Multi-Zone Substrate Heating for Uniform Film Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform film thickness among multiple substrates due to temperature inconsistencies caused by ceiling and lower heaters, leading to deviations in film thickness during processing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a temperature controller that adjusts temperatures in multiple zones using ceiling and lower heaters, employing upper- and lower-portion temperature models to calculate optimal temperature conditions for uniform film thickness, and adjusts the process region based on measured film thickness deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If ceiling heater and lower heater are used to heat substrates, then heating efficiency is improved, but film thickness uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The processing container is divided into multiple temperature zones (upper, middle, lower) with independent temperature control. Each zone can be heated to different temperatures to compensate for natural temperature gradients, allowing the ceiling and lower heaters to work together without causing uniformity issues across the entire substrate stack.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate stack are subjected to different temperature conditions. The temperature controller adjusts heating power locally for each zone based on measured film thickness deviations, applying more heating to regions that form thinner films and less heating to regions that form thicker films.
2Productivity
If temperature is increased to improve film formation rate, then productivity is improved, but film thickness uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature controller dynamically adjusts the heating power of each zone during the film formation process based on real-time film thickness measurements. This allows the system to maintain high overall temperatures for productivity while locally compensating for uniformity deviations as they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures film thickness on multiple substrates and uses this feedback information to adjust temperature conditions for subsequent processing. The controller learns from measurement results and modifies heating patterns to achieve both high formation rates and uniform thickness.
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 efficiently sets temperature conditions to achieve inter-plane uniformity, identifies and omits regions with significant film thickness deviations, reducing substrate waste and improving yield rates.
Implementation Method 1
a ceiling heater that heats the processing container from a ceiling
Implementation Method 2
heats the processing container from a ceiling
Implementation Method 3
a lower heater that heats a lower portion of the processing container or a portion below the processing container
Implementation Method 4
heats a lower portion of the processing container or a portion below the processing container
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing container, a temperature adjustment furnace, and a controller. The temperature controller includes at least one of a ceiling heater heating the processing container from a ceiling and a lower heater heating a portion below the processing container. The controller calculates a temperature condition for each of the plurality of zones to uniformize a film thickness among the plurality of substrates during the substrate processing, by using a retained upper-portion temperature model and/or lower-portion temperature model, acquires the film thickness of the plurality of substrates when the substrate processing is performed under the calculated temperature condition, and compares the acquired film thickness with a target film thickness, and when the acquired film thickness falls outside an allowable range of the target film thickness, sets a process region to be applied to the substrate processing on the plurality of substrates, based on the comparison.