Wafer Support Shelves With Through-Holes for Powder Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional injection molding processes for wafer carriers are lengthy, risk non-flat or single-piece manufacturing, and incur high tooling costs due to complexity and cooling requirements, necessitating a simpler and faster manufacturing method for wafer disk support carriers.

Innovation Solution

A wafer support member designed with a support column and wafer-engagement shelves featuring through-holes for powder discharge and fillet elements for stress distribution, manufactured via additive manufacturing as a single monolithic piece, ensuring structural integrity and ease of production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional injection molding process is used to manufacture wafer carrier, then the carrier can be produced with complex geometry and cooling channels, but the manufacturing lead time is long and tooling cost is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidmanufacturing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The wafer carrier is divided into multiple separate components (support column, wafer engagement shelves, cooling elements) that are manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured using simpler, faster processes while maintaining the overall functional complexity of the complete carrier assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the manufacturing approach from conventional injection molding to additive manufacturing or alternative processes that enable faster production and lower tooling costs. This parameter change in the manufacturing method allows complex geometries to be produced without the lengthy lead times and high tooling costs associated with traditional injection molding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If wafer carrier is molded as one single piece, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and risk of non-flat surfaces increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier is segmented into multiple components that are manufactured separately and then assembled through joining processes. This segmentation reduces the manufacturing complexity and risk associated with molding a single large complex piece, while the assembly process maintains structural integrity through proper joining methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple separately manufactured components are merged or joined together to form the complete carrier assembly. This merging process achieves the structural integrity of a single-piece design while avoiding the manufacturing complexities and risks of molding one large complex component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If conventional injection molding is used, then cooling requirements can be met, but tooling cost increases due to part complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling capabilityVSAvoidtooling cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling functionality is segmented into separate cooling elements or channels that are integrated into the carrier components. This segmentation allows cooling capability to be achieved without requiring complex, expensive injection molding tooling, as the cooling elements can be manufactured separately and assembled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the approach to achieving cooling capability by using alternative manufacturing processes that do not require expensive injection molding tooling with complex cooling channels. This parameter change in the manufacturing method reduces tooling costs while maintaining cooling functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution provides a cost-effective, rapid, and structurally sound wafer support member capable of supporting multiple disks, minimizing manufacturing complexities and maintaining rigidity during cooling, thus addressing the limitations of conventional methods.

Implementation Method 1

manufactured via additive manufacturing as a single monolithic piece

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdditive manufacturing: 3D Printing

Implementation Method 2

fillet elements for stress distribution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress distribution: Stress Relaxation

Data Source

PatentUS12261068B2Wafer support member and method of manufacturing a wafer support member

Publication Date: 2025.03.25 INTEL CORP

AI summary

There may be provided a wafer support member which may include a support column and a plurality of wafer-engagement-shelves extending substantially perpendicularly to the support column from a first side of the support column. Each wafer-engagement-shelf may define a plurality of through-holes extending between a base surface and an opposite wafer-engagement surface of the wafer-engagement shelf 130. The plurality of through-holes may serve as discharge ports for a plurality of loose particulates on the wafer-engagement-shelf to exit therefrom via the discharge ports.