Substrate processing apparatus and operating method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and an operating method thereof. The substrate processing apparatus for performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, comprises: a support chuck which supports the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of light absorbers disposed on one surface of the support chuck; and a plurality of lasers which irradiate laser light to the plurality of light absorbers, wherein the arrangement and number of the plurality of light absorbers may be determined such that the temperature distribution for each region of the support chuck is uniformly maintained.

Description

Substrate processing device and method of operation thereof

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

[0002] 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.

[0003] In conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes, chuck heating methods utilizing a pipe through which fluid flows or a heat source embedded within the chuck have been used. The method using a pipe 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 pipe. Meanwhile, the method using a heat source 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 of requiring a relatively long time to reach the target temperature for performing semiconductor processes and consuming a large amount of power. Accordingly, a chuck heating method using a laser heat source has been proposed, but it has the problem of difficulty in achieving uniform laser irradiation over the entire chuck.

[0004] In this regard, Korean Registered Patent Publication 10-1818918B1 and Korean Registered Patent Publication 10-1937360B1 may be referenced.

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

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a method of operation thereof for performing a heating process using a laser heat source while minimizing the loss of thermal energy provided from the laser heat source.

[0007] The present disclosure aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a method of operation thereof for performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser set to which an individual output method is applied.

[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] In a substrate processing apparatus for performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate processing apparatus comprises a support chuck for supporting the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of light-absorbing portions arranged on one surface of the support chuck, and a plurality of lasers for irradiating laser light onto the plurality of light-absorbing portions, wherein the arrangement and number of the plurality of light-absorbing portions may be determined so as to maintain a uniform temperature distribution for each region of the support chuck.

[0010] In one embodiment, when the substrate processing device operates in a first mode, the plurality of lasers can irradiate laser light of the same output onto the plurality of light absorption parts.

[0011] In one embodiment, the output value of the laser light output from the plurality of lasers can be determined based on at least some of the temperature information of the support chuck, the temperature information of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor process recipe information.

[0012] In one embodiment, when the substrate processing device operates in a second mode, each of the plurality of lasers can irradiate laser light corresponding to a set individual output value onto the plurality of light absorption parts.

[0013] In one embodiment, the individual output value set for each of the plurality of lasers can be determined based on the temperature information for each region of the support chuck.

[0014] In one embodiment, the plurality of light absorbers are classified into one of a first light absorber set including at least one light absorber corresponding to the edge of the support chuck, a second light absorber set including at least one light absorber corresponding to the center of the support chuck, and a third light absorber set including at least one light absorber disposed between the first light absorber set and the second light absorber set, and the plurality of lasers are classified into one of a first laser set including at least one laser corresponding to the first light absorber set, a second laser set including at least one laser among the plurality of lasers corresponding to the second light absorber set, and a third laser set including at least one laser among the plurality of lasers corresponding to the third light absorber set, and at least one laser constituting the first laser set is configured to irradiate laser light corresponding to a first output value, at least one laser constituting the second laser set is configured to irradiate laser light corresponding to a second output value, and at least one laser constituting the third laser set is configured to irradiate laser light corresponding to a third output value.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first output value may be set to be greater than the third output value, and the second output value may be set to be smaller than the third output value.

[0016] In one embodiment, the output value of each of the plurality of lasers may be changed in response to real-time temperature information measured while the heating process for the semiconductor substrate is performed.

[0017] A method of operation of a substrate processing apparatus for performing a heating process for a semiconductor substrate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the method of operation comprises the steps of placing the semiconductor substrate on a support chuck, turning on a plurality of lasers that irradiate laser light onto a plurality of light-absorbing portions arranged on one surface of the support chuck, and turning off the plurality of lasers when the heating process for the semiconductor substrate is completed, wherein the output value of each of the plurality of lasers may be determined based on at least some of the temperature information of the support chuck, the temperature information of the semiconductor substrate, and semiconductor process recipe information.

[0018] A substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate processing device that performs a heating process for a semiconductor substrate and an electronic device that controls the substrate processing device, wherein the substrate processing device includes a support chuck that supports the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of light absorption units arranged on one surface of the support chuck, and a plurality of lasers that irradiate laser light onto the plurality of light absorption units, and the arrangement and number of the plurality of light absorption units are determined so that the temperature distribution by region of the support chuck is maintained uniformly, and the electronic device includes a transceiver, a memory that stores instructions, and a processor, and the processor connected to the transceiver and the memory determines an output value for each of the plurality of lasers based on at least some of the temperature information of the support chuck, the temperature information of the semiconductor substrate, and semiconductor process recipe information, and controls the substrate processing device to drive the plurality of lasers based on the output value for each of the plurality of lasers and an operation mode confirmed based on the output value.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a heating process is performed using a laser heat source, and by performing the heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on the arrangement of light absorption parts to minimize the loss of thermal energy provided from the laser heat source, a stable temperature gradient for the semiconductor substrate can be achieved.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser set to which an individual output method is applied, heat loss that may occur in the edge region of the semiconductor substrate can be compensated for.

[0021] 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.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a substrate processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 3a is a diagram illustrating the problems of a substrate processing device that performs a heating process based on a conventional laser heat source.

[0025] FIG. 3b is a drawing for explaining one feature of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing device operating in a first mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a specific operation method of a substrate processing device operating in a first mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing device operating in a second mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining a specific operation method of a substrate processing device operating in a second mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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'.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a substrate processing system (10) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] 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).

[0040] 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).

[0041] 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, a reflow 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.

[0042] 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, output wavelength range information of a laser, light absorption rate information of a light absorption part, etc.), and temperature information for a heating process. The electronic device (120) can monitor the operating state of the substrate processing device (110), process necessary information corresponding to the operating state of the substrate processing device (110) and the semiconductor process recipe information, and can control at least one component included in the substrate processing device (110) for temperature control of the substrate processing device (110).

[0043] 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).

[0044] A substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can perform temperature control on a semiconductor substrate. More specifically, the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can perform a heating process using a laser heat source, and can perform a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on the arrangement of light absorption parts to minimize the loss of thermal energy provided from the laser heat source. In addition, the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can perform a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser set to which an individual output method is applied. By performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on the arrangement of light absorption parts to minimize the loss of thermal energy, the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can achieve a stable temperature gradient on the semiconductor substrate. In addition, by performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate based on a laser set to which an individual output method is applied, the substrate processing system (10) according to the present disclosure can compensate for heat loss that may occur in the edge region of the semiconductor substrate. The specific configuration, structure, and operation method of the substrate processing system (10) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail through FIGS. 2 to 9, which will be described later.

[0045] 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).

[0046] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] The substrate processing device (200) illustrated in FIG. 2 may correspond to the substrate processing device (110, see FIG. 1) described above in FIG. 1, and with reference to FIG. 2, the substrate processing device (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a support chuck (210), a plurality of light absorption parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) and a plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5).

[0048] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a substrate (SUB) to be subjected to a semiconductor process may be placed on a first surface of a support chuck (210), and the support chuck (210) may support the placed substrate (SUB). In an embodiment, the substrate (SUB) may be supplied from the outside, and when the substrate (SUB) supplied from the outside is placed on the first surface of the support chuck (210), the substrate processing device (200) may perform a heating process procedure for the substrate (SUB). In an embodiment, the support chuck (210) may include a metallic material for transferring thermal energy.

[0049] In an embodiment according to the present disclosure, a plurality of light-absorbing portions (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) may be disposed on a second surface facing the first surface of the support chuck (210). Alternatively, the plurality of light-absorbing portions (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) may be accommodated or inserted in each of a plurality of grooves or a plurality of recesses formed on the second surface of the support chuck (210). In this case, one surface of each of the plurality of light absorption parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) may be arranged 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 absorption parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) 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 substrate (SUB) is placed. The arrangement of the plurality of light absorption parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail in FIG. 3b, which will be described later.

[0050] In an embodiment, the support chuck (210) and the plurality of light absorption parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) may be spaced apart from the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5). Although not illustrated, in one embodiment, the support chuck (210) may be fixed spaced apart from the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) by means of a lift pin within a chamber for performing a semiconductor process. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the support chuck (210) may be spaced apart from the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) by means of a support. When the support chuck (210) is separated from the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) by a support member, one side of the support member may be received or inserted into a groove or recess formed in the center of the support chuck (210). In some embodiments, the lift pin or the support member may be controlled by an electronic device (120, see FIG. 1), and the position of the support chuck (210) may be varied accordingly.

[0051] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of light absorption units (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) can absorb laser light energy irradiated from at least one of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5), 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 light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption units (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5). In an embodiment, the target temperature may refer to a temperature required to perform a semiconductor manufacturing process on a substrate (SUB). In an embodiment, light energy absorbed from a plurality of light absorbing parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) can be transferred in the form of heat energy from a second surface of a support chuck (210) on which a plurality of light absorbing parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) are arranged to a first surface of a support chuck (210) that supports a substrate (SUB), and the substrate (SUB) on the support chuck (210) can be heated based on the heat energy transferred to the first surface.

[0052] In an embodiment, at least some of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) may be operated by the control of an electronic device (120). Specifically, when the substrate processing device (200) operates in a first mode, the electronic device (120) may control the substrate processing device (200) to provide the same output from the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5). Meanwhile, when the substrate processing device (200) operates in a second mode, the electronic device (120) may control the substrate processing device (200) so that each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) provides an individual output. The operation modes of the substrate processing device (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail through FIGS. 4 to 7, which will be described later.

[0053] Meanwhile, although not illustrated, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) 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_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) 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 (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) are disposed.

[0054] Meanwhile, in the cross-sectional view of the substrate processing device (200) shown in FIG. 2, only the first to fifth light absorption parts (220_1, 220_2, …, 220_5) are shown, but this is merely a cross-sectional view of the substrate processing device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure and does not limit the configuration of the substrate processing device (200) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of light absorption parts 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), the specifications of the laser, and the number of lasers. In addition, although only the first to fifth lasers (230_1, 230_2, …, 230_5) are shown in the cross-sectional view of the substrate processing device (200) illustrated in FIG. 2, this merely illustrates a cross-section of the substrate processing device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure and does not limit the configuration of the substrate processing device (200) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of lasers included in the substrate processing device (200) may be determined according to the characteristics of the semiconductor manufacturing process performed in the substrate processing device (200) and the specifications of the lasers. In this regard, it will be explained in detail through FIG. 3b, which will be described later.

[0055] FIG. 3a is a diagram illustrating the problems of a substrate processing device that performs a heating process based on a conventional laser heat source.

[0056] Specifically, FIG. 3a(a) illustrates the arrangement of a plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7) on a support chuck (310) for supporting a substrate in a conventional substrate processing apparatus, and FIG. 3a(b) illustrates the temperature distribution on the support chuck (310) according to FIG. 3a(a). The substrate processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3a can perform a heating process using a plurality of lasers, and each of the plurality of lasers can irradiate laser light of the same output.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 3a (a), a plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7) may be disposed on a support chuck (310), and the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7) may include a light absorption material. Each of the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7) may be formed in a circular shape. A plurality of lasers included in a substrate processing device may irradiate laser light onto the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7), and the light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7) may be transferred to the support chuck (310) in the form of thermal energy.

[0058] In a conventional substrate processing apparatus, the first to seventh light absorption parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7) can absorb light energy by multiple lasers irradiating laser light of the same output, and accordingly, the temperature distribution of the support chuck (310) can be formed as shown in (b) of FIG. 3a. Specifically, it can be confirmed that the temperature of the edge region of the support chuck (310) is formed lower than the temperature of the center of the support chuck (310). In addition, it can be confirmed that the temperature distribution of the entire support chuck (310) is formed unevenly due to heat loss in the empty space between the first to seventh light absorption parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_7).

[0059] FIG. 3b is a drawing for explaining one feature of a substrate processing apparatus (110, see FIG. 1) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Specifically, FIG. 3b(a) illustrates the arrangement of a plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) for a support chuck (310) for supporting a substrate in a substrate processing device (110) according to the present disclosure, and FIG. 3b(b) illustrates the temperature distribution for the support chuck (310) according to FIG. 3b(b). A substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may also perform a heating process using a plurality of lasers, and each of the plurality of lasers included in the substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may irradiate laser light of the same output when the substrate processing device (110) operates in a first mode, and may irradiate laser light of an individual output set for each laser when the substrate processing device (110) operates in a second mode. In describing FIG. 3b, the substrate processing device (110) is assumed to operate in a first mode in which laser light of the same output is irradiated from each of the plurality of lasers.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 3b (a), a plurality of light-absorbing parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) may be arranged on a support chuck (310), and the plurality of light-absorbing parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) may include a light-absorbing material. Each of the plurality of light-absorbing parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) is shown as being formed in a circular shape, but this is merely an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure and does not limit the shape of the light-absorbing parts according to the present disclosure. In the embodiment, the arrangement and number of the plurality of light-absorbing parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) may be determined so that the temperature distribution by region of the support chuck (310) is maintained uniformly. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the plurality of light absorption parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) may be formed with a size smaller than that of each of the light absorption parts included in a conventional substrate processing device.

[0062] Meanwhile, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of light absorption portions formed on the support chuck (310) may be increased compared to the number of light absorption portions included in a conventional substrate processing device. Accordingly, the empty space between the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) formed on the support chuck (310) may be reduced compared to a conventional substrate processing device. A plurality of lasers included in the substrate processing device (110) of the present disclosure may irradiate laser light onto the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19), and the light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption portions (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) may be transferred to the support chuck (310) in the form of thermal energy.

[0063] In a substrate processing apparatus (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first to ninth light absorption parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) can absorb light energy by a plurality of lasers irradiating laser light of the same output, and accordingly, the temperature distribution of the support chuck (310) can be formed as shown in (b) of FIG. 3b. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the individual size of the light absorption parts arranged on the support chuck (310) is reduced, but the number of arranged parts is increased, so the empty space between the first to ninth light absorption parts (320_1, 320_2, …, 320_19) is reduced, and thus it can be confirmed that the temperature distribution of the entire support chuck (310) is formed uniformly compared to a conventional support chuck.

[0064] FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing device (110, see FIG. 1) operating in a first mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the specific operation method of a substrate processing device (110) operating in a first mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the operation method of a substrate processing device (110) operating in a first mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0065] In step S410, a substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may place a substrate (SUB) supplied from the outside onto a support chuck (510). Although not illustrated, the substrate processing device (110) may include at least one temperature sensor for measuring at least one of the temperature of the substrate (SUB) and the temperature of the support chuck (510), and may provide the measured temperature information to an electronic device (120, see FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor may measure the temperature of a region of the substrate (SUB) or measure the temperature of a region of the support chuck (510).

[0066] In step S420, the substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can turn on a plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5). As illustrated in FIG. 5 (a), each of the plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5) can irradiate laser light of the same output to a plurality of light absorption parts (520), and the output values ​​of the plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5) can be determined based on at least some of the temperature of the substrate (SUB), the temperature of the support chuck (510), and the semiconductor process recipe information stored in the electronic device (120) confirmed in step S410.

[0067] In step S430, the substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can perform a process on a substrate (SUB) based on laser light provided from a plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5). Specifically, in the substrate processing device (110), laser light irradiated from a plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5) can be absorbed by a plurality of light absorption units (520), and the light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption units (520) can be transferred to a support chuck (510) in the form of thermal energy. A heating process on the substrate (SUB) can be performed based on the thermal energy transferred to the support chuck (510). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the amount of thermal energy absorbed for each of the plurality of light absorbing parts (520) is uniform, the temperature distribution for the first to ninth light absorbing parts (520_1, 520_2, …, 520_19) can be uniform, as shown in FIG. 5 (b).

[0068] In step S440, the substrate processing apparatus (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may turn off a plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5) when the process on the substrate (SUB) is completed. The substrate (SUB) that has been processed may be moved to another chamber for a process procedure after the heating process.

[0069] Meanwhile, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate processing device (110) measures at least one of the temperature of the substrate (SUB) and the temperature of the support chuck (510) in real time while a heating process is performed on the substrate (SUB), and can change the output values ​​of a plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5) based on the measured temperature information. Specifically, in step S420, laser light corresponding to a first output value is irradiated from a plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5), but if it is determined that it is desirable to irradiate laser light of a second output value lower than the first output value based on at least one of the temperature of the substrate (SUB) and the temperature of the support chuck (510) measured by the electronic device (120) during the heating process, the plurality of lasers (530_1, 530_2, …, 530_5) irradiating laser light corresponding to the first output value may be changed to irradiate laser light corresponding to the second output value.

[0070] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a substrate processing device (110, see FIG. 1) operating in a second mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the specific operation method of a substrate processing device (110) operating in a second mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the operation method of a substrate processing device (110) operating in a second mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0071] In step S610, a substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may place a substrate (SUB) supplied from the outside onto a support chuck (710). Although not illustrated, the substrate processing device (110) may include at least one temperature sensor for measuring at least one of the temperature of the substrate (SUB) and the temperature of the support chuck (710), and may provide the measured temperature information to an electronic device (120, see FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor may measure the temperature of a region of the substrate (SUB) or measure the temperature of a region of the support chuck (710).

[0072] In step S620, the substrate processing device (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can set individual outputs for each of the plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5). Specifically, the individual output values ​​corresponding to each of the plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5) can be determined based on at least some of the temperature of the substrate (SUB), the temperature of the support chuck (510), and the semiconductor process recipe information stored in the electronic device (120) confirmed in step S410. In some embodiments, at least one temperature sensor can measure the temperature of each region of the substrate (SUB) or the temperature of each region of the support chuck (510), and can set individual output values ​​corresponding to each of the plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5) based on the temperature of each region.

[0073] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, since more heat loss occurs at the edges of the support chuck (710), the output value of the laser corresponding to the light absorption part placed at the edge of the support chuck (710) may be set higher than the output value of the laser corresponding to the light absorption part placed at the center of the support chuck (710). For example, the output values ​​of the first laser (730_1) and the fifth laser (730_5) corresponding to the light absorption part placed at the edge of the support chuck (710) may be set to output 100% of the maximum output value of the laser, the output values ​​of the second laser (730_2) and the fourth laser (730_4) corresponding to the light absorption part placed in the middle region of the support chuck (710) may be set to output 90% of the maximum output value of the laser, and the output value of the third laser (730_3) corresponding to the light absorption part placed at the center of the support chuck (710) may be set to output 80% of the maximum output value of the laser.

[0074] In step S630, the substrate processing apparatus (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can turn on a plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5). As illustrated in FIG. 5(a), each of the plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5) can irradiate laser light corresponding to an individual output value set in step S620 onto the light absorption portions (720).

[0075] In step S640, the substrate processing apparatus (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can perform a process on a substrate (SUB) based on laser light provided from a plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5). Specifically, in the substrate processing apparatus (110), laser light irradiated from a plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5) can be absorbed by a plurality of light absorption units (720), and the light energy absorbed from the plurality of light absorption units (720) can be transferred to a support chuck (710) in the form of thermal energy. A heating process on the substrate (SUB) can be performed based on the thermal energy transferred to the support chuck (710). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the amount of thermal energy absorbed for each of the plurality of light absorption parts (720) can correspond to the intensity of the laser light irradiated by the plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5).

[0076] In one embodiment, when the output value of the laser corresponding to the light absorption part positioned at the edge of the support chuck (710) is set higher than the output value of the laser corresponding to the light absorption part positioned at the center of the support chuck (710), the temperature distribution for the first to ninth light absorption parts (720_1, 720_2, …, 720_19) can be formed as shown in FIG. 7 (b). Specifically, the temperature of the first light absorption unit (720_1) positioned in the center of the support chuck (710) may be lower than the temperature of the second to seventh light absorption units (720_2, 720_3, …, 720_7) positioned in the middle region of the support chuck (710), and the temperature of the second to seventh light absorption units (720_2, 720_3, …, 720_7) may be lower than the temperature of the eighth to ninth light absorption units (720_8, 720_9, …, 720_19) positioned at the edge of the support chuck (710). In such a case, even if heat loss occurs at the edge of the support chuck (710) more than at the center, the amount of thermal energy transferred to the substrate (SUB) may be uniform.

[0077] In step S650, the substrate processing apparatus (110) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may turn off a plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5) when the process on the substrate (SUB) is completed. The substrate (SUB) that has been processed may be moved to another chamber for a process procedure after the heating process.

[0078] Meanwhile, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate processing device (110) measures at least one of the temperature of the substrate (SUB) and the temperature of the support chuck (710) in real time while a heating process is performed on the substrate (SUB), and can change the individual output values ​​of each of the plurality of lasers (730_1, 730_2, …, 730_5) based on the measured temperature information. Specifically, in step S620, the first laser (730_1) is set to irradiate laser light corresponding to a first output value, but if it is determined by the electronic device (120) that it is preferable to irradiate laser light of a second output value lower than the first output value based on at least one of the temperature of the substrate (SUB) and the temperature of the support chuck (710) measured during the heating process, the first laser (730_1) that irradiates laser light corresponding to the first output value may be changed to irradiate laser light corresponding to the second output value.

[0079] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device (800) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] The electronic device (800) illustrated in FIG. 8 may correspond to the electronic device (120, see FIG. 1) described above in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 8, the electronic device (800) may include a control unit (810), a temperature measuring unit (820), a laser output wavelength control unit (830), a laser output direction control unit (840), and a distance control unit (850). In FIG. 8, the control unit (810), the temperature measuring unit (820), the laser output wavelength control unit (830), the laser output direction control unit (840), and the distance control unit (850) are illustrated as physically separated components; however, this is merely for convenience of explanation and does not limit the configuration of the electronic device (800) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The control unit (810), temperature measuring unit (820), laser output wavelength control unit (830), laser output direction control unit (840), and distance adjusting unit (850) included in the electronic device (800) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may mean logically separated configurations.

[0081] In an embodiment, the control unit (810) 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 (800) and control the configuration included in the substrate processing device (110). Specifically, the control unit (810) can check whether the substrate processing device (110) is operating and can check whether a substrate (SUB, see FIG. 2) is placed on the support chuck (210, see FIG. 2) of the substrate processing device (110), and can 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 (800). In performing the process for temperature control, the control unit (810) can control at least one of a temperature measuring unit (820), a laser output wavelength control unit (830), a laser output direction control unit (840), and a distance control unit (850).

[0082] In an embodiment, the temperature measuring unit (820) may acquire temperature information for at least one of the support chuck (210) and the substrate (SUB) placed on the support chuck (210), and provide the acquired temperature information to the control unit (810). In some embodiments, the substrate processing device (110) may include at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of at least one of the support chuck (210) and the substrate (SUB), and the temperature information measured by the at least one temperature sensor may be provided to the temperature measuring unit (820).

[0083] In an embodiment, the laser output wavelength control unit (830) can control the output wavelength of at least one of a plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5, see FIG. 2). Specifically, the laser output wavelength control unit (830) can determine the target temperature for performing a semiconductor process on a substrate (SUB) based on semiconductor process recipe information, and can determine the output wavelength of each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) for the temperature of the substrate (SUB) to reach the target temperature. The laser output wavelength control unit (830) can control each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) to irradiate light energy of the confirmed output wavelength for each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5).

[0084] In an embodiment, the laser output direction control unit (840) can control the output direction of at least one of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5). Specifically, the laser output direction control unit (840) can determine the target temperature for performing a semiconductor process on a substrate (SUB) based on semiconductor process recipe information, and can determine the optimal output direction of each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) for the temperature of the substrate (SUB) to reach the target temperature. The laser output direction control unit (840) can control each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) to irradiate light energy corresponding to the output direction identified for each of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5).

[0085] In some embodiments, the distance control unit (850) can adjust the distance between the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) and the support chuck (210). The distance between the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) and the support chuck (210) can be determined based on semiconductor process recipe information, and the distance control unit (850) can move at least some of the plurality of lasers (230_1, 230_2, 230_3, 230_4, 230_5) and the support chuck (210) in correspondence with the determined distance.

[0086] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device (900) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0087] The electronic device (900) illustrated in FIG. 9 may correspond to the electronic device (120, see FIG. 1) described above in FIG. 1, and with reference to FIG. 9, the electronic device (900) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a transceiver (910), a processor (920), and a memory (930).

[0088] The electronic device (900) is connected to an external device through a transceiver (910) and can exchange data (or signals).

[0089] The processor (920) may perform an operation performed by at least one device described through FIGS. 1 to 8 or perform at least one method described through FIGS. 1 to 8. Additionally, the processor (920) may execute a program to perform an operation performed by at least one device described through FIGS. 1 to 8 or at least one method described through FIGS. 1 to 8, and may process information to perform an operation performed by at least one device described through FIGS. 1 to 8 or at least one method described through FIGS. 1 to 8, and control a substrate processing device (110, see FIG. 1) based on the processed information.

[0090] The memory (930) may include at least one of volatile memory and non-volatile memory and may store code of a program executed by the processor (920).

[0091] 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.

[0092] 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 for performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate, A support chuck that supports the above semiconductor substrate; A plurality of light-absorbing portions disposed on one surface of the above-mentioned support chuck; and A plurality of lasers that irradiate laser light onto the plurality of light-absorbing parts, wherein A substrate processing apparatus in which the arrangement and number of the plurality of light absorption parts are determined so that the temperature distribution by region of the support chuck is maintained uniformly.

2. In Paragraph 1, A substrate processing device in which, when the above substrate processing device operates in a first mode, the plurality of lasers irradiate laser light of the same output onto the plurality of light absorption parts.

3. In Paragraph 2, A substrate processing device in which the output value of laser light output from the plurality of lasers is determined based on at least some of the temperature information of the support chuck, the temperature information of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor process recipe information.

4. In Paragraph 1, A substrate processing device in which, when the above substrate processing device operates in a second mode, each of the plurality of lasers irradiates laser light corresponding to a set individual output value onto the plurality of light absorption parts.

5. In Paragraph 4, A substrate processing device in which individual output values ​​set for each of the plurality of lasers are determined based on region-specific temperature information of the support chuck.

6. In Paragraph 4, The plurality of light absorbers are classified into one of a first light absorber set including at least one light absorber corresponding to the edge of the support chuck, a second light absorber set including at least one light absorber corresponding to the center of the support chuck, and a third light absorber set including at least one light absorber disposed between the first light absorber set and the second light absorber set. The plurality of lasers are classified into one of a first laser set including at least one laser corresponding to the first light absorption set, a second laser set including at least one laser corresponding to the second light absorption set among the plurality of lasers, and a third laser set including at least one laser corresponding to the third light absorption set among the plurality of lasers. At least one laser constituting the first laser set is set to irradiate laser light corresponding to a first output value, and At least one laser constituting the second laser set is set to irradiate laser light corresponding to a second output value, and A substrate processing device in which at least one laser constituting the third laser set is configured to irradiate laser light corresponding to a third output value.

7. In Paragraph 6, The first output value is set to be greater than the third output value, and A substrate processing device in which the second output value is set smaller than the third output value.

8. In Paragraph 1, A substrate processing device in which the output value of each of the plurality of lasers is changed in response to real-time temperature information measured while a heating process is performed on the semiconductor substrate.

9. A method of operation of a substrate processing apparatus for performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate, A step of placing the semiconductor substrate on a support rack; A step of turning on a plurality of lasers that irradiate laser light onto a plurality of light-absorbing portions arranged on one surface of the support chuck; and When the heating process for the semiconductor substrate is completed, the method includes the step of turning off the plurality of lasers, A method of operation in which the output value of each of the plurality of lasers is determined based on at least some of the temperature information of the support chuck, the temperature information of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor process recipe information.

10. A substrate processing device for performing a heating process on a semiconductor substrate; and It includes an electronic device that controls the above-mentioned substrate processing device, The above substrate processing device is: A support chuck that supports the above semiconductor substrate; A plurality of light-absorbing portions disposed on one surface of the above-mentioned support chuck; and It includes a plurality of lasers that irradiate laser light onto the plurality of light-absorbing parts, and The arrangement and number of the plurality of light-absorbing parts are determined so that the temperature distribution by region of the support chuck is maintained uniformly, and The above electronic device includes a transceiver, a memory for storing instructions, and a processor, and The processor connected to the above transceiver and the above memory is: An output value for each of the plurality of lasers is determined based on at least some of the temperature information of the support chuck, the temperature information of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor process recipe information. A substrate processing system that controls the substrate processing device to drive the plurality of lasers based on an output value for each of the plurality of lasers and an operation mode identified based on the output value.

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