Lamp Heater Edge Heating for Semiconductor Wafer Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid processing technologies for semiconductor wafers face inefficiencies in heating the circumferential edge, leading to extended processing times and unnecessary heating of non-target areas, as chemical liquids supplied to the edge are often diluted and heated regions that do not require heating are still subjected to high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A liquid processing apparatus with a substrate holder, chemical liquid supplying unit, cover member, gas supplying port, and lamp heater that heats the circumferential edge of the substrate, where the chemical liquid is supplied closer to the edge than the heater, and a gap is formed between the cover member and substrate to direct radiant heat efficiently to the edge, enhancing processing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a liquid for heating is supplied to the central portion of the substrate to increase the substrate temperature, then the contact temperature of the chemical liquid with the substrate is increased, but the chemical liquid is diluted by the heated liquid and the processing time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies heating locally only to the circumferential edge region of the substrate using a ring-shaped heater, rather than heating the entire substrate. This localized heating approach increases the temperature of the chemical liquid at the circumferential edge without diluting it with large amounts of heated liquid, thereby maintaining processing efficiency while avoiding extension of processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The heating function is segmented from the chemical liquid supply system. Instead of supplying heated liquid to the entire substrate, the invention uses a separate ring-shaped heater positioned at the circumferential edge to provide localized thermal energy. This segmentation allows independent control of heating and chemical processing, preventing dilution issues
2Temperature
If the substrate is heated to increase the contact temperature of the chemical liquid, then the process activity of the chemical liquid is enhanced, but portions that do not need to be heated are also heated
Solution Approach 1:
The ring-shaped heater is positioned to heat only the circumferential edge region of the substrate where chemical liquid is supplied. This localized heating approach ensures that energy is applied only to the specific area requiring thermal processing, avoiding wasteful heating of the central portion and other non-target areas of the substrate
3Productivity
If the chemical liquid supplying position is closer to the circumferential edge than the heater placing position, then the heating efficiency is improved, but the heater placement becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a ring-shaped heater as an intermediary heating element that can be positioned independently of the chemical liquid supply nozzles. This ring-shaped intermediary allows thermal energy to be applied efficiently to the circumferential edge region without requiring direct contact or close proximity between the heater and liquid supply components, thereby maintaining heating efficiency while reducing placement constraints
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 configuration allows for efficient heating of the circumferential edge of the substrate, reducing processing time and preventing unnecessary heating, thereby improving the processing efficiency with chemical liquids like Hydrofluoric acid (HF) used for removing films on semiconductor wafers.
Implementation Method 1
a lamp heater provided in the space along a circumferential direction of the substrate configured to heat the circumferential edge of the substrate
Implementation Method 2
A gas (inert gas) flows in the space between the cover member and the wafer, passes through a gap between the protrusion and the wafer, and flows outside the wafer
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus which performs a liquid processing by supplying a chemical liquid from a chemical liquid supplying unit to substrate rotating around a vertical axis, and includes a cover member arranged at an upper surface of substrate to oppose the substrate and have a space therebetween is provided with a gas supplying port, and gas is supplied from gas supplying port toward the space. The gas is discharged from the space through a gap between protrusion at the circumferential edge of cover member protruding downward and the substrate. In addition, lamp heater heating the circumferential edge of substrate is arranged in the space along the circumferential direction of substrate, the chemical liquid supplied from a chemical liquid supplying unit is supplied to a position closer to the circumferential edge side than a position at which lamp heater is provided.