Transparent Plate with Varying Transmittance for Uniform Substrate Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor device fabrication systems experience process failures due to non-uniform heating during thermal treatment processes, particularly at the edge regions of substrates, caused by single transmittance plates that concentrate heat on the center region.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing system with a transparent plate featuring a center region and an edge region, where the edge region has a higher transmittance than the center region, and supporting pins positioned at specific radii to uniformly distribute heat and prevent edge damage, ensuring consistent substrate heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single transmittance plate is used, then the structure is simple, but non-uniform heating occurs at the edge region of the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is designed with different transmittance values for different regions: the center region has a first transmittance value while the edge region has a second transmittance value that is higher than the first. This local differentiation of optical properties compensates for the non-uniform heating pattern, allowing uniform temperature distribution across the substrate during thermal treatment.
2Power
If heat is concentrated on the center region, then the center heating efficiency is improved, but process failure occurs at the edge region
Solution Approach 1:
The plate differentiates transmittance by region: the center region maintains lower transmittance for efficient heating, while the edge region has higher transmittance to allow sufficient heat penetration, preventing process failure at the edges while preserving center heating efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmittance parameter of the plate is changed spatially across different regions. By adjusting the transmittance value from the center to the edge regions, the system optimizes heat distribution to prevent edge failure while maintaining effective center heating.
3Reliability
If uniform heating is achieved across the substrate, then process reliability is improved, but the plate structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The plate achieves uniform heating across the substrate by implementing local quality differentiation through varying transmittance values in different regions. This allows a single plate structure to compensate for non-uniform heating patterns and deliver consistent thermal treatment throughout the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmittance parameter is modified across different spatial regions of the plate to achieve uniform heating. By changing the transmittance value from the center to edge regions, the system attains reliable and consistent thermal treatment across the entire substrate area.
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 system achieves uniform substrate heating, reducing spatial temperature variations and preventing process failures at the edge regions, thereby enhancing the reliability of thermal treatment processes.
Implementation Method 1
The plate may include a center region having a first transmittance and an edge region enclosing the center region having a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance
Implementation Method 2
a lamp provided below the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A transparent plate and a substrate processing system including the same are disclosed. The substrate processing system may include a chamber, a lamp provided below the chamber, and a plate provided in the chamber to load a substrate. The plate may include a center region having a first transmittance value and an edge region having with a second transmittance value higher than the first transmittance value.