Ceramic Heater Power Architecture for Uniform Semiconductor Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ceramic heater systems face challenges in precisely controlling temperature across semiconductor substrates due to the limitations of power supply methods and the distribution of resistance heating elements, leading to uneven heating and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A heater system with a ceramic substrate and a resistance heating element that uses a main driving part to supply power to the entire element and an additional driving part to supply supplementary power to specific regions, allowing for precise temperature control by superimposing additional power on the main power, thereby achieving uniform heating and customizable temperature gradients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple resistance heating elements are provided with individual power supplies to achieve precise temperature control, then temperature control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into a main heating region powered by a main power supply and an additional heating region powered by an additional power supply. This segmentation allows independent control of different zones while using a simplified two-power-supply architecture instead of multiple individual supplies for each heating element.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple heating elements in the main heating region are combined into a single power supply group controlled by the main power supply. This merging reduces the number of power supplies from many individual ones to just two total (main + additional), thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining control capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If three or more electrodes are provided per resistance heating element to supply power to multiple regions, then temperature distribution control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additional power supply is applied selectively to a specific additional heating region rather than uniformly to all regions. This local quality approach enables precise temperature distribution control in areas that need it while keeping other areas under main power supply control, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing multiple electrodes to all heating elements, the invention applies partial action by supplying additional power only to the specific additional heating region that requires enhanced temperature control, rather than excessively providing full multi-electrode coverage to all regions.
3Measurement precision
If AC power supply is individually provided to each region to achieve precise temperature control, then temperature control precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heating elements are merged into groups controlled by shared power supplies. The main power supply controls the main heating region with multiple elements, and the additional power supply controls the additional heating region. This merging reduces the total number of individual AC power supplies needed, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining temperature control precision through the two-power-supply architecture.
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 solution enables efficient and uniform heating of semiconductor substrates, reducing the need for multiple power supply parts and minimizing energy consumption while extending the lifespan of the ceramic heater.
Implementation Method 1
a resistance heating element extending along a predetermined surface in an internal portion or on a surface of the ceramic substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A heater system may include a ceramic heater and a drive device. The ceramic heater may include a ceramic substrate and a resistance heating element. The ceramic substrate may include an upper surface. The resistance heating element may extend in an internal portion or on a surface of the ceramic substrate along the upper surface of the ceramic substrate. The drive device may include a main driving part, which supplies the main power to the entirety of the resistance heating element, and an additional driving part, which supplies additional power to a divided region that is a portion of the resistance heating element, by superimposing it on the main power.