Chamber apparatus, semiconductor processing system and material layer deposition method

Abstract

A chamber apparatus includes a chamber body having a substrate support disposed therein to position a substrate thereon during deposition of a layer of material onto the substrate; an upper heater element array supported over the chamber body and configured to heat the substrate; and an upper pyrometer supported over the chamber body and operably coupled to the upper array of heater elements to acquire a substrate temperature measurement of the substrate. A lower array of heater elements is supported below the chamber body to heat the substrate support, and a lower pyrometer is supported below the chamber body and configured to acquire a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement. Semiconductor processing systems, material layer deposition methods, and computer program products are also described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to depositing a layer of material onto a substrate and, more particularly, to controlling substrate and substrate support temperature during deposition of a layer of material onto a substrate. Background Art

[0002] During the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits and power electronics, material layers are usually deposited on substrates. Material layer deposition is usually completed by supporting the substrate in a reactor, heating the substrate, and exposing the substrate to a material layer precursor under selected environmental conditions to form a material layer on the substrate. During the deposition of the material layer on the substrate, a temperature sensor can be used to control the temperature in the reactor, such as a tactile temperature sensor arranged in the reactor, or a non-contact temperature sensor supported outside the reactor. Although it is usually satisfactory for their intended purpose, the temperature in the reactor may change in a manner not understood by the tactile or non-contact temperature sensor (or both) that is not used to control the temperature in the reactor, potentially resulting in changes in the material layer deposited on the substrate.

[0003] Such methods and systems are generally considered suitable for their intended purposes. However, there remains a need in the art for improved chamber arrangements, semiconductor processing systems including such chamber arrangements, and related material layer deposition methods. The present disclosure provides a solution to this need. Summary of the invention

[0004] A chamber apparatus is provided. The chamber apparatus includes: a chamber body having a substrate support disposed therein to seat a substrate thereon during deposition of a material layer onto the substrate; an upper heater element array supported above the chamber body and configured to heat the substrate; and an upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and operably coupled to the upper heater element array to obtain a substrate temperature measurement of the substrate. A lower heater element array is supported below the chamber body to heat the substrate support, and the lower pyrometer is supported below the chamber body and configured to obtain a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement.

[0005] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described above, further examples of chamber apparatus may include a thermocouple adjacent to the substrate support and configured to obtain tactile substrate support temperature measurements.

[0006] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of chamber arrangements may include an upper pyrometer operably coupled only to an upper array of heater elements, and a lower pyrometer operably coupled only to a lower array of heater elements.

[0007] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of chamber apparatus may include the upper pyrometer being a first upper pyrometer, the substrate temperature measurement being a first substrate temperature measurement, and a second upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body configured to obtain a second substrate temperature measurement.

[0008] In addition to or instead of one or more of the features described above, a further example of a chamber apparatus may include a first upper pyrometer optically coupled to an interior of a chamber body via a first upper pyrometer optical axis that intersects a substrate support, a second upper pyrometer optically coupled to an interior of the chamber body via a second upper pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate support, and a lower pyrometer arranged along a lower pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate support.

[0009] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of chamber arrangements may include a second upper pyrometer operably coupled only to the upper array of heater elements, and a lower pyrometer operably coupled only to the lower array of heater elements.

[0010] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described above, further examples of chamber apparatus can include a third upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to obtain a third substrate temperature measurement of the substrate.

[0011] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, a further example of a chamber apparatus may include a third upper pyrometer optically coupled to an interior of a chamber body via a third upper pyrometer optical axis that intersects a substrate support, a lower pyrometer arranged along a lower pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate at a position offset from the third upper pyrometer optical axis, and the third pyrometer radially located between the first pyrometer and the second pyrometer.

[0012] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of chamber arrangements may include a third upper pyrometer operably coupled only to the upper array of heater elements, and a lower pyrometer operably coupled only to the lower array of heater elements.

[0013] A semiconductor processing system is provided. The semiconductor processing system may include a chamber apparatus as described, wherein a lower pyrometer is selectable for operably coupling to a lower array of heater elements; a thermocouple adjacent to a substrate support and configured to obtain a tactile substrate support temperature measurement, the thermocouple is selectable for operably coupling to the lower array of heater elements; and a controller operably coupling an upper pyrometer to the upper array of heater elements and coupling one of the lower pyrometer and the thermocouple to the lower array of heater elements. The controller may be responsive to instructions recorded on a memory to position a substrate on a substrate support, heat the substrate, and deposit a material layer onto the substrate. During deposition of the material layer onto the substrate, the substrate temperature measurement may be used to control the temperature of the substrate, when the lower pyrometer is selected, the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement may be used to control the temperature of the substrate support during deposition of the material layer, and when the thermocouple is selected, the tactile substrate support temperature measurement may be used to control the temperature of the substrate support during deposition of the material layer.

[0014] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of semiconductor processing systems may include instructions to further cause the controller to receive a lower pyrometer selection, receive a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement from the lower pyrometer, compare the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, and when the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement is outside of the predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, adjust heating of the substrate support using the lower heater element array.

[0015] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of semiconductor processing systems may include instructions to cause a controller to receive a thermocouple selection, receive a tactile substrate support temperature measurement from the thermocouple, compare the tactile substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, and when the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is outside of the predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, adjust heating of the substrate support using the lower heater element array.

[0016] In addition to or instead of one or more of the features described above, further examples of semiconductor processing systems may include instructions further causing the controller to operably couple an upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements, receive a substrate temperature measurement from the upper pyrometer, compare the substrate temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate temperature range, and when the substrate temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate temperature range, use the first upper heater element to adjust heating of the substrate.

[0017] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of semiconductor processing systems may include the upper pyrometer being a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement being a first substrate temperature measurement, and the semiconductor processing system further comprising a second upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to communicate with the controller. The instructions may also cause the controller to operably couple the first upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements and couple the second pyrometer to a second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements, receive a first substrate temperature measurement from the first pyrometer and a second substrate temperature measurement from the second upper pyrometer, determine a substrate center-to-edge temperature difference using the first substrate temperature measurement and the second substrate temperature measurement, compare the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, and when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, adjust heating of the substrate using at least one of the first upper heater element and the second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements.

[0018] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of semiconductor processing systems can include the upper pyrometer being a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement being a first substrate temperature measurement. The semiconductor processing system can also include a second upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to communicate with the controller, and a third upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to communicate with the controller. The instructions may also cause the controller to operably connect a first upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in an upper heater element array, a second pyrometer to a second upper heater element in an upper heater element array, and a third pyrometer to a third upper heater element in an upper heater element array; receive a first substrate temperature measurement from the first pyrometer, a second substrate temperature measurement from the second upper pyrometer, and a third substrate temperature measurement from the third upper pyrometer; determine a substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient using the first substrate temperature measurement, the second substrate temperature measurement, and the third substrate temperature measurement; compare the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range; and when the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, use at least one of the first upper heater element, the second upper heater element, and the third upper heater element in the upper heater element array to adjust heating of the substrate.

[0019] A material layer deposition method is provided. The method includes, at a chamber apparatus as described above, positioning a substrate on a substrate support, heating the substrate, and depositing a material layer onto the substrate. During deposition of the material layer onto the substrate, substrate temperature measurements taken by an upper pyrometer may be used to control the temperature of the substrate (e.g., substrate temperature), when a lower pyrometer is selected, non-contact substrate support temperature measurements taken by the lower pyrometer may be used to control the temperature of the substrate support (e.g., substrate support temperature) during deposition of the material layer onto the substrate, and when a thermocouple is selected, tactile substrate support temperature measurements taken by the thermocouple may be used to control the temperature of the substrate support during deposition of the material layer onto the substrate.

[0020] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, a further example of the method may include controlling the temperature of the substrate support comprising receiving a lower pyrometer selection; receiving a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement; comparing the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range; and when the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, using the lower heater element array to adjust heating of the substrate support.

[0021] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, a further example of the method may include controlling the temperature of the substrate support including receiving a thermocouple selection, receiving a tactile substrate support temperature measurement, comparing the tactile substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, and when the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is outside of the predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, using the lower heater element array to adjust heating of the substrate support.

[0022] In addition to or instead of one or more of the features described above, a further example of the method may include controlling the temperature of the substrate comprising operably coupling an upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in an array of upper heater elements, receiving a substrate temperature measurement from the upper pyrometer, comparing the substrate temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate temperature range, and when the substrate temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate temperature range, using the first upper heater element to adjust heating of the substrate.

[0023] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, a further example of the method may include the upper pyrometer being a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement being a first substrate temperature measurement. The method may also include operably coupling the first upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in an array of upper heater elements and coupling a second upper pyrometer to a second upper heater element in an array of upper heater elements, receiving a first substrate temperature measurement from the first pyrometer and a second substrate temperature measurement from the second upper pyrometer, determining a substrate center-to-edge temperature difference using the first substrate temperature measurement and the second substrate temperature measurement, comparing the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, and when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, adjusting heating of the substrate using at least one of the first upper heater element and the second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements.

[0024] In addition to or instead of one or more of the features described above, a further example of the method may include operably connecting a third pyrometer to a third upper heater element in the upper heater element array; receiving a third substrate temperature measurement from the third upper pyrometer; determining a substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient using the first substrate temperature measurement, the second substrate temperature measurement, and the third substrate temperature measurement; comparing the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range; and when the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, using at least one of the first upper heater element, the second upper heater element, and the third upper heater element in the upper heater element array to adjust heating of the substrate.

[0025] In addition to or in lieu of one or more of the features described above, further examples of the method may include adjusting only the lower heater element array, and not the upper heater element array, when the substrate support temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate support temperature range or when the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range.

[0026] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described above, further examples of the method may include that when the substrate temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate temperature range, only the upper array of heater elements may be adjusted, but not the lower array of heater elements.

[0027] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described above, further examples of the method may include that when the substrate center-edge temperature difference is outside a predetermined substrate center-edge temperature difference range, only the upper heater element array, but not the lower heater element array, may be adjusted.

[0028] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described above, further examples of the method may include that when the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is outside a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, only the upper heater element array, but not the lower heater element array, may be adjusted.

[0029] The present invention summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the detailed description of the examples of the following disclosure. The present invention summary is not intended to identify the key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention disclosed herein are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of certain embodiments, which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor processing system including a chamber arrangement according to the present disclosure, showing a substrate positioned within the chamber arrangement during deposition of a material layer onto the substrate;

[0032] Figure 2 According to the example of this disclosure Figure 1 sectional side view of a chamber arrangement showing an upper pyrometer optically coupled to a substrate and a lower pyrometer optically coupled to a substrate support on which the substrate is positioned;

[0033] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a material layer deposition method according to the present disclosure, illustrating the operation of controlling the temperature of a substrate using an upper pyrometer and controlling the temperature of a substrate support using a lower pyrometer or thermocouple;

[0034] Figure 4 is based on Figure 3 A block diagram of an example of the method of controlling the temperature of a substrate support showing the operation of selecting one of a pyrometer and a thermocouple to control the temperature of the substrate support; and

[0035] Figures 5 to 7 is based on Figure 3 An example block diagram of a method of controlling substrate temperature is shown, illustrating operations of controlling substrate temperature using one or more upper pyrometers according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0036] It should be understood that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the relative sizes of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, Figure 1 A partial view of an example of a semiconductor processing system including a chamber arrangement according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is generally indicated by reference numeral 100. Other examples of chamber arrangements, semiconductor processing systems having chamber arrangements, and methods of depositing a material layer onto a substrate or aspects thereof according to the present disclosure are shown in FIG. Figure 2-7 The systems and methods of the present disclosure may be used to deposit material layers onto a substrate during the manufacture of semiconductor devices, such as silicon-containing epitaxial material layers formed during the manufacture of logic and memory semiconductor devices having a three-dimensional architecture, but the present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of material layer, nor is it limited to the manufacture of semiconductor devices in general.

[0038] refer to Figure 1 , a semiconductor processing system 100 is shown. The semiconductor processing system 100 generally includes a precursor source 102, a chamber arrangement 104, an exhaust source 106, and a controller 108. The precursor source 102 is connected to the chamber arrangement 104 and is configured to provide a flow of a material layer precursor 10 to the chamber arrangement 104. The chamber arrangement 104 is connected to the exhaust source 106 and is configured to flow the material layer precursor 10 through a substrate 2 located in the chamber arrangement 104 under selected environmental conditions so that a material layer 4 is deposited on the substrate 2. The exhaust source 106 is in fluid communication with an external environment 12 outside the semiconductor processing system 100 and is configured to transfer a flow of residual material precursor and / or reaction product 14 to the external environment 12 outside the semiconductor processing system 100. The controller 108 is operably connected to the semiconductor processing system 100, such as by a wired or wireless link 110 (e.g., connected to one or more of the precursor source 102, the chamber arrangement 104, and the exhaust source 106), and is configured to perform material layer deposition according to the material layer deposition method 300 ( Figure 3 1 and 2. The operation of the exhaust source 106 (shown) deposits the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2, as will be described. In some examples, the exhaust source 106 may include one or more of a vacuum pump and an abatement device such as a scrubber apparatus.

[0039] As used herein, the term "substrate" may refer to any one or more underlying materials, including any one or more underlying materials that may be modified or on which a device, circuit, or film may be formed. A "substrate" may be continuous or non-continuous; rigid or flexible; solid or porous; and combinations thereof. A substrate may be in any form, such as a powder, a plate, or a workpiece. A substrate may be made of semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon oxide (SiO 2), gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), phosphorus-doped silicon (SiP), boron-doped silicon germanium (SiGeB), carbon-doped silicon germanium (SiGeC) and aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN). For example, the substrate in powder form can be used for drug manufacturing. The porous substrate can contain a polymer. Examples of workpieces can include medical devices (such as stents and syringes), jewelry, tool equipment, components for battery manufacturing (such as anodes, cathodes or separators) or components of photovoltaic cells, etc. The continuous substrate can extend beyond the boundaries of the processing chamber where the deposition process occurs. In some processes, the continuous substrate can be moved through the processing chamber so that the process continues until the end of the substrate is reached. The continuous substrate can be provided from a continuous substrate feeding system to allow the continuous substrate to be manufactured and output in any suitable form. Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates can include sheets, non-woven films, rolls, foils, meshes, flexible materials, a bundle of continuous filaments or fibers (such as ceramic fibers or polymer fibers). The continuous substrate can also include a carrier or sheet on which a non-continuous substrate is mounted.

[0040] refer to Figure 2 It is contemplated that the chamber apparatus 104 includes a chamber body 112 having a substrate support 130, an upper heater element array 154, an upper pyrometer 164, a lower heater element array 156, and a lower pyrometer 166. The substrate support 130 is disposed within the chamber body 112 and is configured to seat the substrate 2 thereon during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2. The upper heater element array 154 is supported above the chamber body 112 and is configured to heat the substrate 2 (e.g., directly heat) during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2. The upper pyrometer 164 is also supported above the chamber body 112 and is operably coupled to the upper heater element array 154 to use non-contact substrate temperature measurements (e.g., substrate temperature measurements 166) acquired by the upper pyrometer 164 during deposition. Figure 2 The upper heater element array 154 is used to adjust the heating of the substrate 2 by the upper heater element array 154. The lower heater element array 156 and the lower pyrometer 166 are supported below the chamber body 112 and are configured to heat the substrate support 130 (and thus the substrate 2), and the lower pyrometer can be optionally operably coupled to the lower heater element array 156 to use substrate support temperature measurements (e.g., substrate support temperature measurements 18 ( respectively) obtained by the lower pyrometer 166) during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2. Figure 2 As shown)) to adjust the heating of the substrate 2.

[0041] In the example shown, the chamber arrangement 104 has a single substrate cross-flow architecture and includes a chamber body 112. It is contemplated that the chamber body 112 can be at least partially formed of a transparent material 114, such as a material transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared band, and extends longitudinally between an injection end 116 and an exhaust end 118. The chamber body 112 can also have an upper wall 120, a lower wall 122, a first side wall 124, and a second side wall 126. The upper wall 120 can extend longitudinally between the injection end 116 and the exhaust end 118 of the chamber body 112, be formed of a transparent material 114, and be substantially planar in shape. The lower wall 122 can be similar to the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112, and further separated from the upper wall 120 by an interior 128 (e.g., a hollow interior) of the chamber body 112. The first sidewall 124 and the second sidewall 126 may in turn be laterally spaced apart from each other by the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 and further couple the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112 to the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112. In some examples, the first sidewall 124 and / or the second sidewall 126 may be substantially orthogonal relative to the upper wall 120 and / or the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112. According to some examples, the chamber body 112 may include a plurality of external ribs 162 extending laterally around an exterior surface of the chamber body 112 and laterally spaced apart from each other between the injection end 116 and the exhaust end 118 of the chamber body 112. It is also contemplated that the chamber body 112 may be formed of a ceramic material, such as quartz or sapphire, as non-limiting examples.

[0042] The chamber apparatus 104 may further include a substrate support 130, a support member 132, an axis member 134, and a divider 136. The divider 136 may be fixed within the interior 128 of the chamber body 112, divide the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 into an upper chamber 138 and a lower chamber 140, and define a divider hole 142 therethrough, fluidically coupling the lower chamber 140 of the chamber body 112 to the upper chamber 138 of the chamber body 112. The substrate support 130 (e.g., a susceptor) may be configured to support the substrate 2 during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2, and in this regard, may be disposed within the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 and supported to rotate R about a rotation axis 144. On the other hand, the substrate support 130 may be at least partially located in the divider hole 142, supported therein to rotate R about the rotation axis 144, and may be formed of an opaque material 146 (e.g., a material that is opaque to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared band). The support member 132 may be disposed within the lower chamber 140 of the chamber body 112 along a rotation axis 144, may also be formed of a transparent material 114, and may be rotationally fixed relative to the substrate support 130. The shaft member 134 may extend from the support member 132 along the rotation axis 144 and through the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112, and may be rotationally fixed relative to the support member 132. It is contemplated that the shaft member 134 may be formed of a transparent material 114, and the shaft member 134 may operably connect the lift and rotation module 148 to the substrate support 130. In some examples, the opaque material 146 may include a carbonaceous material, such as graphite or pyrolytic carbon. According to some examples, the opaque material 146 may include a ceramic material, such as silicon carbide, and / or a carbonaceous material, such as graphite, and a ceramic material, such as silicon carbide.

[0043] The chamber assembly 104 may further include an injection flange 150, an exhaust flange 152, an upper heater element array 154, a lower heater element array 156, and a thermocouple 186. The injection flange 150 may be adjacent to the injection end 116 of the chamber body 112 and may be provided to the precursor source 102 ( Figure 1 106 (shown) is coupled to the chamber body 112 to provide a flow of the material layer precursor 10 to the chamber body 112. The exhaust flange 152 can be adjacent to the exhaust end 118 of the chamber body 112 to couple the chamber body 112 to the exhaust source 106 ( Figure 1 ), and configured to transfer the flow or residual precursor and / or reaction product 14 ( Figure 1 ) is transmitted to the emission source 106.

[0044] The upper heater element array 154 can be configured to transfer heat into the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 (e.g., radiatively using infrared radiation in the infrared band), and in this regard is optically coupled to the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 through the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112. It is contemplated that the upper heater element array 154 can include one or more upper heater elements, such as a first upper heater element, a second upper heater element, and a third upper heater element, each of which is longitudinally separated from each other above the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112. It is also contemplated that the upper heater element array 154 can separate the upper reflector 158 from the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112 and be operably associated with the controller 108. In this regard, the controller 108 can be configured to adjust (e.g., change by increasing or decreasing) the amount of heat generated by the upper heater elements of the upper heater element array 154 and transferred into the interior 128 of the chamber device 104. In another aspect, the controller 108 may operably couple one or more upper pyrometers to the upper heater element array 154 to use temperature measurements taken by the one or more upper pyrometers to affect the aforementioned regulation of heat generated by the upper heater elements in the upper heater element array 154 .

[0045] The lower heater element array 156 may be similar to the upper heater element array 154 and additionally supported below the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112. The lower heater element array 156 may further separate a lower reflector 160 supported below the chamber body 112 from the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112 and be configured to heat the substrate support 130 (and the substrate 2 therethrough) using electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112. It is contemplated that the lower heater element array 156 may be operably associated with the controller 108, and that the controller 108 may in turn operably couple one of a lower pyrometer and a thermocouple to the lower heater element array 156 to regulate the heat generated by the lower heater elements in the lower heater element array 156 using temperature measurements obtained by the lower pyrometer or thermocouple.

[0046] The upper pyrometer 164 is configured to obtain substrate temperature measurements 16 indicative of the temperature of the substrate 2 and the material layer 4 during deposition onto the substrate 2. In this regard, it is contemplated that the upper pyrometer 164 is supported above the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112 and is optically coupled to the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 along an upper pyrometer optical axis 168. It is contemplated that the upper pyrometer optical axis 168 may be coaxial with the rotation axis 144 or radially offset from the rotation axis 144 to facilitate packaging of the upper pyrometer 164 with the upper heater element array 154, and may be substantially parallel to the rotation axis 144. It is also contemplated that the upper pyrometer optical axis 168 may be substantially orthogonal relative to the upper wall 120 and / or the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112 and that the upper pyrometer optical axis 168 intersects the substrate support 130 such that the upper pyrometer optical axis 168 intersects the substrate 2 when the substrate 2 is positioned on the substrate support 130. It is further contemplated that the upper pyrometer 164 is operably coupled to the upper heater element array 154, for example using substrate temperature measurement 16 and a predetermined substrate temperature range to regulate heating of the substrate 2. The operably coupled may be through the controller 108, with the upper pyrometer 164 being configured to communicate with the controller 108 via a wired or wireless link 110. In certain examples of the present disclosure, the upper pyrometer 164 may be as shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0298643A1 filed by Kajbafvala et al. on March 17, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In view of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the operably coupled upper pyrometer 164 to the upper heater element array 154 enables real-time temperature control of the substrate 2 and / or the material layer 4 during deposition based on electromagnetic radiation emitted by the substrate 2 and / or the material layer 4 and received by the upper pyrometer 164 along the upper pyrometer optical axis 168. Examples of suitable pyrometers include the OR400M series pyrometers available from Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. of Denver, Colorado.

[0047] The lower pyrometer 166 is similar to the upper pyrometer 164 and is also configured to obtain a substrate support temperature measurement 18 of the substrate support 130. In this regard, it is contemplated that the lower pyrometer 166 is supported below the chamber body 112 and optically coupled to the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 along a lower pyrometer optical axis 170 via the lower wall 122 of the chamber body 112. The lower pyrometer 166 may also be operably coupled to the lower heater element array 156, such as via the controller 108, to regulate heating of the substrate support 130 via the lower heater element array 156. In some examples, the lower pyrometer 166 may be configured to communicate with the controller 108 via a wired or wireless link 110 to provide the controller 108 with a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement 18. Advantageously, including the lower pyrometer 166 and the upper pyrometer 164 in the chamber apparatus 104 enables independent control of the upper heater element array 154 and the lower heater element array 156, for example by operably separating control of the upper heater element array 154 using substrate temperature measurement 16 from control of the lower heater element array 156 using non-contact substrate support temperature measurement 18 or tactile substrate support temperature measurement 24, thereby limiting (or eliminating) the effect of the thermal mass of the substrate support 130 on temperature control of the substrate 2.

[0048] It is contemplated that the lower pyrometer optical axis 170 intersects the substrate support 130, and the lower pyrometer 166 thereby obtains non-contact substrate support temperature measurements 18 using electromagnetic radiation emitted by the lower surface of the substrate support 130 along the lower pyrometer optical axis 170. In some examples, the lower pyrometer optical axis 170 can be substantially parallel to the rotation axis 144. According to some examples, the lower pyrometer optical axis 170 can be radially offset from the rotation axis 144, such as a position radially offset from the rotation axis 144 such that the lower pyrometer optical axis 170 is separated from the upper pyrometer optical axis 168 by the rotation axis 144. It is also contemplated that the lower pyrometer optical axis 170 can separate either (or both) of the rotation axis 144 and the upper pyrometer optical axis 168 from the exhaust flange 152 or the injection flange 150 and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] The thermocouple 186 may be adjacent to or disposed within the substrate support 130 and configured to obtain the tactile substrate support temperature measurement 24. The thermocouple 186 may be optional to operably couple the thermocouple 186 to the lower heater element array 156, such as by the controller 108, to regulate heating of the substrate support 130 by the lower heater element array 156. In some examples, the thermocouple 186 may be configured to communicate with the controller 108 via a wired or wireless link 110 to provide the tactile substrate support temperature measurement 24 to the controller 108. Advantageously, including the thermocouple 186 and the upper pyrometer 164 in the chamber apparatus 104 enables optional independent control of the upper and lower heater element arrays 154, such as by operably separating control of the upper heater element array 154 using the substrate temperature measurement 16 from control of the lower heater element array 156 using the tactile substrate support temperature measurement 24. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that independent temperature control enables the temperature control scheme to compensate for thermal mass differences between the substrate 2 and the substrate support 130. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will also appreciate that selectable independent temperature control can additionally control the lower heater element array 156 based on sensitivity to the thermal mass of the substrate support 130. In some examples, the thermocouple 186 can be adjacent to the lower surface of the substrate support 130 and rotatably carried by the substrate support 130 about the rotation axis 144.

[0050] In some examples, the upper pyrometer 164 may be a first upper pyrometer 164 disposed along a first upper pyrometer optical axis 168, and the chamber apparatus 104 may further include a second upper pyrometer 172 disposed along a second upper pyrometer optical axis 176. The second upper pyrometer 172 may be similar to the first upper pyrometer 164 and radially spaced apart from the first upper pyrometer 164. In this regard, it is contemplated that the second upper pyrometer 172 may be supported above the chamber body 112, optically coupled to the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 via the upper wall 120 of the chamber body 112, and configured to obtain the second substrate temperature measurement 20 using electromagnetic radiation emitted by the substrate 2 and / or the material layer 4 during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2. The second upper pyrometer 172 may be operably coupled to the upper heater element array 154 and cooperate with the first upper pyrometer 164 to regulate heating of the substrate 2 during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2. For example, the first upper pyrometer 164 can be operably connected to a first upper heater element in the upper heater element array; for example, one or more of the plurality of first upper heater elements 180 in the upper heater element array 154; and the second upper pyrometer 172 can be operably connected to one or more of the plurality of second heater elements in the upper heater element array 154; for example, one or more of the plurality of second upper heater elements 184; arranged radially outward of the plurality of first upper heater elements 180.

[0051] The second upper pyrometer optical axis 176 can be radially offset from the rotation axis 144, can also be radially offset from the first upper pyrometer optical axis 168, and can also be separated from the rotation axis 144 by the first upper pyrometer optical axis 168. The second upper pyrometer optical axis 176 can intersect the substrate support 130, such as at a position radially offset from either (or both) the rotation axis 144 and the first upper pyrometer optical axis 168, and the second upper pyrometer optical axis 176 can be substantially parallel to either (or both) the rotation axis 144 and the first upper pyrometer optical axis 168. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that examples including the second upper pyrometer 172 can obtain real-time temperature measurements of the substrate 2 and / or the material layer 4 during deposition, consistent with real-time temperature measurements obtained by the first upper pyrometer 164 at a position radially offset from the first temperature measurement (e.g., the first substrate temperature measurement 16), so that substrate processing parameters other than substrate temperature can be controlled. For example, in some examples of the present disclosure, the first substrate temperature measurement 16 and the second substrate temperature measurement 20 can be used to control the substrate center-edge temperature difference, such as by maintaining the substrate center-edge temperature difference within a predetermined substrate center-edge temperature difference range, limiting the variation in the material layer 4 between the center and edge of the substrate 2. In some examples, the chamber apparatus 104 can be as shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0301905A1 filed by Ye et al. on March 17, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0052] In certain examples of the present disclosure, the chamber apparatus 104 can include a third upper pyrometer 174. The third upper pyrometer 174 can be similar to the first upper pyrometer 164 and can be operably coupled to the upper heater element array 154, such as coupled to a third upper heater element, such as one or more of the plurality of third upper heater elements 182, radially intermediate the first upper heater element and the second upper heater element. The third upper pyrometer 174 can be further configured to obtain a third substrate temperature measurement 22 of the substrate 2 and / or the material layer 4 during deposition of the material layer 4 onto the substrate 2. In this regard, it is contemplated that the third upper pyrometer 174 can be optically coupled to the interior 128 of the chamber body 112 via a third upper pyrometer optical axis 178.

[0053] The third upper pyrometer optical axis 178 may be radially located intermediate the first upper pyrometer optical axis 168 and the second upper pyrometer optical axis 176. The third upper pyrometer 174 may be operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of third upper heater elements 182 in the upper heater element array 154. The third upper pyrometer 174 may be further configured to communicate with the controller 108, such as via a wired or wireless link 110, to provide the third substrate temperature measurement 22 to the controller 108. In view of this disclosure, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that obtaining the third substrate temperature measurement 22 at a radially intermediate position on the substrate 2 from which the first substrate temperature measurement 16 and the second substrate temperature measurement 20 are obtained enables real-time control of the temperature gradient across the substrate, such as by determining a center-to-edge temperature function using the substrate temperature measurements obtained by the first upper pyrometer 164, the second upper pyrometer 172, and the third upper pyrometer 174; determining a tangent slope to the center-to-edge temperature function; and comparing the maximum observed slope to a predetermined substrate temperature gradient range to determine whether to adjust an upper heater element, and if so, which upper heater element to adjust. In some examples, the third upper pyrometer 174 can be as shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0298672A1 filed by M'Saad et al. on March 17, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Although shown and described herein as having a particular number of upper pyrometers and lower pyrometers, it should be understood and appreciated that chamber arrangements having more or fewer upper pyrometers and / or having more lower pyrometers may also benefit from the present disclosure.

[0054] It is contemplated that the controller 108 may be configured to receive substrate temperature measurements from one or more of the first upper pyrometer 164, the second upper pyrometer 172, and the third upper pyrometer 174. The controller 108 may also be configured to adjust (e.g., change by increasing or decreasing) the amount of heat delivered into the chamber body 112 by the upper heater element array 154 and the lower heater element array 156. In some examples, a single upper pyrometer (e.g., the first upper pyrometer 164) may be used to control substrate temperature. In such examples, temperature control may be achieved by adjusting the upper heater element array 154 by comparing the substrate temperature measurement 16 received from the first upper pyrometer 164 to a predetermined substrate temperature range and adjusting the amount of heat generated by the upper heater element array 154 when the substrate temperature measurement 16 is outside the predetermined substrate temperature range. In some examples, when the substrate temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate temperature range, only the upper heater element array 154 may be adjusted, and the heat output of the lower heater element array 156 remains unchanged. According to certain examples, when substrate temperature measurement 16 is outside of a predetermined substrate temperature range, the thermal output of both upper and lower heater element arrays 156 and 154 may be adjusted.

[0055] In some examples, two or more upper pyrometers (e.g., first upper pyrometer 164 and second upper pyrometer 172) may be used to control substrate temperature, and substrate temperature control may be implemented based on substrate center-to-edge temperature difference. In this regard, the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference may be determined using the first substrate temperature measurement 16 and the second substrate temperature measurement 20, the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference may be compared to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range (e.g., recorded in one of the program modules 145 recorded on the memory 143), and when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, one or more heater elements in the upper heater element array 154 (e.g., one or more of the plurality of first upper heater elements 180 and / or one or more of the plurality of second upper heater elements 184) may be adjusted. It is contemplated that in some examples, when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, only the upper heater element array 154 may be adjusted. It is also contemplated that when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, both the upper heater element array 154 and the lower heater element array 156 may be adjusted.

[0056] Furthermore, in examples where the chamber apparatus 104 includes the first upper pyrometer 164, the second upper pyrometer 172, and the third upper pyrometer 174, adjustments may occur if a substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient determined using substrate temperature measurements obtained by the substrate pyrometers (e.g., determined using the first substrate temperature measurement 16, the second substrate temperature measurement 20, and the third substrate temperature measurement 22) is different than a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range. For example, a substrate center-to-edge gradient function may be determined using temperature measurements obtained by each of the first upper pyrometer, the second upper pyrometer, and the third upper pyrometer using a curve fitting technique, a slope of a line tangent to the function determined at one or more locations along the function, and the slope compared to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, and when the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is outside of the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient, heating of the substrate by one of the upper heater elements in the upper heater element array 154 is adjusted.

[0057] In the example shown, the controller 108 includes a device interface 137, a processor 139, a user interface 141, and a memory 143. The device interface 137 can couple the processor 139 to a wired or wireless link 110 and, through it, to the semiconductor processing system 100 ( Figure 1The processor 139 may be operably connected to the user interface 141, for example, to receive user input from a user through the user interface 141 and / or to provide user output to a user through the user interface 141, and is configured to communicate with the memory 143. The memory 143 may include a non-transitory machine-readable medium having a plurality of program modules 145 recorded thereon, which, when read by the processor 139, cause the processor 139 to perform certain operations. Among these operations are the material layer deposition method 300 (e.g., Figure 3 145 to perform the material layer deposition method 300. Although shown and described herein as having a particular architecture, it should be understood and appreciated that in other examples of the present disclosure, the controller 108 may have a different architecture, such as a distributed computing architecture, and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] refer to Figure 3-7 , a material layer deposition method 300 is shown. Figure 3 The material layer deposition method 300 generally includes placing a substrate on a substrate support, such as placing a substrate 2 ( Figure 1 ) is disposed on a substrate support 130 ( Figure 2 ), and heating the substrate to a predetermined material layer deposition temperature, as shown in blocks 302 and 304. The material layer deposition method 300 also includes exposing the substrate to a material layer precursor, and depositing the material layer on the substrate using the material layer precursor, for example, exposing the substrate to the material layer precursor 10 ( Figure 1 As shown) and material layer 4 ( Figure 1 ) onto the substrate, as shown in block 306. The method also includes removing the substrate from the substrate support after the material layer is deposited, as shown in block 307. The temperature of the substrate (i.e., substrate temperature) can be controlled using substrate temperature measurements taken by the upper pyrometer during deposition, such as using the upper pyrometer 164 ( Figure 2 The substrate temperature measurement 16 (shown) is obtained Figure 2 As shown), as shown in box 310.

[0059] As shown in block 308, the temperature of the substrate support (i.e., substrate support temperature) may be controlled using non-contact substrate support temperature measurements acquired using a lower pyrometer, such as the lower pyrometer 166 ( Figure 2 Non-contact substrate support temperature measurement 18 (as shown) obtained Figure 2 Alternatively (or in addition), the temperature of the substrate support may be controlled using tactile substrate support temperature measurements taken by a thermocouple, such as thermocouple 186 ( Figure 2The tactile substrate support temperature measurement 24 (shown) obtained Figure 2 308. In this regard, it is contemplated that a lower pyrometer or thermocouple may be selected to control the temperature of the substrate during deposition of the material layer onto the substrate. Advantageously, controlling the substrate support temperature with a temperature control device other than the upper pyrometer enables independent control of the substrate temperature relative to the substrate support temperature, for example, but controlling the substrate temperature to a different temperature than the substrate support, limiting the effect of the thermal mass of the substrate support on the substrate temperature during deposition of the material layer, thereby limiting variations in the material layer deposited on the substrate.

[0060] Positioning 302 the substrate within the chamber body may include opening a gate valve (e.g., Figure 2 ), also shown in block 302. Placing 302 the substrate within the chamber body may include advancing the end effector into the chamber body using a substrate transfer robot, as further shown in block 302. Placing 302 the substrate within the chamber body may also include transferring the substrate into an interior of the chamber body, such as the interior 128 of the chamber body (e.g., Figure 2 ), then withdrawing the end effector from the interior of the chamber body, and then closing the gate valve, as also shown in block 302. In some examples, positioning 302 the substrate may include positioning one and only one substrate in the chamber body, such as in a single substrate chamber body with a cross-flow architecture.

[0061] Heating 304 the substrate to a predetermined material layer deposition temperature may include radiating heat into the interior of the chamber body. In some examples, the chamber body may be heated using a plurality of upper heater elements (e.g., a plurality of upper heater elements ( 154 ) supported above the chamber body. Figure 2 The substrate is heated to a predetermined material layer deposition temperature by radiant heat transferred from the substrate to the substrate, as also shown in block 304. According to some examples, a plurality of lower heater elements (e.g., a plurality of lower heater elements ( Figure 2 The radiant heat transferred by the lamps (shown)) heats the substrate to a predetermined material layer deposition temperature and is conducted to the substrate through the substrate support, as further shown in block 304. In this regard, two or more of a plurality of upper linear lamps supported around the chamber may be used in cooperation with a plurality of lower linear lamps supported below the chamber body to heat the substrate to a predetermined material layer deposition temperature, as shown in block 304, which is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0062] Depositing 306 the material layer may include flowing a silicon-containing material into a chamber device, such as chamber device 104 (eg, Figure 1 ), as also shown in block 306. The silicon-containing material layer precursor may flow into an injection flange adjacent to the chamber body, such as injection flange 150 ( Figure 2), also shown as block 306. Depositing 306 the material layer may include flowing a silicon-containing material layer precursor through the chamber body to expose the substrate to the silicon-containing precursor, and thereafter conveying a residual precursor and / or reaction product flow emitted by the chamber apparatus to an exhaust source through an exhaust flange adjacent to the chamber body, such as through exhaust flange 152 ( Figure 2 ) is transmitted to the emission source 106 ( Figure 1 ), as also shown in block 306. In some examples, the silicon-containing material layer precursor may include a non-chlorinated silicon-containing precursor, such as silane (SiH 4 ) or disilane (Si 2 H 6 According to some examples, the silicon-containing material layer precursor may include a chlorinated silicon-containing material layer precursor, such as dichlorosilane (H 2 SiCl 2 ).

[0063] In some examples, the silicon-containing material layer precursor may be co-flowed with a diluent or carrier gas. Examples of suitable diluents or carrier gases include hydrogen (H 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ) and mixtures thereof. According to some examples, the silicon-containing material layer precursor may be mixed with an etchant such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) and / or chlorine (Cl 2 ). The silicon-containing material layer precursor may be co-flowed with an alloying component, such as a germanium-containing material layer precursor, such as germanium (GeH4). It is also contemplated that the silicon-containing material layer precursor may be co-flowed with a dopant-containing material layer precursor (e.g., an n-type or p-type dopant-containing material layer precursor). Examples of suitable dopant-containing material layer precursors include arsine (AsH 3 ), phosphine (PH 3 ) and diborane (B 2 H 6 ). In some examples, depositing 306 the material layer may include depositing an epitaxial material layer, such as a silicon-containing material layer, on the substrate. The silicon-containing material layer may include one or more of germanium (Ge) and a dopant, such as an n-type dopant or a p-type dopant.

[0064] refer to Figure 4 , controlling 308 the substrate support temperature may include receiving a lower pyrometer selection or a thermocouple selection, as indicated at block 313. In this regard, it is contemplated that the lower pyrometer selection or the thermocouple selection may be received at a user interface of a controller operably connected to a chamber assembly including a chamber body, such as the lower pyrometer selection or the thermocouple selection 26 (at Figure 2 In the user interface 141, it is shown ( Figure 2 ), as also shown in block 313. When the lower pyrometer selection or the thermocouple selection is the lower pyrometer selection, the lower pyrometer may be operably coupled to one or more lower heater elements in the lower heater element array, such as the lower pyrometer 166 ( Figure 2 ) is operably coupled to one or more lower heater elements ( Figure 2 ), as shown in block 315 and block 312. When the lower pyrometer selection or thermocouple selection is a thermocouple selection, the thermocouple may be operably coupled to one or more heater elements in the lower heater element array, such as thermocouple 186 (e.g. Figure 2 ), also shown in block 312. The operable coupling may be achieved by a controller operably connected to the lower heater element array and configured to communicate with the lower pyrometer and thermocouple, such as controller 108 ( Figure 1 As shown), the controller thereby controls the temperature of the substrate support.

[0065] When selecting a pyrometer or thermocouple, select 26 ( Figure 2 When the lower pyrometer is selected, control of the substrate support temperature may be achieved by obtaining non-contact substrate support temperature measurements using the lower pyrometer and transmitting the non-contact substrate support temperature measurements to the controller, as shown in block 316. The controller may compare the non-contact substrate support temperature measurements to a predetermined substrate support temperature range, as shown in block 318, and when the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, adjust the heating of the substrate support by the lower heater element array, as shown in arrow 300 and block 322. As shown in arrow 321, the substrate support temperature may then be rechecked. When the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement is within the predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, the heating of the substrate support by the lower heater element array may remain unchanged, and the substrate support temperature may be repeatedly rechecked using the aforementioned operations, also shown in block 318, and further as shown in arrow 320. In some examples, temperature regulation of the substrate support using the lower array of heater elements may be achieved solely by the lower array of heater elements, with the heat output of the upper heater elements remaining unchanged when the comparison indicates that the substrate support temperature measurement taken by the lower pyrometer is outside of a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, as shown in block 324 .

[0066] When selecting a pyrometer or thermocouple, select 26 ( Figure 2316. The controller may compare the tactile substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, as also shown in block 318, and when the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, adjust the heating of the substrate support by the lower heater element array, as also shown in arrow 300 and block 322. When the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is within the predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, the heating of the substrate support by the lower heater element array may remain unchanged, and the temperature of the substrate support may be repeatedly rechecked using the aforementioned operations, as also shown in block 318 and arrow 320. As described above, when a thermocouple is selected, regulation of the substrate support temperature using the lower heater element array may be accomplished solely by the lower heater element array, with the thermal output of the upper heater elements remaining unchanged when the aforementioned comparison indicates that the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement obtained by the lower pyrometer is outside of a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, as also shown in block 324 .

[0067] refer to Figure 5 , controlling 310 the substrate temperature may include setting a single upper pyrometer (e.g., upper pyrometer 164 ( Figure 2 The substrate temperature measurement may be acquired by the upper pyrometer and transmitted to a controller, such as controller 108 ( Figure 1 The substrate temperature measurement 16 (shown) Figure 2 ), as shown in block 328. The controller may in turn compare the substrate temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate temperature range, as shown in block 330, and when the substrate temperature measurement is outside the predetermined substrate temperature range, adjust heating of the substrate by the upper array of heater elements, as shown in blocks 332 and 336, and recheck the substrate temperature, as shown in arrow 335. When the substrate temperature measurement is not outside the predetermined substrate temperature range, heating of the substrate by the upper array of heater elements 154 may remain constant, as shown in arrow 334, and temperature monitoring may be repeated using the aforementioned operations during deposition of a layer of material onto the substrate.

[0068] In some examples, adjustment of the substrate temperature using the upper array of heater elements may be accomplished solely by the upper array of heater elements, as indicated at block 338. In this regard, it is contemplated that the above-described comparison 318 of the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement to the predetermined substrate support temperature range may be performed. Figure 4332 ) to independently control heating of the substrate support and, when appropriate, to independently adjust the lower array of heater elements in accordance with the comparison 332 of the substrate temperature to a predetermined substrate temperature range to control the substrate temperature. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that independently controlling the temperature of the substrate relative to the temperature of the substrate support can limit the effect of the thermal mass of the substrate support on temperature adjustments, such as in terms of a time lag between when the heating of the substrate support changes in response to changes in the thermal output of the lower array of heater elements and when the temperature of the substrate changes in response to changes in the thermal output of the lower array of heater elements. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will also appreciate that using only the upper array of heater elements to adjust the substrate temperature also enables a reduction in the interval between substrate temperature measurements taken consecutively by the upper pyrometer, thereby increasing the accuracy of temperature adjustments possible in processes where real-time temperature monitoring can be employed to limit changes in material layers.

[0069] refer to Figure 6 , controlling 310 the substrate temperature may include operably coupling two (2) upper pyrometers to the upper heater element array, such as a single upper pyrometer, such as the first upper pyrometer 164 ( Figure 2 shown) and a second upper pyrometer 172 ( Figure 2 340. In this regard, it is contemplated that both the first upper pyrometer and the second upper pyrometer may be configured to communicate with the controller, also as shown in block 340. The controller may in turn operably couple the first pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements and couple the second upper pyrometer to a second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements, such as the plurality of first upper heater elements 180 ( Figure 2 ) and coupling the second upper pyrometer to the plurality of second upper heater elements 184 ( Figure 2 ) as further shown in block 340. It is contemplated that the first upper pyrometer acquires a first substrate temperature measurement, such as first substrate temperature measurement 16 (such as Figure 2 ), and the first pyrometer transmits the first substrate temperature measurement to the controller, as shown in block 342. It is also contemplated that the second pyrometer obtains a second substrate temperature measurement, such as the second substrate temperature measurement 20 (as shown in block 342). Figure 2 ), and the second pyrometer also transmits a second substrate temperature measurement to the controller, also as shown in block 342.

[0070] It is contemplated that the controller determines the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference using the first substrate temperature measurement and the second substrate temperature measurement, as indicated by block 346. It is also contemplated that when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside of a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, the controller may further adjust the heating of the substrate using the upper heater element array, as indicated by blocks 346 and 350, such as by adjusting one or more of the first upper heater element and the second upper heater element, also as indicated by block 350. The temperature of the substrate may thereafter be rechecked using the aforementioned operations, as indicated by arrow 349. It is also contemplated that when the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is not outside of the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, substrate temperature difference monitoring continues, also indicated by block 346, and further indicated by arrow 348.

[0071] In some examples, the substrate heating may be regulated using only the upper array of heater elements to control the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference, as shown in block 352. In this regard, it is contemplated that the substrate support temperature may be controlled by comparing the non-contact / tactile substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support non-contact / tactile temperature range 318 ( Figure 4 ) to independently control the heating of the substrate support and, when appropriate, independently adjust the lower array of heater elements in accordance with the comparison 346 of the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference to the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range to control the temperature of the substrate. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that independently controlling the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference and the substrate support temperature can improve the accuracy of adjusting the thermal output of the upper array of heater elements to control the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference, for example by avoiding the need to additionally consider the thermal mass of the substrate support when controlling the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference using the lower array of heater elements.

[0072] refer to Figure 7 , controlling 310 the substrate temperature may include operably coupling three (3) upper pyrometers to the upper array of heater elements; for example, the first upper pyrometer 164 (eg Figure 2 As shown), the second upper pyrometer 172 (as Figure 2 ) and a third upper pyrometer 174 (as shown Figure 2 ), an individual heater element in the upper heater element array, as shown in block 354. In this regard, the first upper pyrometer may be operably coupled to a first upper heater element, such as one or more of the plurality of first upper heater elements 180 (e.g., Figure 2 The second upper pyrometer may be operably coupled to a second upper heater element, such as one or more of a plurality of second upper heater elements 184 (such as Figure 2 and one or more of the third upper heater elements 182 (as shown); Figure 2); also as shown in block 354. The operable connection may be achieved by a controller operably connected to the upper light array, such as controller 108 ( Figure 1 ), and in this regard, it is contemplated that the first upper pyrometer, the second upper pyrometer, and the third pyrometer may simultaneously obtain substrate temperature measurements from the substrate; for example, the first substrate temperature measurement 16 (as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown), the second substrate temperature measurement 20 (as shown Figure 2 ) and a third substrate temperature measurement 22 (as shown Figure 2 and transmitting the first substrate temperature measurement, the second substrate temperature measurement, and the third substrate temperature measurement to the controller, also as shown in block 354.

[0073] As shown in block 358, controlling 310 the substrate temperature may include determining a substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient. In this regard, the controller may receive a first substrate temperature measurement, a second substrate temperature measurement, and a third substrate temperature measurement from the first upper pyrometer, the second upper pyrometer, and the third upper pyrometer, respectively, as shown in block 356. The controller may further determine a substrate center-to-edge temperature profile of the first temperature measurement, the second temperature measurement, and the third temperature measurement, as shown in block 358, and then determine a maximum slope of one or more lines tangent to the determined center-to-edge temperature profile, such as one or more predetermined center-to-edge locations along the substrate center-to-edge temperature profile. The slope of the one or more lines tangent to the center-to-edge temperature profile (e.g., the center-to-edge gradient) may be compared to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, and heating of the substrate using the upper heater element may be adjusted using one or more of the first upper heater element, the second upper heater element, and the upper heater element based on the center-to-edge location of the line having a slope outside the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, as shown in blocks 360 and 362. Temperature control based on iteratively determining the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient may thereafter continue using the aforementioned operations, as indicated by arrow 367. Similarly, when the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is within a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, temperature control using the aforementioned operations may continue, also as indicated by block 360 and arrow 366.

[0074] In some examples, the regulation of substrate heating to control the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient may be accomplished using only the upper array of heater elements, as indicated at block 364. In this regard, it is contemplated that the heating of the substrate support may be controlled by comparing the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support temperature range 318 as described above. Figure 4) to independently control and, when appropriate, independently adjust the lower array of heater elements to control the substrate temperature in accordance with the comparison 360 of the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient to the predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range. In view of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that independently controlling the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient and the substrate support temperature can improve the accuracy of adjusting the thermal output of the upper array of heater elements to control the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient, for example by avoiding the need to additionally consider the thermal mass of the substrate support when using the lower array of heater elements to control the center-to-edge temperature gradient.

[0075] Semiconductor processing systems for deposition of material layers typically employ temperature control devices. While generally satisfactory for their intended purposes, some temperature control devices may limit the reliability and / or throughput of semiconductor processing systems, for example due to operating conditions within a processing space within the semiconductor processing system and interactions with devices outside the semiconductor processing system. In the examples described herein, the semiconductor processing system employs an upper pyrometer and a lower pyrometer for temperature control, limiting (or eliminating) the tendency of conditions within the processing space and / or external equipment to interfere with temperature control within the semiconductor processing system. In some examples, the upper pyrometer may be used to control direct heating of the substrate, while the lower pyrometer may be used to control indirect heating of the substrate, such as by a substrate support on which the substrate is positioned. According to some examples, more than one upper pyrometer may be used to control direct heating of the substrate, such as by heating the substrate using a subset of upper heater elements controlled by a separate upper pyrometer.

[0076] Although the present disclosure has been provided in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure extends to other alternative embodiments and / or uses of embodiments beyond the specifically described embodiments and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, although several variations of the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described in detail, other modifications within the scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the present disclosure. It is also conceivable that various combinations or sub-combinations may be made to the specific features and aspects of the embodiments and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be combined or replaced with one another to form different modes of embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by the specific embodiments described above.

[0077] The headings provided herein, if any, are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A chamber device comprising: a chamber body including a substrate support disposed therein, the substrate support configured to seat a substrate thereon during deposition of a layer of material onto the substrate; an upper array of heater elements supported above the chamber body and configured to heat the substrate; an upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and operably coupled to the upper array of heater elements, the upper pyrometer configured to obtain a substrate temperature measurement of the substrate; a lower array of heater elements supported below the chamber body and configured to heat the substrate support; and A lower pyrometer is supported below the chamber body and configured to obtain non-contact substrate support temperature measurements.

2. The chamber arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a thermocouple adjacent the substrate support and configured to obtain a tactile substrate support temperature measurement.

3. The chamber device according to claim 1, wherein The upper pyrometer is operably coupled only to the upper array of heater elements, and wherein the lower pyrometer is operably coupled only to the lower array of heater elements.

4. The chamber device according to claim 1, wherein The upper pyrometer is a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement is a first substrate temperature measurement, and further comprising a second upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to obtain a second substrate temperature measurement.

5. The chamber arrangement according to claim 4, wherein The first upper pyrometer is optically coupled to the interior of the chamber body via a first upper pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate support, wherein the second upper pyrometer is optically coupled to the interior of the chamber body via a second upper pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate support, and wherein the lower pyrometer is arranged along a lower pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate support.

6. The chamber device according to claim 4, wherein The second upper pyrometer is operably coupled only to the upper array of heater elements, and wherein the lower pyrometer is operably coupled only to the lower array of heater elements.

7. The chamber apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a third upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to obtain a third substrate temperature measurement of a substrate.

8. The chamber arrangement according to claim 7, wherein The third upper pyrometer is optically coupled to the interior of the chamber body via a third upper pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate support, wherein the lower pyrometer is arranged along a lower pyrometer optical axis that intersects the substrate at a position offset from the third upper pyrometer optical axis, and wherein the third pyrometer is radially located intermediate the first pyrometer and the second pyrometer.

9. The chamber arrangement according to claim 7, wherein: The third upper pyrometer is operably coupled only to the upper array of heater elements, and wherein the lower pyrometer is operably coupled only to the lower array of heater elements.

10. A semiconductor processing system comprising: The chamber apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower pyrometer is selectively operable to be operably coupled to the lower array of heater elements; a thermocouple adjacent the substrate support and configured to obtain a tactile substrate support temperature measurement, the thermocouple optionally being operably coupled to the lower heater element array; and a controller operatively coupling the upper pyrometer to the upper array of heater elements and coupling the lower pyrometer and one of the thermocouples to the lower array of heater elements, the controller responsive to instructions recorded on the memory to: placing a substrate on a substrate support; heating the substrate; depositing a material layer onto a substrate; wherein substrate temperature measurement is used to control the temperature of the substrate during deposition of a material layer onto the substrate; wherein, when the lower pyrometer is selected, the temperature of the substrate support is controlled using non-contact substrate support temperature measurement during deposition of the material layer; and Therein, when a thermocouple is selected, the temperature of the substrate support is controlled using tactile substrate support temperature measurements during deposition of the material layer.

11. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein: The instructions also cause the controller to: Receive pyrometer selection; receiving a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement from a lower pyrometer; comparing the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range; as well as When the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, heating of the substrate support is adjusted using the lower heater element array.

12. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein: The instructions cause the controller to: Receive thermocouple selection; receiving a haptic substrate support temperature measurement from a thermocouple; comparing the haptic substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support haptic temperature range; and When the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, heating of the substrate support is adjusted using the lower array of heater elements.

13. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein: The instructions also cause the controller to: operably coupling an upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements; receiving a substrate temperature measurement from an upper pyrometer; comparing the substrate temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate temperature range; as well as When the substrate temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate temperature range, heating of the substrate is adjusted using the first upper heater element.

14. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein: The upper pyrometer is a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement is a first substrate temperature measurement, the semiconductor processing system further comprising a second upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to communicate with the controller, and wherein the instructions further cause the controller to: operably coupling a first upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements and a second upper pyrometer to a second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements; receiving a first substrate temperature measurement from a first pyrometer and receiving a second substrate temperature measurement from a second upper pyrometer; determining a substrate center-edge temperature difference using the first substrate temperature measurement and the second substrate temperature measurement; comparing the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference with a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range; and When the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside of a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, heating of the substrate is regulated using at least one of a first upper heater element and a second upper heater element in the upper heater element array.

15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein: The upper pyrometer is a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement is a first substrate temperature measurement, the semiconductor processing system further comprising: a second upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to communicate with the controller; a third upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and configured to communicate with the controller; and The instructions further cause the controller to: operably coupling a first upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements, a second pyrometer to a second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements, and a third pyrometer to a third upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements; receiving a first substrate temperature measurement from a first pyrometer, a second substrate temperature measurement from a second upper pyrometer, and a third substrate temperature measurement from a third upper pyrometer; determining a substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient using the first substrate temperature measurement, the second substrate temperature measurement, and the third substrate temperature measurement; comparing the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range; and When the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is outside a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, heating of the substrate is adjusted using at least one of the first upper heater element, the second upper heater element, and the third upper heater element in the upper heater element array.

16. A material layer deposition method, comprising: At a chamber apparatus, the chamber apparatus includes: a chamber body including a substrate support disposed therein; an upper array of heater elements supported above the chamber body and configured to heat a substrate; an upper pyrometer supported above the chamber body and operably coupled to the upper array of heater elements; a lower pyrometer supported below the chamber body; and a thermocouple adjacent to the substrate support, placing a substrate on a substrate support; heating the substrate; depositing a material layer onto a substrate; wherein, during deposition of a material layer onto the substrate, substrate temperature measurements taken by an upper pyrometer are used to control the temperature of the substrate; wherein, when the lower pyrometer is selected, the temperature of the substrate support is controlled using non-contact substrate support temperature measurements taken by the lower pyrometer during deposition of the material layer onto the substrate; and Therein, when a thermocouple is selected, the temperature of the substrate support is controlled using tactile substrate support temperature measurements taken by the thermocouple during deposition of the material layer onto the substrate.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Controlling the temperature of the substrate support includes: Receive pyrometer selection; receiving a non-contact substrate support temperature measurement; comparing the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range; and When the non-contact substrate support temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate support non-contact temperature range, heating of the substrate support is adjusted using the lower heater element array.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein controlling the temperature of the substrate support comprises: Receive thermocouple selection; receiving a haptic substrate support temperature measurement; comparing the haptic substrate support temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate support haptic temperature range; as well as When the tactile substrate support temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate support tactile temperature range, heating of the substrate support is adjusted using the lower array of heater elements.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Controlling the temperature of the substrate includes: operably coupling an upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements; receiving a substrate temperature measurement from an upper pyrometer; comparing the substrate temperature measurement to a predetermined substrate temperature range; and When the substrate temperature measurement is outside of a predetermined substrate temperature range, heating of the substrate is adjusted using the first upper heater element.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein: The upper pyrometer is a first upper pyrometer and the substrate temperature measurement is a first substrate temperature measurement, the method further comprising: operably coupling a first upper pyrometer to a first upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements and a second upper pyrometer to a second upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements; receiving a first substrate temperature measurement from a first pyrometer and a second substrate temperature measurement from a second upper pyrometer; determining a substrate center-edge temperature difference using the first substrate temperature measurement and the second substrate temperature measurement; comparing the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference with a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range; and When the substrate center-to-edge temperature difference is outside of a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature difference range, heating of the substrate is regulated using at least one of a first upper heater element and a second upper heater element in the upper heater element array.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising: operably coupling a third pyrometer to a third upper heater element in the array of upper heater elements; receiving a third substrate temperature measurement from a third upper pyrometer; determining a substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient using the first substrate temperature measurement, the second substrate temperature measurement, and the third substrate temperature measurement; comparing the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient to a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range; as well as When the substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient is outside a predetermined substrate center-to-edge temperature gradient range, heating of the substrate is adjusted using at least one of the first upper heater element, the second upper heater element, and the third upper heater element in the upper heater element array.

Images