Substrate Laser Heating for Rapid Plasma Etching Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Atomic layer etching processes face challenges in quickly heating substrates to high temperatures due to limitations in pulsed laser technology, where short pulse widths result in inefficient heating and cooling intervals, making it difficult to achieve the necessary temperatures within a short time for semiconductor manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating apparatus utilizing a combination of continuous wave and pulsed lasers with different pulse widths to rapidly heat substrates, where the lasers are either overlapped or sequentially applied to achieve and maintain a temperature suitable for plasma treatment, such as 400°C or higher, within milliseconds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a pulsed laser with short pulse width is used to heat the substrate, then the heating process can be controlled more precisely, but the heating efficiency decreases and cooling intervals increase, making it difficult to reach the required temperature quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pulsed lasers with different pulse widths (first pulsed laser with first pulse width, second pulsed laser with second pulse width where first pulse width > second pulse width) to simultaneously achieve precise heating control and rapid temperature increase. The overlapping irradiation periods of the two lasers enable the substrate to reach plasma treatment temperature quickly while maintaining atomic-level etching precision.
2Temperature
If the substrate is heated to high temperature for plasma treatment, then the etching process can be performed, but it takes a considerable amount of time to heat the substrate to the required temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulsed laser irradiation where the first and second pulsed lasers are controlled to overlap for a certain period of time, then pause, then overlap again. This periodic action with overlapping pulses accumulates thermal energy efficiently in the substrate, enabling rapid temperature increase to the plasma treatment range (e.g., 400°C or higher) within milliseconds, significantly reducing the heating time compared to continuous or single-pulse methods.
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
This approach allows for rapid and uniform heating of substrates to the required temperature for plasma treatment, significantly reducing processing time and minimizing device damage compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a laser irradiation unit irradiating the substrate with a plurality of lasers having different pulse widths to heat the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a plasma generating unit installed in the process chamber and generating plasma in the processing space
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate treating apparatus includes a process chamber having a processing space in which a substrate is plasma-treated and a laser irradiation unit irradiating the substrate with a plurality of lasers having different pulse widths to heat the substrate to reach a temperature at which the substrate is plasma-treated.