Substrate processing apparatus, operation method thereof, and substrate processing system

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus for performing temperature control on a semiconductor substrate, according to one embodiment disclosed herein, comprises: a support chuck provided to perform temperature control while supporting the semiconductor substrate; a support having one side accommodated in a groove formed in the support chuck; a plurality of light absorption parts provided on one surface of the support chuck; a plurality of lasers which irradiate the plurality of light absorption parts with laser beams, and each include a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned; and a temperature measurement part provided to measure the temperature of the support chuck, wherein the substrate processing apparatus can check the real-time temperature of the support chuck by using the temperature measurement part, perform a first operation of determining the intensity of laser beams and emitting the laser beams by using the plurality of lasers on the basis of a target temperature, and terminate the emission of the laser beams if it is confirmed using the temperature measurement part that the support chuck has reached the target temperature.

Description

Substrate processing device, method of operation thereof, and substrate processing system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a method of operating the same, and more specifically, to a substrate processing apparatus and a method of operating the same that performs temperature control for a semiconductor substrate.

[0002] The present invention was derived from research conducted as part of the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Core Technology Development for Advanced Semiconductor Packaging (Project No.: 2710018701, Sub-project No.: RS-2024-00431837, Research Project Name: Development of Core Technology for High-Performance Semiconductor High-Efficiency Micropitch Microbump Bonding Process Equipment, Lead Institution: National Research Foundation of Korea, Research Period: 2024.05.01~2025.01.31).

[0003] Semiconductor integrated circuits are generally very small and thin silicon chips composed of various electronic components, and the production of a single semiconductor chip involves various manufacturing processes, including photolithography, etching, deposition, reflow, and packaging. Some semiconductor manufacturing processes require a heating process for the substrate, and this is typically achieved by heating the chuck that supports the semiconductor substrate.

[0004] In conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes, chuck heating methods utilizing pipes through which fluid flows or heat sources embedded within the chuck have been used. The method using pipes through which fluid flows embedded within the chuck allows the temperature of the chuck to be raised by controlling the flow rate or temperature of the fluid flowing through the pipes. Meanwhile, the method using heat sources embedded within the chuck allows the temperature of the chuck to be raised by supplying power to the heat source. However, these methods have the disadvantage that it takes a relatively long time to reach the target temperature required to perform the semiconductor process, and power consumption is also high.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus for performing temperature control on a semiconductor substrate and a method of operating the same.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus that performs a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser, and a method of operating the same.

[0007] The present disclosure aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a method of operation thereof that promote a stepwise temperature increase through laser output control.

[0008] The problems that this disclosure aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below.

[0009] A substrate processing apparatus for performing temperature control on a semiconductor substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a support chuck provided to perform temperature control while supporting the semiconductor substrate; a support member having one side received in a groove formed in the support chuck; a plurality of light-absorbing members provided on one surface of the support chuck; a plurality of lasers each comprising a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned, which irradiate the lasers onto the plurality of light-absorbing members; and a temperature measuring unit provided to measure the temperature of the support chuck. The substrate processing apparatus checks the real-time temperature of the support chuck using the temperature measuring unit, determines the intensity of the lasers using the plurality of lasers based on the target temperature, and performs a first operation of irradiating the lasers, and when it is confirmed using the temperature measuring unit that the support chuck has reached the target temperature, the irradiation of the lasers can be terminated.

[0010] The substrate processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can perform a second operation of determining whether the real-time temperature of the support chuck is within the error range of the target temperature during the performance of the first operation, and if it is confirmed that the real-time temperature is within the error range of the target temperature, determining the output VCSEL element and the output standby VCSEL element among the VCSEL array to form an output array and irradiating a laser.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate processing device may be able to change at least one of the output array and the intensity of the laser based on the real-time temperature and the target temperature confirmed using the temperature measuring unit during the performance of the second operation.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate processing apparatus may change at least one of the output array and the intensity of the laser based on the temperature rise rate of the support chuck so that the real-time temperature reaches the target temperature in the shortest possible time during the performance of the second operation.

[0013] The substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can control the formation and modification of the output array so that the sum of the distances between the output VCSEL elements is maximized.

[0014] In a method of operation of a substrate processing apparatus for performing temperature control of a semiconductor substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of operation may include: a step of checking the real-time temperature of a support chuck using a temperature measuring unit; a step of performing a first operation of irradiating a laser by determining the intensity of the laser using a plurality of lasers each comprising a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned based on a target temperature; and a step of terminating the irradiation of the laser when it is confirmed using the temperature measuring unit that the support chuck has reached the target temperature.

[0015] The operation method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include the step of checking whether the real-time temperature of the support chuck is within the error range of the target temperature during the performance of the first operation, and if it is confirmed that the real-time temperature is within the error range of the target temperature, determining the output VCSEL element and the output standby VCSEL element among the VCSEL array to form an output array and irradiating a laser.

[0016] In the step of performing the second operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one of the output array and the intensity of the laser may be changed based on the real-time temperature and the target temperature confirmed using the temperature measuring unit.

[0017] A substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate processing device for performing temperature control on a semiconductor substrate and an electronic device for controlling the substrate processing device. The substrate processing device includes a support chuck provided to perform temperature control while supporting the semiconductor substrate, a support member having one side received in a groove formed in the support chuck, a plurality of light-absorbing parts provided on one surface of the support chuck, a plurality of lasers each comprising a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned to irradiate the plurality of light-absorbing parts, and a temperature measuring part provided to measure the temperature of the support chuck. The electronic device includes a transceiver, a memory for storing instructions, and a processor. The processor connected to the transceiver and the memory can control the substrate processing device to check the real-time temperature of the support chuck using the temperature measuring part, determine the intensity of the laser using the plurality of lasers based on the target temperature, perform a first operation of irradiating the laser, and terminate the irradiation of the laser when it is confirmed using the temperature measuring part that the support chuck has reached the target temperature.

[0018] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, by performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser, a target temperature for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process can be reached within a relatively short time, and power consumption can also be reduced.

[0019] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, by promoting a stepwise temperature rise through laser output control, unnecessary power consumption during the semiconductor manufacturing process can be prevented and a stable temperature gradient for the semiconductor substrate can be achieved.

[0020] The effects according to the present disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of a substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a VCSEL array according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a first form of a VCSEL array according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a second form of a VCSEL array according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the contents described in the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited or restricted by exemplary embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) shall be used in a meaning that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs, but this may vary depending on the intent of those skilled in the art, case law, the emergence of new technology, etc.

[0032] Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise. In certain cases, terms have been selected at the applicant's discretion, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant explanatory sections. Accordingly, terms used in this disclosure should be defined not merely by their names, but based on their meanings and the content throughout this disclosure.

[0033] Throughout this specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, the singular form used in this specification includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise. Additionally, the expression "at least one of a, b, and / or c" as used throughout this specification may encompass 'a alone', 'b alone', 'c alone', 'a and b', 'a and c', 'b and c', or 'a, b, and c all'.

[0034] Meanwhile, terms such as "first and / or second" used in this specification may be used to describe various components, but they are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another and are not intended to limit the scope to the components referred to by such terms. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and the second component may also be named the first component.

[0035] Additionally, terms such as “…part,” “…module,” etc., as described in this specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. Furthermore, embodiments of this disclosure may be represented in this specification by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various numbers of hardware and / or software configurations that execute specific functions. For example, embodiments of this disclosure may employ integrated circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc., which can execute various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.

[0036] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments, technical details that are well known in the art to which the present invention pertains and are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to ensure that the essence of the present invention is conveyed more clearly without obscuring it by omitting unnecessary explanations. For the same reason, some components in the accompanying drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted. Furthermore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect its actual size. Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals may refer to the same or corresponding components.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, a substrate processing system (10) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate processing device (110) and an electronic device (120).

[0039] A substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be included in semiconductor process equipment for performing a semiconductor process on a substrate disposed on the substrate processing device (110). In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate that may be disposed on the substrate processing device (110) may be at least one of a semiconductor wafer, a mask, a glass substrate, and a liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate processing device (110) may be a device for performing temperature control on a substrate during a semiconductor chip manufacturing process for producing a semiconductor chip, and more specifically, may be a device for performing a heating process that requires a temperature increase on the substrate. For example, the substrate processing device (110) may be a device for performing a heating process on a substrate in at least one process among a reflow process, a plasma process, a package process, an etching process, a deposition process, a photo process, and a heat treatment process for producing a semiconductor chip. The substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a laser facility for performing a heating process.

[0041] An electronic device (120) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can control the operation of a substrate processing device (110) based on semiconductor process recipe information. In some embodiments, the semiconductor process recipe information may be stored in a memory included in the electronic device (120), and the semiconductor process recipe information may include information related to a semiconductor process performed in the substrate processing device (110). Specifically, the semiconductor process recipe information may include at least some of the following: semiconductor process procedure information performed in the substrate processing device (110), specification information for components included in the substrate processing device (110) (e.g., thermal conductivity information of a support chuck, heating capacity information of a heating coil, output wavelength range information of a laser, light absorption rate information of a light absorbing part, etc.), and temperature information for a heating process. The electronic device (120) monitors the operating state of the substrate processing device (110), processes necessary information in response to the operating state of the substrate processing device (110) and semiconductor process recipe information, and can control at least one configuration included in the substrate processing device (110) for temperature control of the substrate processing device (110).

[0042] Meanwhile, in FIG. 1, the substrate processing device (110) and the electronic device (120) are shown as separate components, but this is merely an example of an embodiment according to the present disclosure and does not limit the form of the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure. Specifically, the substrate processing device (110) and the electronic device (120) may be electrically connected or wirelessly connected as shown in FIG. 1. When the substrate processing device (110) and the electronic device (120) are wirelessly connected, each of the substrate processing device (110) and the electronic device (120) may include a communication module for communication. Alternatively, the electronic device (120) may be implemented by being included in the substrate processing device (110).

[0043] The substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can perform a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser facility. Specifically, the substrate processing system (10) can perform the heating process using a VCSEL array structure in which VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, or Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) elements are aligned. Additionally, the substrate processing system (10) can perform the heating process by determining some of the output VCSEL elements of the VCSEL array. Through this, the substrate processing system (10) can reach a target temperature for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process within a relatively short time and can also reduce power consumption. Meanwhile, the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can prevent unnecessary power consumption during the semiconductor manufacturing process and promote a stable temperature gradient on the semiconductor substrate by promoting a stepwise temperature increase through output control of the laser facility. The specific configuration, structure, and operation method of the substrate processing system (10) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained in detail through FIGS. 2 to 10, which will be described later.

[0044] Meanwhile, in FIG. 1, the substrate processing system (10) is shown to include one substrate processing device (110) and an electronic device (120), but this is merely an example of an embodiment according to the present disclosure and does not limit the form of the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure. Specifically, in some embodiments, the substrate processing system (10) may include a plurality of substrate processing devices (110) and at least one electronic device (120). When the substrate processing system (10) includes a plurality of substrate processing devices (110) and one electronic device (120), the plurality of substrate processing devices (110) may be controlled by one electronic device (120), and when the substrate processing system (10) includes a plurality of substrate processing devices (110) and a plurality of electronic devices (120), each of the plurality of substrate processing devices (110) may be controlled by an electronic device (120) corresponding to each of the plurality of substrate processing devices (110).

[0045] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the concept of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of the above-described embodiment may be applied to the present embodiment in the same or similar manner.

[0046] A substrate processing device (200) that performs temperature control for a semiconductor substrate shown in FIG. 2 may correspond to the substrate processing device (110) shown in FIG. 1 described above. Referring to FIG. 2, a substrate processing device (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a support chuck (210), a support (220), a plurality of lasers (230), and a plurality of light absorption parts (240).

[0047] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the support chuck (210) can support a semiconductor substrate that is subject to a semiconductor process by a substrate processing device (200). The support chuck (210) can be positioned apart from a plurality of lasers (230) by means of a support member (220), and one side of the support member (220) can be accommodated or inserted into a groove or recess formed in the center of the support chuck (210). The semiconductor substrate can be placed on a first surface, which is the upper surface of the support chuck (210), and when a semiconductor substrate supplied from the outside is placed on the first surface of the support chuck (210), the substrate processing device (200) can perform a heating process procedure for the semiconductor substrate. In some embodiments, the support (220) can perform up-and-down movement by control of an electronic device (120, see FIG. 1), and the position of the support chuck (210) can change according to the up-and-down movement of the support (220).

[0048] Meanwhile, in an embodiment, a plurality of light-absorbing portions (240) may be disposed on a second surface of the support chuck (210) that forms an opposite side and is parallel to the first surface of the support chuck (210) on which the semiconductor substrate is placed. Alternatively, the plurality of light-absorbing portions (240) may be received or inserted into each of the plurality of grooves or recesses formed in the support chuck (210). In this case, one surface of each of the plurality of light-absorbing portions (240) may be disposed to form a substantially flat plane with one surface of the support chuck (210), and the plane formed by one surface of the support chuck (210) and one surface of each of the plurality of light-absorbing portions (240) may be referred to as the second surface of the support chuck (210), and the second surface of the support chuck (210) may be parallel to the first surface on which the semiconductor substrate is placed.

[0049] Each of the plurality of light absorption units (240) can absorb laser light energy irradiated from at least one of the plurality of lasers (230), and the substrate processing device (200) can operate in a heating mode for raising to a target temperature and maintaining the target temperature based on the laser light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption units (240). In the embodiment, the target temperature may refer to the temperature required to perform a semiconductor manufacturing process on a semiconductor substrate. In the embodiment, the light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption units (240) can be transferred from the second surface of the support chuck (210) on which the plurality of light absorption units (240) are arranged to the first surface of the support chuck (210) that supports the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate on the support chuck (210) can be heated based on the laser light energy transferred to the first surface.

[0050] In an embodiment, at least some of the plurality of lasers (230) may be operated by the control of an electronic device (120). For example, the electronic device (120) may control the substrate processing device (200) so that at least some of the plurality of lasers (230) irradiate laser light onto at least some of the plurality of light-absorbing parts (240).

[0051] Meanwhile, although not illustrated, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of lasers (230) may be disposed on a plate arranged parallel to the support chuck (210), or may be received or inserted into each of a plurality of grooves or a plurality of recesses formed in the plate. The light irradiation portion of each of the plurality of lasers (230) may be arranged to form a plane with one surface of the plate, and the plane formed by the light irradiation portion and one surface of the plate may be parallel to a second surface of the support chuck (210) on which a plurality of light absorption portions (240) are disposed.

[0052] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of lasers included in the substrate processing device (200) can be determined according to the characteristics of the semiconductor manufacturing process performed in the substrate processing device (200) and the specifications of the lasers.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the plurality of lasers (230) may include a VCSEL array (250). The VCSEL array may be an array having a structure in which a plurality of VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser or Vertical Resonant Surface Emitting Laser) elements (251) are aligned. Each of the plurality of lasers (230) may irradiate a laser (or laser light) based on the VCSEL array (250) onto a plurality of light-absorbing parts (240).

[0054] The VCSEL device (251) may be a semiconductor laser device that emits light in a vertical direction. The VCSEL device (251) has a structure that emits light perpendicularly to the surface of a substrate, is easy to implement in a miniaturized and large-scale array form, and can have low power consumption and high-speed operation characteristics. The basic structure of the VCSEL device (251) may consist of a laser resonator where an active layer is located and high-reflectivity Distributed Bragg Reflectors (DBR) placed at the top and bottom. This structure causes multiple reflections of light within the resonator, allowing only light of a specific wavelength to be emitted in the vertical direction of the device.

[0055] The VCSEL element (251) can operate with a relatively low driving current and can be implemented as a multi-element array, allowing for the parallel processing of large amounts of data or the simultaneous emission of multiple laser beams. The VCSEL array (250) is configured by arranging multiple VCSEL elements (251) and can simultaneously emit multiple laser beams, thereby enabling the implementation of a high-output, high-efficiency laser system.

[0056] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a substrate processing device (200) may include a structure capable of individually controlling a plurality of VCSEL elements (251) included in a VCSEL array (250). Specifically, the VCSEL array (250) has a structure in which a plurality of VCSEL elements (251) are arranged, and each VCSEL element (251) may be designed to be driven independently. To this end, the substrate processing device (200) may include a circuit or control module capable of individually controlling the current driving circuit of each VCSEL element (251), thereby allowing the light emission characteristics (e.g., output, wavelength, pulse width) of each VCSEL element (251) to be adjusted.

[0057] For example, by independently applying current to each VCSEL element (251), only specific elements can be activated, or different light emission conditions can be set for each element. The control of individual VCSEL elements (251) provides the ability to dynamically change the density, pattern, or intensity of the laser beam, thereby providing a flexible system capable of responding to various substrate processing conditions.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate processing device (200) may include a temperature measuring unit (260). The temperature measuring unit (260) may be provided to measure the temperature of the support chuck (210). Specifically, the temperature measuring unit (260) may measure the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210), and when the substrate processing device (200) performs temperature control up to a target temperature based on the real-time temperature (or current temperature) of the support chuck (210), the temperature measuring unit (260) may measure the temperature of the support chuck (210) in real-time.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of a substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a VCSEL array according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] The flowchart of the operation method of FIG. 3 will be explained with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The description of the above-mentioned embodiment may be applied to the present embodiment in the same or similar manner. For example, the support chuck (410), support (420), laser (430), light absorption unit (440), and temperature measuring unit (450) of FIG. 4 may correspond to the support chuck (210), support (220), laser (230), light absorption unit (240), and temperature measuring unit (260) of FIG. 2.

[0061] The method of operation of the substrate processing device (400) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a temperature checking step in S310. Specifically, the temperature checking step may be a step in which the substrate processing device (400) checks the real-time temperature of the support chuck (410) using a temperature measuring unit (450).

[0062] The method of operation of the substrate processing device (400) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a step of performing a first operation in S320. Specifically, the step of performing the first operation may be a step of determining the intensity of a laser and irradiating a laser using a plurality of lasers (430) each comprising a VCSEL array (500) in which a plurality of VCSEL elements (510) are aligned based on a preset target temperature. Referring to FIG. 5, the VCSEL array (500) may include a plurality of VCSEL elements (510), and in this embodiment, all of the plurality of VCSEL elements (510) included in the VCSEL array (500) may be output VCSEL elements used for output. That is, once the laser intensity is determined, all of the plurality of VCSEL elements (510) included in the VCSEL array (500) may perform laser irradiation as output VCSEL elements.

[0063] The preset target temperature may vary depending on the type and characteristics of the semiconductor manufacturing process. The substrate processing device (400) can determine the intensity of the laser using a plurality of lasers (430) and irradiate a plurality of light absorption parts (440).

[0064] Regarding the laser intensity, the substrate processing device (400) may determine it based on the temperature rise rate of the support chuck (410) so that the target temperature can be reached in the shortest possible time. Alternatively, the substrate processing device (400) may determine the laser intensity to be a preset intensity and irradiate, and if it is confirmed that the laser intensity is within the error range of the target temperature, the laser intensity, etc., may be changed.

[0065] In the operation method of the substrate processing device (400) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, at S330, it is possible to check whether the support chuck (410) is at the target temperature. Specifically, the substrate processing device (400) may terminate the irradiation of the plurality of lasers (430) when it is confirmed that the support chuck (410) has reached the target temperature using the temperature measuring unit (450). At this time, the substrate processing device (400) may not terminate the irradiation of the plurality of lasers (430) immediately, but may terminate the irradiation of the plurality of lasers (430) after maintaining the target temperature for a predetermined time if it is required to maintain the target temperature for a predetermined time. When it is confirmed (or determined) using the temperature measuring unit (450) that the support chuck (410) has not reached the target temperature, the substrate processing device (400) may continuously perform S320, which involves irradiating the plurality of lasers (430) with a determined laser intensity.

[0066] As described above, the substrate processing device (400) can reach a target temperature for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process in a relatively short time and can also reduce power consumption.

[0067] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a first form of a VCSEL array according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a second form of a VCSEL array according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The explanation of the flowchart of FIG. 6 will be explained with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. The description of the above-described embodiment may be applied to the present embodiment in the same or similar manner.

[0068] In the method of operation of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, S610 and S620 may each be subject to the description of S310 and S320 of FIG. 3.

[0069] The operation method of the substrate processing device (200, 400) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can check whether the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) is within the error range of the target temperature at S630. For example, the substrate processing device (200, 400) can check whether the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) is within the error range of the target temperature by using the temperature measuring unit (260, 450) while performing the first operation according to S620. If the substrate processing device (200, 400) confirms by using the temperature measuring unit (260, 450) that the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) is not within the error range of the target temperature, the first operation according to S620 can be continuously performed. The substrate processing device (200, 400) can perform a second operation according to S640 when it is confirmed that the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) is within the error range of the target temperature using the temperature measuring unit (260, 450).

[0070] The operation method of the substrate processing device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a second operation at S640. For example, the substrate processing device (200, 400) may perform a second operation of determining output VCSEL elements (710, 810) and output standby VCSEL elements (720, 820) among the VCSEL arrays (700, 800) and forming an output array to irradiate a laser when it is confirmed that the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) is within the error range of the target temperature using the temperature measuring unit (260, 450). That is, the substrate processing device (200, 400) may determine output VCSEL elements (710, 810) and output standby VCSEL elements (720, 820) among the VCSEL arrays (700, 800) and form an output array to irradiate a laser within the error range.

[0071] A substrate processing device (200, 400) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change at least one of the output array and the laser intensity based on the real-time temperature and target temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) confirmed using a temperature measuring unit (260, 450) during the performance of a second operation. Specifically, the substrate processing device (200, 400) may perform fine adjustment of the resulting laser intensity by changing at least one of the output array and the laser intensity. Specifically, the substrate processing device (200, 400) may change at least one of the output array and the laser intensity based on the temperature rise rate of the support chuck (210, 410) so that the real-time temperature of the support chuck (210, 410) reaches the target temperature in the shortest possible time during the performance of a second operation.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8, the shape of the VCSEL array (700, 800) can be formed to correspond to the shape of the plurality of light-absorbing parts (240, 440). For example, as in FIG. 7, the VCSEL array (700) may be provided in the shape of a polygon (e.g., a square), and as in FIG. 8, the VCSEL array (800) may be provided in the shape of a circle.

[0073] A substrate processing device (200, 400) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can control the sum of the distances between output VCSEL elements (710, 810) to be maximized in the formation and modification of an output array. Specifically, the substrate processing device (200, 400) can control the sum of the distances between output VCSEL elements (710, 810) that irradiate a laser to each of a plurality of light-absorbing parts (240, 440) provided on a support chuck (210, 410) to heat the semiconductor substrate over the widest and most uniform range possible, so as to be maximized.

[0074] As described above, the substrate processing device (200, 400) can prevent unnecessary power consumption during the semiconductor manufacturing process and ensure a stable temperature gradient for the semiconductor substrate by controlling the output of the laser to achieve a stepwise temperature increase.

[0075] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] The electronic device (900) illustrated in FIG. 9 may correspond to the electronic device (120, see FIG. 1) described above in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 9, the electronic device (900) may include a temperature acquisition unit (910), a laser control unit (920), and a control unit (930). In FIG. 9, the temperature acquisition unit (910), the laser control unit (920), and the control unit (930) are depicted as physically separated components; however, this is merely for convenience of explanation and does not limit the configuration of the electronic device (900) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The temperature acquisition unit (910), the laser control unit (920), and the control unit (930) included in the electronic device (900) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may refer to logically separated components.

[0077] In an embodiment, the control unit (930) can perform a process for temperature control of a substrate processing device (110, see FIG. 1) based on a program (or algorithm) stored in the memory of the electronic device (900). Specifically, the control unit (930) can check whether the substrate processing device (110) is operating, check whether a semiconductor substrate is placed on the support chuck (210, see FIG. 2) of the substrate processing device (110), and perform a process for temperature control of the substrate processing device (110) based on semiconductor process recipe information stored in the memory of the electronic device (900). In performing the process for temperature control, the control unit (930) can control at least one of the temperature acquisition unit (910) and the laser control unit (920).

[0078] In an embodiment, the temperature acquisition unit (910) may acquire temperature information for at least one of the support chuck (210) and the semiconductor substrate disposed on the support chuck (210), and may provide the acquired temperature information to the control unit (930). In some embodiments, the substrate processing device (110) may include at least one temperature measuring unit (260, 450) for measuring the temperature of at least one of the support chuck (210) and the semiconductor substrate, and the temperature information measured by the at least one temperature measuring unit (260, 450) may be provided to the temperature acquisition unit (910).

[0079] In an embodiment, the laser control unit (920) can control the output of at least one of the plurality of lasers (230, 430). Specifically, the laser control unit (920) can control at least some of the output status, output wavelength, and output angle of each of the plurality of lasers (230, 430) based on semiconductor process recipe information.

[0080] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of the above-described embodiment may be applied to the present embodiment in the same or similar manner.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 10, an electronic device (1000) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a transceiver (1010), a processor (1020), and a memory (1030).

[0082] The electronic device (1000) is electrically connected to the substrate processing device through the transceiver (1010) and can perform various controls.

[0083] The processor (1020) may perform an operation performed by at least one device described through FIGS. 1 to 9 described above, or perform at least one method described through FIGS. 1 to 9. Additionally, the processor (1020) may execute a program to perform an operation performed by at least one device described through FIGS. 1 to 9 described above or at least one method described through FIGS. 1 to 9, and may process information to perform an operation performed by at least one device described through FIGS. 1 to 9 described above or at least one method described through FIGS. 1 to 9, and control a substrate processing device (110, see FIG. 1) based on the processed information.

[0084] The memory (1030) may be volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Additionally, the memory (1030) may store the code of a program executed by the processor (1020).

[0085] Meanwhile, the embodiments disclosed in this specification may be implemented in the form of a recording medium that stores instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program code and, when executed by a processor, may generate a program module to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium may include all types of recording media that store instructions decipherable by a computer. Examples include ROM, RAM, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage devices, etc.

[0086] The above descriptions are specific embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure. The present disclosure will include not only the embodiments described above, but also embodiments that can be simply modified or easily modified. Furthermore, the present disclosure will include technologies that can be easily modified and implemented using the embodiments described above. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the embodiments described above, but should be defined by the claims set forth below as well as equivalents to the claims of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus that performs temperature control for a semiconductor substrate, A support chuck provided to support the above semiconductor substrate and perform temperature control; A support member having one side received in a groove formed in the support chuck; A plurality of light-absorbing parts provided on one side of the above-mentioned support chuck; A plurality of lasers that irradiate the plurality of light-absorbing parts, each including a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned; and It includes a temperature measuring unit provided to measure the temperature of the above-mentioned support chuck, and The above substrate processing device is, Using the above temperature measuring unit, check the real-time temperature of the support chuck, and A first operation is performed to determine the intensity of the laser using the plurality of lasers based on the target temperature and to irradiate the laser, and A substrate processing device that terminates the irradiation of the laser when it is confirmed that the support chuck has reached a target temperature using the temperature measuring unit.

2. In Claim 1, The above substrate processing device is, A substrate processing device capable of individually controlling VCSEL elements included in the above VCSEL array.

3. In Claim 2, The above substrate processing device is, During the execution of the first operation, check whether the real-time temperature of the support chuck is within the error range of the target temperature, and A substrate processing device that, when it is confirmed that the above real-time temperature is within the error range of the above target temperature, determines the output VCSEL element and the output standby VCSEL element among the above VCSEL array to form an output array and performs a second operation of irradiating a laser.

4. In Claim 3, The above substrate processing device is, During the performance of the above second operation, A substrate processing apparatus capable of changing at least one of the output array and the intensity of the laser based on the real-time temperature and the target temperature confirmed using the temperature measuring unit.

5. In Claim 4, The above substrate processing device is, During the performance of the above second operation, A substrate processing apparatus that changes at least one of the output array and the intensity of the laser based on the temperature rise rate of the support chuck so that the above real-time temperature reaches the above target temperature in the shortest possible time.

6. In Claim 5, The above substrate processing device is, In the formation and modification of the above-mentioned output array, A substrate processing device that controls the sum of the distances between the above-mentioned output VCSEL elements to be maximized.

7. A method of operation of a substrate processing apparatus that performs temperature control for a semiconductor substrate, A step of checking the real-time temperature of the support chuck using a temperature measuring unit; A first operation of determining the intensity of a laser using a plurality of lasers, each comprising a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned based on a target temperature, and irradiating the laser; A method of operation comprising the step of terminating the laser irradiation when it is confirmed that the support chuck has reached a target temperature using the temperature measuring unit.

8. In Claim 7, A method of operation further comprising the step of performing a second operation, wherein, during the execution of the first operation, the real-time temperature of the support chuck is within the error range of the target temperature, and if it is confirmed that the real-time temperature is within the error range of the target temperature, the output VCSEL element and the output standby VCSEL element among the VCSEL array are determined to form an output array and irradiate a laser.

9. In Claim 8, In the step of performing the above second operation, A method of operation capable of changing at least one of the output array and the intensity of the laser based on the real-time temperature and the target temperature confirmed using the temperature measuring unit.

10. A substrate processing device for performing temperature control on a semiconductor substrate; and It includes an electronic device that controls the above-mentioned substrate processing device, and The above substrate processing device is, A support chuck provided to support the above semiconductor substrate and perform temperature control; A support member having one side received in a groove formed in the support chuck; A plurality of light-absorbing parts provided on one side of the above-mentioned support chuck; A plurality of lasers that irradiate the plurality of light-absorbing parts, each including a VCSEL array in which VCSEL elements are aligned; and It includes a temperature measuring unit provided to measure the temperature of the above-mentioned support chuck, and The above electronic device is, It includes a transceiver, memory for storing instructions, and a processor, The processor connected to the above transceiver and the above memory is, Using the above temperature measuring unit, check the real-time temperature of the support chuck, and A first operation is performed to determine the intensity of the laser using the plurality of lasers based on the target temperature and to irradiate the laser, and A substrate processing system that controls the substrate processing device to terminate the laser irradiation when it is confirmed that the support chuck has reached a target temperature using the temperature measuring unit.

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