Semiconductor Wafer Manufacturing Air Circulation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor wafer manufacturing apparatuses have limitations in cleaning degree, wafer transport efficiency, and product yield due to single motor control for air flow and pressure, limited manipulator functionality, and uneven chemical gas/liquid distribution.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs multiple control electric motors for uniform air flow and pressure, a double-armed manipulator with multiple degrees of freedom, and symmetrically positioned chemical gas/liquid distribution units to enhance cleaning and transport efficiency, and increase yield per unit area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single control electric motor is used to control air flow and pressure in the whole apparatus, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning degree inside the apparatus cannot reach a high level
Solution Approach 1:
The air circulating and filtering unit is divided into multiple independent control regions, each with its own control electric motor. This segmentation allows different areas (front region, middle region, side region) to be controlled independently, achieving high cleaning degrees in each region while maintaining overall system manageability.
2Device complexity
If a single-armed manipulator is used to process one wafer at a time, then the device complexity is reduced, but the wafer transport efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
Two manipulators are merged into a single integrated system that can handle multiple wafers simultaneously. The first manipulator transfers wafers between the process chamber and storage unit, while the second manipulator performs additional transfer operations, enabling parallel processing and significantly improving wafer transport efficiency compared to a single-armed manipulator.
3Device complexity
If the chemical gas/liquid distribution unit has uneven distribution, then the device complexity is reduced, but the product yield rate per unit area is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The chemical gas/liquid distribution unit is designed with symmetrically positioned components that ensure uniform distribution of chemical gases and liquids across different regions of the process chamber. This local quality optimization guarantees consistent flow and pressure in each process chamber, directly improving product yield rate per unit area.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor wafer comprising at least two manipulators, at least one set of chemical gas/liquid distribution unit and an air circulating and filtering unit. The air circulating and filtering unit is separated into three regions, including the front region, the middle region, and the side region, which are controlled by respective control electric motors to achieve uniform air flow and uniform pressure in the respective regions. The cleaning degree in the internal of the apparatus can be improved by the regional control of the air circulating and filtering unit; the wafer transport efficiency can be enhanced by the double-armed manipulators having multiple degrees of freedom; and the product yield per unit area can be increased by the chemical gas/liquid distribution unit providing stable and uniform gas/liquid flow and pressure.