LED Heating and Gas Cooling for Semiconductor Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate heating and cooling processes in semiconductor manufacturing are slow, with heating rates of about 0.45 degrees C./sec and cooling rates of about 0.5 degrees C./sec, which hinder the efficiency and throughput of wafer processing.
Innovation Solution
A heating/cooling apparatus utilizing LED light sources outside a chamber to irradiate substrates with LED light of specific wavelengths for rapid heating and a gas distribution system for efficient cooling, achieving heating and cooling rates of 12 degrees C./sec and 11 degrees C./sec respectively, significantly improving processing speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional heater and natural cooling methods are used, then the substrate heating and cooling processes are simple in structure, but the heating rate is only about 0.45 degrees C./sec and cooling rate is only about 0.5 degrees C./sec, resulting in slow processing speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical heater system with LED light sources that irradiate the substrate to achieve rapid heating. The LED-based heating system achieves a heating rate of about 12 degrees C./sec, which is approximately 27 times faster than the conventional heater method. This substitution of mechanical heating with optical heating resolves the contradiction by dramatically improving speed while keeping the device structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cooling method from natural cooling to forced cooling by introducing a cooling gas flow system. By controlling the flow rate of the cooling gas, the cooling rate can be adjusted to about 11 degrees C./sec, which is more than 20 times faster than natural cooling. This parameter change in the cooling approach resolves the contradiction between speed and structural complexity.
2Productivity
If LED light sources are used for rapid heating, then the heating rate increases to about 12 degrees C./sec, but the device structure becomes more complex with transmission windows and gas distribution parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the chamber structure to serve multiple functions: the transmission windows not only allow LED light to pass through for heating but also serve as part of the vacuum chamber structure. The gas distribution parts serve dual purposes by providing both cooling gas flow and maintaining the vacuum environment. This multi-functionality approach increases productivity while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the heating and cooling functions into separate modules: LED light sources for heating and gas distribution parts for cooling. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier maintenance and operation, thereby improving productivity without making the overall device excessively complex.
3Loss of time
If conventional heating and cooling methods are used, then the device structure is simple, but the processing time is long, reducing the throughput of wafer processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous heating and cooling system where LED light sources continuously irradiate the substrate during the heating phase, and cooling gas flows continuously during the cooling phase. This continuous action eliminates idle time between heating and cooling operations, significantly reducing total processing time and improving throughput, while the modular design keeps system complexity manageable.
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 apparatus efficiently performs substrate heating and cooling processes in shorter times, enhancing the throughput of wafer processing by using LED light for rapid heating and increased gas flow for rapid cooling.
Implementation Method 1
each LED light source is configured to irradiate the substrate held by the substrate holder corresponding thereto with LED light, and the LED light has a wavelength that heats the substrate
Implementation Method 2
each gas distribution part is configured to distribute and supply a cooling gas to the substrate held by the substrate holder corresponding thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A heating/cooling device includes: a chamber; a plurality of substrate holders provided inside the chamber to support substrates; a plurality of LED light sources provided outside the chamber to irradiate the substrates held on the substrate holders with LED light having a wavelength that heats the substrates; a plurality of transmission windows provided between the plurality of substrate holders and the plurality of LED light sources to transmit the LED light radiated from the LED light sources; and a plurality of gas distribution parts provided inside the chamber to distribute and supply a cooling gas to the substrates held on the substrate holders.