Substrate Heat Treatment with Inter-Substrate Cooling Gas
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The heat treatment process for semiconductor substrates using electromagnetic waves often results in warping or cracking due to non-uniform temperature distribution, which is not effectively addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus that includes a process chamber with an electromagnetic wave generator and a gas supplier to provide a cooling gas between substrates, ensuring uniform temperature distribution through controlled gas supply and microwave application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If heat treatment process using electromagnetic wave is performed to modify high density substrate, then modification process capability is improved, but substrate warping or cracking occurs due to non-uniform temperature distribution
Solution Approach 1:
Gas supply ports are positioned to correspond with intervals between adjacent substrates, enabling localized cooling gas supply between substrates. This creates different temperature control zones: electromagnetic wave heating zones on substrate surfaces and cooling zones between substrates, achieving uniform overall temperature distribution while maintaining high modification capability
Solution Approach 2:
Cooling gas is introduced as an intermediary substance between adjacent substrates to mediate heat transfer. The gas flows through spaces between substrates, absorbing excess heat and preventing thermal accumulation, thereby eliminating temperature non-uniformity without affecting the electromagnetic wave modification process
2Productivity
If multiple substrates are processed simultaneously to improve productivity, then processing efficiency is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates due to heat accumulation between substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The process chamber is segmented into multiple heating zones (one for each substrate) and cooling channels (between substrates). Gas supply ports are distributed to correspond with intervals between substrates, creating independent temperature control segments that can be managed simultaneously, enabling both high productivity and temperature uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
A gas supply system is implemented that delivers cooling gas through ports positioned between substrates. The pneumatic flow of cooling gas actively removes heat from intervals between substrates, preventing thermal accumulation and maintaining uniform temperature distribution across all substrates during simultaneous processing
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 effectively prevents substrate warping and cracking by maintaining uniform temperature, improving processing quality and enabling simultaneous processing of multiple substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a heat treatment process using an electromagnetic wave
Implementation Method 2
supply a cooling gas is supplied to between adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates
Data Source
AI summary
According to the present disclosure, there is provided a technique capable of preventing a substrate from being warped or cracked due to a heat treatment process. According to one aspect thereof, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber in which a plurality of substrates accommodated in a substrate retainer are processed; an electromagnetic wave generator configured to supply an electromagnetic wave into the process chamber; and a gas supplier configured to supply a cooling gas is supplied to between adjacent substrates among the plurality of substrates via a plurality of gas supply ports provided so as to correspond to an interval of the plurality of substrates accommodated in the substrate retainer.