Zone Cooling Unit for Uniform Reaction Tube Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling units in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses fail to uniformly cool reaction tubes during rapid cooling processes, resulting in temperature differences between zones and non-uniform temperature histories.
Innovation Solution
A cooling unit configuration with an intake pipe for each zone, a control valve to adjust gas flow rate, a buffer part to store gas, and opening holes to direct gas flow, where the gas flow rate is set according to vertical length ratios of zones, ensuring uniform flow rate and velocity across all zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a cooling gas is supplied from a cooling mechanism to actively improve temperature lowering, then cooling speed is improved, but uniform cooling across zones deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is divided into multiple independent cooling mechanisms, with each mechanism dedicated to a specific zone of the reaction tube. Each cooling mechanism includes its own cooling gas supply path with flow rate control, allowing independent adjustment of cooling parameters for each zone to achieve uniform temperature distribution while maintaining rapid cooling speeds.
2Productivity
If the flow rate of cooling gas is controlled using conventional cooling unit configuration, then cooling capability is improved, but temperature history difference between zones occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Each zone is equipped with a dedicated cooling mechanism that can independently control cooling gas flow rate according to the specific thermal characteristics and requirements of that zone. This local control approach ensures that each zone follows a consistent temperature history during cooling, eliminating temperature differences between zones while maintaining high overall cooling capability.
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 configuration enables uniform cooling of the reaction tube, improves temperature control responsiveness between zones, and reduces temperature deviations during rapid cooling, enhancing inter-substrate temperature uniformity and rapid heating capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling unit configured to cool a reaction tube by causing a cooling gas to flow through the reaction tube
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a cooling unit, comprising: an intake pipe provided for each of a plurality of zones and configured to supply a gas for cooling a reaction tube; a control valve provided in the intake pipe and configured to adjust a flow rate of the gas; a buffer part configured to temporarily store the gas supplied from the intake pipe; and openings provided so as to blow the gas stored in the buffer part toward the reaction tube, wherein the flow rate of the gas introduced into the intake pipe is set according to vertical length ratios of the zones such that the flow rate and a flow velocity of the gas injected from the openings toward the reaction tube are adjusted by opening and closing the control valve.