GAS DRIVEN ROTATING SUSCEPTOR FOR RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING (RTP) SYSTEM

• US 20010002948A1
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Published: 06/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STEAG AST elektronik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Rodney T. Hodgson
• Inventors: WEBER, KARSTEN, ZERNICKEL, DIETER, ASCHNER, HELMUT, HAUKE, ANDREAS
• Granted Patent: US 6,449,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 392/418
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/12 Substrate holders or susceptors
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 31/14 Substrate holders or susceptors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation

Abstract

An apparatus for preventing warping of a rotatable base for supporting an object being processed in a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) system due to non uniform heating of the base by radiation from the object being processed is disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable base for supporting an object being processed in a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) system; and

a first means for preventing warping of the base due to non uniform heating of the base by radiation from the object being processed.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the base is rotated by impinging a flowing fluid on the base.

3. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a radiation absorbing plate interposed between the base and the object.

4. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a reflective coating applied to a surface of the base.

5. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises an absorptive coating applied to a surface of the base.

6. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a slot cut in the base.

7. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a plate separate from the base, the plate supported by the base at a plurality of points and the plate supporting the object.

8. The apparatus of

claim 7

, wherein the plate is engaged with the base so that orientation of the plate with respect to the base is constant as the base rotates.

9. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a plate joined to the base, the plate joined to the base at a plurality of points by joining means which allow relative expansion between the base and the plate.

10. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a spatial variation of the material of the base which results a spacial variation in the absorption of radiation from the object.

11. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises an apparatus for controlling the temperature and distribution of the fluid impinging on the base, so that the temperature distribution of the base is controlled.

12. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the first means comprises a guard ring about the object.

13. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the angular position of the base is determined by optical means.

14. The apparatus of

claim 13

, wherein the base is formed from quartz, the quartz having optical markings impressed by sandblasting.

15. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the angular position of the base is determined by magnetic means.

16. A method of rapid thermal processing (RTP) of an object, comprising:

supporting the object on a rotatable base;

processing the object with radiation from radiation sources of an RTP system while rotating the object on the rotatable base; and

preventing the base from warping due to non-uniform heating of the base by radiation from the object being processed.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the base is rotated by impinging a flowing fluid on the base.

18. The method of

claim 17

, wherein a is plate interposed between the base and the object to prevent the base from warping.

19. The method of

claim 17

, wherein a slot cut in the base to prevent the base from warping.

20. The method of

claim 17

, wherein a plate separate from the base is used to support the object, where the plate is supported by the base at a plurality of points, and wherein the plate receives most of the radiation from the object and thus prevents the base from warping.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the plate is engaged with the base so that orientation of the plate with respect to the base is constant as the base rotates.

22. The method of

claim 17

, wherein a plate joined to the base at a plurality of points is used to support the object, and wherein the plate receives most of the radiation from the object and thus prevents the base from warping.

23. A system for rapid thermal processing (RTP) of an object, comprising:

a radiation source for producing radiation to heat the object;

a chamber for containing the object to be processed, the chamber having at least a part of at least one wall transparent to the radiation from the radiation source;

a gas handling system for controlling the gas in the chamber;

a means for monitoring the temperature of the object;

a computer system for controlling the gas handling system and the radiation sources;

a rotatable base for supporting an object being processed within the chamber; and

a first means for preventing warping of the rotatable base due to non uniform heating of the base by radiation from the object being processed.