Wafer Transfer Coupling Chamber Hermetic Seal Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional locally clean production systems for semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in completely isolating fine particles and gas molecules, leading to contamination and increased manufacturing costs due to complex and incomplete hermetical sealing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A coupling system with three hermetically sealable structures between the transfer box and apparatus forms a single, undivided coupling chamber, equipped with a clean gas intake and exhaust system to control pressure and eliminate contaminants, eliminating the need for a fixed port and reducing the number of doors required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple hermetical seals are provided between transfer box and apparatus, then isolation of fine particles and gas molecules is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate hermetical sealing structures into a single integrated hermetical seal between the transfer box and apparatus. This single seal forms an undivided coupling chamber that maintains hermetical isolation while eliminating the complexity of multiple separate sealing mechanisms, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple doors are used to maintain hermetical sealing, then isolation of contaminants is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the door mechanism from the hermetical sealing system. Instead of requiring multiple doors to maintain hermetical sealing, the system uses a single hermetical seal that remains intact during operation. The transfer box door can be opened independently without compromising the hermetical seal between transfer box and apparatus, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed port structure is used for coupling, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed port structure into a dynamic coupling system where the transfer box can be coupled to the apparatus in a hermetical manner without requiring a predetermined fixed port. The coupling mechanism allows for flexible positioning and adaptation while maintaining hermetical sealing, thereby improving adaptability without sacrificing ease of manufacture.
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 solution simplifies the system structure, ensures complete isolation of fine particles and gas molecules, reducing contamination and manufacturing costs, and allows for efficient cleaning of the coupling chamber, maintaining equivalent pressure within the transfer box and apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a valve that controls the pressure in the coupling chamber is directly connected to one of these holes or the coupling chamber, so that when the transfer box and apparatus are linked, the pressure in the coupling chamber can be made negative to the outside and the ambience in the coupling chamber can be replaced with any gas
Implementation Method 2
the transfer box body has a first sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of the transfer box body and transfer box door; the apparatus has a second sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of the apparatus body and apparatus door; the transfer box and apparatus have a third sealing structure hermetically sealable by means of tight coupling of both
Data Source
AI summary
In a transfer system for wafers, etc., a coupling chamber corresponding to a port is formed only when a transfer box comes in tight contact with an apparatus as a transfer target in the transfer box is transferred into the apparatus, so that the transfer target will be transferred into the apparatus together with the coupling chamber, thereby simplifying the structures of the transfer box and apparatus and also allowing the transfer target to be transferred into the apparatus without fail.