Microwave Chamber Polarizer for Uniform Substrate Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microwave heating of substrates often results in non-uniform temperature distribution due to standing waves forming in the chamber, leading to hot and cold spots on the substrate surface.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus equipped with a polarizer on the chamber sidewall that reflects microwaves of one polarization and transmits another, creating a phase difference between polarizations to form a synthetic wave, thereby improving temperature uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If microwaves are supplied to the chamber for substrate heating, then heating speed is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates due to standing wave formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a polarizer that asymmetrically treats microwaves based on their polarization state. The polarizer reflects microwaves with one polarization orientation while transmitting those with the orthogonal polarization, creating an asymmetric interaction that disrupts standing wave patterns and improves temperature uniformity across the substrate surface
2Temperature
If a controlled cooling gas is sprayed to each area of the substrate to improve temperature uniformity, then temperature uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling gas spray system with an electromagnetic field-based solution. Instead of using physical gas flow to cool specific areas, the invention uses a polarizer to modify the microwave electromagnetic field distribution, thereby achieving temperature uniformity through field control rather than mechanical intervention
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 achieves uniform temperature distribution across the substrate by controlling the phase difference between microwave polarizations, enhancing the substrate processing quality.
Implementation Method 1
a polarizer mounted on a sidewall of the chamber, the polarizer being configured to reflect a microwave having first polarization and to transmit a microwave having second polarization
Implementation Method 2
the microwave having the first polarization may be reflected from the polarizer
Implementation Method 3
there may be a phase difference between the microwave having the first polarization reflected from the polarizer and the microwave having the second polarization reflected from the sidewall of the chamber
Implementation Method 4
technology for heating a substrate using microwaves has been proposed
Implementation Method 5
microwaves introduced into a chamber in which a substrate is disposed are likely to form a standing wave in the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including a chamber having defined therein a processing space for processing of a substrate, a substrate support unit disposed in the chamber, a microwave unit configured to supply microwaves to the processing space, and a polarizer mounted on the sidewall of the chamber and configured to reflect a microwave having first polarization and to transmit a microwave having second polarization. Accordingly, it is possible to solve non-uniformity of the temperature in a plane of the substrate due to a standing wave of the microwaves generated in the processing space.