Batch Furnace Loading Control for Uniform Film Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor manufacturing is achieving uniform film thickness on large surface area substrates due to the loading effect, which varies with the surface area and number of substrates in batch processing, leading to difficulties in controlling film thickness and uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a substrate retainer with a substrate loading region that dispersely loads large surface area substrates, adjusting the density distribution to flatten it, and automatically correcting the cycle of process gas supply based on the total surface area to maintain consistent film thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a batch processing apparatus loads multiple large surface area substrates to improve productivity, then the number of substrates processed increases, but the film thickness uniformity deteriorates due to variations in total surface area affecting the loading effect
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the process gas supply cycle parameters based on the total surface area of loaded substrates. The controller calculates the total surface area and adjusts the cycle time and gas supply duration to compensate for loading effects, maintaining consistent film thickness across different substrate configurations
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the controller continuously monitors the total surface area of loaded substrates and automatically adjusts the process gas supply cycle. This closed-loop control ensures that film thickness uniformity is maintained despite variations in the number and arrangement of substrates
2Manufacturing precision
If the process gas supply cycle is extended to increase film thickness, then the film thickness increases, but the productivity decreases due to longer processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the process gas supply cycle based on real-time substrate loading conditions. Rather than using a fixed cycle, the controller modifies gas supply duration and frequency according to the total surface area, optimizing both film thickness control and processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes process parameters (gas supply cycle time, flow rate duration) based on the calculated total surface area of substrates. This adaptive parameter adjustment allows the system to achieve desired film thickness with optimized processing time for each specific loading configuration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves the controllability and uniformity of film thickness on large surface area substrates, reducing the influence of substrate surface area and number on film formation, even in batch processing, ensuring consistent film thickness across multiple substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a so-called loading effect such as a change in thickness of a film formed on a substrate due to an increased surface area of the semiconductor device becomes a serious problem
Implementation Method 2
there is a method of forming a film by alternately supplying process gases onto a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a technique capable of improving the controllability of a thickness of a film formed on a large surface area substrate having a surface area greater than a surface area of a bare substrate and improving the thickness uniformity between films formed on a plurality of large surface area substrates accommodated in a substrate loading region by reducing the influence of the surface area of the large surface area substrate and the number of the large surface area substrates due to a loading effect even when the plurality of large surface area substrates are batch-processed using a batch type processing furnace.