Single-Chamber Plasma and Lamp Heating for Substrate Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of plasma treatment and heat treatment chambers in semiconductor manufacturing facilities increases facility footprint, decreases wafer per price and space (WPPS), and reduces unit per equipment hour (UPEH) due to transfer time between chambers.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating apparatus and method that combines plasma treatment and heat treatment in a single chamber, using an electrodeless lamp for heat treatment and a plasma source for plasma treatment, allowing for selective excitation of process gases to plasma and supply of heat energy for by-product removal using a single electric source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plasma treatment and heat treatment chambers are separated, then treatment functions are specialized, but facility footprint increases and WPPS decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines plasma treatment and heat treatment functions into a single chamber. The chamber includes both a plasma source for generating plasma and an electrodeless lamp for heat treatment, allowing both treatments to be performed simultaneously or sequentially in the same space, thereby reducing facility footprint while maintaining functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber is designed to perform multiple functions: plasma generation, heat treatment, and by-product removal. The electrodeless lamp serves as a universal heating source that can be activated independently or with the plasma source, making the chamber versatile for different treatment modes without requiring separate dedicated chambers.
2Reliability
If separate chambers are used for plasma and heat treatment, then each chamber is optimized for its function, but transfer time between chambers increases and UPEH decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging plasma treatment and heat treatment into one chamber, the patent eliminates the need for substrate transfer between chambers. The substrate remains in the same chamber throughout the process, removing transfer time completely and increasing equipment utilization efficiency.
3Temperature
If conventional lamps are used for heat treatment, then heat treatment is achievable, but replacement cycle is short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional lamps with an electrodeless lamp for heat treatment. The electrodeless lamp uses electromagnetic induction to generate heat without physical contact between electrodes and the heating medium, eliminating wear and degradation issues associated with conventional lamps, thereby significantly extending the replacement cycle while maintaining effective heat treatment capability.
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 reduces facility footprint, increases WPPS, and enhances UPEH by eliminating the need for separate chambers and minimizing transfer time, while also extending the replacement cycle of the electrodeless lamp compared to other lamps.
Implementation Method 1
The plasma is generated by a very high temperature, a strong electric field, or an RF electromagnetic field, and the plasma refers to an ionized gas state consisting of ions, electrons, and radicals or the like
Implementation Method 2
a plasma source configured to apply an electric field
Implementation Method 3
the discharging material discharging and luminating when applied with an electric field of a second intensity higher than the first intensity
Implementation Method 4
a luminous material and filling the discharging space, the discharging space of the housing being pressurized to a second pressure, and the discharging material discharging and luminating
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive concept provides a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a chamber having an inner space; a plasma source configured to apply an electric field; a first gas supply unit configured to supply a first process gas to a region to which the plasma source applies the electric field, the first process gas excited to a plasma when the first process gas is applied with an electric field of a first intensity at a first pressure atmosphere; a support unit disposed in the inner space and configured to support a substrate to be treated; and an electrodeless lamp disposed above the substrate in the inner space, and wherein the electrodeless lamp includes an electric field transmissive housing having a discharging space therein; and a discharging material including a luminous material and filling the discharging space, the discharging space of the housing being pressurized to a second pressure, and the discharging material discharging and luminating when applied with an electric field of a second intensity higher than the first intensity at a second pressure.