Platen Backside Gas Flow for Workpiece Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Precise control of workpiece temperature during semiconductor fabrication is challenging, particularly in maintaining temperature gradients across adjacent regions due to heat spreading issues between the workpiece and platen, which affects process uniformity and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system using a platen with discrete regions and a backside gas flow control mechanism, where individual compartments are created between the workpiece and platen, allowing independent regulation of backside gas pressure to control temperature in each region through valves and a controller, enabling precise temperature modulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If heat transfer is increased to control workpiece temperature, then temperature control precision is improved, but temperature gradients between adjacent regions are reduced due to heat spreading
Solution Approach 1:
The platen surface is divided into multiple discrete regions with individual gas flow control, allowing independent temperature management for each region. This segmentation enables precise local temperature control while maintaining the ability to create temperature gradients between adjacent regions, resolving the contradiction between temperature control precision and temperature gradient maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Each discrete region on the platen is equipped with independent gas flow control, providing locally differentiated thermal properties. This allows different regions to have different heat transfer characteristics, enabling precise temperature control in each location while maintaining temperature gradients across the workpiece surface.
2Stability of the object's composition
If uniform temperature is maintained across the workpiece, then process uniformity is improved, but the ability to correct non-uniformities from subsequent processes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic temperature control by independently adjusting gas flow to each discrete region, allowing the temperature profile to be changed between processes. This enables uniform temperature during some processes while allowing non-uniform temperature profiles for compensation processes, resolving the contradiction between process uniformity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented platen system serves multiple functions: it can maintain uniform temperature across the workpiece when needed for process uniformity, or create specific temperature gradients when compensation is required. This multi-functionality allows the same system to address both contradictory requirements depending on the process needs.
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 approach allows for precise and independent temperature control of multiple regions on the workpiece, improving process uniformity and efficiency by modulating heat transfer without altering processing time, thus enhancing semiconductor fabrication processes like etching and deposition.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure of back side gas in each of the compartments can be individually controlled. The pressure of back side gas determines the amount of heat that is transferred from the workpiece to the platen.
Implementation Method 2
By locally regulating the pressure of back side gas, different regions of the workpiece can be maintained at different temperatures.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for modulating and controlling the localized temperature of a workpiece during processing is disclosed. The system uses a platen having one or more walls, defining a plurality of discrete regions on the top surface of the platen. When a workpiece is disposed on the platen, a plurality of compartments is created, where each compartment is defined by the back side of the workpiece and a respective region of the platen. The pressure of back side gas in each of the compartments can be individually controlled. The pressure of back side gas determines the amount of heat that is transferred from the workpiece to the platen. By locally regulating the pressure of back side gas, different regions of the workpiece can be maintained at different temperatures. In some embodiments, a plurality of valves is used to control the flow rate to the compartments.