Stair-Step Heating Member for Substrate Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing substrate processing systems face challenges in maintaining uniform plate temperature during the bake process, leading to temperature deviations that can affect the reliability and precision of semiconductor device manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate supporting member with a plate having at least one heating zone, featuring a heating member that extends along the circumferential direction of the plate and has a stair-step configuration, ensuring consistent resistance value along the radial direction and minimizing temperature deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heating wire is provided on the heating plate to heat the substrate, then the substrate can be heat-treated, but the heat generated through the heating wire cannot be sufficiently diffused into the heating plate, causing temperature deviation within the heating plate
Solution Approach 1:
The heating plate is divided into multiple heating zones with independent heating members, allowing localized temperature control and reducing overall temperature deviation. Each heating zone can be independently adjusted to compensate for heat loss in different regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heating plate are equipped with heating members having different specifications (power, area, thickness) according to local heat loss characteristics. The heating members have varying thicknesses (e.g., 0.1mm to 0.5mm) to locally adjust heat diffusion and maintain uniform temperature distribution.
2Reliability
If the heating member has uniform thickness, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the resistance value varies along the radial direction causing temperature deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The heating member is designed with non-uniform thickness varying radially from the center to the edge of the heating plate. The thickness is greater near the center and smaller toward the edge, which compensates for the varying heat loss distribution and maintains relatively constant resistance value along the radial direction, thereby reducing temperature deviation.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the heating member is changed radially to optimize electrical resistance distribution. By adjusting thickness from 0.1mm at the center to 0.5mm at the edge, the resistance value is maintained relatively constant, which is critical for uniform temperature distribution across the heating plate.
3Productivity
If the heating member area is small, then the device complexity is reduced, but the time required to change the plate to preset temperature is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The heating plate is divided into multiple heating zones with independent heating members distributed across the surface. This segmentation increases the total heating area and provides multiple heat generation points, significantly reducing the time required to reach preset temperature while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple heating members are combined to form a distributed heating system across the heating plate. The collective effect of multiple heating members provides sufficient total heating area for rapid temperature change while each individual member remains relatively simple in structure.
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 reduces temperature deviations across the substrate supporting member, enhancing the reliability and precision of the substrate processing apparatus by maintaining consistent heating performance.
Implementation Method 1
A heating member is on a first surface of the plate and is in the at least one heating zone and extends along a circumferential direction of the plate. The heating member is configured to heat a substrate supported by the plate.
Implementation Method 2
heat generated through the heating wire diffuses into the heating plate, whereby the substrate may be heat-treated
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate supporting member and a substrate processing apparatus including the same are provided. The substrate supporting member includes a plate having at least one heating zone. A heating member is on a first surface of the plate and located in the at least one heating zone. The heating member extends along a circumferential direction of the plate and is configured to heat a substrate supported by the plate. A first electrode is on the first surface of the plate and is connected to an inner side surface of the heating member. A second electrode is on the first surface of the plate and is connected to an outer side surface of the heating member. The heating member has a stair-step configuration such that a thickness of the heating member increases from the second electrode toward the first electrode.