Segmented Hot Plate for Substrate Heating Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate heating apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform heating across the substrate, particularly in the edge and center regions, due to uneven heat dissipation, which affects the quality of subsequent microelectronic processing steps like copper interconnect layer fabrication in semiconductor integrated circuits.
Innovation Solution
A hot plate design comprising a central sub hot plate and outer ring sub hot plates with thermal insulation parts, such as annular grooves and gaps, to reduce heat conduction between sub hot plates, allowing for partitioned heating by independently controlling the power of heating lamps for edge and center regions, ensuring uniform temperature distribution and heating speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heating lamps are arranged in inner and outer loops with partitioned control to compensate edge heat dissipation, then edge region heating can be improved, but the hot plate absorbs and uniformizes the heat radiation, reducing the partitioned heating effect
Solution Approach 1:
The hot plate is divided into multiple independent heating zones (central zone and outer ring zone) with separate heating lamps and independent power control. This segmentation allows different regions to be heated independently, enabling the outer ring zone to compensate for edge heat dissipation while the central zone maintains center temperature, thus resolving the contradiction between edge heating improvement and overall heating uniformity.
2Manufacturing precision
If a single hot plate is used to provide uniform heat spreading, then heat distribution is improved, but the ability to provide partitioned heating to different substrate regions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hot plate is segmented into multiple independent heating zones with separate power control, enabling both uniform heat spreading across the entire substrate and partitioned heating to specific regions. Each zone can be independently adjusted to maintain appropriate temperature levels while contributing to overall heat distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system incorporates dynamic power control for different heating zones, allowing the power supply to each zone to be independently adjusted based on real-time temperature feedback and processing requirements. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to provide both uniform heating and region-specific temperature control as needed.
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 solution effectively compensates for heat dissipation at the edge region, achieving uniform heating and processing quality across the substrate, thereby enhancing the uniformity and quality of subsequent microelectronic processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
the heating lamps 3 irradiate the hot plate 6 in the heat radiating manner and heat it up
Implementation Method 2
the hot plate 6 subsequently heats the substrate 7 thereunder
Implementation Method 3
thermal insulation parts are provided between the central sub hot plate and the outer ring sub hot plate and between two adjacent outer ring sub hot plates
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a hot plate and substrate processing equipment using the same, wherein the hot plate comprises a central sub hot plate and at least one outer ring sub hot plate located around the central sub hot plate; thermal insulation parts are provided between the central sub hot plate and the outer ring sub hot plate and between two adjacent outer ring sub hot plates, so that the heat conduction between the adjacent sub hot plates can be effectively prevented or reduced by means of the thermal insulation parts. The hot plate and the substrate processing equipment using the same provided in the present invention can effectively compensate for the heat losses in the edge region of the substrate, so as to keep the heating rate the same in each region of the substrate.