Wafer Cooling Station Seating Structure to Prevent Deformation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling stations cause wear and damage to hard-anodized aluminum due to thermal expansion, leading to deformation and potential damage to wafers during the cooling process.
Innovation Solution
A cooling station design featuring a seating member with an inclined portion and a support structure that reduces the contact area between the wafer and the seating member, minimizing heat transfer and preventing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the wafer is cooled using a conventional cooling station with aluminum hard-anodized contact surfaces, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the aluminum surface undergoes thermal expansion causing wear, damage, and particle generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful aluminum contact surface from the cooling station and replaces it with a groove structure. The groove removes the continuous aluminum contact area, preventing thermal expansion-related wear and damage while maintaining cooling functionality through the remaining contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a groove in specific locations of the cooling station contact surface. This groove structure locally modifies the aluminum surface to reduce contact area precisely where thermal expansion causes damage, while preserving cooling efficiency at non-groove areas.
2Temperature
If the wafer is cooled using a conventional cooling station with large contact area, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the wafer undergoes deformation due to stress restoration when temperature is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the excessive contact area from the cooling station by introducing grooves. This reduction in contact area minimizes stress restoration forces during cooling, preventing wafer deformation while maintaining sufficient thermal contact for efficient cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by providing just enough contact area between the wafer and cooling station to achieve efficient cooling, rather than maximizing contact area. The groove structure ensures the contact area is sufficient for thermal transfer but not excessive to cause deformation.
3Temperature
If the wafer is cooled using a conventional cooling station, then the cooling function is achieved, but the wafer momentarily sticks to the damaged aluminum surface due to stress restoration forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the continuous aluminum contact surface and replaces it with a grooved structure. This discontinuous contact surface eliminates the adhesive bonding between the wafer and aluminum that causes momentary sticking during cooling, preventing wafer damage during transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure serves as a preventive measure before the wafer is placed on the cooling station. By预先 removing continuous contact areas, the design prevents adhesive bonding and momentary sticking from occurring during the cooling process.
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 reduced contact area and innovative seating member design effectively minimize heat conduction from the wafer, preventing deformation and damage, while also improving the stability and horizontality of the seating member.
Implementation Method 1
heat of the wafer is conducted to aluminum hard-anodized and to a slot plate that is provided in the cooling station
Implementation Method 2
aluminum may expand to cause wear and damage to the hard-anodized aluminum
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling station includes: a lower plate; an upper plate spaced apart from the lower plate; a support structure having ends installed on the lower plate and the upper plate, respectively; and a seating member installed on the support structure for a wafer to be seated on the seating member, wherein the seating member has an inclined portion, wherein the wafer is seated on the inclined portion.