Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides an integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: a chamber in which integrated circuit manufacturing is performed on a substrate; a heating device for heating the substrate during the integrated circuit manufacturing process; and a substrate holding device for fixing the substrate in the chamber during the integrated circuit manufacturing process, wherein the substrate holding device comprises: a base having a basically circular surface and a cylindrical surface extending from the basically circular surface, and a continuous annular portion arranged in the base and having a contact surface defined on the annular portion, wherein the contact surface is configured to contact an edge of the substrate being held, and the substrate holding device does not contact the circumferential surface of the substrate being held.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an integrated circuit manufacturing system. Background Art

[0002] The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. In the course of IC development, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be achieved using a manufacturing process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally has the advantage of increasing production efficiency and reducing associated costs. However, this scaling down process has also been accompanied by increased complexity in the design and manufacture of devices that comprise these ICs, and similar developments in device design are needed to achieve these advances.

[0003] For example, epitaxy is a common technique for depositing materials, often used to manufacture integrated circuits, and is ripe for improvement. Epitaxy can be used to grow semiconductor crystals and other crystalline structures. In a conventional vapor phase epitaxy process, a target material is heated and a semiconductor-containing gas is provided. If the environment is properly maintained, the semiconductor precipitates out of the gas and deposits onto the target in a controlled manner. In particular, the rate of precipitation / deposition depends on the surface temperature of the target material and the supply rate of the gas or gases in the epitaxial chamber. Epitaxy can produce layers of highly uniform thickness; however, once the design node is reduced, a small deviation that is completely acceptable in one technology may be a critical defect. Therefore, although conventional epitaxial deposition systems and techniques have been sufficient to meet previous designs, they may not meet the needs of the next generation of integrated circuits. In order to continue to meet the increasing design requirements, further progress in this field and other fields is needed. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems in the prior art, an embodiment of the present invention provides an integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: a chamber, in which integrated circuits are manufactured on a substrate; a heating device, used to heat the substrate during the integrated circuit manufacturing process; and a substrate holding device, used to fix the substrate in the chamber during the integrated circuit manufacturing process, wherein the substrate holding device comprises: a base, having a basically circular surface and a cylindrical surface extending from the basically circular surface, and a continuous annular portion, arranged in the base and having a contact surface defined on the annular portion, wherein the contact surface is configured to contact the edge of the substrate being held, and the substrate holding device does not contact the circumferential surface of the substrate being held.

[0005] An embodiment of the present application also provides an integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: a substrate holding device for fixing a substrate in an integrated circuit process, wherein the substrate holding device includes: a base having a bottom surface and a side wall surface extending from the bottom surface and surrounding the bottom surface; and a continuous annular portion, intersecting the bottom surface and the side wall surface, wherein the annular portion includes a contact surface, the contact surface is configured to contact the edge of the substrate being held, and the substrate holding device does not contact the outermost peripheral surface of the substrate being held.

[0006] An embodiment of the present application further provides an integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: a substrate holding device for holding a substrate in an integrated circuit process, wherein the substrate holding device comprises: a base, comprising: a conical bottom surface, the apex of the conical bottom surface is aligned with the center of the held substrate; a side wall surface extending upward from the conical bottom surface, the side wall surface defining a groove; and a continuous annular portion, arranged in the groove and intersecting with the conical bottom surface, the annular portion comprising a contact surface, the contact surface being configured to contact the bottom surface of the held substrate, wherein a portion of the recess extends around the outermost peripheral surface of the held substrate so that the outermost peripheral surface of the held substrate does not intersect with the substrate holding device.

[0007] Embodiments of the present application provide a wafer pedestal with improved thermal characteristics. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Various aspects of the present invention will be best understood by the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, the various components are not drawn to scale. In fact, the sizes of the various components may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an epitaxial system according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 is a plot of observed thermal characteristics of an epitaxial process according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base having a separate contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base having a three-sided contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 6is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base having a separate contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0015] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base having an annular contact surface according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a susceptor having a separate annular contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0017] Fig.9A and Fig. 9B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base having exposed contact areas according to various aspects of the present invention.

[0018] Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a susceptor having an exposed annular contact area according to various aspects of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present invention relates generally to IC device fabrication, and more particularly to systems and techniques for epitaxial deposition with improved thermal uniformity.

[0020] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing the different features of the present disclosure. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present invention. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. For example, in the following description, forming a first component above or on a second component may include an embodiment in which the first component and the second component are formed in direct contact, and may also include an embodiment in which an additional component may be formed between the first component and the second component so that the first component and the second component may not be in direct contact. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numerals and / or characters in various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0021] Moreover, for ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "below," "beneath," "below," "above," "on," and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or component to another (or other) elements or components as shown in the figures. In addition to the orientation shown in the figures, the spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, then elements described as being "below" or "beneath" other elements or components will be oriented as being "above" the other elements or components. Thus, the exemplary term "below" may include orientations above and below. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.

[0022] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of an epitaxy system 100 according to various aspects of the present invention. Epitaxy system 100 is only one example of an integrated circuit manufacturing tool in which the temperature of the workpiece or substrate affects the quality of the result. The principles of the present invention are equally applicable to a wide range of manufacturing tools. The present invention has been simplified for clarity and to better illustrate the concepts of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0023] Epitaxy system 100 is operable to implement an epitaxy process and thus deposit crystalline, polycrystalline and / or amorphous materials on substrate 102. Suitable substrates 102 include any workpiece used in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, substrate 102 may include bulk silicon. Alternatively, substrate 102 may include elemental (single element) semiconductors such as silicon or germanium in a crystalline structure; compound semiconductors such as silicon germanium, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, indium phosphide, indium arsenide, and / or indium antimonide; or combinations thereof. Substrate 102 may also have a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure and thus may include an insulator such as a semiconductor oxide, a semiconductor nitride, a semiconductor oxynitride, a semiconductor carbide, and / or other suitable insulator materials. SOI structures are manufactured using oxygen implantation isolation (SIMOX), wafer bonding, and / or other suitable methods. In some embodiments, substrate 102 is a mask substrate and includes non-semiconductor materials such as quartz, LTEM glass, silicon carbide, silicon oxide, and / or titanium oxide.

[0024] The epitaxial process is performed within the central chamber 104 of the epitaxy system 100. Atmospheric control, including filtration, maintains the environment with extremely low levels of particulate and gaseous molecular contamination ("AMC") that could damage the substrate 102. By creating a microenvironment within the central chamber 104, the epitaxial process can be performed in an environment that is cleaner than the surrounding facility. The sealed construction of the central chamber 104 can also help maintain pressure or temperature and help contain process gases.

[0025] The substrate 102 can reach the central chamber 104 after passing through a series of locks and doors designed to prevent the environment of the central chamber 104 from contamination. Once the substrate 102 is received, it is loaded into a pedestal 106 that holds the substrate 102 in place during the epitaxial growth process. Therefore, the pedestal 106 will be considered an example of a substrate holding device used in integrated circuit manufacturing. Other examples include wafer chucks and transfer mechanisms, and the principles of the present invention are equally applicable to these devices.

[0026] In addition to holding the substrate 102, the pedestal 106 can also perform more complex functions by affecting the temperature of the substrate 102 during the epitaxial process. For a more complete understanding, an exemplary epitaxial process will now be described in more detail. During epitaxy, the substrate 102 is heated to a suitable temperature (about 650°C in a low temperature example and about 1200°C in a high temperature example), and the central chamber 104 may include a plurality of different heating mechanisms for achieving this purpose. In some embodiments, the central chamber 104 includes one or more infrared lamps 108 for the front surface 116 (the surface subjected to epitaxial growth) and / or the rear surface 118 of the substrate 102. In addition or alternatively, the central chamber 104 may include one or more induction heating coils 120 disposed near the substrate 102. The induction heating coils 120 may be separated from the pedestal 106 or may be integrated into the body of the pedestal 106. Although infrared and induction heating are some of the most commonly used heating technologies, the principles of the present invention are not limited to these examples.

[0027] Once the substrate 102 is heated, various gases are provided on the substrate 102. In one example, a semiconductor precursor-containing gas 122 (e.g., SiH4, Si2H6, SiHCl3, etc.) is provided from an inlet across the front surface 116 of the substrate 102. A second gas, i.e., a carrier gas 124 (e.g., H2, N2, etc.) is provided around the substrate 102. In some examples, the carrier gas 124 is provided upward through a port of the pedestal 106. The gases react, and the semiconductor of the precursor gas 122 is deposited in an ordered crystalline structure at the front surface 116 of the substrate 102. The carrier gas 124 can catalyze the reaction of the precursor gas 122 and can carry the generated products away from the substrate 102. The remaining gas and the generated gaseous products are exhausted through the exhaust port 126.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 And reference Figure 2 It has been determined experimentally that in many epitaxial systems 100 and other manufacturing tools, the substrate 102 is heated non-uniformly despite uniform distribution of the heating elements. Figure 22 is a plot 200 of observed thermal characteristics of an epitaxial process according to various aspects of the present invention. In particular, the temperature of the substrate 102 measured at the front surface 116 (expressed as normalized temperature along axis 202) decreases radially extending outward from the middle of the substrate (e.g., Figure 2 Axis 204 and Figure 1 Then, the temperature rises sharply near the contact point between the substrate 102 and the susceptor 106 (as shown by arrow 128). Figure 1 130). This effect can be exacerbated by using certain carrier gases 124. For example, line 206 represents a temperature profile measured using hydrogen (H2) as the carrier gas 124 in an epitaxial process and shows a moderate rise at the contact point. In contrast, line 208 represents a temperature profile measured using nitrogen (N2) as the carrier gas 124 in an epitaxial process and has a more dramatic temperature rise. Because epitaxial processes are generally temperature sensitive, the peak caused by the contact point 130 can have an unacceptably large impact on the amount of epitaxial material grown on the substrate 102. For this and other reasons, the following embodiments describe alternative pedestal configurations that are intended to reduce heat conduction out of the contact point between the substrate 102 and the pedestal 106.

[0029] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base 300 according to various aspects of the present invention. The base 300 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 The epitaxial growth system 100 described herein is used in conjunction with the epitaxial growth system 100 described herein. In this context, the susceptor 300 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring the details of the susceptor 300. The susceptor 300 may include any suitable material, and in many embodiments, the material of the susceptor 300 is selected to limit heat transfer while resisting high temperatures. For example, the susceptor 300 may include graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, and / or other suitable materials, and in an exemplary embodiment, includes silicon carbide coated graphite.

[0030] The susceptor 300 includes a first surface 302 having a circular shape (i.e., a disk). In some embodiments, the first surface 302 is slightly conical with a tip (not shown) that is aligned with the center of the held substrate 102 and is farther from the held substrate 102 than from the periphery of the circular surface 302. That is, the first surface 302 may be inclined upward toward the held substrate 102 at the outer edge of the first surface 302.

[0031] In addition to the solid contact areas, the pedestal 300 includes a plurality of contact areas 310 that are radially arranged at the periphery of the first surface 302 and are staggered with non-contact areas 312 and are also radially arranged around the periphery of the first surface 302. Provided that there is sufficient contact between the pedestal 300 and the retained substrate 102 to secure the substrate 102, the pedestal 300 may include any number of contact areas 310. The contact areas 310 and non-contact areas 312 may have any suitable length (technically speaking, arc length), and in some exemplary embodiments, the contact areas 310 and non-contact areas 312 may be selected to have substantially equal arc lengths. Likewise, the contact areas 310 may be arranged at any interval and may be arranged uniformly or non-uniformly along the periphery of the first surface 302. In one exemplary embodiment, sixty contact areas 310 are arranged around the periphery of the first surface 302, with sixty non-contact areas 312 in between. In various other exemplary embodiments, the base 300 includes between two and sixty contact areas 310 and the same number of non-contact areas 312 .

[0032] In each of the contact regions 310, the second surface 304 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 302 and faces the retained substrate 102. The second surface 304 meets the third surface 306 at an angle of about or slightly greater than 90°. The third surface 306 serves as a contact surface between the pedestal 300 and the retained substrate 102. In order to reduce the contact area, the third surface 306 can extend slightly upward so that the radially outward portion is higher than the radially inward portion. The third surface 306 extends radially outward through the periphery of the retained substrate 102 to the outer region of the pedestal 300. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer region of the pedestal is partially defined by a cylindrical fourth surface 308, which extends upward toward the retained substrate 102. This configuration can facilitate proper alignment of the retained substrate 102 on the pedestal 300. The fourth surface 308 can extend through the retained substrate 102 in a vertical direction, or can terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface (e.g., the front surface 116) of the substrate 102.

[0033] In the non-contact regions 312, the first surface 302 extends radially further than in the contact regions 310, such that the first surface 302 in these regions 312 extends through the substrate 102 to an outer region of the pedestal 300. In the illustrated embodiment, the first surface 302 in the non-contact regions 312 extends to the fourth surface 308 and intersects the fourth surface 308 at an angle of approximately 90°.

[0034] The susceptor 300 has several advantages over comparable susceptors having solid contact areas. For example, due to the non-contact area 312, the surface area of ​​the held substrate 102 in contact with the susceptor 300 is reduced. In turn, the transfer of heat from the susceptor 300 to the held substrate 102 is reduced. In addition, the non-contact area 312 can allow a gas, such as a carrier gas 124, to flow between the substrate 102 and the susceptor 300, thereby regulating the temperature of the substrate 102. It should be understood that these advantages are merely exemplary and no advantages are required for any particular embodiment.

[0035] In some embodiments, thermal conduction is reduced by isolating the contact portion from the remainder of the base. For example, Figure 4 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pedestal 400 having a separate contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention. The pedestal 400 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, the susceptor 400 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring the details of the susceptor 400.

[0036] In contrast to the previous examples, the base 400 has two separate parts, a base portion 402 and a contact ring 404. The interface between the base portion 402 and the contact ring 404 can be configured to reduce the amount of heat transferred to the contact ring 404 and, therefore, to the substrate 102. To enhance this effect, the base portion 402 and the contact ring 404 can include different materials. For example, while the base portion 402 and the contact ring 404 can each include graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, and / or other suitable materials, in one embodiment, the base portion 402 includes graphite coated with silicon carbide, while the contact ring 404 is pure silicon carbide. Because the weight of the substrate 102 does not exert shear forces on the contact ring 404 in the same way as it does on the base portion 402, in some embodiments, better insulating materials can be used to form the contact ring 404, even if these materials are brittle.

[0037] The base portion 402 of the pedestal 400 includes a first surface 406 having a circular shape. In some embodiments, the first surface 406 is slightly conical with a tip that is aligned with the center of the retained substrate 102 and is farther from the retained substrate 102 than from the periphery of the circular surface 406. The first surface 406 can extend beyond the periphery of the retained substrate 102 to an outer region of the pedestal 400, and in the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 402 includes a second cylindrical surface 408. The exemplary second surface 408 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 406 toward the retained substrate 102, and can extend in a vertical direction past the retained substrate 102, or can terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface of the substrate 102.

[0038] The contact ring 404 is located within the base portion 402 and has two surfaces 410 and 412 arranged to be in contact with the first surface 406 and the second surface 408 of the base portion 402 at the periphery of the first surface 406. The contact ring 404 may also have a third surface 414 that rises substantially vertically from the first surface 406 of the base portion 402 and faces the retained substrate 102. The third surface 414 meets the fourth surface 416 at an angle of about or slightly greater than 90°. The fourth surface 416 serves as a contact point between the base 400 and the retained substrate 102. Therefore, to reduce the contact area, the fourth surface 416 may extend slightly upward so that the radially outward portion is higher than the radially inward portion. Because the retained substrate 102 is in contact with the contact ring 404 and due to the interface between the contact ring 404 and the base portion 402, the heat energy transferred to the substrate 102 may be reduced.

[0039] Although in Figure 4 The contact ring 404 shown in FIG. 4 has a four-sided cross-section. In further embodiments, the contact ring 404 has a different configuration, such as a three-sided cross-section or a circular cross-section. For example, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base 500 having a three-sided contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention. The base 500 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, susceptor 500 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring details of susceptor 500.

[0040] Base 500 is a two-part device, similar to the embodiment of base 400, wherein contact ring 504 has three surfaces instead of four surfaces, and wherein the contact surface of contact ring 504 extends upward from the first surface of the base portion. Figure 4 4. The base 500 of the embodiment of the present invention has two separate parts, a base part 502 and a contact ring 504, and the base part 502 and the contact ring 504 may include different materials. For example, although the base part 502 and the contact ring 504 may include graphite, silicon carbide, quartz and / or other suitable materials, in one embodiment, the base part 502 includes graphite coated with silicon carbide, and the contact ring 504 is pure silicon carbide.

[0041] The base portion 502 of the pedestal 500 can be similar to the base portion 402 of the pedestal 400. For example, the base portion 502 can include a first surface 506 having a circular shape. In some embodiments, the first surface 506 is slightly tapered with a tip that is aligned with the center of the retained substrate 102 and is farther from the retained substrate 102 than from the periphery of the circular surface 506. The first surface 506 can extend beyond the periphery of the retained substrate 102 to an outer region of the pedestal 500, and in the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 502 includes a cylindrical second surface 508. The exemplary second surface 508 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 506 toward the retained substrate 102, and can extend in a vertical direction past the retained substrate 102, or can terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface of the substrate 102.

[0042] The contact ring 504 is located within the base portion 502 and has two surfaces 510 and 512 arranged to contact the first surface 506 and the second surface 508 of the base portion 502 at the periphery of the first surface 506. However, in addition to the vertical surface that rises vertically from the surface 506, the contact ring 504 has a contact surface 514 extending from the first surface 506 of the base portion 502. This increases the angle at the contact point between the contact ring 504 and the retained substrate 102. Therefore, the contact surface 514 extends upwardly so that the radially outward portion is higher than the radially inward portion. Similar to Figure 4 In the example, because the substrate 102 is held in contact with the contact ring 504 and due to the interface between the contact ring 504 and the base portion 502, the heat energy transferred to the substrate 102 can be reduced.

[0043] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pedestal 600 having a separate contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention. The pedestal 600 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, susceptor 600 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring details of susceptor 600.

[0044] The pedestal 600 also has a base portion 602 and a contact ring 604. In the previous example, the boundary between the base portion and the contact ring can reduce the heat transferred to the contact ring and thus to the substrate 102. This effect can be further enhanced in the pedestal 600 by limiting the physical contact between the base portion 602 and the contact ring 604, as discussed in more detail below. The base portion 602 and the contact ring 604 can each include graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, and / or other suitable materials, and in one embodiment, the base portion 602 includes silicon carbide-coated graphite, while the contact ring 604 is pure silicon carbide.

[0045] The base portion 602 of the pedestal 600 includes a first surface 606 having a circular shape. In some embodiments, the first surface 606 is slightly tapered with a tip that is aligned with the center of the retained substrate 102 and is farther from the retained substrate 102 than from the perimeter of the first surface 606. The first surface 606 can extend beyond the perimeter of the retained substrate 102 to an outer region of the pedestal 600, and in the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 602 includes a cylindrical second surface 608. The exemplary second surface 608 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 606 toward the retained substrate 102, and can extend in a vertical direction past the retained substrate 102, or can terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface of the substrate 102.

[0046] The contact ring 604 is located within the base portion 602 and has two sets of parallel surfaces (including the contact surface 610) arranged to form an annular surface with a rectangular cross-section. Because the surface of the contact ring 604 is not aligned with the surface of the base portion 602, the surface area at the interface between the base portion 602 and the contact ring 604 is significantly reduced. Separating the base portion 602 from the contact ring 604 in this manner can reduce the amount of heat transferred to the contact ring 604 and to the substrate 102. In addition, an insulating air gap can be formed between the base portion 602 and the contact ring 604, thereby further reducing heat transfer.

[0047] In further examples, in order to insulate the retained substrate 102, various contact surface shapes are used. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pedestal 700 having an annular contact surface according to various aspects of the present invention. The pedestal 700 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, the susceptor 700 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring details of the susceptor 700. The susceptor 700 may include any suitable material, and in various embodiments, the susceptor 700 includes graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, silicon carbide-coated graphite, and / or other suitable materials.

[0048] The pedestal 700 includes a first surface 702 having a circular shape. In some embodiments, the first surface 702 is slightly conical with a tip that is aligned with the center of the retained substrate 102 and is farther from the retained substrate 102 than from the perimeter of the surface 702. The first surface 702 meets a second curved surface 704 that defines a portion of an annular surface near the outer edge of the substrate 102. Fig. 7AIn the illustrated embodiment of , the second surface 704 defines approximately one quarter of an annular surface. Figure 7B In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 7 , the second surface 704 defines an entire annular surface and defines an air gap between the annular surface and the inner surface of the base 700. These are merely examples under two extreme conditions, and in further embodiments, the second surface 704 defines an air gap that falls within the annular surface and the inner surface of the base 700. Fig. 7A A quarter of a toroidal surface and Figure 7B In each of these examples, the second curved surface 704 contacts the retained substrate 102. Including a curved contact surface instead of a flat surface can reduce the contact area between the pedestal 700 and the substrate 102 and can promote better gas circulation around the substrate 102. In addition, Figure 7B The air gap present in the example of can further insulate the substrate 102 .

[0049] In any of these configurations, in the illustrated embodiment including a cylindrical second surface 704, the second surface 704 can extend beyond the perimeter of the retained substrate 102 to an outer region of the pedestal 700. The exemplary second surface 704 can extend in a vertical direction through the retained substrate 102, or can terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface of the substrate 102.

[0050] In a two-part base configuration, an annular contact surface can be utilized. For example, Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pedestal 800 having a separate annular contact ring according to various aspects of the present invention. The pedestal 800 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, susceptor 800 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring details of susceptor 800.

[0051] Similar to the previous examples, the pedestal 800 has a base portion 802 and a contact ring 804. Each of the base portion 802 and the contact ring 804 can include graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, and / or other suitable materials, and in one example, the base portion 802 includes graphite coated with silicon carbide, while the contact ring 804 is pure silicon carbide. The base portion 802 of the pedestal 800 includes a first surface 806 having a circular shape, which is slightly conical in some embodiments. The first surface 806 can extend beyond the periphery of the retained substrate 102 to the outer region of the pedestal 800, and in the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 802 includes a second cylindrical surface 808. The exemplary second surface 808 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 806 toward the retained substrate 102, and can extend through the retained substrate 102 in a vertical direction, or can terminate at a height substantially coplanar with the highest surface of the substrate 102.

[0052] The contact ring 804 is located within the base portion 802 and has a single curvilinear surface 810 that defines an annular surface. The curvilinear surface 810 contacts the substrate 102, the first surface 806 of the base portion 802, and the second surface 808 of the base portion 802. In some embodiments, the surface 810 of the contact ring 804 defines an air gap between the contact ring 804 and the base portion 802. Configured in this manner, the pedestal enjoys many of the advantages described above. For example, the minimal contact area between the contact ring 804 and the base portion 802 can reduce heat transfer from the base portion 802, and the air gap can further insulate the contact ring 804.

[0053] In some embodiments, the contact surface is moved inward to facilitate airflow around the contact surface and substrate 102 . Fig.9A and Fig. 9B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base 900 having exposed contact areas according to various aspects of the present invention. The base 900 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, susceptor 900 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring details of susceptor 900. Susceptor 900 may include any suitable material, such as graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, silicon carbide-coated graphite, and / or other suitable materials.

[0054] Reference Fig.9A , the pedestal 900 includes a first surface 902 having a circular shape. In some embodiments, the first surface 902 is slightly conical with a tip that is aligned with the center of the retained substrate 102 and is farther from the retained substrate 102 than from the periphery of the first surface 902. A second surface 904 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 902 and faces the retained substrate 102. The second surface 904 meets a third surface 906 at an angle of about or slightly greater than 90°. The third surface 906 serves as a contact surface between the pedestal 900 and the retained substrate 102. In order to reduce the contact area, the third surface 906 may extend slightly upward so that the radially outward portion is higher than the radially inward portion.

[0055] In contrast to the previous embodiments, the third surface 906 does not extend to an exterior region of the susceptor 900. Instead, the fourth surface 908 extends back from the third surface toward the body of the susceptor 900. This creates additional exposed area and can help regulate the temperature of the third surface 906. A fifth surface 910, which can be substantially coplanar (or co-conical) with the first surface 902, extends from the fourth surface 908 to an exterior region of the susceptor 900 and, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a sixth cylindrical surface 912. The exemplary sixth surface 912 rises substantially vertically from the first surface 902 toward the retained substrate 102 and can extend in a vertical direction past the retained substrate 102, or can terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface of the substrate 102.

[0056] This arrangement has the effect of moving the contact surface (i.e., third surface 906) inward from the outer region of the susceptor and exposing more surface area around the contact surface to the process gas. Because the contact surface (i.e., third surface 906) has no outer region, contact between the third surface 906 and the substrate 102 need not occur at the periphery of the substrate 102. For example, at Fig. 9B In the embodiment, it is otherwise the same as Fig.9A In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the third surface 906 moves inward relative to the substrate 102 to contact the inner area of ​​the substrate 102. Because the radius of the contact surface is reduced, the contact area between the third surface 906 and the substrate 102 is also reduced. This can have the effect of reducing the amount of heat transferred to the substrate 102.

[0057] Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a base 1000 having an exposed annular contact area according to various aspects of the present invention. The base 1000 is suitable for use with any integrated circuit manufacturing tool (including reference Figure 1 In this context, the susceptor 1000 is shown with a held substrate 102, which is represented by a semi-transparent figure to avoid obscuring details of the susceptor 1000. The susceptor 1000 may include any suitable material, such as graphite, silicon carbide, quartz, silicon carbide-coated graphite, and / or other suitable materials.

[0058] Reference first Fig. 10A , the base 1000 includes a first surface 1002 having a circular shape. In some embodiments, the first surface 1002 is slightly conical with a tip that is aligned with the center of the held substrate 102 and is farther from the held substrate 102 than from the periphery of the first surface 1002. A second curved surface 1004 rises from the first surface 1002. Fig. 10AIn the illustrated embodiment of , the second surface 1004 defines approximately half of an annular surface. The second curved surface 1004 contacts the held substrate 102, and its shape can reduce the contact area between the susceptor 1000 and the substrate 102 and can promote better gas circulation around the substrate 102.

[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, the second surface 1004 does not extend to an exterior region of the pedestal 1000. Instead, the second surface 1004 meets a third surface 1006 that may be coplanar (or co-conical) with the first surface 1002, the third surface 1006 extending from the second surface 1004 to an exterior region of the pedestal 1000. In the illustrated embodiment, the exterior region of the pedestal is partially defined by a fourth cylindrical surface 1008 that extends upward toward and through the retained substrate 102. The fourth surface 1008 may extend in a vertical direction through the retained substrate 102, or may terminate at a height that is substantially coplanar with the highest surface (e.g., the front surface 116) of the substrate 102.

[0060] Because the contact surface (ie, the second surface 1004) has no external area, contact between the second surface 1004 and the substrate 102 need not occur at the periphery of the substrate. Fig. 10B In the embodiment of Fig. 10A In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the second surface 1004 is moved inwardly relative to the substrate 102. Because the radius of the contact surface is reduced, the contact area between the second surface 1004 and the substrate is also reduced. This can have the effect of reducing the amount of heat transferred to the substrate 102.

[0061] The foregoing disclosure provides many exemplary embodiments and many representative advantages. For the sake of brevity, only a limited number of combinations of related components have been described. However, it should be understood that the components of any example can be combined with the components of any other example. In addition, it should be understood that these advantages are non-restrictive and that specific advantages are not features or essential to any particular embodiment.

[0062] Therefore, the present invention provides a system and device for epitaxy, which provide more uniform heating for substrates subjected to epitaxy processes. In some embodiments, a substrate holding device is provided. The device includes a first surface having a substantially circular surface defining a periphery, a plurality of contact regions disposed at the periphery, and a plurality of non-contact regions also disposed at the periphery. The contact regions are interspersed with the non-contact regions. In each non-contact region, the first surface extends through the first surface and ends at a position within each contact region. In some such embodiments, each of the plurality of contact regions includes a contact surface disposed above the first surface. In some such embodiments, each contact surface has a radially outward portion that is higher than a radially inward portion. In some such embodiments, the device also includes a second cylindrical surface extending from the first surface in each non-contact region and extending from the contact surface in the contact region.

[0063] In a further embodiment, an epitaxy system is provided. The system includes a susceptor, a heating element, an inlet for supplying a gas, and an epitaxy chamber surrounding the susceptor, the heating element, and the inlet. The susceptor includes a plurality of contact regions arranged radially and interlaced with a plurality of non-contact regions arranged radially. In some such embodiments, the susceptor also includes a bottom surface, the contact regions and the non-contact regions are arranged around the bottom surface, and each contact region includes a contact surface disposed above the bottom surface. In some such embodiments, each contact surface has a radially outward portion that is higher than a radially inward portion.

[0064] In yet further embodiments, a device is provided that includes a base portion and an annular portion. The base portion has a substantially circular first surface and a cylindrical surface extending from the first surface, and the annular portion is disposed within the base portion and has a contact surface defined by the base portion. In some such embodiments, the contact surface is curved, however, in some such embodiments, the contact surface is planar. In some such embodiments, the base portion includes a material different from that of the annular portion.

[0065] The features of several embodiments are summarized above so that those skilled in the art can better understand the various aspects of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that they can easily use the present invention as a basis to design or modify other processes and structures for implementing the same purpose and / or achieving the same advantages as the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also appreciate that such equivalent constructions do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that they can make various changes, substitutions and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: a chamber in which the substrate is subjected to integrated circuit fabrication; A heating device for heating the substrate during the manufacturing process of the integrated circuit; and a substrate holding device for securing the substrate in the chamber during fabrication of the integrated circuit, wherein the substrate holding device comprises: a base having a substantially circular surface and a cylindrical surface extending from the substantially circular surface, and A continuous annular portion is disposed within the base and has a contact surface defined on the annular portion and directly contacts the circular surface and the cylindrical surface of the base, and there is an interface between the base and the annular portion, wherein the contact surface is configured to contact the edge of the substrate being held, and the substrate holding device does not contact the circumferential surface of the substrate being held.

2. The integrated circuit manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical surface extends beyond the continuous annular portion.

3. The integrated circuit manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the contact surface is a curved surface. The integrated circuit manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is a planar surface.

5. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein: The annular portion defines an air gap between the base and the annular portion.

6. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein: The material of the base portion is different from the material of the annular portion.

7. An integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: A substrate holding device is used to fix a substrate in an integrated circuit process, wherein the substrate holding device comprises: The base has a bottom surface and a side wall surface extending from and surrounding the bottom surface; and a continuous annular portion that interfaces with the bottom surface and the side wall surface, wherein the annular portion includes a contact surface that is configured to contact an edge of a retained substrate, the substrate retaining device does not contact an outermost peripheral surface of the retained substrate, wherein an insulating air gap is formed between the continuous annular portion and the base, and wherein a surface of the continuous annular portion is not aligned with a surface of the base.

8. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 7, wherein: The insulating air gap is located between a first bonding line between the annular portion and the bottom surface of the base and a second bonding line between the annular portion and the sidewall surface of the base.

9. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 8, wherein: Another air gap is located between the outermost peripheral surface of the held substrate and the side wall surface of the base.

10. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 7, wherein: The annular portion and the base are formed of different materials.

11. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 7, wherein: The annular portion is formed of pure silicon carbide and the base is formed of silicon carbide coated graphite.

12. The integrated circuit manufacturing system of claim 7, wherein the ring portion has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, a triangle, and a curve.

13. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 7, further comprising: a receiving chamber, surrounding the substrate holding device; and A heat source is configured to heat the substrate during integrated circuit processing.

14. An integrated circuit manufacturing system, comprising: A substrate holding device for holding a substrate in an integrated circuit process, wherein the substrate holding device comprises: Base, including: a conical bottom surface, the apex of which is aligned with the center of the held substrate; a side wall surface extending upward from the tapered bottom surface, the side wall surface defining a recess; and a continuous annular portion disposed within the recess and interfacing with the conical bottom surface, the annular portion including a curved contact surface configured to contact the bottom surface of a retained substrate, wherein a portion of the recess extends around an outermost peripheral surface of the retained substrate such that the outermost peripheral surface of the retained substrate does not intersect with a substrate retaining device, wherein the annular portion disposed within the recess is spaced apart from the side wall surface such that the annular portion does not intersect with the side wall surface.

15. The integrated circuit manufacturing system of claim 14, wherein the sidewall surface forms a perimeter of the base surrounding the tapered bottom surface.

16. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 14, wherein: The curvilinear contact surface extends upwardly such that a radially outward portion is higher than a radially inward portion.

17. The integrated circuit manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the curved contact surface faces away from the tapered bottom surface, and in, A first portion of the curvilinear contact surface is again covered by the bottom surface of the held substrate, and a second portion of the curvilinear contact surface is not covered by the bottom surface of the held substrate.

18. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 16, wherein: The retained substrate completely covers the contact surface and includes a portion extending beyond the contact surface toward the sidewall surface of the base, wherein the contact surface is located at a first distance from the sidewall surface, and wherein the portion of the retained substrate is located at a second distance from the sidewall surface, the second distance being less than the first distance.

19. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 16, wherein the annular portion extends from the tapered bottom surface and has a semi-annular cross-sectional shape.

20. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 16, further comprising: a first heat source located above the substrate holding device; as well as A second heat source is located below the substrate holding device.

21. The integrated circuit manufacturing system according to claim 18, wherein: The first heat source comprises an infrared heat source and the second heat source comprises an induction heating coil.

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