Wafer Support Flow Guides for Uniform Inert Gas Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wafer containers experience inadequate inert gas distribution, leading to insufficient gas concentration near the wafers, which results in high oxygen concentrations.
Innovation Solution
The wafer container design includes a container body with stacked wafer supports, featuring an outer frame, inward protruding supports, and guides that create specific flow paths for inert gas, preventing deviation and ensuring uniform gas distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If inert gas is flowed into the wafer container to maintain wafer cleanliness, then the inert gas concentration near the wafers should be high, but the inert gas deviates through the gap between the wafers to the periphery area, resulting in insufficient gas concentration near the wafers
Solution Approach 1:
The wafer support is segmented into multiple functional regions: a central region with first and second guides for vertical gas flow, and peripheral regions with third guides for horizontal flow restriction. This segmentation directs inert gas flow to specifically target the wafer areas while preventing deviation to periphery gaps, thereby maintaining high inert gas concentration where needed and low oxygen concentration at the wafer surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the wafer support are given different structural qualities: the central region has guide structures that promote vertical flow through wafer gaps, while the peripheral region has third guides that restrict horizontal flow. This local differentiation ensures inert gas is concentrated where it is most effective (near wafer surfaces) rather than being wasted in periphery areas
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 design maintains a high concentration of inert gas near the wafers, effectively reducing oxygen concentrations and preserving wafer cleanliness.
Implementation Method 1
a first flow path defined by the first guide to guide the inert gas from the inflow hole upward, a horizontal flow path to guide the inert gas from the first flow path in a horizontal direction, and a second flow path defined by the second guide to guide the inert gas from the horizontal flow path downward
Implementation Method 2
the pair of third guides prevents the inert gas in the horizontal flow path from deviating in the second direction in the container body
Data Source
AI summary
In a wafer container, cell rings of a container body each include an outer frame, a support protruding inward from the outer frame, a first guide and a second guide inside the outer frame and facing each other in a first direction, and a pair of third guides inside the outer frame and facing each other in a second direction. The container body includes a first flow path to guide inert gas upward, a horizontal flow path to guide the inert gas in a horizontal direction, and a second flow path to guide the inert gas downward. In the container body, the pair of third guides prevents the inert gas in the horizontal flow path from deviating in the second direction.