Offset Heater Lamp Arrays for Uniform Substrate Deposition Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing semiconductor processing systems face challenges in achieving uniform substrate temperature control during material layer deposition, leading to variations in material layer thickness, composition, and resistivity across the substrate.

Innovation Solution

A chamber arrangement with an upper and lower heater element array, including laterally and longitudinally offset lamps, and substrate pyrometers for precise temperature control, allowing for uniform substrate heating and reduced cross-substrate material layer variation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a conventional heater element array is used with symmetric arrangement, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature uniformity across the substrate deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate temperature uniformityVSAvoidheater element arrangement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by arranging heater elements at different lateral distances from the rotation axis. Specifically, first heater elements are positioned at a first lateral distance while second heater elements are positioned at a second lateral distance, creating an asymmetric heating configuration that compensates for radial temperature gradients across the substrate surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by providing different heater elements with different positioning characteristics for different regions of the substrate. The first heater elements and second heater elements are positioned differently to address specific local heating requirements, ensuring uniform temperature distribution across various zones of the substrate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple heater elements with different lateral spacing are used, then the temperature control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial layer thickness uniformityVSAvoidheater element array complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric arrangement of heater elements at different lateral distances from the rotation axis enables precise control of temperature distribution, which directly improves material layer thickness uniformity during deposition processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The heater element array is segmented into multiple groups (first heater elements and second heater elements) with different positioning characteristics, allowing independent control of heating zones to achieve precise thickness uniformity across the substrate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If symmetric heater arrangement is used, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the material layer composition uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial layer composition uniformityVSAvoidheater array manufacturing

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric heater element arrangement compensates for variations in material layer composition by providing differentiated heating across different radial zones, ensuring uniform composition even though the manufacturing complexity increases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

Different heater elements are positioned to address specific local composition requirements, with first heater elements targeting one radial zone and second heater elements targeting another, thereby achieving overall composition uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 provides improved temperature control, resulting in reduced cross-substrate material layer thickness variation and composition uniformity, enhancing the quality of semiconductor devices.

Implementation Method 1

upper heater element array... including a laterally-inner first upper linear lamp and a laterally-inner second upper linear lamp

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

substrate pyrometers for precise temperature control

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS20260005045A1Chamber arrangements with offset heater element arrays, semiconductor processing systems, and methods of making chamber arrangements and deposition material layers onto substrates

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 ASM IP HLDG BV

AI summary

A chamber arrangement includes a chamber body, a substrate support, and an upper heater element array. The chamber body has injection and longitudinally opposite exhaust ends, the substrate support is arranged within the chamber body and supported therein for rotation about a rotation axis, and the upper heater element array is supported above the chamber body and include a laterally-inner first upper linear lamp and a laterally-inner second upper linear lamp. The laterally-inner first upper linear lamp is separated from the rotation axis by a first lateral spacing distance, the laterally-inner second upper linear lamp is separated from the rotation axis by a second lateral spacing distance, and one of the first lateral spacing distance and the second lateral spacing distance is greater than the other of the first lateral spacing distance the second lateral spacing distance. Semiconductor processing systems and material layer deposition methods are also described.