Stage Heater Shaft Bonding Layer for Thermal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stage heaters face challenges in uniformly heating semiconductor wafers due to heat transfer from the heating substrate to the shaft, leading to temperature variations and potential quality issues in semiconductor films and insulating films.
Innovation Solution
A stage heater with a shaft bonded to the heating substrate, where the shaft features a bonding layer formed by accelerating aluminum or aluminum alloy powder in a solid phase onto a pipe made of low heat conductivity materials like stainless steel or titanium, reducing heat transfer through the bonding layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a shaft is bonded to the back side of the heating substrate to support it, then the structural support function is improved, but heat transfer from the heating substrate to the shaft increases causing temperature non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
A pipe made of low heat conductivity material (stainless steel, titanium, or titanium alloy) is introduced as an intermediary component between the aluminum heating substrate and the shaft. This pipe acts as a thermal barrier that mechanically transmits support forces while blocking heat flow, thereby maintaining temperature uniformity on the heating substrate surface without compromising structural support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft structure employs a composite construction combining a pipe (stainless steel/titanium) with an aluminum bonding layer deposited on its surface. This composite structure integrates the mechanical strength and low thermal conductivity of the pipe with the bonding capability of aluminum, achieving both structural support and thermal isolation functions simultaneously.
2Strength
If aluminum powder is accelerated and deposited onto the pipe to form a bonding layer, then the bonding strength between shaft and heating substrate is improved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional mechanical bonding or welding process is replaced with a kinetic spray deposition process where aluminum powder is accelerated through a gas flow and deposited onto the pipe surface. This substitution enables bonding without direct contact or high-temperature welding, simplifying the manufacturing process while achieving strong adhesion between the aluminum layer and the pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding process utilizes parameter changes in the aluminum powder by accelerating it to high velocity through gas flow while maintaining it in solid phase. The kinetic energy and temperature parameters are controlled to enable the powder to deposit and bond to the pipe surface upon impact, creating a strong bonding layer without melting the base materials.
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 suppresses heat transfer from the heating substrate to the shaft, ensuring uniform heating of wafers and maintaining stable quality in semiconductor manufacturing, while minimizing the risk of temperature fluctuations and outgas emissions.
Implementation Method 1
a bonding layer formed on a side of the pipe to be bonded to the heating substrate by accelerating a powder material of aluminum or a powder material of an alloy containing aluminum together with a gas and blowing the powder material while being maintained in a solid phase to the pipe so as to deposit thereon
Data Source
AI summary
A stage heater and a method of manufacturing a shaft capable of suppressing heat transfer from a heating substrate toward the shaft. The stage heater includes: a heating substrate made of aluminum or an alloy containing aluminum; and a shaft that is bonded to one surface of the heating substrate and supports the heating substrate. The shaft includes: a pipe made of a metal having a lower heat conductivity than a material of the heating substrate; and a bonding layer formed on a side of the pipe to be bonded to the heating substrate by accelerating a powder material of aluminum or a powder material of an alloy containing aluminum together with a gas and blowing the powder material while being maintained in a solid phase to the pipe so as to deposit thereon.