Heater Rod Feedthrough Cooling for Uniform Chamber Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor substrate processing methods face challenges in achieving uniform temperature distribution across multiple substrates during pre-epitaxial baking, leading to non-uniformities and reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
A heating system comprising continuous resistive heating coils, heater rods, and sockets with inert gas passages and cooling plates is used to maintain uniform temperature distribution across substrates during batch processing, reducing heat loss and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If batch processing is used to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates due to heat loss at substrate edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing enhanced heating specifically at the substrate edges where heat loss occurs. Edge heating elements are positioned adjacent to the substrate edges to provide localized supplemental heating, compensating for the non-uniform temperature distribution that occurs during batch processing. This allows batch processing to continue while maintaining temperature uniformity across all substrates.
2Device complexity
If conventional heating is used, then device complexity is low, but temperature uniformity deteriorates due to heat loss at substrate edges
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple independent heating zones: main heating elements for the bulk substrate area and separate edge heating elements for the substrate edges. This segmentation allows independent control of heating in different regions, enabling precise temperature uniformity maintenance while using relatively simple individual heating components that can be implemented with standard materials and designs.
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 system achieves improved temperature uniformity and throughput by effectively compensating for heat loss at substrate edges, resulting in higher quality fabricated devices.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling plate disposed around at least a portion of the feedthrough. The cooling plate includes a cooling plate inert gas passage fluidly coupled to the feedthrough inert gas passage and a cooling channel disposed through the cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
heating system includes a first heater with a continuous heating coil
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for providing uniform heating of substrates disposed within a processing chamber is provided. The apparatus includes one or more heating coils disposed in the processing chamber. The one or more heating coils are electrically coupled to a power source using heater rods. The heater rods are coupled to a socket on a distal end opposite the connection to the heating coils. The socket includes a feedthrough and a cooling plate configured to remove contaminants, such as methane, from the area surrounding the heater rod.