Patent ID: 6225601
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: C03B,C23C,G05D,H01L

Abstract:
Heating apparatus for rapidly increasing the respective temperatures of first and second regions of a susceptor from a first and second initial temperature, respectively, to a first and second final temperature, respectively, comprising:a processing chamber;a susceptor disposed in the chamber;first and second heating elements respectively coupled to supply heat to first and second regions of the susceptor; anda controller for controlling the heat supplied to the susceptor by the first and second heating elements by establishing first and second interim setpoint temperatures so as to permit the first and second heating elements to heat the first and second regions of the susceptor to respective temperatures no greater than the first and second interim setpoint temperatures, respectively;wherein the controller increases the temperature of the first region by progressively increasing the first interim setpoint temperature at successive times until the controller increases the first interim setpoint temperature to the first final temperature; andwherein, at each of said successive times, the controller establishes the second interim setpoint temperature as equal to the current value of the first interim setpoint temperature plus a predetermined temperature offset value.