Rapid conductive cooling using a secondary process plane

• US 7,812,286 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Sorabji, Khurshed, Lerner, Alexander N.
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US11/925,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 219/390, 219/405, 219/411, 392/416, 392/418, 118/724, 118/725, 118/50.1, 118728- 9, 343/80, 174/15.1, 361/690
• US Class Current: 219/390
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 31/14 Substrate holders or susceptors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30 Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 manufacture of electrodes thereon H01L21/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67098 Apparatus for thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/10 Measuring as part of the manufacturing process burn-in G01R31/2855
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a substrate support configured to move linearly and/or rotationally by a magnetic drive. The substrate support is also configured to receive a radiant heat source to provide heating region in a portion of the chamber. An active cooling region comprising a cooling plate is disposed opposite the heating region. The substrate may move between the two regions to facilitate rapidly controlled heating and cooling of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for thermally treating a substrate, comprising:

providing a chamber having a rotatably levitating substrate support disposed therein;

transferring a substrate to the substrate support;

moving the substrate and the substrate support to a first position;

heating the substrate in the first position;

moving the substrate and the substrate support to a second position adjacent an active cooling means; and

cooling the substrate in the second position, wherein the first and second positions are disposed in opposing portions of the chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating comprises a time period of about 2 minutes or less.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling comprises a time period between about 10 seconds or less.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling means comprises a gas port disposed in an upper portion of the chamber that is configured to flow a cooling gas across the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first position is a lower portion of the chamber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second position is an upper portion of the chamber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling means is configured to absorb radiant energy from the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling means comprises at least one coolant channel.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling means is a black material.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the black material has an emissivity of about 0.70 to about 0.95.

11. A method for thermally treating a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate to a chamber at a first temperature;

heating the substrate in a first time period to a second temperature;

heating the substrate to a third temperature in a second time period;

cooling the substrate to the second temperature in the second time period; and

cooling the substrate to the first temperature in a third time period, wherein the second time period is less than about 2 seconds.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

moving the substrate between a heating and a cooling zone disposed in opposing portions of the chamber.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

moving the substrate vertically within the chamber with a magnetically levitated substrate support.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second time period is between about 0.3 seconds to about 1.8 seconds.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second temperature is between about 800°

C. to about 1200°

C.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second temperature is between about 900°

C. to about 1150°

C.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the third temperature is about 25°

C. to about 100°

C. higher than the second temperature.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the cooling comprises:

moving the substrate adjacent a cooling zone within the chamber.

19. A method for thermally treating a substrate, comprising:

providing a chamber having a vertically movable magnetic substrate support disposed therein;

providing a substrate to the chamber at a first temperature;

moving the substrate to a first position;

heating the substrate in the first position in a first time period to a second temperature;

heating the substrate to third temperature in a second time period;

moving the substrate to a second position adjacent an active cooling means and cooling the substrate to the second temperature in the second time period; and

cooling the substrate to the first temperature in a third time period, wherein the second time period is less than about 2 seconds.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second temperature is between about 800°

C. to about 1200°

C. and the third temperature is about 25°

C. to about 100°

C. higher than the second temperature.