Wafer Placement Table Cooling Path for Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer placement tables exhibit nonuniformity in heat removal due to variations in the cross-sectional shape of the refrigerant flow path, leading to insufficient cooling in areas with lower temperature needs.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerant flow path is designed with a first portion having a smaller cross-sectional area than the combined areas of two or more branches in a second portion, with the first portion located in high-cooling-need areas and the second portion divided into branches to enhance cooling efficiency and reduce temperature nonuniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the refrigerant flow path has a constant width and uniform cross-sectional shape, then the manufacturing is simple, but the temperature nonuniformity at the wafer placement surface cannot be effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant flow path is designed with varying cross-sectional areas at different locations: a first portion with a smaller cross-sectional area corresponding to the outer peripheral area (high cooling need) and a second portion with a larger cross-sectional area corresponding to the central area (low cooling need). This local variation in geometry optimizes heat removal uniformity across the wafer placement surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant flow path is divided into distinct segments (first portion and second portion) with different cross-sectional characteristics. The first portion has a smaller cross-sectional area for higher cooling efficiency, while the second portion has a larger cross-sectional area for lower cooling efficiency, creating a segmented approach to temperature control.
2Temperature
If the flow path cross-sectional area is increased to improve cooling capacity, then the cooling efficiency improves, but the flow speed decreases reducing heat removal effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path cross-sectional area is locally optimized: the first portion has a smaller cross-sectional area to maintain high flow speed and high cooling efficiency in the outer peripheral area, while the second portion has a larger cross-sectional area to provide sufficient cooling capacity in the central area where cooling demand is lower.
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 achieves higher cooling efficiency in high-cooling-need areas and reduces temperature nonuniformity by controlling the flow speed and refrigerant distribution, ensuring more uniform heat removal across the wafer placement surface.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate, and a refrigerant flow path provided inside the cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
the refrigerant flow path includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion continuing from the first portion and being divided into two or more ways forming branches
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer placement table includes: a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its upper surface; a cooling plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate; and a refrigerant flow path provided inside the cooling plate, wherein the refrigerant flow path includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion continuing from the first portion and being divided into two or more ways forming branches that run side by side, and wherein the first portion has a cross-sectional area smaller than a sum of cross-sectional areas of the respective branches included in the second portion.