Substrate Support Temperature Probe Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate processing systems face challenges in accurately measuring and controlling substrate support temperatures due to the failure of single temperature sensors, which can disrupt processing and require costly replacements, and existing systems lack redundancy and efficient fault diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing system with multiple temperature sensors (N > 3) that determines substrate support temperature based on various combinations of sensor readings, allowing for continued processing even if one sensor fails, and includes a diagnostic module to detect faults and adjust temperature control accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single temperature sensor is used to measure substrate support temperature, then the system structure is simple, but the reliability is low and processing is disrupted when the sensor fails
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature measurement function is segmented into multiple independent sensors (N sensors) distributed across the substrate support. Each sensor independently measures temperature at its location, and the system processes readings from multiple sensors to determine overall temperature, thereby improving reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular sensor units.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate support are monitored by individual temperature sensors positioned at specific locations. Each sensor provides localized temperature data, and the system integrates these local measurements to determine the overall substrate support temperature, ensuring accurate local monitoring without requiring a single complex sensor.
2Reliability
If multiple temperature sensors are used to provide redundancy, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple temperature sensor readings are merged and processed together to determine the substrate support temperature. The system combines data from N sensors using algorithms that evaluate consistency among readings, allowing redundant measurement capability while managing complexity through integrated processing rather than separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors temperature readings from multiple sensors and provides feedback to evaluate sensor consistency and detect faults. When sensor readings diverge beyond acceptable thresholds, the system identifies potential failures and adjusts processing accordingly, creating a self-diagnosing system that manages complexity through automated feedback mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If all temperature sensor readings are used to determine substrate temperature, then the measurement is comprehensive, but fault readings can cause inaccurate temperature control
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of temperature sensor readings before using them for temperature control. It assesses the consistency and validity of each sensor reading in advance, identifying and excluding faulty readings before they can adversely affect the determined substrate support temperature, thereby preventing inaccurate control actions.
Solution Approach 2:
When fault conditions are detected in some sensors, the system uses only the valid subset of sensor readings rather than all readings. It selectively processes readings from functioning sensors (N-1 or fewer) to determine temperature, effectively using partial data to maintain accurate temperature control while excluding harmful faulty readings.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the system continuously monitors all temperature sensors for faults, then the fault detection capability is improved, but the processing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor system performs self-diagnosis by automatically evaluating the consistency of its own readings. Each sensor's output is compared against others, and the system autonomously identifies faulty sensors based on predetermined criteria without requiring external diagnostic equipment or complex intervention, thereby improving fault detection while limiting complexity growth.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing system includes: a substrate support within a processing chamber to vertically support a substrate; a temperature probe including: a first temperature sensor to measure a first temperature of the substrate support; a second temperature sensor to measure a second temperature of the substrate support; a third temperature sensor to measure a third temperature of the substrate support; and a fourth temperature sensor to measure a fourth temperature of the substrate support; a temperature module to: in a first state, determine a substrate support temperature of the substrate support based on the first, second, third, and fourth temperatures; in a second state, determine the substrate support temperature based on only three of the first, second, third, and fourth temperatures; and a temperature control module configured to control at least one of heating and cooling of the substrate support based on the substrate support temperature.