Wet Processing Nozzle Redundancy for Semiconductor Substrate Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wet processing apparatuses for semiconductor substrates face reduced throughput due to component malfunctions or maintenance needs, as multiple units cannot operate simultaneously, leading to delayed processing and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A wet processing apparatus with two groups of processing units, each with a dedicated nozzle unit and support mechanism, allows for lateral movement and alternating substrate processing between groups, enabling continued operation even if one group becomes inoperable, using a controller to manage nozzle unit allocation and substrate transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multiple processing units share a single nozzle unit, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases when the nozzle unit requires maintenance or malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the processing units into two separate groups (first group with n units and second group with n units), with each group having its own dedicated nozzle unit. This segmentation ensures that when one nozzle unit requires maintenance or malfunctions, the other group can continue operating independently, maintaining overall system productivity while reducing the impact of downtime.
2Ease of operation
If a single nozzle unit serves multiple processing units, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases when the nozzle unit becomes inoperable
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines redundancy by providing two nozzle units (first nozzle unit and second nozzle unit) that can serve as backups to each other. When one nozzle unit becomes inoperable, the system automatically switches to the other nozzle unit, which can then service all processing units. This merging of functional capabilities ensures continuous operation and maintains reliability without complicating the operational interface.
3Productivity
If processing units are arranged to allow alternating processing between groups, then productivity is maintained during maintenance, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic allocation where the nozzle units can be reassigned based on operational needs. In normal operation, the first nozzle unit serves the first group and the second nozzle unit serves the second group. During maintenance of one nozzle unit, the system dynamically reassigns the operational nozzle unit to serve both groups in an alternating manner. This dynamic flexibility maintains high productivity while the modular group configuration keeps the overall system complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A wet processing apparatus for wet-processing substrates can suppress the reduction of throughput when some component part thereof becomes unserviceable. The wet processing apparatus includes a first nozzle unit and a second nozzle unit. When the wet processing apparatus operates in a normal mode, a substrate carrying mechanism is controlled so as to deliver substrates alternately to processing units of a first group and those of a second group so that the substrates are processed sequentially in order. When the processing units of the first group (the second group) are unserviceable due to the inoperativeness of the substrate holders, a processing liquid supply system or a nozzle support mechanism, the nozzle unit for the processing units of the second group (the first group) is moved to process substrates by the serviceable ones of the first group (the second group).