Heat Storage Tray for Substrate Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature and efficiency during the processing of multiple substrates, particularly due to the lack of heat retention mechanisms when substrates are moved between processing chambers, leading to decreased productivity and potential film stress issues with temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a tray with a heat storage part and a neutralizing electrode, which maintains the substrate's temperature through heat accumulation and plasma resistance, ensuring uniform heating and preventing temperature drops during substrate transfer between chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If substrates are moved between processing chambers without heat retention mechanisms, then substrate transfer speed is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray with heat storage part is preheated before substrate transfer, so that when the substrate is transferred quickly without additional heating mechanisms, the pre-stored heat in the tray maintains the substrate temperature throughout the transfer process, resolving the contradiction between fast transfer speed and temperature uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The tray with heat storage part acts as an intermediary between the processing chambers, absorbing and retaining heat to mediate the temperature maintenance during substrate transfer, allowing fast transfer while preventing temperature drops
2Productivity
If multiple substrates are processed collectively in circumferential chambers, then productivity is improved, but temperature control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing system is segmented into multiple independent processing chambers arranged circumferentially, each capable of independent temperature control via individual heaters, allowing parallel processing of multiple substrates while maintaining simple independent temperature control for each chamber
Solution Approach 2:
Each processing chamber is equipped with its own heater that independently maintains temperature without requiring complex centralized control, allowing multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously with simple decentralized temperature management
3Loss of time
If substrates are rapidly transferred between chambers, then processing time is reduced, but film stress increases due to temperature fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The tray with heat storage part is preheated in advance before substrate transfer, creating a thermal buffer that maintains substrate temperature during rapid transfer, thereby reducing processing time while preventing temperature-induced film stress
Solution Approach 2:
The heat storage capacity of the tray is designed to maintain substrate temperature within a specific range during transfer, changing the thermal parameters to allow rapid transfer without temperature fluctuations that would cause film stress
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 enhances processing efficiency by maintaining consistent substrate temperature and reducing film stress, thereby improving productivity and pattern integrity, especially in multi-layer film processing.
Implementation Method 1
a tray with a heat storage part and a neutralizing electrode, which maintains the substrate's temperature through heat accumulation
Implementation Method 2
a tray with a heat storage part and a neutralizing electrode, which maintains the substrate's temperature through heat accumulation and plasma resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a heat storage part on which a substrate is mounted, a tray including the heat storage part, a substrate transfer part including a rotary shaft and a rotating plate supported by the rotary shaft and being configured such that the tray can be mounted on the rotating plate, a plurality of bases arranged circumferentially around the rotary shaft; and a heater provided for each of the bases.