Light Irradiating Device Window Member Sublimate Adhesion Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing light irradiating devices face challenges in maintaining the stability of the light irradiation process due to sublimate adhesion on window members, which reduces the effectiveness of surface roughness improvement in semiconductor processing.

Innovation Solution

A light irradiating device with a processing chamber, beam source chamber, and gas discharge units that discharge inert gas along window members to prevent sublimate adhesion, ensuring consistent energy beam transmission and improved surface roughness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If window members are used to transmit energy beam, then energy beam transmission is enabled, but sublimate adhesion occurs on window members reducing process stability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess stabilityVSAvoidsublimate adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful sublimate adhesion is extracted and removed by introducing inert gas flow that carries the sublimate away from the window member surfaces, preventing accumulation and maintaining transmission effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Inert gas is introduced as an intermediary medium between the energy beam path and window members, creating a protective gas flow that prevents sublimate adhesion without interfering with the energy beam transmission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If gas discharge units are added to prevent sublimate adhesion, then process stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Gas discharge units utilizing pneumatic flow are employed to control and remove sublimate adhesion, providing a reliable method to maintain window member cleanliness and process stability through controlled gas dynamics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 device effectively suppresses sublimate adhesion, maintaining the stability and effectiveness of the light irradiation process, thereby enhancing the roughness improvement of semiconductor surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

multiple gas discharge units respectively disposed around the multiple window members within the processing chamber, and configured to discharge an inert gas along surfaces of the multiple window members

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas flow: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11256172B2Light irradiating device, light irradiating method and recording medium

Publication Date: 2022.02.22 TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

AI summary

A light irradiating device includes a processing chamber in which a substrate is accommodated; a beam source chamber in which a beam source of an energy beam is accommodated; a partition wall configured to partition the processing chamber and the beam source chamber; multiple window members provided at the partition wall to transmit the energy beam outputted from the beam source toward the substrate within the processing chamber; and multiple gas discharge units respectively disposed around the multiple window members within the processing chamber, and configured to discharge an inert gas along surfaces of the multiple window members.