Edge ring and heat treatment equipment with edge ring

Abstract

The present invention provides an edge ring and a heat treatment apparatus having the edge ring. The edge ring includes a body having an annular shape. The body includes: a substrate support member configured to support an edge of a bottom surface of a substrate; an outer band disposed outside the substrate support member and having a top surface that is higher than the top surface of the substrate support member and parallel to the top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member; an outer sidewall disposed outside the outer band; and a groove member disposed between the substrate support member and the outer band.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an edge ring and a heat treatment apparatus having the edge ring, and more particularly, to an edge ring that improves the temperature uniformity of a substrate during heat treatment, and a heat treatment apparatus having the edge ring. Background Art

[0002] When a substrate is processed in a heat treatment process, the substrate contacts the edge ring in the chamber and is thus supported by the edge ring. Then, the top surface of the substrate is heated using a heat source disposed above the substrate, and after the heating is completed, the substrate is cooled. Here, the edge ring directly contacts the substrate to perform heat exchange with the substrate during heating and cooling, thereby sensitively changing the temperature according to the change in the ambient temperature. The edge region of the substrate supported by the edge ring may be adjacent to a gas supply that supplies a process gas to react with the process gas, which is heated relatively less than the central region of the substrate according to the flow of the process gas in one direction (e.g., in a single plane direction), and causes a temperature deviation between the substrate and the edge ring, thereby causing temperature non-uniformity between the central region and the edge region of the substrate, and it is difficult to ensure the temperature uniformity of the substrate. In rapid thermal processing (RTP) of a substrate, the temperature non-uniformity may be more severe.

[0003] Specifically, in the case where the process substrate has a micro-device structure, temperature non-uniformity may occur between the micro-devices, and thus, the quality may vary depending on the micro-devices, thereby reducing the reliability of the product.

[0004] In addition, when the temperature deviation between the central region and the edge region of the substrate is severe, distortion and / or warping of the substrate may occur, a focusing error may occur, and the yield may be reduced.

[0005] [Prior Art Documents]

[0006] [Patent Documents]

[0007] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2005-0017782 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention provides an edge ring that supports a substrate with improved temperature uniformity during heat treatment and a heat treatment apparatus having the edge ring.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment, an edge ring includes: a body having an annular shape, wherein the body includes: a substrate support member configured to support an edge of a bottom surface of a substrate; an outer band disposed outside the substrate support member and having a top surface that is higher than a top surface of the substrate support member and parallel to a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member; an outer sidewall disposed outside the outer band; and a groove member disposed between the substrate support member and the outer band.

[0010] The groove member may include: a bottom plate disposed at a lower height than the outer band; an inner sidewall protruding from a top surface of the bottom plate; and a connecting sidewall configured to connect the outer band to the bottom plate.

[0011] The connecting sidewall may have an inner surface configured to connect a top surface of the outer band to a top surface of the bottom plate, and the inner surface may at least partially have a region in which the inner surface approaches the inner sidewall as the height of the inner surface decreases.

[0012] An upper end of the inner sidewall may have the same height as a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member, or may have a height higher than the top surface of the substrate.

[0013] The bottom plate may be disposed at a height less than a height of a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member.

[0014] The edge ring may further include a coating made of an oxide of any of the elements constituting the body and coated on at least a part of the body.

[0015] The coating may have a thickness selected in the range of 400 nanometers to 1,500 nanometers.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment, a heat treatment apparatus includes: a chamber having an internal space in which a heat treatment process is performed; an edge ring according to the exemplary embodiment, the edge ring being disposed in the internal space of the chamber; a heating source disposed above the edge ring to provide thermal energy to a substrate supported by the edge ring; a gas supply member disposed at one side of the chamber to supply a process gas; and an exhaust member disposed at the other side of the chamber facing the gas supply member to exhaust remaining gas in the chamber.

[0017] The heating source may have an area larger than an area of the substrate, and at least a part of the heating source may be disposed above the groove member of the edge ring to provide thermal energy to the groove member.

[0018] The heat treatment apparatus may further include a rotation support member that rotates the edge ring, and the rotation support member may include a support ring on which the edge ring is supported. Description of the Drawings

[0019] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings enables a more detailed understanding of the exemplary embodiments. In the accompanying

[0020] drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 is a view showing an edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 is a view showing a modified example of the edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] Figure 3 is a view showing an edge ring including a coating according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 4 is a view for explaining the improvement of the temperature uniformity of the substrate through the edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Figure 5 is a view showing a heat treatment apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Description of reference numerals in the drawings

[0027] 10: Substrate;

[0028] 100: Edge ring;

[0029] 110: Body;

[0030] 111: Substrate support member;

[0031] 111a: Plate;

[0032] 111b: Support tip;

[0033] 112: Outer band;

[0034] 113: Outer side wall;

[0035] 114: Groove member;

[0036] 114a: Bottom plate;

[0037] 114b: Inner side wall;

[0038] 114c: Connecting side wall;

[0039] 120: Coating;

[0040] 200: Heat treatment apparatus;

[0041] 210: Chamber;

[0042] 220: Heating source;

[0043] 230: Gas supply member;

[0044] 240: Exhaust component;

[0045] 250: Rotating support ring;

[0046] 251: Support ring;

[0047] 252: Bottom plate;

[0048] A - A': Line. Detailed implementation manners

[0049] In the following, specific embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention can be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the description, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the drawings, the dimensions of layers and regions are enlarged for clarity of illustration. The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the text.

[0050] Figure 1 is a view showing an edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment. Here, Figure 1 of (a) is a perspective view of the edge ring, and Figure 1 of (b) is a cross - sectional view of the edge ring taken along line A - A'.

[0051] Referring to Figure 1 , the edge ring 100 according to an exemplary embodiment may include a main body 110 having an annular shape. The main body 110 may include: a substrate support member 111 that supports an edge of the bottom surface of the substrate 10; an outer band 112 that is disposed outside the substrate support member 111 and has a top surface that is higher than the top surface of the substrate support member 111 and parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10 supported by the substrate support member 111; an outer side wall 113 that is disposed outside the outer band 112; and a groove member 114 that is disposed between the substrate support member 111 and the outer band 112.

[0052] The edge ring 100 according to an exemplary embodiment may be an edge ring 100 for a rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus that heats the substrate 10 by using radiant energy of light.

[0053] The main body 110 may have an annular shape and be configured to support an edge of the bottom surface of the substrate 10. The main body may include a substrate support member 111, an outer band 112, an outer side wall 113, and a groove member 114.

[0054] The substrate support member 111 can support the edge of the bottom surface of the substrate 10 and is disposed at the innermost part of the main body 110. Here, the substrate support member 111 can provide a support surface on which the substrate 10 can be stably supported, and is provided as a plate 111a having an annular shape. The substrate 10 can be supported on the support tips protruding from the top surface of the plate 111a.

[0055] The outer band 112 can be disposed outside the substrate support member 111 and has a top surface that is higher than the top surface of the substrate support member 111 and parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10 supported on the substrate support member 111. Here, when the substrate support member 111 has a support tip 111b, the upper end surface of the support tip 111b can be the top surface of the substrate support member 111. The outer band 112 can be disposed outside the substrate support member 111 to induce the flow of process gas. The outer band 112 can have a top surface parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10 supported on the substrate support member 111 to form a flow of process gas parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10. Here, the top surface of the outer band 112 can have the same height as the top surface of the substrate, and the process gas is induced along the top surface of the outer band 112 to the top surface of the substrate 10 through the gas supply member 230 and the exhaust member 240 opposite to each other, thereby forming a laminar flow on the substrate 10.

[0056] The outer side wall 113 can be disposed outside the outer band 112 to induce the alignment of the edge ring 100 when the edge ring 100 is supported on the support ring 251 of the rotary support ring 250, and prevent the edge ring 100 from moving (or swaying) in the left and right directions (or horizontal direction). For example, the outer side wall 113 can extend downward from the outer band 112 to serve as a side wall cover covering the side wall of the support ring 251, and prevent the edge ring 100 from moving in the left and right directions by hooking the outer side wall 113 to the side wall of the support ring 251.

[0057] The groove member 114 can be disposed between the substrate support member 111 and the outer band 112 to define a space lower than the top surface of the outer band 112 and the top surface of the substrate 10. The groove member 114 can have a groove shape with a bottom surface and two side walls. The process gas moving along the top surface (or surface) of the outer band 112 can be introduced into the groove member 114 and then sufficiently heated. Then, the heated process gas heated due to the rise of the convectively heated process gas and the continuous introduction of the process gas can be discharged from the groove member 114 to flow along the top surface of the substrate 10.

[0058] Therefore, the process gas can be supplied to the substrate 10 after being sufficiently heated. Thus, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the edge of the substrate 10 from decreasing due to the process gas. Therefore, the temperature deviation between the central region and the edge region of the substrate 10 can be minimized to improve the temperature uniformity of the substrate 10.

[0059] The recessed member 114 may include: a bottom plate 114a disposed at a height lower than that of the outer band 112; an inner sidewall 114b protruding from the top surface of the bottom plate 114a; and a connecting sidewall 114c connecting the outer band 112 to the bottom plate 114a. The bottom plate 114a may be disposed at a height lower than that of the outer band 112 to provide the bottom surface of the recessed member 114, and the top surface of the bottom plate may be arranged to be lower than each of the top surface of the outer band 112 and the top surface of the substrate 10.

[0060] The inner sidewall 114b may protrude from the top surface of the bottom plate 114a and be disposed between the bottom plate 114a and the substrate support member 111 to distinguish the recessed member 114 from the substrate support member 111, and together with the bottom plate 114a and the connecting sidewall 114c, define a recess (or internal space). Here, the inner sidewall 114b may be arranged to face the connecting sidewall 114c. For example, the inner sidewall 114b may have a rib shape protruding from the bottom plate 114a such that only its lower end is connected.

[0061] The connecting sidewall 114c may be disposed between the outer band 112 and the bottom plate 114a to connect the outer band 112 to the bottom plate 114a, and provide a sidewall through the height difference between the outer band 112 and the bottom plate 114a. Here, the connecting sidewall 114c may be arranged to face the outer sidewall 113 and the inner sidewall 114b, and together with the outer sidewall 113 and the outer band 112, surround the support ring 251. Therefore, at least a part of the support ring 251 may be inserted (fitted) into the space defined by the outer sidewall 113, the outer band 112, and the connecting sidewall 114c, such that the edge ring 100 is supported by rotating the support ring 251 of the support member 250.

[0062] Figure 2 is a view showing a modified example of the edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment. Here, Figure 2 (a) of shows an example of the edge ring, Figure 2 (b) of shows the edge ring in which the bottom plate is arranged lower than the substrate support member, Figure 2 (c) of shows the edge ring in which the substrate support member includes a support tip, and Figure 2 (d) of shows the edge ring in which the inner sidewall is inclined.

[0063] Reference Figure 2, the connecting sidewall 114c may have an inner surface that connects the top surface of the outer band 112 to the top surface of the bottom plate 114a, and the inner surface may at least partially have (or include) a region that approaches the inner sidewall 114b as the height of the inner surface decreases. For example, the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c may be inclined or rounded such that the height difference between the top surface of the outer band and the inner surface increases as the inner surface approaches the inner sidewall 114b. That is, the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c may be inclined downward toward the interior (or inner sidewall) of the main body 110 as shown in (d) of Figure 2 , or may be rounded to gradually reduce the inclination of the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c from the top surface of the outer band 112 to the top surface of the bottom plate 114a. Here, the connecting sidewall 114c may be inclined or rounded as a whole (that is, all the inner and outer surfaces of the connecting sidewall), or only the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c may be inclined or rounded. Alternatively, the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c may be inclined or rounded as a whole, or may be partially inclined or rounded.

[0064] In this case, the process gas can be stably induced along the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c into the inner space (or groove) of the groove member 114. The volume of the inner space of the groove member 114 can be increased, and the process gas can be effectively heated in the inner space of the groove member 114. When the connecting sidewall 114c is vertically arranged (or has a right angle), the process gas can be introduced into the inner space of the groove member 114 only by the air pressure difference between the inner space and the outer space of the groove member 114. Here, when the process gas is filled into the inner space of the groove member 114 to reduce the air pressure difference between the inner space and the outer space of the groove member 114, the process gas may not be properly introduced into the inner space of the groove member 114, and thus may not be sufficiently heated and then flow to the substrate 10. However, when the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c is inclined or rounded in the same shape as described above, the process gas can be induced along the inner surface of the connecting sidewall 114c and the air pressure difference between the inner space and the outer space of the groove member 114, and thus can be effectively introduced into the inner space of the groove member 114 and also sufficiently heated in the inner space of the groove member 114. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 from being relatively reduced by the insufficiently heated process gas.

[0065] The upper end of the inner sidewall 114b may have a height equal to or higher than the top surface of the substrate 10 supported by the substrate support member 111. When the upper end of the inner sidewall 114b is lower than the top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member 111, at least a part of the process gas may not be blocked by the inner sidewall 114b, and thus, despite the current drop due to the groove member 114, it may not be introduced into the inner space of the groove member 114, and thus, a part of the process gas may directly flow to the top surface of the substrate 10. Therefore, since the process gas is not sufficiently heated due to directly flowing to the top surface of the substrate 10, the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 may be relatively reduced.

[0066] However, in this embodiment, when the upper end of the inner sidewall 114b has the same height as the top surface of the substrate 10 supported by the substrate support member 111 or is higher than the top surface of the substrate 10, the process gas may be blocked by the current drop due to the groove member 114 before flowing to the top surface of the substrate 10. Therefore, the process gas may not be sufficiently heated, and the process gas is prevented from flowing to the top surface of the substrate 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 from being relatively reduced due to the supply of the insufficiently heated process gas.

[0067] Here, the top surface of the outer band 112 may be disposed at the same height as the top surface of the substrate 10, and the upper end of the inner sidewall 114b may be disposed at the same height as the top surface of the substrate 10. In this case, due to the current drop caused by the groove member 114, the process gas may be blocked by the inner sidewall 114b, and the supply hole of the gas supply member 230 and the discharge hole of the exhaust member 240 may face each other along the top surface of the substrate 10 (i.e., the top surface of the outer band, the upper end of the inner sidewall, and the top surface of the substrate) to effectively generate a laminar flow on the substrate 10.

[0068] The bottom plate 114a can be disposed at a height lower than the top surface of the substrate 10 supported by the substrate support member 111. That is to say, the process gas can be heated in the space defined at a height lower than the top surface of the substrate 10, and then flow through the inner side wall 114b to flow along the top surface of the substrate 10. Therefore, the process gas can react well on the substrate 10. When the bottom plate 114a is disposed at the same height as the top surface of the substrate 10 or disposed higher than the top surface of the substrate 10, the process gas can be heated in the space defined as higher than the top surface of the substrate 10, and it may be difficult to allow the process gas to move along the inner side wall 114b to a higher position to flow along the top surface of the substrate 10. Therefore, the process gas may not react effectively on the substrate 10. Therefore, the bottom plate 114a can be set lower than the top surface of the substrate 10 supported by the substrate support member 111, so that the process gas flowing through the inner side wall 114b after heating flows along the top surface of the substrate 10 to react effectively on the substrate 10.

[0069] The bottom plate 114a can be set lower than the substrate support member 111 that supports the substrate 10, the volume of the internal space of the groove member 114 can be increased, and the surface area of the main body of the edge ring 100 can be increased. When the volume of the internal space of the groove member 114 is increased, a large amount of process gas can be effectively heated, and when the surface area of the main body 110 is increased, the ratio of the exposed surface area to the mass of the edge ring 100 can be increased to reduce the radial temperature gradient during heating. In addition, when the surface area of the main body 110 is increased, due to the increase in the surface area, the azimuthal thermal conductivity of the edge ring 100 can be improved by the increased mass. In the edge ring 100 according to the exemplary embodiment, the azimuthal and radial deformations of the edge ring 100 can be reduced, and the uniformity of the heat exchange between the edge ring 100 and the substrate 10 can be improved to improve the heat treatment uniformity.

[0070] Figure 3 is a view showing an edge ring including a coating according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0071] Reference Figure 3 , the edge ring 100 according to the exemplary embodiment may further include a coating 120 made of an oxide of any one of the elements constituting the main body 110 and coated on at least a part of the main body 110.

[0072] The coating 120 can be coated (or covered) on at least a part of the main body 110 and can be made of an oxide of any one of the elements constituting the main body 110. For example, the coating 120 can be formed by wet and / or dry methods after the cleaning process of the treated main body 110, or can be formed on the entire surface or a part of the main body 110. Therefore, the thickness of a specific area of the main body 110 can be increased or decreased.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment, the coating 120 may be applied to at least a portion of the body 110 such that the edge ring 100 is increased in terms of mechanical hardness and thermal conductivity. Moreover, the coating 120 may reduce the thermal deformation and chemical damage of the edge ring 100, and the edge ring 100 may have strong resistance to contamination and particles.

[0074] For example, the coating 120 made of an oxide may have high heat resistance and high hardness, and may also have physical and chemical properties that do not deteriorate even at a high temperature of about 600 °C or higher than 600 °C. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the substrate 10 supported by the edge ring 100 and the edge ring 100 from bonding to each other at a high temperature, and the occurrence of scratches on the substrate 10 and / or the edge ring 100 can be minimized. In addition, the occurrence of scratches on the substrate 10 and / or the edge ring 100 can be minimized to suppress or prevent the occurrence of particles.

[0075] The thickness of the coating 120 may be selected in the range of about 400 nanometers to about 1,500 nanometers and may be selected in the range of about 400 nanometers to about 1,500 nanometers according to process conditions. When the thickness of the coating 120 is less than about 400 nanometers, the coating 120 may not be properly used as a protective layer to reduce damage to the body 110, and may not provide sufficient mechanical hardness of the edge ring 100. In addition, since the body 110 is not sufficiently coated, the edge ring 100 may not have strong resistance to contaminants and particles.

[0076] On the other hand, when the thickness of the coating 120 is greater than about 1,500 nanometers, the edge ring 100 may have sufficient mechanical hardness. However, the overall thickness of the edge ring 100 may increase to allow the position of the upper surface to be higher as a whole, and it may not be possible to effectively form a laminar flow of the process gas. In addition, due to the larger thickness of the edge ring 100, it may be difficult to bond the rotary support member 250 to the support ring 251, and it may be difficult to allow the edge ring 100 to rotate, and the volume of the groove (or space) of the groove member 114 may also decrease. In addition, since the thermal conductivity of the edge ring 100 is significantly increased, the temperature of the heated edge ring 100 is transferred to the edge region of the substrate 10, so the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 may even be higher than the temperature of the central region of the substrate 10. Since it takes a long time to increase the thickness of the coating 120 when applying the coating 120 on the body 110 (that is, the deposition rate or coating rate of the coating is reduced), when the thickness of the coating 120 is greater than about 1,500 nanometers, unnecessary time may increase in manufacturing the edge ring 100. In addition, unnecessary costs are incurred due to the unnecessary coating time.

[0077] The body 110 may include elements constituting the substrate 10, and the coating 120 may be made of an oxide of the elements constituting the substrate 10. For example, the body 110 may be made of silicon carbide (SiC), and the coating 120 may be a silicon oxide film (SiOx). The body 110 may include elements constituting the substrate 10 and is thus made of a material having a heat capacity similar to that of the substrate 10. When the substrate 10 is a silicon (Si) substrate, the body 110 may be made of silicon carbide (SiC) to process the Si substrate. Here, the body 110 may be formed by sintering a powder material and then mechanically processing the sintered powder material.

[0078] When the substrate 10 is a Si substrate, the coating 120 may be a silicon oxide film (SiOx) made of silicon oxide. In addition, since the body 110, which is transparent to radiation in the frequency range for measuring the temperature of the substrate 10 and capable of transmitting scattered radiant heat that may affect temperature measurement, is coated, the edge ring 100 may be manufactured to be opaque to radiant heat. In addition, due to the characteristics of the material, the body 110 made of silicon carbide (SiC) may have fine gaps on its surface, and particles generated due to mechanical processing may remain on the surface of the body 110. In this case, when the remaining material is trapped in the fine gaps during processing, the remaining material may not be discharged to the exhaust member 240 but may be introduced together with the process gas to act as particles, and the particles remaining on the surface of the body 110 due to mechanical processing may be introduced onto the substrate 10 together with the process gas.

[0079] However, when the body 110 made of silicon carbide (SiC) is coated with the coating 120, the fine gaps may be filled to effectively discharge the remaining material through the exhaust member 240, thereby preventing or suppressing the particle effect due to the remaining material remaining on the surface of the edge ring 100, and the particles remaining on the surface of the body 110 due to mechanical processing may also be coated together to prevent the particles remaining on the surface of the body 110 due to mechanical processing from being introduced onto the substrate 10 together with the process gas during processing. In addition, the coating 120 is formed using a silicon oxide film (SiOx) made of silicon oxide. The coating 120 may be easily formed by oxidizing only the silicon (Si) provided on the surface of the body 110, and the coating 120 may share the same element (i.e., the silicon element) as the body 110 to improve the bonding between the body 110 and the coating 120.

[0080] When the thickness of the coating 120 is less than about 400 nanometers, since the particles remaining on the surface of the body 110 due to mechanical processing are not completely coated, the coating 120 may be formed to have a thickness selected in the range of about 400 nanometers to about 1,500 nanometers to completely coat (or cover) the particles remaining on the surface of the body due to mechanical processing.

[0081] Figure 4 is a view for explaining improvement of temperature uniformity of a substrate by an edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment. Here, Figure 4 (a) of Figure 4 shows an edge ring according to the prior art, Figure 4 (b) of Figure 4 shows an edge ring having a vertical connection sidewall, and Figure 4 (c) of Figure 4 shows an edge ring having an inclined connection sidewall.

[0082] Referring to Figure 4 , in an edge ring without a groove member 114 according to the prior art, as shown in Figure 4 (a) of Figure 4 , the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 is non-uniform. However, as shown in Figure 4 (b) of Figure 4 and Figure 4 (c) of Figure 4 , if the groove member 114 is provided, the temperature of the edge region may be uniform.

[0083] Accordingly, the edge ring 100 according to an exemplary embodiment can induce process gas to flow through the groove member 114 such that the process gas flows to the substrate 10 after being sufficiently heated in the groove member 114, thereby preventing the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 from being relatively decreased due to the process gas, and thus allowing the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 to be uniform. Accordingly, the temperature deviation between the central region and the edge region of the substrate 10 can be minimized to improve the temperature uniformity of the substrate 10. Accordingly, distortion and / or warping of the substrate 10 can be prevented to improve the yield of the product.

[0084] Figure 5 is a view showing a heat treatment apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0085] A heat treatment apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5 . In the description of the edge ring according to another exemplary embodiment, the description overlapping with the edge ring according to the foregoing embodiment will be omitted.

[0086] A heat treatment apparatus 200 according to another exemplary embodiment may include: a chamber 210 having an internal space in which a heat treatment process is performed; an edge ring 100 according to an exemplary embodiment disposed in the internal space of the chamber 210; a heating source 220 disposed above the edge ring 100 to supply thermal energy to the substrate 10 supported by the edge ring 100; a gas supply member 230 disposed at one side of the chamber 210 to supply a process gas; and an exhaust member 240 disposed at the other side of the chamber 210 facing the gas supply member 230 to exhaust the remaining gas in the chamber 210.

[0087] The chamber 210 may have an internal space where a heat treatment process is performed, defining a processing space and forming a process atmosphere. For example, a window made of quartz may be provided in the top surface of the chamber 210, and a heating source 220 may be disposed on the window.

[0088] An edge ring 100 may be disposed in the internal space of the chamber 210 to support the substrate 10 within the chamber 210. The edge ring 100 may be an edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment and have a groove member 114 to prevent the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 from being reduced by the process gas, thereby allowing the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 to be uniform.

[0089] The heating source 220 may be disposed above the edge ring 100 to provide thermal energy to the substrate 10 supported by the edge ring 100. Here, the heating source 220 may provide radiant energy into the internal space of the chamber 210 and transfer the radiant energy to the substrate 10 to heat the substrate.

[0090] For example, the heating source 220 may include a plurality of lamps disposed above the edge ring 100. Each of the plurality of lamps may include a halogen lamp and may generate radiant heat introduced into the internal space of the chamber 210 through the window of the chamber 210. In addition, the plurality of lamps may be arranged in a plurality of zones, which are classified together into several control groups, and the lamps may be controlled by a temperature control algorithm to control the temperature of the substrate 10.

[0091] A gas supply member 230 may be provided at one side of the chamber 210 to supply a process gas. Here, the gas supply member 230 may supply a process gas having a temperature lower than the temperature in the heat treatment process. That is, when the heat treatment process is performed, the gas supply member 230 may supply the process gas into the internal space of the chamber 210 (the space between the window of the chamber and the substrate). After the process gas is supplied into the internal space of the chamber 210, the remaining gas that remains on the substrate 10 without reaction may be exhausted (or discharged) through an exhaust member 240.

[0092] The exhaust member 240 may be provided at the other side of the chamber 210 to face the gas supply member 230, thereby exhausting the remaining gas within the chamber 210. Here, the exhaust holes of the exhaust member 240 may be defined to face the injection holes of the gas supply member 230. A linear gas flow may be formed by the injection holes of the gas supply member 230 and the exhaust holes of the exhaust member 240. For example, the remaining gas within the chamber 210 may be exhausted through the exhaust holes of the exhaust member 240 through a discharge port connected to a vacuum pump (not shown).

[0093] Here, the top surface of the outer band 112, the upper end (surface) of the inner sidewall 114b, and the top surface of the substrate 10 may be disposed at the same height to respectively provide a substantially flat top surface (or surfaces). The injection holes of the gas supply member 230 and the exhaust holes of the exhaust member 240 may be provided on an extension line of the flat top surface (i.e., a line intersecting the top surface of the outer band, the upper end surface of the inner sidewall, and the top surface of the substrate), so as to face each other. Accordingly, a smooth flow of process gas through the flat top surface may be allowed, and a laminar flow may be formed on the substrate 10.

[0094] The heat treatment apparatus 200 according to another exemplary embodiment may be a rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus.

[0095] The heating source 220 may have an area larger than the area of the substrate 10, and at least a part of the heating source 220 may be disposed above the groove member 114 of the edge ring 100 to supply thermal energy to the groove member 114. In another exemplary embodiment, since the process gas introduced into the groove member 114 must be heated, the heating source 220 may be disposed above the edge ring 100 and the substrate on which the heat treatment is directly performed. In this regard, the heating source 220 may have an area larger than the area of the substrate 10 and be disposed above the edge ring 100. Here, the heating source 220 may be disposed at least above the groove member 114 of the edge ring 100, and thus, the process gas introduced into the groove member 114 may be effectively heated. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the edge region of the substrate 10 from decreasing due to the insufficiently heated process gas. For example, lamps may be disposed above the groove member 114 of the edge ring 100. Here, the lamps disposed above the groove member 114 among the plurality of lamps may be grouped together.

[0096] The heat treatment apparatus 200 according to another exemplary embodiment may further include a rotary support member 250 for rotating the edge ring 100, and the rotary support member 250 may include a support ring 251 on which the edge ring 100 is supported.

[0097] The rotary support member 250 may include a support ring 251 on which the edge ring 100 is supported to allow the supported edge ring 100 to rotate. The support ring 251 may support the edge ring 100 and have an annular shape or a cylindrical shape. The edge ring 100 may be supported to surround the support ring 251. For example, the support ring 251 may be made of quartz, and silicon may be coated as a shield for blocking radiation from the heating source 220, which may interfere with the temperature measurement of the substrate 10. Accordingly, the support ring 251 may be opaque within the frequency range of the pyrometer.

[0098] The rotating support member 250 can rotate the supported edge ring 100, causing the substrate 10 to rotate. In addition, the rotating support member 250 can allow the edge ring 100 and / or the substrate 10 to rise (or move vertically). For example, the rotating support member 250 can allow the substrate 10 to rotate during the performance of a heat treatment process. Here, the substrate 10 can rotate at a rate of approximately 90 times per minute, and the support ring 251 coupled to a drive system (not shown) can rotate to allow the edge ring 100 to rotate. Here, the rotating support member 250 can further include a bottom plate 252 that supports the support ring 251, and the drive system (not shown) can be disposed on the bottom plate 252.

[0099] The process gas can be disposed parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10. The process gas can be supplied not perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate 10 toward the top surface of the substrate 10, but parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10 in the lateral direction (or from the side surface) of the substrate 10. Accordingly, a laminar flow can be formed on the substrate 10. That is, the process gas can flow parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10 along a substantially flat top surface defined by the top surface of the outer band 112, the upper end (surface) of the inner sidewall 114b, and the top surface of the substrate 10, and the remaining gas can be disposed through the exhaust member 240 after reacting on the substrate 10. Accordingly, a laminar flow can be formed on the substrate by the flow of the gas.

[0100] In addition, the groove member 114 can be symmetrically disposed with respect to the central axis of the edge ring 100. The process gas can be supplied from one side of the substrate 10 to pass through the top surface of the substrate 10 parallel to the top surface of the substrate 10. However, since the edge ring 100 rotates during the performance of the heat treatment process, the groove member 114 for uniformly heat treating the substrate 10 can be symmetrically disposed with respect to the central axis of the edge ring 100. For example, the groove member 114 can be defined along the circumference of the substrate support member 111 of the edge ring, and an annular-shaped groove can be defined in the main body 110. In this case, even if the edge ring 100 rotates, since the groove member 114 is disposed in the direction of supplying the process gas, the air sufficiently heated in the groove member 114 can be transferred to the substrate 10. Accordingly, even when the substrate 10 rotates, uniform heat treatment can be performed on the substrate 10.

[0101] In a heat treatment apparatus 200 according to another exemplary embodiment, the structural shape can be optimized by the area of direct contact with the substrate 10 through a change in shape. In addition, a coating 120 can be provided on the surface of the main body 110 to increase the mechanical hardness and thermal conductivity of the edge ring 100. In addition, thermal deformation and chemical damage of the edge ring 100 can be reduced, and strong resistance to contaminants and particles can be provided. In addition, process gas can be introduced into the groove member 114 of the edge ring 100 and heated to ensure a process gas flow that matches the atmospheric environment. Accordingly, the temperature deviation of the substrate 10 can be minimized, and heat loss due to matching of the atmospheric environment can be minimized.

[0102] As described above, the flow of process gas can be induced through the groove member such that the process gas is heated in the groove member to flow to the substrate, thereby preventing the temperature of the edge region of the substrate from being relatively reduced by the process gas, thereby minimizing the temperature deviation between the central region and the edge region of the substrate, and improving the temperature uniformity of the substrate. Accordingly, distortion and / or warping of the substrate can be prevented to improve the yield of the product. Additionally, a coating such as an oxide film can be formed on the edge ring to increase mechanical hardness and thermal conductivity, reduce thermal deformation and chemical damage, and have strong resistance to contaminants and particles. In addition, a heating source can be provided above the groove member to effectively heat the process gas introduced into the groove member.

[0103] The term “ ～ on” used in the above description includes direct contact and indirect contact at a position opposite to the upper and lower portions. It is also possible to position not only the entire upper surface or the entire lower surface, but also a partial upper surface or a lower surface, and it is used in the sense of being opposite to or in direct contact with the upper or lower surface in position.

[0104] An edge ring according to an exemplary embodiment can induce the flow of process gas through the groove member such that the process gas is heated in the groove member to flow to the substrate, thereby preventing the temperature of the edge region of the substrate from being relatively reduced by the process gas, thereby minimizing the temperature deviation between the central region and the edge region of the substrate, and improving the temperature uniformity of the substrate. Accordingly, distortion and / or warping of the substrate can be prevented to improve the yield of the product.

[0105] Additionally, a coating such as an oxide film can be formed on the edge ring to increase mechanical hardness and thermal conductivity, reduce thermal deformation and chemical damage, and have strong resistance to contaminants and particles.

[0106] In addition, a heat treatment apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment can provide a heating source above the groove member to effectively heat the process gas introduced into the groove member.

[0107] Although the embodiments have been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, these embodiments are not limited to the foregoing embodiments, and thus, it should be understood that many other modifications and embodiments that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of the present invention can be designed by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the actual scope of protection of the present invention will be determined by the technical scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An edge ring, comprising: A main body having an annular shape, wherein the main body includes: A substrate support member configured to support an edge of a bottom surface of a substrate; An outer band disposed outside the substrate support member and having a top surface that is higher than a top surface of the substrate support member and parallel to a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member; An outer side wall disposed outside the outer band; and A groove member disposed between the substrate support member and the outer band, wherein the groove member includes: A bottom plate disposed at a height lower than the outer band; An inner side wall protruding from a top surface of the bottom plate; and A connecting side wall configured to connect the outer band to the bottom plate, wherein an upper end of the inner side wall has the same height as a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member or has a height higher than the top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member, wherein the outer side wall extends downward from the outer band, and the connecting side wall is disposed to face the outer side wall to define, together with the outer side wall and the outer band, a space for inserting at least a part of a support ring of a rotary support member.

2. The edge ring according to claim 1, wherein the connecting side wall has an inner surface configured to connect the top surface of the outer band to the top surface of the bottom plate, and at least a part of the inner surface has a region in which the inner surface approaches the inner side wall as the height of the inner surface decreases.

3. The edge ring according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate is disposed at a height lower than a height of a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support member.

4. The edge ring according to claim 1, further comprising a coating made of an oxide of any one of the elements constituting the main body and coated on at least a part of the main body.

5. The edge ring according to claim 4, wherein the coating has a thickness selected in the range of 400 nanometers to 1,500 nanometers.

6. A heat treatment apparatus, comprising: A chamber having an internal space in which a heat treatment process is performed; The edge ring according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the edge ring being disposed in the internal space of the chamber; A heating source disposed above the edge ring to supply heat energy to the substrate supported by the edge ring; A gas supply member disposed at one side of the chamber to supply a process gas; and An exhaust member disposed at the other side of the chamber to face the gas supply member to exhaust remaining gas in the chamber.

7. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heating source has an area larger than an area of the substrate, and at least a part of the heating source is disposed above the groove member of the edge ring to supply heat energy to the groove member.

8. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a rotary support member for rotating the edge ring, and the rotary support member includes a support ring on which the edge ring is supported.

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