Dielectric Structure Heating for Uniform Plasma Film Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing systems face challenges in maintaining uniform film quality across multiple substrates due to variations in processing environments caused by substrate replacement, which can lead to temperature fluctuations in the process chamber.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus equipped with a dielectric structure, electromagnetic wave supplier, and a heating medium supplier, controlled by a controller to maintain the dielectric structure's temperature within a predetermined range by supplying a heating medium when necessary, ensuring consistent plasma generation and film quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If substrate replacement is performed in the process chamber, then multiple substrates can be processed, but the processing environment varies causing temperature fluctuations and film quality variation
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the electromagnetic wave supplier and the substrate. This dielectric structure has a specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity that allow it to act as a thermal buffer, absorbing and releasing heat to maintain stable plasma generation conditions during substrate replacement, thereby preventing temperature fluctuations that would otherwise cause film quality variation
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric structure's thermal properties (specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity) are specifically selected and adjusted to optimize its heat storage and release characteristics. By changing these physical parameters of the dielectric material, the system can maintain stable plasma generation temperature during substrate replacement without affecting the processing capability of multiple substrates
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
The apparatus ensures uniform film quality across multiple substrates by stabilizing the dielectric structure's temperature, thereby maintaining consistent plasma generation and reducing variations in film quality.
Implementation Method 1
an apparatus configured to process a substrate using a plasma generated by an electromagnetic wave
Implementation Method 2
a heating medium supplier capable of supplying a heating medium to the dielectric structure
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that includes: a process chamber in which a substrate is processed; a dielectric structure provided in the process chamber; an electromagnetic wave supplier configured to supply an electromagnetic wave to the dielectric structure; a heating medium supplier capable of supplying a heating medium to the dielectric structure; and a controller configured to be capable of controlling a supply of the heating medium to the dielectric structure such that the heating medium is supplied to the dielectric structure when a temperature of the dielectric structure is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature before processing the substrate.