Active Controlled Preheat Ring for Process Temperature Control

Abstract

An apparatus for heating a gas is described. The apparatus is a preheating ring and a heater assembly positioned within a deposition chamber, such as an epitaxial deposition chamber. The preheating ring has a first portion configured to be heated using one or more heaters. The one or more heaters are arranged to penetrate the side wall of the processing space below the preheating ring and are configured to heat the preheating ring such that the gas flowing over the preheating ring is also heated before flowing onto the substrate. The one or more heaters may include two heaters disposed at the distal end of the first portion of the preheating ring. One or more temperature sensors are further configured to measure the temperature of the preheating ring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a method for processing a substrate. More specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to a method for heating a preheat ring and a precursor within a semiconductor processing chamber.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] Semiconductor substrates are processed for a wide range of applications, including the manufacture of devices and micro-devices for integrated circuits. One method of substrate processing involves depositing a material, such as a dielectric material or a conductive metal, onto the upper surface of a substrate within a processing chamber. For example, epitaxy is a deposition process that grows an ultra-high purity thin layer on the surface of a substrate, and the material of the ultra-high purity layer is typically silicon or germanium. By flowing a processing gas parallel to the surface of a substrate positioned on a support and thermally decomposing the processing gas to deposit the material from the processing gas onto the surface of the substrate, the material can be deposited within a lateral flow chamber.

[0003]

[0003] In epitaxial deposition, the processing gas is flowed over the upper surfaces of the substrate and the susceptor. The temperature of the processing gas is utilized to form a film or layer on the substrate. During processing, the temperature of the processing gas varies between the front end and the rear end of the substrate. Due to the non-uniformity of the processing gas, non-uniform deposition occurs along the length of the substrate. The non-uniform deposition is adjusted by rotating the substrate, but still a significant amount of precursor gas is still lost, and the growth rate at the ends of the substrate still differs from the growth rate at the center of the substrate.

[0004]

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to improve the temperature control of the processing gas within the processing chamber.

Summary of the Invention

[0005]

[0005] In one embodiment, a processing chamber configured to be used during semiconductor processing includes a chamber body having a plurality of gas inlets on a first side of the chamber body and one or more exhaust outlets on a second side of the chamber body opposite the first side, a substrate support disposed within the processing space of the chamber body, and a preheating ring assembly disposed between the plurality of gas inlets and the substrate support. The preheating ring assembly includes a preheating ring, one or more heaters disposed adjacent to the preheating ring, and one or more temperature sensors disposed adjacent to the preheating ring.

[0006]

[0006] In another embodiment, a preheating ring assembly configured to be used within a semiconductor processing chamber includes a preheating ring having a first preheating ring section and a second preheating ring section, one or more temperature sensors coupled to the first preheating ring section, and two or more heaters coupled to the first preheating ring section and configured to heat the first preheating ring section. The two or more heaters include a heater casing, a reflector disposed within the heater casing and forming a front heater space, and a heating element disposed within the front heater space.

[0007]

[0007] A heater insert configured to heat a preheating ring within a semiconductor processing chamber includes a heater casing having a transmissive portion, an opaque portion coupled to a distal end of the transmissive portion, and a heater base coupled to the distal end of the transmissive portion on an opposite side of the transmissive portion such that the opaque portion intersects a contact surface of the heater base and one or more grooves are disposed in the contact surface, a reflector disposed within the heater casing and forming a front heater space and a rear heater space, and a heating element disposed within the front heater space and disposed within the transmissive portion of the heater casing.

[0008]

[0008] To understand the above-described features of the present disclosure in detail, a more detailed description of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to the embodiments, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings show only exemplary embodiments and should not be considered as limiting the scope, and other equally valid embodiments may be allowed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 4C

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010]

[0016] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used, where possible, to indicate the same elements common to the figures. It is assumed that the elements and features of one embodiment can be beneficially incorporated into other embodiments without further description.

[0011]

[0017] The present disclosure is directed to a heating device for heating a preheating ring within a semiconductor processing chamber. The heating device and preheating ring described herein are particularly directed to use within a deposition chamber, such as an epitaxial deposition chamber. The heater is configured to impart further temperature control to the preheating ring within the deposition chamber. Therefore, activation of the gas / precursor can be enhanced toward the leading edge of an adjacent substrate when gas is being injected into the processing space.

[0012]

[0018] To measure the temperature of the preheating ring or the heater itself, a sensor, such as a pyrometer or other temperature sensor, can be mounted on or within one of the preheating ring or the heater. By measuring the temperature of the preheating ring or the heater, it becomes possible to monitor the temperature control of the preheating ring in real time, adjust the heater power, and adjust the epitaxial growth rate on the substrate. By monitoring the temperature of the preheating ring, the power applied to one or more heaters within the preheating ring can be adjusted, enabling more reproducible processing results.

[0013]

[0019] Precursors and process gases react with the substrate surface to form a film at a temperature exceeding a determined temperature, and it has been found that the reaction rate increases as the temperature of the precursor or process gas rises. When the precursor and / or process gas passes over the substrate, the precursor and process gas are often heated. Thus, as the substrate becomes hotter, the growth rate becomes faster, and consequently, the throughput of the substrate also increases. However, depending on the composition and structure of the material formed on the substrate, the maximum temperature that can be applied to the substrate before causing damage or warping to the substrate may be limited. The temperature of the substrate is a major factor in process characteristics such as precursor selection, throughput, growth rate, and growth uniformity. By using a preheating ring, the increase in the temperature of the precursor / process gas is assisted before the precursor / process gas is flowed over the substrate. Since the preheating ring is further formed of a material with a lower temperature limit, it can be heated to a higher temperature than the substrate or substrate support. By preheating the preheating ring to a higher temperature, the temperature of the precursor / process gas is increased before the precursor / process gas passes over the substrate, and thus its reaction rate is enhanced.

[0014]

[0020] Furthermore, the inventors have found that if the preheating ring is not actively heated, the temperature of the preheating ring is often about 50°C to about 100°C lower than the temperature of the substrate or the substrate support on which the substrate is disposed. Additionally, it has also been found that stabilizing the temperature of the preheating ring often takes more time than stabilizing the temperature of the substrate support. By using one or more heaters within the preheating ring or at a position directly adjacent to the preheating ring, it becomes possible to improve the temperature control of the preheating ring and control the temperature of the preheating ring separately from the temperature of the substrate or substrate support and other components within the process chamber. This enables the temperature to be stabilized more rapidly and with higher reproducibility to enable a repeatable thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process.

[0015]

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a processing chamber 100 (e.g., a deposition chamber or an epitaxial deposition chamber). The processing chamber 100 is utilized to grow an epitaxial film on a substrate such as substrate 102. The processing chamber 100 creates a cross-flow of precursors across the upper surface 150 of the substrate 102.

[0016]

[0022] The processing chamber 100 includes an upper body 156, a lower body 148 disposed below the upper body 156, and a flow module 112 disposed between the upper body 156 and the lower body 148. The upper body 156, the flow module 112, and the lower body 148 form a chamber body. Inside the chamber body, a substrate support 106, an upper transmission window 108, a lower transmission window 110, a plurality of upper lamps 141, and a plurality of lower lamps 143 are disposed. As shown in the figure, a controller 120 communicates with the processing chamber 100 and is used to control the processes as described herein. The substrate support 106 is disposed between the upper transmission window 108 and the lower transmission window 110. The plurality of upper lamps 141 are disposed between the upper transmission window 108 and the lid 154. Inside the lid 154, a plurality of sensors 153 for measuring the temperature inside the processing chamber 100 are disposed. The plurality of lower lamps 143 are disposed between the lower transmission window 110 and the floor 152. The plurality of lower lamps 143 form a lower lamp assembly 145.

[0017]

[0023] The processing space 136 is formed between the upper transmission window 108 and the lower transmission window 110. The upper transmission window 108 may have a dome shape and may be referred to as the upper dome. The upper transmission window 108 has an upper dome portion (which may also be referred to as the central window portion in embodiments where the upper dome portion is not dome-shaped), and a support ring. The support ring is connected to the outer edge of the upper dome portion and is disposed between the upper body 156 and the flow module 112. The lower transmission window 110 may also be dome-shaped. In this case, the lower transmission window 110 has a lower dome portion (which may also be referred to as the central window portion in embodiments where the lower dome portion is not dome-shaped), and at the center of the lower dome portion, there is a central opening through which the shaft 118 of the substrate support 106 passes. The lower dome portion of the lower transmission window 110 is connected to the support ring at the outer edge of the lower dome portion. The support ring is disposed between the lower body 148 and the flow module 112.

[0018]

[0024] The substrate support 106 is disposed within the processing space 136. The substrate support 106 includes an upper surface, and the substrate 102 is disposed on the upper surface. The substrate support 106 is attached to the shaft 118. The shaft is connected to the motion assembly 121. The motion assembly 121 includes one or more actuators and / or adjustment devices for moving and / or adjusting the shaft 118 and / or the substrate support 106 within the processing space 136. The motion assembly 121 includes a rotary actuator 122 for rotating the shaft 118 and / or the substrate support 106 around the longitudinal axis of the processing chamber 100. The motion assembly 121 further includes a vertical actuator 124 for raising and lowering the substrate support 106 in the Z direction. The motion assembly includes an inclination adjustment device 126 used to adjust the surface orientation of the substrate support 106, and a lateral adjustment device 128 used to adjust the positions of the shaft 118 and the substrate support 106 laterally within the processing space 136.

[0019]

[0025] In the substrate support 106, lift pin holes 107 can be arranged. The lift pin holes 107 are sized to accommodate lift pins 132 for lifting the substrate 102 from the substrate support 106 either before or after the execution of the deposition process. The lift pins 132 can be placed on a lift pin stop 134 when the substrate support 106 descends from the processing position to the transfer position.

[0020]

[0026] The flow module 112 includes a plurality of process gas inlets 114, a plurality of purge gas inlets 164, and one or more exhaust gas outlets 116. The plurality of process gas inlets 114 and the plurality of purge gas inlets 164 are arranged on the side opposite to one or more exhaust gas outlets 116 of the flow module 112. One or more flow guides 146 are arranged below the plurality of process gas inlets 114 and one or more exhaust gas outlets 116. The flow guide 146 is arranged above the purge gas inlet 164. A liner 163 is arranged on the inner surface of the flow module 112 to protect the flow module 112 from reactive gases used during the deposition process. The process gas inlets 114 and the purge gas inlets 164 are positioned to flow gas parallel to the upper surface 150 of the substrate 102 arranged in the processing space 136. The process gas inlets 114 are fluidly connected to a process gas source 151. The purge gas inlets 164 are fluidly connected to a purge gas source 162. One or more exhaust gas outlets 116 are fluidly connected to an exhaust pump 157. Each of the process gas source 151 and the purge gas source 162 can be configured to supply one or more precursors or process gases into the processing space 136.

[0021]

[0027] One or more heaters 168 are disposed adjacent to a preheating ring 166 within the processing chamber 100. The preheating ring 166 is a ring configured to be disposed around the outer edge of the substrate 102. Thereby, the preheating ring 166 overlaps with the outermost portion of the substrate support 106, surrounds the substrate 102, and is placed on the substrate support 106. The preheating ring 166 can be formed from one or more components. The preheating ring 166 has an upper surface parallel to the flow direction of the gas across the upper surface 150 of the substrate 102 and the substrate support 106.

[0022]

[0028] One or more heaters 168 are disposed below the preheating ring 166 such that one or more heaters 168 contact the preheating ring 166 and penetrate through the walls of the flow module 112 and the liner 163. One or more heaters 168 are disposed between the preheating ring 166 and the lower transmission window 110. One or more preheating rings 168 can be disposed within a heating block (e.g., heater block 250 in FIG. 2A) that extends below a portion of the preheating ring 166. One or more preheating rings 166 may be placed on top of the heating block 250. One or more heaters 168 extend from the flow module 112 and the liner 163 into the inside of the processing space 136.

[0023]

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the processing chamber through the first plane 2A-2A. The first plane 2A-2A passes through the heater 168 and the substrate support 106, but passes below the preheating ring 166. As shown in FIG. 2A, the heater 168 is disposed so as to penetrate the injection assembly 206 and the openings in the flow module 112. Thereby, the heater insert 218 is disposed so as to penetrate the injection assembly 206 and the flow module 112. The injection assembly 206 is a horizontal gas flow injector through which gas is injected onto the upper surface 150 of the substrate 102. The plurality of process gas inlets 114 are disposed so as to penetrate the injection assembly 206 and are configured to supply a dispersed gas flow horizontally onto the substrate support 106. One or more temperature sensors 212, 214 are also disposed so as to penetrate the injection assembly 206 and are configured to measure the temperature of the preheating ring 166 and / or the heating block 250 through which the heater 168 passes.

[0024]

[0030] The injection assembly 206 is disposed on the first side of the flow module 112 and may be continuously formed from the flow module 112 or separable from the flow module 112. On the opposite side of the injection assembly 206, on the opposite side of the flow module 112, there is an exhaust assembly 208. The exhaust assembly 208 has an exhaust gas outlet 116 disposed so as to penetrate it. A substrate transfer opening 210 is further disposed so as to penetrate the wall of the flow module 112. The substrate transfer opening 210 is sized to allow the substrate to pass through. The substrate transfer opening 210 is between the injection assembly 206 and the exhaust assembly 208.

[0025]

[0031] The process gas inlet 114 includes an angled portion 216 arranged to penetrate the liner 163 and / or the injection assembly 206. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the angled portion 216 is a vertical portion and extends in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface 150 of the substrate 102. In some embodiments, the process gas inlet 114 can be heated using one or more heating elements disposed within the flow module 112. However, the temperature of the process gas flowing through the process gas inlet 114 is limited to reduce unintended deposition and film formation within the process gas inlet 114 itself. Thus, by using the preheating ring 166, the temperature of the gas and / or precursor can be increased between when it leaves the process gas inlet 114 and when it flows over the substrate 102 and the susceptor 106.

[0026]

[0032] The heater insert 218 includes a heater casing 222 and a heater base 224. The heater casing 222 is connected to the heater base 224. The heater base 224 is connected to the outer surfaces of the injection assembly 206 and the flow module 112. The heater base 224 is utilized to fix the heater insert 218 outside the injection assembly 206 and / or the flow module 112 and hold the heater insert 218 in place. The heater base 224 extends outwardly from the outer surface of the heater insert 218 so as to form a flange around the distal end of the heater casing 222.

[0027]

[0033] The heating element 226 is disposed at the distal end of the heater casing 222 on the opposite side of the heater base 224. The heating element 226 is disposed within a part of the heater casing 222. The heater casing 222 is transparent (e.g., optically transparent). The heating element 226 is configured to heat one or both of the heater block 250 and the preheating ring 166. The heating element 226 is electrically connected to the power supply and the controller 120. The power supply can be an alternating current power supply or a direct current power supply.

[0028]

[0034] The heating element 226 is disposed within the heating block 250. The heating block 250 may be a partial ring such that it has an arc shape and is disposed below a part of the preheating ring 166 and the gas flow from the injection assembly 206 to the substrate support 106. The heating block 250 may be disposed between the two heating elements 226. Thereby, the heat from the two heating elements 226 is dispersed along the heating block 250, enabling uniform heating along the length of the heating block 250. The heating block 250 may be made of a silicon carbide material. The material of the heating block 250 has a thermal conductivity of more than about 100 W / (m·K), for example, more than about 110 W / (m·K), more than about 120 W / (m·K), more than about 150 W / (m·K). The heating block 250 may be in contact with the lower side of the preheating ring 166 such that the preheating ring 166 is placed on the heating block 250.

[0029]

[0035] In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, there are two heaters 168. The two heaters 168 are disposed on both sides of the injection assembly 206 such that the first heater 168 is disposed at the first distal end of the injection assembly 206 and the second heater 168 is disposed at the second distal end of the injection assembly 206. The first heater 168 and the second heater 168 are further disposed at both ends of the heating block 250. In some embodiments, additional heaters 168 may be disposed between the first heater 168 and the second heater 168.

[0030]

[0036] The temperature sensors 212, 214 are also arranged to penetrate the injection assembly 206 and the flow module 112. The temperature sensors 212, 214 extend through the liner 163 and enter one of the heating block 250 and / or the preheating ring 166. The first temperature sensor 212 is arranged to penetrate the central portion of the injection assembly 206 and the heating block 250. The second temperature sensor 214 is arranged adjacent to one of the heaters 168. Thereby, while the second temperature sensor 214 measures the temperature near the distal end of the heating block 250 / preheating ring 166, the first temperature sensor 212 measures the temperature near the center of the heating block 250 / preheating ring 166. The temperature sensors 212, 214 may be one of a pyrometer or a thermocouple or a combination thereof.

[0031]

[0037] FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the processing chamber 100 through the second plane 2B-2B. The second plane 2B-2B passes through the flow module 112 but is above the preheating ring 166 and the substrate support 106 and the substrate 102. As shown in FIG. 2B, the preheating ring 166 is divided into a first preheating ring portion 205 and a second preheating ring portion 207. The first preheating ring portion 205 is arranged adjacent to the heater 168 and the heating block 250 such that the heating block 250 contacts the bottom of the first preheating ring portion 205. The second preheating ring portion 207 is arranged adjacent to the first preheating ring portion 205 to complete the preheating ring 166. The second preheating ring portion 207 is arranged on top of one or more flow guides 146 extending inward from the liner 163. The second preheating ring portion 207 forms most of the ring and extends around the trailing edge of the substrate support adjacent to the exhaust gas outlet 116. The first preheating ring portion 205 provides a boundary for the first portion of the outer periphery of the substrate 102 and the substrate support 106. The second preheating ring portion 207 provides a boundary for the second portion of the outer periphery of the substrate 102 and the substrate support 106.

[0032]

[0038] The first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207 form two separate arches. The first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207 each further have a first end and a second end. The first preheating ring portion 205 has a first arc angle θ between the first distal end and the second distal end that is less than about 180 degrees (e.g., less than about 160 degrees, less than about 150 degrees, less than about 145 degrees, less than about 120 degrees, less than about 100 degrees). The second preheating ring portion 207 has a second arc angle between the first distal end and the second distal end that is greater than about 180 degrees (e.g., greater than about 200 degrees, greater than about 210 degrees, greater than about 220 degrees, greater than about 250 degrees, greater than about 260 degrees). The arcs of each of the first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207 are centered about the central axis C of the substrate support 106.

[0033]

[0039] By separating the first preheating ring portion 205 from the second preheating ring portion 207, it becomes possible for the first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207 to be formed of different materials. By separating the first preheating ring portion 205 from the second preheating ring portion 207, a thermal gap is created between the first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207, so that the amount of heat supplied to the second preheating ring portion 207 is reduced and better control of the temperature of the first preheating ring portion 205 becomes possible. This thermal gap is formed only by the separation of the first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207, by the gap / space between the first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207, or by an insulator disposed between the first preheating ring portion 205 and the second preheating ring portion 207.

[0034]

[0040] By disposing the gas inlet surface 202 adjacent to the first preheating ring portion 205 of the preheating ring 166, the gas from the process gas inlet 114 is directed upward before being redirected by a portion of the liner 163. In some embodiments, the gas inlet surface 202 may face the substrate support 106 such that the gas inlet surface 202 is perpendicular to the upper surface 150 of the substrate 102.

[0035]

[0041] FIG. 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the preheating ring assembly of the processing chamber 100 of FIG. 1. The preheating ring assembly includes a preheating ring 166 and one or more heaters 168. The preheating ring 166 is configured to contact one or more heaters 168 and / or the heating block 250. When the substrate support 106 is in the processing position, the preheating ring 166 can be further placed on top of the substrate support 106.

[0036]

[0042] FIG. 4 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the heater 168 in the processing chamber 100 of FIG. 1. The heater 168 is arranged to penetrate both the flow module 112 and the liner 163. The heater 168 extends into the processing space 136. Each heater 168 further includes a heater casing 222, a heater insert body 402, a heater base 224, and a heating element 226. The heater casing 222 is at least partially disposed inside the heater insert body 402 such that the heater insert body 402 is disposed around a portion of the heater insert body 402 around the heating element 226.

[0037]

[0043] The heater insert body 402 is disposed in the processing space 136 so as not to extend beyond at least one of the liner 163 or the flow module 112. The heater insert body 402 may be part of the heating block 250 that surrounds one of the heater casings 222. Alternatively, the heater insert body 402 may be a cylindrical body that surrounds the end of the heater casing 222 where the heating element 226 is disposed. The heater insert body 402 is formed of a highly conductive material such as a silicon carbide material. The silicon carbide material has little interaction with the gas in the processing space while maintaining a high thermal conductivity. The material of the heater insert body 402 has a thermal conductivity of more than about 100 W / (m·K), for example, more than about 110 W / (m·K), more than about 120 W / (m·K), more than about 150 W / (m·K).

[0038]

[0044] The heater insert body 402 can be thermally insulated from the liner 163 such that one or more separators 411 are disposed between the heater insert body 402 and the liner 163. The one or more separators 411 form a gap 408 that can function as a thermal gap 408. The one or more separators 411 are thermal insulators, such as ceramic or dielectric materials.

[0039]

[0045] A seal groove 420 is disposed around a part of the heater casing 222 within the liner 163. The seal groove 420 is a groove that extends outward from an opening. The heater casing 222 extends into the liner 163 through this opening. The seal groove 420 is configured to receive a sealing ring. Thereby, the seal groove 420 enables a sealing ring, such as an O-ring, to be disposed therein, reducing or preventing gas from the processing space 136 from passing through the liner 163 and spreading toward the external space through the flow module 112.

[0040]

[0046] A reflector 410 is disposed within the heater casing 222, forming a front heater space 435 and a rear heater space 434. A heating element 226 is disposed within the front heater space 435. The front heater space 435 is insulated from the rear heater space 434 by the reflector 410 such that the reflector 410 separates the front heater space 435 from the rear heater space 434. The rear heater space 434 is filled with an insulator, an inert gas, air, or held in a vacuum to reduce the heat transfer of the heater 168.

[0041]

[0047] The reflector 410 has a thermal conductivity of less than about 50 W / (m·K), for example, less than about 10 W / (m·K), less than about 5 W / (m·K), less than about 1 W / (m·K), less than about 0.5 W / (m·K), less than about 0.1 W / (m·K). The reflector 410 is configured to reflect more than 90% of the radiant energy within the infrared wavelength range (e.g., wavelengths from about 700 nm to about 1 mm). The reflector 410 may be a ceramic or dielectric material. In some embodiments, the reflector 410 is provided with a reflective coating to reflect the radiation emitted from one or more lamps or heating elements 226 within the processing chamber 100. The coating may be a metal coating such as an aluminum coating or a silver coating. In some embodiments, the reflector 410 is a reflective quartz material.

[0042]

[0048] The heater casing 222 includes both a transmissive portion 414 and an opaque portion 416. The transmissive portion 414 is disposed around the heating element and within the heater insert body 402. The transmissive portion 414 is optically transparent, and more than about 90% of the radiant energy within the infrared wavelength range (e.g., the wavelength range from about 700 nm to about 1 mm) passes through the transmissive portion 414. In some embodiments, more than about 95% (e.g., more than about 98%) of the radiant energy in the infrared wavelength range passes through the transmissive portion 414. The transmissive portion 414 is formed of an optically transparent material such as a transparent quartz material or glass.

[0043]

[0049] The opaque portion 416 is a second portion of the heater casing 222 that is not disposed around the heating element 226. The opaque portion 416 is disposed on the opposite side of the transmissive portion 414 from the reflector 410. The opaque portion 416 passes through the flow module 112. The opaque portion 416 has a lower optical transparency than the transmissive portion 414, and less than about 50% of the radiant energy within the infrared wavelength range, such as wavelengths from about 700 nm to about 1 mm, passes through the transmissive portion 414. In some embodiments, less than about 30% (e.g., less than about 20%, less than about 10%, less than about 5%, less than about 2%) of the radiant energy within the infrared wavelength range passes through the transmissive portion.

[0044]

[0050] The boundary 418 is disposed between the opaque portion 416 and the transmissive portion 414. By disposing the boundary 418 around the reflector 410, the reflector heater casing 222 transitions from the opaque portion 416 to the transmissive portion 414 at the reflector 410. The opaque portion 416 and the transmissive portion 414 are joined, fused, welded, or brazed at the boundary 418. By transitioning from the opaque portion 416 to the transmissive portion 414, the proportion of radiant energy emitted by the heating element 226 that is directed toward the first preheating ring portion 205 through the transmissive portion 414 increases.

[0045]

[0051] By forming the entire heater casing 222 from a quartz material, a good bond between the transmissive portion 414 and the opaque portion 416 is enabled, and the heater casing 222 becomes a single piece. By using the heater casing 222 as a single piece, leakage of the process gas into either the front heater space 435 or the rear heater space 434 is prevented, and installation of the heater 168 is facilitated.

[0046]

[0052] The heating element 226 of FIG. 4A is a radiant heat source such as a lamp 404. The bulb of the lamp 404 is disposed inside the front heater space 435. The lamp 404 may be similar to one of the upper lamp 141 or the lower lamp 143. Alternatively, the lamp 404 may be a smaller lamp such that the bulb of the lamp 404 has a diameter of less than about 25 mm (e.g., less than about 20 mm). The lamp 404 has an electrical power output of from about 500 W to about 3000 W (e.g., from about 500 W to about 1000 W, or from about 1000 W to about 1500 W). Electrical power is supplied to the lamp 404 by one or more electrical lines 412. One or more electrical lines 412 are connected to the power supply and / or controller 120. One or more electrical lines 412 pass through the reflector 410 and are connected to the lamp 404. The base of the lamp 404 is also connected to the reflector 410, and the bulb of the lamp 404 is directed toward the process space 136 rather than the reflector 410.

[0047]

[0053] The heater base 224 includes a heater casing base 428, a compression cap 432, and a compression washer 430 disposed between the heater casing base 428 and the compression cap 432. The heater base 428 is formed of a material similar to the opaque portion 416 of the heater casing 222. In some embodiments, the heater base 428 is also joined, fused, welded, or brazed to the opaque portion 416. In other embodiments, the heater base 428 is a single, uniform, and monolithic piece of the opaque portion 416. The outer wall 431 of the opaque portion 416 intersects the contact surface 427 of the heater base 428 such that the outer wall 431 of the opaque portion 416 is perpendicular and normal to the contact surface 427 of the heater base 428. The contact surface 427 is coplanar with and in contact with the outer surface of the flow module 112.

[0048]

[0054] One or more grooves 425 are disposed within the contact surface 427. The one or more grooves 425 are annular grooves disposed around the opaque portion 416. The one or more grooves are sized to receive the seal thermal shield 422 and the seal ring 426. The seal thermal shield 422 is an insulator that reduces heat transfer from the outer wall 431 of the opaque portion 416 to the seal ring 426 when the seal ring 426 fails at high temperatures. The seal thermal shield 422 may be a ceramic or dielectric material and may be in the same groove or a different groove as the seal ring 426. The seal ring 426 is disposed radially outward from the seal thermal shield 422 with respect to the outer wall 431 of the opaque portion 416.

[0049]

[0055] The compression cap 432 is disposed on the outer surface of the heater base 224 with respect to the heater casing 222. The compression cap 432 may be a metal material such as aluminum or steel. A part of the compression cap 432 contacts the flow module 112, and pressure can be applied to the compression cap 432 so that the compression cap 432 is tightened against the outer surface of the flow module 112 using one or more screws or bolts (not shown), and the compression cap 432 can be connected to the flow module 112. The compression washer 430 is used to disperse the pressure from the compression cap 432 to the heater base 428. The compression washer 430 is a metal or polymer material. In some embodiments, the compression washer 430 is the same material as the compression cap 432.

[0050]

[0056] Figure 4B is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of another heater 168 within the processing chamber of FIG. 1. The heater 168 of FIG. 4B is similar to the heater 168 of FIG. 4A, but the heater 168 of FIG. 4B has a resistive heating element 450 as the heating element 226. The resistive heating element 450 is disposed within the front heater space 435. The resistive heating element 450 is more compact than the lamp 404 utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 4A.

[0051]

[0057] The resistive heating element 450 emits power at a rate of from about 1000 W to about 3000 W, or from about 500 W to about 1000 W, or from about 1000 W to about 1500 W. The resistive heating element 450 has a resistance value greater than about 2 ohms (Ω), for example, a resistance value from about 2 Ω to about 100 Ω.

[0052]

[0058] When the resistive heating element 450 contacts the reflector 410 and passes through the reflector 410, the resistivity of the heating element 450 decreases. The low-resistance portion of the heating element 450 after passing through the reflector 410 is the heater power connector 452. The heater power connector 452 passes through the rear heater space 434. The heater power connector 452 is electrically connected to the power supply and / or controller 120.

[0053]

[0059] FIG. 4C is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the heater 168 within the processing chamber 100 of FIG. 1. The heater 168 of FIG. 4C is similar to the heater 168 of FIG. 4A, but the heater 168 of FIG. 4C also functions as the first preheating ring portion 205 of the preheating ring 166. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 4C, the preheating ring 166 may be omitted or adapted to utilize the heater 168 and corresponding heater block 250 in place of the first preheating ring portion 205.

[0054]

[0060] The heater and preheating ring assembly described herein enables more accurate, rapid, and repeated heating of the gas or precursor when the gas or precursor enters the processing space and before the gas or precursor passes over the substrate or substrate support. By heating the gas or precursor to a higher temperature before it passes over the substrate, deposition onto the substrate generally increases across the full width of the substrate, and the increase in deposition is particularly noticeable at the leading edge of the substrate.

[0055]

[0061] The foregoing description is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, but other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A processing chamber configured to be used in semiconductor processing, The chamber body includes a plurality of gas inlets on a first side of the chamber body, and one or more exhaust outlets on a second side of the chamber body opposite to the first side, A substrate support disposed within the processing space of the chamber body, and A preheating ring assembly disposed between the plurality of gas inlets and the substrate support, A preheating ring, One or more heaters disposed adjacent to the preheating ring, and One or more temperature sensors disposed adjacent to the preheating ring A preheating ring assembly comprising A processing chamber comprising.

2. The preheating ring surrounds the substrate support, Form a first partial ring adjacent to the one or more heaters and the one or more temperature sensors, a first preheating ring portion surrounding a first portion of the substrate support, and Form a second partial ring, and a second preheating ring portion surrounding a second portion of the substrate support different from the first portion The processing chamber according to claim 1, further comprising.

3. The one or more heaters are connected to the lower side of the preheating ring, and the preheating ring is placed on the upper part of the one or more heaters. The processing chamber according to claim 1.

4. The heater is, A heater insert body, A heater casing at least partially disposed within the heater insert body, A reflector disposed within the heater casing to form a front heater space, and A heating element disposed within the front heater space of the heater casing The processing chamber according to claim 3, further comprising.

5. The heating element is one of a lamp or a resistive heating element. The processing chamber according to claim 4.

6. The heater base is connected to the outer surface of the chamber body and is connected to the heater casing. The processing chamber according to claim 4.

7. A first plurality of lamps disposed above a first window, and A second plurality of lamps disposed below a second window The processing chamber according to claim 1, further comprising.

8. A preheating ring assembly configured to be used within a semiconductor processing chamber, A preheating ring comprising a first preheating ring section and a second preheating ring section, one or more temperature sensors coupled to the first preheating ring section, and two or more heaters coupled to the first preheating ring section and configured to heat the first preheating ring section, comprising a heater casing, a reflector disposed within the heater casing and forming a front heater space, and a heating element disposed within the front heater space two or more heaters a preheating ring assembly comprising.

9. The preheating ring assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first preheating ring section is formed of a silicon carbide material.

10. The preheating ring assembly according to claim 8, wherein the two or more heaters are at least partially disposed within a heater insert body, and the first preheating ring section is disposed on top of the heater insert body.

11. The preheating ring assembly according to claim 10, wherein the heater insert body is formed of a silicon carbide material.

12. The preheating ring assembly according to claim 8, wherein the heater casing is formed of a quartz material.

13. The heater casing is a transmissive portion disposed around the heating element, and an opaque portion connected to the distal end of the transmissive portion The preheating ring assembly according to claim 12, further comprising.

14. The preheating ring assembly according to claim 8, wherein one or more temperature sensors are disposed within the first preheating ring section.

15. A heater insert configured to heat a preheating ring within a semiconductor processing chamber, comprising a heater casing, a transmissive portion, an opaque portion connected to the distal end of the transmissive portion, and a heater base connected to the distal end of the transmissive portion on the opposite side of the transmissive portion such that the opaque portion intersects a contact surface of the heater base and one or more grooves are disposed in the contact surface a heater casing comprising, a reflector disposed within the heater casing and forming a front heater space and a rear heater space, and a heating element disposed within the front heater space and within the transmissive portion of the heater casing a heater insert comprising.

16. The heater insert according to claim 15, wherein the heating element is one of a lamp or a resistive heating element.

17. The heater insert according to claim 16, wherein the heating element has a power output of from about 500 W to about 3000 W. **Claim 18** The heater insert according to claim 15, wherein the transmissive portion is transmissive quartz having a transparency of more than about 90%, and the opaque portion is opaque quartz having a transparency of less than about 50%. **Claim 19** The heater insert according to claim 15, wherein the one or more grooves are configured to hold a heat insulating ring and a sealing ring. **Claim 20** The heater insert according to claim 15, wherein the compression washer and the compression cap are connected to the heater base such that the compression washer is disposed between the compression cap and the heater base.

Images