers a substrate between the process chamber and the load lock chamber, includes a container, a transfer device, an exhaust device, a dew-point meter, and a control device. The container is connected to each of the process chamber and the load lock chamber via a gate valve. The transfer device is provided inside the container and transfers the substrate between the process chamber and the load lock chamber. The exhaust device exhausts a gas in the container. The dew-point meter measures a dew-point temperature of the gas in the container. The control device determines whether a process is ready to be executed, based on the dew-point temperature measured by the dew-point meter, and when the process is ready to be executed, notifies that fact to a user of the vacuum transfer device.