Substrate supporting unit and substrate processing apparatus manufacturing method of the substrate supporting unit

Provided are a substrate supporting unit and a substrate processing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the substrate supporting unit. The substrate supporting unit includes a susceptor on which a substrate is placed on a top surface thereof, one or more heat absorbing members which are capable of being converted between a mounted position at which the heat absorbing member is disposed on an upper portion of the susceptor to thermally contact the susceptor and a released position at which the heat absorbing member is separated from the upper portion of the susceptor, the one or more heat absorbing members absorbing heat of the susceptor at the mounted position, and an edge ring having a plurality of fixing slots in which the heat absorbing members are selectively inserted and fixed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0096730, filed on Sep. 26, 2011, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention disclosed herein relates to a substrate supporting unit and a substrate processing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the substrate supporting unit, and more particularly, to a substrate support unit which enables a susceptor to have a uniform temperature distribution and a substrate processing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the substrate supporting unit.

Semiconductor manufacturing processes include a deposition process or an etching process which is performed on a wafer. When the deposition or etching process is performed, a wafer is heated at a temperature of about 500° C. to about 700° C. by a resistance heater or a lamp heater in a state where the wafer is loaded on a susceptor formed of a ceramic or metal material.

In this case, to secure process uniformity, it is necessary to uniformly distribute a temperature on the wafer. For this, it may be necessary to uniformly adjust a temperature distribution of a susceptor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a substrate supporting unit which can uniformly adjust a temperature distribution on a wafer and a substrate process apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the substrate supporting unit.

The present invention also provides a substrate supporting unit which can uniformly adjust a temperature distribution on a susceptor and a substrate process apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the substrate supporting unit.

Further another object of the present invention will become evident with reference to following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention provide substrate supporting units including: a susceptor on which a substrate is placed on a top surface thereof; one or more heat absorbing members which are capable of being converted between a mounted position at which the heat absorbing member is disposed on an upper portion of the susceptor to thermally contact the susceptor and a released position at which the heat absorbing member is separated from the upper portion of the susceptor, the one or more heat absorbing members absorbing heat of the susceptor at the mounted position; and an edge ring having a plurality of fixing slots in which the heat absorbing members are selectively inserted and fixed.

In some embodiments, the susceptor may have a central region in which the substrate is disposed and an edge region defined around the substrate, and the heat absorbing members may be disposed along the edge region at the mounted position.

In other embodiments, the edge ring may have a ring shape and be disposed along the edge region of the susceptor, and the fixing slots may be penetrated in radius directions of the susceptor.

In still other embodiments, the heat absorbing members may have thermal contact surfaces thermally contacting the susceptor, and the thermal contact surfaces may have different areas.

In even other embodiments, each of the heat absorbing members may be formed of a material including one of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and aluminum nitride (AlN).

In other embodiments of the present invention, substrate processing apparatuses include: a chamber providing an inner space in which processes are performed on a substrate; a substrate supporting unit disposed within the chamber to support the substrate; and a showerhead supplying a process gas onto a top surface of the substrate supported by the substrate supporting unit, wherein the substrate supporting unit includes: a susceptor on which a substrate is placed on a top surface thereof; one or more heat absorbing members which are capable of being converted between a mounted position at which the heat absorbing member is disposed on an upper portion of the susceptor to thermally contact the susceptor and a released position at which the heat absorbing member is separated from the upper portion of the susceptor, the one or more heat absorbing members absorbing heat of the susceptor at the mounted position; and an edge ring having a ring shape and disposed along a sidewall of the chamber, the edge ring having a plurality of fixing slots in which the heat absorbing members are selectively inserted and fixed.

In still other embodiments of the present invention, methods of manufacturing a substrate supporting unit including a susceptor, on which a substrate is placed, include: measuring a temperature distribution of the susceptor to determine one or more high temperature regions, each having a high temperature greater than a reference temperature, of the substrate; disposing an edge ring having a plurality of fixing slots on the substrate; and selectively inserting and fixing heat absorbing members into the fixing slots respectively corresponding to the high temperature regions to adjust the temperature distribution of the susceptor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 1 to 6. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be constructed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the shapes of components are exaggerated for clarity of illustration.

Although a deposition device is exemplified below, the present invention may be applicable to various substrate processing apparatuses including a substrate supporting unit. Also, although a wafer W is exemplified below, the present invention may be applicable to various objects to be processed.

FIG. 1is a schematic view of a substrate processing apparatus100according to an embodiment of the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus100is an apparatus for depositing a layer. The substrate processing apparatus100includes a chamber11having a cylindrical shape. A susceptor12having a circular plate shape and horizontally supporting the wafer W is disposed within the chamber11. The susceptor12is supported by a supporting member13. For example, the susceptor12may be formed of a ceramic material such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or aluminum nitride (AlN).

A heater15is installed within the susceptor12. The heater15includes a coil type heater or a pattern heater. The heater15heats the susceptor12using a power supplied from the outside. The wafer W is heated at a predetermined temperature by the heater15. The susceptor12may include a thermocouple (not shown). The thermocouple may detect a temperature of the susceptor12to control the temperature of the susceptor12. Although the integrated heater15is exemplified in the current embodiment, the heater15may be divided into a plurality of parts to separately heat regions of the susceptor12.

A showerhead60is installed on a ceiling within the chamber11. The showerhead60supplies process gases supplied from a gas supply line62onto the susceptor12. Here, the gas supply line62is opened or closed by a valve62a. A high frequency power source is connected to the showerhead60. As needed, a high frequency power having a predetermined frequency may be supplied into the showerhead60from the high frequency power source.

An exhaust hole16is defined in the bottom of the chamber11. The process gases and reaction byproducts may be discharged to the outside through the exhaust hole16. Also, the inside of the chamber11may be decompressed up to a predetermined vacuum degree through the exhaust hole16. A passage42through which the wafer W is loaded or unloaded and a gate valve43for opening or closing the passage42are disposed in a sidewall of the chamber11.

An edge ring20is disposed on an upper portion of the susceptor12.FIG. 2is a perspective view of the edge ring ofFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 2, the edge ring20has a ring shape. Also, the edge ring20is disposed on the upper portion of the susceptor12along an edge region of the susceptor12. That is, the wafer W is placed on a central region of the susceptor12, and the edge ring20is disposed on the edge region defined around the wafer W. The edge ring20has a plurality of fixing slots23. The fixing slots23pass in a radius direction of the edge ring20. The fixing slots23are divided by a plurality of partition walls22. Each of the fixing slots23may be adjusted in size (or width) according to positions of the partition walls22.

As shown inFIG. 1, the heat absorbing member30is inserted into the edge ring20. The heat absorbing member30is fixedly inserted into one of the fixing slots23of the edge ring20to thermally contact a top surface of the susceptor12(“mounted position”). The thermal contact means that heat can be transmitted into the heat absorbing member30. That is, the thermal contact means that the heat absorbing member30directly contacts the top surface of the susceptor12or indirectly contacts the top surface of the susceptor12through a separate medium.

The heat absorbing member30is disposed on a specific region of the susceptor12to absorb heat with the specific region. Thus, when the susceptor12is heated in the same manner through the heater15, a temperature of the specific region measured after the heat absorbing member30is installed is lower than that of the specific region measured before the heat absorbing member30is installed. That is, the heat absorbing member30may act as a thermal loss with respect to the susceptor12. As a result, the susceptor12may be adjusted to have a uniform temperature distribution.

FIG. 3is a view of the heat absorbing member ofFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 3, the heat absorbing member30has a thermal contact surface having a rainbow shape with an outer radius R and an inner radius r. The thermal contact surface thermally contacts the top surface of the susceptor12. A central angle θ of the heat absorbing member30may be determined according to the size (or the width) of each of the fixing slots23. A contact distance d of the heat absorbing member30may be obtained through a difference between the outer radius R and the inner radius r. The contact distance d of the heat absorbing member30may be a factor which determines an area of the heat absorbing member30. Also, the area of the heat absorbing member30may be a factor which determines a quantity of heat absorbed from the susceptor12. The area of the heat absorbing member30may be obtained through the outer radius R, the inner radius r, and the central angle θ.

A quantity of heat absorbed into the heat absorbing member30from the susceptor12is substantially proportional to the area of the heat absorbing member30. Thus, to adjust the temperature distribution of the susceptor12, it is necessary to provide the heat absorbing member30having various shapes (or areas). This is done because temperatures of the susceptor12are variously distributed on regions of the susceptor12. Thus, the heat absorbing member30ofFIG. 4may be modified in various shapes. Therefore, the heat absorbing member30having various shapes may be provided.

The heat absorbing member30may be formed of the same material as the susceptor12. For example, the heat absorbing member30may be formed of one of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and aluminum nitride (AlN). As shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the heat absorbing member30includes a support guide32. The support guide32prevents the heat absorbing member30from being excessively inserted into the susceptor12.

FIG. 4is a view illustrating a process in which the heat absorbing member is selectively inserted into the edge ring ofFIG. 1. A method for adjusting a temperature distribution of the susceptor using the heat absorbing member will be described with reference toFIG. 4.

First, a worker measures a temperature distribution of the susceptor12. Then, the worker may confirm at least one high temperature region having a temperature greater than a reference temperature through the measured temperature distribution. Here, the reference temperature may be set to a minimum temperature of the measured temperatures or set to a mean temperature of the measured temperatures. The temperature distribution of the susceptor12may be measured in a state where the edge ring20is disposed on the susceptor12.

Thereafter, as shown inFIG. 4, the worker may insert the heat absorbing member30into the fixing slot23corresponding to the confirmed high temperature region. Here, a shape (or an area) of the heat absorbing member30may be determined in proportion to a temperature deviation (a difference between the high temperature and the reference temperature) in the high temperature region. An area of the heat absorbing member30may be determined according to contact distances d1, d2, and d3. The heat absorbing member30is inserted into the fixing slot23inward from the outside of the edge ring20. The support guide32prevents the heat absorbing member30from being excessively inserted.

In the state where the heat absorbing member30is inserted into the fixing slot23, the heat absorbing member30contacts the top surface of the susceptor12to absorb heat of the susceptor12, thereby reducing a temperature of a corresponding region of the susceptor12. As shown inFIG. 4, the heat absorbing member30is not inserted into the fixing slots corresponding to regions of the susceptor12, each having temperatures less than the reference temperature. Here, the heat absorbing member30is separated from the edge ring20(“a released position”).

Although the edge ring20includes eight fixing slots23in the current embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the number of fixing slots may be increased to accurately adjust the temperature distribution of the susceptor12. For example, if the edge ring20includes sixteen fixing slots23, the temperature distribution of the susceptor12may be more accurately adjusted through the sixteen fixing slots23.

As described above, the temperature distribution of the susceptor12may be easily adjusted. Also, as described above, although it is necessary to uniformly adjust a temperature distribution of the susceptor12so as to secure the process uniformity, the temperature distribution of the susceptor12may be affected by external conditions (a shape of the chamber, a position of the passage, and the like). Thus, it is impossible to manufacture a susceptor which can have a uniform temperature distribution when the susceptor12is initially manufactured. However, if the edge ring20and the heat absorbing member30are used, the heat absorbing member30having various sizes may be fixedly inserted into the fixing slot23of the edge ring20after the edge ring20is disposed on the susceptor12to effectively adjust the temperature distribution of the susceptor12, thereby minimizing a time and cost required for adjusting the temperature distribution of the susceptor12. Particularly, even though the external conditions are changed, a nonuniform temperature distribution may be minimized through the heat absorbing member30. Thus, the substrate processing apparatus may be effectively utilized for various processes.

FIG. 5andFIG. 6are views illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the foregoing embodiment ofFIG. 1, the edge ring20is disposed on the upper portion of the susceptor12. However, as shown inFIG. 5, an edge ring50may be disposed along a sidewall of a chamber11and spaced apart from a top surface of a susceptor12. A heat absorbing member30may be fixedly inserted into the edge ring50.

Referring toFIG. 6, the susceptor12may ascend to perform a process. In a state where the susceptor12ascends, the heat absorbing member30is maintained in thermal contact with the top surface of the susceptor12. Thus, the heat absorbing member30may absorb heat of a corresponding region of the susceptor12through the same method as that of the foregoing embodiment to adjust a temperature distribution of the susceptor12. Here, like the foregoing embodiment, contact distances d1and d2(or areas) of the heat absorbing member30may be different from each other according to a quantity of heat to be absorbed from the susceptor12.

According to the present invention, it may be possible to uniformly adjust a temperature distribution on the wafer. Also, it may be possible to uniformly adjust a temperature distribution on the susceptor.

Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments, the invention may be embodied in many different forms. Thus, technical idea and scope of claims set forth below are not limited to the preferred embodiments.