Substrate Microwave Heating Control to Suppress Film Heat Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, heat treatment processes using electromagnetic waves often lead to heat diffusion from the target film to adjacent films, which can disrupt the intended modification processes and affect the quality of the substrate.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a controller that can control the electromagnetic wave supplier to stop the wave supply before heating the second film, preventing heat diffusion by using pulsed microwave power to selectively heat the dopant in the target film while maintaining thermal equilibrium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If electromagnetic wave heat treatment is applied to the substrate, then the dopant in the first film can be heated and modified, but heat diffuses to the second film causing unintended heating and processing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pulsed microwave irradiation to heat the dopant in the first film. By controlling the pulse width and duty cycle, the electromagnetic energy is delivered in intermittent bursts that allow the dopant to absorb energy and heat up while providing cooling intervals that prevent excessive heat diffusion to the second film. This periodic action enables selective heating of the target region while minimizing thermal contamination of adjacent structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the electromagnetic wave treatment by adjusting frequency, power level, and pulse duration. By optimizing these parameters, the heating is concentrated in the dopant-containing first film while the second film remains below its heating threshold. The parameter control includes adjusting microwave power from 0 to 100% and pulse widths from 1 to 100 milliseconds to achieve precise thermal management.
2Productivity
If continuous electromagnetic wave supply is used for heating, then heating efficiency is high, but heat diffusion to adjacent films occurs disrupting the processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces continuous electromagnetic wave supply with periodic pulsed irradiation. The microwave power is supplied in pulses with controlled width (1-100 ms) and duty cycle (10-90%), creating intermittent heating cycles. This periodic action maintains high average heating efficiency while the off-periods allow heat dissipation from the second film, preventing thermal accumulation and diffusion that would occur with continuous irradiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control of the electromagnetic wave supply by varying pulse width, power level, and duty cycle during the processing sequence. The system dynamically adjusts microwave parameters based on real-time process requirements, enabling adaptive heating that maintains efficiency while preventing heat diffusion. The dynamic modulation of power delivery allows optimization of both productivity and processing accuracy.
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 effectively suppresses heat diffusion, ensuring precise heating of the target film without affecting adjacent films, thereby improving the quality and consistency of the substrate processing.
Implementation Method 1
a heat treatment process using an electromagnetic wave may be performed
Implementation Method 2
a heat may be diffused (that is, a heat diffusion may occur) from the film to be processed to a film other than the film to be processed
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique capable of suppressing a heat diffusion. There is provided a technique that includes: a process chamber in which a substrate with a first film doped with a dopant and a second film different from the first film formed on the substrate is processed; an electromagnetic wave supplier configured to supply an electromagnetic wave to the substrate; and a controller configured to be capable of controlling the electromagnetic wave supplier to stop supplying the electromagnetic wave before the second film is heated while the dopant is being heated by the electromagnetic wave.