Patent ID: 7312422
Filing Date: 2007-12-25
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A batch treatment apparatus for use in heating a plurality of wafer substrates to a process temperature of 300-800° C., comprising: a chamber having an interior for placement of a wafer boat containing a plurality of shelves for supporting the wafer substrates; at least a heater located outside the chamber, the heater having an interior side and an exterior side, with the interior side facing the chamber and transmitting heat energy to the chamber for heating the wafers contained therein; at least one heat shield layer disposed on the exterior side of the heater, and at least a metalized insulating layer disposed outside of the heat shield layer; wherein the heater having at least one resistive heating element patterned in a plurality of circuits defining at least one zone for independent controlled heating of said at least zone, at least a portion of the patterned resistance heating element is coated with at least a layer comprising at least one of a nitride, carbide, carbonitride or oxynitride of elements selected from a group consisting of B, Al, Si, Ga, refractory hard metals, transition metals, and rare earth metals, or complexes and/or combinations thereof; a high thermal stability zirconium phosphate having an NZP structure of NaZr wherein the coating layer is disposed on patterned resistive heating element by at least one of expanding thermal plasma (ETP), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, ion plasma deposition, metal organic chemical vapor deposition, metal organic vapor phase epitaxy, sputtering, electron beam and plasma spray; and wherein the chamber is heated to the process temperature at a ramp rate of at least 40° C./minute.