Substrate Heating Apparatus with Ventilated Heat Receiving Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate heating apparatuses for semiconductor substrates, particularly SiC substrates, face challenges in achieving uniform heating and preventing surface roughness during high-temperature processing, which can lead to decreased transistor performance and increased contact resistance due to gas discharge from the heating components.
Innovation Solution
A substrate heating apparatus with a heat receiving member that includes a ventilating portion allowing communication between the space between the heat receiving member and the substrate with the process chamber, enhancing exhaust conductance and evacuating any gases produced during heating, thereby ensuring even heating and reducing surface roughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a heat receiving member (cap) is installed to cover the substrate and isolate it from the process chamber space, then uniform heating of the substrate is achieved, but gas discharged from the heat receiving member accumulates around the substrate causing surface roughness
Solution Approach 1:
The heat receiving member is designed with through-holes (ventilation portions) that allow gas to pass through while maintaining the heat receiving function. This porous structure enables gas discharged from the heat receiving member to be exhausted to the process chamber rather than accumulating around the substrate, thereby preventing surface roughness while preserving uniform heating capability
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful gas accumulation problem is solved by extracting the gas discharge path from the isolated space between the heat receiving member and substrate. The through-holes create a gas escape route that connects the isolated heating space to the process chamber, removing the harmful effect of gas accumulation while maintaining the beneficial isolated heating environment
2Reliability
If the process chamber is evacuated to maintain a controlled environment, then substrate quality is improved, but gas produced during heating cannot be effectively removed without additional ventilation paths
Solution Approach 1:
The heat receiving member incorporates through-holes that function as ventilation portions, creating a porous structure that allows gas produced during heating to escape from the isolated space to the evacuated process chamber, preventing gas accumulation while maintaining the controlled vacuum environment necessary for substrate quality
Solution Approach 2:
The through-holes in the heat receiving member serve as intermediary channels that mediate between the isolated heating space and the process chamber, allowing gas to pass through the heat receiving member and be removed by the vacuum system, thus connecting the two environments for gas removal while maintaining thermal isolation
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 solution enables uniform heating and suppresses surface roughness, improving substrate quality and performance by effectively evacuating gases and maintaining a controlled environment, resulting in lower sheet resistance and smoother surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a heating means 104 installed in a suscepter 102 in a process chamber 101 that can be evacuated by an evacuating means (not shown) heats a substrate 103 placed on the suscepter 102
Implementation Method 2
a ventilating portion which causes a space formed between the heat receiving member and the substrate to communicate with a space in the process chamber is formed
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate heating apparatus having a heating unit for heating a substrate placed in a process chamber which can be evacuated includes a suscepter which is installed between the heating unit and a substrate, and on which the substrate is mounted, and a heat receiving member which is installed to oppose the suscepter with the substrate being sandwiched between them, and receives heat from the heating unit via the suscepter. A ventilating portion which allows a space formed between the heat receiving member and substrate to communicate with a space in the process chamber is formed.