Wafer Treatment Basin Flow Guiding for Uniform Batch Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer treatment methods in batch processes face challenges in achieving uniform treatment due to non-homogeneous flow distribution, leading to variations in treatment intensity across wafers, especially when multiple carriers are used.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of guiding elements in the treatment basin, which laterally limit the receiving area of wafer carriers to concentrate the flow uniformly, combined with separating elements to segment the flow into partitions, ensuring consistent treatment liquid distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple wafer carriers are placed in the basin for batch treatment, then productivity is improved, but flow distribution becomes non-homogeneous leading to uneven treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The basin is divided into multiple receiving areas by guiding elements, with each area dedicated to a specific wafer carrier. This segmentation ensures that treatment liquid flows are distributed evenly across each carrier rather than allowing lateral flow evasion, thereby maintaining uniform treatment even when multiple carriers are processed simultaneously in batch operation
Solution Approach 2:
Guiding elements are positioned to create localized flow concentration in specific receiving areas. Each receiving area between guiding elements has optimized flow characteristics tailored to its position in the basin, ensuring that each wafer carrier receives appropriate flow distribution regardless of its location, thus maintaining treatment uniformity across all carriers
2Productivity
If flow is increased to improve treatment intensity, then treatment efficiency is improved, but lateral flow evasion towards sidewalls occurs causing overflow and reduced uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding elements create asymmetric flow paths that direct treatment liquid preferentially towards the wafer carriers rather than allowing symmetric lateral flow towards the basin sidewalls. The guiding elements are positioned and dimensioned to create flow resistance patterns that funnel liquid into the receiving areas, preventing overflow and maintaining uniform distribution even at high flow rates
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 configuration ensures a homogeneous flow and treatment across all wafers, enhancing treatment efficiency and medium utilization by preventing lateral flow evasion and promoting uniform treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a filling pipe disposed in the lower area of the basin and including filling pipe openings along its longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 2
a hole plate separating the basin in an upper area and a lower area, wherein the hole plate includes holes that fluidically connect the lower area and the upper area
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for treating wafers includes a basin, a hole plate, a filling pipe and guiding elements. The basin serves to receive a treatment liquid and the wafers to be treated. The hole plate separates the basin in an upper and lower areas, wherein the hole plate comprises holes that fluidically connect the lower area and the upper area. The upper area comprises a receiving area for one or several wafer carriers in which wafers are arranged side-by-side with a gap in between. The filling pipe is disposed in the lower area of the basin and comprises filling pipe openings along its longitudinal direction. The guide elements are disposed in the upper area of the basin, in addition to the outer walls of the basin, and laterally limit the receiving area of at least one wafer carrier to concentrate a flow of the treatment liquid on the receiving area.