Segmented Heater Interconnection for Flexible Stage Temperature Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing processes face challenges in uniformly controlling the temperature of a stage with embedded heaters, as the zone configuration needs to be adjusted based on plasma distribution, requiring changes in heater arrangements and new ceramic sintered bodies, which is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A heater power feeding mechanism that divides the stage into zones using multiple heaters and allows for variable temperature control by connecting heater terminals in a segment unit, enabling flexible zone configuration adjustments without the need for new ceramic sintered bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the zone configuration is changed to adapt to different plasma distributions, then the temperature uniformity across the stage surface is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for multiple ceramic sintered bodies with different heater arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independent heater units (first heater, second heater, third heater, fourth heater) that can be independently controlled. Each heater corresponds to a specific zone on the stage, allowing selective activation and independent temperature control of different regions without requiring physical reconfiguration of the entire heating system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic adjustment of zone configurations through electrical control of individual heaters rather than physical reconfiguration. The control unit can dynamically activate or deactivate specific heaters based on plasma distribution characteristics, allowing the zone configuration to adapt to different process conditions without changing the physical structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If new ceramic sintered bodies are produced to change heater arrangements, then the adaptability to different plasma distributions is improved, but the manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single ceramic sintered body structure houses multiple independent heaters that can serve different zone configuration needs. The universal heater assembly can be configured for various plasma distribution patterns by selectively activating different heater combinations, eliminating the need to manufacture multiple specialized ceramic sintered bodies for different adaptability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves adaptability by changing operational parameters (which heaters are activated and at what power levels) rather than changing physical parameters (the structure of the ceramic sintered body itself). This allows the same physical hardware to adapt to different plasma distributions through electrical control.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple heaters are embedded in the electrostatic chuck to enable multi-zone control, then the temperature control precision is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to the complexity of embedding multiple heaters
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple independent heaters are integrated into a single ceramic sintered body structure, combining what would otherwise be separate manufacturing processes into one unified component. The ceramic sintered body serves as a common substrate for all heaters, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining the ability to independently control each heater for precise multi-zone temperature control.
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 allows for dynamic control of zone configurations, improving temperature uniformity across the stage by connecting heater terminals in various configurations, adapting to different plasma distributions without the need for frequent changes in heater arrangements or new ceramic components.
Implementation Method 1
an interconnection structure configured to connect at least any of the plurality sets of the heater terminals with each other by using the heater interconnection by the segment unit
Implementation Method 2
embedding a plurality of heaters inside the electrostatic chuck... controlling a temperature of each of the zones
Data Source
AI summary
A heater power feeding mechanism is provided that divides a stage on which a substrate is placed into zones by using a plurality of heaters and can control a temperature of each of the zones. The heater power feeding mechanism includes a plurality of sets of heater terminals connected to any of the plurality of heaters by a segment unit when a set of the heater terminals is made one segment, a heater interconnection, and an interconnection structure configured to connect at least any of the plurality sets of the heater terminals with each other by using the heater interconnection by the segment unit.