Non-Vertical Microwave Waveguide for Uniform Wafer Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, the use of microwaves to activate impurities and crystallize amorphous materials is hindered by metal layers on wafers, leading to insufficient heating and uneven temperature distribution due to microwave absorption and reflection, resulting in increased power consumption and non-uniform heating.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a non-vertical microwave incidence direction and a chamber with high microwave reflectivity inner walls, allowing for efficient re-irradiation of the wafer with minimal energy loss, ensuring uniform heating of the wafer even with metal layers present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a microwave is used to heat a wafer with metal layers, then heating efficiency decreases and power consumption increases, but uniform heating cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful microwave reflection and absorption by metal layers into a beneficial effect by introducing a resonant cavity structure. The cavity resonates at the microwave frequency, creating standing waves that distribute energy uniformly throughout the chamber, transforming the interaction between microwaves and metal layers from harmful to useful for achieving uniform heating with reduced power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the heating chamber by introducing a resonant cavity with specific dimensions and geometry that resonate at the microwave frequency. This parameter change transforms the heating mechanism from direct microwave irradiation (which causes uneven heating) to resonant heating (which achieves uniform temperature distribution), thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining heating effectiveness
2Productivity
If a microwave is used to activate impurities and crystallize amorphous materials, then processing efficiency improves, but metal layers cause insufficient heating
Solution Approach 1:
The resonant cavity structure converts the harmful effect of metal layer interference (microwave absorption and reflection causing insufficient heating) into a beneficial standing wave pattern. The standing waves create multiple hot spots distributed throughout the chamber that collectively provide sufficient heating to activate impurities and crystallize amorphous materials while maintaining processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the chamber into a resonant structure with specific geometric parameters matched to the microwave frequency, the patent transforms the heating mechanism to achieve both sufficient temperature for material transformation and high processing efficiency, overcoming the limitation imposed by metal layers
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 solution enables sufficient and uniform heating of the wafer with reduced power consumption, effectively addressing the issues of heating inefficiency and unevenness, allowing for faster temperature increase and improved processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a microwave generator (13) configured to generate a microwave
Implementation Method 2
when a wafer provided with a metal layer such as an electrode layer or an interconnect layer is irradiated with the microwave, a heating target region (a region which needs to be heated by the microwave) may not be sufficiently heated
Implementation Method 3
a chamber (12) configured to contain the support module (11), the chamber (12) having inner walls with high reflectivity of microwaves
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a support module configured to support a wafer having first and second faces. The apparatus further includes a chamber configured to contain the support module. The apparatus further includes a microwave generator configured to generate a microwave. The apparatus further includes a waveguide configured to emit the microwave into the chamber to irradiate the first or second face of the wafer with the microwave, the waveguide being provided to the chamber such that an incidence direction of the microwave emitted from the waveguide onto the first or second face is non-vertical to the first or second face.