LED Array Packing Density for Semiconductor Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lamps used in semiconductor processing systems for heating substrates have limitations due to high maintenance costs, thermal budget issues, and broad spectral emission, which can be detrimental to instrumentation and substrates, and solid state light sources face challenges in achieving high packing density for comparable irradiance levels.
Innovation Solution
A solid state light source arrangement with high packing density, utilizing multiple strings of LEDs aligned and electrically isolated, allowing for closer spacing without electrical leakage, and modularizing LEDs into smaller arrays for easier handling and independent wavelength control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional lamps are used for heating substrates, then high irradiance levels can be achieved, but maintenance costs increase and thermal budget issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive conventional lamps with arrays of inexpensive LED elements. Individual LEDs can be replaced if failed, while the rest of the array continues operating. This resolves the contradiction by using cheap, replaceable components to achieve high reliability and low maintenance costs while maintaining high irradiance through the array configuration.
2Temperature
If conventional lamps are used for heating substrates, then high process temperatures can be achieved, but thermal budget issues adversely affect device performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spectral parameters of the heat source by using LEDs that emit at specific wavelengths rather than the broad spectrum of conventional lamps. This allows achieving the required process temperatures while using only the beneficial wavelength ranges, avoiding the harmful thermal budget effects that degrade device performance.
3Illumination intensity
If LED packing density is increased to achieve target irradiance levels, then irradiance comparable to conventional lamps is achieved, but electrical leakage and breakdown occur due to minimum spacing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrical circuitry by providing electrical isolation between adjacent LED elements. This segmentation allows LEDs to be placed at minimum spacing without causing electrical leakage or breakdown, while still achieving high packing density and target irradiance levels through the collective output of many closely-spaced elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electrical isolation structures as intermediaries between adjacent LED elements. These isolators prevent electrical leakage and breakdown while allowing the LEDs to be positioned at the minimum required spacing, thus enabling high packing density without compromising electrical reliability.
4Illumination intensity
If conventional lamps are used, then broad spectrum radiation is emitted, but this is detrimental to instrumentation and causes unintended substrate response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting LEDs that emit at specific, targeted wavelengths suitable for particular semiconductor processing applications. Instead of using conventional lamps that emit across the entire visible spectrum, the invention uses LEDs with narrow, controlled spectral output that provides the exact radiation quality needed while avoiding harmful interference with instrumentation and unintended substrate responses.
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 provides improved heating efficiency, reduced maintenance costs, and precise temperature control, enabling higher substrate processing temperatures with reduced thermal budget issues and minimal interference with instrumentation.
Implementation Method 1
Arrays of solid state light sources, for example Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), may be used instead of, or in addition to, conventional lamps for various semiconductor fabrication processes
Implementation Method 2
heat energy from lamps is radiated into the process chamber and onto a semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for providing energy to a process chamber are provided herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus include a supporting substrate, a first plurality of solid state light sources disposed on a first surface of the supporting substrate, and a second plurality of solid state light sources disposed on the top surface of the supporting substrate, wherein the first and second plurality of solid state light sources are aligned and electrically isolated from each other, and the first plurality of solid state light sources is in physical contact with the second plurality of solid state light sources.