Pre-treatment Thermal Chamber for Epitaxial Substrate Baking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing systems have low throughput due to a lengthy two-hour conditioning process in the epitaxial chamber, limiting the production of semiconductor devices to about 0.4 substrates per hour, which is inadequate to meet increasing demand.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing system with a transfer chamber, pre-clean chamber, pre-treatment thermal chamber, and epitaxy chamber, where native oxides are removed, the substrate is baked at 800°C in a pre-treatment thermal chamber to form double atomic steps, and then an epitaxial layer is formed, separating the bake and deposition operations to reduce conditioning time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the substrate is baked in the epitaxial chamber to form double atomic steps, then the crystal quality is improved, but the conditioning process takes two hours which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the processing into separate chambers: a pre-treatment chamber for forming double atomic steps and an epitaxial chamber for layer formation. This segmentation allows the baking process to be isolated from the epitaxial growth environment, eliminating the need for lengthy conditioning of the epitaxial chamber while maintaining crystal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The double atomic steps are formed in advance in a dedicated pre-treatment chamber before the substrate enters the epitaxial chamber. This preliminary action prepares the substrate surface optimally for epitaxial growth without requiring the epitaxial chamber to undergo time-consuming conditioning procedures.
2Reliability
If the epitaxial chamber undergoes a two-hour conditioning process, then the chamber cleanliness is improved, but the substrate production rate decreases to 0.4 substrates per hour
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the baking function from the epitaxial chamber and places it in a separate pre-treatment chamber. This removes the conflicting requirement for the epitaxial chamber to be both clean (for growth) and hot (for baking), eliminating the need for lengthy conditioning while maintaining both cleanliness and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-treatment chamber acts as an intermediary that prepares the substrate in a dedicated environment. This intermediary chamber handles the high-temperature baking process, allowing the epitaxial chamber to remain clean and ready for immediate use, thus eliminating the two-hour conditioning wait time.
3Manufacturing precision
If the baking temperature is set to 800°C or higher, then double atomic steps are formed effectively, but the energy consumption and process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The high-temperature baking is performed as a preliminary step in a dedicated pre-treatment chamber using hydrogen gas atmosphere. This preliminary high-temperature treatment effectively forms double atomic steps, and by isolating it from the epitaxial growth process, the energy-intensive operation is confined to a specific timeframe and environment, optimizing energy utilization.
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 increases substrate throughput from 0.4 to 2.0 substrates per hour by reducing the baking process from two hours to five minutes, eliminating the need for the epitaxial chamber's conditioning process and enhancing crystal quality by forming double atomic steps.
Implementation Method 1
baking the substrate in a pre-treatment thermal chamber such that double atomic steps are formed on the surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 2
forming an epitaxial layer on the substrate after the substrate is baked
Implementation Method 3
exposing the substrate to a high-temperature sublimation process
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein generally relate to a substrate processing system, such as an etch processing system. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate is disclosed herein. The method includes removing a native oxide from a surface of the substrate, baking the substrate in a pre-treatment thermal chamber such that double atomic steps are formed on the surface of the substrate, and forming an epitaxial layer on the substrate after the substrate is baked.