Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080276864 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING, POSITIONING AND ROTATING A SUBSTRATE IN A PROCESSING CHAMBER - An apparatus and method for supporting, positioning and rotating a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a support assembly for supporting a substrate includes an upper base plate and a lower base plate. The substrate is floated on a thin layer of air over the upper base plate. A positioning assembly includes a plurality of air bearing edge rollers or air flow pockets used to position the substrate in a desired orientation inside above the upper base plate. A plurality of slanted apertures or air flow pockets are configured in the upper base plate for flowing gas therethrough to rotate the substrate to ensure uniform heating during processing. | 11-13-2008 |
20080280453 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING, POSITIONING AND ROTATING A SUBSTRATE IN A PROCESSING CHAMBER - Embodiments of the invention contemplate a method, apparatus and system that are used to support, position, and rotate a substrate during processing. Embodiments of the invention may also include a method of controlling the transfer of heat between a substrate and substrate support positioned in a processing chamber. The apparatus and methods described herein remove the need for complex, costly and often unreliable components that would be required to accurately position and rotate a substrate during one or more processing steps, such as an rapid thermal processing (RTP) process, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, dry etching process, wet clean, and/or laser annealing process. | 11-13-2008 |
20090045182 | PULSED LASER ANNEAL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE - Embodiments of the present invention provide method and apparatus for annealing semiconductor substrates. One embodiment of the present invention provides a semiconductor processing chamber comprising a first substrate support configured to support a substrate, a second substrate support configured to support a substrate, a shuttle coupled to the first substrate support and configured to move the first substrate support between a processing zone and a first loading zone, wherein the processing zone having a processing volume configured to alternately accommodating the first substrate support and the second substrate support. | 02-19-2009 |
20090155025 | LIFT PIN FOR SUBSTRATE PROCESSING - A lift pin is provided for manipulating a substrate above a support surface of a substrate support and uniformly transferring heat from the substrate support to the substrate. The lift pin includes a pin shaft. The pin shaft includes a cross-section having at least three equal edges and round corners configured alternatively. A pin head is an end portion of the pin shaft, wherein the pin head has a convex support surface larger than the cross-section of the pin shaft. A flat portion is disposed on a central area of the convex support surface for directly contacting the substrate. | 06-18-2009 |
20090163042 | THERMAL REACTOR WITH IMPROVED GAS FLOW DISTRIBUTION - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume. | 06-25-2009 |
20090209112 | MILLISECOND ANNEALING (DSA) EDGE PROTECTION - A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is provided. A substrate is disposed within a processing chamber configured for thermal processing by directing electromagnetic energy toward a surface of the substrate. An energy blocker is provided to block at least a portion of the energy directed toward the substrate. The blocker prevents damage to the substrate from thermal stresses as the incident energy approaches an edge of the substrate. | 08-20-2009 |
20090241996 | SINGLE WAFER DRYER AND DRYING METHODS - In a first aspect, a module is provided that is adapted to process a wafer. The module includes a processing portion having one or more features such as (1) a rotatable wafer support for rotating an input wafer from a first orientation wherein the wafer is in line with a load port to a second orientation wherein the wafer is in line with an unload port; (2) a catcher adapted to contact and travel passively with a wafer as it is unloaded from the processing portion; (3) an enclosed output portion adapted to create a laminar air flow from one side thereof to the other; (4) an output portion having a plurality of wafer receivers; (5) submerged fluid nozzles; and/or (6) drying gas flow deflectors, etc. Other aspects include methods of wafer processing. | 10-01-2009 |
20090298300 | Apparatus and Methods for Hyperbaric Rapid Thermal Processing - Methods and apparatus for hyperbaric rapid thermal processing of a substrate are described. Methods of processing a substrate in a rapid thermal processing chamber are described that include passing a substrate from outside the chamber through an access port onto a support in the interior region of the processing chamber, closing a port door sealing the chamber, pressurizing the chamber to a pressure greater than 1.5 atmospheres absolute and directing radiant energy toward the substrate. Hyperbaric rapid thermal processing chambers are described which are constructed to withstand pressures greater than at least about 1.5 atmospheres absolute or, optionally, 2 atmospheres of absolute pressure. Processing chambers may include pressure control valves to control the pressure within the chamber. | 12-03-2009 |
20100008656 | RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER WITH SHOWER HEAD - Apparatus and methods for thermally processing a substrate are provided. A chamber containing a levitating support assembly configured to position the substrate at different distances from a plate during the heating and cooling of a substrate. In one embodiment a plurality of openings on the surface of the plate are configured to evenly distribute gas across a radial surface of the substrate. The distribution of gas may couple radiant energy not reflected back to the substrate during thermal processing with an absorptive region of the plate to begin the cooling of the substrate. The method and apparatus provided within allows for a controllable and effective means for thermally processing a substrate rapidly. | 01-14-2010 |
20100133257 | Rapid Thermal Processing Chamber With Micro-Positioning System - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 06-03-2010 |
20100273334 | MILLISECOND ANNEALING (DSA) EDGE PROTECTION - A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is provided. A substrate is disposed within a processing chamber configured for thermal processing by directing electromagnetic energy toward a surface of the substrate. An energy blocker is provided to block at least a portion of the energy directed toward the substrate. The blocker prevents damage to the substrate from thermal stresses as the incident energy approaches an edge of the substrate. | 10-28-2010 |
20110008740 | RAPID CONDUCTIVE COOLING USING A SECONDARY PROCESS PLANE - A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for thermally treating a substrate is provided. The method includes transferring a substrate to a chamber at a first temperature, the chamber having a heating source and a cooling source disposed in opposing portions of the chamber, heating the substrate in the chamber during a first time period to a second temperature, heating the substrate in the chamber to a third temperature during a second time period, and cooling the substrate in the chamber to a fourth temperature that is substantially equal to the second temperature during the second time period, wherein the second time period is about 2 seconds or less. | 01-13-2011 |
20120055405 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING, POSITIONING AND ROTATING A SUBSTRATE IN A PROCESSING CHAMBER - An apparatus and method for supporting, positioning and rotating a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a support assembly for supporting a substrate includes an upper base plate and a lower base plate. The substrate is floated on a thin layer of air over the upper base plate. A positioning assembly includes a plurality of air bearing edge rollers or air flow pockets used to position the substrate in a desired orientation inside above the upper base plate. A plurality of slanted apertures or air flow pockets are configured in the upper base plate for flowing gas therethrough to rotate the substrate to ensure uniform heating during processing. | 03-08-2012 |
20120070136 | Transparent Reflector Plate For Rapid Thermal Processing Chamber - The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for processing substrates. Embodiments of the invention include apparatuses for processing a substrate comprising a ceramic reflector plate, which may be optically transparent. The reflector plate may include a reflective coating and be part of a reflector plate assembly in which the reflector plate is assembled to a baseplate. | 03-22-2012 |
20120122253 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ALIGNING AND POSITIONING A COLD SUBSTRATE ON A HOT SURFACE - Embodiments of the invention contemplate a method, apparatus and system that are used to support and position a substrate on a surface that is at a different temperature than the initial, or incoming, substrate temperature. Embodiments of the invention may also include a method of controlling the transfer of heat between a substrate and substrate support positioned in a processing chamber. The apparatus and methods described herein generally may also provide an inexpensive and simple way of accurately positioning a substrate on a substrate support that is positioned in a semiconductor processing chamber. Substrate processing chambers that can benefit from the various embodiments described herein include, but are not limited to RTP, CVD, PVD, ALD, plasma etching, and/or laser annealing chambers. | 05-17-2012 |
20120205878 | HIGH TEMPERATURE VACUUM CHUCK ASSEMBLY - A vacuum chuck and a process chamber equipped with the same are provided. The vacuum chuck assembly comprises a support body, a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of channels, at least one support member supporting the support body, at least one resilient member coupled with the support member, a hollow shaft supporting the support body, at least one electrical connector disposed through the hollow shaft, and an air-cooling apparatus. The support body has a support surface for holding a substrate (such as a wafer) thereon. The protrusions are formed on and project from the support surface for creating a gap between the substrate and the support surface. The channels are formed on the support surface for generating reduced pressure in the gap. The air-cooling apparatus is used for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector. | 08-16-2012 |
20120270166 | RAPID CONDUCTIVE COOLING USING A SECONDARY PROCESS PLANE - A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for thermally treating a substrate is provided. The method includes transferring a substrate at a first temperature to a substrate support in a chamber, the chamber having a heating source and a cooling source disposed in opposing portions of the chamber, heating the substrate to a second temperature during a first time period while the substrate is disposed on the substrate support, heating the substrate to a third temperature during a second time period while the substrate is disposed on the substrate support, and cooling the substrate in the chamber to a fourth temperature that is substantially equal to the second temperature during the second time period. | 10-25-2012 |
20130043235 | RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER WITH MICRO-POSITIONING SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 02-21-2013 |
20140079376 | THERMAL REACTOR WITH IMPROVED GAS FLOW DISTRIBUTION - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume. | 03-20-2014 |
20140199786 | RAPID CONDUCTIVE COOLING USING A SECONDARY PROCESS PLANE - In one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber having an interior volume with an upper portion and a lower portion, a cooling source disposed in the upper portion of the interior volume, a heating source opposing the cooling source, a magnetically movable substrate support that moves between the upper portion and the lower the portion, and a plurality of sensors coupled to the chamber to detect the position of the substrate support relative to the heating source and the cooling source | 07-17-2014 |
20150050118 | Rapid Thermal Processing Chamber with Micro-Positioning System - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 02-19-2015 |