Wafer Heating Assembly Edge Cooling for Uniform CVD Film Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The issue of poor film formation uniformity on wafers during chemical vapor deposition processes is caused by temperature variations across the wafer surface, leading to differing film thicknesses at the edge and middle areas due to uneven pressure distribution.
Innovation Solution
A heating device with a ventilation structure to blow gas to the edge of the workpiece and a cooling mechanism positioned at the edge area of the heating assembly to maintain uniform temperature distribution, using channels and cooling mechanisms to regulate heat conduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum suction is applied through the heating plate to hold the wafer, then the wafer can be securely adsorbed on the heating plate, but pressure distribution becomes uneven causing temperature non-uniformity and poor film formation uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gas blowing hole at the edge area of the heating plate to locally adjust pressure distribution. This creates a localized gas flow that counteracts the vacuum suction effect at the edges, balancing the pressure between edge and middle areas to achieve uniform temperature and film thickness distribution across the wafer surface.
2Productivity
If higher temperature is used to increase film forming rate, then productivity improves, but temperature non-uniformity worsens leading to greater film thickness variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality adjustment by introducing gas flow specifically at the edge area through the gas blowing hole. This localized intervention corrects the pressure and temperature non-uniformity that would otherwise worsen with higher heating temperatures, enabling high productivity while maintaining film thickness uniformity across the wafer surface.
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 ensures uniform temperature distribution across the wafer, preventing non-uniform film thickness and enhancing the uniformity of film formation by maintaining consistent temperatures at the edge and middle areas.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling mechanism is arranged in the mounting space, located at a position corresponding to an edge area of the heating surface, and configured to cool the heating assembly
Implementation Method 2
the first gas channel is configured to blow gas to an edge of the to-be-processed workpiece
Data Source
AI summary
A heating device includes a heating assembly. The heating assembly includes a ventilation structure configured to blow gas to an edge of a to-be-processed workpiece carried by the heating device. The heating device further includes a base arranged on a side of the heating assembly away from a heating surface of the heating assembly. A mounting space is formed between the base and the heating assembly. The heating device also includes a cooling mechanism arranged in the mounting space, located at a position corresponding to an edge area of the heating surface, and configured to cool the heating assembly.