Rotating Substrate Support for High-Throughput Soak Annealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate annealing technologies face challenges in achieving a balance between processing multiple substrates efficiently and quickly changing substrate temperatures, with batch systems being slow and cost-effective for many substrates, while rapid thermal processing systems are expensive due to single-substrate processing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus featuring a rotatable thermal processing chamber with multiple load lock chambers and a substrate transfer device, allowing for efficient thermal processing of multiple substrates with rapid temperature changes and substrate exchange, utilizing a purging device to maintain environment separation and enable quick substrate transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If batch systems are used to process multiple substrates simultaneously, then cost per substrate is reduced, but processing speed and temperature change rate are slow
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the substrate processing into multiple slots on a rotating support structure, allowing multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously like a batch system, while the entire assembly can be quickly inserted into and removed from the heating zone, enabling rapid temperature changes for all substrates at once
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating substrate support allows dynamic positioning of multiple substrates into or out of the heating zone, enabling rapid temperature changes by rotating the support to bring substrates in contact with or away from the heat source, combining batch processing capability with fast thermal response
2Speed
If rapid thermal processing systems are used for single substrate processing, then temperature change speed is improved, but cost per substrate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the rapid thermal processing capability with multi-substrate processing by placing multiple substrates on a single rotating support that can be quickly inserted into the heating zone, combining the speed advantage of RTP with the cost advantage of batch processing
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating substrate support serves multiple functions: it holds multiple substrates simultaneously, enables rapid temperature changes by rotating into/out of the heating zone, and allows sequential processing of multiple substrates, making the system universally applicable for both fast single-substrate and cost-effective multi-substrate processing
3Productivity
If batch systems are used for multi-substrate processing, then cost per substrate is reduced, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing chamber is segmented into a heating zone and a loading zone, allowing substrates to be pre-loaded in the loading zone while other substrates are being processed in the heating zone, enabling parallel operations that reduce total processing time while maintaining batch processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Substrates are pre-loaded onto the rotating support in the loading zone before the heating cycle begins, and the support is rapidly rotated into the heating zone once heating is complete, allowing the next batch to be prepared in advance and significantly reducing the idle time between processing cycles
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 solution enables high-throughput thermal processing of multiple substrates with rapid temperature control and efficient substrate exchange, reducing processing time and cost per substrate while maintaining the advantages of both batch and RTP systems.
Implementation Method 1
a light source than emits light energy for heating the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a heat source disposed above or below the rotatable substrate support
Implementation Method 3
a purge device is coupled to the plenum walls within the port plenum
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and methods for thermally processing substrates. In one embodiment, a processing system includes a factory interface coupled to a plurality of load lock chambers. The plurality of load lock chambers are coupled to a transfer chamber which houses a robot. A thermal processing chamber is coupled to the transfer chamber and the robot is configured to transfer substrate between the load lock chambers and the thermal processing chamber. A multi-substrate support, which is disposed within the thermal processing chamber, rotates to facilitate efficient substrate thermal processing. A gas curtain apparatus disposed in a port plenum provides environment separation between the processing chamber and the transfer chamber while enabling efficient substrate transfer between the thermal processing chamber and the transfer chamber.