Substrate Rack UV Illumination for Low-Temperature Reactivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate processing systems, achieving the right substrate temperature for reactivity while avoiding damage to temperature-sensitive features is challenging, as high temperatures are required for productivity and quality but must be limited to prevent damage.
Innovation Solution
A substrate rack with an integrated illumination system that radiates ultraviolet radiation within the range of 100 to 500 nanometers is used to provide energy to the substrate surface, allowing for increased reactivity without overheating, and the substrate holding provisions are configured to hold substrates in a spaced apart relationship for efficient energy transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature is applied to increase reactivity and productivity, then deposition quality and reaction rate improve, but temperature-sensitive features on the substrate may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the energy delivery parameter from thermal (heating the entire substrate) to photonic (UV irradiation at 100-500nm wavelength). This allows energy to be delivered directly to the deposited layer without heating the substrate bulk, enabling high reactivity while maintaining substrate temperature below damage thresholds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field (heat-based energy delivery) with a photonic field (UV radiation-based energy delivery). The illumination system uses UV lamps to provide energy for chemical reactions without the thermal effects that cause damage to temperature-sensitive features
2Productivity
If UV illumination is applied to increase reactivity at lower temperatures, then productivity and quality improve without overheating, but the device complexity increases due to integrated illumination system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the illumination system with the substrate rack structure. UV lamps are integrated into the rack itself, combining two previously separate functions (substrate handling and energy delivery) into a single integrated unit, thereby reducing overall system 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
This approach enhances the quality and productivity of deposited layers by increasing reactivity at lower temperatures, making processes possible that were previously not feasible due to zero reactivity at higher temperatures, while protecting temperature-sensitive features.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination system constructed and arranged to radiate ultraviolet radiation with a range from 100 to 500 nanometers onto a top surface of at least one of the substrates
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a substrate rack and a substrate processing system for processing substrates in a reaction chamber. The substrate rack may be used for introducing a plurality of substrates in the reaction chamber. The substrate rack may have a plurality of spaced apart substrate holding provisions configured to hold the substrates in a spaced apart relationship. The rack may have an illumination system to irradiate radiation with a range from 100 to 500 nanometers onto a top surface of the substrates.