Apparatus for liquid treatment of disc-shaped articles and heating system for use in such apparatus

• US 9,748,120 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research AG (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lam Research AG (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Crabb, Kevin Matthew, Engesser, Philipp, Badam, Vijay Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelham, Joseph M
• Application Number:
  US13/932,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20150001202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 17/0025 Especially adapted for treating semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 5/14 Arrangements of heating devices
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2099/0008 Resistor heating
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 5/0037 Supports specially adapted for semi-conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation

Abstract

An apparatus for treating a disc-shaped article comprises a spin chuck and at least three individually controllable infrared heating elements. The infrared heating elements are mounted in a stationary manner with respect to rotation of said spin chuck. The infrared heating elements are arranged in a nested configuration so as to define individually controllable inner, middle and outer heating zones adjacent a disc-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck.

Claims

1. Apparatus for treating a disc-shaped article, comprising:

a spin chuck for holding the disc-shaped article in a predetermined orientation relative to an upper surface of the spin chuck; and

at least three individually-controllable heating elements mounted above the upper surface of the spin chuck and below the disc-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck, wherein the at least three individually-controllable heating elements are mounted in a stationary manner with respect to rotation of the spin chuck,

wherein the at least three individually-controllable heating elements are arranged in a nested configuration so as to define individually-controllable inner, middle and outer heating zones adjacent to the disc-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least three individually-controllable heating elements has at least one of a shape and a position such that each of the at least three individually-controllable heating elements heats regions of differing distance from an axis of rotation of the spin chuck.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the at least three individually-controllable heating elements comprises a curved portion that extends generally along an arc of a circle that is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the spin chuck.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each the at least three individually-controllable heating element comprises two straight portions interconnected by a curved portion.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the two straight portions are parallel to one another.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least three individually-controllable heating element comprises a curved portion extending along an arc of a circle, and wherein the circle for each heating element is concentric with the circle for at least two others of the at least three individually-controllable heating elements.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a circle circumscribing emitting portions of any one of the at least three individually-controllable heating elements does not intersect a circle circumscribing emitting portions of any others of the at least three individually-controllable heating elements.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plate that is transparent to radiation emitted by the at least three individually-controllable heating elements, the plate being positioned between the at least three individually-controllable heating elements and the disc-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plate is part of a housing that surrounds the at least three individually-controllable heating elements.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the housing is mounted in a stationary manner with respect to rotation of the spin chuck.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least three individually-controllable heaters comprise infrared heaters.