Radiant Heating Shutter for Substrate Annealing Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing apparatuses face issues with heating nonuniformity and prolonged cooling times due to heat transfer through substrate holders, leading to suboptimal annealing characteristics and reduced productivity in semiconductor manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus utilizing a radiant heating unit and a shutter with heat reflecting and absorbing surfaces to uniformly heat and rapidly cool substrates without direct contact, employing a shutter mechanism to control heat transfer and enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the substrate holder is used for heat transfer, then the substrate can be heated, but heating nonuniformity occurs due to poor contact between substrate and holder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based heating system with a radiant heating system. The heating unit radiates heat through the chamber to heat the substrate without physical contact, eliminating the contact nonuniformity problem. The shutter mechanism controls the radiant heat transmission, allowing uniform heating across the substrate surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter acts as an intermediary between the heating unit and substrate. It controls the transmission of radiant heat, allowing precise regulation of heating intensity and duration. The shutter's heat absorbing surface and heat reflecting surface work together to distribute heat uniformly to the substrate.
2Temperature
If the substrate holder is used for cooling, then the substrate can be cooled, but the cooling time is prolonged due to peripheral cooling only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based cooling system with a radiant cooling system. The cooling unit radiates cooling energy through the chamber to cool the substrate without physical contact, enabling rapid and uniform cooling across the entire substrate surface, significantly reducing cooling time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional peripheral cooling through the holder to two-dimensional surface cooling through radiant heat transfer. The cooling unit positioned above the substrate provides cooling across the entire substrate surface area, not just at the periphery, dramatically improving cooling efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If radiant heating is used without contact, then heating uniformity is improved, but the chamber requires evacuation and additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter serves multiple functions: it controls radiant heat transmission during heating, acts as a heat shield, and can be positioned to control the chamber environment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, offsetting the added complexity of the radiant heating system.
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 uniform and rapid heating and cooling of substrates, improving the productivity of the substrate processing apparatus and enhancing the in-plane uniformity of annealing characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
heat the substrate by radiant heat without being in contact with the substrate
Implementation Method 2
the shutter has a first principal surface serving as a heat reflecting surface
Implementation Method 3
a second principal surface serving as a heat absorbing surface
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber capable of being evacuated, a substrate stage adapted to mount a substrate, a heating unit adapted to be set above the substrate mounting surface of the substrate stage, face the substrate mounted on at least the substrate mounting surface, and heat the substrate by radiant heat without being in contact with the substrate, a shutter adapted to be retractably inserted in the space between the heating unit and the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting surface, and a shutter driving unit adapted to extend/retract the shutter into/from the space. The substrate is mounted on the substrate stage to face the heating unit, the substrate is annealed by heating the substrate by radiant heat from the heating unit, and the shutter is extended into the space between the heating unit and the substrate stage.