Movable Heater and Spacer Pin Control for Variable Substrate Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional process chambers for thermal-based processes like ALD and CVD have fixed heater temperatures, limiting process flexibility and capability.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a moveable heater and adjustable spacer pins to control the distance between the substrate and the heater, allowing for variable substrate temperature control, along with a seal ring and resilient element to maintain a seal and facilitate gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed heater temperature is used in conventional process chambers, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but the process flexibility and capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is made moveable along the central axis of the substrate support, allowing dynamic adjustment of the heater-substrate distance. This enables variable substrate temperature control without requiring multiple fixed heaters, thus improving process flexibility while maintaining a relatively simple single-heater structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance between the heater and substrate is changed as a controllable parameter to achieve variable substrate temperature. By adjusting the heater position along the central axis, the thermal coupling between heater and substrate varies, enabling temperature tuning for different process requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the heater is made moveable to enable variable temperature control, then process flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and sealing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A seal ring is introduced as an intermediary component between the moveable heater and the stationary shadow ring. This seal ring enables the moveable heater to slide along the central axis while maintaining gas tightness, thus allowing temperature adjustment without compromising the sealing integrity of the process chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism replaces complex mechanical sealing systems with a simpler friction-based sliding seal. The seal ring slides along the heater surface with minimal friction, allowing smooth heater movement while maintaining adequate sealing through the resilient element biasing the seal ring against the heater backside.
3Manufacturing precision
If spacer pins are made moveable to control substrate-hester distance, then temperature control precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support structure is segmented into modular components: the substrate, movable spacer pins, heater, seal ring, and resilient elements. This segmentation allows independent manufacturing and assembly of each component, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while enabling precise control of the substrate-heater distance through adjustable spacer pin positions.
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 solution enhances process flexibility and product quality by enabling variable temperature processing, improving nucleation and productivity without significant cost increases.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient element disposed beneath the seal ring to bias the seal ring toward a backside surface of the heater
Implementation Method 2
a heater moveable along a central axis of a substrate support... control a first distance between the substrate and the heater... variable substrate temperature control
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, an apparatus for variable substrate temperature control may include a heater moveable along a central axis of a substrate support; a seal ring disposed about the heater, the seal ring configured to interface with a shadow ring disposed above the heater to form a seal; a plurality of spacer pins configured to support a substrate and disposed within a plurality of through holes formed in the heater, the plurality of spacer pins moveable parallel to the central axis, wherein the plurality of spacer pins control a first distance between the substrate and the heater and a second distance between the substrate and the shadow ring; and a resilient element disposed beneath the seal ring to bias the seal ring toward a backside surface of the heater.