Patent ID: 8669497
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: F27B,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for heating a wafer in a thermal processing system having an inline metrology unit and a baking unit, the wafer having a backside, the inline metrology unit having a plurality of proximity sensors, the method comprising: obtaining a plurality of distance measurements from the plurality of proximity sensors to the backside of the wafer; after obtaining the distance measurements, transferring the wafer from the inline metrology unit to the baking unit; and heating the wafer in the baking unit with a hotplate having a plurality of elements, each of the elements locally heating a portion of the backside of the wafer, the heat provided by each element being based on at least one of the distance measurements, wherein each distance measurement corresponds to a gap between the hot plate and the backside of the wafer, and wherein a number and location of the plurality of proximity sensors correspond to the plurality of elements of the hotplate.