COOLING SYSTEM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING AND TESTING PROCESSES

Abstract

A cooling system for providing a desired environment for a semiconductor manufacturing and/or testing processes includes a vortex unit and a semiconductor processing device suitable for performing a semiconductor processing function. The vortex unit includes an air inlet for receiving compressed air, a first air exhaust for outputting an air stream having a temperature greater than the received compressed air, and a second air exhaust for outputting an air stream having a temperature lower than the received compressed air, and a dry air tube enclosing the second air exhaust and connecting to the air compressor unit and the vortex unit. Since the dry air continuously flows surrounding the cold air tube, no water will be condensed around the cold air tube. Accordingly, no pollution and damages by the condensed water will happen to the manufactured or tested products.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/295,226, filed on Jan. 15, 2010. The full disclosures of the above-identified application are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to a cooling system for semiconductor manufacture and/or testing processes, and more particularly to a vortex cooling system for providing desired environmental conditions in manufacturing and/or testing semiconductor devices.

BACKGROUND

The manufacturing and testing of semiconductor devices is a laborious process. Because of the complexity of the process, a high failure rate may be encountered during the manufacture of the devices. Thus, the devices must be tested extensively to ensure operation within desired parameters. Additionally, testing of the semiconductor device may require not only the testing of the ability of the semiconductor to perform desired operations, but also the ability of the semiconductor to perform the operations in contemplated environmental conditions.

Semiconductor devices may encounter a wide range of environmental conditions. From extreme heat to cold, and every temperature in between, users desire the operation of the semiconductor within desired parameters for the contemplated environmental conditions. Therefore, it may also be desirable to test the semiconductor devices within the contemplated operational temperature range to ensure the robustness of the device.

For example, conventional methods used to test a semiconductor device involve a vortex tube for cooling the environment of a desired process, such as testing of a device. Compressed air is directed into the vortex tube such that the cold air exhausts onto the testing and/or manufacturing of semiconductor devices.

However, because the temperature difference between the environment and the vortex cold air outlet, water may often condense surrounding the outer surface of the vortex cold air outlet tube. The condensed water may drop from the vortex tube to the manufacturing and/or testing areas and cause pollution and even damages to the manufactured or tested products. In general, the vortex tube may be encapsulated in insulating material, however, water condensation could still happen even though the vortex tube has been encapsulated by insulation material.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a cooling system for providing a desired environment for the testing and/or manufacturing of semiconductor devices in an efficient and cost-effective manner without moving parts, electricity, refrigerants, and without condensed water pollution and damages.

In one aspect of the present invention, a vortex tube includes an air inlet for receiving compressed air, a first air exhaust for outputting an air stream having a temperature greater than the received compressed air, and a second air exhaust for outputting an air stream having a temperature lower than the received compressed air, and a third air inlet to the heat insulation casing system and exhaust air with the second exhaust of the vortex tube. The semiconductor processing device is connected to the second air exhaust of the vortex tube so that the semiconductor processing device receives a cooled air stream from the vortex tube, the cooled air stream providing an environment suitable for enabling the semiconductor processing device to perform the semiconductor processing function. The third air conducting to the outer position of the second outlet of the vortex tube serves as a heat insulation layer.

It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments will be discussed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein elements having the same reference numeral designations represent like elements throughout and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of the cooling system for semiconductor manufacturing and testing processes in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a vortex unit 1 suitable for cooling in accordance with the present invention is shown. A vortex tube 2 receives a stream of compressed air 3 and separates the stream into a hot air stream 4 and a cool air stream 5. The stream of compressed air 3 is supplied from an air compressor 12 or central compressed air system in the factory. The cylindrical generator 6 causes the air to rotate as a first air stream. The rotating air is forced down the end of the tube against the inner walls of the tube. A portion of the first air stream at the periphery layers 7 exits the tube, preferably through a controlling valve 14, and is exhausted as the hot air stream 4. The remaining air returns through the center of the first air stream at the periphery layers 7 as a second air stream at the central layers 8, and the second air stream at the central layers 8 moves in the opposite direction slower that the first air stream at the periphery layers 7. Heat in the second air stream at the central layers 8 is transferred to the faster moving first air stream at the periphery layers 7 which cools the second air stream at the central layers 8. The second cooled air stream at the central layers 8 passes through the center of the cylindrical generator 6, and exits through an exhaust port as the cooled air 5. For the cooling purpose, the cooled air 5 exhausts onto the testing and/or manufacturing of semiconductor devices 9. The mechanism of the vortex tube 2 is that the angular velocity in the vortex tube 2 is low at the periphery layers 7 and very high at the central layers 8. Friction between the central and periphery layers 7 reduces all the air to the same angular velocity as in a solid body. This causes the inner layers to slow down and outer layers to speed up. As a result of that the inner parts lose part of their kinetic energy and their total temperature decrease. The periphery layers 7 receive the energy from the central layers 8. So the cooled air 5 is so formed in the cold air tube 10. The outlet of the cold air tube 10 is connected to the chuck 11 to cool down the environment of the semiconductor device 9.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention is shown wherein the cold air tube 10 of the vortex unit 1 is enclosed with a dry air tube 14, wherein a dry air 13 is supplied by the air compressor 12 or central compressed air system in the factory. The temperature of dry air 13 is between the hot air's 4 and the cold air's 5. The dry air 13 continuously flows surrounding the cold air tube 10 and then is directed out of the cold air tube 10. Since the dry air 13 continuously flows surrounding the cold air tube 10, no water will be condensed surrounding the cold air tube 10 to drop down onto the manufacturing and/or testing areas. Accordingly, no pollution and damages by the condensed water will happen to the manufactured or tested device 9 and the manufacturing and/or testing machines 19. The dry air 13 in the dry air tube 14 becomes a good temperature insulation layer and the dry air tube 14 is so designed as not to interfere the temperature behavior of the cold air tube 10.

Additionally, a controlling valve 15 located in the hot air exhaust of the vortex tube 2 may be used to control the cold fraction. The percentage of total input air to the vortex tube 2 that is directed to the cold end 16 is the “Cold Fraction”. Thus, by using a valve 15 controllable by a user, the vortex tube 2 may supply a variety of atmospheres as desired by a user. Adjusting the hot air outlet sets the flow rate and temperature at the cold end 16. The temperature “rise” at the hot end 17 and temperature “drop” at the cold end 16 of a vortex tube 2 at various input pressures and “Cold Fraction” setting. The more hot air stream 4 out at the hot end 17 and reduces the cold air stream 5, that is to lower the “Cold Fraction”, the cold air's temperature drop more at the cold end 16. The less hot air stream 4 out at the hot end 17 and increase the cold air stream 5, that is to raise the “Cold Fraction”, the cold air's temperature drop less at the cold end 16. In another aspect, change the flow rate or pressure of the inlet compressed air 3 will also change the temperature of the cold air stream 5 and the hot air stream 4. Increase the inlet pressure at lower cold fraction will make cold air's 5 temperature drop more but the hot air stream's 4 temperature raise few. On the contrary, increase the inlet pressure at higher cold fraction will make cold air's 5 temperature drop few but the hot air stream's 4 temperature raise more. The ON/OFF controller 18 is connected to the air compressor 12 and the manufacturing and/or testing machines 19 to control the operation of the cooling system. The controlling valve 15 is connected to the temperature sensor 20 on the manufacturing and/or testing machines 19.

It is believed that the cooling system of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the forgoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.

Claims

1. A cooling system for providing a desired environment for a semiconductor manufacturing and testing process, comprising:

a vortex unit having an air inlet for receiving a compressed air;

a hot air exhaust tube for outputting an air stream having a temperature greater than the received compressed air;

a cold air exhaust tube for outputting an air stream having a temperature lower than the received compressed air;

a dry air tube enclosing the cold air exhaust tube, wherein the dry air inside the dry air tube continuously flows surrounding the cold air tube; and

an air compressor system for supplying compressed air to the vortex tube and the dry air tube.

2. A cooling system as described in claim 1, wherein the vortex unit further comprises a valve constructed on the end of the hot air exhaust tube to control the cold fraction of the hot air in the hot air exhaust tube and the cold air in the cold air exhaust tube.

3. A vortex cooling system for providing a desired environment for a semiconductor manufacturing and testing process, comprising:

a vortex unit having an air inlet for receiving a compressed air;

a hot air exhaust tube for outputting an air stream having a temperature greater than the received compressed air;

a cold air exhaust tube for outputting an air stream having a temperature lower than the received compressed air; and

a dry air tube enclosing the cold air exhaust tube, wherein the dry air inside the dry air tube continuously flows surrounding the cold air tube.

4. A vortex cooling system as described in claim 1, wherein the vortex unit further comprises a valve constructed on the end of the hot air exhaust tube to control the cold fraction of the hot air in the hot air exhaust tube and the cold air in the cold air exhaust tube.