Substrate processing apparatus and method

{
  "publication_number": "US2020111690A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Substrate processing apparatus and method",
  "abstract": "A substrate processing apparatus, provided with a substrate carrier support to support a substrate carrier thereon. The carrier support comprises a top support surface to support the substrate carrier; a thermally insulating body of thermally insulating material; and, a primary heater to heat the carrier support. The thermally insulating body is provided at least between the support surface and the primary heater.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A substrate processing apparatus, provided with a substrate carrier support to support a substrate carrier thereon, wherein the carrier support comprises: a top support surface to support the substrate carrier; a thermally insulating body of thermally insulating material; and, a primary heater to heat the carrier support, wherein the thermally insulating body is provided at least between the support surface and the primary heater. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carrier support comprises a side plate and the thermally insulating body is provided between the side plate and the primary heater. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carrier support comprises a bottom plate and the thermally insulating body is provided between the bottom plate and the primary heater. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating body is substantially surrounding the primary heater. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating body is thermally insulating the primary heater from its surrounding. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carrier support comprises a secondary heater between the support surface and the thermally insulating body. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the primary heater comprises a heating power larger than the secondary heater. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary heater has a power between 0.5 and 10 Kilowatt. 9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the secondary heater has a power between 0.1 and 3 Kilowatt. 10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a reaction chamber defining a reaction space and an opening via which a substrate carrier supported on the carrier support is moveable in said reaction space, wherein the apparatus comprises a heat controller to control the temperature of the carrier support, operably connected to the secondary heater and programmed to switch the secondary heater off when the substrate carrier is outside the reaction space. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the heat controller is operably connected to the primary heater and programmed to keep the primary heater activated when the substrate carrier is outside the reaction space. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thermally insulating body between the support surface and the primary heater is between 0.5 and 12 cm. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating material insulates between 0.05 W/mK and 5 W/mK. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a reaction chamber defining a reaction space and an opening via which a substrate carrier supported on the carrier support is moveable in said reaction space. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the carrier support comprises an upper plate and a bottom plate, which plates are connected with a cylindrical side plate to define a generally cylindrical container and wherein an outer surface of the upper plate defines the support surface of the carrier support and the generally cylindrical container at least partially closes of the reaction space. 16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus comprises an elevator constructed and arranged to move the carrier support in a vertical direction into the reaction chamber. 17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus comprises a heat controller to control the temperature of the carrier support, operably connected to the primary heater and programmed to keep the primary heater activated when the substrate carrier is outside the reaction space. 18. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate carrier connected to the support surface of the carrier support and that is configured to hold at least one substrate. 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the substrate carrier is configured to hold between 10 and 300. 20. A method, comprising: providing a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1; supporting a substrate carrier on the carrier support; and, exchanging at least one substrate of the substrate carrier, while heating the carrier support of the carrier support with the primary heater."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to the field of substrate processing apparatus and method. More in particular the disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, provided with a substrate carrier support to support a substrate carrier thereon. The carrier support comprises a top support surface to support the substrate carrier; a thermally insulating body of thermally insulating material; and a primary heater to heat the carrier support.\n\nThe simultaneous processing of a plurality of substrates (e.g., semiconductor wafers) in a vertical batch furnace presents the problem of how to subject all wafers that are stacked into a substrate carrier (e.g., wafer boat) to substantially the same process conditions across their respective surface areas. One such process condition is the temperature uniformity. To obtain uniform processing results across the wafers of a batch, each of the wafers thereof may preferably be heated substantially uniformly to a common temperature by heating means disposed proximate a side wall of the reaction chamber and proximate a top wall of the reaction chamber.\n\nAs regards in particular the upper wafers in the substrate boat, the wafer-to-wafer temperature uniformity is generally not a significant problem, while the within-wafer temperature uniformity (due to asymmetries in the construction of the furnace) may be enhanced by an optional boat rotation mechanism. However, in a vertical batch furnace, the temperature uniformity of the lower wafers in the wafer boat may prove difficult to improve.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 72/127",
    "H01L 21/67109",
    "H01L 21/67306",
    "H01L 21/67309",
    "H01L 21/67383",
    "H01L 21/68764",
    "H10P 72/0431",
    "H10P 72/0432",
    "H10P 72/0434",
    "H10P 72/0602",
    "H10P 72/123",
    "H10P 72/14",
    "H10P 72/1921",
    "H10P 72/3312",
    "H10P 72/7618",
    "H10P 72/7624",
    "H10P 95/90"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H10P 72/00",
    "H10P 72/10",
    "H10P 72/76",
    "H10P 95/90"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ASM IP Holding BV"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Theodorus Oosterlaken"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-10-03",
  "publication_date": "2020-04-09",
  "priority_date": "2018-10-03",
  "application_number": "US-201816151074-A",
  "family_id": "70052336",
  "cited_by_count": 378,
  "citations": [
    "US20050201908A1",
    "US20130017503A1",
    "US20160345384A1",
    "US20180254211A1",
    "US20180076021A1"
  ]
}