Rotary Heat Treatment Chamber

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to heating a substrate in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber. The chamber may include a rotating assembly configured to accommodate and rotate a substrate while a heat source in the RTP chamber applies heat to the substrate. The rotating assembly is disposed partially outside the RTP chamber. A seal is formed around the rotating assembly to maintain a vacuum within the RTP chamber while the rotating assembly rotates. The rotating assembly may be configured to accommodate substrates of various sizes.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to an apparatus and method for annealing a substrate suitable for semiconductor processing. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to rotating a substrate during annealing. [Background technology]

[0002]

[0002] Thermal processing chambers typically expose a substrate to radiation from a heat source to increase the temperature of the substrate, either the entire substrate or a portion or surface region of the substrate. The radiation used to heat the substrate can create a strong background radiation environment within the chamber. This can result in non-uniform heating of the substrate during the annealing process in thermal processing chambers.

[0003]

[0003] Therefore, what is needed in the art is an apparatus and method for solving the problems discussed above. Summary of the Invention

[0004]

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to an apparatus and method for annealing a substrate suitable for semiconductor processing, and more particularly, to rotating a substrate during annealing.

[0005]

[0005] Certain embodiments provide a thermal treatment chamber. The chamber includes a rotating assembly configured to rotate about an axis of the thermal treatment chamber. The rotating assembly includes a rotating pedestal having a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate. The pedestal plate is coupled to an end of the pedestal shaft, the pedestal shaft extending outside the thermal treatment chamber. The pedestal shaft is disposed in a pedestal housing coupled to the thermal treatment chamber. The rotating pedestal further includes a substrate support plate removably coupled to the pedestal plate. The chamber further includes a magnetic fluid seal disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing. The magnetic fluid seal is configured to maintain a vacuum within the thermal treatment chamber.

[0006] Another embodiment provides a rotary assembly configured to rotate about an axis of a thermal processing chamber. The rotary assembly includes a pedestal having a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate. The pedestal shaft is disposed within the pedestal housing. The rotary assembly further includes a reflector plate coupled to the pedestal plate. The reflector plate has a first plurality of features formed therein. The rotary assembly further includes a substrate support plate removably coupled to the reflector plate. The substrate support plate includes a second plurality of features formed therein. The substrate support plate further includes a third plurality of features formed therein. The third plurality of features is configured to couple to at least a portion of the first plurality of features. The rotary assembly further includes a magnetic fluid seal disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing.

[0007] Another embodiment provides a thermal processing chamber. The chamber includes a rotatable assembly configured to rotate about a central axis of the thermal processing chamber. The rotatable assembly includes a pedestal having a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate. The pedestal shaft is disposed within the pedestal housing. The rotatable assembly further includes a reflector plate coupled to the pedestal plate, the reflector plate having a first plurality of features formed therein. The rotatable assembly further includes a substrate support plate removably coupled to the reflector plate. The substrate support plate includes a second plurality of features formed therein. The substrate support plate further includes a third plurality of features formed therein. The third plurality of features are configured to couple to at least a portion of the first plurality of features. The substrate support plate further includes an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate. The edge ring includes at least one tab configured to couple with at least a portion of the second plurality of grooves. The edge ring further includes a lip configured to support a substrate. The chamber further includes a magnetic seal configured to be disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing. The chamber further includes a plurality of lift pins disposed in a first plurality of openings defined by the thermal treatment chamber. The lift pins are configured to be disposed in a second plurality of openings defined by the reflector plate and a third plurality of openings defined by the substrate support plate when the rotatable assembly is in a first position about the central axis. The lift pins are configured to lift the reflector plate when the rotatable assembly is in a second position about the central axis.

[0008] Another embodiment includes a method of rotating a rotatable assembly in a thermal treatment chamber. The method includes mounting a substrate on an edge ring of the rotatable assembly. The method further includes rotating the rotatable assembly about an axis of the thermal treatment chamber from a first position about the axis to a second position about the axis. The rotatable assembly includes a pedestal having a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate. The pedestal plate is coupled to an end of the pedestal shaft, the pedestal shaft extending outside the thermal treatment chamber. The rotatable assembly includes a substrate support plate removably coupled to the pedestal plate. The substrate support plate rotates with the pedestal as part of the rotatable assembly. A magnetic fluid seal is formed to maintain a vacuum within the thermal treatment chamber. The method further includes heating the substrate.

[0009]

[0009] In order that the above-mentioned features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail, the present disclosure summarized above will now be more particularly described with reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings depict only exemplary embodiments and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which may admit of other equally effective embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber according to some embodiments. [Figure 2A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rotating assembly according to some embodiments. [Figure 2B] 2B is a close-up view of a different cross section of the rotatable assembly of FIG. 2A according to some embodiments. [Figure 2C] 2B is a close-up view of a different cross section of the rotatable assembly of FIG. 2A according to some embodiments. [Figure 2D] 2B is a close-up view of a different cross section of the rotatable assembly of FIG. 2A according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3]FIG. 1 is an exploded trimetric view of a rotatable assembly according to some embodiments. [Figure 4A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rotating assembly according to some embodiments. [Figure 4B] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rotating assembly according to some embodiments. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control system for a rotary assembly of an RTP chamber according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using a rotatable assembly in an RTP chamber according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011]

[0017] To facilitate understanding, wherever possible, the same reference numerals have been used to designate identical elements common to the drawings. It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further recitation.

[0012]

[0018] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features are not described in order to avoid obscuring one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013]

[0019] The present disclosure relates to heating a substrate in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber. The chamber may include a rotatable assembly configured to accommodate and rotate a substrate while a heat source in the RTP chamber applies heat to the substrate. The rotatable assembly is disposed partially outside the RTP chamber. A seal may be formed around the rotatable assembly to maintain a vacuum within the RTP chamber while the rotatable assembly rotates. The rotatable assembly may be configured to accommodate substrates of various sizes.

[0014]

[0020] The methods and systems disclosed herein include novel features for heating a substrate, for example during annealing. Rotary assembly embodiments can result in uniform heating of the substrate with minimal or no increase in the size of the RTP processing chamber. Moving parts can be minimized, which can beneficially reduce maintenance and wear on the system, resulting in higher reliability. Seals around the rotating assembly can reduce or eliminate frictional surfaces, beneficially reducing particles and debris generated during the process.

[0015]

[0021] The methods and systems disclosed herein may provide features that overcome many of the shortcomings associated with conventional RTP processing chambers discussed above.

[0016] Example of a heat treatment chamber

[0022] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an RTP chamber 110 (referred to as chamber 110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The chamber 110 includes a chamber body 20, a top 23, and a window 22 disposed on the top 23. A lamp assembly 16 is disposed in the window 22. The lamp assembly 16 includes a housing 54 and a first plurality of openings 52 formed in the housing 54. In some embodiments, a second plurality of openings (not shown) may be formed in the housing 54. A plurality of lamps 46 are disposed in the housing 54, each lamp 46 being disposed in a corresponding opening 52. The lamps 46 are connected to the power supply controller 12 via a plurality of electrical sockets 48. During operation, the lamps 46 emit radiation through the window 22 toward a substrate 32 disposed in the chamber 110 to heat the substrate 32 to a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature may range from about 20° C. to about 1500° C. In some embodiments, the substrate is heated to a relatively low temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 350° C. In some embodiments, the substrate is heated to a relatively high temperature, such as from about 350° C. to about 1500° C. The window 22 is generally made of any material that is resistant to the processing environment and transmits the desired radiation. For example, quartz is typically used for the window 22 because it is transparent to infrared light. Other suitable materials include, but are not limited to, sapphire. In a further example, the window 22 is optionally coated on one or both sides with an anti-reflective coating or any other suitable filter. For example, if the lamps 46 have significant UV output, an optional ultraviolet (UV) filter is used to avoid generating ions and radicals in the chamber or damage to UV-sensitive structures on the substrate 32. As another example, an optional notch filter is used to accept a narrow band of radiation. In some embodiments, a filter 19 is coated on the inner surface of the window 22 as shown in FIG. 1. The filter 19 blocks radiation having wavelengths within a particular range, such as from about 780 nm to about 880 nm, and transmits radiation having wavelengths outside the particular range. The filter 19 may be multiple alternating layers, such as oxide layers. In one embodiment, filter 19 includes alternating layers of silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide, with the silicon dioxide layers located at opposite ends of the filter.In one embodiment, filter 19 includes a total of 30 to 50 alternating layers. Filter 19 may be coated on the outer surface of window 22 (facing lamp assembly 16), the inner surface of window 22 (facing the substrate support), or may be embedded in window 22.

[0017]

[0023] The radiation source 100 is connected to the lamp assembly 16 via a radiation source manifold 102. For clarity, the radiation source 100 is illustrated as being located outside the chamber 110, however, it is envisioned that the radiation source 100 may be located within the chamber 110. The radiation source 100 generally includes one or more radiation-emitting devices distinct from the lamps 46.

[0018]

[0024] The chamber 110 optionally includes a beam splitter 115 in optical communication with the radiation emitted by the radiation source 100. During operation, the beam splitter 115 directs radiation from the radiation source 100 to a sampling detector 116 that is used to directly detect source modulation from the radiation source 100. The sampling detector 116 helps to correct for any interpulse modulation or other amplitude modulation. The beam splitter 115 typically has a low reflectivity, for example, about 30 percent or less, about 20 percent, to avoid excessive attenuation of the radiation from the radiation source 100. In one embodiment, the beam splitter 115 is a fiber-coupled splitter and is connected to the sampling detector 116 via a fiber. Although FIG. 1 illustrates the beam splitter 115 outside the chamber body 20, the beam splitter 115 may be positioned within the chamber 110 and not fiber-coupled to the radiation source 100 to detect radiation emitted from the radiation source 100, for example, in the processing region.

[0019]

[0025] An inlet port 80 and an outlet port 82 are formed in the chamber body 20. During operation, the pressure in the chamber 110 can be reduced to below atmospheric pressure before introducing process gases through the inlet port 80. A vacuum pump 84 evacuates the chamber 110 by pumping through an exhaust port 86 formed in the chamber body 20. A valve 88 disposed between the exhaust port 86 and the vacuum pump 84 is utilized to control the pressure in the chamber 110. A second vacuum pump 90 is connected to the lamp assembly 16 to reduce the pressure in the lamp assembly 16, particularly when pumping the pressure in the chamber 110 to a low pressure to reduce the pressure difference across the window 22. The pressure in the lamp assembly 16 is controlled by a valve 94.

[0020]

[0026] The rotating assembly 30 is disposed within the chamber 110 and rotates about a central axis 133 of the chamber 110. As shown, the rotating assembly 30 is disposed at least partially through the reflector plate 62 and a central opening 132 in the bottom 25 of the chamber body 20. As shown, the central axis 133 is aligned with the center of the central opening 132. The substrate 32 may be disposed on the rotating assembly 30 such that the substrate 32 rotates with the rotating assembly 30 and the remainder of the chamber 110, including the reflector plate 62, does not rotate. The lamps 46 heat the substrate 32 as described above. Rotating the substrate 32 during heating may result in a beneficial effect of uniform heating of the substrate 32. In some embodiments, the reflector plate 62 and / or the pedestal plate 260A absorb heat transferred from the substrate 32 and radiate the heat back toward the substrate 32. In some embodiments, the reflector plate 62 and / or the pedestal plate 260A reflect heat from the substrate 32 and direct the reflected heat towards the substrate 32. In some embodiments, such as those described in connection with FIGURE 2A, the reflector plate 62 includes at least one resistive heater 265 for radiating heat towards the substrate 32. In some embodiments, the pedestal plate 260A may include at least one resistive heater.

[0021]

[0027] The chamber body 20 and the reflector plate 62 each include a first plurality of openings 134 (e.g., openings 134A and 134B in FIG. 2B). A plurality of lift pins 136 (e.g., three lift pins evenly centered on a radius of the central axis 133) are positioned to extend through the first plurality of openings 134. A seal (not shown), such as an O-ring, a ceramic tight fit, or a bellows, can form a seal between the lift pins 136 and the openings 134A to maintain pressure within the chamber 110. In some embodiments, at least one actuator (not shown) can move the lift pins 136 in and out of the chamber 110, and a seal can be formed between the at least one actuator and the chamber 110. The rotatable assembly 30 includes a second plurality of openings 138. Each of the second plurality of openings 138 may be aligned with a corresponding opening 134 of the first plurality of openings 134 such that the lift pins 136 may extend through the second plurality of openings 138 to lift the substrate 32. A system controller 199 may control the rotation of the rotatable assembly 30 as further described in connection with FIGS. 2A and 7. The system controller 199 may interface with a rotation sensor (e.g., the encoder 269 of FIG. 2A) to measure the angular position of the rotatable assembly 30 about the central axis 133 relative to the chamber body 20. The system controller 199 may further align the openings 134 and 138 before the lift pins 136 extend through the openings 138 to lift the substrate 32.

[0022]

[0028] The lift pins may be positioned relative to the substrate 32. In some embodiments, the lift pins 136 have a nominal radial distance from the central axis 133 of 6 inches. In some embodiments, the lift pins 136 have a nominal radial distance from the central axis 133 of 4 inches. In some embodiments, the lift pins have a nominal radial distance from the central axis 133 of 3 inches. The lift pins 136 may be positioned based on the diameter of the substrate 32 to be lifted.

[0023]

[0029] In some embodiments, at least one thermal detector (not shown), e.g., a pyrometer such as a transmission pyrometry detector, or a temperature sensor, may be used to assess the thermal condition of the substrate 32. For example, the at least one pyrometer may measure a radiation spectrum of the substrate 32 over a wavelength range (more than one or two dominant wavelengths) to infer the temperature of the substrate 32.

[0024] Rotating Assembly Example

[0030] 2A is a cross-sectional view of a rotatable assembly 30 according to some embodiments. In particular, FIG. 2A shows the rotatable assembly 30 disposed in the chamber body 20 and the pedestal housing 280 coupled to the bottom 25 of the chamber body 20.

[0025]

[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the rotatable assembly 30 includes a pedestal 260 having a pedestal plate 260A and a pedestal shaft 260B. The pedestal shaft 260B is disposed in the central opening 132 of the chamber body 20, and a motor 268 rotates the pedestal 260 about a central axis 133. In the illustrated embodiment, the pedestal shaft 260B is disposed in a pedestal sleeve 270, and the motor 268 rotates the pedestal sleeve 270, thereby rotating the pedestal shaft 260B and the pedestal 260. The system controller 199 controls the position of the pedestal plate 260A using the motor 268 and an encoder 269. The encoder 269 and the motor 268 may be integrated into the system controller 199 as an input and an output, respectively, as will be further described with respect to FIG. 5. In a further embodiment, the system controller 199 may use the encoder 269 to calculate the rotational speed of the pedestal 260. The pedestal shaft 260B and pedestal sleeve 270 are disposed in a pedestal housing 280, as will be further described with respect to FIGURE 2D. The pedestal 260 is removable from the pedestal sleeve 270, which advantageously allows the chamber 110 (FIGURE 1) to use a different pedestal 260. For example, a pedestal 260 having a different pedestal plate 260A, such as a pedestal plate 260A that includes a reflector plate 62, can be used.

[0026]

[0032] The pedestal plate 260A transfers the rotation of the pedestal 260 to the substrate support plate 240 (referred to as support plate 240). The support plate 240 can shield the reflector plate 62 and the pedestal plate 260A from being coated with the material of the degassing substrate 32. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of transfer pins 266 are disposed in the third plurality of openings 260C of the pedestal plate 260A. A fourth plurality of openings 241A is in the support plate 240. Each of the fourth plurality of openings 241A is aligned with a corresponding opening of the third plurality of openings 260C such that when the support plate 240 is placed on the pedestal 260, the transfer pins 266 are also disposed in the fourth plurality of openings 241A.

[0027]

[0033] The adapter ring 242 removably attaches the edge ring 244 to the support plate 240, advantageously allowing the edge ring 244 to be easily adjusted or replaced. The edge ring 244 may be sized to receive the substrate 32 such that the substrate 32 is placed on the edge ring 244 during processing. The adapter ring 242 may also be sized to adjust the distance between the substrate 32 and the reflector plate 62, as described with respect to FIG. 2B. The substrate 32 may be a high resistivity silicon substrate. In some embodiments, the edge ring 244 is sized to receive substrates 32 of different sizes. In some embodiments, different edge rings 244 are used, each edge ring 244 corresponding to a different size substrate 32, and the adapter ring 242 adapts each edge ring 244 to fit snugly on the support plate 240. For example, the edge ring 244 may be sized to receive a 675 mm substrate, or a 450 mm substrate, or a 300 mm substrate, or a 200 mm substrate, or a 150 mm substrate. In some embodiments where the pedestal housing 280 may be smaller, the edge ring 244 may be sized to accommodate a 125 mm substrate, or a 100 mm substrate, or a 76 mm substrate, or a 51 mm substrate, or smaller. In some embodiments, the adapter ring 242 may also be referred to as an interface ring. The edge ring 244, the adapter ring 242, and the support plate 240 are further described with respect to FIG. 2B.

[0028]

[0034] The reflector plate 62 surrounds the pedestal plate 260A and can radiate or reflect heat towards the substrate 32 as described above with respect to FIG. 1. In the above embodiments, the support plate 240 can be optically transparent to allow heat to pass through to the substrate 32. In some embodiments, the support plate 240 is optically transparent to allow the pyrometer to take measurements and evaluate the thermal condition of the substrate 32. In some embodiments, the support plate 240 is made of a material similar to the window 22 (FIG. 1). For example, the support plate 240 can include quartz and can be referred to as a quartz plate in the above embodiments. In some embodiments, the support plate 240 includes a thermally conductive material, such as a metal, e.g., aluminum, to absorb heat and radiate the absorbed heat towards the substrate 32.

[0029]

[0035] The pedestal shaft 260B includes a coolant inlet 261A and a coolant outlet 261B for flowing the first coolant from the first cooling device 214A. The pedestal plate 260A includes a channel 261C formed therein that is in fluid communication with the inlet 261A and the outlet 261B for flowing the first coolant therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the coolant inlet 261A is disposed within the coolant outlet 261B, and the inlet 261A and the outlet 261B are disposed on the central axis 133, which advantageously allows the pedestal 260 to rotate while the first cooling device 214A cools the pedestal 260. Rotary couplings or seals (not shown), such as mechanical seals, bearings, bushings, or packings, may be used to seal the rotating inlet 261A and outlet 261B from non-rotating lines connected to the first cooling device 214A. The reflector plate 62 includes channels 263 formed therein to allow a second coolant to flow therethrough. The second coolant flows from a second cooling device 214B. The first coolant may be the same as the second coolant or may be different. In some embodiments, the first and / or second coolant is water, such as tap water, deionized water, distilled water, or reverse osmosis water. In some embodiments, the first and / or second coolant includes glycol.

[0030]

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 110 (FIG. 1) includes a double-sided heating configuration in which the substrate 32 is heated on both sides. The lamps 46 (FIG. 1) heat the first side of the substrate 32, and the reflector plate 62 heats the second side of the substrate 32. The reflector plate 62 optionally includes one or more resistive heaters 265 embedded therein. The resistive heaters 265 are used to increase the temperature of the reflector plate 62 and radiate heat toward the substrate 32 disposed on the edge ring 244. The resistive heaters 265 are coupled to a heater power supply (not shown). In some embodiments, the heater power supply may be the power supply controller 12 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the system controller 199 controls the heater power supply and / or the resistive heater 265. In some embodiments, the reflector plate 62 and the pedestal plate 260A radiate or reflect heat from the substrate 32, and therefore the resistive heaters 265 are not used.

[0031]

[0037] In some embodiments, the cooling channels 263 are present only in the outermost regions of the reflector plate 62 (e.g., the regions furthest from the central axis 133), which advantageously cools the adapter ring 242 and the edge ring 244. For example, during some processes, the edge ring 244 may retain heat that causes the temperature of the corresponding edge of the substrate 32 (e.g., the edge furthest from the central axis 133) to be higher than the temperature of the center of the substrate 32 (e.g., the region at or near the central axis 133).

[0032]

[0038] In some embodiments, the pedestal 260 and / or the reflector plate 62 do not have a cooling system with cooling channels 261C or 263.

[0033]

[0039] In some embodiments, the pedestal plate 260A and the reflector plate 62 are each made from a material having high thermal conductivity, such as a metal, for example aluminum.

[0034]

[0040] In some embodiments, the interior of the pedestal sleeve 270 may taper toward the central axis 133 at the end proximate the motor 268. The pedestal shaft 260B may be similarly tapered such that the weight of the pedestal 260 couples the pedestal shaft 260B to the pedestal sleeve 270 during rotation. The tapered pedestal sleeve 270 has the advantage that the pedestal 260 can be easily installed and removed from the pedestal sleeve 270 without additional hardware.

[0035]

[0041] 2B-2D are enlarged views illustrating different cross sections of the rotatable assembly 30 of FIG. 2A, according to some embodiments. The substrate 32 has been omitted from FIG. 2B-2D to more clearly show the components of the rotatable assembly 30.

[0036]

[0042] In particular, FIG. 2B illustrates the stacked configuration of the rotatable assembly 30, including the lift pins 136. In the illustrated embodiment, the support plate 240 includes a number of tabs 241B at or near the edge of the support plate 240 (e.g., furthest from the central axis 133 in FIG. 2A). The adapter ring 242 defines a number of notches 243A that mate with the tabs 241B of the support plate 240. As illustrated, one of the tabs 241B is disposed in one of the notches 243A defined by the adapter ring 242. The tabs 241B operably engage with the notches 243A as the support plate 240 rotates, causing the adapter ring 242 to rotate with the support plate 240. The tabs 241B and the notches 243A are described further with respect to FIG. 3. A gap 259 is defined between the reflector plate 62 and the support plate 240. The edge ring 244 rests on the adapter ring 242, and the substrate 32 (FIG. 2A) rests on a lip 245 of the edge ring 244. The adapter ring 242 positions the substrate 32 (FIG. 2A) a distance (D) from the reflector plate 62. The adapter ring 242, edge ring 244, and substrate 32 move with the support plate 240 and pedestal 260. In the illustrated embodiment, the edge ring 244 overhangs the edge 221 of the chamber body 20. This overhang is advantageous because it blocks light from the lamps 46 (FIG. 1), improving pyrometer accuracy. In some embodiments, the edge ring 244 does not overhang the edge 221 of the chamber body 20, and other means, such as a filter, may be used to compensate for light from the lamps 46.

[0037]

[0043] In the illustrated embodiment, the adapter ring 242 includes features 243B formed at or near the edge of the adapter ring 242 (e.g., furthest from the central axis 133 in FIG. 2A). The features 243B may be fins. In some embodiments, the features 243B provide extra thermal mass. The features 243B may be continuous or discontinuous. In some embodiments, the features 243B are cylindrical. In some embodiments, the features 243B are a plurality of discontinuous fins. As shown, the features 243B are formed on a surface of the adapter ring 242 that faces the reflector plate 62. In some embodiments, the features 243B direct heat emitted or reflected by the reflector plate 62 toward the substrate 32 (FIG. 2A), thereby preventing the heat from being lost to the surrounding chamber body 20. In some embodiments, the features 243B shield the reflector plate 62 from heat generated by the lamps 46 (FIG. 1).

[0038]

[0044] The chamber body 20 forms an opening 134A that extends from the bottom 25 (FIG. 2A) of the chamber body 20 to the reflector plate 62. The reflector plate 62 forms an opening 134B that is aligned with the opening 134A. The lift pins 136 extend through the openings 134 as described above with respect to FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the openings 134A may not be present in the chamber body 20 because the lift pins 136 are inside the chamber 110. In some embodiments, the openings 134A or 134B may not be present because the lift pins are disposed between the reflector plate 62 and the rotatable assembly 30. The lift pins 136 may be moved by an actuator (not shown) or by vertical movement (as shown on the page) of the rotatable assembly 30.

[0039]

[0045] In some embodiments, the system controller 199 (FIG. 2A) may rotate the pedestal 260 to align the opening 138 in the support plate 240 with the opening 134. The lift pins 136 may then be raised to receive the substrate 32 and lowered to place the substrate 32 on the edge ring 244. The lift pins 136 may also be raised to lift the substrate 32 for inspection or subsequent processing. The system controller 199 may position the pedestal 260 so that the openings 134 and 138 are not aligned. The lift pins 136 may then be used to lift the support plate 240, which is advantageous as it aids in removal of the support plate 240 for cleaning or replacement with another support plate 240.

[0040]

[0046] 2C illustrates how the transfer pin 266 removably couples the support plate 240 to the pedestal plate 260A. A single transfer pin 266 is shown. The body 266A of the transfer pin 266 is disposed in an opening 260C of the pedestal plate 260A. The peg 266B of the transfer pin 266 is disposed in an opening 241A of the support plate 240. The support plate 240 rests on a lip 266C of the transfer pin 266 formed between the body 266A and the peg 266B. A gap 259 is further formed between the pedestal plate 260A and the support plate 240. In the illustrated embodiment, the gap 259 advantageously allows for adjustment of the pedestal 260 and / or the reflector plate 62 such that the pedestal plate 260A and the reflector plate 62 are at the same height and form a flat surface 264. Thus, the adapter ring 242 can adjust the distance (D) between the substrate 32 (FIG. 2A) and the flat surface 264. In some embodiments, the gap 259 can advantageously insulate the substrate from unintentional heating from the lamps 46 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, it may be desirable to minimize the gap 259 in order to heat the substrate 32.

[0041]

[0047] 2D illustrates a magnetic fluid seal 279 between the pedestal shaft 260B and the pedestal housing 280. In particular, FIG 2D illustrates the magnetic fluid seal 279 between the pedestal sleeve 270 and the pedestal housing 280. The magnetic fluid seal 279 may also be referred to as a ferrofluid seal.

[0042]

[0048] The magnetic fluid seal 279 may be used to maintain a vacuum in the chamber 110 (FIG. 1) while the pedestal 260 (FIG. 2A) rotates. The magnetic fluid seal 279 includes a magnet 272 nested within a pole piece 274 (shown as two pole pieces). An O-ring 275 forms a seal between the pole piece 274 and the pedestal housing 280. The pedestal sleeve 270 includes a plurality of ridges 271. A gap 276 is formed between the pedestal sleeve 270, including the ridges 271, and the pole piece 274. A magnetic fluid 278 is disposed in the gap 276. The magnet 272 creates magnetic field lines (not shown) that pass through the pole piece 274 and the ridges 271 of the pedestal sleeve 270. The magnetic field lines attract the magnetic fluid 278, forming a magnetic fluid seal 279 between the rotating pedestal sleeve 270 and the fixed pole piece 274. Specifically, the magnetic fluid 278 forms a plurality of magnetic fluid seals 279 between each of the ridges 271 and a corresponding pole piece 274 as the pedestal sleeve 270 rotates.

[0043]

[0049] In some embodiments, the rotatable assembly 30 does not include the pedestal sleeve 270. For example, the pedestal shaft 260B may include the ridges 271, and a magnetic seal may form a seal between the ridges 271 of the rotatable pedestal shaft 260B and the fixed pole piece 274.

[0044]

[0050] In some embodiments, an O-ring may be used in place of the seal formed by the magnetic fluid 278.

[0045]

[0051] 3 is an exploded triangular view of the chamber body 20 and rotatable assembly 30 according to some embodiments. As shown, the support plate 240 is removably engaged with the pedestal plate 260A via the transfer pin 266 that passes through the opening 241A in the support plate 240 and the opening 260C in the pedestal plate 260A. Also shown and described above with respect to FIG. 2B, the notch 243A in the adapter ring 242 is removably engaged with the tab 241B on the support plate 240.

[0046]

[0052] 4A and 4B are different cross-sectional views of a rotatable assembly 430 according to some embodiments. The substrate 432 is not shown in FIG. 4B to clearly show the components of the rotatable assembly 430.

[0047]

[0053] The rotatable assembly 430 includes a pedestal 460 having a pedestal plate 460A and a pedestal shaft 460B. In the illustrated embodiment, a reflector plate 462 is coupled to the pedestal plate 460A and rotates therewith to form a support surface 464 that supports the support plate 440. The reflector plate 462 has a number of grooves 463 formed therein. The support plate 440 may have a number of tabs 441B formed thereon to engage with the grooves 463 of the reflector plate 462, allowing the support plate 440 to be removably coupled to the reflector plate 462. The grooves 463 may be continuous or discontinuous, as may the corresponding tabs 441B. The grooves 463 are beneficial in allowing different support plates 440 to be used with the reflector plate 462. In some embodiments, the grooves 463 are discontinuous and can be used to orient or “clock” the position of the support plate 440 relative to the reflector plate 462 .

[0048]

[0054] The rotatable assembly 430 further includes an edge ring 444 having at least one tab 445B. The tab 445B can correspond to and engage with at least a portion of the grooves 441A in the support plate 440 to allow the edge ring 444 to be removably coupled to the support plate 440. The grooves 441A and the tabs 445B can be continuous or discontinuous, as previously described. The grooves 441A are beneficial in allowing different edge rings 444 to be used with the support plate 440. The substrate 432 can rest on the lip 445A of the edge ring 444.

[0049]

[0055] The rotatable assembly 430 includes a number of openings 438 (e.g., openings 438A and 438B) through which the lift pins 136 can be aligned and inserted to raise and lower the substrate. For example, the reflector plate 462 can include opening 438A and the support plate 440 can include opening 438B. The system controller 199 (FIG. 2A) can align the openings 438 in the rotatable assembly 430 with the openings 134A in the chamber body 20, as described with respect to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B.

[0050]

[0056] Although grooves and tabs have been described with respect to specific components, it is contemplated that embodiments may have the reverse configuration. For example, tabs on reflector plate 462 may releasably couple reflector plate 462 to grooves in support plate 440. Tabs on adapter ring 242 (FIG. 3) may releasably couple adapter ring 242 to notches in support plate 240 (FIG. 3).

[0051]

[0057] In some embodiments, rotatable assembly 430 may include an adapter ring (not shown) similar to adapter ring 242 of FIG. 2B having tabs and / or grooves corresponding to grooves 463 and / or tabs 445B.

[0052]

[0058] In some embodiments, the reflector plate 462 is coupled to the pedestal plate 460A by frictional forces. In some embodiments, an adhesive can be used to couple the reflector plate 462 to the pedestal plate 460A. In some embodiments, the reflector plate 462 and the pedestal plate 460A can be coupled using mating features such as tabs 445B and grooves 441A.

[0053]

[0059] In some embodiments, the configuration of the rotating assembly 430 can be applied to the rotating assembly 30 described in Figures 2A to 2D. For example, the support plate 240 can have grooves 441A for receiving tabs (not shown) of the adapter ring 242 or the edge ring 244.

[0054] Rotary Assembly Controller Example

[0060] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating a system controller 199 for a rotatable assembly (e.g., rotatable assembly 30 or 430 of FIGS. 2A-2D and 4A-4B) of an RTP chamber (e.g., chamber 110 of FIG. 1) according to one embodiment.

[0055]

[0061] The system controller 199 includes a processor 504 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) in data communication with a memory 502, an input device 506, and an output device 508. Although described separately, it should be understood that the functional blocks described with respect to the system controller 199 need not be separate structural elements. For example, the processor 504 and the memory 502 are embodied on a single chip. The processor 504 may be a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor ("DSP"), an application specific integrated circuit ("ASIC"), a field programmable gate array ("FPGA") or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any suitable combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a DSP core, or any other configuration described above.

[0056]

[0062] The processor 504 may be coupled to read information from or write information to the memory 502 via one or more buses. The processor may additionally or alternatively include memory such as processor registers. The memory 502 may include a processor cache, including a multi-level hierarchical cache, with different levels having different capacities and access speeds. The memory 502 may include random access memory (RAM), other volatile storage, or non-volatile storage. The storage may include a hard drive, flash memory, or the like. The memory 502 may also include a rotation control application 503 used to control the position of the rotatable assembly 30 or 430, as described in Figures 1, 2A-2D, and 4A-4B. The rotation control application 503 may be code that may be executed by the processor 504. In various cases, the memory is referred to as a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory device that can store information and is distinct from a computer-readable transmission medium, such as a transitory electronic signal, that can convey information from one place to another. The non-transitory computer readable medium includes computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method including loading a substrate onto an edge ring of a rotating assembly, rotating the rotating assembly about a central axis of a thermal treatment chamber from a first position about the central axis to a second position about the central axis, rotating the substrate plate with a pedestal, forming a magnetic seal to maintain a vacuum in the thermal treatment chamber, and heating the substrate, as described with respect to Figure 6. Computer readable media as described herein may generally refer to computer readable storage media or computer readable transmission media.

[0057]

[0063] The processor 504 may also be coupled to input devices 506 and output devices 508 for receiving input from and providing output to a user of the system controller 199, respectively. Suitable input devices include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, buttons, keys, switches, pointing devices, mice, joysticks, remote controls, infrared detectors, barcode readers, scanners, video cameras (e.g., which may be coupled with video processing software to detect hand or facial gestures), motion detectors, or microphones (e.g., which may be coupled with voice processing software to detect voice commands). The input devices 506 include position sensors as described with respect to Figures 1 and 2A-2D. Suitable output devices include, but are not limited to, motors 268 as described with respect to Figure 2A, as well as visual output devices including displays and printers, audio output devices including speakers, headphones, earphones, and alarms, additive manufacturing machines, and haptic output devices.

[0058] Examples of how to use a rotating assembly

[0064] 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 600 for using a rotatable assembly in an RTP chamber, according to one embodiment. The method 600 may be performed in any suitable processing chamber, such as the chamber 110 described with respect to FIGS. 1-2. The chamber 110 includes the rotatable assembly 30 or 430 described in FIGS. 1-4.

[0059]

[0065] In step 602, the method 600 includes loading a substrate onto an edge ring of a rotating assembly, as described above with respect to Figures 1-4. In some embodiments of the method 600, the rotating assembly includes an edge ring removably coupled to a substrate support plate through an adapter ring. The edge ring is configured to support the substrate.

[0060]

[0066] In step 604, the method 600 includes rotating the rotatable assembly about an axis of the thermal treatment chamber from a first position about the axis to a second position about the axis, as described above with respect to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2D, and 4A. In some embodiments of the method 600, the rotatable assembly includes a pedestal having a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate. The pedestal plate is coupled to an end of the pedestal shaft, the pedestal shaft extending outside the thermal treatment chamber. In some embodiments of the method 600, the rotatable assembly includes a substrate support plate removably coupled to the pedestal plate. The substrate support plate rotates with the pedestal as part of the rotatable assembly. In some embodiments of the method 600, a magnetic fluid seal is formed to maintain a vacuum within the thermal treatment chamber.

[0061]

[0067] In step 606, the method 600 includes heating the substrate as described above with respect to Figures 1-4. Heating of the substrate can occur before, during, or after the rotation of the rotatable assembly in step 604.

[0062]

[0068] In some embodiments, the lamp assembly heats a first side of the substrate. In some embodiments, the reflector plate absorbs heat from the lamp assembly and radiates heat toward a second side of the substrate. Some embodiments further include lifting the substrate using the plurality of lift pins when the rotatable assembly is in the first position. Some embodiments further include lifting the substrate support plate using the plurality of lift pins when the rotatable assembly is in a third position about the axis.

[0063]

[0069] It should be noted that FIG. 6 is merely one example of a method, and that other methods including fewer, additional, or alternative blocks are possible consistent with this disclosure.

[0064]

[0070] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings should be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. 1. A thermal treatment chamber comprising: a rotary assembly configured to rotate about an axis of the thermal treatment chamber, a rotating pedestal including a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate, the pedestal plate being coupled to an end of the pedestal shaft, the pedestal shaft extending outside the thermal treatment chamber, the pedestal shaft being disposed in a pedestal housing coupled to the thermal treatment chamber; a substrate support plate removably coupled to the pedestal plate; a rotating assembly including: a magnetic fluid seal disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing, the magnetic fluid seal configured to maintain a vacuum within the thermal treatment chamber; A thermal treatment chamber comprising:

2. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lift pins configured to lift the substrate when the rotary assembly is in a first position about a central axis.

3. the substrate support plate having a first plurality of openings; the plurality of lift pins are configured to extend through the first plurality of openings when the plurality of lift pins lift the substrate. The thermal processing chamber of claim 2 .

4. The thermal processing chamber of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of lift pins are configured to lift the substrate support plate when the rotatable assembly is in a second position about the central axis.

5. 5. The thermal treatment chamber of claim 4, further comprising a system controller configured to control rotation of the rotatable assembly about the central axis, the system controller configured to move the rotatable assembly from a third position about the central axis to the first position.

6. The thermal processing chamber of claim 5 , wherein the system controller is configured to receive data from a rotation sensor.

7. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal shaft is disposed in a pedestal sleeve configured to rotate the pedestal.

8. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a motor configured to rotate the pedestal shaft.

9. The thermal processing chamber of claim 8 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate a pedestal sleeve.

10. The thermal processing chamber of claim 7 , wherein a magnetic seal is formed around the pedestal sleeve.

11. The thermal treatment chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a reflector plate disposed within the thermal treatment chamber, the reflector plate surrounding the pedestal shaft.

12. The thermal processing chamber of claim 11 , wherein the reflector plate has a channel formed therein, the channel configured to connect to a cooling device.

13. 12. The thermal processing chamber of claim 11, wherein the reflector plate includes a plurality of resistive heaters disposed therein, the resistive heaters configured to heat a substrate.

14. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal plate has a channel formed therein, the channel configured to connect to a cooling device.

15. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of transfer pins removably couple the substrate support plate to the pedestal plate.

16. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate through an adapter ring, the edge ring configured to support a substrate.

17. A rotary assembly configured to rotate about an axis of a thermal treatment chamber, the rotary assembly comprising: a pedestal including a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate, the pedestal shaft being disposed within a pedestal housing; a reflector plate coupled to the pedestal plate, the reflector plate having a first plurality of features formed therein; a substrate support plate removably coupled to the reflector plate, a second plurality of features formed therein; and a third plurality of features formed therein and configured to couple to at least a portion of the first plurality of features; and a substrate support plate including: a magnetic fluid seal disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing; A rotating assembly comprising:

18. and an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate, the edge ring comprising: at least one tab configured to mate with at least a portion of the second plurality of grooves; a lip configured to support a substrate; 20. The rotating assembly of claim 17, comprising:

19. The rotating assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a motor configured to rotate the pedestal shaft.

20. 1. A thermal treatment chamber comprising: a rotary assembly configured to rotate about a central axis of the thermal treatment chamber, a pedestal including a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate, the pedestal shaft being disposed within a pedestal housing; a reflector plate coupled to the pedestal plate, the reflector plate having a first plurality of features formed therein; a substrate support plate removably coupled to the reflector plate, a second plurality of features formed therein; and a third plurality of features formed therein and configured to couple to at least a portion of the first plurality of features; and a substrate support plate including: an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate, the edge ring including at least one tab configured to mate with at least a portion of the second plurality of grooves and a lip configured to support a substrate; a rotating assembly including: a magnetic seal configured to be disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing; a plurality of lift pins disposed in a first plurality of openings defined by the thermal treatment chamber; configured to be positioned in a second plurality of openings defined by the reflector plate and a third plurality of openings defined by the substrate support plate when the rotatable assembly is in a first position about the central axis; a lift pin configured to lift the reflector plate when the rotatable assembly is in a second position about the central axis; and A thermal treatment chamber comprising:

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