Substrate Heat Processing Chamber With Dual-Zone Exhaust Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing technologies face challenges in achieving uniform film thickness and efficient sublimate recovery during heat processing, as gas flow from central exhaustion can lead to uneven film thickness and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a heat processing unit that includes a heater, a chamber, a gas ejector with scattered ejection holes, an outer peripheral exhauster, and a central exhauster, which controls gas evacuation and ejection to suppress gas flow influence and recover sublimate efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If central exhauster is used to evacuate processing space, then sublimate recovery efficiency is improved, but film thickness uniformity deteriorates due to gas flow influence
Solution Approach 1:
The exhauster system is segmented into multiple independent exhausters positioned at different locations (central and outer peripheral regions) of the processing chamber. This segmentation allows different regions to be evacuated independently, enabling selective gas flow control that recovers sublimate efficiently while minimizing disruptive gas flow patterns that would cause thickness non-uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the processing chamber are assigned different evacuation characteristics through strategically positioned exhausters. The central exhauster handles the region directly above the substrate center for efficient sublimate removal, while outer peripheral exhausters manage edge regions to maintain uniform pressure distribution and minimize gas flow-induced thickness variations.
2Manufacturing precision
If gas evacuation is performed from outer peripheral region only, then film thickness uniformity is improved, but sublimate recovery efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evacuation system is divided into multiple independent exhausters positioned at different locations (central and outer peripheral regions). This segmentation enables the central exhauster to efficiently capture sublimate rising from the substrate center while outer peripheral exhausters maintain uniform pressure distribution, achieving both high recovery efficiency and good thickness uniformity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines central and outer peripheral exhausters into a unified multi-zone evacuation system. This merging of evacuation functions at different locations creates a coordinated gas flow pattern that achieves both efficient sublimate recovery (through central evacuation) and uniform film thickness (through peripheral pressure management).
3Productivity
If multiple exhausters are added to the system, then sublimate recovery efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each exhauster in the multi-zone system is designed with universal functionality to handle both sublimate recovery and pressure regulation tasks. The exhausters can operate independently or in coordination, providing multi-functional capability that improves sublimate recovery efficiency without requiring additional specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 apparatus improves film thickness uniformity and efficiently recovers sublimate by controlling gas evacuation and ejection, reducing contamination and maintaining process stability across multiple substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a heater configured to support and heat the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a gas ejector having a head in which a plurality of ejection holes scattered along a surface facing the substrate supported on the heater is formed, and configured to eject a gas from the plurality of ejection holes toward a surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 3
an outer peripheral exhauster configured to evacuate a processing space inside the chamber from an outer peripheral region located further outward than a peripheral edge of the substrate supported on the heater; and a central exhauster configured to evacuate the processing space from a central region located further inward than the peripheral edge of the substrate supported on the heater
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a heat processing unit configured to perform a heat process on a substrate having a film formed on the substrate; and a control unit configured to control the heat processing unit, wherein the heat processing unit comprises: a heater configured to support and heat the substrate; a chamber configured to cover the substrate supported on the heater; a gas ejector having a head in which ejection holes are formed, and configured to eject a gas from the ejection holes toward a surface of the substrate; an outer peripheral exhauster configured to evacuate a processing space inside the chamber from an outer peripheral region located further outward than a peripheral edge of the substrate supported on the heater; and a central exhauster configured to evacuate the processing space from a central region located further inward than the peripheral edge of the substrate supported on the heater.