Apparatus for thermal treatment of semiconductor wafers by gas conduction incorporating peripheral gas inlet
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for the uniform temperature regulation of a substrate by gas conduction, said apparatus comprising:
- a body having a substantial thermal mass which serves to provide heat transfer in respect to a substrate,said body having wall means forming an end face,said end face having an annular substrate-support lip projecting outwardly from said end face at a position remote from a center of said end face, whereby when a substrate is positioned against said lip, a chamber is formed by the surfaces of the end face, supporting lip and substrate,said end face having gas conduction aperture means positioned in an annular locus located adjacent an inner rim of said lip, and said end face being solid everywhere internally of said aperture means,said body having gas conduction passage means for conducting gas to said aperture means of said end face, whereby when a substrate is positioned against said lip, gas can be introduced into said chamber to conduct heat from one to the other of said end face and a substrate, andmeans for controlling temperature of said body, said temperature controlling means being distinct from contact with said gas.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for the uniform thermal treatment of semiconductor wafers by gas conduction holds the wafer in place over a gas filled cavity in opposition to a thermal mass maintained at an appropriate temperature. Gas is introduced behind the semiconductor wafer adjacent its periphery to produce a near-constant gas pressure across the backside of the wafer. The constant pressure produces constant thermal conductivity. Consequently, heat conduction is uniform, the temperature of the wafer is uniform and uniform processing is accomplished across the wafer.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for the uniform temperature regulation of a substrate by gas conduction, said apparatus comprising:
-
a body having a substantial thermal mass which serves to provide heat transfer in respect to a substrate, said body having wall means forming an end face, said end face having an annular substrate-support lip projecting outwardly from said end face at a position remote from a center of said end face, whereby when a substrate is positioned against said lip, a chamber is formed by the surfaces of the end face, supporting lip and substrate, said end face having gas conduction aperture means positioned in an annular locus located adjacent an inner rim of said lip, and said end face being solid everywhere internally of said aperture means, said body having gas conduction passage means for conducting gas to said aperture means of said end face, whereby when a substrate is positioned against said lip, gas can be introduced into said chamber to conduct heat from one to the other of said end face and a substrate, and means for controlling temperature of said body, said temperature controlling means being distinct from contact with said gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
-
-
9. A method for uniform temperature regulation of a substrate, said method comprising:
-
positioning a substrate in contact with a raised peripheral lip of a thermally conductive plate such that a space for gas is provided between said plate and said substrate, flowing gas into said space through an annular locus of aperture means adjacent to the inside of said lip, and controlling the temperature of said thermally conductive plate, whereby gas in said space conducts heat from one to the other of said plate and said substrate, said temperature controlling being distinct from contact with said gas.
-
-
11. A method for providing uniform gas pressure against a substrate, said method comprising:
-
positioning a substrate relative to wall means having and end face such that a space for fluid is provided between said end face and said substrate and a leakage path for said fluid exits between an annular peripheral portion of said end face and the corresponding annular portion of said substrate, flowing a gas into said space around an annular path adjacent to the inside of said leakage path, and permitting said gas to leak outwardly from said space across said leakage path, whereby substantially constant pressure of gas exists across the face of the substrate in the area inside the inner periphery of said leakage path.
-
-
12. An apparatus for providing uniform gas pressure against a substrate comprising:
-
wall means having an end face with annular substrate-support lip projecting outwardly from said end face at a position remote from a center of said end face, whereby when a substrate is positioned against said lip, a chamber is formed by the surfaces of said end face, supporting lip and substrate, and whereby a leakage path for a gas formed between said lip and a corresponding annular portion of said substrate, and a multiplicity of gas conduction aperture means positioned in an annular locus adjacent an inner rim of said lip, said end face being solid everywhere internally of said aperture means.
-
Specification