Multiple-zone lamp heating and temperature monitoring in the epitaxy treatment chamber.

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to an epitaxial chamber for processing semiconductor substrates. In one example, the epitaxial chamber has a chamber body assembly. The chamber body assembly includes a lower window and an upper window, the chamber body assembly, the lower window, and the upper window enclosing an interior space. A susceptor assembly is disposed within the interior space. The epitaxial chamber also has a plurality of temperature control elements. The plurality of temperature control elements include one or more of an upper lamp module, a lower lamp module, an upper heater, a lower heater, or a heating gas passage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatuses and methods for fabricating semiconductor substrates. More specifically, the apparatuses disclosed herein relate to an epitaxial deposition chamber having a plurality of temperature control elements.

Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor substrates are processed for various applications including the manufacture of integrated and micro-devices. One such processing apparatus is an epitaxial processing chamber. During processing, the substrate is placed on a susceptor within the epitaxial processing chamber. The susceptor is supported by a support shaft that is rotatable about a central axis. By precisely controlling heat sources such as a plurality of heating lamps disposed above and below the substrate, it becomes possible to heat the substrate within an extremely strict tolerance range. The temperature of the substrate can affect the uniformity of the material deposited on the substrate.

[0003] The ability to accurately control the substrate temperature within an epitaxial processing chamber has a significant impact on throughput and production yield. In conventional epitaxial processing chambers, it has been difficult to meet the increasingly high demands for improving production yield and increasing throughput while meeting the temperature control criteria required for the manufacture of next-generation devices.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to improve temperature control within an epitaxial processing chamber.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure relates, in general, to a processing chamber for processing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of temperature control elements. In one example, the epitaxial chamber has a chamber body assembly. The chamber body assembly includes a lower window and an upper window, and the chamber body assembly, the lower window, and the upper window surround an internal space. A susceptor assembly is disposed within the internal space. The epitaxial chamber also has a plurality of temperature control elements. The plurality of temperature control elements include two or more temperature control elements selected from the group consisting of an upper lamp module, a lower lamp module, an upper heater, a lower heater, or a heating gas passage.

[0006] A more detailed description of the Disclosure, which has been briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to the embodiments, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, so that the features described above may be understood in more detail. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are illustrative embodiments only and should not be considered to limit the scope of the Disclosure, and other equally valid embodiments may also be permitted. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a processing chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic bottom view of an upper ramp assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] This is a schematic plan view of the upper ramp module shown in Figure 2A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2C] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the upper lamp module of Figure 2A, cut along the cutting line 2C-2C, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] This is a schematic bottom view of a downward lamp module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] This is a schematic plan view of the lower ramp module of Figure 3A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C]This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an upper lamp module cut along the cutting line 3C-3C in Figure 3A, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an upper heater and a lower heater according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic isometric view of the heater shown in Figure 4A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a downward heater according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] This is a schematic isometric view showing an example of adding the lower heater 152 in Figure 5A. [Figure 6A] This is a schematic diagram of an optical filter according to one embodiment. [Figure 6B] This is a schematic diagram of an optical filter according to another embodiment. [Figure 7A] This is a schematic diagram of a dome heater. [Figure 7B] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating gas passage within the upper lamp module. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals have been used to indicate identical elements common to multiple figures, where possible. It is assumed that components and features of one embodiment can be usefully incorporated into other embodiments without further description.

[0009] This disclosure relates, in general, to apparatus for semiconductor processing having multiple temperature control elements. More specifically, the apparatus disclosed herein relates to processing chambers and their components. The processing chambers are configured as thermal deposition chambers, such as epitaxial deposition chambers. Because the processing chambers have less expensive components than conventional chambers, they reduce the cost of replacing parts of the processing chamber after wear or when improved designs are made to parts of the chamber body. The disclosed processing chambers overcome conventional challenges, including improved uniform thermal control within the processing chamber, which results in better throughput and improved process yield.

[0010] This specification also discloses components of a processing chamber that enable improved temperature control. Components that enable improved temperature control include an upper lamp module, a lower lamp module, and one or more heating elements. Each of the above-mentioned components of the processing chamber that improve temperature control can be used individually or in combination with one or more other temperature control improvement chamber components to control the temperature of the processing chamber while processing a substrate by epitaxial deposition, which has a substantial and beneficial effect on the quality of the epitaxially deposited film and the processing throughput.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an epitaxial chamber 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The epitaxial chamber 100 is an epitaxial deposition chamber and can be used as part of a cluster tool (not shown). The epitaxial chamber 100 is used to deposit an epitaxial film on a substrate such as a substrate 150.

[0012] The epitaxial chamber 100 includes a plurality of temperature control elements 199, a chamber body assembly 106, a susceptor assembly 124, a lower window 120, and an upper window 122. The upper window 122, the chamber body assembly 106, and the lower window 120 surround the internal space 110 of the epitaxial chamber 100. The plurality of temperature control elements 199 include a lamp module 101, an upper heater 158, a lower heater 152, and a heating gas passage 136. Each of the plurality of temperature control elements 199 may be used individually or in conjunction with one or more other plurality of temperature control elements 199 to control the temperature of the epitaxial chamber 100 while processing the substrate 150. The lamp module 101 includes an upper lamp module 102 and a lower lamp module 104.

[0013] The susceptor assembly 124 is located within the internal space 110 and is configured to support the substrate 150 with its substrate support surface 151. The susceptor assembly 124 is located between the upper ramp module 102 and the lower ramp module 104. The lower window 120 is located between the susceptor assembly 124 and the lower ramp module 104. The upper window 122 is located between the sceptor assembly 124 and the upper ramp module 102.

[0014] The upper lamp module 102 is positioned on top of the susceptor assembly 124 and is configured to heat a substrate, such as a substrate 150, which is positioned on top of the susceptor assembly 124. The upper lamp module 102 includes an upper module body 126 and a plurality of lamp openings 128 positioned through the upper module body 126. Each of the plurality of lamp openings 128 includes a lamp base 129, or socket, in which a single lamp 130 is positioned. The orientation of the lamp 130 is generally defined by a virtual line extending along the filament of the lamp 130 to the tip of the lamp 130. For example, a lamp 130 placed laterally on a surface will have its virtual line aligned with the filament and parallel to the surface. The orientation of the lamp 130 is also perpendicular to the chamber centerline 'A' which extends vertically through the center of the upper lamp module. Each of the lamps 130 is coupled to one of the lamp bases 129. Each lamp base 129 supports one of the lamps 130, and each lamp 130 is electrically connected to a power source (not shown). Each of the lamps 129 is fixed within an opening 128.

[0015] The upper lamp module 102 further includes a heating gas passage 136 and a pyrometer passage 138. The heating gas passage 136 is fluidly coupled to a heating gas supply source 132. The heating gas passage 136 extends from the top surface to the bottom surface of the upper module body 126. The heating gas passage 136 is configured to allow a heated gas, such as heated air or heated inert gas, to flow from the heating gas supply source 132 to the top surface of the upper window 122, thereby convectivically heating the upper window 122. Heating the upper window 122 ensures that much of the energy of the lamp 130 is directed toward the substrate 150 rather than toward heating the upper window 122.

[0016] The heating gas passage will be further described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. 7A is a schematic view of the dome heater 750. FIG. 7B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating gas passage 136 within the upper lamp module 102. The heating gas passage 136 has an inlet 736. The heated gas is supplied through the heating gas passage 136 to an upper plenum 180 defined between the upper lamp module 102 and the upper window 122. The heating gas passage 136 can be disposed at the center of the upper lamp module 102. The heating gas passage 136 can have a conical shape. Alternatively, the heating gas passage 136 can be frustum-shaped to promote an outward flow into the upper plenum 180. Alternatively, the heating gas passage 136 can have more than one passage arranged radially, as shown by an alternative heating gas passage 730. The alternative heating gas passage 730 has a first passage 782, a second passage 784, and a third passage 186 for evenly distributing the heated gas. In this way, better temperature uniformity of the upper window 122 can be maintained. Thereby, advantageously, fluctuations in the processing temperature are reduced.

[0017] The dome heater 750 is connected to the inlet 736 of the gas passage 136. The dome heater 750 may be an electric resistance heater, a ceramic heater, a radiant heater, or other suitable heater, and may have a built-in fan for generating and operating hot air. The dome heater 750 can generate an air outlet temperature of approximately 1,652°F into the gas passage 136. The dome heater 750 may have a heated airflow of a minimum of approximately 4 CFM and a maximum of approximately 16 CFM. The dome heater 750 is connected to a controller 752. The controller 752 can maintain the temperatures of the upper lamp module 102 and the upper window 122 by regulating the heat from the dome heater 750 using feedback from sensors. For example, the controller 752 may control the heater and / or fan of the dome heater 750 to supply hot air in response to the temperature of the upper lamp module falling below a threshold. Conversely, the controller 752 may control the heater and / or fan of the dome heater 750 to reduce or stop the supply of hot air in response to the temperature of the upper lamp module exceeding a threshold.

[0018] The dome heater 750 advantageously heats the upper window 122 to clean it from parasitic deposition, because parasitic deposition can form a coating that can adversely affect the lamp heating of the substrate. However, it should be understood that the dome heater 750 and gas passage 136 may also be implemented for the lower window 120. It is assumed that similar apparatus and methods for heating previously disclosed can be used for the lower window 122.

[0019] Returning to FIG. 1 here, the heating gas exhaust passage 142 is also disposed to penetrate the upper module body 126. The heating gas exhaust passage 142 is coupled to the heating exhaust pump 140. The heating exhaust pump 140 removes gas from the upper plenum 180 through the heating gas exhaust passage 142. The heating exhaust pump 140 also functions as an exhaust pump for the processing space. The heating gas exhaust passage 142 may be a groove or channel formed along the edge of the upper module body 126 in some embodiments, or may be formed through a separate chamber component in fluid communication with the upper plenum 180.

[0020] The pyrometer passage 138 is disposed to penetrate the upper module body 126 so that a pyrometer 134, such as a scanning pyrometer, can measure the temperature of the substrate 150. This pyrometer 134 can also be used to measure the temperature of the chamber wall, liner, etc. The pyrometer 134 is disposed adjacent to the pyrometer passage 138 on the upper module body 126. The pyrometer passage 138 extends from the upper surface of the upper module body 126 to the bottom surface of the upper module body 126 near the upper window 122.

[0021] The lower lamp module 104 is disposed below the susceptor assembly 124 and is configured to heat the bottom surface of the substrate 150 when the substrate is disposed on the susceptor assembly 124. The lower lamp module 104 includes a lower module body 182. A plurality of lamp openings 186 are disposed to penetrate the lower module body 182. A lamp 188 is disposed in each of the plurality of lamp openings 186. Each lamp 188 is coupled to a lamp base 184. Each of the lamp bases 184 supports a corresponding one of the lamps 188 and electrically connects each lamp 188 to a power source (not shown). The orientation of the lamp 188 is generally perpendicular to the vertical center line of the epitaxial chamber 100. For example, the orientation of the lamp 188 is generally defined by a virtual line extending through the filament to the tip of the lamp 188. The lamp 188 can be disposed in an orientation generally perpendicular to the substrate 150.

[0022] The lower lamp module 104 further includes a susceptor shaft passage 195 and a pyrometer passage 192. The susceptor shaft passage 195 is positioned to pass through the center of the lower module body 182. A support shaft is positioned through the susceptor shaft passage 195 and is coupled to the susceptor 124. The susceptor shaft passage 195 is configured to allow the support shaft of the susceptor 124 to pass through the lower module body 182.

[0023] A pyrometer passage 192 is positioned through the lower module body 182 so that a pyrometer 190, such as a scanning pyrometer, can measure the temperature of the bottom surface of the substrate 150 or the bottom surface of the substrate support. The pyrometer 190 is positioned below the lower module body 182, adjacent to and aligned with the pyrometer passage 192. The pyrometer passage 192 extends from the bottom surface of the lower module body 182 to the upper surface of the lower module body 182 near the lower window 120.

[0024] The chamber body assembly 106 includes an injection ring 116 and a base ring 114. The injection ring 116 is positioned on top of the base ring 114. One or more gas injectors 108 are positioned through the injection ring 116. The base ring 114 includes a substrate transfer passage 162, one or more upper chamber exhaust passages, and a lower chamber exhaust passage 164. The substrate transfer passage 162 is positioned through the base ring 114, opposite one or more upper chamber exhaust passages and lower chamber exhaust passages 164. Each of the one or more upper chamber exhaust passages is positioned through the base ring 114 and is coupled to an exhaust module. The lower chamber exhaust passage 164 is also positioned through the base ring 114.

[0025] The upper chamber 111 is the portion of the internal space 110 where the substrate 150 is processed and process gas is injected via the gas injector 108. The lower chamber 113 is the portion of the internal space 110 where the substrate 150 is loaded onto the susceptor assembly 124. The upper chamber 111 can be described as the space above the susceptor support surface 151 of the susceptor assembly 124 while the susceptor assembly 124 is in the processing position. The lower chamber 113 is the space below the susceptor support surface 151 of the susceptor assembly 124 while the susceptor assembly 124 is in the processing position. The processing position (not shown) is the position where the substrate 150 is placed on the same plane as the horizontal reference plane 125 or above the horizontal reference plane 125. The horizontal reference plane 125 is the plane in which the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114 are in contact with each other. The horizontal reference plane 125 is perpendicular to the vertical centerline of the epitaxial chamber 100.

[0026] One or more upper chamber exhaust passages and lower chamber exhaust passages 164 are coupled to one or more exhaust pumps (not shown). One or more exhaust pumps are configured to remove exhaust gas from the internal space 110 through one or more upper chamber exhaust passages and lower chamber exhaust passages 164. In some embodiments, each of the upper chamber exhaust passages and lower chamber exhaust passages 164 is coupled to a single exhaust pump using multiple conduits. In other embodiments, the upper chamber exhaust passage is coupled to a different exhaust pump than the lower chamber exhaust passage 164.

[0027] The substrate transfer passage 162 passes through the base ring 114. The substrate transfer passage 162 is configured to allow a substrate to pass through it from the transfer chamber of a cluster tool (not shown). A flange 168 is attached to one end of the base ring 114 to allow the epitaxial chamber 100 to be attached to the cluster tool (not shown). The substrate transfer passage 162 passes through the flange 168.

[0028] An upper cooling ring 118 and a lower cooling ring 112 are located on either side of the chamber body assembly 106. The upper cooling ring 118 is located above the injection ring 116 and is configured to cool the injection ring 116. The lower cooling ring 112 is located below the base ring 114 and is configured to cool the base ring 114. The upper cooling ring 118 contains a coolant passage 146. The coolant circulating through the coolant passage 146 includes water, oil, or other suitable heat transfer fluid. The lower cooling ring 112 also contains a coolant passage 148. The coolant circulating through the coolant passage 148 is similar to the coolant circulating through the coolant passage 146 of the upper cooling ring 118. In some embodiments, the upper cooling ring 118 and the lower cooling ring 112 help to secure the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114 within the epitaxial chamber 100. The upper cooling ring 118 can partially support the upper lamp module 102, and the lower cooling ring 112 can partially support the base ring 114 and the injection ring 116.

[0029] By using the upper cooling ring 118 and the lower cooling ring 112, the temperature is controlled to cool the O-ring or vacuum seal area to below 250°C. This extends the lifespan of the O-ring for maintaining a good vacuum seal and reduces maintenance downtime.

[0030] The gas injectors 108 of the injection ring 116 are positioned through openings formed in the injection ring 116. In the example shown in Figure 1, multiple gas injectors 108 are positioned in the injection ring 116. Each gas injector 108 is configured to supply process gas to the internal space 110 via one or more gas outlets 178. For simplicity of consideration, one gas injector 108 is shown in Figure 1. The gas injector 108 is shown positioned at an acute angle to the horizontal plane such that one or more gas outlets 178 point downward toward the susceptor 124 and substrate 150 located beneath the gas injector 108. Each gas injector 108 is fluidically coupled to one or more process gas sources, such as a first process gas source 174 or a second process gas source 176. In some embodiments, only the first process gas source 174 is utilized. In some embodiments where both the first process gas source 174 and the second process gas source 176 are used, there are two gas outlets 178 within each gas injector 108. The two gas outlets 178 are formed within a single gas injector 108 and are arranged in a stacked configuration such that gas mixing is possible only after the gas has passed through the gas outlets 178, exited the gas injector 108, and entered the internal space 110.

[0031] The upper window 122 is positioned between the injection ring 116 and the upper lamp module 102. The upper window 122 is an optically transparent window, allowing the radiant energy generated by the upper lamp module 102 to pass through it. In some embodiments, the upper window 122 is formed of quartz or glass material. The upper window 122 is dome-shaped and, in some embodiments, is also called an upper dome. The outer edge of the upper window 122 forms a peripheral support 172. The peripheral support 172 is thicker than the central portion of the upper window 122. The peripheral support 172 is positioned above the injection ring 116. The peripheral support 172 connects to the central portion of the upper window 122 and is formed of the same optically transparent material as the central portion of the upper window 122.

[0032] The lower window 120 is positioned between the base ring 114 and the lower lamp module 104. The lower window 120 is an optically transparent window, through which the radiant energy generated by the lower lamp module 104 passes. In some embodiments, the lower window 120 is formed of quartz or glass material. The lower window 120 is dome-shaped and, in some embodiments, is also called a lower dome. The outer edge of the lower window 120 forms a peripheral support 170. The peripheral support 170 is thicker than the central portion of the lower window 120. The peripheral support 170 is connected to the central portion of the lower window 120 and is formed of the same optically transparent material.

[0033] Various liners and heaters are arranged inside the chamber body assembly 106 and within the internal space 110. As shown in Figure 1, an upper liner 156 and a lower liner 154 are arranged inside the chamber body assembly 106. The upper liner 156 is positioned above the lower liner 154 and inside the injection ring 116. The lower liner 154 is positioned inside the base ring 114. The upper liner 156 and the lower liner 154 are coupled together while they are in the processing space. The upper liner 156 and the lower liner 154 shield the inner surfaces of the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114 from the process gas in the processing space. The upper liner 156 and the lower liner 154 also play a role in reducing heat transfer from the processing space to the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114. Reduced heat transfer improves the uniform heating of the substrate 150, allowing for more uniform deposition on the substrate 150 during processing.

[0034] The lower chamber exhaust passage 164 is located opposite the substrate transfer passage 162 and connects to the exhaust pump. The exhaust pump can also be coupled to two upper chamber exhaust passage openings and can be in fluid communication with the two upper chamber exhaust passage openings.

[0035] The lower liner 154 is located inside the opening of the base ring 114. The lower liner 154 is ring-shaped and has a lower liner body. The lower liner 154 is configured to separate the inner surface of the base ring 114 from the internal space 110. The upper liner 156 protects the inner surface of the base ring 114 from process gases in the internal space 110 and further protects the internal space 110 from particles or other contaminants released by the base ring 114 and the lower heater 152.

[0036] The upper heater 158 and lower heater 152 are also located within the internal space 110 of the chamber body assembly 106. The upper heater 158 is positioned between the upper liner 156 and the injection ring 116, and the lower heater 152 is positioned between the lower liner 154 and the base ring 114. Both the upper heater 158 and the lower heater 152 are positioned inside the chamber body assembly 106, enabling more uniform heating of the substrate 150 while it is inside the epitaxial chamber 100. The upper heater 158 and the lower heater 152 reduce heat loss to the walls of the chamber body assembly 106 by heating the walls, preventing the walls from becoming heat sinks during processing. Thus, the upper heater 158 and the lower heater 152 form a more uniform temperature distribution around the surface forming the internal space 110. Each of the upper liner 156, lower liner 154, upper heater 158, and lower heater 152 is coupled to a flange 160 located within the internal space 110. The flange 160 is a horizontal surface, for example, clamped, fixed between a portion of the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114 to allow for the fixing of each of the upper liner 156, lower liner 154, upper heater 158, and lower heater 152. In the embodiments described herein, the upper heater 158 may include any suitable heater, among other types of heaters, such as a lamp, infrared heater, heat transfer fluid conduit, or resistive heating element. The upper heater 158 is further molded to receive openings that pass through the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114. Similarly, the lower heater 152 may be configured in the same way as the upper heater 158. The lower heater 152 is further molded to receive openings that pass through the injection ring 116 and the base ring 114.

[0037] The susceptor assembly 124 is located within the internal space 110 and is configured to support the substrate 150 during processing. The susceptor assembly 124 includes a planar top surface for supporting the substrate 150 and a shaft extending through a portion of the lower window 120 and the lower ramp module 104. The susceptor assembly 124 is coupled to the moving assembly 194 by the shaft. The moving assembly 194 includes a revolving assembly 196 and a lifting assembly 198. The revolving assembly 196 is configured to rotate the susceptor assembly 124 about a central axis A, and the lifting assembly 198 is configured to move the susceptor assembly 124 linearly within the internal space 110 along the central axis A. The central axis A is also the vertical centerline of the epitaxial chamber 100.

[0038] Figure 2A is a schematic bottom view of an upper ramp assembly 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The upper module body 126 of the upper ramp module 102 further includes a bottom surface 202, a top surface 214 (Figure 2B), and support ridges 204 positioned around the outer edge of the bottom surface 202. The support ridges 204 support the upper module body 126 by contacting a portion of the upper window 122 (shown in Figure 1), while providing separation between the rest of the bottom surface 202 and the upper window 122. The support ridges 204 positioned outside the bottom surface 202 distribute the weight of the upper module body 126 around the peripheral support portion 172 or a portion of the chamber body assembly 106, instead of being supported solely by the central portion of the upper window 122. Distributing the weight reduces the probability of the upper window 122 breaking. The upper plenum 180, formed by separating the upper window 122 from the upper module body 126, allows the upper window 122 to be heated or cooled using the gas flowing through the upper plenum 180. The gas can be supplied to the upper plenum 180 from a gas supply source such as a heating gas source 132. The bottom surface 202 is curved and has the same shape as the central part of the upper window 122. The bottom surface 202 is concave.

[0039] Each of the lamp openings 128 includes an inner wall 206. Each of the inner walls 206 forms a circular or elliptical opening at the bottom surface 202. The inner walls 206 are configured to reflect radiant energy, focusing the radiant energy of the lamp 130 (shown in Figure 1) and enabling a controlled energy distribution of the radiant energy across the substrate 150. In the embodiments described herein, each of the inner walls 206 is curved such that it forms an elliptical portion. In other embodiments, the inner walls 206 are vertical. The inner walls 206 have a reflectance greater than about 90%, for example, greater than about 98%, for wavelengths between about 700 nm and about 15000 nm, for example, between about 700 nm and about 1000 nm or between about 1000 nm and about 15000 nm. The inner walls 206 may have a reflective coating, for example, gold, polished aluminum, or a coating of other polished material having high reflectance to infrared wavelengths. In some embodiments, the upper module body 126 is formed of a reflective material such as aluminum or steel. In some embodiments, the upper module body 126 is formed from a first material such as aluminum or steel and plated with a second material. The second material may be copper, nickel, brass, bronze, silver, gold, aluminum, or an alloy thereof. The second material may be polished to increase its reflectivity. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 202 is also reflective. The bottom surface 202 may have a reflectivity greater than about 90%, for example, greater than about 98%, for wavelengths between about 700 nm and about 15000 nm, for example, between about 700 nm and about 1000 nm or between about 1000 nm and about 15000 nm. The bottom surface 202 is made from the same material as the inner wall 206 or coated with the same material as the inner wall 206.

[0040] The inner wall 206 extends vertically through the upper module body 126 such that the inner wall 206 extends from the bottom surface 202 toward the top surface 214. The approximately vertical orientation of the inner wall 206, and therefore the lamp openings 128, allows for a more focused distribution of radiant energy on the substrate. The approximately vertical orientation of the lamp openings 128 further reduces the radiant energy absorbed by the upper module body 126. The inner wall 206 forms part of a sphere. Each of the lamp openings 128 contains a central axis that is in harmony with the central axis A formed around the inner wall 206. The central axes passing through each lamp opening 128 have a common intersection point below the bottom surface 202 of the upper lamp module 102, thereby orienting each lamp opening 128 inward toward the central axis A.

[0041] As shown here, the pyrometer passage 138 is a slit positioned to penetrate the upper module body 126. The pyrometer passage 138 has a first length L1 at the bottom surface 202 and a second length L2 at the top surface 214 (Figure 2B). The first length L1 is longer than the second length L2. Because the first length L1 is longer than the second length L2, the opening at the top surface 214 is reduced, but complete scanning of the top surface of the substrate 150 by a scanning pyrometer such as the pyrometer 134 is still possible. The heating gas passage 136 is positioned through the center of the upper module body 126.

[0042] Figure 2B is a schematic plan view of the upper lamp module 102 shown in Figure 2A. As shown in Figure 2B, each of the multiple lamp openings 128 further includes a lamp base support 212 and a bulb opening 210 positioned through each of the lamp base supports 212. The bulb opening 210 connects the lamp base support 212 to the reflective inner wall 206. The lamp base support 212 is a stepped surface positioned around the bulb opening 210. Each lamp base support 212 includes a central bore 211 and an arc-shaped recess 213 surrounding the central bore. The lamp base support 212 is configured to support the lamp base 129. The bulb opening 210 is a circular opening positioned through the bottom surface 215 of the lamp base support 212. The bulb opening 210 is sized to allow the bulb of the lamp 130 to pass through.

[0043] The upper surface 214 of the upper lamp module 102 includes a raised portion 216. The raised portion 216 is slightly raised relative to the outer portion of the upper surface 214. The raised portion 216 increases the structural strength of the upper lamp module 102 and reduces deflection of the upper lamp module 102 when supporting measuring tools such as the lamp 130 and the pyrometer 134.

[0044] Figure 2C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the upper lamp module 102 as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, cut along the cutting line 2C-2C. The central axis A extends through the top and bottom surfaces of the upper module body 102. The upper module body 126 is positioned around the central axis A. Each of the reflective inner walls 206 is configured to reflect light from the bulb around the lamp opening 128 and direct the light through the opening 217 formed by the inner wall 206 toward the substrate 150 (shown in Figure 1). The opening 217 of the lamp opening 128 is located where the inner wall 206 and the bottom surface 202 intersect. The inner wall 206 and the opening 217 of each lamp opening 128 surround the lamp opening axis E. The lamp opening axis E is the center line passing through the lamp opening 128 and is positioned at an angle φ with respect to the central axis A. The angle φ is less than approximately 45 degrees, for example, less than approximately 30 degrees, for example, less than approximately 20 degrees. Each of the lamp openings 128 includes a similar lamp opening axis E, positioned at an angle φ with respect to the central axis A. Not all lamp opening axes E have the same angle φ, but they are angled within the range of the angle φ described above.

[0045] The centerline 272 of the lamp opening 128 may be oriented at an angle of 262 with respect to a horizontal line 260 drawn perpendicular to the side surface 252 of the upper lamp module 102. The centerline 272 of the lamp opening 128 may be oriented at an angle of 269 with respect to the centerline 299 of the upper lamp module 102. Each centerline 272 of each lamp opening 128 can be radially aligned such that each centerline 272 of the lamp opening 128 intersects with the centerline 299 of the upper lamp module 102. Note that the intersection of the centerlines 272 is well below the substrate support surface 151. The centerline 272 of the lamp opening 128 may be positioned at an angle of 269 with respect to the bottom surface 202 of the upper lamp module 102. The bottom surface 202 may be curved such that the angle 269 of the centerline 272 is perpendicular to the tangent of the bottom surface 202 at the intersection of the centerline 272 and the bottom surface 202. It should be understood that the various descriptions above regarding the orientation angle 262 of each lamp opening 128 may differ slightly in order to satisfy the conditions of the explanation. For example, the lamp openings 128 may be arranged within two or three concentric rings, and the angle 262 of the lamp openings 128 in the outer ring will be different from the angle 262 of the lamp openings 128 in the inner ring. In the comparison of angles 262 including the lamp openings 128, the lamp openings 128 in the outer ring may have a shallower angle, i.e., a smaller angle 262, than the lamp openings 128 in the inner ring.

[0046] Each opening 217 has a first diameter D1 at the base 202. The first diameter D1 is approximately 10 mm to 50 mm, for example, approximately 20 mm to 40 mm. The first diameter D1 is selected to control the distribution of radiant energy and the focal position of radiant energy emanating from each of the multiple lamp openings 128. Each bulb opening 210 has a second diameter D2. The lamp opening axis E similarly passes through the center of the bulb opening 210 such that the openings 217 and the bulb opening 210 are concentric around the lamp opening axis E. The second diameter D2 is approximately 5 mm to 40 mm, for example, approximately 10 mm to 30 mm. The second diameter D2 is large enough for one of the bulbs of the lamp 130 to pass through, but small enough to reduce heat loss through the bulb opening 210. In some embodiments, the ratio of the size of the first diameter D1 to the size of the second diameter D2 is about 2:1 to about 5:4, for example, about 2:1 to about 4:3, or for example, about 2:1 to about 3:2. The ratio of the first diameter D1 to the second diameter D2 is configured to form a desired energy distribution on the substrate located beneath the upper module body 126. In some embodiments, the maximum diameter of the bulb of each lamp 130 is less than 1 mm smaller than the second diameter D2.

[0047] Multiple lamp openings 128 are arranged within characteristic zones. As shown here, the multiple lamp openings 128 are arranged within three zones. Each of the three zones can be approximately pie-shaped, such that each zone forms one sector (fan) of a circle. In the example where the zones are arranged as sectors of a circle, each sector may cover approximately 120 degrees of the upper lamp module 102. Alternatively, the three zones may be arranged concentrically. In yet another example, the zones may be arranged spirally. Each zone contains a separate group of lamp openings 128.

[0048] Each zone contains approximately 5 to 10 lamp openings 128, for example, approximately 6 to 8 lamp openings 128. Each zone is arranged to heat different parts of the substrate. Each zone of multiple lamp openings 128 includes a subset of inner lamp openings 128 and a subset of outer lamp openings 128. Within the subset of inner lamp openings 128, there are multiple lamp openings 128. The lamp openings 128 within the subset of inner lamp openings 128 are spaced small apart from one another. This small spacing is smaller than the distance from one of the lamp openings 128 within the inner subset to any lamp opening 128 within a second subset of inner lamp openings 128 that is within the range of an adjacent zone. The lamp openings 128 within the subset of outer lamp openings 128 are uniformly spaced on the upper lamp module 102. Each lamp opening 128 in the subset of outer lamp openings 128 is at the same distance from an adjacent lamp opening 128 in the second outer subset as it is from an adjacent lamp opening 128 in the same outer subset.

[0049] Other arrangements of the multiple lamp openings 128 are also possible. One alternative arrangement of the multiple lamp openings 128 may include arranging the multiple lamp openings 128 within multiple concentric rings, for example, within two or three concentric rings, or arranging the lamp openings 128 in other forms so that they are uniformly distributed throughout the entire upper lamp module 102.

[0050] The general orientation of the lamps 130 can be determined by the shape and arrangement of each lamp opening 128. The general orientation of the lamps 130 within each lamp opening 128 can be at an angle 261 from the central axis A. An angle 261 can result in the lamps 130 being perpendicular to the substrate support surface 151 of the susceptor assembly 124. The angle 261 with respect to the substrate support surface 151 can be approximately ±60 degrees with respect to the central axis A, for example, approximately ±45 degrees with respect to the central axis A, for example, approximately ±20 degrees with respect to the central axis A. In some examples, the base surface 202 may be curved like a parabola, and each lamp 130 may be oriented perpendicular to the base surface 202. In yet another example, each lamp 130 in each first zone is at a first angle, and each lamp 130 in each second zone is oriented at a second angle, where the first angle is not equal to the second angle. In such a zone configuration, it is further assumed that the ramps 130 in zones far from the central axis A are at a larger angle than the ramps 130 in zones closer to the central axis A.

[0051] Figure 3A is a schematic top view of the lower ramp module 104. The lower module body 182 of the lower ramp module 104 further includes a top surface 302, a bottom surface 314 (shown in Figure 3B), and a support ridge 304 positioned around the outer edge of the top surface 302. The support ridge 304 is a ring positioned around the top surface 302 of the lower module body 182 and extending outward from the lower module body 182. The support ridge 304 is configured to separate the top surface 302 of the lower module body 182 from the lower window 120 by contacting a portion of the lower window 120 (shown in Figure 1), while also providing separation between the remaining portion of the bottom surface 202 and the lower window 120. The support ridge 304 allows the lower module body 182 to contact only a portion of the peripheral support 170 or the chamber body assembly 106, rather than the central portion of the lower window 120. This reduces the probability of the lower window 120 breaking and forms the lower plenum 181. The upper surface 202 has a shape similar to the central portion of the lower window 120. In the embodiments described herein, the upper surface 202 is concave.

[0052] Each of the lamp openings 186 includes an inner wall 306. Each inner wall 306 is similar to the inner wall 206 of the upper lamp module 102. The inner walls 306 of the lamp openings 186 are configured to reflect radiant energy, enabling the focusing of radiant energy from the lamp 188 (shown in Figure 1) and allowing a controlled energy distribution across the substrate 150. Each of the inner walls 306 forms a circular or elliptical opening extending to the lamp opening 186 on the upper surface 302.

[0053] The inner wall 306 extends vertically through the lower module body 182 such that it extends from the upper surface 302 toward the bottom surface 314. The vertical orientation of the inner wall 306, and therefore the lamp opening 186, enables a more focused distribution of radiant energy on the substrate. The vertical orientation of the lamp opening 186 further reduces the radiant energy absorbed by the lower module body 182.

[0054] In some embodiments, the lower module body 182 is formed from a first material, such as aluminum or steel, and plated with a second material. The second material may be copper, brass, bronze, silver, gold, aluminum, or an alloy thereof. In some embodiments, the lower module body 182 does not include a coating of the second material and is instead made of a single material. The lower module body 182 may have a polished upper surface 302. In some embodiments, the upper surface 302 is also reflective. The upper surface 302 may have a reflectivity greater than about 90%, for example, greater than about 98%, for wavelengths between about 700 nm and about 15000 nm, for example, between about 700 nm and about 1000 nm or between about 1000 nm and about 15000 nm. The upper surface 302 is made from or coated with the same material as the inner wall 306.

[0055] As shown here, the pyrometer passage 192 is a slit positioned through the lower module body 182. The pyrometer passage 192 has a third length L3 on the upper surface 302 and a fourth length L4 on the bottom surface 314 (Figure 3B). The third length L3 is longer than the fourth length L4. The third length L3 is longer than the fourth length L4, which reduces the opening on the bottom surface 314, but still allows for complete scanning of the bottom surface of the substrate 150 or the bottom surface of the susceptor by a scanning pyrometer such as the pyrometer 190.

[0056] As shown in Figure 1, the susceptor shaft passage 195 is positioned to penetrate the center of the lower module body 182. The susceptor shaft passage 195 is positioned between the upper surface 302 and the bottom surface 314 of the lower module body 182, connecting the upper surface 302 and the bottom surface 314 of the lower module body 182. The portion of the susceptor shaft passage 195 adjacent to the upper surface 302 includes a curved surface 208. As the lower window 120 curves to pass through the susceptor shaft passage 195, the curved surface 208 is configured to conform to the shape of the lower window 120. The curved surface 208 connects the bottom surface 314 to the inner surface of the susceptor shaft passage 195.

[0057] Figure 3B is a schematic plan view of the lower lamp module 104 of Figure 3A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3B, each of the plurality of lamp openings 186 further includes a lamp base support 312 and a bulb opening 310 positioned through each of the lamp base support 312s. The bulb opening 310 connects the lamp base support 312 to the inner wall 306. The lamp base support 312 is a stepped surface positioned around the bulb opening 310. Each lamp base support 312 includes a central bore 311 and an arc-shaped recess 313 surrounding the central bore. The lamp base support 312 is configured to support and / or connect to the lamp base 184. The bulb opening 310 is a circular opening positioned through the upper surface of the lamp base support 312. The bulb opening 310 is sized to allow the bulb of the lamp 188 to pass through.

[0058] Figure 3C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lower lamp module 104 of Figure 3A, cut along the plane 3C-3C. As shown in Figure 3C, the lower module body 182 is positioned around a central axis B. In some embodiments, the inner wall 306 and the upper surface 302 intersect to form an opening 317. The opening 317 has a first diameter D1. In some embodiments, the opening 317 is elliptical or oblong. In the same embodiments, the first diameter D1 is the length of the major axis of the opening 317. The first diameter D1 is the same as the first diameter D1 described with reference to the upper module body 126. Each of the bulb openings 310 has a second diameter D2. The second diameter D2 is the same as the second diameter D2 described with reference to the upper module body 126. In some embodiments, the maximum diameter of the bulb of each lamp 188 is less than 1 mm smaller than the second diameter D2.

[0059] Each of the reflective inner walls 306 is configured to reflect light from the bulb around the lamp opening 186 and direct the light toward the substrate 150 (Figure 1) through the opening 317 formed by the inner walls 306. The opening 317 is located where the inner wall 306 intersects with the top surface 302. The walls of the inner walls 306 and one of the openings 317 of the lamp opening 186 surround the lamp opening axis F. The lamp opening axis F is the center line passing through the lamp opening 186. The lamp opening axis F similarly passes through the center of the bulb opening 310, such that the opening 317 and the bulb opening 310 are concentric around the lamp opening axis F.

[0060] The multiple lamp openings 186 in the lower lamp module 104 are arranged within zones. The zones may be configured in the same manner as described above with respect to the upper lamp module 102. As shown herein, the multiple lamp openings 186 are arranged within two concentric zones. Each zone includes a ring of lamp openings 186 arranged with a common diameter around the centerline of the susceptor shaft passage 195, which is also the centerline of the epitaxial chamber 100. Each ring of lamp openings 186 includes at least three lamp openings 186. In embodiments described herein, the inner zone includes a ring having 8 to 16 lamp openings 186, for example, 10 to 14 lamp openings 186. The outer zone includes a ring having 12 to 20 lamp openings 186, for example, 14 to 18 lamp openings. Hereinafter, the outer zone includes more lamp openings 186 than the inner zone.

[0061] The orientation of the ramp 188 can be determined with respect to a central axis A. The central axis A extends through the upper surface 302 and the bottom surface 314 of the lower ramp module 104. The upper module body 126 is positioned around the central axis A. The orientation of the ramp 188 can be parallel to the central axis A. Alternatively, the orientation of the ramp 188 can be expressed as perpendicular to the bottom surface 314 of the lower ramp module 104. In some examples, the orientation of the ramp 188 may be at an angle greater than 0 degrees with respect to the central axis A, for example, about ±60 degrees with respect to the central axis A, for example, about ±45 degrees with respect to the central axis A, for example, about ±20 degrees with respect to the central axis A. In one example, the orientation of the ramp 188 is 0 degrees with respect to the central axis A. In other examples, each ramp 188 in each first zone is at a first angle, which is different from the second angle of each ramp 188 in each second zone.

[0062] Figure 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an upper heater 158 and a lower heater 152 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The lower heater 152 is coupled to a flange 160. The upper heater 158 is positioned on the flange 160. The lower heater 152 is spaced apart from the lower liner 154 and the base ring 114 by the flange 160. In one example, the lower heater 152 is not in contact with one or more of the lower liner 154 and the base ring 114. Thus, the lower heater 152 heats the space between the lower liner 154 and the base ring 114, and in particular heats the base ring 114. This arrangement is advantageous because the lower heater 152 can be replaced and repaired independently of the lower liner 154 and the base ring 114.

[0063] The lower heater 152 may include one or more heating elements. In one example, the heating element is a resistive heating element 402. Other types of heaters are also possible. The lower heater 152 prevents the walls from becoming a heat sink during processing and reduces heat loss to the walls of the epitaxial chamber 100. In particular, the lower heater 152 is configured to compensate for heat loss from the internal space 110 to the base ring 114. By compensating for the heat lost in the base ring 114, the temperature of the internal space 110 can be more easily maintained at the desired temperature.

[0064] The lower heater 152 includes a substrate passage opening 404 positioned through the resistive heating element 402. The substrate passage opening 404 is configured to align with the substrate transfer passage 162. The substrate passage opening 404 is sized to allow substrates such as the substrate 150 shown in Figure 1 to pass through. The width W8 of the substrate passage opening 404 is approximately 305 mm to 350 mm, for example, approximately 305 mm to 315 mm (Figure 4B).

[0065] In one example, the resistive heating element 402 is ring-shaped. Within the ring shape, the resistive heating element 402 is arranged in a meandering configuration, thereby including multiple turns and bends. The resistive heating element 402 includes vertical portions 411 arranged parallel to each other and horizontal portions 412 arranged parallel to each other. The vertical portions 411 have a height of 491. One end of each vertical portion 411 is connected to an adjacent vertical portion 411 by one of the horizontal portions 412, and the other opposite end of the vertical portion 411 is connected to an adjacent vertical portion 411 by another of the horizontal portions 412. Current from a power source (not shown) flows through the coil of the resistive heating element 402, i.e., the meandering resistive heating element, resistively heating the resistive heating element 402.

[0066] In one example, the resistive heating element 402 is made of a carbon-based material, thereby providing a resistivity of approximately 500 μΩ·cm to approximately 1500 μΩ·cm for the coil material, for example, approximately 750 μΩ·cm to approximately 1250 μΩ·cm. In some embodiments, the resistive heating element 402 is formed of a graphite material. Other materials for forming the resistive heating element 402 include paralytic graphite and silicon carbide. Paralytic graphite and silicon carbide may include alternative resistivity ranges. A gap 408 is formed between each of the adjacent vertical portions 411. The gap 408 allows for thermal expansion of the resistive heating element 402 and may also allow purge gas or other gases to pass through it. The gap 408 may be larger along the side of the resistive heating element 402 facing the substrate passage opening 404 to allow exhaust gases, such as exhaust gases, to pass through. Alternatively, an opening or gap in the resistive heating element 402 is positioned near the lower chamber exhaust passage 164. The exhaust gas will then pass through the gap 408 towards the lower chamber exhaust passage 164 (Figure 1).

[0067] The resistive heating element 402 has a curved or hollow cylindrical shape and is positioned between the lower liner 154 and the inner wall 404 of the base ring 114. The resistive heating element 402 forms at least a partial ring. In some examples, the resistive heating element 402 completely or partially encloses the internal space 110 and the lower liner 154. Each coil 406 of the resistive heating element 402 includes two vertical sections 411 joined by a horizontal section 412 at the first distal end of each vertical section 411, and half of a horizontal section 412 joined at the opposite distal end of each vertical section 411. Multiple coils 406 are arranged within the resistive heating element 402.

[0068] The upper heater 158 is positioned between the inner surface of the injection ring 116 and the outer surface of the upper liner 156. In one example, the upper heater 158 is positioned at a distance from the upper liner 156 while being in contact with the injection ring 116. In another example, the upper heater 158 is positioned at a distance from both the upper liner 156 and the injection ring 116. The upper heater 158 may be formed from a resistive heating element 402 similar to that of the lower heater 152. For example, the upper heater 158 is positioned in a meandering arrangement. The upper heater 158 includes vertical portions having a height of 492. The vertical portions are positioned parallel to each other. In one example, all vertical portions have the same height of 492. The upper heater 158 further includes horizontal portions having a width of 426. The upper heater 158 further includes horizontal portions positioned parallel to each other. In one example, all horizontal portions have the same width of 426. However, it should be understood that the widths of the horizontal sections 462 do not all have to be the same. Each of the vertical sections has one end connected to an adjacent vertical section by one of the horizontal sections, and the other end opposite to the vertical section is connected to an adjacent vertical section by another of the horizontal sections, forming a meandering arrangement of heating elements 402.

[0069] In one example, the height 491 of the vertical portion 411 of the lower heater 152 is greater than the height 492 of the upper heater 158. However, it should be understood that the respective heights 491 and 492 of the lower heater 152 and the upper heater 158 are determined by the chamber components.

[0070] Figure 4B is a schematic isometric cross-sectional view of the heaters 152 and 158 shown in Figure 4A. It shows the upper heater 158 and lower heater 152 partially assembled together with the base ring 114 and injection ring 116. In this partial assembly, the upper liner 156 or lower liner 154 is not shown. The curvature of the upper heater 158 and lower heater 152 forms an opening 410 located within the internal space 110 of the epitaxial chamber 100. A flange 160 is connected to the upper end of the lower heater 152 and extends radially outward from the lower heater 152. The flange 160 may be configured to connect to or fit into a groove or recess in the base body 114 of the injection ring 116. In some embodiments, the flange 160 may extend between the base body 114 and the injection ring 116. The flange 160 has a flat ring shape.

[0071] The resistive heating element 402 of the lower heater 152 is electrically connected to a first electrical connection 406a (shown in Figure 4A) and a second electrical connection 452. The first electrical connection 406a and the second electrical connection 452 are configured to be connected to a power source. The first electrical connection 406a and the second electrical connection 406b supply power to the resistive heating element 402 of the lower heater 152, thereby allowing the temperature of the lower heater 152 to be controlled. Similarly, the resistive heating element 402 of the upper heater 158 is electrically connected to a first electrical connection 451A and a second electrical connection 451B. The first electrical connection 451A and the second electrical connection 451B are configured to be connected to a power source. The first electrical connection 451A and the second electrical connection 451B supply power to the resistive heating element 402 of the upper heater 158, thereby allowing the temperature of the upper heater 158 to be controlled.

[0072] Figure 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a downward heater 152 according to a second embodiment 500 of the present disclosure. Figure 5B is a schematic isometric view showing an additional example of the downward heater 152 of Figure 5A. The heating element of the downward heater 152 can be formed by a tube 510. In one example, the tube 510 is a lamp, i.e., a light bulb, molded into a tube to control the ambient temperature. The tube 510 can be made from quartz or other high-temperature resistant transparent material. A filament, such as tungsten, is placed inside the tube 510. The filament heats up and generates radiant heating in a similar manner to lamps used in upper and lower lamp modules. The downward heater 152 may be one or more curved lamps that radiate heat to the chamber wall and / or chamber liner. In another example, the tube 510 has a temperature-controlled fluid flowing inside the tube 510 to control the ambient temperature.

[0073] The tube 510 of the down heater 152 may have a first connection 551 and a second connection 552. The first connection 551 and the second connection 552 may be electrical and can supply power to the tube to control the temperature of the down heater 152. For example, the power supplied to the first connection 551 and the second connection 552 can heat a tungsten filament in the tube 510. In one example, the down heater 152 is a single continuous quartz tube 550 having a tungsten filament. It should be understood that other methods may be available for the down heater 152 to radiate heat. For example, the down heater 152 may be a carbon-based resistance coil or a fluid.

[0074] In other examples, the lower heater 152 may be formed from more than one heating element, i.e., tubes 510, as shown in Figure 5B. The lower heating element 152 may be formed from multiple tubes, or it may be formed such that there are more than one first connection 551 and more than one second connection 552. For example, the first connection 551 and the second connection 552 of the first tube 550 may be different from the third and fourth connections of the second tube. In such examples, each tube 550 of the lower heater 152 can be controlled individually and independently.

[0075] In yet another example, the down heater 152 may be formed from three or more separate tubes 510. The down heater 152 may include a first tube 570 having a first inlet connector 571 and a first outlet connector 572, a second tube 580 having a second inlet connector 581 and a second outlet connector 582, and a third tube 590 having a third inlet connector 591 and a third outlet connector 592. The power flow through each of the first tube 570, the second tube 580, and the third tube 590 can be controlled individually, which is advantageous as it allows for better control of local temperatures along various regions of the injection ring 116 for better process control and uniformity.

[0076] In the above example, tube 510 may have a crossover 542 or a twist, ensuring that the temperature output of tube 510 remains constant as the temperature of the fluid flowing inside tube 510, while eliminating the effects of thermal expansion of tube 510. For example, as shown in the second tube 580, the filament enters the first upper section 521 through the second inlet 581, passes through the 90-degree bend 524, and then returns along the second lower section 522. The filament positioned along the second lower section 522 inside tube 510 enters the crossover 542 and then enters the third upper section 553, and the filament returns along the fourth lower section 554 by the 90-degree bend 525, connecting to the second outlet connector 582 of the second tube 580. The meandering path of the second tube 580 compensates for thermal expansion to prevent coupling or breakage of tube 510, while distributing heat more evenly and allowing for easy installation of the lower heater 152. In some locations, as shown by the third tube 590 positioned around the slot for substrate transfer, the heating of tube 510 has only the upper portion 501 and the lower portion 502 connected by a 90-degree bend 503. However, if the thermal expansion of tube 510 is negligible, for example, if the size of tube 510 is small relative to its location, it should be understood that for simplification, tube 510 without the crossover 542 can be used as a whole.

[0077] Advantageously, the downward heater 152, which is composed of tubes 510, can be easily incorporated into the heating device of the epitaxial chamber 100.

[0078] Figures 6A and 6B show two examples of optical filters 600 for the pyrometer passages 138 / 192. The optical filters 600 can be used within the upper dome 102 or the lower dome 104 to cover each pyrometer passage 138 / 192. The optical filters 600 apply and select infrared frequencies from the lamp 130 to the filter to improve the pyrometer readings.

[0079] An IR pyrometer is used to measure the temperature of a substrate inside an epitaxy chamber 100. Typically, a single wavelength (or "color") is selected, and the pyrometer monitors the IR radiation from the substrate, converting it to temperature using Planck's law (along with knowledge of the target's optical properties). The wavelength to be monitored is selected so that it is not blocked by the upper window 122 or the lower window 120. For example, in the case of a quartz window (120, 122), wavelengths greater than 4 μm are filtered out, and therefore the wavelengths detected by the pyrometer are below this 4 μm limit. Lower wavelengths provide higher resolution in terms of detecting the IR signal, but lower wavelengths also mean a weaker signal-to-noise ratio. Another complexity in temperature measurement inside an epitaxy chamber (temperature ~1200°C) is that the signal received by the IR detector is a complex signal from both the target of interest and the radiation from the heating filament (in the lamp heating system). Accordingly, an optical filter 600 is disclosed in the form of a quartz sleeve or plate containing an appropriate OH content that filters out a peak at a specific wavelength (e.g., 2.7 μm) from the spectrum. The selected wavelength can be used for detection by a pyrometer, minimizing noise from radiation from the lamp 130. In an alternative embodiment, a quartz material with an adjusted OH content (e.g., low OH, low Fe impurity quartz with a thickness of ~5 mm to completely block unwanted light emission) could be used as the material for the lamp filter 600. In one example, quartz with a low OH content is used to filter out 2.7 μm in order to enable good IR detection of heat in the chamber.

[0080] The pyrometer passage 138 has an opening 626, a side wall 628, and an upper wall 638. The upper wall 638 is conical in shape and may have an opening 630 in the center. The opening 630 is configured so that the pyrometer 130 extends through the upper wall 638 into the pyrometer passage 138.

[0081] In one example, the optical filter 600 has a cup-shaped lens and is coupled to the upper wall 638 of the pyrometer passage 138. The optical filter 600 can be screwed into the upper wall 638. Alternatively, the optical filter 600 may have a projection (tang) that is fixed to an opening formed in the upper wall 638. However, it should be understood that any method of mounting the optical filter 600 to the upper wall 638 is suitable, as long as the optical filter 600 is capable of selectively removing unwanted IR wavelengths.

[0082] In other examples, the optical filter 600 has a flat shape and is coupled to the side wall 628 of the pyrometer passage 138. The optical filter 600 can be fixed to the side wall 628. Alternatively, the optical filter 600 may have a projection that engages with a feature extending from the side wall 628, for example, by a quarter turn. However, it should be understood that any suitable technique for coupling the optical filter 600 to the side wall 628 is available.

[0083] Advantageously, the optical filter 600 allows for more accurate detection of the temperature inside the epitaxial chamber 100 by filtering the lamp radiation to improve the signal-to-noise ratio during temperature monitoring. The optical filter 600 reduces interference from irrelevant wavelengths for good IR detection of the temperature inside the epitaxial chamber 100. The various temperature control elements 199 disclosed earlier allow for isolation of temperature control from surrounding chamber components, thereby enabling faster and more reliable temperature control. Thus, the temperature control elements 199 provide an improved method for managing and maintaining the temperature profile of the substrate in concentrically divided zones, resulting in improved film quality, increased throughput, and reduced maintenance and cleaning burden.

[0084] The components described herein enable better uniformity and deposition control within a processing chamber, such as the epitaxial chamber 100. Although shown together within a single epitaxial chamber 100 in this specification, the components described herein can be used separately in existing or alternative deposition processing chambers.

[0085] While the foregoing description applies to embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments and further embodiments of the present disclosure can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An epitaxial chamber, Chamber body assembly and The lower window and The upper window and, Equipped with, The chamber body assembly is The lower window and the upper window surround the interior space. The epitaxial chamber further, A susceptor assembly disposed within the aforementioned internal space, Multiple temperature control elements, Equipped with, The plurality of temperature control elements include an upward lamp module, and the upward lamp module is Upper module body including top and bottom surfaces, central axis, Multiple lamp openings arranged from the bottom surface toward the top surface The plurality of lamp openings include, Lamp base support part, and The bulb opening in the bottom surface, wherein the axis of each lamp opening is defined by the center line passing through the lamp base support portion and the bulb opening of each lamp opening, and is positioned at an angle to the central axis, where the first angle of the first axis of the first lamp opening with respect to the central axis is not equal to the second angle of the second axis of the second lamp opening with respect to the central axis, and each lamp opening is configured to orient the bulb at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 45 degrees with respect to the central axis. An epitaxial chamber comprising a plurality of lamp openings arranged within a zone, each zone including a lamp opening, wherein each lamp opening in a second zone further from the central axis is positioned at a larger angle than each lamp opening in a first zone closer to the central axis.

2. An upper liner positioned inside the aforementioned internal space and near the injection ring, A lower liner positioned inside the aforementioned internal space and near the base ring, The epitaxial chamber according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 2, further comprising a lower heater disposed between the lower liner and the base ring, wherein the plurality of temperature control elements further include a lower heater.

4. The plurality of temperature control elements further include a downward lamp module, and the downward lamp module is Lower module body including top and bottom surfaces, central axis, Multiple lamp openings arranged from the bottom surface toward the top surface The plurality of lamp openings include, Lamp base support part, and The bulb opening in the bottom surface, wherein each lamp opening is configured to orient the bulb at an angle between an angle greater than 0 degrees with respect to the central axis and 45 degrees from the central axis. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 1, comprising

5. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lamp openings are arranged in three different zones, each zone containing 5 to 10 lamp openings.

6. A heating gas passage is arranged within the aforementioned upper lamp module, A dome heater connected to the aforementioned heating gas passage and configured to supply hot air into a plenum defined between the upper lamp module and the upper window, The epitaxial chamber according to claim 1, further comprising:

7. The chamber body assembly is Base ring and, An injection ring is placed on the base ring, An upper heater is positioned between the inner surface of the injection ring and the outer surface of the upper liner, A lower heater is positioned between the lower liner and the base ring, The epitaxial chamber according to claim 6, further comprising:

8. A ramp module for an epitaxial processing chamber, The module body includes the top and bottom surfaces, The central axis and, Multiple lamp openings are arranged from the bottom surface toward the top surface, The plurality of lamp openings include, A light bulb opening, wherein each lamp opening is configured to orient the light bulb at an angle greater than 0 degrees and 45 degrees or less from the central axis. A lamp module for an epitaxial processing chamber, comprising a plurality of lamp openings arranged in different zones, each zone comprising a lamp opening, wherein each bulb in each first zone is oriented at a first angle with respect to the central axis, and each lamp in each second zone further from the central axis than the first zone is oriented at a second angle, the first angle being not equal to the second angle, and each lamp opening in the second zone further from the central axis being oriented at a larger angle than each lamp opening in the first zone closer to the central axis.

9. The lamp module according to claim 8, wherein the reflective inner wall of the lamp opening includes a reflective coating having high reflectivity for infrared wavelengths.

10. The lamp module according to claim 8, wherein the bottom surface is curved and each light bulb is oriented perpendicular to the bottom surface.

11. The upper lamp module, A heating gas passage extends from the top surface to the bottom surface, penetrating the upper lamp module, A thermometer passage is included, and the thermometer passage is bottom opening, Side walls, and Upper wall having a second opening The lamp module according to claim 9, including the lamp module according to claim 9.

12. The lamp module according to claim 11, further comprising an optical filter.

13. The lamp module according to claim 12, wherein an optical filter is coupled to the upper wall.

14. An epitaxial chamber, A chamber body assembly having a ring shape, A lower window is positioned below the chamber body assembly and coupled to the chamber body assembly, An upper window positioned above the chamber body assembly and coupled to the chamber body assembly, Equipped with, The chamber body assembly is The lower window and the upper window surround the interior space. The epitaxial chamber further, A susceptor assembly disposed within the aforementioned internal space, Multiple temperature control elements, The plurality of temperature control elements include an upper lamp module, and the upper lamp module is Module body including top and bottom central axis, A high-temperature instrument passage with an optical filter, and Multiple lamp openings are arranged from the bottom surface toward the top surface and are located within three different thermal zones. The plurality of lamp openings include, Lamp base support part, and The bulb openings in the base surface are defined by the axis of each lamp opening, which is defined by the center line passing through the lamp base support portion and the bulb opening of each lamp opening, and are positioned at an angle to the central axis, where the first angle of the first axis of the first lamp opening with respect to the central axis is not equal to the second angle of the second axis of the second lamp opening with respect to the central axis, and each lamp opening is configured to orient the bulb at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 45 degrees from the central axis, and the plurality of lamp openings are arranged in a zone, where each zone includes a lamp opening, and each lamp opening in the second zone, which is further from the central axis, is positioned at a larger angle than each lamp opening in the first zone, which is closer to the central axis, and the bulb openings are positioned at a larger angle. Includes, The epitaxial chamber further, An upper liner positioned inside the aforementioned internal space and near the injection ring, A lower liner positioned inside the aforementioned internal space and near the base ring, A downward lamp module having two different thermal zones, Upward heater and, A lower heater is disposed between the lower liner and the base ring, Dome heater and, A heating gas passage is arranged to penetrate the aforementioned upper lamp module, An epitaxial chamber equipped with [a specific feature].

15. A plenum formed between the upper lamp module and the upper window, wherein the plenum is fluidly coupled to the heating gas passage, and the dome heater supplies hot air into the plenum via the heating gas passage. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 14, further comprising:

16. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 14, wherein the optical filter is coupled to the upper wall of the pyrometer passage, and the optical filter is configured to filter out noise of wavelengths irrelevant to the pyrometer.

17. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 14, wherein the bottom surface is curved and each light bulb is oriented perpendicular to the bottom surface.

18. The epitaxial chamber according to claim 14, wherein each light bulb in each first zone is oriented at a first angle, and each lamp in each second zone is oriented at a second angle, the first angle being not equal to the second angle.

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