Planar Gas Path Heater for Semiconductor Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heaters in semiconductor and liquid crystal manufacturing processes face challenges in maintaining consistent gas ejection on the substrate-heating surface, leading to variations in gas flow and accumulation of reactive films, which can crack both the film and the substrate.
Innovation Solution
A heater design featuring a heating member with a planar gas path formed between its rear surface and an auxiliary member's opposing surface, allowing for improved dimensional accuracy and controlled gas flow, reducing reactive film accumulation without affecting film growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If gas ejection ports are drilled in the sintered ceramic heater to prevent reactive film accumulation, then reactive film accumulation is reduced, but dimensional accuracy of gas paths deteriorates and variations in gas ejection amount increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical drilling process with a molding process. The gas path is formed as a cavity during the molding of the heater body, eliminating the need for subsequent drilling operations. This substitution of the formation method resolves the contradiction by achieving both precise dimensional control through molding and effective reactive film prevention through the formed gas path.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas path is formed in advance during the heater molding process rather than being created afterward through drilling. By preliminarily forming the gas path cavity in the molded state, the patent ensures dimensional accuracy is maintained while the gas path is already configured to prevent reactive film accumulation on the heating surface.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the amount of gas ejected from gas ejection ports is increased to reduce reactive film accumulation, then reactive film accumulation is reduced, but generation of growing films on the substrate is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates localized gas ejection through the planar gas path structure that distributes gas flow across the heating surface. This localized and distributed gas ejection prevents reactive film accumulation in specific areas without overwhelming the overall system, thereby maintaining proper film growth conditions on the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of gas ejection by using a planar gas path with controlled geometry instead of discrete drilled ports. This allows precise control of gas flow rate, pressure distribution, and ejection pattern, enabling reduction of reactive film accumulation while maintaining parameters necessary for proper film growth.
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 design enhances the consistency of gas ejection, reduces reactive film accumulation, and maintains substrate integrity by improving the accuracy of gas paths and controlling gas flow, ensuring stable film growth.
Implementation Method 1
a heating member formed in a plate shape that includes a substrate-heating surface on which a substrate is mounted and has a resistance heating element embedded therein
Data Source
AI summary
A heater includes a heating member formed in a plate shape that includes a substrate-heating surface on which a substrate is mounted and a heating member rear surface which is on the opposite side of the substrate-heating surfaces. The heater also has a resistance heating element embedded therein. An auxiliary member is placed on the side of the heating member rear surface of the heating member and has an opposing surface which opposes the heating member rear surface. A planar gas path for gas ejected on the substrate-heating surface is formed between the heating member rear surface and the opposing surface.