Temperature controlled chamber

• US 6,598,559 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Vellore, Kim, Liang, Qiwei, Polar, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Utech, Benjamin L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACARTHUR, SYLVIA
• Application Number:
  US09/534,834
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/723.VE, 118/723.ME, 118/723.R
• US Class Current: 118/723.0VE
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/481 by radiant heating of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation

Abstract

A substrate processing chamber 25 comprising a substrate support 85, and a wall 24 about the substrate support 85, the wall 24 having a radiation absorbing surface 36 adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

Claims

1. A substrate processing chamber comprising:

a substrate support, and

a wall about the substrate support, the wall having a radiation absorbing surface with a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

2. A chamber according to claim 1 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a color that is substantially black.

3. A chamber according to claim 1 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a reflectivity coefficient of less than about 30%.

4. A chamber according to claim 1 wherein the wall comprises a portion of an enclosure around the substrate support.

5. A chamber according to claim 1 wherein the radiation absorbing surface is an exterior surface of the wall.

6. A chamber according to claim 1 wherein the wall is dome shaped.

7. A chamber according to claim 1 further comprising a heat source adapted to apply heat to the radiation absorbing surface.

8. A chamber according to claim 7 wherein the heat source is adapted to emit radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

9. A chamber according to claim 1 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises silicon nitride, vanadium oxide or chromium oxide, and has a substantially dark color.

10. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber comprising a substrate support, the chamber having a wall with a radiation absorbing surface having a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infrared-spectrum; and

a heat source to provide radiation to the radiation absorbing surface, the radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a color that is substantially black.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the radiation absorbing surface is on an exterior surface of the wall.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the wall is dome shaped.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the heat source comprises a lamp, LED or laser.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the heat source is adapted to emit radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a reflectivity coefficient of less than about 30%.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10 comprising a top enclosure around the radiation absorbing surface and the heat source, the top enclosure having one or more vents to the external environment and a gas flow circulator to circulate a gas over the radiation absorbing surface.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the gas flow circulator comprises one or more of a fan, gas nozzle, blower or gas flow amplifier.

19. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises silicon nitride, vanadium oxide or chromium oxide, and has a substantially dark color.

20. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising:

placing a substrate in a chamber;

providing a radiation absorbing surface on a wall of the chamber, the radiation absorbing surface having a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having,wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum; and

directing radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum against the radiation absorbing surface.

21. A method according to claim 20 comprising providing the radiation absorbing surface on an exterior surface of the wall of the chamber.

22. A method according to claim 20 comprising providing a radiation absorbing surface having a color that is substantially black.

23. A method according to claim 20 further comprising circulating a gas across the radiation absorbing surface.

24. An apparatus according to claim 20 comprising providing a radiation absorbing surface comprising silicon nitride, vanadium oxide or chromium oxide, and having a substantially dark color.

25. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

chamber comprising a substrate support, the chamber having a wall comprising a radiation absorbing surface having a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or intra-red spectrum, the surface comprising one or more of silicon nitride, vanadium oxide or chromium oxide, and having a reflectivity coefficient of less than about 30%; and

a heat source to provide radiation to the wall.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the substantially dark color is substantially black.

27. A chamber according to claim 25 wherein the wall is an exterior wall.

28. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber comprising a substrate support, the chamber having a wall comprising a radiation absorbing surface comprising one or more of vanadium oxide and chromium oxide; and

a heat source to provide radiation to the radiation absorbing surface.

29. A chamber according to claim 28 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

30. A chamber according to claim 28 wherein the wall comprises a coating having the radiation absorbing surface thereon.

31. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber comprising a substrate support, the chamber having a wall comprising a radiation absorbing surface comprising a mixture of aluminum oxide and titanium oxide; and

a heat source to provide radiation to the radiation absorbing surface.

32. A chamber according to claim 31 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

33. A chamber according to claim 31 wherein the wall comprises a coating having the radiation absorbing surface thereon.

34. substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber comprising a substrate support, the chamber having a wall comprising a radiation absorbing surface comprising a mixture of zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide; and

a heat source to provide radiation to the radiation absorbing surface.

35. A chamber according to claim 34 wherein the radiation absorbing surface comprises a substantially dark color adapted to preferentially absorb radiation having wavelengths in the visible or infra-red spectrum.

36. A chamber according to claim 34 wherein the wall comprises a coating having the radiation absorbing surface thereon.